Month: August 2024

churching?

Posted on by Grace Day

Is that even a thing? churching? If defined as the act of going to church, churching has been taking place for centuries. But I have to think that churching looks very different today than it did in era’s past. Actually, my experience in attending church today is markedly different from the experiences I had as a child going to church. Perhaps this could be explained by the fact that times change and the church has changed along with the “times” or along with current culture.

The music certainly has changed. I remember singing from hymnals accompanied by piano and organ. Nothing was plugged in or amplified. Now we sing from a large screen up front, drowned out by drums and electric guitars. Fog fills the air and lights are flashing. Oh, I forgot to mention that it’s dark, like a movie theater. That’s why the stage lights are so dramatic.

No wonder the pastor’s words stuck with me when he said from the pulpit on a recent Sunday morning, “this is not an entertainment center. You want entertainment, go to AMC or a football stadium etc.” (this church service was taking place in daylight, no fog, no stage lights, no band) His words got me to thinking about myself, about my own attitude when I go to church. Do I attend church on a Sunday morning as a passive spectator, expecting to be entertained? Do I come as a consumer, shopping around in search of the “best experience” that meets my criteria or needs.

Or do I show up as an active participant, ready to engage in worship and in learning from the hearing of God’s word? Do I show up desiring to serve or expecting to be served?

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Do I come to give or to receive?

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35)

All good questions I would do well to ask myself. What does God’s word say about “churching”?

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Psalm 96:8-9)

“Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool -” (Psalm 132:7)

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. . . . Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” (Psalm 100:2 & 4)

These verses give me some clues as to what might be involved in the activity of “churching.” I am to come into His presence with “joyful songs.” I am to “bring an offering”, I am to “give thanks to Him and praise His name.” I am to worship God and give Him His due – “the glory due His name.” I am to do this in community with others. I am told “not to give up meeting together.”

So maybe the purpose of “churching” is to meet with others and to meet with God – both simultaneously? King David said –

“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ ” (Psalm 122:1)

In fact, at that time, God’s gift of His Holy Spirit hadn’t been given to everyone, only to selected prophets such as Isaiah or kings such as David. The Israelites made a tabernacle to house God’s presence during the years they wandered in the desert. Later, King Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem to house God’s presence. In both instances, something remarkable took place.

“Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34-35)

“When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled His temple.” (1 Kings 810-11)

God showed up! God showed up so much that He filled the tabernacle in the desert and later, He filled the temple in Jerusalem too! God wanted to meet with His people then. God still wants to meet with people today. But today things are a little different. Then, God’s holy presence filled the building that human hands had built for Him. Today God’s Holy Spirit presence fills a temple not built by human hands, but by Himself – individual people, created in His own image – that’s you and me, that’s anyone who invites God’s presence into their hearts and lives. God’s word confirms this truth –

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Jesus told the woman at the well that “churching” was going to be different than it had been in the past.

“Jesus declared, ‘Believe Me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. . . . Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’ ” (John 4:21-24)

So location wasn’t going to be the important part of worship anymore. Sounds like what I was taught as a child – that “church” isn’t the building, it’s the people. Jesus confirmed this when He said –

“For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

I like the translation which says, “there am I in the midst of them.”

It is both exciting and comforting to realize that through His omnipresence, Jesus is right there in the middle of things when we come together to worship God, to pray, to sing, to thank Him, to give to Him, to serve Him, to hear His word proclaimed and taught, to repent, to confess, to encourage each other, to bear each other’s burdens, to take communion together – “churching” involves much more than what any particular culture attempts to reduce it to at any point in history.

Governments and civilizations have tried to interfere with and to eradicate true churching over the centuries. But they have not succeeded. Today, “churching” in China may take place on the “down-low” so to speak, BUT make no mistake, “churching” is going on big time in China! It is taking place secretly, in homes, in small numbers – but “where two or three are gathered” – God is right there in the middle of it all. And that’s where God should be – in the middle, at the center of our “churching” experience. We come together to meet with God and give Him glory.

