This morning, I commented on a friend’s post about the importance of the separation of Church and State, and allowing all individuals the freedom to practice whatever beliefs they may hold, and I wanted to share. Friends Post: “I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but we don’t live in a Christian nation founded on Biblical principles. We live in a secular nation founded on the U.S. Constitution, which protects your freedom to be a Christian if you so choose, and to live by Biblical principles, whatever you interpret those to be. It also protects the freedom of those who choose otherwise. It’s kind of a beautiful thing. If you’re a Muslim, no one can make you eat pork. If you’re a Christian, you can load up on the bacon and ham with a big greasy grin on your face. If you don’t subscribe to any religion at all, the world is your buffet. It even works well within Christianity. Southern Baptist? No one can make you say a Hail Mary. Catholic? No one can keep you from wearing your “I love the Pope” hat to the mall. Do you think gay marriage is a sin? OK, fine. Check your fiancé’s genitals before the ceremony and everything should be a-OK. Just remember it’s not your place to peek inside the pants of other people’s partners. So you can go your merry way and let others do the same. See how that works? You get to live YOUR life according to your beliefs. You don’t get to force others to live theirs that way. And they don’t get to force you to live their way either. This is how our funny little government works for everyone. This is why it’s a handy dandy thing to remember that, should you seek an office or a job in government, YOU ALSO WILL BE WORKING FOR EVERYONE when you clock in each day. It’s also good to remember this is why the courthouse lawn and other tax payer funded facilities are not churches or temples or mosques. The Ten Commandments may look lovely hanging in your church or on your wall at home, but, unless you want to allow symbols of other religions including nine-foot bronze statues of a half-man-half-goat with curly horns from the Temple of Satan to greet you when you go to the DMV to get your plates renewed, it’s really best to leave those things up to the private individual to display. Any Pentecostals cool with a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe at your state Capitol building? No? Well, then maybe you get my point. Your church, however wonderful it may be, has not been appointed to govern those who don’t wish to attend it. Your holy book, however full of wisdom you find it to be, has not been passed into legislation. And if you ever study what happens when any religion is given a pass to govern with that kind of power, you’ll thank God it isn’t that way here.” My response: “As a Christian AND an educator in public schools, I do recognize the value in the separation of church and state. I also see some mention of God from our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and still on our current currency, and our pledge of allegiance, BUT not in our Constitution as mentioned above. I’m grateful for the freedom to practice my faith, AND I respect others' rights to exercise their free will. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. I am praying for the state of our divided nation, AND I agree that Christian Nationalism is potentially dangerous. As believers, our National Patriotism should not become an idol for us! Love above all else is what we practice ideally, regardless of our differences in race, politics, sexual orientation or identity, ethnicity, religion, or other ways of life.” LOVE Above All Else (1 John 4:8) Then my brain latched onto the phrase “Love above all else” from my reply. I hadn’t thought to include the Scripture at that moment, but I later added it as a caption to an IG post and included this message: “In case you’ve ever wondered (and I seriously doubt you have) whether or not I raise my hands in praise and worship during my morning run/walks even when I’m not on camera creating a reel or a post, the answer is YES!!! I am not ashamed to praise whenever The Spirit moves me, regardless of who may see me… and especially when my God is the only one present, since this sacred secret prayer time is what Jesus invites us to do intimately with Him on a park bench, in bed, on a walk, in a car, on a plane, etc. without ceasing… (1 Thessalonians 5:17) with gratitude and thanksgiving. Hebrews 11:16 reminds me it’s not only about me not being ashamed of the gospel — it is also important that God not be ashamed of my behavior. It is, after all, a mutual loving personal relationship! Have you ever considered that God experiences deep emotions (feeling grief or passionate about someone or something) too?!? Where do you think we get them from? Certainly not the “Big Bang Theory” !?! … “imago Dei” isn’t limited to physical appearance. Think about it. And should you feel so inclined, share your thoughts in the comments. Would love to hear your take, genuinely!” What Love Looks Like to Me When I write or say that I genuinely am interested in hearing your thoughts on a subject, I sincerely mean it. Personally, as a Christian, I often feel torn between being obedient to The Great Commission (evangelizing, sharing the gospel) and respecting others’ free will to believe and practice as they choose, what I like to call the “You do you, Boo” mentality. You might wonder why I even wrestle with this, since for some, the call to evangelize feels straightforward. Biblically, though, it’s a gray area for me, because it all comes back to the two greatest commandments. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36–40 NIV For me, loving God first and loving people always trumps everything else in my point of view. Even when someone lives very differently from me, in any of the ways I mentioned earlier, I choose to love them anyway. Sometimes that love may be sharing the gospel. Sometimes it looks like listening to them first, with the genuine and honest intention to understand their perspective. And sometimes that love can be acts of service with few to no words needing to be spoken. “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” Author unknown (possibly St. Francis of Assisi) Such a powerful quote, when you really stop to think about it and let it sink in. Maybe that kind of love looks like Jesus, who often answered a question with another question, inviting the seeker to arrive at their own conclusion. © Nora Gwen Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

