In God We Trust

It appears on our money in the United States. It is our official national motto, “In God We Trust.” See article here But is it true?

In recent years, many people and groups have tried to challenge this simple four-word phrase. Some claim that it violates the “separation of church and state”. However, the phrase is not specific to any one religion– most of the major world religions (and most of those practiced in America) agree that there is (at least) one God, who can and should be trusted.

I actually worry a little less about those who are challenging the phrase than about those who simply ignore it or give it lip service. And I pray that I don’t fall into the latter group, but in certain moments, I can’t honestly say that I am trusting fully in God. Instead, I tend to trust in various “God-like” things:

I trust my own intuition or my own reason
I trust “experts”
I trust “the science”
I trust “the numbers”
I trust in the money that bears the motto
I trust in my own strengths and abilities
I trust in my husband
I trust my church
I trust my family
I trust what I read on Wikipedia or what I look up on Google
I trust what my friends send me on Facebook or through my e-mail
I trust what “they” say on TV
I trust what I read on a cereal box or food label
I trust headlines
I trust photos and videos I see on the news
I trust what I hear on the radio
I trust celebrity endorsements
I trust public opinion
I trust my feelings…

Of course, some of the things listed above are obviously suspect; others seem reliable and true. It’s hard to argue against some of the things on the list– it’s hard to doubt what I see, what can be measured, or what has proved true in the past. And yet, I have been hurt and betrayed by many of these things– my feelings are unreliable; my friends or family give me advice with good intentions, but bad results; images and even eyewitness accounts don’t always tell the whole story, and, increasingly, honesty and integrity are being crushed out by compromise and expediency. “If it bleeds, it leads…” “The truth is evolving..” “We all have our own ‘truth’..”

God’s truths are eternal and righteous; that doesn’t make them easy or comfortable. Sometimes it seems as though God takes a stand on both sides of an important issue– or that He takes no side at all– leaving us confused and wanting quick and well-defined answers. I have friends who agonize about being on the “wrong side of history” with many current issues. Let’s face it– no one wants to be on the “wrong side” of anything. We draw lines and pick sides– both sides can’t be “right”, can they? So how can we know if we’re trusting God if God is silent or ambiguous?

In the end, there are a few guidelines that have helped me be more confident and have acted as anchors for my faith:

Reading the Bible: not a verse here, or a chapter there to support a particular action or position–consistent reading THROUGH the Bible– from beginning to end, or at least through an entire book at a time.
Asking tough questions: I would love to assume that I already know the answers or have the “right” opinions, but if I can’t handle being challenged; if I never have any questions or can’t ask the ones I keep pushing down, that should be a sign. Sometimes the more questions I ask, the more I have! But, as uncomfortable as it is in the beginning, it is better to ask, and chase after an uncomfortable answer than to ignore the question or pretend to have all the answers.
LISTENING— really listening, whether to friends who seem to know all the answers (see above) , or those with really good questions. It also means listening to those with whom I am tempted to disagree, and to those with whom I passionately disagree. Listening is not the same as accepting or agreeing, but it is important for at least two reasons:
- Every person is made in the image of God– how I treat them is a reflection of my love for God. I will fall short; I will still hurt people’s feelings, whether or not that is my intention, but if I’m doing it through pride, hatred, or disdain, I am dishonoring God.
- Second, I cannot say I understand a person if I’m cutting them off, talking over them, and finishing their sentences for them. Often, while we may disagree on semantics or details, it turns out we agree on more than we assume we know about “the other side.”
Praying for wisdom and discernment. It sounds odd to those who trust in their own understanding, but God WILL open your eyes, ears, and mind to truth, even if it’s being twisted, covered up, hidden, or falsified. God promises, again and again, to give wisdom freely to those who ask. He doesn’t want us to be confused and frustrated– but He does want us to seek out His truth instead of wallowing in the bog of “little white lies” and obfuscation around us.
Waiting and listening for the Holy Spirit to prompt my conscience. This is much like asking for wisdom, but more subtle, and in some ways more dramatic. The Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor (think Jiminy Cricket, but much more spiritual and always right). Even if I’m not aware enough to know what to ask or what to question, the Holy Spirit will often prompt me. Have you ever been reading along, or listening to someone’s story, and suddenly you just get the sense that something is “wrong”– you’re not getting the whole truth; or there is a detail that stands out and doesn’t make sense, and it keeps niggling at your conscience? Yeah– that. Pay attention to that– even amidst the graphic images and angry voices surrounding you.
Keeping track of God’s faithfulness– I don’t maintain this blog because I “wish” that God was faithful, or because someone managed to convince me that this is what I “should” believe. God has proven faithful through all my questions. I know I can trust Him because I have trusted Him through good times and difficult times; times when it didn’t make sense, when it wasn’t popular, and when circumstances pointed in other directions. I have seen God’s hand at work in history and prophecy and personal testimony in ways that defy expectation and explanation.

