What Christians Want To Know

Why Does God Allow False Converts in the Church?

Jack Wellman — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:30:04 +0000

Jesus told us that there would be wheat and tares growing together, or false and true converts in the church, so why did God allow this?

The Sovereign God

Before we address the question as to why God allows false converts in His church, we must understand that God has a reason for everything. Even if we don’t know the reason, God does, and we must accept that. God does not owe us an explanation. He alone knows at all times, what is good and best for all. So first of all, if God allows something, He has a reason since God is “Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim 6:15). The Apostle Paul understood that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11), and not man’s, and “all things” includes everything! Nothing is outside the scope of God’s sovereign control of events, time and history. Truly it is “His-story.” It is not man but God alone Who can and does “uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10). No one but God “changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan 2:21). So, God must have a good reason for allowing false converts in the church. In fact, the Book of Hebrews was written to a mixture of saints and the unsaved.

Using Evil for God

Of course, God is not the author of evil, but God can use mankind’s evil for His own good and glory (Gen 50:20). We can see that at the cross. When man was at His worst, God was at His best, using this great evil for great good (John 3:16). If God can use evil for God, then those who are not saved in the church must be there because it is God’s good pleasure. Remember, what God desires and decrees, comes to pass and nothing can stop it, so the church can never be free from false converts, but why?

Cheat and Wheat

I grew up in Kansas (the Wheat State) and have worked on a farm and during wheat harvest, so I’m very familiar with wheat and tares. It’s very difficult at first to tell the difference between the two, but once the wheat starts heading out (called, the “heading stage”), you can clearly tell the difference between the wheat and the tares or what is sometimes called “cheat.” This reminds me of Jesus’ statement that “you will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). The fruit (the wheat headed out) reveals the root (an actual wheat plant). Over time, the cheat is exposed as a fraud, and even though we can’t tell who is saved and who is not for sure, we can see the fruits.

Seeding the Fields

Jesus spoke about false converts in Matthew 13 in the Parable of the Weeds. Our Lord said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field” (Matt 13:24), but it was “while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among” (Matt 13:25). Of course, the enemy is Satan. They later noticed that there were weeds coming up along the wheat and asked whether they should be pulled up. First off, this is not really a surprise to the Master (our Lord), so it wasn’t as if He wasn’t expecting it, but the Master said “No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them” (Matt 13:29). For one thing, they were told to leave it alone. Why? They might make a misjudgment because only God can truly know the human heart and whether someone is truly saved or not. Thus, they are told to leave the weeds alone, lest the tear out the good wheat or what they thought were weeds but were actually wheat! They might uproot the wrong plant, so the Master says, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt 13:30). On the Day of Christ’s coming, He will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), so it’s not for us to do.

Why God Allows False Converts

God may allow false converts for several reasons, like as a test of our faith. Is it genuine or not. It may be used as a means to refine true believers and what they truly believe. It might also be an opportunity for God to display His ultimate sovereignty and mercy, being patient, in that they might come to repentance and faith. I find the Apostle Paul’s reason for allowing false converts in the church, which of course is really God’s reason since it’s recorded in Scripture. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:19 that “there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” Did you catch that? “There must be…” Perhaps it is so we can recognize the true believers who are “genuine among you” in the church and those who are not genuine, so the church won’t listen to their teachings. So false converts and true saints in the church could be one of the ultimate tests of the church that God gives, separating genuine believers from pretenders and revealing who truly has God’s approval.

Summary

Finally, in Galatians 2:4, 5 the Apostle Paul wrote “that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Notice that Paul says it is so “that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” He wants them to cling tight to the essentials of the faith (i.e., Eph 2:8-9). God has sovereignly allowed outsiders or the unsaved into the church so that Paul (and the church) can revisit the important doctrines of salvation by grace alone and not by law keeping or presuming on God’s grace and living in sin. Those are the two ditches the church needs to avoid, and false teachers with their false doctrines make true believers restate and defend the faith once delivered to them (Jude 1:3-4). The false placed next to the true makes the true stand out more clearly, so false converts and their false teachings are a sort of litmis test to refine true believers faith, bringing more clarity to the essential doctrines of grace (1 Cor 15:1-5).

Conclusion

I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.

Here is some related reading for you: Can You Tell Whether Someone is Saved or Not?

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

5 Commands From Jesus That Most Christians Disobey

Jack Wellman — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:30:03 +0000

What are the five commands of Jesus Christ that most Christians disobey today? Are you one of those who are also disobeying Christ?

Baptism

So many people have claimed faith in Christ by saying they were baptized, but baptism cannot save, but the saved are to be baptized. This is a command from Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20) that nearly half of all believers disobey. They’ve been saved, but they have never been baptized which is supposed to be a public profession of faith that we are to make (Rom 10:9-13). Perhaps it’s pride that prevents them from coming forward for the sacrament of baptism and doing so in a public setting as they make their profession of faith, but that’s what we’re called to do (Rom 10:9-13). It is an outward symbol of an inward conversion, signifying the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Remember we too were once dead in our sins (Eph 2:1-5) but now raised to new life in Christ. When I ask people why they haven’t been baptized, the answers are various, like “I’ve just never gotten around to it” or “I’m going to do that someday” but that “someday” never comes, so just under half of all who profess faith in Christ, of those I surveyed (100 total), have disobeyed Jesus’ command to be baptized. This makes not being baptized one of the most disobeyed commands of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Communion

There are at least five imperative commands in the New Testament to observe Communion or the Lord’s Supper and yet a whopping 40% of Christians have never attended even once (an even 40 out of 100 I surveyed)! This is an imperative command from Jesus Christ Himself (Mar 14; Luke 22; 1 Cor 11). Jesus Christ said to do this and the Apostle Paul writes it as a command, saying “do this.” In the Greek it is an imperative command, meaning it is not optional. When we do this, we proclaim Christ’s death and His second coming (1 Cor 11:26). If you don’t take communion or the Lord’s Supper, then you are disobeying Jesus’ direct, imperative command…a command from the King of kings! Should it not matter deeply to us to participate in Communion because it mattered deeply to Jesus Christ (Luke 22:15)? Why do so many disobey this very important command? The risk of continual disobedience might mean a person thinks they are saved, but in actuality, they may be headed to hell for eternity (Matt 7:21-23). Why do we call Him Lord and not do what He commands? Is He then, really your Lord?!

“Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24).

The Great Commission

Jesus said to go into all the world to proclaim the gospel (Matt 28:18-20), and yet most Christian’s won’t even go next door! They are silent about Christ as almost being ashamed of Him, and that’s dangerous ground to walk on (Matt 8:38; Mark 9:26, etc.). Research frequently cited within Christian ministries estimates that 91% to 95% of believers have never verbally shared their faith in their lifetime. Today in the church, it’s not the Great Commission, but the “great omission,” meaning well over 9 in 10 Christians have never lead anyone to Christ and fewer still have ever talked with a stranger sharing the gospel (only 4 in a hundred!).

Assembling With the Saints

The church today is about as bad at attending church as any generation of Christians that have come before, even though it is a command of God to attend. And attendance is falling fast, now just under half of all believers come to church. People come up with some of the worst excuses we can think of to justify breaking this command (Heb 10:24-25, etc.). One man said that people think churches are all about money or something worse, they criticize the church for their many flaws, not realizing they themselves are far from perfect. They are casually dismissing the church’s importance…the church which Jesus said will ever prevail, even against the gates of hell (Matt 16:18). Jesus’ church prevails against the gates of hell (death, Satan, demons, persecution) and we don’t think it’s that important to attend!!?

An old, wise pastor of 87 years old (Jerry Wood, now with the Lord) told me that the reason about half of believers don’t come to church anymore is they are lazy, they care more about themselves than honoring God, and they are too busy for God. They believe their church is a fishing bank on Sunday mourning, but the New Testament Church never had a single, lone-ranger Christian. When Christians forsake assembling together as the church, they lose a valuable resource; friends, God’s family, other brothers and sisters in Christ, prayer warriors, people who can give real help when needed, even financial aid. Wolves are not afraid of sheep….but wolves are afraid of sheep next to the Shepherd; the Shepherd of our souls (1 Pet 2:25). Satan roams around looking for the weak, hurting sheep that have been separated from the flock’s protection (Eph 4:27, 6:11; 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 12:9), and his victims are the ones out there who are all by themselves.

Fellowship With the Saints

Singing and making noise to the Lord is a great way to serve with gladness.

The author of Hebrews, which really is God, says “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb10:24). One of our church elder’s wife so wisely pointed out to me that there are over one hundred “one another’s” in the New Testament and nearly half of those are imperative commands, so when we do not attend a church and fellowship with the saints, we are breaking nearly fifty imperative commands! We call Him Lord and then break almost half a hundred of His imperative commands?! We can’t do “one another” alone! Why then can we honestly call Him Lord of whom we do not obey? That’s why God commands us to “not [be] neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb 10:25).

You can’t stir up someone up to good works who’s not there and you can’t be encouraged by others if you’re by yourself. We need one another and you have a place in the Body of Christ to serve, for which God has called you (1 Cor 12). Of course, some have no access to a church and others are shut-ins or disabled and cannot attend, so God certainly understands that, but for those of us who can attend, who can worship with, and who can serve shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Christ (Matt 25:35-36), we should be compelled by conscience to attend. If you are never a part of Christ’s church, then you may be in trouble on the day of His appearance (Matt 25:41-46).

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: How God Blesses Our Obedience But Curses Sin

How to be Certain God Hears and Answers Your Prayers

Jack Wellman — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:30:49 +0000

We can know from Scripture that God hears and answers our prayers, but the answers may not be what we expect.

5 Promises From Scripture

First John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”

The Apostle John wasn’t trying to just encourage our faith. He had confidence in God, including a confidence that whatever we pray for in God’s will is a prayer that God will hear and answer (although in His own way). Can you imagine us having God’s ear?

Psalm 66:19 “But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.”

The psalmist also knew that God listened to his prayer, and even “attended to the voice of [his] prayer.” It’s one thing to have your prayers heard, but to have them “attended to” means that it’s being or has already been taken care of.

John 9:31 “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”

Every person before faith must realize that our “iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2), but how many of us have cried out to God to save us while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8)? All of us!

First Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

There isn’t a better way to end your day then with prayer and time in the Word.

Not only are our prayers being heard, God’s ears are open to them. God will hear them and answer them because His ears and eyes are open to our cries. Oh, what a privilege this is.

First John 5:15 “And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

The Apostle John gives us one last Bible verse regarding our prayers being heard. Once more, he doesn’t have to depend on feelings; he knows that God “hears us in whatever we ask,” and knows “that we have the requests that we have asked of him,” even before we receive them. That’s faith! His confidence is not in his faith but in the Object of His faith, Jesus Christ.

Confidence

We can have confidence that God will hear our prayers since He can also read our thoughts and the intents of our hearts (Heb 4:13), so it’s not a matter of whether He will hear us or not, it’s a matter of trusting that He is listening and whether we’ll accept His answer, which could be much different than we expected. Whatever the case is, we know “he hears the prayer of the righteous” (Prov 15:29).

Finding God’s Will

Most often, it is we who are changed when we come to God in prayer.

When you find God’s will, you will find just what you need to pray for. In other words, since we know that it’s God’s will that others be saved, we can pray for lost sinners we know. We know that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4), so we are praying according to God’s will when we pray for lost sinners (Matt 6:10). Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone who we pray for will be saved, but God desires that we be His faithful witness to those who are lost. Praying according to God’s will can unleash God’s power.