As I was touched by the vision of this unique point of view (photographed above) around the time of dawn, these questions hit me: “Is this the life beyond my wildest dreams?” “Are God’s Promises True?” "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" Ephesians 3:20–21 NIV There was a time when I would’ve imagined watching the sunrise (or sunset) from my infinity pool surrounded by tropical landscaping at my hilltop estate located in a top-rated neighborhood with our dream cars/motorcycles parked in a 4-car garage as being what I would describe as “a life beyond my wildest dreams.” But GOD has revealed more. And it looks like simplicity, minimalism, gratitude for the infinity cat drinking box placed mindfully in view of our Zanzibar Gem and Fruit Of The Spirit banner… all located in a much lower-rated, but modestly affordable and beautifully colorful, diverse neighborhood, filled with its own emergency vehicle sirens song charms. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… when we’re grateful for what we have, what we have is enough. The gift of no longer striving to obtain or accomplish more and more and more is the equivalent of a deep cleansing breath that calms any fears or insecurities, replacing them all with the peace, confidence, joy, and love that can only be from the BEST gift-giver of all time!!! Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV Our mini black panther, Dez, pictured here wandering through our secret garden, reminds me that it truly is the little things in life that bring us the most pleasure and everlasting joy. "The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23 NIV As it turns out, it’s not so much about the changes in my circumstances or financial status as much as it is about the changes in my attitude and POV. May your own Point Of View be shaped by an attitude of gratitude, focusing on what is good and working well today. Are you breathing? Are you able to take a walk? These are causes for celebration! There is beauty in the simplicity of a dandelion design (also photographed in our secret garden this morning). First, look up child at our majestic Creator. Then look at the wonderful works of His creation all around us and say… Thank YOU! They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty — and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalm 145:5 NIV Until next time, let us meditate and marvel at God’s wonderful works. (This is where I usually insert a coffee-related link with the hope of some generous soul sending me one… but this time I shall be satisfied and content with the [Deuteronomy 8] manna God has already provided for today.) It is enough. (2 Corinthians 12:9) His grace is sufficient. © Nora Gwen

I heard this quote from one of The Minimalists on their podcast this morning during “pithy comments” shared at the end of episode 509 “The Fix.” To be honest, I don’t recall all the brilliant wisdom he shared after that quote, as my mind began to drift to the mindset matters business I share with others in one form or another from IG reels to professional counseling sessions to evening debriefing with my spouse each day. The ways in which we choose to “frame” events/pictures/perspectives in our mind, empowers us to shift from feelings of self-pity or even depression to attitudes of gratitude and thanksgiving with practice and purposeful intentionality. Honestly, I am learning so much from this podcast on minimalism. I wish I could take notes as I listen to them speak, but because I listen during my work commute, and already struggle enough with leaving my phone down while I’m driving, I feel compelled to remember my favorite golden nuggets of wisdom to the best of my ability. Yes, I could visit their website to read the essays they share, but I’m afraid I would want to quote all of it instead of simply focusing on one or two sentences that really stand out for application purposes in my own life. Recently one of the hosts shared an essay on “Regrets." It was so well written and deeply profound, filled with lines like this one: I regret every time my actions did not align with my values. At the end he tied it all up neatly with a beautiful releasing bow stating that he will now let all of these regrets go… Before reading the essay on regrets they also shared this thought: To worry is to pray for something bad to happen. Wow. What a powerful concept, right? It immediately made me think of Matthew 6 where Jesus teaches us what to do about worrying in verse 34:Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. In the forth chapter of the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul also reminds us not to be anxious (or worry) about anything: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (v. 6–7) Therefore, if I choose to frame my picture within the context of knowing worrying is praying for something bad to happen, I GET TO intentionally replace worry or anxiety with hope, healing, and joy! That sounds much more like praying for something good to happen. Wouldn’t you agree? The purpose for sharing this precious girl and her dog portrait in this love letter to you is this: But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:7–10 NIV) It may very well happen that I will think of 2–5 more ideas I will later wish I had included here before publishing this essay; but I have learned overtime that it is better for me to write and post consistently with the objective of progress over perfection, rather than wait for my work to be complete. My written work is a reflection of me, and I am clearly a work in progress to be sure. But guess what?!? I am CONFIDENT in this promise: … being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NIV) © Nora Gwen P.S. If part of reframing your picture includes taking a break from social media to hit the reset button to clear your mind from the numbing effects of “doom scrolling”, you may be interested in checking out this video series on The 40-Day Social Media Fast shared with you by yours truly.

