Love makes the world go ’round. Love songs move our hearts, and love moves people to heroic deeds. So, what is love? And what role does it play in everyday life?
The Bible says God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). The One who spoke the world into being, chose the color of your eyes, and holds the planets in place—is love. No wonder love stories move us. Love permeates creation.
Love is more than a feeling. True love reveals itself in action. It compels the pampered prince to take up his sword and fight the fire-breathing dragon to rescue his beloved. Love causes parents to set limits, consider homeschooling, and endure sulking to protect their children from possible danger. It sent Jesus to the cross to rescue us from sin and death (Jn. 15:13).
The Great Masquerade
No wonder the enemy of our souls works so hard to distort love. The Bible says Satan and his followers masquerade as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-14). In other words, they pretend to represent good. They pretend to care. But their concerned façade covers their endless appetite to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).
Since God is love and God created us, it only makes sense He knows what harms and what heals. Today, those who seek to turn our moral values upside-down call themselves progressives. They hide their dark agendas behind legitimate causes such as anti-racism and anti-bullying. What better way to suck good people into evil causes? The Bible warns us not to be deceived.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:16-16 NIV).
God has no dark side. His values never change. He doesn’t condone today what He condemned yesterday. He sets limits, like every good parent, to protect us.
God has no dark side. His values never change. He doesn’t condone today what He condemned yesterday. He sets limits, like every good parent, to #protect us. #discernment Share on XIs This Loving?
Here are some recent examples of movements disguised as light that steal, kill, and destroy.
The Family Research Council listed what some states are implementing in public education. Here are a few of their mentions:
- North Carolina: Some schools use the “Welcoming Schools” curriculum created by the Human Rights Campaign, which introduces very young children to transgender talking points, encouraging them to question their biological sex.
. - Wisconsin: Madison public schools have a new policy allowing a girl or boy—of any age—to “transition to a different gender identity at school,” prohibiting teachers and staff from notifying parents and families.
. - Texas: Austin schools use a curriculum that discourages using words like “mom” and “dad” to avoid terms that refer to exclusively “male” or “female” identities.
A friend told me that our county’s public schools are implementing pro-LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter curriculum. In case you didn’t know, Black Lives Matter is not a slogan promoting racial equality, it is an organized movement to tear down the morals and values our country was built on. Here are a couple of quotes from their website.
“We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege…”
I had to look up cisgender. Dictionary.com defines it as, “noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex assigned at birth.”
“We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).”
“We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure…”
Our culture touts supporting these movements as loving. Take a moment and read Romans 1:21-32. LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter’s agendas follow the path it describes.
Love Is Discerning
Biblical love is discerning (Rom. 12:9). Jesus came in grace and truth. As God is love, Jesus is truth. Any thought or movement against God is anything but loving. It “steals, kills, and destroys.”
We live in a lost world. What are you doing to renew your mind against the pressure to blindly conform (Rom. 12:2)? Now more than ever we need God to grant us the courage to live and speak the truth in love.
Click here to comment.
Blessings,
Resources
Debbie and Ginny will be offering Tuesday evening Bible studies this fall. Debbie’s will be an online study of her book Little Women, Big God. Contact us to learn more.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Sometimes I link with these great sites:
#InstaEncouraements, #TellHisStory #Recharge Wednesday, #WorthBeyondRubies #TuneinThursaday, #Grace&Truth,
Thank you for this informative message. I am praying for this world. We need God.
Melissa, He is our only hope. May His people return to Him and be light in this world (2 Chronicles 7:14). Thank you for being one who is shining her light!
We know these things are coming; and we know they must come to pass to fulfill prophesy; yet we must stand our ground, in truth and love, against these. Our reason, to prevent some from being deceived. God’s blessings for this post Ms. Debbie. We must not be afraid to stand in truth and love against the evil powers that want to destroy this world.
Yes, J.D. So many are being deceived. Thank you for shining the light.
Wow! What a powerful, poignant, and insightful newsletter, Debbie. My mother warned me about the BLM movement when it initially become relevant. It is sadly fascinating how the enemy continues to disguise and distort things. It is a reminder to dress ourselves daily in the armor of God, and stay prepared. Thank you for sharing boldly for God’s glory. May He continue to bless you and yours in all your endeavors.
Thank you, Horace. Your words mean so much to me. You have a very wise mother!
This breaks my heart as a grandmother of young children. But I know our God is bigger than this and we must speak up, stand up and not allow these deceptions to affect our children and grandchildren.
Ann, I am reminded of Daniel and his three friends who stood in oppressive time. We do need to do all we can to equip our children to stand. God bless and protect your dear grandchildren.
Thank you for speaking up for truth. It is getting harder and harder to find Christians who do. I like CS Lewis’s definition of love as basically wanting what is ultimately best for another person. That definition means wanting eternal salvation for someone over present sensual happiness. That definition lets us tell a truth that offends when someone does something that doesn’t line up with the Bible. Modern ideas about love and truth are truly neither.
Jennifer, Lewis certainly knows how to sum up truths so well. I believe that is exactly what the Bible teaches. And you are unfortunately right, “Modern ideas about love and truth are truly neither.”
I was at a George Floyd protest when I learned the true meaning behind BLM. That was the last protest I attended because I do not agree with their mission at all. What’s happening in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Texas is awful. Makes me glad I’m not raising children in this twisted world. Now more than ever, those of us who know the truth need to be bold in speaking it. Far too many of us are silent.
Yvonne, it is tragic so see how many don’t use their discernment. I agree whole heartedly, “Now more than ever, those of us who know the truth need to be bold in speaking it.” Thanks for sharing your insights.
Great insight. Once again, I think we are heart sisters, Debbie. …. I was thinking about how to show love (“love one another”) and the Lord gave me an article for Crosswalk.com (https://bit.ly/31gRUc1) on how to practice some of the “one anothers” of scripture so people will see the loving character of Jesus in us.
Thanks, Dawn. I look forward to reading it!
Debbie, you have spoken the
truth in love. Thank-you!!
Jesus said in John 8:32, “..you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” As the Battle Hymn of the Republic proclaims, “His Truth is marching on..Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!! We are in a spiritual battle for our nation. May we look to Jesus, Who grants us wisdom & discernment & courage for the living of these days. His Word is a lamp to our feet & a light to our path.
Amen, Marilyn. Only truth can set us free from this turmoil.
What a changing world we are living in. I wasn’t aware of some of these movements within the schools. And so we pray . . . Thanks for sharing this, Debbie.
It is hard to fathom this is going on. Thanks for reading, Stacey.
Thank you for speaking out in such a clear way – it is a reminder to be considered in all that we do. I did look up the BLM movement manifesto when they first became prominent here and shared with Christian friends, so important not to be deceived. Praying for wisdom!
Sharon, I’m glad to hear you researched and shared too. Thanks so much for your ministry.
Thanks for being willing to be bold and speak truth! We need to allow the God who is love to define love instead of letting it be warped by the world.
Thank you, Joanna. We certainly do.