Praying in Faith

Talk about the power of prayer! James writes that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16b), and that power is unleashed by God in response to our faith in His ability to answer it. This is not a “name it and claim it” faith where we ourselves command things to be done because we pray to God, but this is a prayer that trusts God with the answer, even if it’s different from what we prayed for. Notice that the prayers must be from a “righteous person,” but thankfully, whoever believes in Christ has His own righteousness (2Cor 5:21). If we’ve trusted in Christ and have faith in God, believe while you pray that God will answer it, but in His infinitely better way.

Seeking His Glory

Why would Jesus ask us to pray in His name? It is so that His name would be glorified. The Father is always seeking to glorify Jesus Christ’s name, so when we pray in Jesus’ name, the answer brings glory to Christ. However, we must be abiding in Christ because, since our Lord said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). Of course, it must be according to the will of God and must be a prayer prayed in faith, but if we seek to glorify Jesus’ name by the answer, then whatever may come, His name will be glorified because it was in His name that we prayed in.

This author stands on the authority of the Bible as God’s Holy Word.

God Knows Better

I don’t have to remind you that God is omniscient, which means, He’s all-knowing. Nothing has ever occurred to God…ever, so when God answers our prayer in a way that isn’t pleasing to us or may be nearly the opposite of what we asked for, keep in mind that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not like our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8), meaning His answer is superior to what we asked for. That is, His ways are far, far better than ours. Sometimes we don’t know what’s really good for us and we pray for the wrong thing.

Something Better

When Jesus was telling His disciples about praying for our needs, He said, “which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone” (Matt 7:9), or “Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent” (Matt 7:10)? Jesus point is, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matt 7:11)! What answer God gives you might not be what you hoped for, but what answer God gives you is always infinitely best for you than you even realize (Rom 8:28). That’s because He will “give good things to those who ask him” (Matt 7:11)!

Something New

When one of our church members had to go into an assisted-living center because of a broken hip, I went to visit her. I walked in, thinking to myself, “I really want to start a local ministry for the church, somewhere here in town.” So I walked in to the assisted-living center and visited our church member, but then, I got to know the staff, then some of the other residents, but also some of the resident’s family. I got involved in a nursing home ministry on my own…accidentally…and what God brought to me was even better than what I was praying for. I was praying for God to open a door that I had already walked through!

Summary

Imagine a young child coming up to their parent and asking to play with some scissors…and I mean, adult scissors with a sharp, pointy end. Of course the child doesn’t always know what’s best for them, so the parent hands the child a pair of scissors that are shorter, and have round ends, like the ones they use in elementary schools. At first, the child didn’t like the answer “No,” but the child got something much better and safer, even if it wasn’t what they wanted. That means they were better off with God’s answer than what they wanted. God always knows what best for us.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: 8 Prayers for Everyday Life

Why Sharing the Gospel With Family Is So Hard?

Jack Wellman — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:30:58 +0000

W hy is it easier to share Christ with a complete stranger than with your own family?

Know the Gospel

“Jesus paid for our sins so that, if we believe in Him, we will be restored to a right relationship with God.”

We cannot share what we do not know, so first of all, we must know the gospel and know it well. In fact, it should be memorized. To check to see if you really know the gospel, imagine a man lying there in the street, waiting for an ambulance, but he’s about to die and has only three minutes to live. Can you share the gospel with that man in that amount of time so that man might be saved? The Apostle Paul says that the gospel must include the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:1-5). The gospel must include the fact that Jesus satisfied the wrath of God that was due upon us because He was the spotless, perfect, and most holy Lamb of God (1 Pet 1:19). Whoever puts their trust in Him will never be ashamed (Psalm 25:3; John 3:16; Rom 10:11). And Jesus said that we must repent and believe the gospel to be saved (Mark 1:15). That’s what our Lord said, so the gospel must include repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone and nothing we can do can ever earn eternal life (Eph 2:8-9).

Live the Gospel

People can’t hear our words because our actions may be drowning them out. Jesus tells us, His followers, to “Let your light shine before men” (Matthew 5:16). This is a biblical command for all believers. We are told to live out our faith actively through good works, moral excellence, and love. How are people truly going to believe who Jesus’ disciples are? Jesus tells us how others will know who His disciples are, and those that are just playing church. Our Lord gave His disciples, and really, gave to us a new command as to how people will know who Jesus’ disciples are. First of all, the Lord says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). This means we are to love our brothers and sisters like Christ loved His disciples. This is a sacrificial, giving love that is willing to die for others. If we love like that, then “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). It will not be by our Bible knowledge or all the Bible verses we’ve memorized, but by our love for one another; a sacrificial love that is obvious to the world. That love identifies Jesus’ true disciples or followers. Love like that, and live like that, and Jesus may just come up in the conversation.

Share the Gospel

There is no need to be ashamed to tell others about Jesus Christ and what He has done for you and for others. There is power in the gospel itself, and not in us. The Apostle Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). If we are shamed, we’ll tell no one about Christ, but we must realize that the power to save is not in us, but “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” We must never be ashamed of mentioning Christ for we take a risk that He may be ashamed of us someday before the Father and the holy angels (Luke 9:26).

God and the Gospel

Most people will reject the gospel, but it’s not really you who they reject, but God. They don’t hate the messenger as much as the message. The world will, for the most part, spurn your efforts in sharing Christ, but share it anyway. Why? It’s important to understand that “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). So the gospel “is the power of God” and in fact, “the power of God for salvation” and not us, but it is just plain foolish to the lost. The good news is that salvation is fully a work of God (Acts 4:12, 16:30-31; Eph 2:28-9). This takes the pressure off of us to save anyone. It takes the responsibility to save anyone off of us and puts the responsibility unto the One to whom it belongs, namely God, however, we are still responsible for sharing Christ. We are responsible for sharing Christ, but it is not our responsibility to save anyone…it is their response to His ability.

