“Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Mark 1:12

I love to fish. I have ice-fished in sub-zero temperatures. I have fished in the middle of the night and long before dawn. I have fished through storms. I have been horribly seasick but still kept my line in the depths just in case. I know first hand that a true fisherman does not just walk away from all this. 

It’s vital for us to understand what makes a true disciple. What were the behaviors and attitudes that Jesus identified in his followers that qualified them for promotion? A salesman who signs contracts rapidly, a professor who frequently publishes in academic journals, an athlete who fills up the stat sheet all have something in common: They excel in their fields and are the first ones to be recognized and rewarded. They become standouts, are held up as examples, and are singled out for leadership. 

Mark was not among the disciples first chosen by Jesus, although he came into contact with them as a young teenager. Sometimes they gathered in his family’s home. That he would later become a scribe of Peter and a co-laborer with Paul, and ultimately be given the honor of authoring one of the gospels, shows that he paid attention and was careful to cultivate the qualities that pleased the Lord and increased his sphere of influence. 

One of the things that deeply impacted Mark was the spirit of decisiveness and resolve that he saw amongst the Twelve. Whereas our sinful human nature tends to procrastinate and poo-poo at responsibilities, Jesus’ chosen inner circle shared a common trait: They were willing to move when He said move, and go where He said to go. They had discarded the filters, the checklists, the fickleness that disqualified the multitude. They eagerly leaned into their next assignment. They shed dead weight in order to became unencumbered. They refused to be distracted, majoring on the Master and casting the superfluous and petty into the waste bin. They were focused, determined, intent. 

Although Mark’s gospel is the shortest, he used the word “immediately” more times than Matthew and Luke combined. He had observed a readiness of heart and quickness of feet during his interactions with Peter, James, and John. They did not just leave their nets, they left the businesses and their livelihoods behind as soon as they realized Jesus was so powerful and true. Without hesitation, they left their gawking, nets-in-hand fathers standing there in the boats with the hired hands. They kissed mom’s home cooking goodbye. 

Some weeks later when Jesus chose those who would become his most trusted associates after praying all night, these fishermen were among them. It was not education Jesus was looking for, or pedigree, and “influence”. It was this very thing, this Nike quality, the “Let’s Go!”, “Kawabunga!” “Just Do It!” attitude, that set them apart. These are the kind of people God was willing to entrust with the keys of the Kingdom, and with the responsibility to establish a Church that the gates of Hell could not prevail against. It was this daring, quick-to-obey band that Jesus went to first after rising from the dead, commanding them to go into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature.

It was this sense of urgency, capsuled in the word immediately, that had impressed and shaped young Mark on his own journey with Jesus.  Although he faltered during his first mission trip and went home early (Acts 13:13), he later recovered that same spirit that he’d idolized in the Twelve when he was young. We know this because Paul, in the last chapter of the last letter he wrote, specifically asks that Mark be brought to him in his Roman prison, writing he had become “useful to me” (Gr. profitable, prepared, meet for use, at the ready). No wonder he went on to become one of the great, instant in season disciples of the early church.

“Satan uses…every form of evil deception in order to deceive those who are perishing because they rejected the love of the truth…Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion that leads them to believe what is false.” 2 The 2:10,12

It has been wisely spoken that the best defense is a great offense. This is true in sports. It is true in war. It is also true in life where Satan’s powerful arsenal of deception, his persistent and aggressive plots against us, are obliterated by any believer who wields the sword of truth without wavering. The true disciple is the one who never winks at or compromises on any point of truth. My mind must agree with truth. My will must submit to truth. My steps must align with truth. My heart must be totally and unshakably in love with truth. 

Truth is not open to negotiation. Whenever I am confronted with truth, I must never allow my feelings, or culture, or relationships to influence my commitment to follow her unflinchingly. Like David, I must be resolved: “I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me” (Ps 119:30). 

Whenever we dismiss or dilute truth, refusing to accept her standards and demands upon our decisions and behavior, we do not remain in a neutral state. We are instantly and thoroughly disarmed and vulnerable. Satan lies in wait, ready to unleash “every form of evil deception in order to deceive us.” Even more sobering is the realization that the force and frequency of these powers are increasingly prevalent and effective in the days leading up to Christ’s return (Mat 24:4,10-11). Beloved, this time could be rebranded The Disinformation Age, a chapter in history marked by half-truths based on manipulated and manufactured “facts”. I have painfully watched too many people fall off a precipice into confusion, illusion, and error. When the books are opened, their indictment will be returned: they rejected the love of the truth. 