In our western culture, true “churching” may not be as visible as the mega-church, very public production we have come to call “church”, but it is happening, nonetheless. Every time two or three gather together to read God’s word, to pray, to serve, to sing, to worship – God is in the midst and “churching” is going on! Which brings me to a further description of “churching” from God’s word –

” ‘It is written,’ He said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’ ” (Matthew 21:13)

Prayer – that’s “churching” in action! Calling on the name of the Living God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe – that’s what God said we should be doing when we enter into His house, His gates, His courts – as the psalmists called them. Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple saying His Father’s house was for prayer, not commerce. I’m thinking the pastor who said “this is not an entertainment center” would concur that amusement is what the world offers. Something different is needed from the church – truth, hope, redemption, forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation, healing . . .

The true church is more akin to a hospital than an entertainment center. After all, it was Jesus who said –

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)

We are all in need of healing, we are all walking wounded in this world. I know I need to be bandaged up daily from the hurts and hurdles that inflict pain and suffering on my soul and my spirit. With broken hearts and shattered dreams, we limp through life apart from our Creator, when all the while healing and abundance awaits us. Jesus said –

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

That’s the truth. That’s the Good News. Abundance awaits. The mission of the church is to proclaim God’s truth – truth which will set the captives (us, you and me) free. True worship, true “churching” can take place anywhere, anytime because, as Jesus told the woman at the well, “God is Spirit and true worshipers are to worship Him in spirit and in truth.” The result of true “churching”?

“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5)

true churching says – ” ‘Come now, let us reason together’, says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ” (Isaiah 1:18)

not entertainment, not commerce – “churching” is not a spectator sport. It is the living out of all Christ has called me to, shared with other believers also called to this higher calling.

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

that’s churching at its best!

sincerely, Grace Day

in sight full

Posted on by Grace Day

That’s how I would describe one of my prayer walk partners and friends – insightful. There are other adjectives I could use as well, caring, funny, smart – but if I had to pick two that stand out? that would be courageous and persistent – both hugely important assets in life, both particularly necessary attributes for my prayer walking friend. I admire his persistent pursuit of Jesus, perhaps because I too am running that life race. And running that race requires courage and endurance. The apostle Paul advises us –

“Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

So we are prayer walking and running this race together, he and I, and others with us. Now as I said, running this life race requires of us the utmost courage and endurance. But I think even more is required of my friend and he has shown himself equal to the task. You see, dear readers, there is something I have thus far neglected to tell you about my friend. Probably because it is not the most relevant nor important thing about him, still it is something – something worth mentioning. My very insightful friend is blind. (pun and irony fully intended)

My friend, like the apostle Paul, has a “thorn in the flesh” to bear in this life. However, Paul’s thorn in the flesh, which God chose not to remove, did not disqualify nor deter Paul in any way from his calling in Christ. Paul carried out all that God gave him to do, sharing the Gospel, visiting churches, writing letters from prison, suffering for Christ – his thorn did not prevent him from submitting to God’s will for his life and in so doing, Paul lived out the life of purpose and meaning that God had planned for him.

I pray my prayer walking friend is finding this to be true for himself as well. His lack of physical sight in no way disqualifies or prevents him from finding his calling in Christ and from living it out. I feel like I’m still trying to find my way and my calling, and I have physical sight. But it is spiritual sight that is needed, spiritual sight that is essential actually to live this life in a Christ honoring way. After all, we are told –

“We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

My friend has learned this skill out of necessity perhaps, so he has a head start on the rest of us – BUT – walking by faith alone is an essential life skill that each of us must master at some point in our Christ following journey. Better sooner than later. You and I think sight so important, so necessary to our earthly lives – BUT consider this truth –

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Again, my friend is ahead of the game. Not distracted by temporary “seen” things now, he is freed up to focus or to “fix his eyes” on what is unseen, what none of us can see, but what all of us need to focus on – the eternal things of God, those things that matter most in the end. This is my prayer –

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (Psalm 119:18)

Again what matters is spiritual sight, rather than physical sight. It’s what Paul prayed for the Ephesians –

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Our culture may consider physical blindness a handicap, something that renders one weaker or at a disadvantage – BUT – the Lord said to Paul, when Paul asked to be healed –

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul’s response? whining, complaining, anger, giving up, running away, despair? No, Paul’s response to God’s refusal was this –

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Surprising maybe BUT – we know what God did with Paul’s handicapped, surrendered life! a lot! Reminds me of a modern day Christ follower, Joni Erickson Tada. She has served God her whole life, accomplished much for others and for the kingdom, all from the confines of a wheelchair. Some would call her handicapped, but her life says otherwise – it has been rich, full of purpose and accomplishment, more than most for sure. This is a reminder to me that –