The Gospel and You

You, nor can I, save anyone alone, but God is pleased to use us as a means to save others through our life and through our witness. Alone, we have no chance to save anyone, but here’s what it takes: A child of God shares the Word of God and then the Spirit of God births a child of God and all for the glory of God. Do you see that? It’s all about God, but somehow, He is pleased to use weak, frail human beings who make terrible mistakes to share the sinless, perfect One, Jesus Christ. He wants to use us as a means of being His voice and to share His Word (the Bible) so that some may be saved.

Summary

Why it is so hard to share Christ with family? Because they know you…and they know you better than almost anyone else, and they may hold that against you. They might remember your previous life before Christ and think, “No way is that guy a real Christian. I remember when he did….this or that.” They may judge you unworthy of being saved (which we all are!) or…their conscience may be convicted by the godly life you live and they become more aware of their own sinfulness. Family is about the hardest to share Christ with because they don’t take you as seriously as they would someone outside of the family. Witness to them anyway. Remember it is God Who saves, but we can witness.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: How to Witness to Family, Friends and Co-Workers

5 Questions to Ask Before Someone Is Baptized

Jack Wellman — Thu, 14 May 2026 10:30:05 +0000

Before a person is baptized, they need to know for sure what they are doing and why, so here are 5 essential questions to ask before someone is baptized.

Baptism Doesn’t Save

Many people can recount their baptism as if that is what saved them or that was when they were saved, but that’s not biblical. A person is saved apart from works (Eph 2:8-9), however a saved person should be baptized (Matt 28:18-29). They should be baptized, but not in order to save them, but they should be baptized because Jesus commanded it of believers. Clearly, Jesus was not saying, Jesus + Baptism = Salvation. So the first question should address whether they understand that while their baptism is very special and it’s sort of like their “Second Birthday” or “Born Again Birthday,” it does not seal their salvation. That exclusively belongs to those who trust in Jesus Christ. They believe that He lived a sinless life, suffered and dead, and was raised on the third day. Baptism cannot and has never saved anyone, however, the saved should be baptized to obey Christ.

1. Do you understand that baptism alone cannot save you?

If we have been brought to repentance and faith in Christ, then you had to come to understand that you (and I) were sinners and sinners standing before a holy God deserve eternal judgment. But God, through Christ, extends His mercy upon sinners (Rom 5:1, 8:1). Mercy is that which we do deserve (His wrath) but don’t receive because of grace, which we don’t deserve. Grace and mercy meet at the cross.

Next fact they should know is to publically acknowledge that they, like we, are a sinner and in need of the Savior. In the First Century Church, a public profession of faith was always made before family, friends and acquaintances, and many were present at their very public baptism.

2. Do you understand and publically acknowledge today that you are a sinner, and like all sinners, deserving the wrath of God, meaning eternal punishment?

God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). When Jesus introduced the gospel, He told the people to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Notice that they need to repent and not just believe. True repentance is visible to the person and to others. Repentance can be seen as the fruit of conversion, or at least a by-product of it. When a person is truly saved, they repent, but then like all of us, they sin again and again, but they keep on striving to overcome sin. To simply believe with no repentance is to be qualified to be a demon, for even they believe (James 2:19). The demons believe, but they’ve never repented, nor will they ever do so.

3. Do you fully understand that you are commanded to repent and believe (Mark 1:15), and now declare publically that you have repented of your sins?

Grace alone is the way we are saved (Eph 2:8-9). If there was anything we had to do, then we could boast about it (and believe me, we would!), but dead men can’t save themselves and every one of us were dead in our sins (Eph 2:1-5). It would be like Jesus telling Lazarus, “Okay Lazarus, move a little toe or blink an eye and I’ll do the rest.” No! Lazarus was dead and couldn’t even hear Jesus unless Jesus had intervened and gave him ears to hear. Dead men can chose nothing but to decay! That’s the same situation with all mankind who are brought to belief (John6:44). God must make the first move (1 John 4:19).

4. Do you understand and believe that we are saved by God’s grace alone and nothing that we do (Eph 2:8-9)?

Finally, we talk not about the “plan of salvation” but the “Man of Salvation,” and that is Jesus Christ. The person being baptized must understand that there is simply no other way to be saved than through trusting in Jesus Christ. It is never do this or do that, but with Christ, “Done!” This gives God all the glory and that’s as it should be. There is simply no other way that we can be saved under heaven (Acts 4:12; 16:30-31). It is faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone….alone and apart from anything we’ve done or could ever do. And aren’t we glad that it’s by grace alone because no one could ever merit heaven, nor escape the eternal wrath of God in hell by doing something. Just before baptism, they must publically state that Jesus Christ alone is how they are saved and by trusting in Him alone for our salvation.

5. Do you now publically acknowledge that you have put your trust in Jesus Christ, Who alone is the only way we can be saved (Acts 4:12)?

Before Baptism

Before baptisms, make sure everyone is safe and secure in the baptismal or creek or river or horse trough, or hot tub or whatever is used. No one should be hurt on such a special occasion. Also, the water should not be too overwhelmingly cold (or hot) with someone who is older, due to risks of heart attacks or other complications. Keep a firm grip on the person being baptized so they can feel secure about coming back out of the water.

It’s good to remind the baptismal candidate ahead of time that they’ll need to bring a towel, a dry change of clothes (including socks), shoes if necessary (non-slip), and a blanket if necessary (due to weather).
Make sure that someone captures this in a picture or video. It’s something to hold onto.

INTO THE WATER

If you have fully understood these biblical facts and accept them as true, then it is my great pleasure to baptize you into the name of the Father, into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit.

BAPTISM

You have died to sin and are now raised to new of life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), which is what water baptism represents.

Summary

I hope this helps at least some when you are planning to baptize someone. It is best to go over these questions well in advance of the baptism so that these questions and beliefs are settled and there’s no doubt in the mind of the believer.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: Does Baptism Save You? A Biblical Analysis/a>

What To Do When Fear Comes Calling

Jack Wellman — Mon, 11 May 2026 10:30:22 +0000

F ear can immobilize us and make us doubt, so how’s the best way to fight back when fear shows up?