John penned his epistles in the voice of a father or grandfather in the faith looking back over a lifetime of service to warn and guide those he called “my [little] children” nine times in 1, 2, and 3 John. As such, his messages are a distillation of perspective, filtering out extraneous ideas in order to highlight and promote what is pertinent, essential, and eternal. Who could remain unmoved by the deep yearning found is his appeal in 3 John 4? 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 

As one of the pillars of our faith, he emphasizes that truth must never be tampered with. Mentioned 21x in his gospel (compared to Mat 1x, Mar 3x, Luk 1x), there are also seventeen usages in the seven chapters of John’s letters. The apostle could not have been more clear: truth is not an abstract or subjective matter. Either we believe and walk in it, or we don’t; and everything of consequence in this life and eternity hinges upon what we do with it. There is no such nonsense as “my truth” or “your truth”; there is only “the truth”. 

When Paul wrote his warning to the Thessalonians above, he was not wearing his theology hat. He had personally and painfully witnessed those who had fallen away and become trapped in the Devil’s snares. As he wrote to the Ephesians, he had seen them “tossed to and fro by every wind and wave of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (4:14). In the next verse, his remedy is unequivocal: He tells them to “speak the truth in love”.

The reason for their tottering and floundering was they had a casual relationship with the truth. Truth is not relative. It does not change with the times. It is unaffected by opinion polls. It remains constant even when its rivals get all the “likes” and accolades. It can never be perverted or pushed to the shadows. When all else fails and fades, when the popular and the fanciful and flashy have run their courses, we must all be found holding on to the one thing that will remain with all our hearts and strength. My prayer in closing is simple: Lord, even as we grow in our love for You, grant it that we also fall completely head-over-heals in love…with the truth. 

“I feel such great sorrow and heartache for you that never leaves me! God knows these deep feelings within me as I long for you to come to faith in [Christ].”   Rom 9:2,3 TPT

The Book of Romans is without a doubt Paul’s Magnum Opus as a theologian. The depth of revelation and the logical, systematic, and articulate way in which Paul distills the depth and clarity of the gospel is unparalleled. If Paul had done nothing else, if he had only penned this amazing treatise of Biblical truth, he would already be a legend heralded throughout the ages. 

As impressive as Paul’s insights into the mysteries of truth are, what moves me—often to tears—is the message of love and affection that is woven throughout. As a Pharisee of Pharisees (Acts 23:6), a man who had sat at the feet of Gamaliel*, Paul was trained by the best and excelled above his peers. His arguments in Romans are irrefutable, presented with legal precision. And yet, what shines through is not just his head, but his heart. He had not only been convinced and converted; Paul had fallen in love. More than enlightened, Paul had been turned inside out. A man prone to scale the heights of intellectual prowess had become undone by a much greater power. Christology and justification by faith are super, but Paul caps it off with an even more visceral and transformative reality: “because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!” (Rom 5:5 TPT). 

As Paul masterfully tackles the thorny matter of Israel’s place in the plan of God, he is so overwhelmed by the never-ending, reckless nature of God’s mercy that he quite unexpectedly, as if in mid-sentence, cries out: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom 11:33). He then proceeds to say the only reasonable response to this is to present ourselves like living sacrifices upon God’s altar (Rom 12:1). Wouldn’t it be incredible if the theses of our seminary graduates went so uncharacteristically off-script! 

Paul begins the letter to the church in Rome by saying that he had been praying “without ceasing” for the believers there, longing to see them in order to impart to them “some spiritual gifts so that you may be established” (Rom 1:10-11). Since Paul had never been to Rome, that means he had not even met most of the people for whom he had such warm affections; and yet had had such an ardent desire to see them growing in Christ and becoming ever more fruitful in His service!

In Romans 15 he continues, expressing that he had had “a great desire these many years to come to you” that he might “enjoy your company” (v. 23-24). Paul had been raised in the hardware world of strict rules and regulations. He did not abandon the hardware after he met Christ; he overlayed and interfaced it with the software of agape—of relationships of a depth and quality that had been unthinkable under his former paradigm as a Pharisee. The word “enjoy” (Gr. empiplemi) means fulfilled, satiated, satisfied. Clearly his encounter with Jesus had been Grinch-like in its impact:

And what happened then? Well in Whooville they say—

that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.

