Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 28

Tell Your Children and Grandchildren About Yahweh, That One Day They May Remind You

One of the things I love most about our ministry is that our staff take the time to minister and talk to people who contact us. One of our EPM staff, Amy Schafer, shared about a wonderful conversation she had with a customer who called to order Heaven booklets:

She has one booklet already that she was able to read daily to her mother who had Alzheimer’s, and it was such a comfort and always brought peace to her mom (and her). In her mother’s last days, she couldn’t speak much, but as she listened to her daughter read the Heaven booklet, she managed to ask how she knew she would go to Heaven. Her daughter was able to share her mom’s testimony back to her—as she couldn’t remember. And what a beautiful and peace filled time it was. She wants to have many booklets to give to people, so they too can experience the peace it brought to their lives.

That is so powerful: a woman with dementia, asking how she could know she’s going to Heaven, and her daughter recounting to her mom the mom’s own testimony. It’s like being witnessed to by yourself, based on what you have told your children. The lesson might be: tell your children and grandchildren what God has done for you, and not only will it make a difference for them, one day when your mind is frail, it might come back to you from them, and make a difference for you! 

“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise Yahweh” (Psalm 102:18). And perhaps one day your children will speak back to you what you have written and spoken and lived. Then a people at the end of their lives who loved God, but do not remember, may praise Yahweh along with those they poured life and love into who DO remember and will testify to what the elderly have forgotten. 

Psalm 71:18 says, “Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”  With the added thought from this mother and daughter’s story: “Yahweh, let me proclaim You to them, that one day they may proclaim You to me.”  

Let me finish by quoting a dear friend, Robin, who wrote the following about her mother after reading the story I just shared. This is just beautiful:

With my mother on hospice care, nearing her one hundredth birthday, I can attest to the truth of that. She has five children, and we all often recall to her the story of her salvation, and the difference it made in her life and our lives. We sing her the songs she has loved best over the years, and read scriptures that she loves, and she nods along with us in agreement. 

One of her favorite songs is “He Giveth More Grace.” Another one is “God Leads His Dear Children Along.” 

One day a few months ago, mom said she was feeling discouraged, and when I asked her why, she said she wasn’t doing anything, just taking up space. I asked her if she had ever seen a page in a book with all the words on it. She said, of course. I told her that between every word on the page is a space. It’s not doing anything; it’s just taking up space. But without that, the entire page would make no sense. I said she was here in the world because God knew the world would make more sense with her in it. When He was done with her, He would take her home to glory, but until then, she has a real purpose. That thought just thrilled her.

“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old” (Proverbs 23:22).

“‘You shall rise up before the gray-haired and honor the aged, and you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh’” (Leviticus 19:32, LSB).

Photo: Unsplash

No Adverse Circumstance Changes the Nature and Worth of an Unborn Child

In addressing the issue of abortion in the case of rape in my prolife books, I pose a series of questions to readers:

What if you found that your spouse or adopted child was fathered by a rapist? Would it change your view of their worth? Would you love them any less? If not, why should we view the innocent unborn child any differently?

Rape is so horrible that we easily transfer our horror to the wrong object. We must not impose the ugliness of rape or incest upon either the innocent woman or the innocent child. The woman is not “spoiled goods”—she is not goods at all, but a precious human being with value and dignity that not even the vilest act can take from her. Likewise, the child is not a cancer to be removed, but a living human being. By all means, let’s punish the rapist. (I favor stricter punishment of the rapist than do the prochoice advocates I know.) But let’s not punish the wrong person by inflicting upon the innocent child our rage against the rapist.

The hard cases are also sometimes called the exceptional cases. But the fundamental question remains, “Is there any exception to the fact that a preborn child is a human being?” 

The point is not how a child was conceived but that he was conceived. He is not a despicable “product of rape.” He is a unique and wonderful creation of God. No adverse circumstance for one human being changes the nature and worth of another human being.

This is a wonderful video about a man, Steventhen Holland, who was adopted at birth, and later discovered the tragic yet beautiful circumstances surrounding his conception and birth:

Photo: Unsplash

This Year, Let’s Look for and Remember What God Has Done

Note from Randy: My thanks to reader Carole Wildes for sharing her great article, full of Scripture and encouragement to remember God’s faithfulness. We need eyes to see His goodness around us: in faithful people, food, dogs and sunsets, sports and the arts, and the very air we breathe. All that’s good comes from God, for He is the source of all good things. Even in the hard times, may we give thanks that He is preparing a place for us of eternal goodness that will unmistakably shout His greatness and kindness for all to see.