After reading today’s devotional on an Easter reading plan at the You Version Bible app, I responded to the same writing prompt at the end of each daily reading, which reads “Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?” This was my response: Jesus heals the ear of one of the soldiers there to arrest him and lead him to his brutally cruel death on a cross. He also prays “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” as they/we are killing him for being our Messiah. This 2026 world is killing Jesus all over again. Singing worship and praises like “Hosanna on the highest” on the one hand while simultaneously deconstructing religions, and most specifically Christianity including Jesus as Savior on the other… to fit our hedonistic narratives. Singing Hosanna on the weekends, including “Palm Sunday”, followed by denying we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior throughout weekdays at work, evidenced by actions that speak louder than words, exactly like Peter who denied knowing Christ three times before the cock crowed, precisely as Jesus had accurately predicted. Now I know some of you may be thinking, “Not me, I don’t do that.” I know because I am claiming the same defense in my own mind right alongside you. Asking the hard questions But every time I ask hard questions about the Bible’s credibility, church doctrines, pastoral staff messages, religious practices, or doubt the theology I was raised to believe… Am I not guilty of the same? I often pray, “Lord, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Don’t get me wrong. I am not apologizing for questioning religions. God gave us free will and intelligent minds for good reasons. And when it comes right down to it, I follow Jesus. Therefore, if my perception is that the local pastor is also following Jesus, we may traverse this narrow pilgrimage together. However, if the pastor takes a different trail, I pray I continue to follow my Jesus on the straight and narrow (Matthew 7:13–14) path. Did I hammer the nails into Christ’s hands (wrists) and feet on the cross? The first time I heard someone suggest they were personally responsible for nailing Jesus to the cross, I thought to myself, “You’re crazy.” We didn’t do that. How could we? We didn’t even exist back then! But then the Spirit gently whispered the reminder that Jesus indeed carried the weight of my personal sins [and yours] up onto the cross (John 1:29) that day as well. Therefore, it may as well have been my hands that nailed his wrists to that tree in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23) that day. What are we doing any differently today? Though we may not be shouting “Crucify Him” today, some of our outrageously disrespectful behaviors as a society are the equivalent of that, in my opinion. Intentionally, I won’t go into specific examples of these actions. Instead, I will leave this verse for thought right here: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17 NKJV It is up to each one of us in a relationship with God to determine, with the Holy Spirit's help, what constitutes sin in our own lives. Do you believe Jesus died for our sins and rose to life again? You can’t deny He died on the cross all those years ago… That is a historically proven fact. But it is also true that the next part is entirely up to you to choose to believe He is risen and lives today as sovereign King of Kings, the name above all names — Jesus Christ — Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ). © 2026 Nora Gwen Related Reading: The Cross Wasn’t Martyrdom — It Was Total Sacrifice by Jane Isley The Power of the Cross: How Jesus’ Death Secured Our Redemption by Dr. Samuel Shamaun Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Yesterday, with a fellowship group I consistently meet with, we discussed meditation, which seems to flow more naturally for some than others. It’s no secret that my favorite meditation is based on the forth chapter in the book of Philippians. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about [meditate on] such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8–9 NIV Some in our group believe that the goal of meditation is to clear one’s heads of all thoughts. Others feel that the focus should be on breathing while noticing thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations as they pass through our minds and bodies. Often, meditation leads to peaceful sleep, which is simply an added bonus when that occurs. Mindfulness meditation may lead to a greater sense of gratitude or clarity [visions] for building toward future dreams. Top meditations from Scriptures* according to an AI overview: Joshua 1:8: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (NIV). Psalm 1:2: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (NIV). Psalm 119:15: “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (NIV). Psalm 143:5: “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done” (NIV). Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right… think about such things” (NIV). Psalm 63:6: “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night” (NIV). Proverbs 4:20–22: “Keep my words… for they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh” (NIV). Themes for Biblical Meditation: God’s Works & Character: Psalm 111:2, Psalm 145:5. God’s Promises & Law: Psalm 119:148, Joshua 1:8. Peace & Presence: Philippians 4:6–9, Matthew 11:28. How to Meditate on Scripture: Biblical meditation often utilizes the Hebrew word hagah, which can mean to ponder, imagine, or even mutter/mumble the words to oneself. For those readers who may be curious about my top (evidenced based) 5 Reasons to Meditate previously shared at my former blog site, I will provide a brief recap here: Reduces anxiety and stress, resulting in better overall mental, emotional, and physical health. Enhances positive mindfulness by intentionally replacing negative self-talk or resentments toward others with neutral objective observations, or loving affirmations for self and others. Lengthens attention span and may reduce age-related memory loss. Improves quality of sleep and minimizes addictive behaviors May decrease blood pressure and aid in chronic pain management. Whether you choose to use a guided meditation from an app or a website or to meditate on sacred scriptures* such as the examples listed above; Be still and know that you are not alone and You Are Loved. ❤️ © Nora Gwen