And whether of not it’s printed on my money; whether or not it’s popular or “patriotic” or punishable by law, I will continue to trust in God. He is trustworthy and true; faithful in mercy and love; sovereign and altogether righteous. In God I have trusted; In God I trust; and In God I will continue to trust!

June 8, 2026 0

Time Flies

Yesterday had 24 hours, the same as every other day. Yet it seemed to zoom past, leaving me “behind” in getting my blog ready for today. So here I am, writing “under the gun” so that I can publish today.

Blogs like this don’t have “deadlines” in the sense of print publications or broadcasts. I don’t have advertisers or managers demanding that I have content by a certain time or date. There are no editors to determine the length of any particular blog post. This one is likely to be shorter than most, in fact. And God isn’t standing by waiting to scold me for being late today. It is my own sense of expectation that gives me grief.

But God has placed all of us in time and space with a purpose. We do not have the power to “stretch” time, to reclaim it, or to bargain for more of it. Time “flies”–and what we do in the time we have flies, too. And He wants us to give our time to Him first of all.

Falling behind on a blog entry is not a life-or-death matter. Falling behind in life is another matter.

I pray that today will be a productive day, a restful day, even a challenging day– and that, as it flies by, we will fulfill God’s purpose in it. And He’ll take care of the timing!

May 27, 2026 0

Suffering from “Prayer’s Block”

Do you ever suffer from “prayer’s block”– those times when you bow down, and your prayers seem stilted, or your mind keeps wandering, and you find yourself coming to God with…less. Not necessarily with nothing– you can always thank God for your daily bread, or worship the fact of his majesty or holiness or search your heart for confession or praise. But you’re left feeling like you really want to bring more…
Am I the only one who ever feels this? I don’t think so; and I don’t feel it often, but when I do, I just wish I had something like a prayer prompt to take the conversation to another level.

That’s when I find books extremely helpful. I recommend a personal prayer journal– one that has pages for each day, and lots of space to write requests and reminders as you pray. I’m on my tenth year through a journal, and it has names of people who are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries on that day– including sad anniversaries of losses or challenges. But even if you don’t have a journal, there are other great and creative ways to jump-start a great conversation with God. See the Edit Page “Prayer Journal” ‹ Pursuing Prayer — WordPress page on my ideas for a Prayer Journal, or search for other wonderful ideas online to get you started.

Have you ever prayed a page from the phone book? (or your personal address list? or another list?) It can feel awkward and impersonal to pray for people simply by name and without knowing anything about them, but it can also be instructive. How so? It reminds you that:

You are one person in a larger community of people you may not even know. We live in a world that is more connected than ever before; yet we can be more isolated than ever before. Neighbors come and go, communities grow (or shrink) without our awareness, unless we make ourselves look around.
Your problems are part of a larger reality. Sometimes, our prayer life becomes narrow as we focus on our own struggles and needs. Looking around doesn’t mean that our struggles are any less painful, important, or real; it does remind us, though, that we live in a big world– and that we have an even bigger God!
You may be the only Jesus another person will ever know… your prayers for a stranger may have unexpected consequences for them, as well as for you.

Similarly, you can pray through an old yearbook, or your friends list on Facebook or LinkedIn, the members of your favorite band or the cast of your favorite movie or TV show, the members of your local government. The list goes on. Rummage through your closet or look at old photos– are you finding anything to be thankful for, or reminded of times when God or others blessed you? Pray the newspaper (or your news feed)–there’s plenty of fodder there!

Of course, there is also an opportunity to ask God to bring things to mind as you struggle. You can pray and praise all the names of God– Almighty, Prince of Peace, Savior, Redeemer, Lamb of God… Or you can pray about His attributes– His sovereignty, His Holiness, His Mercy, His Faithfulness… We serve a very BIG God!