As we begin this year, I have a question for you: what do you think about when you think of the past year?

Does your mind go to the good moments? Or straight to the bad ones? Are you glad last year is over, ready for the hope of a new one? Are you thinking maybe this year will be a good one, finally, after these last few rough ones? Or do you know something tough is coming up?

Wherever you find yourself, whether dragging your feet or excited about the months ahead, I’d like to encourage you. God has good planned for you, even in the bad things. 

I’ll say that again, to help it sink in: God has good planned for you, even in the bad things.

The good is easy to see sometimes—sometimes the good looks like what we want it to. Sometimes it matches up with our expectations of “good.” Sometimes it looks like new babies and healthy loved ones and fun vacations and good jobs and loving friends and generally enjoyable moments. 

But sometimes the good doesn’t look so good. Sometimes we can’t even tell where the good is. Sometimes the good is hidden (and hidden really well) among a whole lot of bad. Sometimes the good is camouflaged by loss and pain and sadness and longing and sickness and fear. Sometimes it seems there’s no good to be found at all.

But God.

God is always good, even when things in our lives aren’t. And God is always near to those who call on Him in truth, good to those who wait for Him, and working for the good of those who love Him and belong to Him through faith in Jesus. 

The LORD is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.

Psalm 145:18

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
to the soul who seeks Him.

Lamentations 3:25

Even when the circumstances of our lives are not good, we can always find good because God is with us. God is at work. And God has promised to bring good out of ALL the things for those who are His. 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for
good to those who love God, to those who are called according
to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

We often struggle now, but we know that the here and now is not the end. This is not all there is. God has told us what He has in store for us, and it’s wonderful beyond words. No more pain or sorrow or trouble. Just beauty and joy and love and peace.

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man,
and He will dwell with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them as their God.
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’
and there will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:3b-4

So even in the middle of our suffering, we can have hope—a sure hope, based on the trustworthiness of God Himself—hope of goodness to come, both through and after the things we’re enduring now. Such a beautiful comfort to have that hope to carry us through the hard, hard things of this life.

As you look back on the past year, and as you look forward to what’s ahead, make sure you look through the lenses of Truth—the lenses of what we know of God and His goodness and His provision and His care, the lenses of Scripture. 

Good may not always look the way we want it to…but One Day, it will. 
Good may be surrounded by awful, hard, terrible things…but One Day, ALL will be made right.
Good may be hard to find…but it’s always there, because God is always there, and He is trustworthy. His promises are true.

I’ve made a simple one-page calendar to help us notice and mark and remember what God has done in the coming year (and one for last year is below). I hope you’ll download it, print it, tuck it in your Bible, and use it to jot down things God has done and will do in your life and in the lives of your loved ones. It’s so easy for us to forget—to focus on the hard things, to neglect to see God’s provision and strength and truth and goodness and beauty because our attention is on the things we don’t want. But God tells us to fix our eyes, our thoughts, our hearts on the good—and on Him. 

See What God Has Done Calendar 2024

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 gives us instruction on where to focus our attention. The true. The honorable. The just. The pure. The lovely. The commendable. The excellent. The praiseworthy. And note this: when it seems there is no good to fix our eyes on, Jesus Himself fulfills everything in this verse. So we always have something—Someone—good to focus on.

Whether you print out the calendar or not, I encourage you to take some time to think about the past year through the filter of Truth. Here are some questions to help you focus on what God has done:

What joyful blessings did God shower on you?
What difficult things did He bring you through? Or what difficult things is He currently bringing you through?
In what ways did God provide for you?
In what ways do you see God’s nearness and care as you look back?
In what ways did God grow you?
In what ways did God answer your prayers?
What did God teach you? How?

And as we go forward into the months ahead, I encourage us all to set a goal of noticing, writing down, and remembering what God does in our lives—and sharing that encouragement with others. As we practice this, we will be training ourselves and helping others to watch for and lean into God’s goodness, His provision, His care. He is always near, and He is always good.

In the coming year and always, 

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

And may this calendar help you to regularly declare:

Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

Psalm 66:5, 16

Photo: Unsplash

We Are Called to Persevere and Finish Well, to God’s Glory

Charles Spurgeon said, “By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.” This beautiful art illustrating Spurgeon’s words was created by Eden Kell, 15-year-old daughter of author and pastor Garrett Kell:

I’ve been following Garrett’s updates on Eden on her CaringBridge page. Precious Eden suffered a serious and unexplained seizure in December and has been in the PICU. It has been, and continues to be, a long haul for the Kell family. Please join me in praying for them and for Eden’s recovery. (You might also like to read Garrett’s wonderful testimony in a past blog.)