Imagine praying not for a new name, but for a new future. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy pain. I try to avoid it as much as possible. I don’t want to feel pain and I don’t want to cause pain. Perhaps this is why I like the prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.” Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” I’ve been reading and meditating on it for a while now. I’ve noticed a few things. Jabez was given his name because he caused his mother much pain during his birth. I wonder whether he felt guilty about it. Imagine being reminded that you are the cause of someone's pain every time your name is called. I presume hearing his name wearied him; hence his request that God keep him from evil so that he may not cause pain. I have no idea how old Jabez was when he prayed this prayer. I presume he was old enough to be bothered by his conscience. If I were in his shoes, would I make the same request? Biblical history tells us that God sometimes changed people's names because He changed their destinies. Abram changed to Abraham. Sarai changed to Sarah. Jacob changed to Israel. This tradition continued in the New Testament when Jesus changed Peter's name. Couldn't Jabez have asked for a change of name? Perhaps I would have had I found myself in his shoes. But no, Jabez accepted his name. He didn't need a change of name. He needed a change of circumstances. He couldn't go back to change what had happened, but he could ask for a different future. He chose not to let his past determine his future. He knew he was the cause of pain in the past, innocently though, but he didn't want to be the cause of pain in the future. Depending on the translation, he prayed either not to cause pain or not to experience it. Both are equally undesirable. He didn't limit his prayer to pain. He was old enough that his name had already shaped his character. He didn't want to be defined by it. We read that he was more honorable than all his brothers. He lived in such a way as to negate the meaning of his name in his life. It makes sense, therefore, that he focused not only on pain but also asked God to enlarge his territory. I'm not sure whether this means property, influence, or both, but I know he wanted to expand. He wasn't going to play the victim of unfair circumstances. No, he was going to rise above them. He wanted to conquer the past and live victoriously in the future. He was bold enough to pray for a bigger future than his past or his name predicted. I think Jabez prayed this prayer once his name and circumstances had fully shaped him into the person God created him to be. He didn't try to escape prematurely. He also didn't tell God how to answer his prayer. He simply made his request known to God and left the details in God's hands. I have often heard sermons on praying specific prayers. They urge us to be specific when we ask God for something. I recall someone encouraging us to give God the fine print. Be detailed. Don't just ask for a bicycle. Ask for a blue bicycle. Be specific. This has always bothered me. I know the Bible encourages us to come boldly to the throne of God, but I never felt that it encouraged us to come boldly with a specified shopping list. I may be wrong. Hannah requested a son specifically. God answered her prayer. He gave her Samuel. I suppose there are many instances when God answered specific prayers. I, however, feel more comfortable leaving the details in God's hands. He knows so much better than I do. James encouraged us not to try to get out of anything prematurely, but to let patience have its perfect work in us. He encouraged us to pray and to be firm in our prayers and our faith. Yet, even here, I don't see him naming specifics. He does, however, encourage us not to limit God. Paul's letter to the Ephesians reminds us that God can do much more than we can ask, think, dream or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Why limit God with our ideas? Wouldn't it be better to simply trust God to work everything for good in accordance with His plans and purposes? Joseph experienced some horrific situations in his life, but he reached a point where he understood that God used those circumstances for good. He told his brothers that they had intended harm, but God turned it into good, using his circumstances to shape his character and to place him in a position to save many lives, including the lives of his father, brothers, and their families. He was instrumental in saving the entire nation of Israel. I'm not suggesting that we will experience exactly the same situations and results as Joseph did, but I do believe that God has a plan and a purpose for everything He allows in our lives. I believe it's God's will to heal us, and I pray for healing, especially for my husband, relatives, friends and acquaintances. I pray for people I have never met. I believe God hears and answers our prayers. I ask that we not suffer or cause pain. However, how and when God answers my prayers are in His hands. How do you view prayer? Do you pray specific prayers, giving God detailed descriptions of your wants and needs, or do you trust God with the details according to His will? Is there a right way to pray, or does it vary according to personalities and characters? Perhaps it would be prudent to pray as Jesus did. He asked God specifically to remove the cup from Him but surrendered to God's will regarding the outcome of His request. I struggle a bit with this. Are you faring better than I am? © Rina Schultz 📖 If this stirred questions about how you pray, you may also enjoy: Does a Church Have the Right to Control How You Pray? — a look at why the position of your heart matters more than the position of your body.

