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One of the hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry was His reproach of the religious leaders in His day. The Sadducees and Pharisees were his frequent adversaries. Modern believers know these groups by name, though they may not know the difference between them. That exploration is for another message.Suffice it to say that BOTH religious groups vehemently defended the Word of God–albeit incorrectly. Both interpreted the Torah differently, yet they each held incredible societal influence. Though their understanding was erroneous, at least they tried, right?Compare their zeal to that of the Old Testament Israelites. Generations did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.  Various minor prophets predicted and lamented the oncoming wrath to no avail. Their indifference or blasphemies resulted in their exile across the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires. Compared to the generations of lax observance, one might think a stricter overreaction in Jesus’ day would be a welcome reprieve. For over 1,000 years, the Israelites struggled to adhere to God’s rules, but NOW (...err… around 0 CE), the Jews are too observant. How? And why? It’s important to revisit the cultural context.As the Jews tried to rebuild Israel, there were three post-exilic prophets–Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Their messages had a strong influence on the fledgling Jewish community. Haggai’s words implored the imperiled Israelites to “Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:7, NIV) in how they rebuilt the temple. God promised the high priest, Joshua–through Zechariah–a heavenly standing “If [he would] walk in my ways and keep my requirements.” (Zechariah 3:7, NIV) Zechariah also contains admonitions of the Israelites’ intentions during fasting (7:5), warns how obstinance resulted in wrath (7:14), and condemns the selfishness of wayward leaders (11:6). When paired with Malachi’s question-and-answer revelation of poor faith and stewardship, the apocalyptic prophecies in the rest of Zechariah certainly loomed large in their minds. For a community surrounded by enemies (Nehemiah 4 & 6) and familiar with the brink of destruction (Esther 3), faithful obedience was literally life and death. These Israelites were constantly surviving miraculously as the overwhelmed underdogs. There was no other explanation for their salvation beyond God. In their weakness, God’s power was made perfect. (ref. 2 Corinthians 12:9). The fear of the Lord was their regular hope.This zeal, however, manifested itself in cruel ways. The first recorded example comes from Ezra 9 and 10. Ezra was a well-taught descendent of the priestly line of Aaron, Moses’ brother (Ezra 7:6, 7:10). Though the temple had been rebuilt, Ezra led the people into more serious observance through public Scripture reading and restoration of ritual sacrifices (Nehemiah 8). This culminates in Ezra chapters 9 and 10, where Ezra leads the other priests in public mourning for the ways in which the Jews had intermarried with surrounding nations. By mingling the “holy race,” as some leaders claimed in Ezra 9:2, many were accused of leading the people astray. With Zechariah’s warnings fresh in their mind, fear swept through. The reaction was swift and severe.Every man who had returned to Israel had three days' notice to assemble in Jerusalem, or he would forfeit his property. (Ezra 10:8) As one mass congregation, Ezra commanded them to separate themselves from their foreign wives (10:11), and their intercultural children (10:44). Few could refute Ezra’s renowned and studied understanding of Scripture. So, his command stood, dividing families in the process.If we callously read the Bible with an implicit endorsement from God, then the casual observer may feel indifferent about this or may applaud the Israelites' desire to “purify” themselves to the Lord. After all, believers are called to forsake their own families for their faith, if necessary (see Luke 14:26). However, biblical records are not a categorical endorsement from God. In fact, much of it contains the history of those opposing God’s will. God does not give Ezra, or anyone else, this instruction. So, we must look at this event for what it is: systematic racism that destroyed families and lives under the name of God. This–I contend–is the first written example of Israel’s extreme overcorrection toward piety over peace and manipulation over mercy.Ezra’s edict ignores the intention of the originating law. Found in Exodus 34:16, God warns, “when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.” (Exodus 34:16, NIV) God’s desire is not to preserve the “holy race,” as Ezra’s fellow leaders desired. God’s desire was to protect their faith.These families had been exiled from Jerusalem for 70-120 years. Much of the population had been decimated; who else would they marry?These families braved a dangerous journey (Ezra 8:21) to resettle in a destroyed nation. They contributed offerings and labor to rebuild the temple and city walls.Nothing suggests that these now-divided families worshipped idols. Their acts of faith in returning to Jerusalem suggest the opposite. Only a strict interpretation of Scripture, without context, mandated this severe sacrifice.The leaders ignored God’s word through Moses to “not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Exodus 22:21, NIV)They ignored God’s word through Isaiah to “Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’” (Isaiah 56:3, NIV)They ignored God’s word through the then-living Zechariah against the oppression of the foreigner. (Zechariah 7:10)The religious leaders used the fear of death and wrath to coerce obedience. They did not lean on God’s words of love, mercy, and justice–they chose segregation and power cloaked in the name of ”faith.” They did not care how few rights women and children had. This overreaction set the stage for Jesus to arrive with the ultimate message of love–not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. (see: Galatians 3:28)Now, there were two leaders who disagreed with Ezra’s command (Ezra 10:15). Like Joshua and Caleb before them, they could not convince the crowd to make the right choice, and the larger population paid the price.Are we not living in similar times? Politically, religiously? Fear of loss–whether profession, finances, freedoms, or life–drives us to rallies and ballot boxes. Fear of damnation puts excessive pressure of holiness on believers. I applaud holiness as a means for spiritual growth but not as a weapon for group obedience.Christians have to tread the tension between love and fear carefully. We are called to love our enemies so that they may believe. We are called to fear the Lord’s awesome power. When we start judging other’s specks of sin in their eyes, the logs in our own grow. The Pharisees and Sadducees got it wrong and led the people in condemnation for 400 years. We must heed the warnings Jesus gave those leaders and instead seek the justice, mercy, and humility that God calls us to. Let’s leave the judgment in God’s hands. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Symbols make it easy for people to come together for a common cause. Take national flags, for example. You may not know every country’s flag, but you know yours. At the Olympics, millions of people are singularly identified by one colorful rectangle. Though countries are distinct through their traditions, geographies, laws, and languages, none of those are as easy to latch an identity onto. For those who hold those identities dearly, flags concisely encompass all they hope–or dread–their country to be.Flags can also be used by opposing forces for drastically different causes. Revolutions will waive their country’s flag while trying to dismantle its own governance. Some US citizens stormed the Capitol building to stop what they understood to be a false election, desecrating a cherished institutional symbol while waving the same flag flying on top of it. Ironically, the same flag may represent drastically different futures to different people. Therefore, symbols like flags more accurately represent what people hope for more than what they may actually be.This is reminiscent of the imagery of blood throughout the Bible. Human beings come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and languages, but the presence of blood binds us all in a common experience. Man can be represented through his common share of blood. God declared, “For the life of a creature is in the blood.” (Leviticus 17:11, NIV). We now know that DNA separates species from one another, but our blood is heavily loaded with that DNA. We all can visualize blood. We easily recognize it. The symbol of blood represents our life–and, therefore, our species’ identity–just as a flag represents our country’s heritage.Like flags, “blood” can also represent corporate identities. We are reminded of family bloodlines–this was certainly important in biblical contexts across priesthood and kingship. We can also see it in national identities, especially when the Israelites were forbidden to intermarry with surrounding cultures. So powerful is the concept of blood in national contexts that the Assyrian empire would exile half the population of conquered nations and “import” different nationalities into the region to intermingle the bloodlines. Biblically, this is most evident in 2 Kings 17. Blood binds man, nations, and families together.It is safe to say, then, that blood is a most precious symbol of God’s creation. That must be why God explains the ritual sacrifices as, “I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11, NIV) The offering of an animal’s blood is the closest symbol that correlates to the death of man’s life due to sin. As our poor actions steal the promise of our lives, the Israelites must exchange one life for another. Each atoning sacrifice was a reminder of the death of our potential perfection.Though the Israelites had not yet received the laws included in Leviticus, they experienced atonement through the blood firsthand in Egypt. During the Passover in Exodus 12, the Hebrews took a young, unblemished male lamb and prepared it roasted fully over a fire. Having saved some blood, they smeared it on the sides and top of their doorposts. God told them, “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” (Exodus 12:13, NIV) Little could the ancient Israelites know just how precious the blood of atonement would one day be through Jesus, but it set the stage for them to be united by blood–both the lambs’ and their own.It’s also the sensitivity of this symbol that made any interaction with blood so rigorously unacceptable. When Cain slays his younger brother, Abel, God hears Abel’s spilled blood cry out from the ground (Genesis 4:10). Though Abel died, his blood carried his identity. Like our identity, our blood was not meant to be stolen by another. When Old Testament men came in contact with a woman’s menstrual blood or a dead animal or a dead person, they remained unclean until evening (Leviticus 15). Blood was not to be shared with another.No one was to consume any blood. God would set His “face against that person.” (Leviticus 17:10) Whether for health reasons or symbolism, blood was not to be consumed by another.Blood is the sacred identifier of an individual, whether a person or a beast. Their DNA is a unique imprint, given by God in accordance with His will on their life. Anyone attempting to steal, share, or consume it aims to destroy what God held precious. Yet, Jesus arrived with opposite intentions. In both literal and metaphorical ways, Jesus came to have His blood spilled on Calvary by others, instruct His disciples to “consume” His blood through Communion, and share His blood with us in one final atonement. Jesus’ blood equally symbolized everything He is: His identity as God and Man, His provision of Salvation, and His hope for what man could be.But just as His blood offers atonement for all who take refuge in it, it similarly condemns those who don’t. When God commanded the sacrificial rules, He warned, “Any Israelite who sacrifices…in the camp or outside of it instead of…the Tent of Meeting…that man shall be considered guilty of bloodshed.” (Leviticus 17:3-4, NIV) The angry Jewish mob that demanded Jesus’ life sent Him outside of the city–to Calvary–to die. Their oblivious sacrifice and obstinance cursed them within the Old Covenant as well as the New. Like a flag torn between two opposing sides, Jesus’ spilt blood represented retribution for the Jewish leaders, whereas Christians now know it to mean reconciliation; it was always meant to. Though the Israelites were anointed to welcome the Suffering Savior, they were also the ones to spill His blood. However, for those of us who choose to see His blood as our atonement, that must be what we rally around—not a dynamic speaker or our favorite church brand. The blood alone. As Jesus poured out His life—His blood—for us, we must give our lives for everything It represents. His identity as the one unblemished Lamb is the only one worth uniting around as one nation under the blood.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

