October 21, 2025

James 1: 21 Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (NIV)

Many today believe that a majority consensus establishes morality.*

“Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good.” This is a quote from Oswald Chambers’s daily devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest.* I hesitate to differ with such a wise man but it seems that times have changed drastically since he wrote those words. Could Mr. Chambers have predicted that homosexuality would someday be considered normal and natural? Did he ever imagine that women would march in protest for the right to kill their babies? Even among Christians there are those who waffle over issues that used to be unquestionably evil. How shall we get rid of moral filth and evil as James exhorts us if we don’t recognize it when we see it?

In an episode of a sit-com, the characters were debating whether or not there was such a thing as a moral absolute. One woman contributed some irony to the discussion by pointing out that the projectionist down at the XXX theater never got confused and showed Bambi instead of his usual movies. It seems that those who practice immorality are better at defining it than we are.

I think you know what I’m going to say next – that the best way to recognize evil is to be intimately familiar with what is good. The way we accomplish this, says James, is through receiving the word of God. As Paul wrote to Timothy, scripture is God-breathed and useful – for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (II Timothy 3: 16). Humble acceptance is “the door through which God’s grace enters to us.”* If we don’t want the filth to get on us and in us, the word of God is where we start. And, as James adds (verse 22), don’t just listen to the word – do what it says.

Evil men cannot accept that the way to truth is through the Word of God.*

October 20, 2025

Acts 17: 16-18 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogues with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. (NIV)

Christians have been preaching morality instead of Jesus.*

Look closely at what is happening in this passage. Paul is surrounded by an evil culture that enjoys the approval of the government. Idols on every corner! Shouldn’t he have staged a protest? Demanded that the statues be demolished? Called for the impeachment of the heads of state? No, not Paul. He may have been distressed by what he saw but he wasn’t moved to civil unrest. He reasoned.

Reasoned? Those people can’t be reasoned with! But Paul tried it anyway. He reasoned with a friendly audience, a random audience, and an unfriendly audience. They accused him of advocating foreign gods – which is what he was actually doing. He was preaching the good news about Jesus and his resurrection, and that was certainly foreign to their religion.

Paul didn’t waste time/energy getting defensive or marching for political and social change. He knew that whatever was wrong with society could be made right by spiritual change. There may be a need for Christians to be visible and vocal about evil in our culture but the need is greater for Christians to take a public stand against evil in individual hearts – because that is where society’s evil starts.

Let’s put more effort into reasoning as Paul did – with the friendly, the random, the unfriendly. And preach the good news about Jesus and the resurrection until your critics start to listen! Change the world!

When people contact Jesus, they change.*

October 19, 2025

Exodus 3: 1, 2 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law . . . and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him . . . (NIV) 

Make the most of every opportunity, even the ones you wish you didn’t have.*

Years ago, when I moved to a new community, the job I hoped for didn’t pan out soon enough. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so they say, so when I was offered a job in a local bank, I accepted it. Before I even started at the bank, the position I really wanted became available. I turned it down because I had already committed to working at the bank and I felt that was the right thing to do. I ended up hating my job as a teller but if I hadn’t been working at the bank, I never would have met the first person in the God-arranged chain of events which led me to a 25-year career in a job I loved.

I have often compared my short tenure as a bank teller to Moses’ 40-year stint as a shepherd: we were just killing time until God revealed his plan. But I have been looking at it all wrong. Tending sheep was God’s plan for Moses. Waiting on cranky bank customers was God’s plan for me. Until it wasn’t. If Moses had passed up his opportunity to learn the fine art of sheep-herding, he would have missed connecting with the angel of the Lord in the desert. If you or I don’t go where God leads us today, we could miss our connection to God’s next plan.

Do you feel like you are just killing time until God reveals his plan for your life? Consider the possibility that you are wasting opportunities. Perhaps today is the plan. While you are waiting for God’s BIG calling, maybe you are overlooking the small thing he is calling you to do today. It isn’t just the grand gestures that can have eternal consequences.

We are responsible for the strategic employment of our time.*

October 18, 2025

Hebrews 10: 19-25 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us . . . and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith . . . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together . . . but let us encourage one another . . . (NIV)

It behooves all who are entrusted with divine truth to ask themselves what is the ground of their confidence.*

Let’s just dissect this passage, phrase by phrase:

• We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. How confident are you of your authority – not just your welcome – to walk into the Most Holy Place? If your credentials are not signed by the blood of Jesus, you will be denied entrance. 
• Since we have a great high priest over the house of God. The need for someone else to represent us has been eliminated. 
• Let us draw near to God. It is our choice whether to approach the throne or not. 
• With a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. We do not say, “God has never failed me yet.” We say, “God has never and will never fail me.” 
• Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. Our hope is not a wish. It is based on the promise of a faithful God. 
• Let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds. Look for ways to encourage others to love and serve. 
• Let us not give up meeting together . . . but let us encourage one another. We draw strength from each other. It’s kind of hard to encourage others if we neglect the assembly.