Prayer’s Block can happen to anyone and for many different reasons. I may need to confess a sin that is getting in the way of my relationship with God. Or I need to slow down my thoughts and meditate, rather than rushing through a list of requests or burdens. There are days when my heart is just too full (or maybe too empty) to concentrate. And it’s not that God doesn’t know or understand such times. But in this pursuit, I want to bring my best, and if “prayer’s block” comes, I don’t want it to be an excuse for missing out on the best that God has for me.

April 10, 2026 0

Prayer In the Digital Age

Wilt thou love God, as He thee? then digest,
My soul, this wholesome meditation,
How God the Spirit, by angels waited on
In Heaven, doth make His Temple in thy breast.
The Father, having begot a Son most blest,
And still begetting (for he ne’er begun),
Hath deigned to choose thee, by adoption,
Coheir to His glory and sabbath’s endless rest;
As a robbed man which by search doth find
His stol’n stuff sold must lose or buy again,
The Son of glory came down, and was slain,
Us whom He had made, and Satan stol’n, to unbind.
‘Twas much that man was made like God before,
But that God should be made like man, much more.
John Donne, Holy Sonnets 1633, No. 11

In the Garden

1 I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

2 He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing;
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing. [Refrain]

3 I’d stay in the garden with Him
Tho’ the night around me be falling;
But He bids me go; thro’ the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling. [Refrain]

Baptist Hymnal, 1991

Sanctus Real– Pray (You Tube)

Times have changed– God has not.

God does not have a Facebook or X account; he’s not in Pinterest or Snapchat. He doesn’t post selfies or have a blog. But he is the same God that Adam and Eve walked with in the Garden of Eden; the same God who spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend. He is the same God who listened to the impassioned Psalms of King David, and the lamentations of Jeremiah. He is the same God who has inspired awe and fear in the hearts of apostles, poets, philosophers, songwriters, and evangelists over the centuries.

When we come before God, it is tempting to see him through the lens of our own times– we want him to be one of our “peeps”, accessible, someone who will answer a text or voice mail, “like” our post or “follow” us as we babble about our hours and days and show pictures of what we had for dinner or what we looked like heading out to the concert. We want him to be about US, instead of us laying down our lives for HIM.

Media– especially social media, can help or hinder our prayer life. We can access all kinds of helpful tools to focus our prayers, link up with prayer partners and groups, listen to inspiring music or peaceful slide shows for meditation… But more often than not, media becomes a distraction or even a substitution for real, serious, personal communication with God.

God is not our virtual friend; he’s not our “Bruh” or “the man upstairs.” He is the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe– every galaxy created at his command, every particle obedient to his whim. And he has given us the privilege to come before him as his adopted and beloved children to lay our hearts before him and receive his wisdom, forgiveness, strength, and joy. “Liking” your friends’ posts with Bible verses, sending a thumbs up or an emoji when someone puts up a picture of Jesus on their wall–if that’s the sum total of what you call worship, God has another name for it– Idolatry.

That may seem really harsh, but Idolatry is ANYTHING that we are worshiping in place of God himself. There’s a reason we don’t have statues of God the Father in temples and churches, synagogues, and chapels around the world. God warned us thousands of years ago about the dangers of creating substitutes. Even things that are meant to remind us of him can become substitutes for worship. That doesn’t mean that the crucifix necklace or the picture of Jesus knocking at the door are automatically evil– but when we stop reaching out to the real God, and focus on a false image, no matter how lovely or touching, we can fall into idolatry. And the distractions of the digital age have been shown to create isolation and depression, and become impediments among our human relationships.. We don’t have meaningful meditation or intimate conversations online with people at the other end– what makes us think that wireless devices will bring us closer to God?

That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t use technology to enhance our worship–just don’t make it an entertaining substitute for the real thing. You wouldn’t (or at least I hope you don’t) text and catch up on Twitter while having a face-to-face and heart-to-heart talk with your spouse or child. Give God the honor, the time, and the respect he deserves. You don’t have to live like a stone age hunter to get some alone time with God, but it is a great idea to set aside some time to unplug from media and the noise of this world, and plug into the wonder of meeting with God in the Garden.