“with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

I see the evidence of this truth in my insightful friend’s life. It takes courage and persistence for him to show up each day and navigate life’s challenges without physical sight. But he does and this must give inspiration and hope to others that they too can overcome the challenges that they face in their lives and be victorious. I am inspired by my insightful friend, remembering this truth from God’s word –

“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

There may be those who watch my insightful friend walking down the street with his rod out in front of him and wonder why? Jesus disciples asked the same question of Jesus once. This is how that conversation went –

“As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’ ” (John 9:1-3)

Such is the case with my insightful friend. His physical blindness creates in him a dependence on God, which allows the work of God to be displayed clearly in his life for all to see and for God to be glorified. God has given him inward sight in full measure, hence the term “insightful” seems an apt description for him. When he talks with others, he is able to listen to them, without being distracted by physical appearances. He “sees” others as they truly are simply by listening to them. Just maybe, it’s a little easier to listen to God’s voice too, without all the visual distractions of the world?

Someone told my friend that blindness was the hardest handicap to live with. I don’t know if that’s true or not. What I do know is that my friend doesn’t walk in darkness nor alone. Jesus made that clear when He said –

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

My friend may be blind, but he sees with the sight that we all long to receive from God – the sight the hymn talks about – “I once was blind but now I see.” Paul (then Saul) was made blind as he journeyed on the road to Damascus. The result? Paul was at last able to see clearly who Jesus really was. It changed his life forever. Sometimes we have to lose something of lesser value in order to gain something of greater value.

I know my insightful friend sees with the eyes that count, the eyes of the heart, the eyes of faith. He walks like I want to – by faith and not by sight. Sometimes when you have sight, it’s too easy to forget the faith part and rely solely on sight, therefore on self. My friend doesn’t have that option – he walks by faith twenty-four/seven. After all, what we need to see, can’t be seen with human eyes anyway.

“So we fix our eyes . . . on what is unseen. . . . what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

sincerely, Grace Day

captive

Posted on by Grace Day

alcohol

damaging, dangerous

drains life away, drop by drop

I stand helpless

watching them

die.

I wrote those words as a child, but they are just as real and as painful to me today, as they were the day I wrote them. Perhaps you, too, have lost someone you love to addiction? Addiction is a living death. Your captive loved one is still alive technically, but actually already dead in many respects, as they are not able to live in the fullness and the richness of life that our Creator prepared just for us and designed us to enjoy. Instead, we sell our souls into the captivity of addiction and enter into a lifetime of slavery.

But there is hope, even for those appearing to be too far gone to be revived. That hope of rescue and restoration is in –

“the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)

This is good news! There is a Deliverer! Jesus said this –

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

and in Isaiah I read this –

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1)

captives set free – prisoners released from darkness – that’s good news! Alcohol holds many captive, but alcohol is not the only enslaver. New ones appear without warning even as we are busy doing battle with our old familiar captors. Fentanyl is a relatively recent, but very real enemy, a foe who fools its unsuspecting prey by not announcing its presence until it is too late.

And addiction is not the only enemy who holds us captive. Fear holds many people captive for a lifetime, while greed, envy and lies are also formidable foes who can hold us hostage indefinitely. Fortunately for us, we have a Deliverer who came to set us free from anything and everything that threatens to hold us captive.

To those who battle addiction He says –

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

To those who fight against fear –

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15)

To the greedy, Jesus asks –

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

To those consumed by envy and worry about what others have that they don’t have, Jesus says –

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:27-34)

To those in bondage to lies, Jesus declares –

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Knowing Jesus sets me free because Jesus is the truth!

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6)

Jesus came “to proclaim freedom for the captives” – that’s you and me, dear readers – Jesus came to set us captives free! I don’t have to live as a captive to alcohol, drugs, fear, greed, worry, envy, lies or anything else, ever again, because I know –

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

You and I have our Heavenly Father’s promise –

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

from one liberated captive to any others out there –

sincerely, Grace Day

pain perks?