The Shadow of Death

I do a lot of counseling with people who are fearful that they might die or are in their last stages of life and some even doubting their own salvation because of all the troubles they have. It might be a fear of a wrecked relationship, health issue or financial problems. Often they seek comfort from others or even a counselor, but I can’t calm their fears like the Word of God can with all those precious promises from God. Maybe you can relate to King David who wrote, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). I’d rather be hit by the shadow of a bus than a real bus, so sometimes shadows may appear to be reality to us. Isaiah the Prophet knew that it was God alone Who sustained him, writing, “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, Fear not, I am the one who helps you” (Isaiah 41:13). Now honestly, wouldn’t you rather God take your hand than some human counselor? I’m not saying there’s never a time for counseling, because there is, but any wise or godly counselor will refer them to the Word of God.

Trust vs Fear

I believe fear is the opposite of trust or faith. If you really trust God, you won’t fear anything or anyone. The Proverbs say, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:5-6). If you lean on your own understanding, then your fear can easily immobilize you, but as God commanded Joshua, I believe He would command us, to have no fear. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Prior to this, God told Joshua that, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deut 31:8). Would God do anything less for you? Isn’t it amazing that God goes before us? Why? It is to give us peace of mind.

Fear not, for I am with you…

The Peace of God

You cannot have the peace of God until you’ve made peace with God, and that comes through Jesus Christ. If we have repented and put our trust in Christ, then “we have been justified by faith [and now] we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Jesus Himself said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). This is not the peace the world offers. That kind of peace can come and go at a moment’s notice, but the peace God gives us is beyond human comprehension. The Apostle Paul wrote that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7), so if you’re worried about anything, hear Jesus’ comforting words: “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Matt 10:26). Jesus knows the spot you’re in and will stay with you through it all.

Unload the Burdens

Perhaps you’re like me in that I try to carry my problems all by myself, but in time, they become too heavy for me. Oh that I would heed Jesus’ soothing words of comfort: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:28-30). You will only find rest for your souls if you allow Christ to take the weight of the world off your shoulders…then you can cast out all fear. It’s far too heavy of a burden for us to bear alone. We need Jesus’ strength, and He will strengthen us (Phil 4:13), because “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). Again, God reminds His chosen ones, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Again and again Jesus has told us through the Word, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt 10:31), yet we still worry about tomorrow, even before it gets here.

Summary

Jesus tells you and He tells me to “not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do” (Luke 12:4). We are to fear God and Him alone. That fear doesn’t mean a dreaded fear of being struck down at any moment or being cast into hell. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the fear of God is a holy, reverential respect for God and His Word. Remember, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). Whether it’s something you dread today or tomorrow, come to Jesus and “you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:30). Trying to strive in our own strength only leads to defeat and frustration. There is no way we can make it on our own in this world. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us, Jesus Christ to abide in us, and the Word of God to direct us. If you know someone who battles with fear, please share this with them and pray for them. When fear comes calling, let the Word of God answer the door. Let God speak to you by His Word, for He asks, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The person who fears God need fear nothing else.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: 10 Answers to Fear Given in the Bible

How To Fight Back Against Spiritual Warfare

Jack Wellman — Mon, 04 May 2026 10:30:44 +0000

We don’t have to be helpless victims when spiritual attacks come, so how can you fight back when the enemy is attacking you?

The Armor of God

Whether we even realize it or not, Christians are under spiritual attacks. We might not think about it that much, but that makes us even more vulnerable to the enemy’s ploys. This is why the Apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus, to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph 6:10), but how can we be “in the strength of his might?” Paul tells us that we must “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11). We will need this armor because the enemy’s invisible. Paul wrote that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). It would be much easier if we could see the enemy, but we can’t. That’s why we must take action and “put on” the armor. It’s useless unless it’s put on and maybe why Paul again tells the church, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph 6:13). If God repeats something in His Word, then it must be important, and the important thing in these verses (Eph 6:11-13) is to “put on” the armor of God so “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11).

Start Praising God

When someone you know starts bragging about their sports team that just won the championship, but their team is an arch-rival of yours, then it’s irritating when they start boasting about their team being number one. In the same way, Satan and his demons hate it when we start heaping praises on God and giving thanks to Him over and over again in worship and in prayer. If you’re alone and you feel like you’re under spiritual attack, why not drop to your knees (if it’s possible) and start pouring out praises to God. Satan can’t stand to hear all of the marvelous things about God, so that’s one way to fight the enemy. Send irritants like praise and thanksgiving to God; it should drive him away. If it doesn’t, then keep doing it anyway because God is worthy of our praises and thanksgiving.

I praise Your Name and the Name of Jesus Christ! I love You! Amen

Worship God

I have a hard time separating worship from prayer, because while I’m praying to God, I am also worshiping God, and when I am worshiping God, I am also praying to God. One way to fight back when the enemy attacks is to start praying to God and worshiping Him and praising Him. That’ brings up another point. I believe we should do all these three things when we are under spiritual attack; start praising God, start worshiping God, and start praying to God. Those three things are like an assault weapon against the enemy, and we know that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so if we’re praying to Him, giving praises to Him and are worshiping Him, He’s inhabiting us or dwelling in our praises. That doesn’t leave any room for evil spirits; with God’s prayers, praises, and worship, you can tell the enemy, “Sorry, there’s no room at the Inn.”

Living God’s Word

Satan will ramp up his attacks by sending spiritual or fiery darts at you when you begin to learn the Word of God and when you begin to obey the Word of God. When you are obeying God, you are disobeying Satan and his demons desire for your life. When we do what Scripture says, we’re not doing what Satan wants. This will likely bring on spiritual attacks. I don’t think demons spend much time on lukewarm Christians, but on those who are growing in the Word of God, obeying the Word of God, and sharing the Word of God. When a believer lives in obedience to God, though none of us do so perfectly, the enemy knows that we’re a threat to his kingdom of darkness. When Christians get the salt out of the shaker and light from under the table, then they’re going to face resistance because they’ll get the enemy’s attention. With a mind that’s stayed on Christ we can have the peace of God because we’ve made peace with God (Rom 5:1). Being a Christ-follower will bring persecution. Not because of who you or I are, but because of Who He is, however, following Christ (in obedience) will keep you near the Good Shepherd, and His rod and staff should give you comfort (Psalm 23) and refuge from the enemy, who like a lion, roams about, seeking whom he might devour (1 Pet 5:8).