February 27, 2026 0

Hearts, Hype, Hatred, and Hope

Tomorrow marks the celebration of St. Valentine– Valentine’s Day. It is a day of hearts and flowers, romantic dinners and gifts, all celebrating love and marriage. Many people choose to marry on Valentine’s day; many more choose this day to propose marriage (my dad did, in fact, and he and my mom were married just a few months later in 1963).

Gifts have gotten more elaborate and expensive over the years, though there are many who choose simple, homemade gifts or cards, as well. Advertisers promote their products as being perfect expressions of romance and love–diamonds, lacy nightwear, expensive candle-lit dinners, vacations, deluxe tool boxes, cars, spa treatments–if a new broom or pair of socks can be made to look romantic, look for them to be advertised as “perfect” for this year’s gift.

I have a long and difficult history with Valentine’s Day. I remember, as a school girl, being forced to choose, sign, and address valentine cards for every person in my class at school. Some were easy enough, but I had to send cards to classmates I didn’t like; classmates who teased or bullied me, or were just “icky.” I think most parents did the same, but I noticed that I rarely got cards back from everyone, and sometimes, the “icky” kids only got two or three cards, which they hid away in their desk or threw away. I never knew if they were glad to have gotten the few cards, or if they were embarrassed and hurt (especially if they had no cards to give to anyone).

As a young woman, I disliked Valentine’s Day for its way of sorting out the “loved” from the “unloved.” I was loved by my parents, and liked by friends and colleagues, students and neighbors. But every 14th of February, I was reminded painfully that I was not considered “loveable” by the young men buying candy, flowers, or engagement rings. Year after year passed with no gifts, no dates, nothing to signify that I was worthy of romantic love or attention. As I write this, I know there are millions of young women who are facing pain and rejection today, where they might feel confident and happy on any other, normal, day.

This year, Valentine’s Day seems like a bad joke– talk of love and romance rings very hollow when I see the amount of hatred being spread on social media. Should I feel “loved” if I receive a card from someone who spews hatred and death wishes for people they barely know because of something they said about politics or the environment? If I followed my parents’ rules and bought valentine cards for everyone at the office, would I be brave enough (or foolish enough) to send them?

The original St. Valentine (though this is disputed and there may be more than one martyr with the same name from around the same time) is believed to be a young martyr who was beaten, stoned to death, and beheaded for marrying young Roman soldiers against the mandate of his emperor. It was felt that soldiers would fight better if they were unmarried and unencumbered by family ties, but soldiers who had converted to Christianity wanted to live pure lives, married to one woman, and faithful to their vows. St. Valentine was committed to helping these men and women live their new found faith and show love for each other, and for God. For that, he was jailed and sentenced to die a horrible death. There were no greeting cards, no diamonds, no spa treatments on that day. There was suffering, death, sacrifice, humiliation, and loss. And plenty of hatred.

But St. Valentine’s death had quite the opposite effect than the emperor intended. God’s love has a way of shining brighter for being targeted, tormented, and beaten down. Real love doesn’t show itself in new clothes, hothouse flowers, or candle-lit dinners. It shows itself in a pouring out of self, and being willing to suffer for others– even those who do not love us back.

This Valentine’s Day, I live in hope that Christians around the world will demonstrate the true love that comes from God– a love that practices Grace, Kindness, Forgiveness, Humility, Patience, and Joy, even in the face of Hatred and Evil. Hatred shouts and raises its fists. Let Love whisper and reach out hands of service. Let Love kneel and pray for our enemies, and bless those who curse us. Let love be ready to die rather than spread hatred and return evil for evil.

Love One Another (1 John 3:11-24 ESV)

¹¹For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ¹²We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. ¹³Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. ¹⁵Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²²and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

February 13, 2026 0

I Was There!

Disneyland! Niagara Falls! Tokyo! Paris! Dallas! Machu Piccu! Sydney! Kilmanjaro! Stonehenge! NYC! Souvenirs remind us, and declare to others, where we’ve been. T-shirts, knickknacks, photos, post cards, and more call us to remember places we’ve visited, or even lived. There are apps that allow you to tag, city by city, all the places you’ve ever been (if you can remember them all). Metropolises to tiny hamlets, all can be recorded and seen by anyone else with the app.

Most of the time, when we think of souvenirs, we think of pleasant memories and planned visits. But there is another kind of souvenir–scars, traumas, sickness, crime– that can taint our memory of a place. It’s one thing for my husband and I to visit battlefields from the American Revolution or the American Civil War– it is quite another for a veteran to visit a battlefield where he took a shell to the stomach and had to be carried out still under enemy fire, or for someone to return to a war-torn village they once called home.