While many would probably say their favorite chapter in Romans is 8, or 12, I have always loved the way it reaches a crescendo in the last chapter, 16. Perhaps you only see it as a list of names, a salutation, or a way of sending one’s regards. Since the Holy Spirit first touched me about its essence, I can no longer see it this way. Although Paul had yet to visit Rome, he already knew the names of twenty-eight people there. His comments about them are priceless. Some had “helped” him, literally meaning caring for the needs of others and aiding them with resources. Some had risked their own necks for him. Some had spent time in prison with him. He commends them for their labors, as apostles, as servants of God, as beloved, even one as being his own mother! He exhorts them to greet each other with a holy kiss (16:16). 

My prayer for you is, as it is for me: that we would continue to grow daily in our walk. This includes in knowledge, in gifts, in service. And, that we might especially excel in the one thing that Paul referred to as the “more excellent way”, stating emphatically and conclusively, “[if] I have not love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 12:31; 13:2).

* One of the great thinkers in Jewish history, grandson of Rabbi Hillel, one of the most famous theologians of ancient Israel.

“When my father and mother forsake me, The Lord will take care of me…” Ps 27:10

David’s credentials as one of the greatest men in history are many: his outstanding bravery in battle, his wisdom in governance, and his ability to unify and create a national identity out of a people who had been scattered and oppressed for hundreds of years. Recall the time when he took up an offering to build the temple. His own sacrifices and generosity inspired the Israelites so much he had to restrain them from giving! His military prowess caused the women to dance and sing in the streets. His commanders risked their lives just to bring him a cup of water. No wonder we revere and emulate his leadership three thousands years later.

His elevation did not coming easily. David had faced lions and bears. He famously slayed Goliath. His own king threw spears at him to try to kill him, then chased him around the forests and wilderness areas of Judea for seven years. Time and time again, with fearless tenacity he defied the odds in battle. These experiences all proved and purified David’s character as he passed test after test on the road to becoming a man of and for the people of Israel.

And yet, I suspect David’s hardest test was with his family. Although it is in the background of his story, it was likely in the foreground of his heart. While there is no joy like family joy, there is also no pain like family pain. We see from David’s example, this too was a battle that he fought with vigilance and conviction. Sure, he was far from perfect. He made huge mistakes. He sinned. But he never gave up. He believed he would see the goodness of God in the land of the living; and for this reason alone he never lost heart, but remained confident (Ps 27:13,14). 

David’s family battles were fought on every front: with parents, siblings, wife, and children. The first time we meet David was the biggest day in his family’s history. The great Prophet Samuel, the man used by God to anoint Israel’s first king, to whom the King himself was subject, came to sacrifice in David’s town, and visit his own home. Armed with the horn of the anointing oil, Samuel had come to the house of Jesse to find the future king of Israel. As each of his seven brothers passed before Samuel to be blessed and considered for the nation’s highest honor, where was David? Left out in the fields watching a few sheep. 

Beloved, that hurts! When Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons, he responded by saying the “smallest” was with the animals. This Hebrew word does not mean youngest. It means unimportant, insignificant, base. Maybe his dad disdained him for his singing and song writing? Whatever the case, David was neglected, rejected, or as he says in Ps 27:10, forsaken. 1 Sam 17:20 says they had servants who could have been taking care of this menial task. Many have become bitter and resentful for much less. Many are plagued with spirits of rejection, insecurity, and inferiority because of such treatment. Not David.

It wasn’t just his parents either. Some time later, David’s three oldest brothers were sent to war. Jesse sent David to the front to bring food and supplies to his brothers, and gifts to their captains to honor them. As David arrives with these goodies to refresh his brothers, there is no gratitude in his oldest brother Eliab’s heart; only fury. His cutting, mocking response was venomous:

“With whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart…” (17:28)

Ouch. The person I most respected after my father growing up was my oldest brother. Such bitter criticism and derision can be crippling. To think that David would rise to such heights of historical reverence and yet his own parents and siblings were blind to his maturity, courage, or skills, is hard to believe. David achieved greatness despite being raised in a family that could not see the tremendous potential in him, but instead belittled and misjudged him.

After fleeing for his life and hiding in a cave, 400 social misfits and ticked off men chose to join him in what easily could have become a 9th century BC pity party. I wonder if David considered if it might be better to face Saul’s vengeful spear throwing! Right in the midst of this craziness, an easy to miss phrase is inserted into the record of scripture that bit me like a doberman many years ago, and has yet to let go.

“when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.” (1 Sam 22:1b)

Despite their former appraisal of the runt of the family, David’s brothers and parents all chose to flee to David, even if it meant living in a stone-cold cave alongside his motley companions. And David received them. David took care of them. Despite the injustice and undeserved ridicule he had suffered from them, David forgave them. Knowing how they had maligned and mistreated him over a period of years, they might have felt reticent or embarrassed to humble themselves and ask for David’s help. Still they came, convinced he would not repay them for the wrongs they had done, but receive them with open arms.

