We Too Are Transitioning

I feel sad when I hear about people who feel they were born in the wrong body. Gender dysphoria is a delusion where folks who were born male think they're female and visa versa. I believe it's a lie from the Devil. The Bible teaches that there are only male and female humans. Even science acknowledges that we either have XX or XY chromosomes. Every cell in our bodies rebukes the errant notion of sexual fluidity. This fact is also true in most animals.

But we Christians are the real ones who are transitioning. We were once dead in trespasses and sins but have been made spiritually alive. Paul explained this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (BBE). "So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new."

Even so, we still have our old nature tripping us up. Paul agonized over his flesh and its desires warring against the Spirit in Romans 7:18 (BBE). "For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right."

Fortunately for born-again Christians, the Holy Spirit is working in us to overcome the flesh.  We read in 1 John 4:4 (BBE) about his awesome labour in us. "You are of God, my little children, and you have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

Jesus also promised the same thing to his disciples, and us by extension, in John 16:33 (BBE). "I have said all these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble: but take heart! I have overcome the world."

On that great resurrection day, we will be free from these sin-prone bodies with all their desires and weaknesses. No more will Satan be around to use these back doors to our souls to sabotage us. John 8:31 and 32 (BBE) tells us, "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had faith in him, 'If you keep my word, then you are truly my disciples; And you will have knowledge of what is true, and that will make you free."

While we wait for that glorious day, we must heed what is written in Romans 12:2 (BBE). "And let not your behaviour be like that of this world, but be changed and made new in mind, so that by experience you may have knowledge of the good and pleasing and complete purpose of God."

On Monday, if Christ hasn't returned, I'll post about Christians' old schoolmaster.

Saturday Song; Janis Ian, "At Seventeen"

This is a song which many of us, including myself, can identify with. It's hard not being the cool kid and being part of the "in crowd." Teens put  so much stock in being fashionable and doing what all the popular kids do.

According to Randy Bachman, Janis Ian actually wanted to write "eighteen"but it didn't "sing" well. So she dropped a year from the title and had a hit in 1975. Listen to it here:

To be a Christian is to be ostracized. Jesus warned his disciples of this in Matthew 24:9 (BBE) when he said, "Then they will be cruel to you, and will put you to death: and you will be hated by all nations because of my name."

Likewise, Christ told his disciples in John 16:2 (BBE), "They will put you out of the Synagogues: yes, the time is coming when whoever puts you to death will have the belief that he is doing God's pleasure."

By the way, the synagogue was the centre of the social life of Jewish society. To be disfellowshipped was to be an outcast and cut off from family and friends.

Why then are non Christians so hostile toward us? Christ answered that in John 15:19 (BBE) when he said, "If you were of the world, you would be loved by the world: but because you are not of the world, but I have taken you out of the world, you are hated by the world."

As it happened, the Lord's disciples were hated wherever they preached. Paul, a later convert, was slated for many hardships, as we read in Acts 9:15 and 16 (BBE). "But the Lord said, (to Ananias) 'Go without fear: for he is a special vessel for me, to give to the Gentiles and kings and to the children of Israel the knowledge of my name: For I will make clear to him what troubles he will have to undergo for me.'"

So don't feel abandoned or betrayed by God when people mock or shun you for your faith. They did so to Christ and all who believed in him.

On Monday, if Christ hasn't returned yet, I hope to post about how Christians are transitioning but into something wonderful.

Are We Not Saints Too?

I feel sad for Catholics. Their church elders teach that only special people who performed a miracle and lived an exemplary life could become saints. According to Holy Scripture, all who serve the Lord are saints.

Moses called the descendents of Israel saints even though their conduct was far from what we would consider saintly. Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV) was Moses' last word to his people. "And he said, 'The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.'"

Even the Psalms call the faithful followers of God saints. Psalms 30:4 (BBE) reads, "Make songs to the Lord, O you saints of his, and give praise to his holy name."

Prophets also called believers saints. Daniel 7:18 (BBE) says, "But the saints of the Most High will take the kingdom, and it will be theirs for ever, even for ever and ever."