There are a dozen ways to answer a question like this–many of them correct, many more incorrect, and none of them comprehensive. Especially within a ten-minute delivery limit (I steer towards five if I can), there simply isn’t enough time to discuss all the sociological themes at play. There are many books written about it for those craving all the knowledge. Is it postmodernism? Is it social media’s influence? Is it the new generation? Everyone has a culprit to blame, but what if the blame belongs to the Christians? They say (whoever they are) that those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it. Some of history’s greatest figures were indeed historians themselves who knew which way to pave forward instead of repeating well-trodden arcs. Specifically, within a bible-centered perspective, I suggest we look at our failing Western church through a historical lens–a biblical historical lens–to draw conclusions and even solace in ways that our survey statisticians and modern philosophers simply cannot. So, let’s try that.At the height of ancient Israel’s power, “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.” (2 Chronicles 9:22, NIV) Kings sought his audience and offered him gifts of weaponry and fine metals for it. His throne was completely overlaid with ivory and gold. His was “the good life.” It would appear to any observer that God had fully delivered on His Abrahamic promises.30 years later, God’s chosen nation is divided into two. In eight more generations, both were conquered, and Solomon’s majestic temple to God was ransacked and ruined. Not so good anymore. How did it all fall apart so quickly? Historians will discuss the ascendency of the global empires, as Assyria gave way to the Babylonians, who gave way to the Persians, with ultimate influences of Greek and Roman conquests. Anthropologists may cite the further development and defense of nations over city-states, the rise of Greek philosophy, or the influence of Eastern ethos on Mediterranean cultures. But make no mistake–the ancient Israelites brought catastrophe upon themselves.Secularly, a nation divided and warring with its former brothers is much more vulnerable than one united. Religiously, the Bible records the people’s continual descent into sin and error, inviting God’s wrath. No matter how you slice it, the people of Israel sealed their own fate.Perhaps the Western church has done the same. Both ancient Israel and the modern Western church (MWC) had lost their divinely appointed purpose as they leaned into behaviors of the surrounding cultures instead of being the antidote. Both ancient Israel and the MWC ascended to prestige, wealth, and influence on the back of God’s Word, only to opt for more through political means. Ancient Israel and the MWC were plagued by poor leadership that was particularly overcome by sin, whether it be Ahab and Jezebel of antiquity or the terrible sexual exploitation of children and church staff we read so frequently about. Israel and the MWC both gave up their God-given identities for political and secular indulgences. When this happened, the world saw them for what they truly were–vulnerable humans no longer protected by the grace of their God.But in God’s plan, there’s always a remnant. When Elijah is despondent about being God’s only faithful servant left, God replies, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18, NIV) When the ancient Hebrews were more fearful of the Canaanites than trusting in the Lord, two men–Joshua and Caleb–remained faithful (Numbers 14). As the world’s leaders bowed to a golden image of Nebuchadnezzar, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah remained standing (Daniel 3). When the odds are stacked against God’s elect, He strengthens the few.At the height of Solomon’s earthly glory, he alone had 12,000 horses at his command (2 Chronicles 9:25). 422 years later, when the Jewish people returned to rebuild the temple, the entire population only had “736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.” (Ezra 2:66-67, NIV) Israel had ascended to power like a flash in the pan, only to be decimated through war, famine, and exile. Yet, a remnant remained.This is our history. Jewish history is Christian history, up until a point (Jesus). The MWC is repeating that history. It has enjoyed the height of its secular fame and political power but now sees its numbers decline and its median age rise as it offers no salt to those lost in the muck and mire that is our culture. As the Assyrians and Babylonians dismantled all that the ancient Israelites secularly leaned upon, today’s culture has now similarly turned its ire on the church for its hypocrisies, moral failings, and pursuit of power. God, as He has historically done, allowed the MWC to chase the fleeting winds of power to its own demise. Sure, this message does not break down all the philosophical trends of modern man to understand how an ancient religion no longer jives with current luxuries and choice, but those studies squarely focus on the MWC while ignoring the growth of Christianity in the global south. Yes, there are many socioeconomic differences between Western standards of living and 2nd-world countries, but the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and the faith are all the same. They grow in one place while the MWC stumbles in decline. Maybe the fault isn’t with the faith–maybe it is with the faithless.This message reveals our repeating role in our faith’s troubles. The MWC has not read the Bible as it should, meaning it does not know its history. The MWC has chased legislated morality through elections over personal piety. The MWC is afraid to speak of sin because it measures itself by the worldly standards of property size and attention through attendance. Instead, if the MWC “will humble themselves and pray and seek [God’s] face, then will [He] hear from heaven and forgive [our] sin and heal [our] land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV, adaptation mine). God spoke these words to Solomon at the height of Israel’s fame and power. It’s almost as if God knew where they–where we–would one day end up. All it takes is a remnant. It can begin with us right now through prayer, fasting, reading, and seeking. Yes, for us Western Christians, we appear to be losing the culture war as postmodernism rips our children’s identities away, and numbers of our brethren ride the coattails of a political despot. The numbers are overwhelmingly against us, yet God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Like Paul, let us rejoice in our weakness as we wait for God to rebuild His church through our true deep faith. If we hold up our end of the bargain, He’s promised both Solomon and us that He will keep His. He knows our history, yet He’s merciful enough to repeat His.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

I have previously argued for rational thought proving “good” must have existed before “evil.” This is in line with what the Bible tells us; however, we are still left to reason why evil exists. Why would the good Creator make anything capable of being–or turning–evil?It’s important to note that there is no definitive biblical answer to this. The Bible records how man first became aware of the concepts of good and evil (Genesis 3), but neither the story of Satan nor the “invention” of evil are canonical. Some mysteries are meant to be hidden (see: Matthew 24:36). With that disclaimer, I will do my best.First, let’s prove the condition. Ephesians helps us argue that God knew what would happen within creation. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13, ESV) The promised Holy Spirit is the inheritance Paul declares believers receive and is God’s will, according to verse 11. Verse 5 cites our predestination of adoption through Jesus. We were appointed to salvation before the foundation of the world in verse 4. By working backward like this, we see that the will of God was–always–for man to receive the Holy Spirit after responding to the Gospel, which is the story of Christ. Being saved through Jesus was God’s plan of salvation, before the world, before the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and before man was ever created. Man’s salvation through Jesus was always the plan. If salvation through Christ was God’s will before creation, this must mean that God created everything while knowing evil would rise. God knew His creation would attempt to usurp His power. Satan would revolt. Man would fall. Therefore, God knowingly created those who would bring sin–evil–into the world. In essence, He created the conditions for evil. But, why?As I like to do, let me begin with experience. My son loves to wrestle. The bigger and stronger he becomes, the more he likes to exert that energy. As a dad, I have the pleasure of bearing the brunt. Our wrestling usually involves stuffed animals, imagined superpowers, and silly storylines. We even hold onto an old mattress to reduce hard landings.One particular time, my son had help from his two sisters. They all ganged up on me. In return, I “took off the governor,” so to speak. My shoves were stronger. My flips were more perilous. My priority was speed and strength rather than safety and fun. Within short order, all three of my children had cried; no one was abused or injured but were jostled uncomfortably. Perhaps it wasn’t my best parenting moment.However, each of the kids learned something about Dad’s strength that day. Though my son’s many previous experiences might suggest that he was an even match, that day was a glimpse of just how far he still had to go. My former concern for how softly he landed had not prepared him for what a true confrontation might look like. He was unaware of my full strength. Now he knew.My children recognized the existence of my previous restraint only after it was absent. The absence of my careful control revealed their necessity for it. Until then, they thought they were in control. The same could be said for any of us; none of us know what we don’t know until we learn it. Then, we can look back on our naivete and understand the world better in the present. This, I posit, is the reason God created creatures that could–that would–choose sin over peace: so that we may better know the scale of His power, love, and grace. Experiencing evil makes us yearn for the day it’s finally gone and for the One who will defeat it.Yet, not everyone sees it that way. We see the Israelites routinely forget their history as new generations questioned God’s existence despite the stories of their forefathers. American generations are similar. When His power is evident, man still assumes we can either equal it (Exodus 7:22), doubt it (2 Kings 18:30), or control it (Acts 8:19). In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders demanded a sign at their discretion, to accept Jesus’ authority. Jesus declined to bow to their will in Matthew 12:39. Never mind the increasing accounts of miracles and the investigations they had conducted themselves (John 9); because their hearts did not want to believe in God’s dominion over them, they would not accept God’s dominion.Man’s hard hearts remind me of my son’s wrestling tears. To him, it was unfair for me to wrestle him so strongly–he expected himself to be an equal to my strength and size. While my son punched me with closed fists and with all his weight, my undefeatable dominance injured his innermost pride. He simply wasn’t strong enough on his own. His disappointment convinced him something was unfair. He would rather stop playing than accept reality. Does that kind of pride sound familiar?That is the position humans remain in, all these millennia later. When we truly understand our powerlessness contrasted with God’s power, we can either claim He is unfair or honor His previous protections, blessings, and restraints. We can only make that assessment if we experience evil. Those who live fully for Christ have seen–and accepted–God’s true power contrasted against evil. Perhaps we made a mess of our own lives, and our pleas to God changed things inexplicably. Perhaps our child could not walk, but in deep, humble faith, we asked and saw a miracle. Sin, death, and evil set the stage for God to steal the show.The existence of evil brings about the revelation of good. Those who accept God’s position will forever appreciate His grace, love, and power, so that when He finally defeats evil, we will be all the more glad for it. When I wrestle with my full strength, my children understand the blessing of my previous–and future–protection. Similarly, when we experience evil, we understand the ways in which God has and can bless us. Those of us willing to live in that humility will spend eternity doing so. Evil serves God’s purpose of drawing our hearts into Him.To be sure, He does not delight in our suffering, just as I did not delight in making my children cry in our family cage match. The existence of evil suggests that some–many–may eternally reject Him, yet we read God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, NIV) and  “our Lord’s patience means salvation” (2 Peter 3:15, NIV) As God promised Solomon at the dedication of the first temple, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV) He wants to heal our land. He wants to bless you. He simply wants your heart more.Reflect on the miraculous events in your life–the things you could never naturally explain. What made these moments so impactful? Their improbability within a selfish, hateful, death-riddled world. When we recognize that evil and unfairness only exist because God allows them to, we can open our eyes and appreciate the blessings He has given us in spite of them. We can also desire more passionately the perfect eternity He has prepared that is entirely separate from our current experience. The curse of evil helps us understand the blessing of grace.To the unbeliever, Jesus freaks appear fanatical, gullible, or unreasonable. However, we have simply seen the depths of evil within ourselves and others. Therefore, we recognize the inverse heights of God’s love, grace, and power. Because of this, we declare, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:3, NIV) The Lord is great, and the existence of evil proves it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

