deCONstruction: Does it Always Lead to Destruction?

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deCONstruction: Does it Always Lead to Destruction?

Deconstruction. I hesitate even using the word, because it is definitely a term widely used by many people on both sides of the conversations that surround it. And because it’s so widely used, it’s honestly also widely confused because it’s often misused.


Which is why in this post, I pick apart the word itself as it may reveal more about the process.


So, what is it, and is it harmful or helpful? Before we dive into the topic, would you agree with me in this simple prayer…


Father, we ask for wisdom as we seek to understand you and your great love for us. We humbly approach this topic as we humbly approach your throne, asking you for grace in the space of seeking you, knowing that apart from Christ, we will never reach you. We seek you and you alone for discernment and wisdom to know when we are removing you from your throne and placing our trust in men or religion or our own moral relativism. We trust you to help us in the conversations we’re having by drawing us closer to your heart, taking us deeper in your Word, and making us stronger in our faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen


I have friends on both sides of this deconstruction conversation — friends who have deconstructed because they were hurt by the church and friends who have been hurt by loved ones who have deconstructed and not only walked away from their faith, but also their family.


Some feel it’s a freeing process, others say it’s a fleeing process. Are deconstructionists running to God as they run away from the church and those who’ve hurt them or are they running away from God as they run straight into the arms of the world and a culture that will embrace them?


You may still have no idea what “deconstruction” even is (as it relates to faith). You may know quite well what it is because you’ve walked through it yourself or with someone. Or you may be wondering what the big deal is and why people on both sides need to keep talking about it.


It’s definitely been defined in different ways by different people, and because of that, can breed confusion, which is exactly why I believe the enemy is using it to breed confusion.


The term dates back to the 1960’s and the work of philosopher, Jacques Derrida. It can be applied to a vast number of areas, but as it relates to faith and theology, it is a process that begins with doubting, questioning, and examining (which isn’t wrong or bad and can many times, deepen our faith); however, if done in a way that walks away from the firm foundation of scripture and Biblical truth, the end result is the literal deconstruction of one’s faith — picking apart and dismantling God’s Word and His Authority.


This article is a great description of deconstruction, and in my opinion, it is a non bias and thorough definition of the process.


Got Questions Article on Deconstruction


So, in an effort to apply the principles of deconstruction to the word itself, even picking apart the word De-CON-struc-tion, reveals a three letter word in the center of the word that in my opinion, represents the enemy who loves to weasel his way smack dab into the middle of process. Satan is the original CON artist (a person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true). He is the father of lies, and his con artistry started in the garden when he said to Eve, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) He’s been planting seeds of doubt ever since.


Upon further scrutiny of the word DE-con-STRUCTION, we see, WHEN the enemy is at the core of it, what’s left is DESTRUCTION. WHEN we know his master plan is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), we can recognize his tactics and combat them with the Word of God and the Good News of the Gospel as we claim victory over our enemy through Jesus Christ who sets us free!


I just heard this quote from Pastor Riggins of New Life Church on Sunday, “Satan tempts us to destroy our faith, but God tests us to deepen our faith.” We must recognize the difference. Are we believing lies or standing on truth?

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Believing is Seeing

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Believing is Seeing

They say, “seeing is believing, “ and I’m sure you’re familiar with that old clichè, but let me caution you to not believe everything “they” say. Based on what I read in God’s Word, which is oftentimes quite contrary to what you hear from the world…


“Believing is seeing.”


What exactly does that mean, or better yet, how do you “believe” more consistently so you can “see” more clearly? I’m glad you asked! And if you asked (like I have, and still do, so often), it’s likely you’re currently having hard time “seeing“ God at work in your life. Am I right? Are the prayers you’re praying becoming mere whispers in the weariness of waiting?

If this is true and it describes you, don’t lose heart because you’re in the perfect place to start! Start believing God at His Word. Start trusting His promises. Start believing He’ll do what He says. Don’t you dare give up. We LIVE by believing. But don’t take my word for it, take His Word for it…



“For we live by believing and not by seeing.” 2 Corinthians 5:7


‬‬We regain our strength by holding on to hope, trusting in His timing, and believing He goes before us. He does the work, we simply trust and obey. Listen to Him and do things His Way.