Posted on by Grace Day

That doesn’t sound right, does it? There’s an upside to pain? Well, there is the very familiar mantra – “no pain, no gain” which would seem to support the theory that pain does have its perks. Then there’s the saying – “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” Again, this seems to imply that there’s an upside to pain. Athletes would probably agree with this theory. The road to an athlete’s success, no matter what the sport, is probably paved with considerable pain, in addition to dedication and sacrifice. If you are watching any of the Olympic sporting contests currently in progress, you are seeing the results which are only achieved through the painful process of preparation that all athletes endure in order to realize their goal.

Of course, theirs is physical pain primarily. However, not just athletes, but each and every one of us endure emotional, mental, physical and spiritual pain as a part of the process that enables you and me to run life’s race and be successful. The apostle Paul knew about this. Paul would have preferred to bypass the pain, but he didn’t get a pass.

Paul had, as he himself described it – “a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me.” What did Paul do about this? We find the answer in 2 Corinthians.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ ”

Paul’s request was met with a definite “no.” How did Paul respond to having his request refused? Not in the way I would have expected him to do, nor in the way I think I would have responded. Paul didn’t pout or complain or argue or give up or walk away from his calling in Christ. He did just the opposite. Paul embraced his painful situation. How do I know this? I read Paul’s response after his request was turned down. Paul said –

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

I don’t know about you, but “delight” isn’t what comes to my mind when I am insulted, or when I am going through a tough time or when things are just so hard and painful that I want to give up, I want to quit. I prefer comfort to pain and ease over difficulty. BUT – if anything worthwhile is to be accomplished, pain and struggle will be a part of the process. Just ask any Olympic athlete – it is pain and having obstacles to overcome that lead to victory.

Paul had some things figured out in this regard. He endured many hardships in addition to his painful “thorn in the flesh.” Paul was shipwrecked, beaten and imprisoned many times. In Philippians, Paul shares with us his secret to enduring and even overcoming life’s painful trials and hardships. He says –

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul saying that he can do all things through the strength that God gives him, takes on a whole new meaning for me when I read Paul’s own account of the things he has experienced. Paul tells us –

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

That’s not a complete list, but you get the idea. Paul did not get the pain free life that Jabez requested and received. Still, Paul had no regrets. In fact, Paul said this in his letter to the church at Corinth –

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Paul’s been beaten, shipwrecked and imprisoned – none of that sounds very “light and momentary” to me. Yet that’s how Paul describes what he’s been through, saying the outcome of enduring these things will be an “eternal glory” for him, an outcome which will “outweigh them all”, meaning the hardships he has survived and overcome. This victory will make all the pain and suffering Paul endured worth it. I bet that’s how these Olympic athletes feel when they make the team or when they win a medal and take the podium to stand and receive their reward. James agrees with Paul on this matter. James says –

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

So I can be joyful in painful circumstances because the outcome will be better for me than if I had not encountered and endured pain in this life? I think Peter would attest to the truth of this. How do I know? Well, Peter said this –

” . . . now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

And Peter also said –

“But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13)

So the perk of pain is a good outcome – one that cannot be achieved apart from pain? It would seem to be so. Consider this –

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Romans 8:17)

No suffering – no glory. No pain – no gain. I can expect pain in this life. Jesus told us –

“If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:20) Jesus also warned us –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

I can’t avoid pain in this life BUT – it does have its perks. What I endure, persevere through and overcome now, produces in me those things that my Heavenly Father desires, preparing me for what is to come. I want to be able to say along with Paul these words –

“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Yes, pain has its perks. I am in the race of my life. I am in the race for my life. The pain of it is producing in me perseverance, as James said. Perseverance allows me to endure and eventually to overcome. Then I will receive that “crown of righteousness” Paul talks about. Definitely better than any Olympic gold medal! And we can each receive this prize – it is available to “all who have longed for His appearing.” So –

“let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, . . . Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

fighting the good fight, keeping the faith –

sincerely, Grace Day

living a lie

Posted on by Grace Day

“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

That’s what Jesus told His disciples. But what is truth? And how can we know it? Jesus answers this question saying –

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus further tells us –

“Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) – this referring to God’s Word found in the Bible.

Which makes sense because Jesus is the Living Word – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1 & 14)

There’s that word “truth” again. Truth – what we are told will set us free. Truth – what we search for, what we long for, what we say we want to know. Or do we? Are there times we prefer our lies to the truth?