I’ve written about Old Testament laws in the New Testament context before. In short, these days, we need to keep it simple: Love God, love people. But why wouldn’t God simply say that upfront? What’s the deal with those rules about animal sacrifice and interwoven fabrics? If those laws no longer apply today, does that mean all rules no longer apply?Let’s start with the familiar and work our way into the ancient. Today, legislating morality is a tricky subject. In our postmodern era of “subjective truth,” the concept of prohibiting certain activities faces strong cultural resistance. Advocates for abortion, legalized drug use, and prepubescent gender changes clamor for the government to stay out of private affairs. The Western winds of culture are blowing decisively in that direction.Yet, at the same time, Western culture forgets how other community standards exist. Take speed limits, for example–they are solely instituted for the communal safety of other drivers and pedestrians. A speeding driver has no intention to hurt anyone else–much like the addict’s fix–but the police are given the authority to punish the driver preemptively for endangering the public before anyone is actually hurt. With the support of statistical data, speed limits institute order on the roads and attempt to prevent injury and damage. In this case, personal choice must submit–against its hurried will–to the preemptive safety of the community, and culture mostly accepts them.I want us to think about such communal standards when reading and understanding the Old Testament Law. There are many laws across Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. A careful study will reveal they are split into multiple categories–religious, civil, and moral. This nuance helps us better understand their modern-day implications.Like our parents’ imposed curfews, some rules are simultaneously meant to protect the subject and respect authority. The Israelites’ many rules reinforced their humility in spirit and recognized God’s superiority. Before the sacrifice of Christ, the Israelites would routinely forget the ways in which God miraculously provided for their ancestors. Being intentionally set apart from the surrounding culture–in worship, diet, or fashion–was a reminder of their blessings. It’s important to remember that not only was God the leader of the ancient Hebrews’ faith, but also their society. This was a Theocracy. Tithes were the taxes for public good. The dietary restrictions protected the growth of the country’s wealth and standard of living. The clothing restrictions were a reminder–a pledge, of sorts–of their allegiance. God’s “laws” were more than laws–the civic and religious ones set the tone for society’s structure.So, let’s revisit those opening questions. Why were God’s OT laws so complicated? They were a societal toolkit to remind the ancient Hebrews how–and why–they were to be set apart from their surrounding cultures. Why were there so many prescribed sacrifices if Jesus was the eternal plan for atonement? Because man needed to understand his inability to achieve righteousness on his own. Why could the Jews not eat pigs and animals with uncloven feet? It protected the success of the community. Herding sheep is far less destructive than keeping pigs. Sheep also provided wool in addition to their meat–it was a wiser investment for the people to survive and build wealth in an arid land. Why could the Israelites not wear clothes made of multiple materials? This forced them to separate themselves from surrounding cultures, which ultimately put pressure on them to trust in the Lord’s provision that much more. In all these things, God was instituting rules to remind the Israelites to remember the Lord daily. These were preemptive measures to prevent the Jews from forgetting their God. It was a restriction of personal preference to benefit the communal good. These were their ancient “speed limits.”Deuteronomy 6 answers our overarching question more bluntly. Beginning in verse 20, the book suggests that when our children ask why these rules exist, we should tell them, “The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.” (Deuteronomy 6:23-25, NIV) Like speed limits, the laws may feel oppressive, but were established for the benefit of the community and the safety of the individual’s health, wealth, and faith. As Judeo-Christian morality influenced governments, the OT civil laws were no longer required. When Jesus finally atoned for our sins, the religious laws were fulfilled. As Gentiles were welcomed into the community, the laws protecting national identity were no longer necessary.Does this mean that all laws are now null and void? No, the laws concerning morality still stand. These can be summarized as the two greatest Commandments from Matthew 22:36: to love God and love others. Loving God requires us to adhere to God’s intention for us. This includes our identity, body, faith, and purpose. Loving others sacrifices our pride. Humility is the prerequisite to living in God’s will. These moral laws are eternal, and offenses like murder, blasphemy, and sexual immorality still count as rebellion, as sin. Theological debate rages over Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In it, He declares, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18, NIV) He also defends His disciples for breaking the Sabbath laws of the time (Mark 2:27) and the kosher laws (Matthew 15:11, Acts 10:11). To understand this nuance, Paul reveals, “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6, NIV). The Law remains–in its entirety–for those attempting to be justified by it through their works; yet by accepting Christ, we are free from that measuring stick (see Galatians 5). Faith is, and has been, the truest barometer, beginning with Abraham (Genesis 15:6).Paul, the learned and accomplished Jew, wrote to the Colossians, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules” (Colossians 2:20, NIV) Sacrificing animals wasn’t loving God–it showed us something about ourselves. Wearing a single type of fabric didn’t improve our relationship with others–it reminded the Hebrews of their separation from the world. If a rule doesn’t affect God’s design for us or our relationship with others, it has been satisfied by our democracy or our Savior.  And when our culture questions and abandons that moral code, the Bible’s records anchor us to God’s truest desire: to set ourselves apart from the world and align ourselves with Him, no matter the costs.Just as our infant faith is formed by spiritual “milk” (1 Corinthians 3), the nascent Israelite society needed stricter Fatherly oversight. Like teenagers, the Bible records man’s rebellious stages–many of them. Now, with the new covenant firmly in place, it is time for us to leave behind the curfews of our historical past and present ourselves fully mature in Christ alone (Colossians 1:28). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

In our fast-paced, always-on world, it can feel like a disadvantage to take a break from work. The power of cell phones with matching cellular networks allows us, encourages us, convinces us to always remain digitally connected to our profession or responsibilities. While the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically shifted the work environment, that change further blurred the lines of work-life balance. Especially in America, our lives are becoming evermore consumed by work, effort, and toil, constantly.It is with this cultural lens that we now look at the most curious of the 10 Commandments. Commandment number 4: Keeping the Sabbath. Exodus 20 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.” (Exodus 20: 8-10, NIV) Woof, not only does it indict our continuously working lives, but it also perceivably condones slavery. That’s not necessarily the case, but we’ll put that aside for another message–I try to keep these short. Still, the Sabbath stands in stark contrast to our American way of life, where we control our own destiny by giving ourselves wholly over to our professions.But we aren’t really in control of our destiny through our careers, are we? In one of the many jarring generational shifts, GenX and Baby Boomer Americans have been side-swiped by the likes of the automotive layoffs in the early 2000s. Lavish pension programs that were once expected for company loyalty were cut short because of the expense–they were a broken promise. Millennials, like myself, entered a difficult job market in the early 2010s and–after seeing the way our parents were treated by companies–have been much more mobile in our careers. Yet even we, with our heavier preference for technology jobs, have been hammered by large-scale layoffs. Now, generative AI stands to eradicate many more jobs. Company loyalty does not equal job security.Small business owners don’t fare much better. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of them fail within two years, and 65% fail within ten. Those aren’t great odds of security, either.So, what are we to do when our livelihoods are not guaranteed, even with continual sacrifice? Do we just work harder to outperform everyone else? No, we are to trust the Lord. Otherwise, things go haywire when we opt to take things out of His hands and into our own. We see examples of this in the Bible. Not only were the Israelites to observe the weekly Sabbath individually, but their land was to enjoy regular resting as well. Leviticus 25 requires, “But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.” (Leviticus 25:4) After seven of these seven-year cycles, an extra year of rest was added–the year of Jubilee. These years were to allow the nutrients to return to Canaan’s rocky soil, as well as remind the Israelites of their need to trust in the Lord.In Leviticus 26, God even gives a specific warning if we ignore Him and His commands (including observance of the Sabbath). He warns “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me…Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.” (Leviticus 26:27,34-35, NIV) Spoiler alert: generations of Israelites refused to listen to God. Over the next several hundred years, Sabbath years weren’t regularly observed, and God’s providential warning comes to pass in 2 Chronicles. The priests who wrote it undoubtedly had Leviticus in mind when they wrote, “[Nebuchadnezzar] carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.” (2 Chronicles 36:20-21, NIV) When God says something, it comes to pass.This experience of the Babylonian exile is one reason for Israel’s overcorrection during the Second Temple era–the era in which Jesus was born. Strict Sabbath observance was religiously enforced. The Sadducees and the Bible-literalist Pharisees both condemned anyone who attempted to do any work–or exert any effort–on the Sabbath. Indeed, the city gates of Jerusalem and other walled cities would be literally closed to merchants on the Sabbath. Gentile sellers would arrive and camp outside the city gates, waiting for the Sabbath to pass to enter the city and begin selling again. This is the background for the accusations against Jesus’ disciples for ignoring the Sabbath by breaking the stalks of grain to eat. Jesus retorts, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28, NIV) We can imagine how controversial Jesus’ statement was for the religious leaders simply trying to prevent another exile. Spoiler #2: it didn’t work.This has been a lot of Bible history, but for what purpose? Hopefully, we can see that the Sabbath was–and still is–important. Keeping a day holy unto the Lord does not mean that we cannot prepare a meal, but it does mean we need one day of our week to set aside and meditate on the Law of the Lord (Psalm 1). Keeping a Sabbath does not mean it must be on a Sunday, but it should be once a week. To not observe a weekly Sabbath is a selfish sin, foolishly trusting in ourselves more than our God of provision.The Sabbath was made for man, so we should appreciate its implications. The recurring recessions and small business failure rates have proven we do not control the fate of our profession or provision. Try as we might, the economic forces are stronger than our resolve. So, what’s stronger than the economy? The Lord. Prove your trust in Him by observing a regular Sabbath. It will be good for your faith, for your family, and for your pocket. Proverbs says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV) In all our ways, even our professional ones.So, keep the Sabbath. Lean not on your own understanding. Offer your newfound time to the Lord. Trust me, it will pay off. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Succession is one of the most popular and critically successful television shows in recent history. A story of conniving children vying for the corporate power of an abusive and manipulative father, the comedy softens the deep-seated sadness of grown adults groveling for acceptance and power through entitlement and nepotism. No wonder Americans loved it!At first blush, this may not seem like an overly Christian topic. Western morality of fairness naturally indicts nepotism–the act of the wealthy or powerful in providing special privileges to their family. However, as Christian nationalism aligns itself closely with a political party exalting a man known for favoring his relatives with power while the other political party successfully elected a different president embroiled in similar nepotic drama, it seems poignant to address it in biblical terms. So, here we are.According to the publication Fortune, 60% of wealthy families lose their riches within one generation, while 90% lose them within two. Something important is lost in translation between the generation that earns the wealth and those who come to feel entitled to it. The same could be said for political power, as history is littered with progenitors passing dictatorship or monarchical power to their bloodlines, only for the next generations to be more severe, more hated, and more likely to lose their grip on their rule. Perhaps this is why the Bible is so adamant about the responsibilities of parents to teach their children about faith matters. Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs adults to impress the biblical rules upon their children. Proverbs 22:6 assures us that teaching a child the way they should go will pay off as the child grows. I’ve addressed the importance of generational faith in an earlier message, but the same is valid for leadership–for both civil and religious forms. The Bible has much more to say about this, too.The failures of nepotism fill much of Israel’s political history. David’s kingly reign was marked by his faith and military victories, as well as some high-profile scandals; however, his son Absalom grew impatient and proud, ultimately attempting to usurp the throne for himself before dying in battle (2 Samuel 15-17). David’s appointed successor, Solomon, starts well but kills many of his half-brothers and ultimately leads Israel astray in their faith due to his many pagan wives (1 Kings 11). The rough hand-off between David and Solomon was made worse between Solomon and his son, Rehoboam. The latter chose to be even more severe on the people than his father. This erupted in a civil war and a split kingdom, setting the stage for generations of fallen faith and political leaders to lead the nation to death and enslavement. The entitlement of succession begets generations of poor leaders chosen because of their blood rather than God’s anointing.The same could be said for religious leaders. The prophet Eli was respected, though perhaps was a little presumptuous. His sons, on the other hand, were corrupt priests who greatly distressed the Lord (1 Samuel 2). God eventually ends Eli’s lineage. Even Samuel, who was tapped to judge Israel instead of Eli’s sons, attempted to instill his own sons as judges as he neared death, but even they “turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.” (1 Samuel 8:3, NIV). At this point, the elders ask for a king to be chosen, against God’s original wishes (Deuteronomy 16:18). This sets the stage for much of Israel’s impending apostasy and drama. The dangers and consequences of nepotism in faith leadership are just as dire as those in the political realm.There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with younger generations assuming the mantle of responsibility and authority from their forefathers, but there is undoubtedly an additional risk that must be acknowledged and confronted. In contrast, some of the most successful exchanges of faith or political power happened outside of family ties. For instance, the handoff of leadership between Moses and Joshua (Joshua 1) led to many military victories and years of religious devotion; God chose Joshua for the job. Similarly, Samuel was divinely called to judge Israel, much to Eli’s disappointment (1 Samuel 3). If that wasn’t enough, God directed Elijah to specifically anoint Elisha as his prophetic successor (1 Kings 19:16), with the latter receiving a “double portion” of his mentor’s spirit. Though not preferred by Saul, David’s ascension in power stands in stark contrast to the paranoia of Samuel’s surviving son, Ish-Bosheth (2 Samuel 3). Other appointments, such as Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, suggest that God knows what he’s doing. When God, not men (much less parents), hand-picks the successor, the chance of success is much higher.These overwhelming data points all suggest one thing: Man’s appointment fails where God’s anointing succeeds. Try as we might to safeguard our companies or ministries by passing them on through our bloodlines, there is nothing we can do to replicate God’s providence. This should inspire us to confirm our succession plans with the Lord. We should look for biblical ties in our next leaders, not family ties. Unrelated successors have as much to prove as the founding generation of wealth or ministry. While family succession is possible, it is precarious–there are many more biblical examples of failed nepotism than successful ones.This is merely a cautious survey of the Bible, but one that could be easily overlooked. My hope is that our boards of directors or elders bear these examples in mind when choosing who will assume the mantle of leadership as an older generation steps down. Though God chose Israel’s bloodline to bring about the Savior, it was touch-and-go in the Exodus wilderness, during the age of Judges, and certainly through and since the Babylonian exile. Now, salvation has been offered freely for all, regardless of heritage. There is no more Jew or Greek (Galatians 3:28). God could instantaneously create blood relatives from rocks if He so chose (Matthew 3:9). The only favoritism now is through Christ. His blood, alone, is the only dependable sort. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Discerning someone’s tone is difficult in today’s digital communications because how something is said can carry wildly different impressions. We see this in our body language and vocal tones–the same thing could be said genuinely, literally, sarcastically, or ironically. With text, then, how the recipient inserts the unspoken intention can easily lead to misunderstandings. I know I have been guilty of misinterpreting plenty of uncommunicated intentions.Intentions are the crux of our Christian faith. If speaking to God, I might ask God, “show me a sign” and have drastically different intentions. We see this throughout the Bible, as well. While the ancient Israelites were wandering the desert after leaving Egypt, they camped at a place named Rephidim in Exodus 17. Unfortunately, there was no water; the Israelites were rightfully concerned but lacked appropriate faith. They accused Moses of leading them to their death–which becomes a recurrent theme in Exodus–and ultimately grumble, ”Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7, NIV) This leads to Moses striking a rock to spring forth water, but the episode must have been particularly bad because Moses named the place “Massah” and “Meribah,” respectively meaning “testing” and “quarreling.” When creating the legal and cultural laws for the Israelites, God declares in Deuteronomy, “Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Massah.” (Deuteronomy 6:16, NIV) This is the same verse that Jesus cites during His temptation at the hands of Satan, when the devil quotes Scripture to suggest Jesus throw Himself off a cliff to reveal the power of God to protect Him. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16, and the devil eventually flees.But is asking for a sign really a form of “testing”? Is Satan’s provocation different than the Israelites’ demand for water? In this sense, they are much the same. Remember that the Israelites were antagonistically looking for God, through Moses, to prove Himself faithful and real. They asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Satan equally questioned God’s faithfulness in front of Jesus. Not only that, but we see similar behavior when religious leaders ask Jesus for a sign in Matthew 12. Jesus replies to them, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:39, NIV)So, case closed? Testing God or asking for signs are prohibited, right? Not so fast. A favorite verse for instructing believers in tithing comes from Malachi. God speaks through him, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” (Malachi 3:10, NIV) Did you catch it? Test me in this. OK, that seems like an anomaly or maybe a contradiction. But that’s not all. In Judges, Gideon is so fearful of his anointed assignment that he asks for a sign from God multiple times with an offering and his famous wet and dry fleece (Judges 6:17, 6:37, 6:39). Also in Judges, Jephthah attempts to bargain with God, offering a sacrifice of whatever meets him in victory “If you give the Ammonites into my hands,” (Judges 11:30, NIV) Samuel’s mother, Hannah, makes a similar bargain that if God blesses her with a son, she will commit him to the Lord’s service. (1 Samuel 1). These conditional offerings hardly differ from grumbling or doubt in structure but are wildly different in their intention.And that is the key to understanding what God seeks from us or condemns in us: what is our intention with Him? Are we looking for means to disprove His existence, like the thirsty Israelites or the conniving devil? Or are we looking for a confirmation of our existing faith, like Gideon or Hannah? Those whom God blesses already believe and are looking for encouragement to believe more. Their binary answer of belief or disbelief is not in the balance; instead, they are seeking to know God and His will more deeply.Even Abraham, the father of the Judeo-Christian faith, asked for a sign of confirmation. God promised him the land of Canaan, but Abraham (then named Abram) responded, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” (Genesis 15:8, NIV) This is right after his faith was credited to him as righteousness (15:6). God saw Abraham’s faith but also eased his worry.It is our intention that makes the difference. Being a stubborn human attempting to make God bend to our resistant will is not going to elicit sympathy from the Great Creator. However, a humble servant revealing my weakness of faith or expressing my worry is met with love, tenderness, and confirmation. I’ve had similar experiences in my own life, specifically with the birth of my son. I’ve heard other testimonies where confirmation was also graciously given. I know God’s gentleness and faithfulness lead Him to meet us in earnestness but not in our obstinance.Are you looking for a sign of God’s existence? Start with your intentions. Will you only believe in Him if He bends to your will and desire? He won’t. Or are you simply hoping, in weakness, to know how much your Creator cares for you? He’s much more interested in that–His Word proves it.Like the man whose sick son was dying in Mark 9 cries out, “help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23), we are also allowed to seek the Lord in desperate humility. As Jesus opens in His Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8, NIV) Our intentions make all the difference–they impact what God will reveal to us. So, what are yours? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The United States is a bastion for individual freedoms, like that for personal religion. Yet, in our attempts to balance the separation of church and state, the scales have tipped too far, and it has become en-vogue for parents not to insist or otherwise instill their faith in their children. Pew Research has confirmed this trend–only 35% of American parents feel it is of some importance for their children to have a similar faith to their own (link here).There have certainly been horror stories of oppressive parenting turning kids away from following in similar faith footsteps. Still, those are like many other stories in our social media age–the exception rather than the norm. Such stories shouldn’t turn parents from our responsibility to instill truth into our children. How impotent must a parent find their own beliefs–whatever they are–if they find it unimportant whether their kids understand the natural and supernatural worlds similarly? There are plenty of biblical examples of parenting a child in faith. We can easily infer Abraham’s parental role in ministering to his son, Isaac, given Isaac’s acceptance of his potential sacrifice in Genesis 22. The same could be said for Jephthah’s daughter in Judges 11:36. Naomi takes an adoptive parent role with her daughter-in-law Ruth as Ruth declares her trust in Naomi’s God in Ruth 1:16. Mordecai (eventually) persuades his adoptive daughter, Esther, to use her political position to save the Jews throughout Babylon by trusting in the Lord in her precarious approach to the king.There’s an even more popular parental story we should address. In 1 Samuel 1, a barren woman, Hannah, is mocked for her inability to conceive children. She prays fervently and regularly, ultimately committing to God that if He blessed her with a son, “I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 1:11, NIV) God accepted that offer, and Samuel was born. Hannah ultimately dedicated Samuel to the Lord’s service as an apprentice to a priest named Eli.It is easy to infer how that worked out; Samuel has two biblical books named after him and becomes the prophet who anointed the first two kings of Israel. Hannah’s faith was so strong that God used her lineage to set the course of Israel’s future. Hannah is recorded forever in the Word, partly due to her own faith and partly because she ensured her son believed the same.Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Parents are responsible for guiding our children in the ways they should go and toward what they should believe. If a parent does not instruct their children what truth is, the world will fill that void. However, even when parents do take the spiritual lead, children can still go astray. One biblical example is Samson.Judges 13 recounts how a righteous but barren couple were visited by a supernatural being and promised a son. This couple was required to specifically dedicate the boy to the Lord as a Nazarite–specially consecrated by the avoidance of alcohol, dead bodies, or cutting their hair (see Numbers 6 for more information on this vow). Despite this dedication, however, Samson goes wayward. I’ve discussed Samson before, but suffice it to say that he makes enough bad choices to wind up imprisoned with his eyes gouged out. Yet, in the end, Samson humbly returns to the Lord and destroys the Philistine leadership through self-sacrifice. Though his path was winding, Samson eventually submitted to the Lord, who promised his birth in the first place.There are also examples of poor parental spiritual influences, often leading to much larger consequences. As noteworthy as King David’s faith was–having written many psalms and received blessings and miracles throughout his recorded life–it did not seem to be conveyed to his children. His son Absalom revolted against David’s reign but met a gruesome death. Upon David’s death, there is a power struggle between his sons Solomon and Adonijah, with Solomon killing many of his half-brothers. David’s sons had more faith in the sword than in God. Solomon started his reign well by building God’s temple with David’s directions but then built another four times larger for himself. He broke every kingly rule declared in Deuteronomy 17 and bastardized his faith due to the influence of his (many) pagan wives. Solomon’s poor faith sets Israel up for civil war one generation later, leading to apostasy and, ultimately, destruction and enslavement. Clearly, David did not train his children in the ways they should go.David’s parental failings echo the circular abandonment of faith found throughout the book of Judges, resulting in regular war, enslavement, and death. The priest