If you are waiting to “see,” simply believe. I promise there is a reason for the wait, purpose in the perseverance, and blessing in the believing.



Believing is seeing, so keep believing His promises, and you’ll see His power and glory as He keeps doing what He says.



“Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”” John‬ ‭11:40‬

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Surrendered and Reawakened

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Surrendered and Reawakened

As I SURRENDER to what

I don’t fully understand,

I can REAWAKEN to His glory

as He reveals what only He can.


Stuck. It may not be a word we’d choose to live by, but it sure is one (especially for the past couple years), with which many of us can identify.


Stuck by the crippling grip of fear.

Stuck under the weight of unforgiveness.

Stuck in the loneliness of isolation.

Stuck on the pedestal of pride.


No matter how you spin the kinda stuck you’re in, only God can truly set you free to begin again.


As I ponder and pray through the two words God’s placed on my heart for 2022, I was struck by (and ironically stuck in) two passages of scripture this morning — two passages about one church, two descriptions praising these people while at the same time pointing out the one thing that had them stuck, and that’s when those two words for 2022 hit a little different.


They stuck out to me in to get me unstuck.


As I SURRENDER to what

I don’t fully understand,

I can REAWAKEN to His glory

as He reveals what only He can.


Those two passages of scripture are Ephesians 1:3-21 and Revelation 2:2-5. I encourage you to go read the first one, a greeting by Paul to the beloved church of Ephesus as a reminder of all the blessings they have in Christ — blessings, We as children of God have inherited, too.


The second passage, I’ll include below — an encouragement from Jesus Himself, through the words of John in the book of Revelation to the church of Ephesus...


“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” ~ Revelation 2:2-7 ESV


There’s ALOT I don’t understand about God, about this world He created, about the people He placed in power, and about His perfect plan and the purpose He has in all of it.

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Instead of this year being a CATCH 22, Let God, in Christ, by His Word, catch, capture, and keep you!

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Instead of this year being a CATCH 22, Let God, in Christ, by His Word, catch, capture, and keep you!

Catch 22 — a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions;


a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule;


the circumstance or rule that denies a solution; an illogical, unreasonable, or senseless situation;


a measure or policy whose effect is the opposite of what was intended;


a situation presenting two equally undesirable alternatives;


a hidden difficulty or means of entrapment


Well, we are almost a full week into the new year, and in year’s past, by now, I’ve chosen and shared my “one word for the year” complete with why I chose it and the how I plan on living it.


But this year’s word had been a bugaboo. You could say, it’s been a CATCH 22...


(I’ll interject here, my husband knows me and my love for words well. He knows my word in 2020 was vision, for obvious reasons, so as 2022 has rolled around, he’s been hinting that my word should be “catch,” and while that’s not my word, the whole concept and meaning behind “catch 22” has got me thinking about the significance of choosing a word for the year...)


So even with it being a bugaboo and a bit of a catch 22, with God’s help, I narrowed it down to a few, but in the search, He impressed this upon my heart:


ONLY ONE WORD CAN TRANSFORM YOU.


It’s not a man-made word found in the pages of a dictionary, It’s the very Word of God found in the pages of The Holy Bible — breathed by Him, penned by men — our daily bread given to us by the Bread of Life — sustainable, unchangeable, infallible.


Instead of this year

being a CATCH 22,

Let God, in Christ, by His Word,

catch, capture, and keep you!

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Sit. Walk. Stand. Start from Rest to Finish Best.

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Sit. Walk. Stand. Start from Rest to Finish Best.

As I went about my routine this morning, I was reminded of the parallel my physical life has with my spiritual life.


I woke up, brewed some coffee, sat on my porch, spent time in God‘s Word, and went for a walk.


As a believer in Christ, I am also called to wake up and be alert, and that happens best when I drink in the Word.


The daily walk is important, yes, but not before we understand true rest...