As humans, we can only be in one geographic location at any one time. We can watch live footage of events around the world, but we cannot participate in or experience them in the same way. But God can. He is beyond space and time. He has no limitations. And there is one way we join with Him to “be there” from miles away, any time. We can pray. I can pray for people I’ve never met; I can pray for many people at once. And I can feel the power of others’ prayers even when I am otherwise alone. It’s one of the mysterious and glorious ways that God allows us to join with Him in His Work and in His Nature. We are never alone. Others may be far away physically, but through their prayers, and through God’s power, they are with us wherever we go!

close up photography of brown and yellow toy figure

More importantly, we can be reassured that God is ALWAYS there–He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He needs no jet or GPS, no visa or key, to reach us wherever we are. And he needs no souvenirs to remind Him of His visits with us, or of the beauty (or disaster) in which we live. God didn’t just promise us He would think about us (see Psalm 139:16-17https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20139&version=ESV), but that He would be with us always and everywhere (see Psalm 139:7-12https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208%3A%2038-39&version=ESV) and that nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8:38-39).

I love looking at souvenirs, but far more, I love the memories that can’t be captured by a keyring, or a T-shirt, or a small statuette. I love the memories of smiles, and warm hugs, meals shared, and tears spilled. And I love the stories that remind me that even if I’ve never set foot in a particular village or city, through prayer, I was There!

Where will you go today?

September 26, 2025 0

Random Numbers…

The estimated world population at the time of Christ (c. A.D. 1)– 300,000,000

Estimated world population in 2025–8,238,838,000 (and counting… https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/.
China and India each have populations exceeding 1 billion.

An estimated 50,000,000 people died in the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s population was infected/attacked by this virus. A reported 7,097,851 deaths (.1 percent of the population) resulted from the COVID-19 virus a hundred years later, while 777 million people were infected– roughly 10 percent of the world population at that time. **This results from a number of different factors–the Influenza pandemic of the twentieth century followed on the heels of WW1 and happened when the total world population was much smaller; also, the advances in medicine, communication, hygiene, etc., meant that fewer people died from the virus, more people were generally healthy and had better immune systems, and more treatments were available.

1,503– the number of people who died in the sinking of the Titanic…there were enough life vests for every passenger on board, but not enough boats were available to keep people out of the freezing waters of the Atlantic. (There were just over 700 survivors.) https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/how-many-people-died-titanic-how-many-survived/10605754002/

500,000,000 watched at least part of the World Cup last year.

Over 155,000,000 Americans voted in the 2024 presidential elections (an estimated 63.9% of eligible voters)https://www.npr.org/2024/12/27/nx-s1-5222570/2024-politics-recap

Over 60,000,000 lives were lost in World War II (Some estimates run as high as 80 million) This includes soldiers, civilians, detainees, prisoners of war, and victims of the Holocaust.

Over 65,000,000 Americans have lost their chance at life since the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade in 1973. 65,464,760 https://christianliferesources.com/2021/01/19/u-s-abortion-statistics-by-year-1973-current/
Approximately 14 million abortions occur annually worldwide https://worldpopulationreview.com/metrics/how-many-abortions-per-year-in-the-world

237– the estimated number of people who have been murdered in Chicago, Illinois, so far in 2025, down from previous years. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/04/chicago-homicides-2025/

The YouTube sensation, Baby Shark, had over 12 billion views as of October 2023. https://www.safewaters.ai/posts/how-many-views-does-baby-shark-have

48,692,183,040 — the number of water drops/teardrops it would take to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool for Baby Shark. calculation here

70 x 7–(490)—-The number of times Jesus suggested we forgive our brother who offends us.

53– the number of words in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)

757,514– the estimated number of words in the English Standard Version of the Bible (Old and New Testaments, without the Apocrypha).

10 — the number of Jesus’s original disciples who were martyred (Judas hanged himself, and John died in exile on Patmos).

3,000 –the number of converts on the day of Pentecost. From this number, the Church has spread to nearly every corner of the earth, and lives, communities, nations, and people groups have been radically transformed.