Memorize Scripture

The psalmist had hidden or memorized God’s Word in his heart so that he would not sin (Psalm 119:11). For example, one man I know who has battled with an addiction to pornography for years, memorized Jobs’ words, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin” (Job 31:1)? This man memorized this so that when his eyes started to fix on something or some woman, he quoted this verse and looked away. I thought that was brilliant! That’s putting the Word of God to good use. Besides, the Word has God’s power in it (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). That’s the weapon of Jesus’ choice when resisting Satan’s temptation in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11). Three times Jesus rebuked the Devil by using Scripture in context and right after Satan had taken Scripture out of context to make it a false pretext. He loves twisting Scripture or ripping it out of context. I suggest you store up on the ammo of God’s Word so that when you are under spiritual attack, you can quickly retrieve the Word of God. We already know that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). Satan is no match for the living, active, breathing Word of God.

Feelings Over Facts

When someone is in a place of spiritual darkness or depression, one of the first few questions they should ask themselves is, “Who are you listening too? Are you listening to your feelings more than God? Are circumstances controlling your joy? Are you busy navel gazing?” Do you ever think, “Even God doesn’t understand me?” I think it’s natural, even for believers, to fall into a place of spiritual depression for a time. Most of us do. The problem comes when we stay there. We must ask ourselves why we don’t believe what the Word of God says. The Bible says we are now at peace with God through Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1), and that means there is no more condemnation (Rom 8:1), so why do we allow ourselves to fall into feelings of condemnation and hopelessness? It’s because we trust what we feel more than trust what the Word of God says. Scripture says nothing can separate us from the love of God once we’ve trusted in Christ, and this means “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39). That about covers it doesn’t it? Now, if none of these things can keep us from God, why do we sometimes feel separated from God?

Who’s In Control?

We know from the Bible that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing it (Matt 10:29). In fact, He knew it was going to happen. It is the Lord God Who “is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim 6:15c), so even the sparrow is under the sovereignty of God. Yes, He is the same “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them” (Acts 4:24). When the disciples thought their life was in peril because of a great storm on the sea, Jesus “rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (Matt 8:26), but Jesus didn’t only rebuke storms, Jesus rebuked the demons. In one instance, a demon “came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly” (Matt 17:18). Elsewhere, “Jesus rebuked [the demon] by saying, “Be silent, and come out of him” (Mark 1:25), and the demons left immediately, so the demons had to leave, and in some cases, they weren’t even allowed to speak. Why? Jesus is God and He is sovereign, over nature, over the demons, and in our life.

Our emotions can change from day to day, but God never changes (Heb 13:8, Malachi 3:6)

If we understand that God is always in control, we can let that tight grip on the steering wheel go and let God have His way with us. When you’re feeling spiritually depressed, think about who’s really in control at that time. Is it you and your feelings…or is it God? Who is in control of all the circumstances that are upsetting you? Remember, God can use evil for good (Gen 50:20), so all things work toward your best (Rom 8:28). Just trust God in the process. Don’t trust what you feel. Feelings are very unreliable data compared to the objective truth found in Christ (John 14:6).

Navel Gazing

Almost every time we get down in the dumps, we are taking our eyes off of Jesus and putting them on ourselves. The world suddenly revolves around us. I know…I’ve been there. I admit it…but, I didn’t stay there for long. I repented of my ingratitude and not being content in Christ. I should have realized that I have all things in Christ. I’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3). I am in Christ and have the righteousness of Christ, which has been imputed to me (2 Cor 5:21). It came without works, as a gift (Eph 2:8-9), so how can I grumble? When I have counseled people in the past about falling into spiritual depression, I counted the number of times the person used the word “I, me,” or “myself,” and these words showed up in their conversation almost ten times more than the word “God” or the “Bible.” They, like I, had a severe case of “me-itis.”

Some people call it navel gazing. They are only looking inward and not outward to the Word of God, or the counsel of the people of God, or listening to the Spirit of God. It almost becomes a preoccupation with self, so when I understood that I was focusing on me and not on God, I repented and stopped looking at me and instead was “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2).

Go And Serve

When people are in a deep, dark place, most want to get out. They might ask, “How can I get out of this spiritual depression? What’s the solution to breaking free of this navel gazing that I’m stuck in?” There’s an easy answer to that. Serve. When a middle-aged man joined our church, he asked me where he could serve. After I got up off the floor (just kidding), I ask him if he’d join me in the nursing home ministry. We provide church services for those who can’t go to church. We reasoned, if they can’t go to church, the church can go to them. And we began to love it…and the people in particular. The man that’s helping me is a single man and gets lonely at times, but when he serves with us in visiting the orphans and widows (James 1:27), he is off the charts joyful when he leaves. He forgets all about his depression or problems. He tells me, and I can attest to it, that after he’s done visiting in the nursing home, there is skip in his step, and his heart feels lighter than air. You can see it in him…he is brimming with joy. Many people feel the same way after witnessing to someone. Sharing Christ does that! Not at first maybe, but afterward, most definitely. I find that one way to beat depression is to serve others. It takes your mind off self and puts it onto others, and the unexpected pleasure is, you come away full of joy.

