Are You a Two-Faced Christian?

Why do we do it? We always want to have it both ways. - Clint Decker

Why do we do it? We always want to have it both ways. Someone like this we might call, “two-faced.” In the bestselling book, Pilgrims Progress, there was a character called, “Mr. Facing-Both Ways.” This speaks of a person’s character, where they refuse to fully commit in one direction, instead they always play both sides. Regarding someone’s Christian faith, such a person is described like this, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:16)

The strong statement comes in response to a problem in the human heart, which causes one’s words and actions not to align with each other. This type of living is a lie. It is deceptive and manipulative. It leads to a lack of personal trust and integrity and is a spiritually dangerous way to live.

Jesus addressed this when He asked a rhetorical question to His listeners, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) To put this in other terms, Jesus was asking, “Why do you say you believe in me, but do not obey my commands?” The same issue was dealt with centuries earlier through the prophet Jeremiah, “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely… then come and stand before me…?” (Jeremiah 7:9-10)

All this is a life of contradictions, where people profess to know God through their words or Christian activities, but deny that profession in how they live. What they do on Sunday and how they live Monday through Saturday does not match up. Because of this, they give ample reason for others to question the genuineness of their faith – including God.

They say with confidence, “I pray”, “I believe”, or even “I have asked Jesus to forgive my sins.” Yet, their life is a walking paradox when they engage in drunkenness, sexual immorality, anger, bitterness, profanity or other evil. How can such a contradiction be? They may respond with, “No one is perfect.” That is true, but it is no excuse for continuing to do what one knows is flat wrong. It is hypocritical, which means that someone is a religious actor. It is written, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man…” (Romans 2:1)

Why have so many chosen to live this way? Simple. There is no cost to it. It is a vain attempt to have two kingdoms without paying a price. God’s kingdom and their kingdom.

This way of living provides the benefits of religion like engaging in prayer, belief in God, experiencing His blessings, or even enjoying worship and taking the Lord’s Supper. But it also allows their conscience to permit them to live however they choose.

Those who teach or believe this are embracing a dangerous lie. For God strongly condemns it and will not be deceived or mocked. Jesus will one day say to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)

To enter God’s kingdom, you must walk away from your kingdom, and yes, there is a cost. There might be relationships that need to be broken or places you need to stop going. This is repentance and is costly, because it means you are turning away from someone (you) and turning toward Jesus by faith.

If God were to examine your life, what would He see? A two-faced life of empty religion, or a life that is passionately headed in one direction and totally sold out to Christ?

A prayer for you – Lord God, examine our lives. Help us to see what you see. If we have been living for two kingdoms, show us. From this day forward help us to live fully for Christ, the One who suffered, died and rose again that we might truly live for Him. In His name. Amen.

When You Don’t Like Yourself

Do you feel so unhappy with some things about yourself that you are willing to go to extreme measures to change who you are? - Clint Decker

Do you like who you are? I am sure all of us wish we could change a few things about ourselves. Even the most beautiful or handsome among us. But I am asking something deeper. Do you feel so unhappy, so uncomfortable with some things about yourself that you are willing to go to extreme measures to change who you are?

You are not alone. Many are traveling this path. Let me help you. Let me take you back to the essence of who you really are and where you came from. I am not talking about your family. Large numbers of people come from difficult homes. Many were raised by a single parent, their grandparents, or have experienced the trauma of abuse. I want to take you back further than family.

Let us go back to where all of us have come from. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’ So God created man in his own image…male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…’” (Genesis 1:26,27-28)

This is where you and I have come from. We have been created by Almighty God. Before you were born, you were fashioned together by Him. You are not a product of science or biology, but a miracle of the one who fills the universe with His presence.

He made you a man or a woman, a boy or a girl, and did not make a mistake. Sometimes it can feel like He did when we look at other people and compare, or listen to the hurtful words of others or the destructive voices in our own mind. Here is the truth. You were made by the one who sits as King of the Earth on His throne in heaven.

What is the evidence of this? You were made in God’s image, and the imprint of His likeness is upon you. Where does your laugh come from, or your ability to love, gain knowledge, be creative, show kindness and a host of other things? It all comes from God. This is who He is and He gave some of His likeness to each of us along with physical life. For it is not just your heart, blood and brain that keeps you going. Ultimately, it was God’s Spirit that breathed life into you that made you come alive! And one day, that life will be withdrawn from you upon death.