David is esteemed as great not only because he defeated giants or hordes of Philistines. He faced enemies that would have slain lesser men, that sought to divide and destroy his most cherished relationships: those of his own family. He guarded his heart from harboring resentment, deciding rather to take his hurts and lay them at the feet of his God and Redeemer. These are exactly the things that attracted God’s affection, making him the only person honored in scripture as being a “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).

“You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mat 6:24b

The Ammonites were thorns in Israel’s side since the time of Joshua. King Saul fought against them. Solomon married one of their daughters, and “became a follower of Milcom the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites” (1 Ki 11:5). Hundreds of years later they aggressively opposed and subverted Nehemiah’s rebuilding the temple walls in Jerusalem. 

Lots of “-ites” have come against the people of God through the ages—Amorites, Amalekites, Canaanites—but none is stronger, more persistent, and more insidious than the “Mammonites”. In fact, undoubtedly one of the most cruel and effective enemies arrayed against us is…the love of money. 

Greed is not a very popular subject. If a pastor announces his next sermon series is going to be about our wanton pursuit of more things, he’s bound to wind up in front of a dwindling congregation and seated across a disgruntled deacon board. 

Isaiah did not let becoming unpopular hold him back. He called out the leaders of his day, saying “they are greedy dogs which never have enough…they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain” (Is 56:11).

It makes you wonder if Paul could have kept gainfully employed in our churches today. Can you imagine the reaction to this admonition? “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money* is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim 6:9,10 NIV/NKJV).

How about Jesus’ brother James. He agonized: “Come now, your rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!” (5:1) Parts of chapters 2 and 5 of his epistle are so scathing towards the upper crust so as to give people a strong motivation to question Biblical authority! Which may explain why so many do!! 

Or Jesus Himself. In Matt 23 he rebuked the Pharisees for devouring widow’s houses, describing these leaders as “full of extortion [greed, CSB] and self-indulgence” (v.25). The only thing that infuriated him enough to make a whip of cords was when swindlers turned His Father’s house into a marketplace. 

For all the well-earned reverence the first Century church has inspired through the centuries, a careful reading of scripture reveals a war against greed was raging in their ranks. One of Jesus’ chosen twelve, Judas, fell on avarice’s sword. Ananias and Sapphira literally dropped dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit over money. When Simon the sorcerer thought he could buy power and influence over people through the laying on of hands, Peter castigated him harshly, saying “your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased!” (Acts 8:20)

Enter Elon Musk and DOGE. Last week his team uncovered $300 million in loans the Small Business Administration has given to people under the age of 11, the youngest of whom was nine months old. Precocious child! They also found more than $300 million had been handed out to people over the age of 120. I have some grave concerns about that! They also reported that no less than 40% of the phone calls to Social Security were from fraudsters. In fact, the average amount of waste and fraud they have exposed is more than $4 billion—every day, seven days a week. Anyone who does not think the love of money is a problem in our society needs a serious reality check. 

Truth is, we all need to do some soul-, and likely some wallet-, searching. Although this scandalous unveiling of massive corruption is being led by a team of patriotic CEOs and their nerdy team of computer geeks, Peter’s exhortation was that “the time has come for judgment to begin in the house of God” (1 Pet 4:17). Maybe we need to institute our own DOCE (Department of CHURCH Efficiency) before it is too late.

Jesus is coming soon. It’s time to root out the “Mammonites” among us. 

*Do not interpret me as meaning that wealthy people are ipso facto miserly. Many are prudent, vigilant, good stewards, generous, and blessed by God! This verse has been famously misquoted for two thousand years to mean money is evil, and people who have it are necessarily so. It is the blind pursuit of riches for personal gain and out of misplaced affection that must be diligently guarded against. 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves…” Matt 7:15

The youngest of four brothers and the son of a Mom whose antics and seam-busting humor are off-the-charts, we always came up with the craziest costumes for Halloween. Anything was fair game. One of the classic outfits was our rendition of Porky Pig, where we brandished my dad’s one-piece insulated underware and stuffed as many pillows into the arms, legs, and belly as possible,—gorged to the point of almost being immobile—complete with a decorated hanger for a curly tale. Neck down, we resembled Baymax more than Porky.

There are certain times and places where it’s appropriate to wear a costume: Halloween, Mardi Gras, Themed or Frat Parties, or certain kinds of Balls or Carnivals. Church is not one of them. And yet, it’s freakishly common to meet a sheep, or even a shepherd, who is in fact a cleverly disguised wolf. 