Reading that Spurgeon quote reminded me of what I shared several years ago about perseverance and endurance at a Desiring God conference:

Paul prayed that Christians might be “strengthened with all power according to [God’s] glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1:11–12).

We’re called to a life of endurance empowered by Christ, and accompanied by joyful thanksgiving. Endurance requires patience, because reward for today’s right choices will come, but it may be months or years from now, or not until we leave this world. Those who drum their fingers waiting for the microwave to finish demonstrate that patient endurance doesn’t come naturally.

Paul challenged his disciple, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). Soldiers expect hardship and are trained to face it. As comrades locking arms in the service of our Commander, Christ’s humble warriors are to live out, on enemy-occupied territory, what Eugene Peterson called “a long obedience in the same direction.”

Today’s roadblocks and distractions make endurance in the Christian life seem unattainable. Our temptations aren’t worse than those in first-century Corinth. But televisions, computers, and cell phones bring into our homes what used to be found only in back alleys. In our technological Corinth, temptations are only a keypad or mouse click or finger press away.

Failure to endure—in marriage, jobs, church, or any part of life—has become normal. A consistent long-term obedience, without periodic diversions into sin and unfruitfulness, seems an impossible dream. Sin has become so common, so expected, that holy believers are either elevated as heroes or dismissed as legalists.

In our disposable society, we use something up, then toss it (whether a paper plate, a spouse, a church, or a career). The stick-to-it philosophy is a relic of another age—something monks once did, but we can’t. And why should we? Who wants to work hard or become bored by staying a course when endless alternatives call to us?

But the essence of the Christian life cannot change with culture. Paul’s words to the Colossians and Timothy are words to us. We should not shrink from hardship. We should endure it with patience and thanksgiving. We are to follow Christ from start to finish, repenting quickly of our sins and moving forward in deeper devotion. Yes, there will be dry times, but overall, the arc of spiritual growth will steadily rise higher, not trail off so our lives end in a wasted whimper.

Endurance is Christ’s call to follow Him, to finish strong for God’s glory. There is no higher calling, no bigger privilege, no greater joy.

Here’s the full video of that message:

Photo: Pexels

Standing Up for the Unborn Is Part of Fulfilling the Great Commission

Over the years I’ve frequently been told that life issues are not what the church of Jesus Christ is to be about. A seminary student at my church once told me something I’ve often heard in one form or another: “Issues like abor­tion are just a distraction from the main thing.”

“What’s the main thing?” I asked.

“The Great Commission,” he said. “Winning  people to Christ. That’s what we’re supposed to do. Everything else is a distraction.”

What that seminary student failed to understand is that nothing opens doors for evangelism like need-meeting ministries. Students who do a speech on abortion have follow-up conversations that can lead to sharing the gospel. Those who work at pregnancy centers have great opportunities to share Christ, as do those who pass out literature at abortion clinics and go on campuses to educate about abortion. People who open their homes to pregnant women demonstrate a love which leads to sharing the gospel. Whenever we meet people’s needs, evangelism becomes both natural and credible. (I develop these thoughts in Life Issues: Distraction from the Great Commission or Part of It?)

This topic was also the subject of a teaching session I recorded for the Global Prolife Congress put on by LIFE International, a wonderful ministry that has equipped over 15,000 international pastors to launch life-affirming ministries in their countries. The goal of this gathering was to advance the gospel and the message of life throughout the world.

A friend of our ministry, who lives in Eastern Europe and attended the conference in Malta, writes, “We met people from 108 countries with 47 more countries participating on-line. …the fellowship and the things we learned, the way God spoke to us as a part of that amazing gathering of His people, is what is most priceless.”

In this clip from my message, I explain that to be pro-life should certainly mean more than being concerned for unborn babies, but it should never mean less than that:

Here’s the full message, about how our efforts to protect the most vulnerable—the unborn—ARE part of fulfilling the Great Commission:

January 21 is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, a time for believers to remember and pray for prolife ministries and victimized mothers and babies. I encourage you to download (without cost) my short book Pro-Choice or Pro-Life: Examining 15 Pro-Choice Claims—What Do Facts & Common Sense Tell Us?  It will equip you in your conversations and also is a great book to share with those who are pro-choice or are on the fence. The book is also available in print from our ministry for an affordable price. 