The Bible Can Be Trusted | Christianity's Exclusive Claim to Truth | God Experienced Human Suffering Personally | Science Hasn't Disproved God | The Doctrine of Hell and a Loving God I hate statistics, don’t you? Most of the time they’re extremely boring, so I won’t bore you with a bunch of those numbers. Instead, I’ll show you what’s happening in today’s cultural Christianity. Since going to church involves God and one’s eternal destiny, it’s worth examining the ramifications of the decision carefully before writing a Bible-believing church off completely. Cultural Christianity Many churches today mix Christianity with other religions and spiritual practices. This is called “syncretism”. [1] In these churches, core Christian doctrine is abandoned and replaced with teachings that displace Christ and minimize sin. I know that “sin” is an extremely unpopular word today, but does popularity matter? If God were to write two posts on Facebook, one about Heaven and one about Hell, which post do you think would get more likes? The one about Heaven, of course, but that doesn’t make the one about Hell any less true just because it’s unpopular. What’s amazing is that many evangelicals these days don’t believe that Jesus is God anymore; many of them (60%) believe that He was only a great teacher. Some even go so far as to say the Holy Spirit is a force (like in Star Wars) rather than a personal being who is the third person in the Holy Trinity. [2] This kind of thinking goes hand in hand with deconstructing the Christian faith. It’s evident all over the Medium platform. Several publications such as “Backyard Church”, “The Great”, and “Change Becomes You” are dedicated to tearing down traditional, biblical Christianity for various reasons. These reasons range from being hurt by a Christian to finding too much hypocrisy in the church, to personal suffering, to unanswered questions, and to a desire for personal autonomy (which, in my humble opinion, is actually a desire to be free from being accountable to their Creator). The danger in dumping biblical Christianity for the modern, watered-down version prevalent in many of today’s churches is that people think they’re still close to God, when in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. People who say things like “I grew up in church,” “My family has always been Christian,” “I believe in God,” “I’m a good person,” or “I believe in Christian values” are missing the point. They are leaving Jesus out of the picture! If it’s really true that Jesus Christ is God (and He is, and has the credentials to prove it), then what He says about life is of the utmost importance. Scripture records God’s message to mankind, and it says that without Jesus, people are 100% spiritually dead (see the account of Nicodemus in John 3:1–2 and what Paul said about that in Ephesians 2:1–3). In that case, people don’t merely need regeneration or a better version of themselves; they need resurrection. Things to consider before dumping biblical Christianity People still care about truth, and their concerns about traditional Churches aren’t trivial or petty. They still need to know if the real-life issues they’re facing every day, such as suffering, disappointment, hypocrisy, and unanswered questions, can be mitigated by continuing to attend a traditional church that adheres to the basic tenets of Christianity. The core principles of traditional Christianity are worth pursuing today because they’re still true. God has spoken to mankind through nature, the Bible, and ultimately through Jesus Christ. Here are some things to consider before dismissing traditional, biblical Christianity entirely. 1. The Bible is true and can be trusted The Bible isn’t trustworthy just because a church says it is. Its claims are rooted in history and attested by ancient texts and artifacts that corroborate the existence of authors, places, rulers, events, and eyewitness testimony consistent with biblical accounts. Traditional, biblical faith isn’t blind, nor is it built on religious feeling alone. It’s built on God’s intervention in human history, most significantly through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament narratives foretold His arrival, and the New Testament gospels testify to fulfilled prophecy by recording His life and mission. (For more evidence on the reliability of the Bible, please see my article: “7 Supposed Myths About the Bible That Aren’t Myths”). Of course, historical evidence doesn’t automatically remove every difficulty presented in the Bible. Christians shouldn’t dogmatically pretend there aren’t hard-to-understand passages, questions about interpretations, or translation issues. However, difficult passages aren’t the same as contradictions, and questions about errors, inconsistencies, and changes to the ancient manuscripts should be thoroughly investigated before assuming Scripture is unreliable. The most important thing to consider about the Bible is that its unified message throughout its entirety is supernatural. Its message is consistent: humanity has rebelled against its Creator, cannot save itself, and is offered reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. The Bible isn’t merely a collection of disconnected fables depicting moral dilemmas; it’s the unfolding account of God’s plan of redemption for mankind. 2. Biblical Christianity can back up its claim to be the one true religion At first glance, this claim sounds arrogant until we recognize that every worldview makes exclusive claims. Atheists claim to know “there is no God”. Truth, by its very nature, is exclusive; otherwise, it wouldn’t be truth, it would be opinion. To say “all religions are equally true” is also an exclusive truth claim. However, this statement doesn’t adequately describe what different religions actually teach. For instance, none of the other religious leaders ever made the claims about themselves that Jesus did. So what makes Jesus and traditional Christianity different? Traditional Christianity teaches the following: that God is manifested in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man; that He died for sinners and rose bodily from the dead; and that reconciliation with God is found only through Him. Other religions deny one or more of these truth claims. Contradictory claims can’t all be true in the same sense at the same time. So every