“I need to be delivered of this fear!” is an incorrect statement…

I hear people make this statement a lot but it is incorrect. Though the Bible does talk about a “spirit of fear,” fear is primarily an emotion.

As an emotion, fear gives us more energy to protect us from dangers. If you were “delivered from all your fears,” then you would drive too fast, fall off of a cliff, get bitten by a snake, lion, or tiger, and the like. You need fear for protection.

So the prayer is not, “Lord, take away my fear.” The prayer is, “Lord, though I feel afraid, I am going to trust you through this fear and focus upon You and others.”

Fearful people can do great things when they focus upon others. Mothers who are afraid of dogs can overcome that fear when their child is in danger because their focus is upon protecting the child! Why? Because “perfect love cast out fear” according to I John 4:18.

Perfect love (agape love or unconditional love) is the only force more powerful than fear! Praise God!

-Mark (thankful for fear that produces good and not unrighteousness in me)

Book Review of Ken Ham’s Almost Gone

Ken Ham wrote a book called “Almost Gone” that is great though it is a challenging read. It has statistics in it but Mr. Ham is such a good communicator that it is smooth and informative. I highly recommend you read it.

The book challenged me to re-think church because a key finding was that Sunday school attendees as youths were MORE LIKELY to turn away from the faith as young, 20 year old adults. I had to read that finding twice because it goes against our thinking. The finding again was that children who DID attend Sunday School were MORE LIKELY to walk away from the faith as adults vs. children who did NOT attend Sunday School.

Makes you think, doesn’t it. Why is that the finding? Well, Mr. Ham cites evidence that these children were likely taught UNDERMINING lies about God’s Word while in Sunday School which led to a LACK of FAITH in Christ and His Word.

It would have been better NOT to have attended Sunday School which taught contrary to God’s Word, in other words.

I may not be doing a good job of summarizing this finding. Therefore, I recommend you read the book.

Here’s my life application: Teach the Bible and help people to have faith in Christ and His Word as accurate. People need to know about how the Flood fits into history and science, that fossils came from a global flood, that land dinosaurs were created on the 6th day, that a global flood wiped out many of the dinosaurs, etc.  We need to have answers for a dying world that is longing for the truth of God’s Word.

-Mark (grateful to serve Christ with men like Ken Ham who boldly stand for God and lead the way)

Stealing – 8th Commandment

The heart of God is giving. To me, that is Who God is – a Giver of life, a Giver of eternal life, a Giver of His love, a Giver in general. What can I give God that He has not first given me?

That’s why I think the 8th Commandment of not stealing is so dear to God’s heart. It is unloving to steal. It is taking rather than giving. It is taking what is not given to you and was given to someone else by the grace of God. In that sense, it is a TWOFOLD sin damaging yourself in your relationship with Christ and the person you stole from!

I love Ephesians 4:28 which gives us the antidote to stealing. The antidote is TWOFOLD: work and give to the needy.

We are to work and give to the needy. That’s why I love Truth in Love – we are a giving ministry. Most people cannot afford biblical counseling so we provide it for free thanks to your generous support of our ministry!

That’s why I also like working with Christ Health Center – they are a giving ministry providing healthcare to those in real need.

It’s a great partnership founded on the heart of God – GIVING to those in need. We all work together to give to those in need.

-Mark (God is an amazing GIVER)

What is the “heart” biblically speaking?

Society mistakenly promotes the “heart” as ONLY emotions sometimes today but the “heart” refers to the central part and CORE of someone’s inner person.

The HEART, biblically speaking, includes THINKING according to Strong’s Concordance: “fountain of thoughts…”

So when you think of your heart, think about your inner self including thoughts, emotions, attitudes, desires, passions, motives, etc. and you’ll better be able to understand what the Bible means by “heart.”

We are to trust God with all of our heart (Prov. 3:5) and we are to love God with all of our heart (Matt. 22:37). In biblical counseling, this is what we direct our counselees to do every daybecause only God can be fully trusted. God has the power to transform hearts and to conform them into His heart of compassion. Then, He gives us the desires of our hearts (Ps. 37:3-7) as we delight ourselves in Him!

-Mark (thankful God changed my heart and gave me the capacity to love and trust in Jesus Christ)

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Wrong Question

People ask: “Why does a good God allow suffering, pain, sorrow, and death?”

Voddie Baucum says that’s a wrong question and he’s right! Man’s sin brought all of these consequences upon mankind – it’s a result of man’s disobedience. It’s wrong because it starts with man and not our Holy God. Man is not the source or starting point for truth! God is.

The correct question starts with a Holy God and asks: “Why didn’t a Holy, Righteous God kill me in my sleep last night due to all of my sinful, disobedient thoughts, words, and actions yesterday, the day before, and for all of the years of my life before now?”

God is holy. We are to be holy like Him by the power of the Holy Spirit and the blood of Christ that redeems us (Lev. 17:11). But we still struggle with the presence of sin.

God is good. God is gracious. God is patient. God is long-suffering with us who continue to choose sin and self over our Holy King. God is love (I John 4:8).

Ask Him the right questions so you can get the right answers!

-Mark (thankful the right answer is always “Jesus!”)

You can do anything you ought to do!

As Christians, we can make right choices since we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit according to II Tim. 1:14 – “by the Holy Spirit Who dwells within us.”

Therefore, we can do anything we ought to do as commanded by God.

Where is the powerlessness over addiction for a born-again, Spirit-filled believer? Are Christians powerless?

In themselves, Christians are powerless. In Christ, they are not but are EMPOWERED by God!

-Mark (thankful that I do not have to speak lies daily that I am powerless over any temptation to sin!)