1—Lord and Savior, ruler and sustainer of all the earth, whose death and resurrection wipes away the curse of death, disease, and Sin! (See Deuteronomy 6:4 and Ephesians 4:5-13)

August 8, 2025 2

What I Didn’t Pray…

Today, I prayed. I thanked God for Who He Is, and I lifted up those who are sick or needy. I thanked Him for my family and friends, for the freedom to worship without fear, for His faithfulness in providing food and shelter and comforts. I asked Him for wisdom to guide me through the new week; that I would say and do things to bring Him honor and glory.

It was a nice prayer. A safe prayer.

I didn’t cry out my unworthiness, nor did I boldly rejoice in His Holiness, laid over me by His son’s blood. I didn’t plead with Him on behalf of the lost and suffering. I didn’t rage at the continued injustice and evil I see around me. I didn’t spend precious hours listening as He whispered assurances to my soul. I didn’t worship in the splendor of His Lovingkindness.

I got up from prayer, feeling mildly better– I had done my duty. I had spoken with God…or spoken AT Him…I left feeling unchanged.

I sat down to write this blog on prayer. God forgive me for thinking I have more to say to an unseen readership than to You, my Creator!

Forgive me.

July 14, 2025 0

The “Fake” Good News

I keep hearing about, and seeing reports of “Fake” News. Even the term “Fake” News is somewhat misleading–is it news? Is it False News? Is it “fake” because it never happened, or because it has been exaggerated or taken out of context? Or because it doesn’t say what I want it to say? How do I know what is “real” news anymore?

The biggest problem with “Fake” news is that it “feels” real, true, and important. In reality, it may be none of those things. Yet there if often a kernel of fact, or a dusting of truth that makes it hard to disprove or dispel. And, if it had already been accepted as legitimate news by thousands, it’s even harder to stop it from being spread.

But the more insidious problem with “fake” news is the time wasted trying to sort truth from fiction, and plain fact from exaggeration and distortion. If my friend sends me an article, or a video, or a photo, I may accept it as true on the strength of my friendship. But what if they’re just passing it on from another source? What if I see it from a recognized news source? Do I dare question it? And if so, where do I turn to verify it? There are several fact-checking websites, but even they have biases that cause them to weigh facts differently in various situations. Whatever assumptions we used to hold about “neutral” reporting have been proved wrong. We are being conditioned to trust none of what we hear and less than half of what we see!

What about the “Good” News that Christians carry into the world? Is it like the “Fake” news we see on TV or read about on our tablets? And if someone challenges our faith in God’s word, how can we prove that the Gospel is not “Fake”, and that our Faith is not just more hype with smoke and mirrors? If we are pursuing prayer, shouldn’t we be confident that our prayers are not in vain and that our faith is sound?

The claim of “Fake” news makes an assumption that there is such a thing as “True” news. Similarly, saying the Gospel is “Fake” assumes that there is an alternate truth. But the real burden of proof is on those who want to push for the alternative. The truths of the Bible have been time-tested, and shown to be real. The challenges I hear most often are to the exceptions, not the rule. I don’t hear anyone saying that “Thou shalt not steal” is a “fake” morality. Instead, I hear that, “Christianity is fake because I know Christians who cheat and steal.” I don’t hear people claim that “it is not morally wrong to kill.” Instead I hear them justify exceptions. “I’m not promoting abortion as a good thing. I don’t think it’s right to kill another human being, but this is just a fetus, and anyway, I’m just protecting a woman’s right to her own body.” “I don’t think it’s ethical to force someone to stay alive if they are in pain and they want to die.” “You can’t go around just killing anybody, but I think it would be better for everyone else if ___________________ (insert the name of a group– Down’s Syndrome children, Jews, Sunnis, Hutu/Tutsi) didn’t exist.” “I don’t believe the morals found in the Bible are wrong. I just don’t think you need to believe the rest of it to “be moral.”

People point to single passages, single verses, even single words to “prove” that the Bible is racist, sexist, intolerant, and promotes violence. The Bible includes many examples of people NOT following God’s laws, and yes, the results are grisly. And there are difficult passages when God calls for a wicked city to be destroyed completely. Critics are not wrong to point out that the Bible is not about perfect people behaving perfectly. And the same Loving God who frees the slaves from Egypt is the God who destroys Jericho, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Taken out of context, these few examples may seem to cast doubt on the authority of God’s word. Yet the same critics who pound away at the same few examples in the Bible discount hundreds of instances of historical events that highlight human sacrifice, genocide, mass infanticide, slavery, torture, and all sorts of other evil that occurred without the Bible’s influence. Moreover, I hear a lot about claims against “Christians” who fought in the Crusades or owned slaves–I hear a lot less about Christians who worked to end slavery and the slave trade, or Christians who founded universities, charitable institutions, or brought revivals that sparked decades of social progress throughout countries and continents.