belief system, including Christianity, makes exclusive claims. The important question is, are the claims made by traditional Christianity true? Are they the ones that will actually get us into Heaven? Yes, because Jesus never presented Himself merely as one helpful spiritual guide among many. He claimed unique authority and a unique relationship with the Father. Genuine Christianity stands behind the cross of Christ and says: “Jesus loved me enough to die for me.” If Christ truly rose from the dead, then His claims deserve to be heard. If He didn’t, then traditional, biblical Christianity completely collapses. Before dismissing this central claim as mere sentimental stories not based on facts, it’s wise to examine the historical and textual evidence for Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as recorded in the Gospels and other sources. [3] Most religious teachers don’t require their followers to have a personal relationship with them. Instead, their teachings direct followers toward a path, principle, or practice that results in enlightenment or union with the divine. Jesus always stressed that He wanted people to come to know Him personally. He knew people didn’t just need advice on how to live better or become better people. He knew that people were totally in the dark and helpless to make themselves right with God (Romans 5:8). Jesus claimed to be God, and the light of the world. The four gospel accounts of His death, burial, and resurrection are central to biblical Christianity. This is why the question of who Jesus is, and why He has the ultimate authority, can’t be avoided. He doesn’t leave us the option of treating Him as merely another teacher. 3. God experienced human suffering personally No brief answer can adequately explain why God allows people to experience suffering and anguish due to grief, chronic pain and illness, violence, betrayal, disaster, or death. Jesus Christ, who is God, experienced all of these things personally, and knows the depth of each person’s pain and suffering. He rejected the simplistic conclusion that every tragedy is the direct result of personal sin in John 9:1–3. Traditional, biblical Christianity teaches that suffering entered the world through humanity’s rebellion against God. We live in a fallen creation, where death, decay, moral evil, and natural disasters are real. The apostle Paul described this world as groaning under the effects of the fall, yet is still looking forward to God’s final restoration of the world as He initially planned. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:22–23, BSB). Adhering to the core beliefs of Christianity doesn’t imply that people should be satisfied with the platitude of “everything happening for a reason.” On the contrary, Scripture shows that Jesus felt agony, rejection, temptation, and injustice too, which is why He can empathize with us and feel compassion for us. At the cross, Jesus, who never sinned, suffered and died for us to rescue us from eternal separation from God. Jesus’ resurrection is God’s pledge that suffering and death will not have the final word. 4. Science hasn’t disproved God Science uses powerful tools to investigate, hypothesize, and report on regular patterns and mechanisms found in the natural world. However, these discoveries aren’t good reasons to abandon core Christian beliefs. God created order in the world and gave people intelligent minds to understand its mechanisms and properties, as well as the ability to know Him (albeit we will never fully understand our infinite God). Since God isn’t part of His creation, science can’t disprove Him. Science, by its own methods, can certainly explain how physical processes operate, but it can’t answer questions like “Why does anything exist at all?” “Why is the universe governed by precise laws?” “Why do consciousness and reason exist?” and “Why are moral obligations real?” On the contrary, modern developments in science actually point to a supernatural Creator. The Big Bang theory, the information contained in DNA, and the finely tuned constants of physics affirm that a transcendent Creator created and sustains the universe. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, BSB). The Bible wasn’t written to be a scientific textbook. It tells us who created the world with us in it and why. It also tells us what has gone wrong in the world, and where it’s headed. Science can investigate processes, but it can’t answer the deeper question of why an orderly universe capable of sustaining life exists at all, so it will never replace the Creator. 5. The doctrine of hell is compatible with a loving God The core doctrine of the existence of hell is the most difficult Christian doctrine for people to understand. It should never be discussed casually or disrespectfully. The reality of hell shows why it’s vital for people to recognize who Jesus Christ is, and to recognize the significance of His resurrection and ascension. True justice requires a final judgment of sin. If God never judged murder, oppression, betrayal, exploitation, abuse, deception, and rebellion, He wouldn’t be a loving God. He would be acting as if evil didn’t matter. Because He is a just and loving God, He must punish unrepentant murderers, such as Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot. The problem is that people usually measure sin by its social consequences. However, sin is rebellion against our infinitely holy Creator, who created us to know, love, worship, and obey Him. When people sin, they reject Him, which is not morally neutral; it’s the outright rejection of the source of life and goodness. God never intended for any human being to end up in hell. He created hell to quarantine the rebellious angels. The end result of unrepentant sin and eternal rejection of God’s love is eternal separation from God, which is punishment. Those who reject God their whole lives end up in hell via their own choice; God doesn’t send them there. Scripture teaches that God is patient and passionately desires that people turn away from sin. He never delights in judgment, and that’s the significance of the cross. At the cross, God didn’t simply ignore sin; He provided a way for sinners to be forgiven and for justice to be implemented. Because Jesus bore the judgment sin deserves, people who repent and trust Him can be reconciled to God. The cross is the clearest evidence that God’s love is valuable, holy, and real. The warning of final judgment is actually an act of mercy, calling people to turn to Christ while there is time. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9, BSB). Conclusion So before jumping on the popular bandwagon of deconstructing your faith, please consider the above discussion of the truthfulness, validity, and usefulness of the core tenets of the Christian faith. The decisive question isn’t, “Has biblical Christianity outlived its usefulness?” It hasn’t, and never will, because it still presents the most important question people can ask themselves: “Who is Jesus Christ, and what will I do with Him?” © Debra Hodges Resources 1. Blair, L. (2023, May 12). America under threat from syncretism, George Barna says in study; churches urged to respond. The Christian Post. 2. The state of theology. (n.d.). The State of Theology. 3. The powerful historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. (n.d.). St. Paul Center. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

The latest coming out from Christianity is the Old Testament God vs the New Testament God argument. That somehow they are different gods, and people are now declaring they are following the “God of Love,” not the “God of Wrath,” to get away with want they want to get away with. Well, here's the thing you’ll never be able to argue your way out of: "I the Lord do not change." Malachi 3:6 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (That’s OT and NT, by the way, just to cover my bases.) How do you think you’re going to argue your way out of that one? Your “God of the New Testament” is telling you He doesn’t change. You either accept all of Him or none of Him. There is no room between those two options. If you can’t accept all of Him, then you can not call yourself a Christian, because you are removing vital parts of God that are necessary for your understanding, salvation, and heaven. Once you start cherry-picking the parts you like, then you are guilty of creating a false religion; it is no longer Christianity. Society might have you duped into thinking you can make changes to the natural order of things, but an apple is still an apple even if you call it an orange. You may think you are strong for believing in yourself and deciding your own religion by declaring which Biblical God you’re following, but I say it is weakness and laziness. The loving Jesus you follow, and cling to certain teachings of, said this about the Old Testament: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 Additionally, Jesus also stated, “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30. Then in Hebrews 13:8 we see, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!” You can’t get around that one, or the next one either. Your God of Love is also that God of wrath you don’t want to follow. Just read Revelation, you’ll be quite surprised. “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Revelation 22:15 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 Here’s the link to look at the original Greek translation of Revelation 21:8, and here for Revelation 22:15, just in case you’re going with a translation error defense. If you do not know God, He will not know you. You know deep down I speak the truth, you just don’t want to hear it. You know what is real strength? Your willingness to obey God. And part of that is reading the Bible, learning the ins and outs because there is no contradiction of God’s character; to learn requires work, willingness, acceptance of new information, and being committed to following Him. When you follow Him, truly follow Him, something beautiful happens: you get a new heart. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 When you obey God, you start changing and growing, and the fruits of the Spirit naturally begin to come out of you. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22–23 Most people are familiar with these verses, or at least the gist of it —  But you want to see the first part for full context? The part that people conveniently ignore. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5 © Jane Isley You might also like: 📖 The Attributes of God in the Bible 📖 What Is False Teaching? Painting Over the Bible Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

We all do it. We pick verses. That in itself isn’t a bad thing. I’ve got verses tacked all over my office walls for references and research. The issue comes when a verse is cherry-picked, yanked out of its context, and treated as a complete thought or command, and is used to fuel an opinion, personal agenda, or doctrine that’s not Biblical. Then everything else around that verse is conveniently ignored. That’s the problem here. How We Got The Two Testements 1445 — Mordecai Nathan Jewish teacher who divided the Old Testament into either chapters or verses (can’t figure out which for sure). Long before that, though, scribes were already making divisions in the text to mark sections for teaching or public reading. 1205 or 1227 — Stephen Langton He was a professor and an Archbishop, credited with the chapter system we currently use today. He added chapters to the Latin Vulgate. 1244 & 1248 — Hugo of Sancto Caro He was the first person believed to have attempted to divide the Bible into chapters (thinking this was for the NT, by the sounds of it). He did this twice while revising the Latin Vulgate, and in 1236, he also gave us the first concordance. 16th Century — Back to Langton His chapter arrangement was put into Greek manuscripts of the New Testament sometime during this period. 1551 — Robert Estienne He was the one who numbered the verses within the chapters, and they were printed in his Greek New Testament edition. 1553 — Hebrew Bible — Robert Estienne Here we get the complete French Bible (OT & NT) printed with chapters and verses. 1557 — Geneva Translation First complete English New Testament translation with chapters and verses. 