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

We are so easily deceived. Lies lead us into captivity and eventual death. Truth sets us free and leads to life. The choice is ours to make every day. But we have an enemy actively working to deceive us and to destroy us. Jesus warned us about this, saying this about the devil,

“He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

The battle between truth and lies continues in full force to this day. Satan hates what God loves. God loves us, we who He created in His own image, so naturally satan wants to destroy us by any means necessary. And if satan can get us to believe a lie and destroy ourselves, that just makes his labor to destroy God’s beloved creation that much easier. It started in the garden, when satan succeeded in getting Eve to doubt God’s goodness (the truth) and to believe a lie instead of the truth she already knew. Today the strategy of lies over truth is the same and it is still effective in destroying its victims – us, you and me and the people we love.

One inescapable example currently, is that of the transgender movement and its impact on individuals and on our culture. This ideology begins with a lie, is sustained by lies and ends with its victims living a lie. How does this happen? First, transgenderism starts with a false premise, in other words, with a lie. The lie? – that one is in the wrong body, that there’s been a mistake and we need to correct this mistake as soon as possible. Young impressionable children and mixed-up teenagers searching for their place in this world are particularly vulnerable to this lie, especially if they believe the further lie that – they will be happy and life will be better when they are in the body of whichever sex they are not currently. So if this is a lie, what is the truth? What truth does God’s own word (which is truth) tell us about this issue?

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

What else do we know to be true from God’s own word?

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

and there’s more truth about us, about you and me, about who we are as God’s creation –

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Some translations say “masterpieces” but you get the idea – God doesn’t make mistakes. Each one of us is created in our Heavenly Father’s image. We are perfectly designed and wonderfully made by a loving Creator with His good purposes in mind. Knowing this truth gives each one of us a sense of identity and purpose – we can know Whose we are and where we belong in this world. Unfortunately, if we don’t know this truth, we will believe the lie, any lie put forth that sounds good or reasonable to us at the time.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

And like Eve in the garden, we are deceived by a lie, in this case multiple lies, the alluring lies and false promises of transgenderism. Starting with the assertion (lie) that one is unhappy because they are in the wrong body, the next step is to “correct” the mistake. Here the trans ideology is sustained by multiple lies such as – puberty blockers do no harm, (they do much long term harm) puberty blockers’ effects are reversible, (they are not) life will be better when I become whichever sex I am not currently, (life will still have pain, loss and its share of hardships) transitioning will solve all my problems, be they emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, etc.. (no, it will just create a new set of problems in addition to the problems I already have)

Then transgenderism ends in a lie, the lie of attempting to live as someone you are not – an illusion that has to be sustained and is only sustained by continuous use of hormones not natural for your body, hormones which must be taken for the rest of your life in order to perpetuate the lie. Often, this lie is also sustained by body altering and mutilating surgeries, which then necessitate further plastic surgeries to cover up the damage done. This leads to a lifetime of pretending to be someone you are not – living a lie – instead of living in the freedom and in the fullness of who God created you to be all along.

Ironic right? In the quest to live “their truth” or to be their “authentic selves” those that fall prey to the lies of transgenderism end up creating a false persona through drugs/hormones and through body mutilating surgeries, which remove otherwise healthy body parts. Then this supposedly authentic persona who is in reality living as a fake person, must be meticulously maintained via medical interventions for the rest of their lives. Hard to believe children are becoming life-long patients of medical professionals at such young ages, not to mention sterile and stunted in their growth if the counselors and doctors get the children into “transitioning treatments” early enough.

Transgenderism requires trusting in self, rather than trusting in Creator God. Transgenderism says we will recreate ourselves in our own image, because we know better than God what is best for us. And the end result of this rebellious quest is death – sterilization, no longer able to produce life, no longer able to be fruitful and multiply as God commanded.

Transgenderism starts with a lie and ends with its victims living a lie, rather than being their authentic/true selves. Instead, they are held captive by the very lie they are forced to live – the lie they chose – the lie they created for themselves.

Truth is what can and will set each one free. God is Truth – satan is “the father of lies.” Satan wants to destroy what God has created and loves – us! Lord God, You are our only hope against this false ideology of trans that is destroying so many children body, mind and spirit. We pray for Your Truth to be proclaimed and known and embraced about the goodness and the rightness and the perfection of all You have created, including us – Your children, created in Your image. May Your Truth set us free from the tyranny of the lies of transgenderism.

“We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. It is You who have made us, and not we ourselves.” (Psalm 100:3)

sincerely, Grace Day