Scripture is replete with charlatan types. These masqueraders are “spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you…enticing unstable souls” (2 Pet 2). Paul warned of imposters and preachers who peddled the Word for profit. In Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation He warns of hucksters, even of a “Jezebel” in the church who used her influence to “seduce My servants to commit sexual sins” (Rev 2:20).  

Prophets of old spoke of corrupt and self-seeking “shepherds” who “slaughter the sheep and feel no guilt; those who sell them [and] say ‘Blessed by the Lord, for I am rich’” (Zech 11:4). A similar and lengthy indictment is the main theme in Ezekiel 34. Eerily, the conditions described are ancient, and yet portend an Apocalyptic scenario being played before our very eyes. Jesus of course called for extreme caution in his discourse on the End Times, opening with this unnerving warning: “At that time deception will run rampant. So beware that you are not fooled!” (Mt 24:4 TPT) 

Satan is conniving, dastardly, and relentless. He is singularly focused, directing the legions of darkness he commands towards our destruction. Rev 12:15’s imagery is shiver-inducing: “the dragon spewed from his mouth a raging river of water to sweep [us] away with the flood” (TPT). So what are we to do? 

Jesus said “Beware!”, “Take heed!” The admonition is really twofold. On the one hand, we are to be vigilant, continuously watchful, on guard. That’s walking through the forest at dusk and hearing a growl kind of alertness. That’s DEFCON 2, not simply under threat, but combat-ready, as though war could break out at any moment kind of preparedness.  

The second aspect is discerning. It’s skillful perception—clear-eyed, Spirit imbued discretion and enhanced detection capabilities all rolled into one. It’s the ability to tell right from wrong, truth from falsehood, to make wise decisions followed by decisive action. It’s Riding Hood deftly spotting Granny’s big teeth and straightaway bolting for the door. 

Natural, physical realities are often a reflection of spiritual realities. As God  has raised up secular leaders to uproot graft and unbridled corruption along with those who have committed these things, it is a sign and summons to the Church to expose and purge all manner of perversion being practiced in our ranks. DOGE has even given us a leg up. Among the NGOs that have facilitated illegal immigration (with its gangs and criminals, drugs and trafficking), those who have profited most are Catholic Charities and numerous “Evangelical” non-profits*. Like Ezekiel or Peter, pretenders and scammers must be called out.

A culture of cover-up and lack of accountability, of playing and scheming the system has been laid bear for all to see. Light is shining in dark places. Truth is suddenly in vogue again, where even things that happened decades ago (eg. JFK) are being made public. Masks are being ripped off. These are all things God loves; these are all actions that invite and attract His blessings. 

It is as though a strong angel announced: Wolf season is now open! And yet, the call to increased vigilance and discernment must also be tempered with humility and patience. We must not go out guns blazing. A good hunter knows this is a deadly sport. Once you pull the trigger, it’s over. To take this exhortation and start finding fault with your pastor or a spiritual leader (as I have witnessed others do) is downright dangerous. “Beware” is not the same as “Be vindictive” or in extremes, “Be jury, judge, and executioner”. Wolves wander among the sheep and the shepherds. Shooting the wrong thing is simply not an option. I would not want to be responsible for wounding innocents.

As prowling, ravenous wolves increase among the flock of God, may He grant each one of us the vigilance and discernment to recognize and expose them, then the courage and authority to unmask and defang them as the Good Shepherd has so wonderfully empowered us to do.

* This “windfall” for the Catholics has enabled them to pay back the $5 billion dollar price tag incurred from its sexual abuse cases. You can’t make this up!

“The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.” Is 62:2

She had never known any true Christians. Steeped in the leftest stronghold of academia and surrounded by fog emanating from the temple halls where the incantations of professor-priests indoctrinate our youth, this university President was unversed in church jargon. But having observed her soon-to-be-baptized grown son, her description of his transformation tattooed my brain.“It’s like he has had an identity transplant”. What an awesome way to express being “born again”, 21st century style!

When our newest Supreme Court justice refused to answer the question who is a woman, it could no longer be denied: we are a culture in crisis. As the contagion of young people identifying as transgender has spread like a California wildfire in the last decade, we have to acknowledge: we are at war. This battle is not fought with guns and tanks, bombers or battleships. It is not raging in the seas, the trenches, or the skies above our cities. The minefields are in TikTok and Snapchat. It is not limbs that are at risk; people are losing their minds. Our young are not taken to prison camps, they are made captives by the lies of dark, perverse forces. The nemesis all too often is the one in the mirror.