Even though we are a wonderful creation of God, there is something not right. Something is amiss. Each one of us was born with a bent towards disobeying our Creator. The bent is called sin. It has touched everything God has created in us and corrupted it all. We love, but only certain people. We gain knowledge, but it may not be good or edifying. We are creative, but not in always creating honorable things.

And sometimes this corruption shows itself in the rejection of what God has made – ourselves. This is the root of why we often want to change who we are. Instead of giving God thanks for how He made us and loving ourselves just as we are, we condemn ourselves and want to change what God has made. God is not pleased when we reject what He has made and called good.

What is the answer? God sent His only Son to rid us of this internal brokenness. If we turn from our disobedience and to God by faith, we will instantly become a new person. Then the wall separating God and us, will be torn down. You will be one with Him. The One who made you, and finally, you will be able to see yourself through His eyes.

A prayer for you. Lord God, I pray for those who look at themselves and want to change who they are. Open their eyes to see how they were created by you. Help them to see how there is corruption within them causing all this. Bring them to turn from their sin, and to faith in Christ. Then lift the veil of darkness so they can see and be made new by the light of Jesus. In His name. Amen.

God’s Caution When Welcoming the Immigrant

Church leaders, politicians and business owners that deliberately enable and justify the ungodly behavior of defiant immigrants, are complicit in their criminal conduct. - Clint Decker

Once a year I step onto an airplane and leave my familiar American soil, fly over the Atlantic Ocean then step off the plane to plant my feet on African soil, specifically, Kenyan soil. When I do, I find myself in a sea of people with a different skin color, language, clothes, food, music and overall culture than mine. And quickly, I find myself a stranger in another land. (Image from unitedmethodistbishops.org)

This is a picture of immigration, where people move from their native land to a different one, sometimes by choice, sometimes by force. Instantly, they go from being a native to a foreigner, from a citizen to a stranger.

We live in a world of immigrants. The United Nations Migration report states that nearly 300 million people live in a different country from which they were born. And the United States receives more immigrants than any nation in the world. The U.S. Current Population Survey reports that America has 53-million foreign-born immigrants (legal and illegal). A record number.

The United States was built on Christian principles that welcome’s the stranger. What are those? The Scriptures say, “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:33-34) The word “stranger” can also be sojourner, alien or foreigner. In a very practical term, it also means “guest.” Anyone who travels to a different county than which they were born, is a “guest” to that host nation.

What is expected by God from these guests? Immigrants are to abide by the existing laws of their host nation, “You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 24:22) Immigrants are also expected to assimilate into the host nation’s culture, “Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice…” (Lev. 17:8)

How is the host nation to treat their guests? Immigrants are expected to receive equal justice in the courts, “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner.” (Deuteronomy 24:17) Immigrants should be treated by the people with a sense of generosity, “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner…” (Deut. 24:19) Immigrants should not be taken advantage of, “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt…If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn…” (Exodus 22:21-24)

God lays out what He expects from the immigrants and from their host nation, but overall, He urges caution when welcoming the immigrant. He says, “There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.” (Psalm 81:9) This speaks of how immigrants naturally bring their own values and culture with them from their native land, and in cases where there are nefarious motives with that, it will have a dangerous and dramatically negative impact on the host nation.

For immigrants who seek to assimilate and are respectful of their new nation, God’s laws apply. But for those who intentionally refuse to assimilate, deceive, harm others and blatantly defy laws there is a different response. There is biblical precedent and wisdom to remove them from the host nation. For it is an act of defense of the country and love for its own citizens. And church leaders, politicians and business owners that deliberately enable and justify the ungodly behavior of defiant immigrants, it is no response of love, instead they become complicit in the immigrant’s criminal conduct.