You see, I’m reading (another) little book this summer (you may recall me reading and posting daily about “A Gospel Primer for Christians” by Milton Vincent throughout the month of June). This little gem of a resource is “Sit. Walk. Stand. The Process of Christian Maturity“ by Watchman Nee. It’s a study guide of sorts through the book of Ephesians (one of my favorite books of the Bible). Like the Gospel Primer, this book is rather tiny, but let me tell you, it sure is mighty!


If you know me at all, you know I love words! Watchman Nee hones in on three important verbs for the Christian life — Sit. Walk. Stand.


If you’ve read my Bible study, CALLED, you’ll recall the middle six chapters are verbs I refer to as “stepping stones“ into all the places God is calling us to go. God‘s Word is a powerful weapon for the Christian warrior, and practical application is key if we are to honor God by doing what it says.


So, this morning, as I focused more on sitting, it reminded me of chapter 4 of CALLED. Called to Be. Being breeds a better doing. We must BE first so we can DO best, or as Watchman Nee puts it, We must SIT before we WALK or STAND.

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God's Standard is Set. We Must Never Forget...

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God's Standard is Set. We Must Never Forget...

God’s standard is set

We must never forget

Our words may fail

His Word will always prevail

I’ve been a little MIA on the blog lately, 3 weeks to be exact, which is the longest breath I’ve taken since I’ve been verbally processing on this platform for nearly a year now. But please don’t mistake my mute for lack of having something to say. Actually, I’ve had far too much to say. I’ve just been processing a little more privately than publicly lately.

Processing all that is going on in the world through the lens of a Biblical worldview, with God’s Word as our standard and His love as our guide, we can never go wrong and never lose our way, because He will never lead us astray.

So, if this world is a little too much for you, too, might I encourage you to pull away. Spend more time reading His Word than you spend reading others’ words. Spend more time measuring your motives to His standard than you do trying to please others, fit in, or not offend.

Honestly, I’m worn out by all the words — especially the vile words being spewed because of the evil being pursued. Did you know the words evil and vile are made up of the same letters, just placed in a different order? And what this spells out to me is that evil is evil no matter how you try to twist or spin it, hide or disguise it.

I’m worn out by the lack of common sense and the disregard for Biblical Truth that’s actually perpetuating the evil (all under the guise of “the right thing” or “the loving thing”). Let me tell you — lying to someone is never right, and it definitely is not loving.

I’m worn out by Christians falling prey to this evil by buying into its lies, all in the name of “love,” when really, loving the world is actually hating God (James 4:4).

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In the War of Words, It's {Still} Time for a Better Word

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In the War of Words, It's {Still} Time for a Better Word

I love words, but I am so tired of them. Seriously, the twisting and manipulating, the demeaning and degrading, it all has me completely worn out.

I wrote a blog post last year entitled In the War of Words, It’s Time for a Better Word, and I guess you could consider this post a part 2, because ironically, I have a few more words to say about these wars our words are waging. The emotional ammunition with which we keep firing back keeps us all raging. It’s a vicious cycle. Ya wanna know why?

Because we keep opening our mouths before we open God’s Word, or rather, we may be opening It, but we certainly aren’t doing what It says.

And since this battle we find ourselves in “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12), we must “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground, and after we’ve have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)

Why are we fighting with our words when God has called us STAND on His Word and SPEAK His Word? It is the only offensive weapon in our armor. We must wield well the Sword of the Spirit if we are to defeat the enemy, the god of this world, the author of lies, the deceiver of souls by taking down his strongholds, dividing his lies from God’s truth, and setting his captives free to experience true victory in Jesus.

Yes, indeed, the very Word of God is sharper than any double edge sword, and It is the only weapon we need to defeat the enemy. Our words are merely weapons against each other and do nothing to defeat the real enemy.

We must stop using OUR words (our explanations and definitions) because they are skewed ever so slightly to fit into OUR point of view, and they will always fall short of the target of the enemy.

Nuance and semantics allow us to say a whole lot while really saying nothing at all. Because without the power of God behind them, words will always fall short. They will always be misunderstood. They will always be used to confuse. They will always be manipulated to elevate one group/person while putting down the next. It is simply the way of the world, and our words will always go that way apart from God’s Word and His Way.