The problem of and search for identity is one of the most elusive and critical quagmires of our generation. It’s pandemic-like in its reach, and cancer-like in its affect upon the soul. Thank God for Dr. Jesus! He comes with surgical precision to heal every form of identity disease known to man. Or like a transplant, he removes the old defective one replacing it with a new.

In Gideon’s day, the Israelites had been oppressed and demoralized for so long that they retreated to dens and caves to live in. They believed the lie that the land God gave to them by covenant was now their enemy’s. They cringed in fear knowing the Midianites could swoop down at any minute to steal the harvest for which they labored by sweat and exhaustion. We can hardly imagine the surprise when the Angel of the Lord called trembling Gideon a “mighty man of valor” (Jud 6:12). God’s word rewired his DNA. Trepidation was removed like a tumor, and now Gideon’s name is associated with undaunted courage.

Jacob was a supplanter even before he left his mother’s womb. The meaning of his name in Hebrew was confirmed by all manner of conniving and trickery throughout his formative years. It seemed irredeemable…until he had an all-night encounter with the living God and was given a new name. From that fateful night onward, “Israel” lived like a man “ruled by God”.

Knowing how God sees us, grasping who we are in His eyes, is simply a game changer. When twelve tribal leaders were sent to spy out the Promised Land, ten returned despondent, convinced “we were like grasshoppers in our own sight” (Num 13:33). The other two, Joshua and Caleb, saw no such image in their mirrors. How we think about ourselves matters, borne out by the fact that these two who said we’ll eat them up like they are our bread (14:9). They did too, witnessing for themselves victory over their enemies—even the giants—whereas the ten died still weak in their own eyes.

One day, God appeared to Moses. After forty years of tending sheep, playing a role to deliver his nation from the bondage of slavery had become a distant fantasy. Moses responds to God with the age-old question: “Who am I that I should go?” (Exo 3:11) God actually answers this question by pointing to Himself, as if to say, When you really know Who I am, you’ll know who you are too. This aged and disillusioned shepherd miraculously transformed into a mighty, Sea-parting deliverer.

Even Jesus needed heavenly affirmation. Before stepping into His destiny as Messiah, God spoke these momentous words over him: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat 3:17). These words fortified him to go toe-to-toe with the Devil who mercilessly tempted him for the next forty days. If Jesus needed to know he was a beloved son of a Loving Father, how much more do we!

Much more than a quick fix or ear-tingling, well polished quote–nothing like a gold star on your homework, or an aspirin to suppress your headache–these are earth shattering, identity-altering promises and encounters. As hordes array and mortars scream past us, as we are seemingly outnumbered and outgunned by End-time threats and villains, our greatest weapon is our true identities as sons and daughters, as warriors and overcomers, those made to be kings and priests (Rev 1:6), sent by the Commander-in-Chief and always being led in triumph by our Savior, our Father, and our King.

“Whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant.” Mat 20:26

I never got a participation trophy growing up. I never had a “Better Luck Next Time” medal hung around my neck either. Hard to imagine, right? What’s even more shocking is that despite this blatant and painful disregard for my self-esteem, I did not carry any deep emotional wounds with me through life 😉.

We live in a time when so much of what was once considered normal has been turned on its head. Since when was mediocrity celebrated? People are actually discouraged, at times maligned for being exceptional. The slogan to Make America Great Again was recast by hair-on-fire TV commentators as though it was Hitlerian Heresy. People who become powerful or successful are often treated with suspicion if not disdain. Achievers are even labelled as “Oppressors”.

These inverted perceptions are none other than a Slewfoot sleight of hand. As deception is loosed in unprecedented ways in our time, we must be discerning, alert, astute.

I love the way Jesus handled a potentially explosive situation. The mother of James and John wanted her sons to be rewarded with seats next to Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Today’s TikTok philosophers would have canceled her in a heartbeat! Throngs of culture cops would have insisted that everyone ought to be awarded a seat at His right hand, touting the virtues of equity.

While the other disciples were “greatly displeased/indignant” with the brothers, it is fascinating that Jesus didn’t rebuke James and John. Greatness was not a problem for Jesus. In fact, He affirms the “desire to be great”, while adding a caveat. When one’s position and influence grows, it must not be used to “exercise authority over” others, but rather to serve them–to use resources to enhance and strengthen those around us.

People who have been surrounded or impacted by abusive leaders mistakenly assume that only people who are corrupt, selfish, or ambitious for the wrong reasons rise to powerful positions. They need to meet godly examples, none better than Jesus, the greatest man in history. Another standard-bearer is David who exemplified qualities that have been studied and emulated for nearly three millennia. One of my favorites traits is the way he praised and honored his most extraordinary warriors with testimonies of their bravery, extolling by name the mightiest thirty in his whole army.

2 Sam 7:11 says that as soon as King Hiram of Tyre heard David had been crowned he sent Lebanese cedars, carpenters, and masons to bless David and build him a massive palace. Did you wonder why after the election Zuckerberg and Bezos joined Musk in pledging support for Trump’s agenda. Heads of State from Argentina, Canada, and Mexico showed up at Mar-a-Lago. Macron wanted to buddy-up with him in Paris. A Japanese banker committed $100 billion to the US economy. Hamas declared it wanted peace. The stock market soared. The reason is clear: they all recognized and responded to greatness.

Contrary to the the spirits and “wisdom” of this age, we should never shy away from pursuing excellence or achieving awesome things. David used his immense authority to suppress idolatry and thwart unthinkable evil. He handed Solomon the most prosperous and peaceful period of Israel’s history. The structures and stability he put in place allowed creativity and the arts to flourish. We need more of God’s people to desire, then step up into greatness.

There are no “Better Luck Next Time” medals in Heaven.

“So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.” 2 Sam 5:10

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Deut 5:20

Playgrounds are training grounds. We get our first taste of competition. Among the laughter there is experimentation, and risk-taking. Knees get scraped. Foreheads and backsides get bumped and bruised. Pride is unpacked. Tempers flare. Out of nowhere, there is name-calling. Amidst the giggles, jeering and hooting you may hear an age old jingle arising: sticks and stones may brake my bones, but words will never hurt me.

If only it was true!

Scripture contains plenty of reminders that words can be used as weapons. Solomon asserted life and death are in the power of the tongue, that reckless/rash words pierce like swords, and a false witness is one of the six things God hates (PR 18:21; 12:18; 6:19). A group of men arose to criticize Moses; God responded by causing the earth to open its mouth and swallow them (Num 16:32). Rom 1:30 lists slanderers just before haters of God and violent people.

I used to wonder why God included bearing false witness among the “Big Ten”. Idolatry, Murder, Adultery…these are giants in Sin’s camp. I just couldn’t figure out why bending the truth about another person could also be considered such a game changer. Until it happened to me. If you have been the target of word assassins, you will understand immediately. When sniping persists, you may find yourself strangely nostalgic about sticks and stones!

Deut 19:18-19 expounds upon the weightiness of the 9th Commandment. If someone was found guilty of being a false witness, “then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother.” Simply spoken, more than just committing perjury, if the false testimony was about a murder, the lying witness would be charged as a murderer. In our own courts today, bearing false witness can result in an innocent man being stripped of his rights and freedoms. So the idea that “words will never hurt me” flies out the window.

President-elect Trump’s last few months are a sobering reminder of the danger of rhetoric. The media’s bombastic pronouncements of “Hitler!” and “fascist!” transformed virtual sticks into literal bullets. Had it not been for Divine intervention, false witnesses could have changed the trajectory of our nation, if not the world. Being in the crosshairs of unfounded, embittered accusations is not something I would wish on anyone.

Sadly, the guns of verbal homicide are not blazing only in the political arena. I’ve had to raise a shield around too many unsuspecting fellow soldiers of the cross through the years. I used to be surprised, caught off guard. I’ve learned to expect it, and therefore become a watchman on the walls. Though it should be shocking that Christians so virulently smear others in the Body of Christ, we must not be ignorant of Satan’s ability to capitalize on our weaknesses and turn the screws upon our ignorance. I’ve spent months, even years, trying to put out the fires of these flamethrowers; I’ve walked among fields strewn with the casualties of these bloodied battles.

This calls for vigilance, brothers and sisters. If we all raise our shields together—better yet, if we construct Iron Domes around each other—we can quench this vile tactic of the Evil One. We all, with one accord, must take God’s commands seriously. All of them. Attacking the good name of another is not a small matter. For very good reasons, it’s one of the Big Ten.

Beloved, we live in a generation when whether via social media or to one’s face, missiles that malign and viciously injure the reputation of others are shamelessly hurled at the defenseless and innocent. Although the Ten Commandments have been removed from our classrooms and institutions, may they ever be inscribed upon the walls of our hearts and consciences by the Finger of God. Before you open your mouth, lift your pen, or touch your keyboard, consider long and hard if you have irrefutable evidence before you cast aspersions at another. You may well find these words bringing punishment upon your own head.

Breaking the 9th Commandment is not child’s play.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself…” Lev 19:18

The Amish are my neighbors now. We hear the clip-clop of the horse-drawn buggies pass by our house. We see them at the farmer’s markets and their roadside stands. We buy their fresh eggs. We eat their whoopie pies. From beards to suspenders, straw hats to aprons, there is not a more “conservative” bloc of voters than this cloistered yet principled, simple folk. 

The believer’s response to “love thy neighbor” is visceral and spontaneous. Perhaps no phrase is more distinctly Christian. Few imperatives elicit more soul-searching. There are, after all, only two commandments which we are told to keep. We must unreservedly love God. Of course. And then we must love our neighbors. Jesus then framed this command with the timeless parable of the Good Samaritan to punctuate His point. It was an instant classic.

That His words would be turned into a slogan or political wedge to trigger people—as a guilt bomb, to play the shame game and push an agenda—is quite offensive to me. Quoting scripture may be used to give one’s position an authoritative cloak and an air of moral superiority. Abusing scripture, on the other hand, is a serious transgression and invites God’s wrath upon those who do it intentionally and to manipulate. God have mercy!

It turns out it’s not only Christians who have figured out the power of this now popularized catch phrase used to red pill believers about everything from climate change to the covid vaccine. Even Gavin Newsom got a “revelation”, putting up billboards in Texas advertising his state’s up-to-birth abortion laws under the banner: “California is Ready to Help. Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”.*

It has also been used ad nauseam to justify support for open borders. This PC campaign esteems “Compassion” as the highest of all virtues. Even if it means breaking our laws, compromising our sovereignty and security, and simultaneously accepting minor inconveniences such as: tens of thousands of deaths due to fentanyl, unfettered rape of female migrants, mind-numbing human trafficking statistics, and unscalable gang violence in our cities. Aren’t all the traumatized and victimized American citizens also, or even more so, our neighbors? Wasn’t Laken Riley our neighbor?! Or are we supposed to believe “compassion” for her Venezuelan illegal immigrant killer is the moral high ground? 

I have lived overseas for most of my life. Perhaps this explains why I did not get the memo that Christian leaders should not talk about politics. While we are rightly cautioned to beware of the “leaven of Herod” (Mk 8:15); to ignore politics or culture that affects our freedoms, values, justice, and prosperity is akin to inviting disciples into our rowboat and forget the oars. It is the “leaven” that is the problem: allowing unseen and insidious forces to proliferate unchecked in our spirits, clouding our minds, dividing our allegiance. 

To dismiss or ignore politics—to disengage or to be willy-nilly of its potential for good and for evil—is foolish and harmful. We may find ourselves floating in the sea of irrelevance, or worse yet, paddling in the current of the Third Reich, just like the passive and voiceless church of Germany had done. Their verdict? Complicity may be too kind. Accessory, defined as one who assists, but does not actually participate, in the commission of a crime, is probably a more accurate indictment. 

And yet 41 million Christians are predicted NOT to vote in the upcoming election. Though we have the opportunity to stem the tide of illegals pouring across our borders, or stop needless wars, or become energy independent again, or protect the sanctity of life—even life in the womb, to sit there and do nothing is not just ambivalent, it is callous. Your neighbor’s daughter may be “transitioning” to become a boy right now, groomed by a radicalized teacher at the public school down the street, then given puberty blockers, and counseled to have a mastectomy. How do we love our neighbors exactly?

In 1972 a landmark Supreme Court ruling was made in favor of Amish fathers who refused to send their children to public school on religious grounds. Despite their stereotypical turtle-shelled and apolitical persona, they rose up to fight for their freedoms. 52 years later, the Smaug in them is stirring again. Fed up by all the insane regulations and heavy taxes the government has burdened them with these last few years, the Amish will be going to the polls in record numbers. They want to make a stand for the rights of the unborn. They are incensed that their religion and speech liberties are threatened. They don’t want their taxes paid by the sweat of their own brows spent on sex change surgeries for convicted felons. So while millions of evangelical Christians wallow in their apathy and indifference, the Amish buggies will be rockin’ on November 6th.

I am volunteering to drive them to the polls. Seems like the neighborly thing to do. 

• If you are interested in a detailed research into the “Love Your Neighbor” ploy, including the NIH’s push to get “skeptical” Christians on board with their mandate by employing an advertising campaign entitled “Love Your Neighbor, Get the Shot”, check out Megan Basham’s Shepherds for Sale. You won’t want to put it down.