Summary

As you probably noticed, I threw myself under the bus on this one, because I wanted to be honest and show that spiritual depression hits nearly all of us at one time or another. Some are in one now, some are about to go into one, and some have just passed through one, so I pray this helps those who are navigating a dark, decaying world; a world where it’s easy to get down. The world beats you up, but God lifts you up. He is near the broken hearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18), so whenever you’re feeling depressed, start reading the Word of God, start praying to God, and starting thanking God. Besides, there are so many who have it much worse than we do. We often take these blessings for granted, so praise God, pray to God, read the Word of God, thank God, serve God, and you’ll have the joy of God.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: Is It a Demonic Attack or the Holy Spirit’s Conviction?

Why Are Prison Churches Experiencing Rapid Growth?

Jack Wellman — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:30:10 +0000

W e know from statistics that there has been an explosion of new believers in the state and federal prisons, so why is this happening?

The Broken

We know from statistics that there has been an explosion of new believers in the state and federal prisons, so why is this happening? First off, those who have been sent to jail or prison have come to an end of themselves. Often they have nowhere else to turn to and the only way out is to look up, so many have come to faith in Jesus Christ in a crisis. But the good news is, God can only fix those who are broken. Jesus still bids all to “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Unless a person comes to an end of themselves, God cannot work in their lives. If they are full of themselves, God cannot fill them with His Spirit. God resists the proud, but He will pour out His grace on the humble (James 4:6), so only with surrender is there victory.

Repent and Believe

When a person comes to the end of their rope, often it is God Who has been waiting there all the time. Until a person is broken over their sin and realize the infinite gap that is between them and a holy God, they cannot be saved. God gives His free gift of grace to all who believe in the Son (Eph 2:8-9), but Jesus Himself in introducing the gospel said a person must repent and believe (Mark 1:15). When anyone, prisoner or free, comes to faith in Christ, they humble themselves, confess their sin and repent of their former life of sin. They will still sin, yes, but over time, they will sin less. Not sinless, but sinning less. They now desire to please God and not man or themselves because they love Him. The new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) now strives, out of love, to live a holier life…and generally, they will!

“I was in prison and you came to me”

Prison Fellowship

Prison Fellowship(.org) is one of our partners in ministry and their example shows us what great good the church can do inside the prisons. Prison Fellowship equips Christians to serve currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and to advocate for justice and human dignity. This fits God’s schematic when He created human beings; no matter what, every person was created in the image of God (Gen 1:27-28) and deserves the dignity they receive. Yes, the image of God is now tarnished (just as it is in me!), but it’s not altogether absent. When we treat people with dignity and respect (prisoners included!), we agree with God that we are no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). I’ve had people ask me why I go into the prisons. What’s the use, they think, but then I say, “What if the prisoner I visited was your brother, your father or your son?” That usually stops the discussion. The foot of the cross has always been on the same level of ground we all must stand upon.

A Great Harvest

I find it interesting that many are being set free in prison while outside the walls, people are still held captive by the god of this world (2 Cor 4:3-6). We cannot say exactly why prison churches are experiencing significant growth (but God does), although much of this growth has been driven by a surge in, and adoption of, church-planting initiatives inside correctional facilities. Organizations like Prison Fellowship and God Behind Bars work with local churches to establish, campus-style ministries. Other churches, like ours, have their own prison ministry. In fact, most prison ministries are not large, but rather small and come from local or regional churches where volunteers come in and counsel inmates, provide Bible studies and preaching. Perhaps it is all of these rich resources (the Bible and the people of God) that has caused high attendance and church growth, although God is working all these things together for all believer’s good (Rom 8:28), so all glory and credit must go to God. And that means all the more who will hear the gospel and might be saved.

Summary

When Jesus was speaking of the end days and coming judgment of Jerusalem (in 70 AD), He identified those who were truly saved and genuinely being used by God, and those who were just playing church and pleasing only themselves. It will be “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matt 25:31-32), so how does Jesus separate them? He says that when I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger to you (Matt 25:35), you actually ministered to Me (Matt 25:40), but also, when “I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:36c). This could refer to those who would be in prison for their faith, but it’s not limited to that since we’re told to go into all the world, and that must include nursing homes and prisons. Jesus’ point is whatever we do for the “least of these” (Matt 25:40) or other believers (wherever they may be), we are actually doing this to Jesus. How? It is because He is the Head of the Church, and what we do for other believers, we are actually doing this unto Him. And by the way, all of us are the “least of these.”

Conclusion

The reason that there has been such rapid growth in the prison churches is God alone Who saves (Acts 4:12) because He alone gives the increase (Acts 2:47), but He is pleased to use us as a means to reach His ends, chiefly to preach repentance and faith in Christ. We are in such dire need of volunteers and pastors to go into the prisons. In many cases, there is only one pastor to serve an entire prison church. Won’t you enter the mission field? The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are so few (Matt 9:37).

Finally, I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.

Here is some related reading for you: How to Start a Prison Ministry

How to Reassure Your Children (and yourself) in the Shadow of World War Three

Jack Wellman — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:30:28 +0000

P arents can help alleviate many of their fears their children have, but what about the children’s fear of World War Three, knowing their parents are helpless to stop it?

Parental Protection

Parents can help alleviate many of their fears their children have, but what about the children’s fear of World War Three, knowing their parents are helpless to stop it? Parents have the duty to protect, nourish, and above all, love their children, but there are some things we can’t protect them from. We can’t be with them every minute, so parents can protect their children from harm…up to a point. Parents have to admit this, but they also have another resource most of the world doesn’t have or even think about. It is God Who can protect them. When they’re unseen by us, they’re always seen by God. We have to pray to God and trust Him for things that we have no control over. And it’s okay to tell your children this. They can trust their parents, but God, even more so, and they need to hear that too.

God as Protector

God is a protector and guardian over the children of believers, so tell them! They are set apart (sanctified) by God for those parents who believe (1 Cor 7:14). If parents show no fear about the violent state of the world (i.e., wars), then the child will pick up on that and have a calmer mind about things. But, if a parent shows apprehension, fear and overly worries about things, the child will take note of that and may become anxious about the way the world is. More is caught than taught.