I don’t hear many people claim that there was no such person as Abraham, or King David, or Solomon, or Nebuchadnezzar, or Pontius Pilate or Caesar Augustus. But they want to deny the historical reality of Adam and Eve, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Apostle Paul, who are found in the same Bible. Why? Because if Adam and Eve are real, there must be a creation and a creator. If Jesus really lived and said the things that are attributed to him, we must deal with the claim that he was Messiah. If the Apostle Paul really lived and wrote his letters to the churches of Asia Minor, we must deal with his claim that he encountered the risen Christ and his life was dramatically and eternally changed.

However, there is a “Fake” gospel– Good news that doesn’t match the Biblical account–a “Fake” Christ that only said or did or “would do” what we want him to say or do; a Christ that isn’t holy or righteous, but just loves us because it’s the “zen” thing to do; a Christ who is without power to save or to sanctify; a Christ who is without mercy and loves only those who look the part or say the right things. How do you spot a “Fake” Christ and a “Fake” Gospel? Get to know the real ones of the Bible. You’ll soon be able to spot an “imposter.”

“Fake” News will always fail the test of time and the challenges of real evidence. Good News will transcend the test of time and the challenges of faulty evidence.

Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again! THAT’s the Good News!

June 30, 2025 0

I Just Called to Say…

Near the end of 2020, my mother took a bad fall and broke her hip. Because of COVID, we were not allowed to visit her while she was recuperating. Thankfully, she had her cell phone and was able to make and receive phone calls. My mom was a very independent sort, but she loved to be “in the know” about all that was happening in the neighborhood and among our family members– births, deaths, hospitalizations, relocations, etc.. But, for all her interest in “what’s new,” Mom was completely computer-illiterate. She didn’t text, she didn’t have e-mail, and she knew nothing of social media. She relied on her phone and her desk calendar and notepad. Being trapped in a nursing home for six weeks was torture for her, even though she needed to recover and do physical therapy there. I tried to call her every day, and each time, she would ask, “Do you have any news?”

Sometimes, I had “news” for her; someone had tested positive for COVID, or a new baby had been born. But most days, I had to tell her– “I just called to say I love you, and I’m thinking of you.” And I could “hear” her smile on the other end of the line as she replied, “well, that means a lot. I just love to hear your voice.”

I don’t know why, but it struck me the other day how often we pray about circumstances– we “call” on God because we have “news”– situations that we want to bring to His attention– as if He didn’t already know! We pray because we want to lift up someone who is ill or suffering; we pray because we need to make a confession and ask forgiveness; we pray because we are facing an unknown future, and we desire God’s guidance and wisdom. Other times, we pray because we have a specific praise or thanks to offer. These are all legitimate reasons to reach out to God in prayer, and we certainly SHOULD pray in all circumstances, but how often do we call on God just to say, “I love you and I am thinking of you!” In fact, how often do we take the time to disconnect from social media and all the other distractions of our day to really focus on spending time with God?

Mom went back in a nursing home a couple of years after her first fall…she fell again and broke her other leg! So, I called her nearly every day– with or without “news.”

I marvel that God is every bit as eager to hear from me– even me– every day, “just because.” I’m so glad that I had the ability to talk to Mom; to hear her voice–and yes, even to share the “news.” She has been gone almost two years now, but what precious memories of our time together on the phone! How much greater my joy that I can talk to my creator; that I don’t have to worry about a busy signal or dropped call; that I can read His words to me any time of day; that His presence–even though I can’t see Him or hear His voice–follows me everywhere. And that He sends special people to call me, or text, or e-mail– “just because.” And no matter how I feel about my circumstances, God is so very glad to hear from me. And you!

This isn’t a hymn, but the music was running through my head as I wrote this. How often to we hear a ballad or a love song, and suddenly realize that God sings love songs over us?! (See Zephaniah 3:17!)

January 8, 2025 0

In the Garden

Love One Another (1 John 3:11-24 ESV)

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