In summary: Our confidence to approach the Most Holy God is brought to us by the blood of Jesus. His sacrifice should make a difference in how we live our daily lives. What is our part in the process? 1. Draw near to God. 2. Cling to the faith. 3. Encourage each other.

Jesus didn’t die so you could live unchanged. He died so you could live transformed.*

October 17, 2025

II Timothy 3: 5 . . . having a form of godliness but denying its power. (NIV)

Mindless Christianity isn’t biblical Christianity.*

The third chapter of Second Timothy begins with these ominous words from Paul: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” He goes on to list some of the predicted qualities (or should we call them “unqualities”?) that people will possess in the future. He ends with what seems to be a summary of them all: “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” And, he says, have nothing to do with them.

After reading Paul’s catalog of unseemly behavior, it’s hard to believe that these people could display any form of godliness – and yet they are among us. In our churches. Going through the motions of religion; attending worship services; saying the right things; involving themselves in the work of the church.

So how are we to have nothing to do with these offenders if they look like us? Maybe the question we should ask ourselves is: How do we know they aren’t us? Read verses two through four. Do you see yourself in any one (or more) of the characteristics listed? Maybe it doesn’t describe you all of the time, or at the current time, but you are not without guilt. So maybe instead of trying to sniff out the people we need to avoid, we should first do some self-examination.

Are you just going through the motions of being a Christian? You can deny the power of the Spirit without actually saying it out loud. While you are busy being religious for whatever reasons motivate you, do you have a relationship with God? Is Jesus your Lord as well as your Savior? Are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in your life? Asking yourself these questions (and more) could help prevent you from being one of those people that Paul warned Timothy about. As he said, they won’t get very far because in the end their folly will be clear to everyone (verse 9).

Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst.*

October 16, 2025

Galatians 6: 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else. (NIV)

The reason why there is so little self-condemnation is because there is so little self-examination.*

There is no upside to comparing yourself to others. There is only despair if you don’t measure up, and pride – sinful pride – if you surpass them. It’s lose-lose. In fact, comparing yourself to another person actually involves a third element: the standard to which you hold others and yourself. Without that standard, how do you know if either of you is good or bad?

Testing your own actions is futile if you haven’t established a standard with which to compare yourself. Your opinion of yourself is immaterial. Your conscience is unreliable. The world has some standards of right and wrong, good and bad, but they tend to be weak and changeable. The only infallible standard is the Word of God and the example set by Jesus Christ.

Once you stop looking at how others are failing, you are ready for some self-examination. This testing of your own actions is not a one-time event. It should be part of your daily routine. As you search the Word to see how you measure up, you might ask:

• What does God expect of me? How do I measure up to his expectations? 
• What am I doing right? What am I doing wrong? How can I improve? 
• Does my attitude reflect the heart of Jesus? 
• What would Jesus do if he were faced with the same decisions and dilemmas that I face?

One commentator observed that a man looking to himself alone is not likely to find cause for glorying in himself.* But Paul indicates here that it is possible – and appropriate – to take some pride in yourself. Count on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and provide power, and, if you are faithful, you will have fleeting moments of glory!

We see ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word.*

October 15, 2025

Galatians 1: 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (NIV)

If we try to please everyone, and follow anyone, we’re sure to upset someone, and satisfy no one.*

Even people who claim not to care what other people think of them really care about it on some level. I think what they mean is, “I’m not going to let what other people think of me influence what I do.” It would be nice to be able to hold firm to that principle, but it is hard not to bow to the god of public opinion. I think we forget that right and wrong are not determined by a majority vote.

Is it wrong to care about the good opinion of others? Trying to tailor our behavior to please others can turn us into servants of men, rather than servants of Christ; but I would suggest that caring is not wrong as long as trying to please other people is never more important than trying to please God. Caring what others think can prevent our right-doing from becoming self-righteous and judgmental and obnoxious.

Look to the life of Jesus and learn. By his actions he gently proclaimed that he loved people and that he wanted them to love him in return. His attitude never screamed, “I don’t care what you think of me.” But pleasing God was his first priority – without compromise. Follow his example and be a servant of Christ, not a slave to public opinion.

Why be slaves to others’ expectations? Christians live for an audience of one.*