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Obedience, Faith, & Agreement will Accompany a True Believer (and not Just When it's Convenient)

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Obedience, Faith, & Agreement will Accompany a True Believer (and not Just When it's Convenient)

It’s been a couple weeks since my last blog post, so who’s ready for another Sunday sermon recap?!?

Actually, as an introduction, I’m also going to share a couple truths from last Sunday’s sermon as well. Pastor Morris Brown brought a word a week ago about God’s Word, our Absolute Truth, and Pastor Joe Green brought another one yesterday about Obedience, Faith, & Agreement.

The Word of God is not only full of power packed truths. It is the Absolute Truth. The final say. It does not return void. It will not return to the Father in Heaven without having accomplished what He intended it to do here on earth!

So why on earth would we not choose to obey it, have faith in it, and agree with what it says? I can tell you, the alternative doesn’t bode well temporarily and doesn’t end well in light of eternity.

God gave us His Word for a reason. He wants us to read it, apply it, and live by it. And the ONLY way to do that is through OBEDIENCE, FAITH, and AGREEMENT.

What does that mean?!? I’m glad you asked. Here’s an answer through the wisdom I gleaned from the words of Pastor Green...

Honestly, these three words are one in the same. Of course, if you looked them up in the dictionary, the definitions would vary, but hear me out as and you’ll better understand what I’m talking about as we look at a few passages of scripture and dig a little deeper into the meaning of and the power behind these three words.

I’ll start with the same question Pastor Green asked the congregation on Sunday morning:

Do you love love God or do you just like love God? In other words, where is your devotion?

Is your love merely lip service and maybe occasionally attending a church service, or is it all consuming so much so that it has you daily pursuing?

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Words Have Power

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Words Have Power

I love Winnie the Pooh. I mean, who doesn’t love that “silly ol’ bear” who came to life through the words of A.A. Milne. His words while simple and somewhat subtle, were indeed pretty powerful, too. So much so, a few of them from the movie Christopher Robin inspired this blog post. And if you' haven’t seen the movie, it’s worth the watch. And maybe after watching it, this movie inspired mantra will resonate with you, too!

You do you like Pooh did Pooh.

As a writer, I want my words to matter. I want them to penetrate past the surface and sit with the reader in a deeper place of heart work and life change. Sometimes though, I can find myself trying too hard, worrying too much, and allowing too often the very life and purpose I want my words to give to others to be drained right out of me!

And that’s when I am reminded, “You do you, like Pooh did Pooh.”

So many of Pooh’s ponderings have quite a correlation to God’s promises!

Simple yet profound. Empty yet incredibly full. Small yet oh so big.

My words apart from God’s Word will always fall short, but God’s Word will never return void. (Isaiah 55:11) My words have no power, but they do have the ability to connect others with God’s powerful Word. The only Word that is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and does have power, authority, and “truth that sets us free.” (John 8:32)

And while these words from the movie, Christopher Robin, spoke to my heart in a whimsical and wonderful way, the Word of God has the ability to speak even more powerfully and profoundly every single day…

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Here Am I for the Great I Am: Making Sense of Obedience

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Here Am I for the Great I Am: Making Sense of Obedience

Recently, my Monday mornings have been spent pouring over my notes from Sunday sermons. When you are given such rich truths, you want to make sure they take root!

Sunday morning, Pastor Joe opens the Word and brings a word. He then challenges us with that word to obediently live the Word so we can give the Word to a world desperate for a word. We know that the only word that can bring a word worth hearing and heeding is God‘s Word, so we’ll start there again today (and every day), as we learn what it truly means to trust and obey...

Genesis 22. I’m sure you’re familiar with this passage. I thought I was, too, until I found out Isaac was much older than I had imagined him when he made the multiple day journey with his father to Mount Moriah to carry out an act of obedience that would be hard at any age or life stage.