One of the greatest examples of how Christ changes vile sinners into saints was Paul, formerly Saul. Acts 9:13 and 14 (BBE) reports the astonishment of one believer when he was told to go to Saul, the very one who persecuted the church. "But Ananias said, 'Lord, I have had accounts of this man from a number of people, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem: And here he has authority from the chief priests to make prisoners all who give worship to your name.'"

This Paul also knew that all Christ's chosen believers were saints. Romans 1:7 (BBE) says, "To all those who are in Rome, loved by God, marked out as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

And if that isn't enough, the members of the church universal are called saints. No distinction is made in the Bible between miracle-working apostles of the first century and us today. Revelation 19:7 and 8 (BBE) reads, "Let us be glad with delight, and let us give glory to him: because the time is come for the Lamb to be married, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was given to be clothed in delicate linen, clean and shining: for the clean linen is the righteousness of the saints."

If our Master doesn't come back by Thursday, I hope to post about a proverb and its relevance in our lives..

Saturday Song: Klaatu; Sell Out! Sell Out!

In 1980, Canadian rock band Klaatu took a different artistic direction. Instead of space rock, they "sold out" and recorded an album of American-sounding tracks. The band's producer hoped it would help the band sell more LPs in the United States.

The group members weren't happy about this, hence this song. In it, they expressed their opinion of the band's change of stile to hopefully "crank up that "funk machine." Sadly for them, it didn't work.

Listen to the song here:

Many Christian churches have done the same thing. They've accommodated the world's people with a watered-down version of the gospel. As a result, topics like hell, repentance, and surrender to Christ are omitted from their services.

This is not a new problem as the first-century church had the same issues. We see this in Jude 1:3 (BBE). "My loved ones, while my thoughts were full of a letter which I was going to send you about our common salvation, it was necessary for me to send you one requesting you with all my heart to go on fighting strongly for the faith which has been given to the saints once and for ever."

Furthermore, Satan had his infiltrators join congregations and twist the scriptures to match their carnal desires. We read this example in 2 Peter 3:15 and 16 (BBE). "And be certain that the long waiting of the Lord is for salvation; even as our brother Paul has said in his letters to you, from the wisdom which was given to him; And as he said in all his letters, which had to do with these things; in which are some hard sayings, so that, like the rest of the holy Writings, they are twisted by those who are uncertain and without knowledge, to the destruction of their souls."

A friend of Paul's also sold out. We read in 2 Timothy 4:10 (BBE), "For Demas has gone away from me, for love of this present life, and has gone to Thessalonica: Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia."

Why do seemingly strong Christians sell out? We read in 1 John 2:19 (BBE) that, "They went out from us but they were not of us; if they had been of us they would still be with us: but they went out from us so that it might be made clear that they were not of us."

On Monday, provided Christ hasn't returned, I hope to post about how even we are saints.

Acts Chapter Five and Faking Piety

We're all familiar with products which warn that misusing the contents may be harmful to our health. Is it not the same with spiritual matters? In the first-century church, God made an example of a lying couple and showed that the Holy Spirit is in fact part of the Godhead.

Acts 5:1 and 2 (BBE) introduces us to these scheming congregants. "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, got money for his property, And kept back part of the price, his wife having knowledge of it, and took the rest and put it at the feet of the Apostles."

What was wrong with what they did? These two lied? Both said they gave all the money from the sale of the property to the church. We hear what Peter's answer was in Acts 5:3 and 4 (BBE). "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has the Evil One put it into your heart to be false to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While you had it, was it not your property? and after you had given it in exchange, was it not still in your power? how has this purpose come into your mind? you have been false, not to men, but to God.'" So the Lord struck Ananias dead on the spot.

The same thing happened to Sapphira a few hours later. Those young men must have been tired after burying two church members in one day.

Fear came upon those church folks and outsiders alike at the news of that couple's demise. They all realized that trying to trick God to get praise from  people led to two deaths.

Though the Lord doesn't strike down phoney Christians now, it's still dangerous to people's spiritual health to fake piety. Christ warned his audience in Matthew 6:1 and 2 (BBE), "Take care not to do your good works before men, to be seen by them; or you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. When then you give money to the poor, do not make a noise about it, as the false-hearted men do in the Synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly, I say to you, They have their reward."

And if our Master doesn't return by Saturday, I hope to post about the temptation to sell out and join the crowd of takers in this world.