Photo: Unsplash

What Does God Think About Money?

If I had any doubts about whether people are genuinely interested in learning about and applying God’s perspective on finances, they ended late in 2001 when my little book The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving was published. It immediately went through eight printings and sold more than 200,000 copies within ten months. Amazed observers asked, “Are people really that interested in giving?”

The answer is yes.

The Treasure Principle addresses only one aspect of stewardship, but we desperately need to see the full biblical picture to inform and correct our faulty view of the world. The positive response to my book Money, Possessions, and Eternity, which presents a comprehensive treatment of Christian stewardship and was first published in 1989, has also been a great encouragement. I have received countless letters and emails telling me how people have been liberated to a new joy in their Christian lives.

A reader wrote on Facebook, “Read this book years ago! There are a handful of books in our lives that we can say are life changing. For me the Bible is #1…and this book would be #2. Your book Heaven is probably #3. Thank you for your ministry!”

One man told me that the book helped him choose to move from his position as CEO of a major company to work in a missions organization. Another man told me he has given millions of dollars to God’s kingdom as a result of God speaking to him through the book. Pastors have written to say how their lives and their churches have been changed. This is a tribute not to my insight, but to the power of the Scriptures to change our perspective. (And years later, my book Managing God’s Money was released, which is a simplified and abridged version of Money, Possessions, and Eternity)

A Biblical Education on Money Matters

Some churches use one of my books on stewardship for group study. Others use them to train new church members. However, despite the availability of excellent stewardship study materials—including publications from Crown Financial Ministries—only 10 percent of churches have active programs that teach biblical financial and stewardship principles. Only 15 percent of pastors say they have been equipped by their denomination or seminary to teach biblical financial principles. Only 2–4 percent of seminaries offer courses, seminars, or Bible studies to teach stewardship principles, and only 1–2 percent of Christian colleges offer such training.

It’s remarkable that something so central to the teaching of Scripture—money is referenced at least 800 times—is so neglected by schools dedicated to teaching the Scriptures and preparing students to train others. I wrote Money, Possessions, and Eternity for just that reason; to help close the gap between Scripture’s teaching about money and our education about money.

 I’ve learned a great deal more since writing the original edition and its revised and updated version. But what’s most important hasn’t changed at all—God and His Word, which have a power and authority far beyond my own. I cite Scripture often throughout the book, so that even if my opinions are incorrect, readers can draw their own conclusions from the truth itself. I cannot be certain of all my insights, but I am absolutely certain of God’s.

Where Rubber Meets the Road

When I wrote the original edition of Money, Possessions, and Eternity, I was a local church pastor. I knew that this subject matter had gripped me and changed my family’s life–but I had no idea what would happen less than a year after the book came out. Our family’s belief in the truths presented in the book was tested in ways we never could have predicted. Through trials requiring every ounce of faith, we found those truths about God and His provision to be rock-solid.

I pray your heart will be touched and your life forever changed, as mine has been, through studying and applying Scripture’s exciting perspectives on money, possessions, and eternity.

A.W. Tozer wrote, “The man of pseudo faith will fight for his verbal creed but refuse flatly to allow himself to get into a predicament where his future must depend upon that creed being true. He always provides himself with secondary ways of escape so he will have a way out if the roof caves in. What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day.”

Books on giving and stewardship trespass on enemy territory. They invade the turf of a powerful adversary, attempting to cross a war zone laced with mines. In writing them I sought to recover strategic territory that rightly belongs to our true King.

Satan is the Lord of Materialism. “Mammon” is but an alias of the Prince of Darkness, who has a vested interest in whether or not we understand and obey Christ’s commands concerning money and possessions. The Enemy will not give ground without a fight.

Our use of money and possessions is a decisive statement of our eternal values. What we do with our money loudly affirms which kingdom we belong to. Whenever we give of our resources to further God’s kingdom, we cast a ballot for Christ and against Satan, for Heaven and against Hell. Whenever we use our resources selfishly and indifferently, we further Satan’s goals.

Don’t Believe the Lie

The key to a right use of money and possessions is a right perspective—an eternal perspective. Each of our lives is positioned like a bow, drawn across the strings of a cosmic violin, producing vibrations that resound for all eternity. The slightest action of the bow produces a sound which is never lost. My choices today have a tremendous bearing on eternity. Indeed, it is the stuff of which eternity is made.

The game becomes only more serious as the stakes are raised—or when we begin to realize how high the stakes already are. Far too many evangelical Christians have succumbed to the heresy that this present life may be lived disobediently without serious effects on their eternal state. Never have so many Christians believed the lie that their money and possessions are theirs to do with as they please. Never have so many thought that as long as they affirm with their lips a certain doctrinal statement, they may live their lives indifferent to human need and divine command, and all will turn out well in the end.

God’s Word is grain; our word is straw. His Word is the fire that consumes and the hammer that breaks (see Jeremiah 23:28-29). Judge what I’ve written, not in the light of prevailing opinion, but in the light of God’s Word. A. W. Tozer said, “Listen to no man who has not listened to God.” To the degree that my words do not match up to Scripture, they are worthless. To the degree that they stand up under the scrutiny of God’s Word, they should be taken seriously.

The best way to check our heart’s attitude regarding material possessions is to allow all the principles of God’s Word to penetrate our innermost being. “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Photo: Unsplash

We Need Leaders Calling the Church to Faithfulness out of Love, Not Resentment Disguised as Courage

Note from Randy:  Last year I endorsed Daniel Darling’s book Agents of Grace: How to Bridge Divides and Love as Jesus Loved. He’s a good brother with a good heart and a good mind, and I appreciated these thoughts he recently shared online.

I certainly believe there is a time and place for constructive criticism of the church. Evangelicalism as a sub-culture is riddled with any number of failings. We should welcome and take seriously constructive criticism, and make changes where appropriate. (Twelve years ago, I wrote a blog on Does the Word Evangelical Mean Anything Anymore? And I’ve written on the doctrinal crisis facing the church. I’ve also addressed issues in the church related to abortion, giving, and our views of Heaven.)

However, as Dan points out, there’s much criticism online that is actually rooted in bitterness rather than seeking to build up the church. (People who are critical often fall into referring to church members as “they.” But where is the “we”?)

May Dan’s words remind us to heed 1 Corinthians 16:14 (“Let all that you do be done in love”) and Romans 14:19 (“So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.”)

In the last few years, there have been quite a few polemics published that slam evangelicalism. Some have had good but hard words we need to hear. But most suffer from the same problems which make their attempt at being prophetic fall on deaf ears:

1) Self righteousness. Almost always the writer is convinced of his/her own moral rectitude and the depravity of everyone else. He/She has perfectly nailed the proper approach to, say, politics, while everyone else is wrong. Zero humility.

2) Resentment. This is often barely disguised. There’s an offense that hasn’t been healed from, a hurt that is still festering. And rather than work on forgiveness (always possible) and reconciliation (not always possible), the author chooses to vomit on the page.

3) Sensationalism. There is a tabloid aspect to most anti-evangelical jeremiads that bears little resemblance to actual prophetic words. It’s a desire to destroy rather than build, to titillate rather than edify. When Paul instructed Timothy to rebuke the church he said, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

4) Lack of Understanding. Almost always, the anti-evangelical screeds fail to empathize with the target’s perspective. This is particularly true with criticism of conservatives and the culture. Often the author shrugs at the massive, destructive shifts on gender and sexuality taking place or shrugs at policies like abortion on demand as if opposing those things is born out of malice. There are biblical and unbiblical ways to engage these issues but often the entire project is seen as frivolous.

5) Chronological snobbery. Almost always these jeremiads suffer from an elitist view that everything our parents did was wrong and that we will be the generation that “finally gets it.” This is just a lack of humility. Some of these books even shame actual parents for their voting patterns or attempt to disciple their children. I find this distasteful. We may differ at times in approach from our parents but it’s wrong to fail to love and appreciate their sacrifices.

6) Little effort at unity. I think we need prophetic words in our day. We need people willing to call the church away from sin. But we should always do it out of love. Out of believing the best of our brothers and sisters. Not for the entertainment of media outlets.

7) Lastly, and this is the least concern, but it is true. Most of these anti-evangelical jeremiads are just formulaic and boilerplate. Same ahistorical arguments I’ve heard my entire adult life. Same resentments. Same cynicism.

To sum this up: we desperately need prophets. We desperately need spirit-filled leaders to call the church to holiness and faithfulness. What we don’t need more of is resentment disguised as courage.

Photo: Unsplash

Should Our Faith Be More Easily Perceived by What We Do Than What We Believe?

A friend asked me,

This was in my Bible study: “‘Christianity’ is more easily perceived by what you do than what you believe.” It really made me think. What are your thoughts on this statement? I’ve been studying Paul’s life, and was reading in Acts 23-24. It was diving deeper into “The Way” that is used in chapter 24 to describe Christianity.

That’s a great question. I said decades ago in one of my first books (back in the 80s!) that while our children will sometimes fail to do what we say, they will seldom fail to do what we do. That’s the power of example, both good and bad.

On the one hand, what God says is true, whether or not we live consistently with it. An ungodly person, even an unbeliever, can share the gospel message, and someone can be genuinely saved by believing it even if the person who spoke it was living in disobedience.

On the other hand, a man who calls people to live pure lives while living in immorality is not only a hypocrite, but those around him will find his words hard to believe despite the fact they are true.

First, we need to profess what is right and true, and second, we need to live consistently with what we profess. “Only let us live up to what we have already attained” (Philippians 3:16). A person who by God’s common grace lives a good life cannot compensate for the fact that he does not believe in God. Placing our trust in God is essential to salvation, as Romans 10:9–10 demonstrates. That passage says we are to both confess Jesus with our mouth (which is an action), and we are to believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead (which is faith or trust).

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person” (1 John 2:3-4). No matter what a person professes, he must live an obedient, Spirit-empowered life to effectively point people toward Jesus. This doesn’t mean everyone will automatically like us for representing Christ. Someone can live an authentic life honoring Christ, and it can be highly offensive to unbelievers. We’re told in 2 Corinthians 2:16-17, “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” We just want to make sure we are offending people for the right reasons, not the wrong ones!

So yes, true Christianity is often more easily perceived by what you do than what you believe. On the other hand, true and authentic belief should always come out in our actions. However, those with discernment will understand that a claim may be true, even when a person sharing it fails to live consistently with their own words.

James 2 is powerful here:

16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless.

21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

We are saved by true faith in God alone, as Ephesians 2:8–9 emphatically states, and so does Titus 3:5. There’s no righteous work we can do to become saved. It only requires belief or trust. But if belief and trust are authentic, they will be demonstrated in our actions. Hence, there is no contradiction between the words of Paul and James. They both believe in faith, and they both believe in works that demonstrate that faith. They just say it in different ways, both of which we need to hear.

This is a good article on faith/beliefs and works/actions and how both are necessary and should be interrelated.

I was glad to hear my friend is studying Paul’s life in the book of Acts. I have a graphic novel, called The Apostle. It’s Scripture based, but I also imagine (and the artist envisions) what Paul’s life looked like.

Finally, here’s an excellent article on “the Way.”

Photo: Unsplash

Start Giving Before You Inherit

Millennials may inherit over $68 trillion from previous generations by 2030. According to Newsweek, some experts believe this “could be the largest transfer of wealth in the history of humankind.”

What will younger generations do with that wealth?

Studies show the younger someone is, the less he or she tends to give financially. Not just less in amount, but less in proportion. According to Barna Group, “Only 13 percent of Millennials and even fewer Gen Z (6%) give money on a frequent basis.” In “The Generosity Gap,” Barna reported that 7 percent of those who are 70 or older give 10 percent or more of their income to their churches, but only 1 percent of millennials say they do so. Only 21 percent of all believers give 10 percent or more of their income to their local churches, while 25 percent give nothing.

Without a vision for giving as investing in eternity—and a sense that God’s purpose for prospering us is so we can help the church, aid the poor, and reach the lost—inheriting such wealth could be a curse rather than a blessing.

Dangerous Inheritance

Scripture says that “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Prov. 13:22). In Old Testament times, passing on ownership of the land to the next generation was vital. Many people lived at a subsistence level, too poor to buy land. With no inheritance, they would likely end up enslaved or unable to care for their children, parents, or grandparents.

In the Western World today, however, things are very different. There are exceptions, but inheritances are usually windfalls coming to people who live separately from their parents, have their own careers, and are financially independent. They have dependable sources of income generated by their own work, skills, saving, and investing. In many cases by their forties or fifties, they will have a higher net worth than their parents do.

In a society with such affluence and opportunity, I’ve advocated that, in most cases, Christian parents should seriously consider leaving the bulk of their estate to churches, parachurch ministries, missions, and other kingdom purposes, leaving a relatively small portion to their children.

If your parents are among those who’ve decided to give away most of their wealth rather than pass it on to you and your siblings, I encourage you to rejoice. Honor their choice and support them in it. Having grown up in an unbelieving family, I would’ve loved for my parents to have had such a kingdom vision. 

If your parents do leave you with the majority of their wealth, ask God what He wants you to do with it. Understand it doesn’t truly belong to you and that many lives and marriages have been ruined by an infusion of unearned wealth. Yes, an inheritance can be a blessing. But that isn’t all God tells us. He also says, “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end” (Prov. 20:21). Jesus knew our tendency to live in denial about the dangers of money love, so He sounded this alarm: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15, NIV).

When I was a missions pastor, I worked with a couple who finished their missionary training and were soon headed to the field. Unexpectedly, the wife inherited significant wealth. The couple was excited, thinking they could now become self-supported missionaries. When they asked my advice, I encouraged them that they needed the accountability and prayer support of having financial partners. We talked about how they could give away the majority of the inheritance, thanking God for the opportunity to invest in eternity. This would allow them to trust God to provide, as missionaries normally do, and move forward undistracted.

In the end, they kept most of the money, and what happened next broke my wife’s and my hearts. Over the next few years, their marriage, family and ministry plans fell apart. Sadly they never recovered. Obviously, the money wasn’t the only problem, but it certainly had a significant negative effect. What seemed like a blessing—what we believe could have been a blessing if they’d given most of it away—proved to be a curse.

Speaking of God’s kind provision of wealth, Paul says “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11). In other words, God provides more money to us not simply to increase our standard of living, but to increase our standard of giving.

Give Today

When it comes to money and possessions, we tend to compare upward, not downward. But even if we’re lower-middle class in America, the truth is we’re in the upper 98th percentile of the world’s wealthy. Whether we’re set to receive an inheritance or not, most of us are already rich by global standards. So instead of starting to make purchases based on money you think you’ll inherit, start giving now as good stewards of what God supplies.

The key to such giving—and to avoiding greed, pride, and possessiveness—is recognizing God’s ownership of everything: “Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it” (Deut.10:14). If our possessions and money ultimately belong to us, no one has the right to tell us what to do with them. Until we truly grasp that God is the owner and we’re merely stewards of His assets, we won’t be generous givers. But once we embrace God’s ownership of everything, it’s a small step to ask Him what He wants us to do with His money and possessions.

When God prospers us, it’s not merely to give us new toys and more beautiful homes but to allow us to give still more: “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way” (2 Cor. 9:11). God’s extra provision isn’t usually intended to raise our standard of living but to raise our standard of giving. 

It’s human nature to imagine that spending on ourselves will make us happiest. But Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). In that verse, the Greek word makarios (translated “blessed”) really means “happy” or “happy-making.” If giving wasn’t an act of love, if it didn’t help others, and even if God didn’t tell us to do it, it’d still be in our best interests. Because generosity leads to joy.

Jesus told His disciples that when they gave money away, their hearts would follow the treasures they were storing in heaven (Matt. 6:19–21). He said God would reward them for helping the needy (Luke 14:14). We’re forever connected to what we give and the people we give it to. As Martin Luther said, “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”

Greater Reward

Our role in Christ’s kingdom isn’t only as a son or daughter of the King but also as an investor, an asset manager, and an eternal beneficiary. The command to store up treasures in heaven proves giving isn’t simply parting with wealth—it’s transferring wealth to another location where it can never be lost. Giving to God’s kingdom is the most dependable and profitable investment ever. When you give, don’t think of it as divesting but investing.

Peter speaks of an inheritance God has awaiting us after death that includes both our salvation and the eternal treasures we store up through generous giving: “He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away” (1 Pet. 1:4, GNT). God promises our wise stewardship and generous giving will pay off, with joy now and rewards in the future.

May we always remember that God—not real estate or wealth—is our true inheritance. May we live and give accordingly so that what we inherit doesn’t become for us a curse but a true blessing from God’s hand.

See more resources on money and giving, as well as Randy's related books, including  Managing God's Money  and  Giving Is the Good Life .

Photo: Pexels

Good New Year Resolves Begin and End with God

Note from Randy: Today is the first day of 2024. What better time to stop and evaluate our choices and the direction we’re headed than at the start of a new year? I hope these reflections from Marshall Segal, staff writer for Desiring God, inspire you to pray for greater faith and love in the year ahead.

May your New Year be centered on Jesus and happy in Him!

A New Year Worthy of God

Before you make resolves for the new year — before you start a reading plan, or choose a diet, or buy a journal, or step on a treadmill — find a why worth changing for. As many more have observed before me, our resolutions often wilt because we didn’t have a why big enough to weather the inevitable temptations, distractions, and setbacks.

So what will your why be for the year to come? For me, I want my life to prove the worth of my calling from God. Not my calling to ministry, but my calling to God — the calling every genuine Christian shares. My why comes from 2 Thessalonians 1:11:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.

What evidence do we see in our lives that we have been called by God? What might someone else see in us this year that would suggest something supernatural has happened? What habits might hint that we have been claimed by heaven? Will we live worthy of our calling — or not?

Could We Ever Be Worthy?

Does a Christian resolution for worthiness rub you the wrong way? “We pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling.” But none of us is worthy of this calling. Surely the apostle Paul knew that more than anyone.

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. (Romans 3:10–12)

“Who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. (Romans 11:35–36)

How could a sinner ever merit anything from God? We can’t. And yet God himself says, through his apostle, that we can be considered — by God — worthy of his calling. What would that mean? Not that we could ever earn or deserve this calling, but that we could increasingly honor the calling we have received by grace alone, based on the merits of Christ alone.

Godliness Honors God

Apart from Christ, we will never deserve to be called children of God, but we can still disgrace the calling we have been freely given — or we can adorn our precious calling with an ambitious godliness. “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works . . . so that in everything [you] may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:7, 10). Our lives can become a wild, grace-filled bouquet laid upon the saving and sufficient work of Jesus — a worthy reflection of his love, his cross, his power, his worth.

Again, Paul says, “[We pray] that our God may make you worthy of his calling . . . so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12). This is the worthiness of another world. As it grows and spreads in a redeemed life, it doesn’t welcome praise to itself, but gladly bows to worship Christ. The worthiness God finds in us glorifies the greatness of Jesus.

Our worthiness proves his worth, not ours. Why? Because worthiness in us is an evidence and expression of his grace. God makes us worthy “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We strive for a worthiness that draws others’ curiosity and admiration not to ourselves, but to him. We want them to think, Someone who lives like that must know something about life, about reality, about God that I don’t yet know. I want to know what they know and love like they love.

Worthiness in Real Life

So what might this worthiness look like in another new year? A few verses earlier, Paul unfolds the worthiness he sees blossoming in the Thessalonian church:

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. (2 Thessalonians 1:3–5)

How specifically was their worthiness displayed? Their faith and love held fast through suffering. And not just held fast, but grew. And not just grew, but grew abundantly. The apostle could see that God was for them and in them, because they were seeking God with greater intensity, trusting him with greater peace, and loving one another with greater devotion. Greater — greater faith, greater love, greater patience, greater peace, greater discipline, greater joy — greater is a worthy resolve for a new year.

Where, specifically, could you grow abundantly in the next year? What area of your spiritual life and love for others needs to be revived or nurtured toward greater maturity? Find a greater resolve to focus on, and hold onto, as you step into another January.

Made Worthy in the Valley

Don’t miss that the church in Thessalonica was made more worthy through their suffering. “We ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring” (2 Thessalonians 1:4). Their hardships had become a dark and painful backdrop on which their faithfulness could shine.

Would anyone have seen their steadfastness in Christ if they hadn’t experienced adversity? Suffering, for them, offered an opportunity to experience more of God’s strength and mercy, and suffering also made it easier for others to see the God who was motivating and sustaining them.

How might that change how we think about the sufferings that will come over the next year? When our plans and resolves are inevitably disrupted and disappointed, will we assume suffering is only an enemy? Or, in the hands of our God, could suffering actually be a strange and precious friend of our worthiness?

The Who in Good Resolves

New resolves often fail without a well-defined, deeply-felt why, but they also fail because of a misplaced who.

Look carefully, again, at verse 11: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.” Who makes our lives worthy of such a calling? God does. Who fulfills our resolves for good and our works of faith? God does. Whose power will be the decisive agent for lasting change in our lives? His power.

Good resolves begin and end with God. Which means good resolves begin and persevere through prayer. And so Paul does not merely charge the Thessalonians to live worthy of their calling; he prays for them to be made worthy. “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling. . . .”

So how might we pray for greater faith and love in the new year?

Lord, I am not content to have last year’s love for you. I want a deeper, sweeter, more active faith in you. Nurture what you have planted in my soul. Prune away more of my remaining sin. Make the sufferings to come magnify your work in me. By whatever means necessary, cause me to grow and to grow abundantly. In Jesus’s name and for his greater glory in us, Amen.

This article originally appeared on Desiring God , and is used with permission of the author.

Photo: Unsplash