I’ve always thought Isaac was this young boy (likely a toddler), walking alongside his dad, maybe even carried by him at times because of the long trek they had up that mountain. But as Pastor Joe recapped this story as he read and reread details from the text, emphasizing timelines and connecting the series of events with the previous and following chapters, he concluded Isaac was likely 37 years old at the time of this journey.

I know. Shocking, right? For those of you to whom this is new news, I’ll give you a minute. Believe me, I’ve taken quite a few myself yesterday and today, dissecting the text, looking for myself, seeking to truly understand that which I cannot fully comprehend.

And that, dear friend, is what Bible study is all about — reading the Word in a way that It can read us, teach us, and beseech us to live according to It. God’s Word is alive and active. (Hebrews 4:12) It changes us, from the inside out, so It’s not just something we talk about, it’s our deepest desire to live it out.

So, when I recovered from the shock of discovering how old Isaac was at the time of this event, I was able to glean these three lessons about OBEDIENCE…

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Revive Us Again

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Revive Us Again

{a reflection of Holy Week through the lens of the continual and consistent work of being REVIVED again and again}

My friend, Haley Barinowski, recently shared these words after reflecting on the word REVIVE as it relates to Holy Week. It pricked a place in my heart, and opened my mind to contemplate further this word, it’s meaning, and it’s transformational power in the life of all those who BELIEVE the Bible’s literally account of Holy Week and have RECEIVED Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior — those who have turned from their sin and surrendered to Him.

These were Haley’s words…

I've been thinking a lot about the word revive recently. Not so much revival in the sense of big church movements (although I want to learn more about that, too), but more about what it means to be revived personally — to be brought back to life, woken up, restored. And if the Lord is making all things new, then he is continually reviving. He was, He is, He will. I was in Luke some this week reading about Jesus last week before he died, and it was there, too, even on His way to death, He was bringing things to life…

Palm Sunday: He revived service by hand picking a brand new colt — choosing the unlikely and unfamiliar.

Monday: He revived worship by cleansing the temple — making a way for the poor and helpless.

Tuesday: He revived giving by honoring a woman's two coins — honoring a sacrifice from scarcity, not surplus.

Thursday: He revived religious ceremony by fulfilling the Passover dinner — bringing substance to symbols.

Friday: He revived our access to God by tearing the temple veil — bringing us in with boldness, not fear.

Saturday: He revived our waiting — bringing meaning to our longing.

Resurrection Sunday: He revived my desperate soul — putting death in its place and bringing me to life in a way I could never find without him.

And in that case, I have to believe He will do it again tomorrow. Every spring, every morning, every moment.

"Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." Psalm 80:18

After reading Haley’s words, I opened the Word and did a quick word study on the word, REVIVE…

There was SO MUCH in the Psalms about being revived (specifically Psalm 119). The Hebrew word for REVIVE used in the fifteen verses below is CHAYAH, and it is used 264 times in the Old Testament. It has several similar meanings when translated. These are the translations that stood out to me: to live, to sustain life, to quicken, to cause to grow, to restore, and these verses all have a common theme. That theme and the profound meaning it has in the life of a believer leapt off the page and into my heart as I read these verses. I’ve highlight the words that connected the dots. I pray that message comes alive in your heart as the Holy Spirit connects the dots personally for you, too.

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Our Daily Bread. The Bread of Life.

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Our Daily Bread. The Bread of Life.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

These words of Jesus in John 6 establish the sustaining significance of the Word of God in the life of a believer. John affirms the authority of the Word by penning these words in chapter 1, verse 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He continues to emphasize the significance of Jesus' words by saying in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In other words, Jesus is the Word; therefore, when we spend time in the Word, we spend time with Him. When we spend time with Him by spending time in His Word, we are nourished by the bread of life — all powerful, all sufficient, never changing, never deficient.

If I'm honest, I don’t always take time to truly consume His Word. Sometimes, the moment I “put it in my mouth,” I'm spitting it back out on social media, liking it and sharing it more than I'm consuming it and allowing it to nourish me. I've barely "tasted and seen" (Psalm 34:8) before I want to be liked and seen.

He is the bread of life — our DAILY bread. Like the Israelites gathered manna, the miraculous bread of heaven, DAILY, we must gather our portion DAILY. His Word is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12), straight from His heart and His life to our hearts and our lives. Just like day old manna was foul and inedible, leftovers will never satisfy like a fresh, new, daily portion.

Spending time in the Word with the Word (Jesus) not only nourishes us, it fills us to overflowing, and can nourish others, too! When we daily open God's Word and let Him pour out a fresh word over us, we are able to receive it for ourselves and release it to others, because it’s a natural (or rather supernatural) byproduct. We not only read to regurgitate, we consume to cultivate.

When we realize the sustaining power of the Word of God by consuming it daily, we want to live it and give it to others every single day, too! And then we get to watch what the power of His Word can truly do!

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Only Then & All for Him!

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Only Then & All for Him!

ONLY THEN...

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. ONLY THEN will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” ~ Joshua‬ ‭1:8‬

We can’t obey everything in it if we aren’t in it everyday — Continually and consistently in the Word, not casually and conveniently to receive a word. God wants to speak to us every single day in an ongoing and active way — not just to tickle our ears but to transform our lives.

Two little words in this verse positioned perfectly to perfectly position us in complete submission and total surrender. ONLY THEN.

What comes before those two little words? study, meditate, continually, night and day, obey. That’s what we are called to do — not out of duty or obligation, but out of love for the very One who gave His life for you and me.

“ONLY THEN will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Success without surrender is superficial, and prosperity without proper priorities will end in spiritual poverty.

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An Ode to Sundays

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An Ode to Sundays

I love Sundays. Time for church days. Family meeting days to hear the Word preached days. Time to worship together in spirit and truth days. Take authority against the enemy days as we come together and pray with power days. Time for the family of God to gather days, so the enemies of God can scatter days. Oh how I love Sundays.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not 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.” ~ Hebrews 10:19-25 ESV

“For 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.” ~ Ephesians 6:12 ESV

It’s time to go to church, so we can be the Church because without church, the world can not see the Church.

C’mon Church. Now is not the time to idly sit by, withdraw, or retreat. Now is the time to rise, come alive, and remind the enemy of his defeat. We have work to do, and although it may not all be done in a church pew, I’m convinced that the beauty of the bride of Christ grows deeper and fuller, and her call becomes clearer and louder as she comes together and gathers.

We gather for our marching orders — straight from the uncompromising Truth of the very Word of God. We gather to prepare for battle — fully equipped and armored up so God can send us out to take back what the god of this world has run amok.

We don’t gather to hear a word just to scratch our itching ears. We don’t gather to receive a pat on the back and then walk away still gripped by fear. Sundays aren’t some social club to puff us up as we pay our dues. Sundays can build us up, yes, but Sundays need to rebuke us, too.

God’s Truth transforms us beyond societal norms. It disrupts the evils allowed by cultural reforms. When we stand up for God’s Truth, we must not yield. And when that Truth seems a little rough around the edges, It’s merely the sharpness of the Sword we wield.

“For 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.” ~ Hebrews 4:12

As Pastor Joe Green of St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church in Harrisburg, PA said on Sunday, “The more dangerous the situation, the sharper the Sword,” and I completely agree, the more evil our iniquity, the sharper the Sword must be!

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Social Media is not the boss of me. God‘s Word alone is my authority.

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Social Media is not the boss of me. God‘s Word alone is my authority.

Social media is not the boss of me. God‘s Word alone is my authority.

So much easier to type than to live out among the hype. We live in a world inundated by online connection and frustrated by real life disconnection. It’s a vicious cycle. Apart from putting social media in its proper place, it will keep us running this crazy rat race. Keep us comparing. Keep us competing. Keep us captive to counterfeit connection. We are longing for so much more, and yet we are settling for so much less than Christ alone, and He alone is the very best.

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We Will Go the Way of What We're Willing to Say

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We Will Go the Way of What We're Willing to Say

Another post…another poem about truth. I hope that’s ok. Since this is what’s been heavy on my heart, I might as well “practice what I preach” or more accurately, “post what I speak.” To see the poem I posted prior to this one, click here.