Why Breaking One Law Breaks Them All

For folks who haven't studied the Bible in depth, this is an obvious question. How can breaking one of God's laws break them all? To them, it's as if a person parked in a NO PARKING zone but were charged with every single law on the books.

This is how I understand it. The Law is holy. Any sin against God's decrees is a contamination of the entire holy law.

Imagine going to a shop and buying some sort of medicine or food product. If the seal is broken, it has become contaminated. You would have no idea if a person just opened the packet or bottle just to see what the contents looked like or if they might have put poison in it. That's what happened to bottles of Tylenol in America a few decades ago.

So it is with sin. Breaking one of God's commands contaminates our entire being. James 2:10 (BBE) explains, "For anyone who keeps all the law, but makes a slip in one point, is judged to have gone against it all."

When my sister Diane and I were children, we raided Mom's pickled beet jars. Not realizing what the consequences would be, the jars we opened and put back became moldy. Defilement is like the mould we inadvertently allowed to grow in those bottles.

One big issue in the first-century church was circumcision. Certain Jewish Christians insisted that just trusting Christ and following him wasn't enough. Paul addressed this matter in  Galatians 5:3 (BBE). "Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law."

God spoke through his prophets about how ceremonially unclean things contaminate the clean. Haggai 2:12 and 13 (BBE showed how sin contaminated the whole Israelite nation. "'If anyone has some holy flesh folded in the skirt of his robe, will bread or soup or wine or oil or any other food be made holy if touched by his skirt?' And the priests answering said, 'No.' Then Haggai said, 'Will any of these be made unclean by the touch of one who is unclean through touching a dead body?' And the priests answering said, 'It will be made unclean.'"

So it is that one seemingly small sin contaminates purity whereas purity can't make the impure pure.

If Christ doesn't return by Thursday, I hope to post about how faking piety can be dangerous to your health. It proved fatal for one couple.

Saturday Song; The Amboy Dukes, "Journey to the Center of the Mind"

The nineteen-sixties certainly was a decade of change. One destructive trend was the use by the public of mind-altering drugs. People figured that it would free their thinking of restraints and expand their perceptions.

The Amboy Dukes were one band who glorified the use of psychedelic drugs. But at least they did warn that listeners might not come back from their "experimentation" with these substances.

Listen to this song here:

The Bible doesn't mention street drugs but it does mention another kind of intoxicant. The Apostle Paul admonished his readers about being a good example to non Christians. Part of that was staying sober. Ephesians 5:18 (BBE) warns, "And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit;"

Self control is also highly prized by the Lord. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 and 7 (BBE), "So then, let us not take our rest as the others do, but let us be self-controlled and awake. For those who are sleeping do so in the night; and those who are the worse for drink are so in the night;"

We also see in the Bible that God uses drunkenness as a metaphor for judgement upon the evildoers. Psalms 75:8 (BBE) reads, "For in the hand of the Lord is a cup, and the wine is red; it is well mixed, overflowing from his hand: he will make all the sinners of the earth take of it, even to the last drop."

So we know that though intoxication may seem enjoyable, it robs us of our self control and wisdom. Bad things often result when a person isn't restrained by reasonable inhibitions.

On Monday, unless Christ returns first, I hope to publish a post about why breaking just one of God's laws breaks them all.

Why Must Religionists Forbid Tasty Foods

I can't help but notice that many religions limit adherents' diets. They think that they're holy if they don't eat certain things or consume specific foods. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We know that the descendents of Israel were forbidden to eat certain kinds of animals. This was done for health reasons as well as to separate them from their pagan neighbours.

One example of this was the prohibition  of eating pork. We read in Leviticus 11:7 (BBE), "And the pig is unclean to you, because though the horn of its foot is parted, its food does not come back." That means it doesn't chew the cud like a cow does.

We have refrigeration and better inspection regulations now. Because of this, we needn't worry about Trichinosis. Sadly, Muslims and orthodox Jews still refuse to eat pork.

Then there are religions like Hinduism which worship cows as well as other creatures. It's a serious offense in India for anybody to eat beef. I've read many accounts where Christians were attacked for doing so.

And of course we know about vegetarians and vegans. They don't realize that our bodies require  animal protein. We also have canine teeth, something herbivores don't have. As I found out with my rabbits, they have a gap between their incisors and their molars.