1560 — Geneva Translation We get the full English Bible (OT & NT) printed with chapters and verses. That is definitely not the complete history. But I’m not burning more brain cells on Google today. Why The History Lesson? Because it was people who applied chapters and verses only to assist in studying and teaching both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It was not done to permit people to pick one line, slap it on a bumper sticker, and die on that hill. All the writers, all their words, were inspired by God. He wouldn’t hand us this incredible book just for us to slice it into isolated fortune-cookie quotes. And nowhere did Jesus ever say, “Yeah, just ignore the Old Testament now.” The Old Testament didn’t die when Christ died. To prove that point, when Jesus was teaching and reading, guess what He was referencing and reading from? The texts we call the “Old” Testament. Also, so did the apostles after Christ died. God’s Perspective God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are outside of time; humanity has time because we need it, God doesn’t. He doesn’t see “Old” and “New,” like we do. He sees only His words on paper. Words that are interconnected between books written decades apart from each other. He saw what was written before His Son came and died for us, and what is written afterward. His one complete message to us. And We Should Too The more I study, the more I come to see these complex interconnections within the entire Bible, and the absolute need to not die on any cherry-picked hill that leads to unbiblical doctrine or teachings. We are to lead the world to Christ by example. So when you’re busy out there cherry-picking, why can't an unbeliever? You just fed them their permission. Think about what that looks like from the outside. An unbeliever watches one Christian quote a single verse to win an argument, then watches another Christian quote a different single verse to win the opposite one. Both walk away certain. The unbeliever concludes the book can be made to say anything, so why take it seriously? That is not a failure of the Bible. It is a failure of the people handling it. That history lesson above points to the fix. Chapters and verses are an index, a way to find your place on the page. They were never the message. The message is the whole book, one story from Genesis to Revelation, and God sees it as one. So when you find a verse, read the paragraph above it and the paragraph below it. Then ask what the rest of Scripture says on the same subject. If the verse still says what you thought, good. If it does not, better to find that out now than to build a doctrine on it. You cannot hang your entire theology on a handful of cherry-picked verses, use them to justify sinful behavior, unbiblical teaching, and personal agendas, and still expect to stroll through the pearly gates. The Bible is and always was one complete book. Read it that way, and let the people watching see you do it. © Jane Isley

Why You Can’t Choose Only the Ones You Like Many only want one piece of God’s character, saying they choose the “loving God”, but then ignore the rest of Him in an effort to justify their belief system. Let me provide an example. My husband: he is sweet, kind, loving, happy, crabby, serious, annoying, stubborn, cheerful, fun, defensive, smart, etc… I can’t just choose one or even two of his characteristics to love and converse with for the rest of my life; I have to choose all of him or none because he’s a package deal, and they are all equally a part of him. That would lead to a rather dull and disappointing relationship if I only interacted with one or two of his characteristics for the rest of my life. I believe most sane people can agree that to love someone is to accept all of their characteristics, even the ones you aren’t particularly fond of. It’s All-Or-Nothing This idea that you can pick and choose what characteristics of God you want to believe in and focus on is disastrous for your faith. You can’t select, elevate, and revere one above the others and expect a rich and abundant relationship with Him. www.studocu.com It really is an all-or-nothing situation. To cut God’s characteristics up like a pizza, then pick one piece to eat for the rest of your life, will leave you starving. I Do Not Change Here’s the thing: God does not change, and in turn, you can not change God either and expect Him to go along with that nonsense. You have to accept all of Him, even the “God of the Old Testament” that so many have an issue with. Some will call as defense that the Old Testament God is not the same God of the New Testament and that they simply can not believe in that kind of God, yet they happily say they believe in “The God of the New Testament.” Which is quite oxymoronic because they are one and the same. "I the Lord do not change." Malachi 3:6 (OT) "These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of heavenly lights, in whose character this is no change as all." James 1:17 (NT) Additionally, we have Jesus stating, “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30. Then in Hebrews 13:8 we see, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!” Your God Of Love Is Also The God Of Wrath Attempting to separate the two, or any of the characteristics of God, leaves you at a disadvantage where you begin to adjust your thinking to the ways of man and not the ways of God. When you remove a characteristic(s) you don’t like or understand, then you simply do not know God. It would be an impossibly, because you are removing key elements and pressing the mute button on both yourself and God. You, and only you, are responsible for that. If you are capable of accepting your spouse, parents, siblings, child, best friend, etc, as a whole, then you are fully capable of doing that with the God of both the Old and New Testament because they are indeed one and the same, whether you want to accept that or not. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:22–25 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 Acceptance is and always will be your choice. But it goes both ways; acceptance into Heaven is also God’s choice as well, if you turn from Him, He will not let you enter. Understanding the attributes of God in the Bible reminds us that knowing Him means embracing His whole character, not just the parts that feel comfortable. “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:20–24 © Jane Isley Sources, References & Recommended Reads: Malachi 3:6, James 1:17 & Romans 8:13 GotQuestions.org: Why is God so different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament? Overemphasizing One Attribute of God by: David Norczyk Bible Study Tools: The Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter