How to Discern Truth About People. John 7; Matthew 7:16.

As we were promised in the 1990s, the internet has created an information superhighway. Trouble is, much of that information is unreliable. Some subjects are easy to handle. You can verify scientific and medical facts by tracking down reliable authorities. The same is true for history and other traditional school subjects. 

But other topics do not lend themselves to easy verification. What source can you turn to for the truth about people? How can you determine what to believe about famous celebrities or politicians or preachers accused of some indiscretion? In this age of conspiracy theories, we are assaulted by a cacophony of voices, each louder and angrier than the last, everyone claiming to possess the truth.

“And there was a lot of discussion about Him among the crowds. Some were saying, ‘He’s a good man.’ Others were saying, ‘No, on the contrary, He’s deceiving the people.’ Still nobody was talking publicly about Him because they feared the Jews …

Jesus went up to the temple complex and began to teach. Then the Jews were amazed and said, ‘How does He know the scriptures, since He hasn’t been trained?’ …

Some of the people were saying, ‘Isn’t this the man they want to kill? Yet look! He’s speaking publicly and they’re saying nothing to Him. Can it be that the authorities already know He is the Messiah? [The notion that the authorities are hiding information from the masses would be a classic conspiracy theory today.] But we know where this man is from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where He is from.’ …

However, many from the crowd believed in Him and said, ‘When the Messiah comes, He won’t perform more signs than this man has done, will He?’” John 7:12-31.

What advice would you give first-century friends trying to figure out this Jesus? They could search the scriptures for prophecies about the Messiah. But what if your friends are poorly educated? They may have no choice but to rely on authorities, rabbis and Pharisees who have spent their lives becoming experts on scripture. But scripture can be difficult to interpret, even for the experts.

But Jesus gave us advice on people:

“Stop judging according to outward appearances. Instead, judge according to righteous judgment” John 7:24. That is, don’t judge by the most obvious detail—like Jesus breaking the Sabbath, but judge what is truly right or wrong—like Jesus healing a broken man, no matter the day of the week.

Even better, Jesus said “You will know them by their fruit” Matthew 7:16.

When you are not sure how to judge among people, look at their fruit.

When you must make judgments among people, look at two things: (1) where does righteous judgment point you?, and (2) what fruit does this person bear? 

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Jesus said the end times would be characterized not only by “wars and rumors of wars,” by earthquakes and famines and the beginning of the birth pangs, but by DECEPTION. “Take heed that no one misleads you” Matthew 24:4. I have never seen such a chorus of misleading voices. Between anti-intellectualism, social media, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Fakes, incompetent Influencers, the predatory wellness movement, biased reporting masquerading as journalism, the ignorance of expertise, plagiarism and other factors decimating scholarship and the peer-review process, the rise of false religions, cults, and new age spirituality, I am more inclined to call ours the end times than ever before.

Jesus Has Compassion for You—Even When Your Faith is Weak. John 20:25-27.

When the disciples told Thomas they had seen the Risen Christ, he said, “unless I place my fingers in the holes in His hands and place my hand in His side, I will NOT believe” John 20:25.

Eight long days later, Jesus showed up, and went straight to Thomas:

“Come. Put your finger here and observe my hands, and reach out your hand and put it into my side. Be not unbelieving, but believing,” v.27.

Do you see Jesus’s compassion, and mercy, and patience? He could have been angry or disappointed or disapproving. But He was kind and compassionate. And did Thomas examine the wounds? No. He fell to his knees and cried out, “My Lord and my God!” verse 28.

Jesus offers you the same compassion. He is forgiving and patient with your doubts and unbelief. He wants to help you see and believe. Ask Him for help. Ask Him to show you the truth. Ask Him to strengthen your faith. Ask Him to transform your whole life the way He miraculously changed the lives of every single disciple. At the cross, they were eleven losers with no future. At Pentecost, seven weeks later, God poured out His Spirit and Peter (who so recently denied Christ) preached a sermon that brought 3,000 to faith in Christ, Acts 2:41.

God can do miracles in anyone, even someone with doubt and fear and unbelief. Beg Him to work the same kind of miracle in you.

Pray like the father of the demon-possessed boy in Mark 9:24: Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!

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Secrets of Prayer: Praying With Power. Mark 9:24.

Everyone wants to get results when they pray. To put it another way: we want God to give us what we want! And of course, that can be a selfish thing. If we need rent money, we might pray selfishly or we might pray selflessly, but either way—we really do need the money.  And God knows that. Here are two key points to remember about prayer:

  1. You will never pray “perfectly.” It’s okay if there is some selfishness in your heart. Most of us probably have mixed motives in many of our prayers—we see both selfishness and selflessness in ourselves all balled up in the same moment. And that’s okay. Be honest with God. He understands your struggle to have a pure heart. Mixed motives are normal.
  2. Sometimes God says NO.  And that is true no matter how pure your motives or how selfless your prayers. Prayer is not a spell, an incantation of perfect words perfectly pronounced that magically guarantees the desired result. If you want the power to grant your own wishes, I suggest you forget praying and consider witchcraft. I am kidding, of course. But think about it: there is nothing more selfish than waving a magic wand and casting a spell according to your own will. If you can’t see the selfishness of that kind of power, you have missed the point of faith: As a believer, you are a citizen in a kingdom. Jesus is your King. You are His subject—that is, your will is subject to His. He is the Sovereign and these are His decisions. He will say Yes to some prayer requests and No to others, and it will ALWAYS be this way. SOMETIMES GOD SAYS NO.

Keeping those two ideas in mind, here are four tips to praying with power. I have written on three previously and will add links in the notes.

  1. Pray with the unquestioning faith of a child, Luke 18:17.[1]
  2. Pray with the faith of an adult who understands his or her position of authority in God’s Kingdom, Matthew 8:5-10. I believe this is particularly applicable to parents praying for their children.[2]
  3. Nothing adds power to your prayers like fasting, Matthew 17:21.[3]
  4. Finally, if you lack faith, ASK GOD FOR MORE FAITH, Mark 9:24.

When you need to pray with power, ask God for help! I ask God to show me WHAT to pray nearly every day, particularly when praying for my children. I want His wisdom to guide my prayers.

But what if I know what to pray, but don’t have any faith? Easy! If you lack faith, ask for more!

A father came to Jesus begging the Master to heal his son. He said, “If you can do anything—,” and Jesus questioned his use of the word ‘if.’

“IF you can? All things are possible for him who believes.”

Immediately the father cried out, “Lord, I believe! Please help my unbelief!” And Jesus granted the man’s request, Mark 9:17-27.

When you need more faith, tell Him.  I must have prayed this sentence a thousand times: “Lord, I believe! Please help my unbelief!”

Faith comes from God, correct?

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that faith is a gift from God: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that … is the gift of God….”

If you don’t have enough faith, ASK FOR MORE! 

Quote the scripture to Jesus in your prayer. Say to Him exactly what this father said while begging for his son to be healed:

“LORD, I BELIEVE! PLEASE HELP MY UNBELIEF!” Mark 9:24.

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[1] See the brief discussion of childlike faith here: https://dadsdailydevotionals.com/2024/03/11/agency-adult-like-faith-matthew-85-10/

[2] Id. (The article cited above also explores agency and authority as “adult-like faith.”)

[3] On FASTING: https://dadsdailydevotionals.com/2024/04/03/kick-it-into-high-gear-matthew-1721/

THE PARADOX OF MATURITY. Matthew 18:3-4.

Do you remember the TOTAL FAITH you had as a tiny child? The way you believed in God with the complete trust that only children have? Do you miss that faith? Jesus is calling you back.

There is satisfaction in maturity—in having the experience and wisdom to manage life’s challenges. But there is a risk—and it is a risk that touches college students as well. As we become better at “adulting” we become self-reliant—and with self-reliance comes PRIDE.

To put it another way, as soon as I think I have learned something, I cease to be teachable, and I STOP LEARNING.

But who would do that? I finally begin to master a skill, so I tell myself I am an expert and I stop listening to my teachers? No one would really do that, would they? YES. Everyone does it.

But then we begin to fail, and nothing teaches like failure. Who is the best golfer alive today? Tiger Woods. And he STILL TAKES LESSONS. He has learned the importance of being teachable.

But we read a little Bible, memorize two or three verses, and think we are spiritual giants, right?

And thus, the paradox of maturity: when we think we have learned, we cease to be teachable; when we think we have matured, we cease maturing.

“Unless you are changed and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. But whoever humbles himself like this little child, he will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 18:3-4.

True maturity is being childlike: knowing how much you DON’T know—it is being humble and teachable, realizing you have NOT arrived, you are NOT the expert.

True maturity means approaching scripture—and other Christians—with the humility and teachable nature of a small child.

Can you read God’s word and soak it up like a sponge? Do you still have the TOTAL FAITH that you remember from childhood? If not, why not?

God, help us humble ourselves and be as teachable as little children.

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Tell the Lawyers They Need to Become Like Children. Matthew 18:1-5.

When I was fourteen our youth group went on a mission trip to Wyoming. As teens, we possessed few skills, but we could play with children. I was good at playing. And one child captured my heart, a little girl named “Stormy.”

Everything about the four-year-old was cute, beginning with her name. I played little games with her and marveled at her smile and how teachable she was. She was one of those tiny, wonderful children. She had a sunny disposition and brought joy to everyone. You might say she was humble except ‘humble’ is such a big word to hang on a tiny child, like putting her in her daddy’s shirt and watching it swallow her like a dress.  Stormy’s humility was unconscious; it was simply her natural state.

Imagine the most delightful little boy or girl you have known. Do you have one in mind? Picture them.

Jesus says you need to be more like him or her.

If you want to be a leader, an achiever, a ‘difference-maker,’ then stop trying to emulate the heroes of our world and try to become more like that innocent, delightful child.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them. ‘I assure you,’ He said, ‘Unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me’” Matthew 18:1-5.

Jesus loved children. But why does He encourage us to become like them? Children are small, helpless, unskilled, totally dependent on others, vulnerable to so many dangers, uneducated, and inexperienced. They need parents, guidance, protection, food, shelter, wisdom, and direction.

But the truth is—we adults are just like them: sheep in need of a shepherd. The difference is this: children KNOW they are children. They recognize how helpless and needy they are.

Children KNOW they are unskilled, dependent on their parents, vulnerable to dangers, inexperienced, and in need of guidance, wisdom, and direction.

Do I know that? Do you? Or are we so busy being confident adults who’ve got it all together that we forget we are sheep in need of a shepherd?

Imagine being a lawyer. Highly successful adults, business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders of every stripe come to you and pay you to give them advice about law and business.

How can a lawyer charge hundreds of dollars for his hard-won wisdom, then turn around and “become like a child”? Sounds impossible—but Jesus says you MUST.

Imagine being a doctor. Children, adults, elite athletes, war veterans, and broken-down old folks with chronic illnesses come to you, take off their clothes, and tell you about their bad habits that they keep secret from everyone else, hoping you can help them get better.

How can a doctor spend all day trafficking in the most private, intimate, sometimes sordid details of his patients’ lives, then go home and “become like a child”? Sounds impossible—but Jesus says you MUST.

You must be HUMBLE and TEACHABLE. If you are not, beg God to change you. Otherwise you “will never enter the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 18:3.

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DRY BONES. Romans 10:17; Ezekiel 37.

When you walk through a cattle ranch, dry bones are common—most farmers leave dead cows for the buzzards. Soon bones bleached white are the only thing left.

If you happened across the dried-up, crumbling bones of an elderly bovine, would you command those bones to live? Imagine making such a request: the bones are not even all in one place. By the time they are dried out, the bones have been moved, scattered by critters and weather—you may never find them all. You’ll see a hip bone here, a femur there, a string of ribs, a jointed spine in two or three pieces. Somewhere there’s a skull….

Yet God took Ezekiel to a valley filled with bones and told the prophet to speak to the bones and COMMAND them to live. Then God told him to speak to the breath of life. Ezekiel did both—and a VAST ARMY stood before him.

Could we do the same if we had enough faith? Jesus said, “if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain ‘be moved’ and it will move” Matthew 17:20. So why have I never restored dry bones to life (or literally moved a mountain)?

Because of Romans 10:17:

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

You don’t muster up faith from inside, as though it were self-discipline or persistence. FAITH COMES BY HEARING. Faith comes when you hear God speak.

Ezekiel had the faith to command millions of bones to come to life because Ezekiel heard from God first. The same is true for us: when God speaks to us, He gives us the faith to obey.

FIRST, God tells you what to do, THEN He gives you the faith to make it happen.

Rather than looking inside yourself for faith, LOOK TO GOD. Seek Him, talk to Him, read His word, and tell Him your need. When you are ready, He will speak, giving you direction and the faith to obey Him.

God, teach us to SEEK YOU and LISTEN.

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Do you believe demons can occupy a human soul? Matthew 17:21

When Jesus came to the Gadarene demoniac (a man in Gadarenes who was demon-possessed), He had a conversation with the legion of demons. They begged Jesus to send them into the swine herd nearby—and 2,000 pigs immediately ran off a cliff and drowned.

So not only could a single human soul house 2,000 demons, but animals can also be possessed (at least in this one brief encounter; whether it has happened at any other time, I do not know).

I don’t know all the rules for demons or for spiritual warfare. But I know they are real, and I know how to beat them: by PRAYER and FASTING (See Matthew 17:21).

Another rule is that humans usually “invite” these lying spirits into their lives. How? By their actions: by praying to them, by “channeling,” by all kinds of occult practices, like Ouija boards and palm reading and fortune tellers and psychics, and the kind of yoga and meditation that involves turning your mind “off” and opening it to other spiritual voices. There are many, many ways people invite personalized forces of evil into their lives.

Another big one is drugs and other mind-altering substances. Drugs that open the mind to all sorts of highs and hallucinations also open the mind to demonic powers. That’s one reason many drug users never recover. (The Greek word in the New Testament often translated “sorcery” is “pharmakia” from which our word “pharmacy” is derived, and includes: drugs, spells, potions, and poisons. When you hear of a witches’ brew, you should think of today’s illicit drugs.)

So if demons really can possess someone, why haven’t you ever seen it? There may be three reasons:

1) In the USA, the demonic forces stay powerful by staying hidden (their greatest power is that most people do not believe they exist);

2) Demons do not reveal themselves all the time. A demon-possessed person will seem normal most of the time, and demons will only appear when the demon is most active, such as causing the “host” person to engage in evil, or when a Christian confronts the person about Jesus and the demon becomes uncomfortable enough to reveal himself and try to scare away the Christian;

3) Finally, Americans with the most obvious cases of demon possession always end up locked away in mental hospitals, unseen and forgotten by the world.

My point?

Don’t assume demon-possession is not real just because you have not seen it. Demons are real and they will destroy you if given the chance.

You are in a spiritual battle. You will win by prayer and fasting and by taking on the full armor of God, Ephesians 6:11-18.

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Kick it Into High Gear. Matthew 17:21.

Vehicles move faster as you switch to higher gears. First gear is slow, but strong enough to tow you up a mountain. Second is a little faster, third faster still, and so on. If you need to go faster, you move to a higher gear.

But you know what vehicle has a really high gear? Han Solo’s Millenium Falcon in STAR WARS.  Each time Han Solo and Chewbacca are in peril, speeding through space at top speed, they push the hyperdrive button and the vehicle suddenly leaps forward to light speed. I’ll never forget when I was a little boy watching through the cockpit windows and seeing all the stars slide into a blur like white skid marks on the black velvet of space. Talk about kicking it into high gear. Hyperdrive saves the day!

After watching STAR WARS, I would go home and ride bikes and run races and do all the things kids do, and I did them all as fast as I could. But if I were losing a bike race, I needed a higher gear. If I were running a touchdown and someone was gaining on me, I needed a hyperdrive button. How could I kick things into high gear? The physical life has limitations that are difficult to overcome.

What about your spiritual life? Is there a higher gear? Is there a hyperdrive button you can press when you need to outrun Darth Vader? Yes.

When the disciples encountered a demon-possessed man, they were unable to heal him. After Jesus easily cast out the demon, the disciples asked why they were so limited. First, Jesus mentioned their lack of faith. “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed … nothing will be impossible for you” Matthew 17:20.  But then Jesus added something else, almost as an after-thought: “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting” Matthew 17:21.

I think the disciples were praying men. We all pray. But what about FASTING? Jesus walked right up and cast out this demon. There was no time to stop and spend a day or two fasting. Jesus must have been fasting regularly. We know He fasted for forty days to begin His ministry. But perhaps He was fasting often, knowing it to be a powerful part of a deep spiritual life.

Jesus said that there are some problems that can only be solved BY FASTING.

You might look at this statement as putting limits on your spiritual power: you won’t have power unless you fast. Don’t look at it that way—after all, you probably already believe there are limits on your spiritual power. (Who among us expects to work miracles regularly?)

Instead, this statement is not negative, but positive: when you face something critical, there is a higher gear.

There is a hyperdrive button: FASTING. I don’t fast often. I don’t expect you to fast often. But keep that tool in your tool box.

Never forget: when you face life’s toughest challenges, fasting can kick your spiritual life into high gear.

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Deny Himself. Mark 8:34.

A woman once brought her little boy to Robert E. Lee. She asked the West Point graduate and Civil War general to bless her son. He gave an interesting answer:

“Teach him that he must deny himself.”

Did anyone teach you to deny yourself? When did you last tell yourself No? When was the last time you denied yourself?

Do you agree with Lee? Is self-denial important? It is an essential part of leadership, because self-denial builds the character and integrity that inspires others to follow you. But self-denial is also critical to those who are not in obvious leadership roles. In other words, it is not only generals who must deny themselves, but privates. Centurions should deny themselves, but so should the one hundred men in their charge.

Most Americans do not deny themselves. We indulge. We eat too much, sleep too late, drive too fast, work too little, watch too much TV or sports, scroll too much, read too little, and serve others almost never.

Most people never master self-denial, and as a result, most people never achieve big goals or accomplish great things. Most people take the path of least resistance, choose the most comfortable life possible, and life rewards them with mediocrity.

But what did Jesus say?

“If anyone wants to be My disciple, he must DENY HIMSELF, take up his cross, and follow Me” Mark 8:34.

What does self-denial look like for a Christ-follower? What do you think Jesus is really talking about, in practical terms? First, notice Jesus connected self-denial with the cross: deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. That’s extreme: this is a call to the death of all our self-centeredness, the death of our selfishness, the death of putting our own desires first.

Jesus calls us to turn our backs on our own desires and follow Him. Place your wishes, your future, your plans on the altar. Not only your big plan for your life, but your small plan for today. Give Jesus your small plans and big plans. Because every little decision leads to the next, each day’s choices create your life. Deny yourself a few minutes more sleep and spend time reading the Bible. Deny yourself food and other habits that are bad for your health. Deny yourself that grudge and choose to forgive. Deny yourself the “self-care” you were hoping for and handle your job, your children, your bills, your responsibilities.  Deny yourself.

“When Jesus Christ calls a man, He bids him: Come and die.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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YOUR BEST LIFE NOW? Matthew 16:24-26.

Crucifixion was common. In 4 B.C., the Roman General Varus crucified 2,000 Jews in Palestine, the first of many mass crucifixions. The Romans perfected crucifixion, including the whippings, beatings, and placement of the body on the cross. The hands were nailed through a wrist bone, and one skeleton has been found with a wooden board on either side of the hand acting as a washer so the nail would not rip loose. Archaeologists have found evidence the feet were nailed with the heels on either side of the cross, nails driven through ankle bones.

Because victims were naked and nailed up like a bug pinned in a display case, crucifixion was a shameful way to die. Rome reserved this ignoble death for enemies of the state: rebels, revolutionaries, terrorists. Jesus was accused of no such thing.

Finally, Rome forced the victim to carry the cross beam, often by tying it across his shoulders. This was such a common sight, Jesus spoke of it long before it happened to Him:

“If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever is willing to lose his life because of Me will save it. For what good is it if a man gains the whole world, yet loses his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26.

What does Jesus mean when He says take up a cross? It sounds a bit … unpleasant. A CROSS? Didn’t Joel Osteen write a book promising, YOUR BEST LIFE NOW?

On the other hand, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who stood up to Hitler, said: “When Jesus Christ calls a man, He bids him ‘COME and DIE.’”

You may never face death for Jesus. But will you die to your own wishes? Die to your selfishness? Crucify your wrong desires? Lay wrong beliefs on the altar? Surrender control of your own future? Can you give Jesus EVERYTHING?

Because that is what He requires.

Pray with me: God, show us areas we need to surrender to you.

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