Since we obey Christ, we can eat pretty much whatever we want. As he said in Matthew 15:10 and 11 (BBE), "And he got the people together and said to them, 'Give ear, and let my words be clear to you: Not that which goes into the mouth makes a man unclean, but that which comes out of the mouth.'"

This foolish idea of spiritually-defiling food clung to the first-century churches. That's why Paul wrote what he wrote in Colossians 2:20-22 (BBE). "If you were made free, by your death with Christ, from the rules of the world, why do you put yourselves under the authority of orders Which say there may be no touching, tasting, or taking in your hands, (Rules which are all to come to an end with their use) after the orders and teaching of men?"

If our Lord tarries until Saturday, I hope to post about a song regarding one journey no one should take.

Why Pray For Politicians?

I heard somewhere that politicians rate the lowest in a questionnaire which ranked professions from most trusted to least. The public have valid reasons for despising these people. Since that's so, why should we Christians buck the trend and pray for such wicked leaders?

Some believers might not realize this but Christ told his followers to respect the position of Caesar and the Pharisees. When certain temple rulers tried to trap him with the question of paying taxes, Jesus asked to see a Roman coin. Then he asked who's face was on it. Matthew 22:21 (BBE) tells us, "They say to him, 'Caesar's.' Then he said to them, 'Give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.'"

Paul was of the same mind. He wrote in Romans 13:7 (BBE) that we should, "Give to all what is their right: taxes to him whose they are, payment to him whose right it is, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is to be given."

Paul also told his spiritual son the same thing. He wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1 and 2 (BBE) that, "My desire is, first of all, that you will make requests and prayers and give praise for all men; For kings and all those in authority; so that we may have a calm and quiet life in all fear of God and serious behaviour."

Our quiet lives depend upon our respect for God-given governmental authority. As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:17 (BBE),we must, "Have respect for all, loving the brothers, fearing God, honouring the king."

We also know that King David had several opportunities to kill King Saul, yet he refused them all. One example is written in 1 Samuel 24:6 and 7 (BBE) when he went into the very cave David and his men hid. "And David said to his men, 'Before the Lord, never let it be said that my hand was lifted up against my lord, the man of the Lord's selection, for the Lord's holy oil has been put on him.' So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up and went on his way."

We may feel tempted to fantasize about putting certain evil leaders to death but that job is for God to do. Whenever I feel the temptation to wish some miscreant ruler dead, I beg God's forgiveness.

If our Lord hasn't returned by Thursday, I hope to upload a post about religions forbidding the enjoyment of meat.

Saturday Song: Trooper, "Raise a Little Hell"

When I first heard this song, I hated it because I assumed it was promoting rowdy behaviour. But I realized what this Canadian group were singing about when I listened carefully to the lyrics.

Listen to this classic from the summer of 1976 here:

We know from King Solomon that there's a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:7 (BBE) reminds us there's, "A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;"

We also read that believers, especially if we hold power, must speak out for those who have no voice. Psalms 82:3 and 4 (BBE) exhorts, "Give ear to the cause of the poor and the children without fathers; let those who are troubled and in need have their rights. Be the saviour of the poor and those who have nothing: take them out of the hand of the evil-doers."

We likewise find in Proverbs 31:8 and 9 (BBE) that we mustn't be silent about injustice. "Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death. Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need."

God expects us all to speak out against injustice. Isaiah 1:17 (BBE) declares, "Take pleasure in well-doing; let your ways be upright, keep down the cruel, give a right decision for the child who has no father, see to the cause of the widow."

And if the Lord's command isn't enough, Proverbs 21:13 (BBE) says, "He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help"

What a privilege it is to be the advocate for those who are powerless and insignificant to the governors of this world. God will bless us for caring for those defenseless people.

On Monday, if Christ doesn't return by then, I hope to post about why we must pray for politicians, even the slimy ones.

Why Defend Persecuted Religions?

 We know we should pray for those of our spiritual siblings who suffer persecution. Even so, should we also advocate for those practitioners of false religions to be free to do so?

From the first day humans walked in the garden, the Lord has always allowed us the choice to follow him or to follow false gods. We see an example of this offer given in Joshua 24:15 (BBE) to the descendents of Israel. "And if it seems evil to you to be the servants of the Lord, make the decision this day whose servants you will be: of the gods whose servants your fathers were across the River, or of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living: but I and my house will be the servants of the Lord."