from earlier, Eli, did not correct his sons, leading to corruption and the death of his lineage. When parents do not train their children in their faith and spiritual disciplines, the severity of consequences ranges from personal hardship to societal dissolution. Just because America guarantees the right to personal belief does not mean parents are relieved of their mentoring duties. If anything, such freedoms stress the importance of the parent’s role more, with no one else to trust with the responsibility.God the Father guided Jesus during regular prayer and supernatural revelations, such as Jesus’ baptism and the Transfiguration. We, too, must train our children regularly and profoundly. The consequences for not doing so are simply too dire to ignore.How important is your faith to you? How much do you really believe in it? If you believe that a life uncommitted to Christ ends in eternal separation from God or painful damnation–however that looks to you–isn't faith in Jesus the most important thing we can teach our children? Do not follow the trends of American parents who abdicate their responsibilities to school systems or culture. Instead, take the reins and train your children to follow Jesus to experience the powerful blessings He has in store for both you and them. That is the way you should go, and I pray you do not depart from it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Many people lament the condition of our world today. Cultures are fractured as ethnic accusations fly and inflation soars. Politicians leverage the masses’ fear for personal gain by indicting “the other” for our miseries. While our day-to-day is hardly impacted by government leaders ruling thousands of miles away, our tribal identities result in suspicion, condemnation, and hate in our communities. This is a game in which no one wins–other than the individuals pursuing power.While Christians are, ultimately, governed by a higher authority Who seeks justice for the oppressed and relief for the marginalized, how should we react when the elected political leader opposes–or worse, suppresses–our theological priorities? Liberal thought advocates for entitlements for the poor while claiming abortion is a mother’s unambiguous choice. Conservatives believe in the sanctity of unborn life but are quick to kowtow to corporate interests for the sake of the economic prosperity of the fortunate few. Neither side represents all of Christianity’s concerns.The first half of Romans 13 addresses political authority and unintentionally invites controversy. It opens with, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1, NIV) How can this be true in a world where political authorities unjustly imprison or execute civilians, particularly professing Christians?An obedient life does not necessarily imply a fair one. Another’s sin against us does not condone us to sin in retaliation. In another of Paul’s letters, he issues an equivalently difficult–and controversial–command to the Ephesians. He instructs slaves to “obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” (Ephesians 6:5-6, NIV) While indentured servitude was more common in Paul’s days than the barbaric slavery well-known from the Atlantic slave trade, Paul makes no delineation here. Slaves who believe in Christ, no matter their circumstances, have a responsibility of servitude.It seems unfair. While our Western culture is divided by rampant victimhood, our Holy Word suggests we are to ignore our plight and instead “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” (Ephesians 6:7. NIV) Elsewhere, the Bible instructs us, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22, NIV) We are called to bring burning coals of shame upon our enemies’ heads, not a sword of vengeance. In this way, believers are to be respectful and subservient to those opposed to them or in authority over them.This is our plight when a government official wields unbiblical power over us–we must still respectfully serve, though within the bounds of our Christian convictions. However difficult, there is freedom in this path. By adopting the behavior we hope to see in the world, we make the world that much better. We may not control our circumstances, but we can free ourselves to respond to them in joy and hope so that our testimony echoes louder than any chant or assembly. Such subservience is particularly counter-cultural to the Western ethos of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps or riding off into the sunset to live a life free from conformation. In our land of Manifest Destiny, where we are encouraged to be all we can be, allowing anyone else to dictate what, who, or how we serve does not fit well. Yet, our resistance and rebellion against leadership only bring more suffering and strife by perpetuating the same cycle of power ascension and abdication that put us in this mess in the first place. For anyone who thinks they have the answer to peace, there is someone who disagrees and is willing to fight over it. Peace is nowhere to be had.However, we can take encouragement from the Bible that God sees our condition. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord condemns Israel’s rulers, who did not care for the people as they should. He declared, “I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them…” (Ezekiel 34:10, NIV). God goes on to judge between the proverbial rams–who trample the ground and edge out the weak–and the meek sheep (Ezekiel 34:20). Instead, the Lord will bless the sheep, saving them from plunder and providing them peace.These words are later echoed by Jesus when He declares that He will sort out the goats from the sheep (Matthew 25). Jesus called Himself the good shepherd (John 10:11) who will care for His flock. And it is ultimately exemplified as He was led to the cross, as a lamb to slaughter (Isaiah 53). Jesus is our utmost example and hope, all wrapped up in one.His strength extends not only to us but to those we may seek to resist. Though we may not appreciate His grace for all people, Jesus will give even the worst rulers a chance to repent and return (see Jonah in Nineveh). So, too, must we endure in God’s calling–like Jonah did–so that all are given an equal chance to recognize the error of their ways, even if we are the recipients of their fallen orders.In this case, the Lord says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35, NIV) We may exercise our Western democratic right to vote, but those rights do not extend to rebellion or resistance. It is our job to wait upon the Lord; our faith in Him will renew our endurance and strength (Isaiah 40:31). Peace comes only through faith, hope, and love, not through election or rebellion. This is yet another difficult task Christians are called to; however, it is better to pin our hope upon our eternal loving God than the outcome of the next election. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

A Christian life in the modern age invites question, if not criticism and scorn. Jesus warned His disciples–in a culture founded upon the same Scriptures they also held as sacred– “As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19, NIV) If their world, founded on the same morality and belief structures as they had, hated them, the modern believer should expect far greater disparity, even within our own families. We can prepare ourselves against the world, but how do we hold fast to God’s will when it is unpopular with those we hold dear?A cultural example may come from the movie, Avengers: Infinity War. Toward the end, a defeated Dr. Strange offers the villain, Thanos, the Time Stone. A wounded Tony Stark implores Strange to keep the stone but cannot prevent the transaction. Thanos goes on to capture all the stones, vaporize half of the universe’s interstellar population, and the Avengers remain defeated for five years. Yet, in this story, Strange had seen 14 Million possible future outcomes; his choice was the only chance they had. Tony did not–could not–know that Strange’s offering was simply a part of the plan to ultimately win the war. It was a long five years for Tony and the rest of the team.Christians should also be guided by the ultimate, long-term vision for the kingdom of God. What does that mean? Saving more souls at any expense. Any. Jesus confirms that those who offer their livelihoods or lives for His sake will find their eternal home with Him (Matthew 16:25). There are many biblical examples of difficult personal decisions made for the glory or honor of God. David’s continual refusal to kill a pursuing King Saul honors God’s plan above David’s own (1 Samuel 24). Nehemiah faced plots against his life when rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6). John the Baptist speaks out against an inappropriate marriage between Herod and his brother’s wife, for which he is eventually beheaded (Matthew 14). The apostle Paul is stoned by a mob at a town called Lystra, “But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.” (Acts 14:20, NIV) The list goes on and on. To live a God-centered life invites personal risk.As tribal creatures, we can stubbornly dig in our feet to oppose an enemy; however, sometimes, these decisions invite resistance from within our tribes–family, friends, church bodies, or more. This is a more complicated situation, as our communal standards feel at odds with our biblical ones. Yet, even these instances invite us to a deeper faith in God.Making unpopular but biblical decisions shifts us from our communal identity into a position squarely under Christ’s authority. The Apostle Peter baptized Gentiles, yet had to defend it against other believers' concerns in Acts 11. Paul had to chastise Peter publicly for mistreating Gentiles in Galatians 2:11-13. Similarly, King David hoped to spare his rebellious son, Absalom, from death despite the rebuke from his military general, Joab (2 Samuel 19). Leading our family and community in God’s desire will undoubtedly invite concern, suspicion, or rebuke, just like it did for these stalwarts of the faith. Jesus confirms, “For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’” (Matthew 10:35-36, NIV) There may be times that our walk with God goes against the grain of those we love.It is also common that those closest to us may be so concerned for our well-being, that their fear for us trumps their faith. At the tail-end of Paul’s ministry, he made a circuit back through some of his closest church plants. Along the way, Paul’s friends begged him not to return to Jerusalem because they feared his imprisonment or death (Acts 21:12), yet, he persisted with his call from Acts 20:22. His friends’ love for him was great, but God’s is always greater.Even Jesus’ journey faced resistance from within his circle. After Jesus spoke of His impending death, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:22-23, NIV) If Jesus had to persist in the face of concerned loved ones, we should expect the same for ourselves.Jesus alludes to such a dilemma when His mother and brothers became concerned with His ministry. He declares, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, NIV). Now, the word “hate” is not in the same context as our English understanding, but we are called to de-prioritize our tribe and ourselves for the will of God. Here, Jesus faces His own controversy and familiar condemnation but exalts God’s will above it all.So, how can we successfully navigate these complicated waters? First, Christians should constantly be seeking God–more than their community–for strength. Psalm 121 famously starts, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2, NIV) He is our rock, our fortress, our deliverer (Psalm 18:2). He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8) so we can trust His will in all its unpopularity.Can we charge forward in God’s will for us despite all other concerns or opposition? If we cannot withstand the concern of those who love us, can we endure the slander of a largerworld bent on tearing us down? Jesus warns, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62, NIV) If we live for Jesus, we have to be all-in. Like Dr. Strange’s foresight, God’s choice for us is our best and only hope, despite how it may look to others. We should not be flippant with our decisions, and we should test spirits regularly to ensure they are from God (1 John 4:1). Once confirmed, we must be ready to act in faith.In Infinity War, Dr. Strange lost his life for five years so that others may–ultimately–live (including his future self). The Bible confirms there is no greater love than to lay down a life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus is our friend who already gave His life for ours (John 3:16). Perhaps it’s our turn to give our lives for Him–no matter the risk, no matter the opinions, and no matter where either comes from. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Whether it is for selling drugs or hacking Facebook accounts, the “dark web” is rife with illegal activity. To combat these nefarious digital vandals, the field of digital forensics investigates cyber crimes by looking for telltale signs. Tracing bot accounts to their IP source or finding signature hacking methods helps authorities gain insight into who may be responsible for an otherwise anonymous crime.Like our digital nemeses, our spiritual enemies like to work in the shadows. The more covert their operations, the more effectively we can be tricked into thinking our urges and impulses are more altruistic than they actually are. It is important for us to understand who–or what–is influencing our decisions. So, how can we decipher whether what we feel, hear, or think is coming from the devil and his horde of spirits? Fortunately–for us–we get a glimpse into the devil’s playbook from the very beginning. God’s one prohibitive command is for Adam and Eve to refrain from eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). In Genesis 3, a cunning serpent approaches Eve after both creation and God’s rule have been established; Satan disguises his true form, just as a modern-day hacker does.He begins by attacking Eve’s understanding of God’s Word–we might say this is Satan’s attack on her faith. God’s word is true, but Satan twists it by initially asking, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1, NIV) His insinuation is blatantly untrue, and Satan knows it. Thankfully, Eve stands firm in the accuracy of God’s word. So, Satan moves to confuse her identity by calling God a liar and insists she “will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5, NIV) He insists that Eve will certainly not die (3:4), but is offering something he cannot give–life and protection. Satan skews Eve’s perception of herself and her relationship with God to find a foothold in her heart. His words incite her desire, which reveals that the fruit is “pleasing to the eye.” (3:6).Satan attacks Eve’s faith, finds success is confusing her identity, and incites her desire. In this instance, Satan wins. With his newfound success, Satan continues using the same approach throughout the Bible.Satan attacked Job in the same ways; exploiting his worldly desires by stealing Job’s wealth and attacking his identity when killing Job’s lineage. However, Job holds firm to his faith (Job 1:21-22). Yet, Job’s plight becomes more difficult when Satan attacks his health. The rest of the poem documents Job’s struggles with believing in God’s character until God reminds Job of His holiness. Job’s relationship with God is restored and so is the righteous man. Again, Satan found success by exploiting Job’s worldly desires, attacking his identity, and perverting his understanding of God to confuse Job toward sin.As our world of chaos adds pressure to believers, our environment leaves us worn out and vulnerable. Our difficult circumstances prime us to fall to Satan’s repeated tactics by leveraging our fragile moments. Job was already despondent from the loss of family and possessions when Satan struck a second time. Eve was separated from her partner, Adam, and Satan slyly confused her. Similarly, Satan also waited for Jesus’ 40-day fast before offering his strongest temptation.By this time, the world had long been lost due to the success of Satan’s ploys; so, he tried the same strategy on Jesus, but to a different result. After Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:21), He heads into the wilderness, knowing the battle ahead of Him. As usual, the devil approaches Jesus first by questioning His identity. Satan presses a starving Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” (Luke 4:3, Matthew 4:3) Jesus, though, responds with the truth of Scripture.Dismayed but unabated, Satan goes after Jesus’ desires–His ultimate desire to reign over Earth in His upcoming glory (Revelation 14:14) as well as avoid the crucifixion set before him (Luke 22:42). Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:6, Matthew 4:9), but is again offering something he cannot give. Once more, Jesus responds with correctly understood Scripture.In a last-ditch effort, Satan lobs an attack against Jesus’ understanding of God’s Word by suggesting Jesus can jump from a cliff and trust God to send angels to protect Him. Jesus replies with Scripture one last time (Luke 4:12, Matthew 4:7). Having run out of options, the devil retreats and Jesus’ ministry begins.This last attempt is rather ridiculous if we put some thought into it. Whereas Eve and Job may have been fallible in understanding God’s intention, Jesus was with the Father from the beginning. He has heard every word, yet Satan could not come up with a different tactic. Jesus perfectly resists and sets the stage for His ultimate victory.So it is with us. As James declared, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NIV) Knowing Satan’s tactics of attacking our identity, exploiting our desires, and confusing our faith prepares us to resist him best. We must be firm in all areas: our identity, self-control, and–most of all–faith, to have any chance against the ruler of darkness.How do we resist him? By following the perfect example Christ set. Eve was initially successful in quoting God correctly, but she lost her footing. Job’s initial response is a poem of praise. However, when either of them began speaking their own words instead of God’s, they became vulnerable to failure.Jesus, instead, correctly quoted Scripture against all three of Satan’s strategies. So, too, must we arm ourselves with a shield of faith and the sword that is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:16-17) to counterattack Satan’s repetitious scheme.It’s worth noting that we should not be dismayed when the devil comes for us. We become bigger targets AFTER professing our faith, just as Jesus was tempted AFTER the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. As Jesus, the Good Shepherd, seeks the lost sheep of his flock, so, too, does evil pursue those he has lost. When we stay close to Jesus, however, the devil will flee because “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away... The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” (John 10:12-13, NIV) Satan cannot steal us away from the Lion of Judah; we must choose to leave Jesus’ side first.Jesus is our ultimate example in everything, including dealing with our spiritual enemy. Let’s recognize the devil’s plan to exploit our identity, desires, and spiritual misunderstandings by standing firm as beloved children of God (Hosea 2:23), desiring love and spiritual gifts above all (1 Corinthians 14:1), while meditating on God’s law day and night (Psalm 1). These are our only defenses against the father of lies (John 8:44). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The rate of technological advancement today is stunning. We can purchase an item across the world and receive it within a week. Movies and music are streamed instantaneously as cellular networks are built to bring ever faster Internet speeds to every corner of the country. We have no patience for waiting. Our pride demands near-instant gratification.Perhaps our expeditious culture is impacting our prayer lives. We want everything now, yet God makes us wait. If Jesus says that even the sparrows are not forgotten by God (Luke 12:6), and Paul encourages the charitable Philippians that the Lord will meet their every need (Philippians 4:19), why do some prayers seemingly go unanswered? Proverbs 16:9 reveals that while we plan our lives, God directs our steps. If God directs our steps, and we are going through a challenging time, why is God allowing our suffering, despite our prayers for it to end? The story of Jacob physically wrestling God may help us better understand God’s heart for us. In Genesis chapter 32, Jacob is preparing to meet his brother, Esau, 20 years after stealing his birthright and their father’s blessing. Afraid of Esau’s response, Jacob cries out in prayer, splits up his family, and is left alone to–oddly–wrestle a man who ends up being God. It’s a peculiar story at first blush.Alone, Jacob is left to worry despite following God’s command to return home (Genesis 31:13). This random guy shows up and wrestles Jacob all night. Now, imagine yourself being so distraught that your angry brother may imminently murder your entire family, and now you have to grapple for your own life with some man the night before your brother arrives. Would you claim to be too busy for this? Would you focus on the “more important” things coming up? Once this random guy realizes Jacob is not giving up, he throws Jacob’s hip out of the socket, yet Jacob persists. The guy tells Jacob to let go as the sun rises, but Jacob replies, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:26, ESV) Here, Jacob receives his new name, “Israel,” which literally means “He strives with God.”This is the subtle beginning of God’s earlier promise to Abraham years after he had died. Jacob had many sons, and the multiplication of God’s people was about to begin. Two prayers are answered at once: Esau will greet Jacob with kindness, and Abraham’s messianic seed will survive and grow.There’s a lot we can learn from this story. Our prayers can be our way of wrestling with God. Just as Jacob wrestled all night, are we so distraught with our situation that we are willing to spend all night pleading our case? As Jacob ignored tomorrow’s worry in the face of the current need, do we prioritize prayer in the face of our challenges or let the world’s worry distract us from our time with God? Are we willing to give up our body, our comfort, or our pride in the same way the once-strong Jacob is now permanently stricken with a limp? Wrestling is a confrontation. It’s hard. Similarly, honest prayer is making our case persistently before the Holy Judge to convey the depths of our faith in Him above our control. Casual prayer is a convenience to us. Earnest prayer is a sacrifice of time and control. Things move when we spend less time plotting and more time praying.Jesus confirms as much. Luke 18 opens with the parable of the persistent widow. In it, Jesus appeals to reason by suggesting even a godless and unjust judge will hear and rectify a persistent woman’s pleas for justice; therefore, God the Father–who delights in us and desires justice for its own sake–will undoubtedly respond to our pleas. Persistence reveals faith, faith reveals humility, and humility is the key that unlocks God’s attention for us.To continually ask for something we have yet to receive confirms our faith. Indeed, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” (Hebrews 11:1-2, NIV) Jesus says we will receive whatever we ask in His name (John 14:13), but He doesn’t say we’ll receive it immediately. Deep-rooted faith is trusting God even while we wait…. Even when we don’t get what we want, how we want it.Sometimes, an undelivered prayer galvanizes our faith more than one that is answered immediately. That is why our prayers, said in our way, don’t get answered how we want: He has something better if we trust Him. We must choose to continue believing, and the resulting strength in our faith may be better for the Kingdom of God and ourselves. We’re not alone in this struggle. God promised Abraham a great lineage but waited 25 years before giving Sara a son (Genesis 12:4, 21:5). Samuel’s mother, Hannah, prayed year by year for a son in 1 Samuel 1:7. The prophets, especially Jeremiah, mourn the loss of Jerusalem and pray for God’s anger to subside, while the Israelites were led away in slavery and exile. In John’s revelation, the martyrs cry out, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10, NIV) Many of God’s faithful servants had to wait to see the fulfillment of God’s promises–if they even lived to see it at all. Like the promised land of Canaan to Abraham, the Israelites would not enter it for another 430 years! Again, a saint of God goes to his grave with more hope than proof.Without patience, our faith turns into a selfish expectation, exalting ourselves above Him by demanding His power at our will. While we pray to remove our hardships, God instead uses them to purify us like gold and silver (Malachi 3:3). Living with a pure, tested faith requires more humility than a life of excess. We must make the choice to trust that He knows best. What can we take away from the way God works? He works in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)--for all those who love him, not just the one going through the trial. He even works through pain and death. At Abraham’s death, his promised lineage was a singular man. However, that man, Isaac, would bring about the Savior. Martyrs have and will continue to die while exalting God so that others may come to know Him. And Jesus died so that we may be free from hell. Yes, I saved Jesus for last. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Himself asks the Father to spare Him from the cross, only to admit that His will is subservient to the Father’s (Luke 22:42). He prayed more for the strength and unity of believers than He did for His own life. Even the Son of God must face the hard truth that the best-answered prayer may sometimes be the most difficult. His was the perfect prayer.We should all feel grateful that God answered that hard prayer, though not in the way Jesus requested. We should lean into faith more than outcomes. Can we be humble enough to thank God for not answering our prayers in all the ways we seek? While Jesus answers our prayers, perhaps we can answer the one He spoke for our unity and strength of faith. He’s waited 2,000 years for it, yet He still trusts it will happen—one day. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