And now, without further adieu, another poem I wrote just for you (and for me, too)…

We will go the way

of what we’re willing to say…

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Conversations > Cancellations

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Conversations > Cancellations

We must have conversations about objective truth because they are so much greater and far more effective than cancellations over subjective truth.

TRUTH, God’s Truth, to a believer of that truth, is verifiable, undeniable, indisputable, non-negotiable, actual, factual TRUTH.

It is objective, not subjective. The object of that truth is Jesus Christ Himself, and that truth is not subject to change based on opinions or feelings. If the Gospel is not objective truth to the believer, then what’s the point in believing it? Its veracity gives it authority, and its authority commands our bravery — bravery to have the hard conversation and not succumb to cancellation.

Now more than ever, our conversations about truth have been sabotaged by our dissenting definitions of truth. In order for truth to be defendable, it must be objective, based on facts and logic, free of individual subjectivity or relativism.

Obviously, I’m approaching this conversation from a Biblical Worldview, with the Bible, the very Word of God, being the ultimate authority on truth when viewing the world and all that is going on in it. I have wrestled with and reconciled this for myself, as I have trusted Jesus Christ, the son of God, as my Lord and Savior.

As a child of God, my highest calling is to know Him and make Him known, and I believe all who have trusted Him, all Christians, should view the world with that same objective, authoritative Biblical Truth as their lens lest we get confused and cower to the ways of this world that are contrary, crafty, and cunning — so much so they threaten to lead us further and further away from that objective truth that urges us to stay.

Whether you’re a great theologian or a great big skeptic, one of the world’s smartest academics or struggle to make sense of common logic, whether you are a conspiracy theorist, right or left wing activist, a BLM supporter or CRT purporter, whether you are an MD with a PhD or you have no degree and would rather agree to disagree, if you have placed your trust and hope in Christ, you have been called to stand up for Truth. Standing up for Biblical Truth requires releasing “lesser truths” that are subject to change and receiving “the only truth” that leads to life change.

We all want to know what’s right and what’s wrong, and guess what? The Bible has defined that all along. And if we claim to believe it, we must show we believe it, by the way we receive it, apply it and no longer deny it in our conversations about truth.

We’re all called to be apologists — not to apologize for our faith, but to defend our faith, and all the more against the opposition we face.

We must practice standing up and speaking up or our default will be to sit down and shut up. It’s like playing an instrument or sport, the more your practice it, the better you’ll get at it. Start in safe spaces, but have the conversations. They will become more challenging, but you’ll be better equipped to have them the less you shy away from them.

In an age of silencing and censoring dissenting views, our voices must be louder and stronger when speaking the truth.

We must have conversations about objective truth because they are so much greater and far more effective than cancellations over subjective truth.

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In the War of Words, it's Time for A Better Word

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In the War of Words, it's Time for A Better Word

Are you weary from the war of words in today’s world? Are you confused by the chaos in the words you read and hear (and maybe even repeat and share) from so many news sources and popular opinions? Are you saddened (and sometimes sickened) by the downward spiral these words start in your heart and the vicious cycle they perpetuate in your mind?

Me, too. So, ya know what? I’m at war against them. I’d love to have you join me in battle.

The war that’s waging in our heads and hearts (and in the world at large) is not a war we can fight with weak words, because it’s not a battle against flesh and blood...

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

And in order to battle this “war of words” and defeat the ones that twist & turn the truth and confuse & confound the confident, we must use different words, better words. We must wield THE ONLY WORD, because other words must yield to God’s Word.

God’s Word speaks A BETTER WORD.

DO YOU KNOW THAT BETTER WORD?

Does it ring true in your heart among ideologies that try to influence it?

Does it hold steady in spite of the opinions that try to confuse it?

Does it stand defiant against the condemnation that tries to persuade it?

Does it speak confidently over the lies that try to silence it?

God’s Word is the BETTER WORD. “The precious blood of Christ speaks a BETTER WORD.” The Gospel Truth is the BEST WORD, and praise God, it’s THE FINAL WORD.

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