A prayer for you – Lord God, we pray for wisdom and understanding on the divisive and complex immigration issue. We pray you will help us to employ your wise principles in navigating this. Help us to not be deceived while embracing both compassion and justice toward all immigrants. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thankful, Even When My Banana is Taken

It is easy to be thankful when we get our banana, but what if the banana is snatched from our hands and smashed in front of us. That becomes the real test of a thankful heart. - Clint Decker

Our second oldest great-granddaughter asked grandma for a banana, then after she received it and began to walk off, I questioned her, “Now Avi, what do you say?” Quickly she responded, “Thank you, grandma!” (Image by Pixabay)

Avi is 4 years old. These early years are the times to teach little one’s thankfulness. A National and Religion Spiritual Survey reported how about 60% of Americans experience thankfulness at least once a day. I am sure Avi was among that number when she received her banana.

It is easy to be thankful when things are going well. Right? When we have good health, plenty of money, a strong marriage and family, when business is booming, when everything is sailing along in the right direction. That is when our gratitude meter is off the charts.

But the evidence of a thankful heart is really shown when it is tested.

The Bible speaks of a man who experienced this. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1) In one day, due to natural disasters and a heartless rogue of bandits, all his children were killed, his entire business destroyed and his personal health ruined by an incurable disease. All he had left was his wife and his own weakened life. Yet, what were some of the first words he was able to say in response? “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) As things became worse, it took a toll on his wife. She challenged her husband, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9-10)

It is easy to be thankful when we get our banana, but what if the banana is unjustly snatched from our hands and smashed in front of us, just to make us angry. Then what? That becomes the real test of a thankful heart.

In the face of tremendous tragedy, Job was able to maintain a grateful spirit. That does not mean he was without pain, heartache or deep discouragement. Rather, in the middle of it all, he was able to keep his mind’s eye fixed on God and give Him praise.

Not all of us will go through such horrible tragedies, but we will have bad days at work, the pressure of ever-growing bills, conflict in our marriage or frustration over something. And in those moments, instead of showing gratitude, we blast out anger, impatience or bitterness.

All of us have done this. No one is perfect.

The Bible says about God, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Psalm 100:4-5) God calls us to approach Him with thanks, even on bad days. When we do, we will end up treating others the same. Being grateful toward others, even our enemies, is how we love our neighbor, which is one of the Great Commandments of God.

But how? It is hard. We live in an entitled society that is filled with narcissists and arrogant people. We may even be one of those. First, we start with an acknowledgement. “God, I apologize for acting like a spoiled brat sometimes and not being very grateful toward you or others.” Second, we ask for help, “Lord, I do not have the power to live a grateful life on my own. You will have to help me to live according to your ways.” Third, place your trust in Jesus, “God, I believe in what your Son did on the cross. I trust not in myself, but in Him to transform me.”

A prayer for you. Father in heaven, we acknowledge our harshness toward others, especially our family. We are sorry for taking advantage of people and not being more thankful toward them. Change us O God into a grateful people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stiff-Necked Sunday Christians

Stiff-necked Christians are deceived. They should know better. Their belief system has blinded them to the truth. - Clint Decker 

We love our dog, Buster. But there are times when he refuses to cooperate. On occasions when we say “come,” he will stay right where he is at. We might even put a leash on him, and he will dig in. Our loveable Buster, at times, becomes “stiff-necked.” (Image by freepik)

Ancient farmers would use the term to describe uncooperative oxen. A team would be harnessed and ready to pull a plow or cart for work, but sometimes an ox would dig in and not go as directed, no matter what the farmer did.

This picture eventually became a spiritual metaphor in the Bible for religious people that stubbornly refused to follow God’s ways. God Himself used the term to describe His own people whom He had a covenant relationship with, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.’” (Exodus 32:9) At times, God would direct one of His preachers to confront them. Stephen once boldly spoke before a crowd, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” (Acts 7:51)

Centuries ago, there were some desperate leaders that came to Jeremiah, a well-known preacher. He had been speaking God’s Word in Israel for decades, and the nation urgently needed to hear from God. They said to Jeremiah, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us….” (Jeremiah 42:2) After Jeremiah agreed, they replied, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us.” (Jer. 42:5) Out of love for God and them, Jeremiah hide himself away for 10 days, and sought the Lord on their behalf. Afterward, he called the people together and shared all that God had spoken. He did not hide anything. How did they respond? They gave an immediate and very obstinate response, telling Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say [those things].” (Jer. 43:3)

This an example of being stiff-necked. God gave them direction, but they did not want to follow. The Bible says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:7-8) A stiff-necked person is one who has a hardening of their heart toward God’s instructions. It is a stubbornness that refuses to follow God’s ways. And it is interesting that the term is only used of God’s people. Why? Because they should know better.

Professing Christians have the Word of God. They read, study and memorize it, and hear it expounded upon in church. They take the cup and bread in Holy Communion and also step into the waters of baptism. They have what others do not, and with that comes a greater level of responsibility. Therefore, when God speaks through His faithful servants, He expects obedience, but instead what He often sees, is a hardness of heart.

Stiff-necked Sunday Christians are deceived. They should know better. Their dangerous belief system has blinded them to the truth. Their beliefs have a particular narrative that supersedes the authority of Scripture, and is subject to the way they view the world, and how they choose to live.

The most significant display of stiff-necked religious people the world has ever seen, was the cross. Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and fulfilled all the Scriptures foretelling it. Yet, because Jesus did not fit the picture of what they were expecting, they became biblical revisionists and refused to believe in Him. Then they took things a step further, they killed Him. Though their stubbornness was immense, Christ overcome their evil when He rose from the dead. Then despite their crimes against Him, Jesus was graciously willing to forgive all who would repent and place their faith in Him.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will drop the scales of stubbornness from the eyes of people. Soften their hard hearts. Tender their stiff necks. For the sake of their lives and eternal souls bring them to be made new this hour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What’s Inside You? Life or Death?

Death is everywhere. Did it have a beginning, or has it always been with us? - Clint Decker 

Have you ever been asked, “Are you saved?” or heard a variation of that from someone or even a preacher talk about it? What exactly does that mean, and strangely as it may sound, how does it relate to life and death? (Image from livingalignment.com)  

Unfortunately, death is all around us. It is part of our personal lives and the culture of our communities. We see it in the form of tragedy when a school experiences the greatest of horrors, where a sadistic killer takes the lives of innocent and defenseless children.

Death can also come in the form of disease or sickness. Whatever it is, all of us, from the moment of birth, are set on a certain path toward our own end. Obituaries, funerals and beautifully manicured cemeteries all remind us of this.

We also observe death in nature through plants, flowers, trees and in the animal kingdom too. Death is everywhere. Did it have a beginning, or has it always been with us? It first appeared thousands of years ago in the lives of our first parents, Adam and Eve. They once lived on earth’s most beautiful place, the Garden of Eden. After God created them, He laid down boundaries with stern consequences about the fruit of a particular tree, saying, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

In history’s most consequential act, they disobeyed God and immediately death entered into our world. Through their sin death came. For God said to man, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen. 3:19)

Death came upon all of creation, which included more than physical death. It also included a spiritual death, where mankind, who once walked with God, became separated from Him. And since God was the author of life, that spiritual life was lost, where though man was alive on the outside, he became dead on the inside. It took the form of an inner darkness that produced slavery to his evil desires, leading to the weight of shame and guilt for His actions that lay heavy upon him. Emptiness. Hopelessness. It all is part of this curse of sin and death.

Yet, God in His perfect wisdom and love, would not leave us to ourselves. Instead, He sent His Only Son to earth that people might be saved from this curse. Jesus, fully God and man, was a perfect being that never sinned. He willingly took the penalty of death, that was due for you and me. He bore upon His shoulders every evil thought, word and deed of the whole world. He became separated from the life of His Father and died a torturous ending on a cruel cross. Then three days later, He rose from the dead! His resurrection conquered sin and death. Then Christ declared that all who turn from their sin and place their complete faith in Him, would have the curse of sin and death lifted, and the life of Christ poured into them. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

For all who trust in Christ and walk in faithfulness with Him, though one day they will die, yet they will live forever in the presence of God. Gone will be the darkness, and present for eternity will be light and life of Jesus. The Bible says, “…there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Have you been saved?

A prayer for you – Lord God, if someone has the curse of sin and death dwelling within them, help them to understand the good news of Jesus today. Bring them to admit their sin before you and call upon you with all their heart. Bring them to fully trust in you and be truly saved. Deliver them from sin and death, and give them the indwelling light and life of Jesus. In His name. Amen.

Violence in Our Land

Escalating crime and violence in society points to a singular issue. We have drifted far from God. We are in a spiritual crisis! - Clint Decker

One news report stated about a horrible tragedy at local church in Michigan, “The man accused of killing four people and burning down a [Mormon church] …reportedly held a long-simmering hatred for [them].” Authorities said that the assassin of Charlie Kirk texted a friend, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” And after a man mercilessly slayed a young Ukrainian refugee in front of onlookers a witness reportedly overheard him saying, “I don’t even know the lady. I never said not one word to the lady at all.” (Image by Pixabay)

Michigan. North Carolina. Utah. What is happening? One recent poll communicated a rising number of people seem to believe violence is the only way, “Three in 10 people now say that Americans may have to resort to violence to get the country back on track.” Professor Jon Michaels of UCLA states, “violence is so great right now, and it’s hard to figure out exactly what is causing it and why [we aren’t] able to turn away from it.” He frames the American mindset, “If we can’t solve things [one way, then] we’re going to solve things through intimidation, aggression and murder…”

Many are wondering about the same thing as the professor, which leads people to ask, “Is it a law enforcement problem?” “Is it a political problem?” “Is it a mental health problem?” Escalating crime and violence in society points to a singular issue. We have drifted far from God. We are in a spiritual crisis!

We are not the first to experience this. Thousands of years ago, after God created mankind, they began to drift from Him. When they did, the earth became a dangerous place to live. History says, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11) Jesus spoke of the practical effects of rejecting Him when He said, “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) Today, dark and cold hearts are running our streets. This is what happens when a nation turns from God. Our moral foundations are crumbling while any civility that remains is slowly fading away. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right. Evil doers are praised, and the righteous are vilified. Virtuous laws are subjectively enforced or not at all, while immoral laws are drafted and imposed with vigilance.

God is a God of moral and just laws that transforms individual hearts, which then impacts society. His Word tells us not to murder, not to hate, to love our enemies, to forgive and to have loving marriages and families. When we turn from our ways and place our trust in Jesus, He changes our hearts and enables us to live this way. When that happens, it affects our family and community.

We must return to the Lord God, our Creator, or continue to face the violent crisis at our doors. We have a choice to make. The Bible says, “…if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Today, I hope and pray you and your family will choose Jesus. He died, was buried, then rose again as a sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. He willingly took upon Himself the judgment you deserved. He took your anger, hate, unforgiveness and bitterness. He did it so you could be free and transformed into a new person. Turn from those poisons and place your full commitment in Christ.

A prayer for you – Lord God, we confess, we have fallen from you. We have looked to the gods of pleasure, money and power and become their slaves. In return they have given us violence, death and chaos. Forgive us, O God. Cleanse our hearts, we pray and save us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You Need to Read This Book!

The Bible has been the Book that held together the fabric of Western civilization. - H.G. Wells

George Washington, the first President of the United States, said about God’s Word, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without the Bible.” The legendary General Douglas MacArthur commented regarding the Scriptures, “Believe me, sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Word of God before I go to bed.” Famous author H. G. Wells observed, “The Bible has been the Book that held together the fabric of Western civilization... The civilization we possess could not come into existence and could not have been sustained without it.” (Image by Unsplash)

The first book printed on the Gutenberg press in 1455 was the Bible. Since then, it has become history’s best-selling book. Over 100 million are printed each year with over 6 billion currently in print around the world. It also is the world’s most widely translated and distributed book. Out of 7,394 languages spoken across all seven continents, 3,658 have either a full Bible or some portion of it.

It is without debate. The Bible has been and continues to be, the world’s most influential book by every measure. And that is against all odds. There is some level of restriction on Bible use in 33 nations, like North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Historically and even presently, people have been jailed or killed for translating, printing, distributing, reading or even owning a Bible.

Why all this about the Bible? Because you need to read it! It is urgent. It will change your life, like it has millions of people down through the course of history. Here are seven reasons you need to start reading the Bible today.

1. The Bible reveals who your Creator is. “I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens…” (Isaiah 45:12) You did not come from a tadpole or a big bang. You were hand crafted by Almighty God. The Bible helps you to know who you are and who God and His only Son is.

2. The Bible answers your greatest questions. “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) The Bible answers questions like, “What is my purpose in life?”, “Is there life after death?”, “Why is there so much suffering and evil in the world?” and many more.

3. The Bible uncovers your supreme struggle. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” (Matthew 15:19-20) The Bible teaches how you have a heart problem, and it shows how you can get a new heart through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

4. The Bible teaches you how to live. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16) The Bible teaches about marriage, family, relationships, conflicts, justice, finances, government, confronting evil, doing good to our neighbors and a wide range of other subjects.

5. The Bible is reliable. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16) When you open the Bible, you can trust it. It does not lie.

6. The Bible is your source of truth. “The sum of your word is truth…” (Psalm 119:160) God’s Word tells us what is right and wrong and good and evil. There are no guessing games when it comes to morals. God’s Word lays it out straight.

7. The Bible is your source of hope. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13) When you read the Bible and discover your Creator, find answers to big questions, receive forgiveness for your sins, learn how to live in difficult circumstances and encounter what is true and good – it inspires hope.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will bring people to read their Bible today. May they open its pages and discover the abundant riches of your grace and truth you have waiting for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Alarming Decline of Christianity in America

Even though we have massive mega churches, incredible Christian ministries, highly organized Christian political activism, anointed and powerful pastors and evangelists. Nothing has been able to reverse America's spiritual decline. - Clint Decker

Since the 1940s and 50s America has been on a slow, but steady decline of Christianity. When one looks at all the metrics it is troubling. Stats on those who believe in God, identify as Christians, pray regularly, read their Bible, church membership, church attendance, a Christian worldview and on and on. Every year we hit new historical lows. All this despite amazing movements of God that have taken place. And even though we have massive mega churches, incredible Christian ministries, highly organized Christian political activism, anointed and powerful pastors and evangelists. Nothing has been able to reverse the decline. (Image by Unsplash)

Are you familiar with Isaac Newton’s 3rd law of motion? It states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Since Christianity has been on the decline, what has been the equal and opposite reaction? Nearly every data point surrounding morality, crime and mental health is concerningly high. Divorce, suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, abortion, depression, sexual immorality and more. There has also been a steady rise of the “nones.” Alan Cooperman, the director of religion research at the Pew Research Center commented, “We've had rising shares of people who don't identify with any religion — so-called 'nones' — and declining shares who identify as Christian, in all parts of the country, in all parts of the population, by ethnicity and race, among both men and women, and among people at all levels of the educational spectrum." And deeply troubling is the surge of interest in the occult. Pew research found there are historical levels of Americans identifying as Wiccan or Pagan, additionally, 30% of adults consult astrology, tarot cards or fortune tellers.

The slow decline of Christianity for the last 60+ years is alarming. The deadly slide continues the expanding moral decay of America with each passing year. The problems we face are not from the broader culture alone, but also from the American church. Here are four things I am calling the church toward…

1. Call out sin and evil. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11) Rather than the church condoning poisonous immorality and injustice through silence or outright approval, the church must boldly expose it and call people to repentance.

2. Call for more than a profession. “Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning…” (Exodus 2:23-24) The church must go beyond leading people to agree to a set of gospel truths. Rather, we must guide precious souls to humble themselves before Christ the King in sorrowful repentance and urgent faith, while earnestly leading them to cry out to Almighty God for the salvation of their soul.

One biblical encyclopedia put it this way, “The concept of crying out for salvation is deeply rooted…the human recognition of sin, the need for divine intervention, and the hope for deliverance. Throughout Scripture, the act of crying out to God is portrayed as a sincere plea for help, often arising from a place of desperation, repentance, or faith.”

3. Call for change. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Instead of the church living like the world, it must live a life of spiritual and moral transformation, that is distinct from the world.

4. Call for a life of holiness. “…you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.” (Numbers 15:40) To be holy is to be separate. The church must walk in complete surrender and holy obedience to our Lord’s commands, because of love for Him. Then consequently, the church will walk in holiness of heart and life, while being a shining light in a culture of darkness.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray for our nation, that we would turn from our sinful ways. Not just those outside the church, but inside too. For collectively, we have allowed such great evil to grip our land. Forgive us O God, and come save us. Save our country, O Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.