This is also the reason the Lord sent out prophets and apostles to the Jews first and then us gentiles. As Romans 10:14 and 15 (BBE) points out, "But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher? And how will there be preachers if they are not sent? As it is said, How beautiful are the feet of those who give the glad news of good things."

Paul certainly made no distinction when one idolatrous prison guard wanted to kill himself on the night when all the doors were shaken open and all the chains fell off the prisoners. Acts 16:27 and 28 (BBE) tells us, "And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away. But Paul said in a loud voice, 'Do yourself no damage, for we are all here.'"

If Christianity were like a pagan religion, Paul and the prisoners would have ran out of the prison and let the jailer kill himself. But since we love even unbelievers, we do good to them. It might happen that they will come to faith in Christ like this man and his family did.

We also see in The Old Testament that foreigners were given fair treatment without respect to their beliefs. Exodus 22:21 (BBE) says, "Do no wrong to a man from a strange country, and do not be hard on him; for you yourselves were living in a strange country, in the land of Egypt."

Moreover, Psalms 82:3 (KJV) puts it bluntly and without qualification. "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy."

Provided the Lord doesn't return by Saturday, I hope to publish about speaking up for righteousness.

Why Must We Love Our Enemies?

Apart from the fact that Christ commanded us to do so, why should we love those who hate us and despitefully use us? Other belief systems either have no such commandment or, like Islam, expect adherents to avenge their enemies.

Christ gave us the answer to this question in Luke 23:34 (BBE) when he was crucified. "And Jesus said, 'Father, let them have forgiveness, for they have no knowledge of what they are doing.' And they made division of his clothing among them by the decision of chance."

Now some folks will argue that certain people know they're sinning. Romans 1:20 (BBE) does say, "For from the first making of the world, those things of God which the eye is unable to see, that is, his eternal power and existence, are fully made clear, he having given the knowledge of them through the things which he has made, so that men have no reason for wrongdoing:"

That's true but there's also another factor, namely Satan. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:3 and 4 (BBE), "But if our good news is veiled, it is veiled from those who are on the way to destruction: Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be shining on them."

Additionally, sinners are unable to repent of their own accord. Ephesians 2:1 and 2 (BBE) explains, "And to you did he give life, when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins, In which you were living in the past, after the ways of this present world, doing the pleasure of the lord of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in those who go against the purpose of God;"


When Christ said he was the resurrection and the life, it was more than bodily rising from the dead that he meant. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:5 (BBE) about this spiritual resurrection from the deadness of sin. "Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation),"

So we find that sinners are blinded by the Devil and also by their lack of regeneration. Such beings should be pitied, not scorned. They bear the image of God but know nothing about him.

If Christ doesn't come back by Thursday, I hope to post about why we must defend the right of people to worship other gods.

Saturday Song: The Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again"

I'm sure I can safely say that nobody likes to be fooled. Even so, it happens to us all. I'm sure too that we can identify with the title of this 1971 hit by The Who. 

Ignore the ad. Listen to the song here:

There's a huge difference between doing something foolish and being a fool. Wise people learn but fools don't.

The Bible has much to say about fools. First off, such people have no respect or regard for the Lord. Psalms 14:1 (BBE) reads, " The foolish man has said in his heart, God will not do anything. They are unclean, they have done evil works; there is not one who does good."

Likewise, Solomon's proverbs are filled with admonitions about those who won't learn from common sense and experience. Proverbs 14:16 (BBE)reads, "The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger."

We also read that fools are self-destructive folks. Ecclesiastes 4:5 (BBE) bluntly states, "The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food."

Neither are fools able to avoid punishment for their habitual stupidity. Proverbs 10:13 (BBE) declares, "In the lips of him who has knowledge wisdom is seen; but a rod is ready for the back of him who is without sense."

And in an apparent reference to Joseph, we read what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:13 and 14 (BBE). "A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others. Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom."

Fools never learn either. Proverbs 26:11 (BBE) reminds us, "Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again."

I agree with Albert Einstein's assertion that doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

On Monday, Assuming Christ doesn't come back first, I hope to publish a post about why we must love our enemies.