The Peace of God

When Jesus was about to leave the disciples and go to Calvary, they were deeply troubled, so when your children are troubled, remind them of the promise Jesus gave to His own disciples, but also to us. Our Lord promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). The Lord “said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus’ peace does not come and go with circumstances, but resides in the heart, permanently. Why? It is because it is His peace and not ours. Any human peace we might come up with can fail and come and go like the tide, but Jesus’ peace is true peace because He is able to deliver on every precious promise. So tell your children about the peace of God. It is a peace that surpasses human understanding (Phil 4:7), even dad and moms.

On His Throne

If children understood the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, it might give them more peace of mind about the world wars and violence and escalating inflation. God’s sovereignty is just that: It is where God allows all things to happen for our very best (Rom 8:28), no matter what happens. God sees everything and is never caught by surprise, knowing the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God? He is on His throne, directing events in human history to do His good pleasure, no matter what things look like. Even though we have free will, God uses human freewill to work into His will, like at Calvary. As to how to reconcile freewill and God’s sovereignty, I have no idea. I just know that it’s true, so tell your children nothing in the entire universe is out of His control.

Things that parents can’t control, and children obviously can’t control, are things that God can and always does control. He always has and He always will. When things are impossible for us, they are always possible for Him (Matt 19:26). Children (grandchildren, etc.) need to hear that, but more so, they need to know that you believe that so that they will believe that too. Tell them! That’s a parental responsibility that God will hold parents accountable for (Deut 6:7-9; Prov 22:6).

Who’s in Control?

Horace Vernet, Jeremiah on the ruins of Jerusalem (1844).

Only God could tell Jeremiah the Prophet, “See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:9). Actually the Prophet would foretell of the fall of Judah but other nations too. It wasn’t Jeremiah’s idea (Jer 1:6) but God’s (Jer 1:7-8). The Prophet Daniel also understood that “The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). So tell your children that God “rules the kingdom of men” and is fully involved in their lives too. Remind them of the promises of God so that they can pillow their head at night on them. The late Dr. John MacArthur said that the “Sovereignty of God is the softest pillow of all.” And he is so right. Maybe your children can rest in the fact God is in total, absolute control, even if it doesn’t look like it. God has ways of using evil for good (Gen 50:20; John 3:16).

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: Why Believes Should Never Fear World War Three

How to Strengthen Your Faith in God

Jack Wellman — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:30:20 +0000

If you feel like your faith is weak, then here’s a great way to strengthen it and it starts with daily reading of the Bible.

What is Faith?

Faith is having trust in something or someone, and in the believer’s case, their faith is placed in Jesus Christ. This faith was a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-9) so that the believer can share the gospel here on earth through good works (Eph 2:10). We can’t earn faith because it is a gift. Did you get a birthday present last year? Did you really do anything to deserve it? Were you responsible for your birth? Was the time of your birth your choice? Of course it is no to all of these questions. If the grace of God is a free gift, it means we can’t earn it nor did we deserve it. Its God’s mercy on us who trust in Jesus Who bore our sins upon Himself. We trust in the finished work of Christ, not in our own efforts or works, although the believer does do works. We are not saved by works but saved for works, but faith is a free gift of God, so even our faith was initiated by God (Rom 8; Eph 1). I have faith in the bridge I drive over, even though I’ve never inspected it or looked underneath it. I trust it because it’s proved faithful time and again, but more so do I trust Jesus Christ alone to save me. I trust Him more than any bridge, for He is the Creator of all things.

“Help My Unbelief!”

When Jesus’ disciples failed to cast out a demon, the boy’s father came to Jesus, pleading for help. In a rebuke, Jesus said, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me” (Mark 9:19). Then, “Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood” (Mark 9:21). That’s when “Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). Did this man have faith in Christ? Did he truly believe or did he have doubts? The man did believe, but was still weak in the faith, so “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24)! Unbelief is the same as not believing, so perhaps the man’s faith was so weak that he asked the Lord for help to strengthen his faith in the Lord. We can do that too. When you feel your faith weakening, pray to the Lord to strengthen your faith or “help [your] unbelief.” I know you believe, but when crisis’ comes, do we truly, genuinely believe God is still in control on His throne (Rom 8:28)? That’s a mark that you do believe in all His promises.

We must remember to pray with faith.

Feelings Over Facts

How often I have heard people doubt their salvation. Many times people say that “I feel like I’m lost and God has forsaken me” or “I feel like I am too far gone and God has probably given up on me.” Here is what’s wrong with these statements. They are ranking feelings over facts. Someone might feel this way or that, but what is the truth? They might feel like they were once saved, but now, they feel as lost as ever. The Bible says that the saved stay saved (1 John 2:19) and that we cannot lose what we did not first gain in the first place (Eph 2:8-9). Who or what can keep us separated from our God (Rom 8:37-39; John 6:37-44, 10:27-38)? When we say we feel like this or that, we must check that feeling at the door when we are reassured from Scripture. I would rather follow someone to a town I’ve never been to who has been there than from someone who feels like it may be this way or that way. Don’t depend on feelings. Feelings are the shallowest part of human wisdom or understanding. Check the map. Our map for life is the Bible. Get into the Bible every day and the Bible will get into you, and your faith will rest in facts and not in feelings.

The Sanctuary of the Word

“…faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”

The best way to strengthen your faith is to get into the Word of God, the Bible. Having a daily Bible reading plan is essential to fortifying your faith. The more you read the trusted promises of God in Scripture, the more you can rest in the hands of His precious promises (Rom 8; Eph 1; 1 Pet 1). The more you avoid Scripture, the harder it is to get back to it. It’s like attending church. You miss one Sunday and it’s easier to miss the next, and the next, and after you know it, you don’t even attend anymore. Don’t let that happen to your worship (Heb 10:24-25) or to your Bible study and reading. You do understand that “…faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17), so nurture, strengthen, and increase your faith by increasing and strengthening your daily Bible reading plan.

Conclusion

Here is some related reading for you: What Does the Bible Say About Faith? A Christian Study