When I instruct children on prayer, there is a familiar routine I follow. I’ll usually pick one of the older kids in the class and ask, “Have you ever asked me to give you $1 million?” When they invariably reply, “No,” I press again by asking, “Why not?”“Because you don’t have a million dollars.” That is true.This springboards the conversation into the limitations we place on God. My suggestion is not for everyone to ask God for $1 million, but it is to encourage us to ask for things we know God can provide, including the big, miraculous things.Simply put: if we know God is capable of healing our terminal illness, relieving us of our persistent addictions, or bringing our wayward family member home, are we asking Him for these things?In Acts 3, the day of Pentecost is still fresh on Jerusalem’s collective mind. Thousands of people came to accept Christ after witnessing the supernatural abilities of the disciples to speak in multinational languages. The death of Jesus is a couple of months old by now, but the church is just beginning to grow. Disciples like Peter and John are not yet being imprisoned or beaten because the effects of their ministry are still unnoticeable to the larger Jewish leadership. But that is about to change.Peter and John walk into the temple for worship at the most popular entrance, where the Gentiles (non-Jewish believers) and women are allowed to worship. Because of its popularity, a man—crippled from birth—regularly begs for charity. We read later that he is well-recognized by the routine worshipers. The crippled man passively asks Peter and John for money in verse 3. The disciples stop in their tracks, giving him their full attention. In verse 4, Peter demands that the beggar look back at them. Mind you, this occurs immediately after the beggar has just asked for their assistance. Clearly, this man is simply asking anyone for help, and this is a bustling place. The man focuses on them, expecting to receive charity.Picking up in verse 6, “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6, NIV) Peter takes the beggar by the hand and pulls him to his feet; his feet and ankles become strong. This results in the beggar’s joy, the crowd’s amazement, the conversion of many, and the attention of the suspicious leadership.There are so many things worth touching on. For instance, the man’s feet and ankles become strong after he stands. Imagine being this beggar and having a stranger attempt to pull you to the feet you’ve never used… what would your response be?It’s also fascinating how instantaneously our lives can change with the correct persistence. This man spent years coming to this same gate—we can infer this from how recognizable he is to the baffled crowd. The years of this man’s misery laid the convincing groundwork to turn many hearts to Christ. What would that beggar have missed if he had chosen another entrance or place for that day? Would the crowd still have believed the miracle if they did not know the length of his ailment?There are messages hidden within each of those tangents; however, this message will stress the importance of asking for the right thing. The best thing.The beggar was passively asking for money. He was resigned to his plight and sought only to soothe the symptoms of his disability. Yet, the power of an anointed Peter offered something far greater: true relief.Faith is formed in our requests. The bigger the ask, the bigger our faith. If we ask God for something big, it can only be because we believe—or we want to believe—that He can provide it. By begging for his inexplicable help, we reveal our inability to change the situation while demonstrating our faith in His ability to make a difference. That humility is the fertile ground for faith to plant deeply. That’s the type of faith Jesus hopes to draw from us. The New Testament is full of disciples and apostles performing miracles. So why aren’t there more bona fide miracles in our comfortable Western culture? Perhaps we aren’t seriously asking. Perhaps we aren’t seriously believing.The risk is high, right? Who wants to look foolish by publicly asking for something that may not happen? No one. So we pray silently, afraid of stepping onto the waves of faith. If we are healed by the measure of our faith (Matthew 9:22) but our faith in His continual power is small, so will the healing be. By protecting our public image, we are limiting our faith. We may feel we must defend God’s integrity—trust me, He can handle Himself. We may feel it isn’t our place to ask too much of God. Well, Jesus says in the book of John, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”(John 14:13-14)We may feel like miracles are a part of ancient history or were only accessible through the founding apostles. If so, we restrict God’s promises to a specific time and place. If that’s the case and we haven’t had any new promises for us in the last 2,000 years, what can we place our faith in? How can the salvation of the cross be eternally available, but not the other promises of the ever-present God? We can see how our logic quickly breaks apart if we restrict miracles to contextual time periods.Our solution is not to ask God for bland desires or worldly fulfillment. Our solution is not to visit a particular evangelist or buy some freshly anointed prayer cloth from a TV personality.Our only solution is to accept, by faith, that God can and wants to heal us miraculously and to ask for it boldly. When a brother in my weekly Men’s group irreparably injured his knee, we prayed in faith for healing. Not some soft and safe “give the doctors wisdom” or “remove the pain from the knee.” No, we asked for healing, We ask so that his his testimony would glorify the still-moving God. God delivered.God, help our unbelief. Please help us to ask in faith for your divine healing. Help us to have faith that you can deliver the unimaginable. Remind us to ask for the big things so that there is no doubt in your power and capability when You come through.Like the father of a dying son exclaimed to Jesus, “Help my unbelief?” in Mark 9:24, our faith can be weak or small. Fortunately, the smallest mustard seed’s worth of faith is still enough to those who believe. (Matthew 17:20) Go ahead. Ask big. Get ready to see something amazing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Can wearing two different types of fabric really be a sin (Deuteronomy 22:11)? Why were some animals “unclean” to eat at first (Leviticus 11) before Jesus changed the law (Matthew 15:11, Acts 10)? If sin is so important, why does it feel so unclear? Perhaps we should focus less on the specifics and explore more what it means to be sinful.In my opinion, one of the most thought-twisting chapters of the Bible is Romans 7. In it, the Apostle Paul describes the inner conflict between his mind’s delight in the Lord and his body’s desire for indulgence and sin. It is here we find the famous verse, “For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” (Romans 7:15, NIV) All of us can relate to Paul’s strife when we say things we regret or make poor rash decisions. However, the motivations behind sin go deeper than that.While some may use Paul’s verse as a righteous cop-out, Paul’s greater message describes how sin leverages our knowledge of what is right to lust after what is wrong. This rings familiar of the Garden of Eden when Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Genesis 2:17) Simply knowing the difference between right and wrong invites our bodies to want the wrong. Our bodies desire what we can touch, feel, carry, spend, and own more than that which our souls hope for. Our bodies forsake all restrictions to grasp our present opportunity.That inescapable desire to please ourselves before honoring our God or neighbor is the foundation of sin. Sin is our choice to act for the self at the expense of our faith or community. Sin comes from knowing God’s will–His Law, His expectations, His faithfulness, His calling on our lives–and choosing against it. That’s why acting on what is wrong or not acting on that which is good both qualify as sin; we choose our way, our life, and our resources in direct opposition to God’s Word. The desire to sin is baked into each one of us; neither a confession of faith nor baptism removes it. I mentioned the changing laws around food before, and let’s peer into that. In Matthew 15, Jesus declares that it is not what a man eats that defiles him–he is marred by what comes out of him through word or deed. How can we reconcile a changing attitude from an unchanging God? In the same way that the Bible records how God provides and removes His blessing and protection from generations of people. His covenant to protect and grow the people of Israel remains the same, but He will employ different tactics that may seem harsh or restrictive to do it–just ask Job. The world offered all the animals, insects, birds, and fish to eat, but God put restrictions in place to see which we would want more: His blessing or a main course of camel.Later in his letter to the Romans, Paul expounds upon these laws, writing, “Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.” (Romans 14:20, ESV) At first, this may appear silly, but it quickly makes sense if we consider addictive substances. If your brother has a problem with alcohol, but you do not, it would be a sin to drink in front of him, as it strengthens the voices of temptation against him. Similarly, suppose someone is fasting from sugar; eating ice cream in front of them weakens their resolve. In that case, you are interjecting your selfish will between another believer and what they’ve offered to God. If we carry this out logically, we begin to see the true essence of righteousness and sin. It’s about our motivations.That’s why accepting Jesus as our Lord is the necessary part of salvation. We choose to follow His way more often than our own. We acknowledge He truly knows what is best, not ourselves. It invites repentance against all the times we have–and will–choose ourselves over someone else, including God. It reveals our hearts' desire to want what God has for us instead of what the world offers.Sin is the exact opposite. It wants to take from others based purely on the immediate reality. Casual sex takes the essence of another person without the commitment to pour back into them. Theft takes what rightfully belongs to another person. Desecrating God’s name attempts to exalt ourselves over Him. Drugs offer us a temporary high while they destroy our bodies, identity, friends, and family. Sin does not create; it only corrupts what God has perfectly made. We are made in God’s image for a unique purpose (Jeremiah 1:5). Sin, then, is our choice to harm that image, refuse that purpose, or strip either away from someone else. Sin is anything we do or don’t do that gets between God and Man. No book could contain all the specifics to avoid, and that’s the point. The religious leaders of Jesus’ time knew all the laws, yet their hearts were far from God. Meanwhile, the sinners, prostitutes, and tax cheats knew they were wrong and flocked back to Jesus in repentance. We all sin, but do we see all the ways in which we do?Our souls yearn to find our purpose while we enslave our flesh with uninspired time in hopes of attaining large salaries and larger indulgences. Our souls want peace, while our bodies invite drama through power and lust. A battle is raging over our hearts, whether to follow the desires of our supernatural souls or give in to the natural desires of the body. Proverbs 4 warns us, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV) If our hearts seek the world–where all things die, rust, and decay–then our lives will end similarly. If, instead, our hearts seek eternal promises by trusting the Father, our lives will likewise last forever.Sin is anything that convinces us what we have in this world is better than what God has made for us. In Romans 7, Paul is lamenting his continual battle of subduing his heart against all the choices the world offers. His ultimate relief from his “body of death” comes in the power of resurrection through Jesus (Romans 7:24-25). Make the right choice. Choose the King, who Himself chose a brutal earthly death in order that He may offer you a glorious heavenly life. Let nothing else get in between Him and you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Sports fandom in Central Kentucky is dominated by college athletics. Even beyond the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville rivalry, local fans are far less interested in professional teams. This can be socially inconvenient for a guy like me with little collegiate allegiance.Living in Central Kentucky, it’s common for me to be asked who I root for. I always mention that I casually root for the UK Wildcats but am not sold out for them. I remain plugged in enough to chat but rarely watch the games. I don’t spend my money or time on college sports other than to catch a nationally momentous event. You could say I am in Wildcat country, but not of it.Similarly, this is how Christians should participate in the world. We cannot escape the world, just as I cannot escape Kentucky fandom. World events matter to those we interact with, so we should remain aware enough to have those conversations. Communication is essential to relationships; we are a tribal creation that should not exist in isolation. Therefore, Christians must plug in enough to speak casually on cultural, business, or political topics. Our faith must be able to exist within–and speak to–the concerns of the world. Christians must remain a part of the world without being engrossed in it.Where do we get this from? In Jesus’ prayer to God the Father before His crucifixion, He asks,  “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:14-18, ESV) Similarly, Jesus commissions his disciples to go make disciples throughout all nations (Mathew 28, Mark 16). We cannot escape the world without death or Rapture, so we must learn to advance God’s Kingdom from within it. It is expected of us.Why does it matter whether we remain a part of culture? What about secluded communities, like the Amish or monasteries? While I respect the Amish’s devotion to distancing culture’s influence on their behavior and faith, they equally diminish their own influence on the culture when they remove themselves from it. If the Christian faith depended wholeheartedly on them and their evangelism, many more people would die in their sin, while the Amish community would remain the singular remnant. Taking a spiritually defensive position simply allows the enemy to claim more lives; instead, Christians are commanded to go into the nations offensively. Seclusion prioritizes piety over evangelism, which sounds eerily like the religious leaders whom Jesus spoke against.This reminds me of when Jesus tells a disciple, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58, ESV) Jesus did not permanently seclude Himself and invite people to hear His wisdom; He went to the sinners, where and how they were, like the good shepherd looking for his lost sheep. We cannot serve the needs of our community if we are not a part of the community; we will remove our opportunities to share the Gospel if we have no one new to speak with. If the disciples had remained in the Upper Room of Acts 2 instead of going out and proclaiming Jesus in the streets, temple, and synagogues, the church would look dramatically smaller (read: more people would have died in their unbelief).Naturally, the closer we are to the world, the stronger its temptations and influence. Have you ever noticed your language shift when you listen to explicit songs or watch R-rated films? Culture labels such media as “edgy,” “mature,” or “real”; whatever you call it, it is invariably corrupting. As Jesus warns, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:18, ESV) If we notice our behavior change because of our exposure to culture, then we know we’ve gotten too close to it. It is one thing to witness the culture, but another to emulate it.Therefore, we can see the real danger of becoming too closely tied to the world. Being an effective disciple remains a balancing act, and Jesus knows it. He descended from His heavenly throne to enter our sin-riddled world yet remained perfect. Tempted in every way, He depended on God and Scripture to bolster Himself while weak from fasting. Similarly, as He sent His disciples on their own missions, He advised, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16, ESV) Our mission field is a dangerous place that we cannot avoid.This danger requires faith, devotion, and even routine to remain prepared. That is why we must wear the armor of God (Ephesians 6)--we do not need armor if we do not battle. That is why we assemble and support each other’s works (Hebrews 10:24-25)--we do not need support if personal piety is our only expectation. That is why we must continually resist conforming to the world and renew our minds (Romans 12:2)--if we remove ourselves from the world, this exhortation is moot.Faith without works is dead (James 2:14). Therefore, we must work within a sinful world with a bolstered faith to save more people. Though good deeds do not save us, we are expected to perform them, just as Christ did the best work of saving us. To paraphrase James, compare a selfish, exclusionary faith without good works to the strong faith it takes to go into the culture with a sacrificial message and service. It’s apples to oranges.To be “in the world” reminds us of our current existence. We are here, in the present, for a purpose. If you’re reading or hearing this message, you are alive–in the world. The world is continually and eternally lost until recreation. The souls in this world matter because their professions of faith–or lack of them–matter eternally.We are not “of the world” because we set our minds on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2). Money is not our master (Matthew 6:24). Our battles are against principalities, darkness, and supernatural forces (Ephesians 6:12).The Christian life is meant to be one of constant conflict, though our Western experience may seem otherwise. Christians are called to be countercultural, not anticultural. We cannot offer society another option if we do not first understand what it has already mistakenly chosen.Jesus became a part of our world so we would be saved–not condemned (John 3:16-17). We, too, must bear our cross and confront culture’s hate and worries with our unreciprocated love and indescribable peace. By that, we may just change someone else’s world…and eternity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The Western winter holidays are saturated with gift-giving but are also known for the rabid return rate of unwanted items. It’s estimated almost 20% of all holiday purchases will be returned. When an aunt gifts an unfortunate sweater or children wrap another tie or robe, a desire for utility prompts us to send the gifts back for credit toward something we want more. An endearing intention is met with a selfish, if practical, response. Part of the reason we return so much stems from our cultural obligations to give; givers make rash or uninspired purchases to check some dutiful box. However, another reason we return is due to a lack of empathy. If a gift doesn’t immediately offer value, we care less about the giver’s intention than our utility. We more easily assign value to what we purchase ourselves. When we make the financial sacrifice, we hold the item more dearly than if it were gifted to us. Facebook Marketplace is rife with haggling between buyers and sellers as the value of an item is debated. Hoarders overestimate the value of their decaying junk and attempt to justify holding out for the buyer who sees the “true value.”This is how the sacrificial system instituted by Old Testament Law was intended to work. By assigning a value of “loss” from sin, mankind was supposed to learn to cherish righteousness. If I lose what I own because of my sin, I now have an earthly incentive to pursue holiness. Now that I have something at stake, the penalty of sin feels heavier to my mind, as well as my spirit. When sin requires a dove, a bull, a ram–my livelihood–I am supposed to feel the weight of that loss and value God’s rules above my own. The earliest example of sin’s cost was paid by God. God killed his creation to cover our naked depravity with animal skins (Genesis 3:21). He lost his communion with us with flames maintaining an insurmountable barrier (Genesis 3:24). Therefore, anything going back to God had to pass through flames to get there and we see that in examples like Noah’s interceding for mankind after the flood (Genesis 8:20), the burnt offerings of Jobs' ignorant friends (Job 42:8), and David’s regret over his census (2 Samuel 24). There was no way to retrieve it from the ashes–the offering was completely lost to those to gave it.Loss is the weight behind repentance. We can choose to indulge in our flesh’s desires, but repentance requires us to decide to leave it behind. We must offer something of importance back to God to affirm His value to us. David reveals a similar conviction after turning down a free gift of a man’s threshing floor and cattle to satisfy God’s wrath. David replies, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24, NIV) David understands God is looking for our motives more than our offerings. Loss was meant to inspire our regret and pursuit of holiness. However, sin is baked into our very existence, and therefore, we should expect a continual spiritual battle against it.Over time, Man gave up on that battle. We see generations relapse from faith and righteousness throughout Judges and the books of Kings and Chronicles. Proverbs is littered with the effects of sinful men. Scores of animals were sacrificed across time as Man no longer valued their material loss more than the desires of their depraved hearts. Though the Babylonian exile inspired a new zeal for faith, it became a structure of human condemnation and judgment through the religious oppression by the Sadducees and Pharisees; they cared more about the prescription of sacrifices than the intention behind them.Thus, man’s sacrifices lost their meaning. The losses did not inspire any more faith, only procedure. Man’s heart was still far from God–the antithesis of God’s desire (Hosea 6:6). So, God removed the necessity of our ineffective sacrifices; however, our sins still beget death. If man couldn’t conquer sin, then God had to conquer the death that came with it. Thus, Jesus’ death on the cross was a true sacrifice of eternal significance to finally fulfill the law. Our salvation now no longer costs us resources; it is a gift for us to accept.Yet, I wonder if this free gift is now received like our unwanted holiday presents. 21st-century Westerners have little pragmatic or material need for Christ, as far as they can tell. Our country, built on the blessings of the faithful who escaped persecution, is cashing in on our forefathers’ sacrifices. God has kept His covenant with them to our benefit. Are we not just another generation who have forgotten where our help comes from, like those in Judges or Chronicles?Jesus’ sacrifice now demands our faith, not our religious rites. God’s desire has always been for our hearts and lives to be offered to Him. Having taken the sacrificial system out of our hands, God leaves us with the central question: do we believe or not? Any requirement of our precious wealth and possessions–that we enslave ourselves to acquire–is not enough to turn our hearts toward him, so He made a simpler way to get to the root of the matter.God’s free gift is offered to you. Though it may appear impractical in our lush society, the intention is far more meaningful than you realize. The choice is yours whether to accept it or to exchange it for an indulgent lifestyle–just remember, if you reject His gift of salvation, He will return you to the wrath you so willingly chose. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Have you seen the “Coexist” bumper stickers? They are so popular, I would be surprised if you haven’t. Various religious symbols replace each letter, suggesting that all religions should coexist peacefully. As Christians, we should agree with the “peace” but must disagree with the implied equivalency of all faiths.The Unitarian Universalist Church “encourages each individual to develop a personal faith. It draws from many different religions, in the belief that no one religion has all the answers and that most have something to teach us.” That may sound nice, but it means nothing–quite literally. If the foundation of faith is individualistic, then there is nothing to have faith in at all. Imagine if the law of gravity was different for each person. On the same planet, some would float away, and others would be crushed. Some could leap tall buildings, and others could barely stand. How would we build any shelter? Flying would be impossible. This isn’t to be confused with changing gravitational pulls on different planets–indeed, gravitational forces change because the law of gravity is the same throughout the universe. The reality of nature remains the same; it is the mass of each celestial body that differs. Gravity would not work without a constant law, nor would life.Though mankind cannot prove spiritual matters scientifically, the same element of truth still applies. The argument that different religions look at the same unknowable truth through different lenses only works if each does not blatantly contradict the others. Hindus believe in reincarnation; Jews do not. Buddhists believe our chief aim is to ascend to a mental and spiritual plane of super-consciousness, whereas Muslims have a faith primarily measured by works. Similarly, Christians have a hard redline that determines our eternal destination: Jesus.Speaking of Himself as the gateway to eternal life, Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1, NIV) He further describes these thieves’ motives as “only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) The entire chapter of John 10 metaphorically describes how the people of God will learn to hear the true shepherd’s voice and enter through the only gate to eternity. Jesus states, “I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:7) Jesus declares that He, alone, is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He announces, “whoever does not believe stands condemned” (John 3:18) He has the power to cast out those from eternity that never truly knew Him (Matthew 7:23) Jesus will be leading the heavenly charge when this world’s time has ended (Mark 13:26) Anyone ashamed of Him and the entirety of His words will find no comfort from Him in glory. (Luke 9:26) There is no equivocation, no room for another “messiah, " no option for alternative hope. It is Jesus or nothing. The world’s largest religions–most from the Abrahamic faithline–take similar exclusionary stances. The first of the famous Ten Commandments prevents Jews from having any other god besides YHWH. The Quran also declares its own exclusivity “‘The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.’ Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place.” (Quran Surah 18:29) Among these monotheistic religions, which all claim the same human forefather, there is no compromise, either.So, why choose Jesus? We believe in the convincing testimonies in the Bible. The New Testament fulfills many of the Old Testament prophecies. Those who wrote the New Testament did not seek power or fame; instead, they often died for their faith. Their convictions were so strong that they would not deny the miracles Jesus performed, most of all His resurrection. Now, there are many Christian apologetic books that present substantially better arguments than this 5-minute message. Still, the historicity and counter-cultural, self-sacrificial nature of both the Lord and His followers make a strong analytical case for its accuracy.And then, there are our own testimonies. When you invite the Holy Spirit into yourself, your life changes in unexplainable ways. Miracles happen by faith. The world loses its control over you. As we’ve read, Jesus is not coy about the Truth. If you believe Jesus at all, you have to believe Him fully. There is no middle ground; therefore, the Truth revealed through Christ cannot be massaged in any other form. This isn’t to say that we understand everything about creation, faith, God, or Jesus; however, it draws a hardline against accepting any other spiritual offering. Even if an angelic being preaches a different version of this Gospel, it is to be eternally condemned. (Galatians 1:8) This is why cultural Christianity or Christian morality is so dangerous: it can trick you into thinking you believe when it’s simply a moral ethos that you pick and choose from according to your comfort level. Different religions may get along on Earth, but there will be no compromise in heaven. That truth may feel as uncomfortable as falling to the hard ground. However, our feelings cannot change either the laws of gravity or heaven–we are still bound by these undeniable forces. So, we must choose between the truth man creates or the Truth Jesus declared; the two will coexist. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Large church buildings exhaust me. People certainly need a place to commune and worship together; however, both new plants and established churches are regularly distracted by the pursuit of more space, larger crowds, and, thus, greater sums of money to support it all. Our pursuit of buildings clouds our pursuits for the kingdom. One is supposed to serve the other, but the Western church incorrectly flips the order.This echoes what we see from King Solomon in the first half of 1 Kings 7, which is a detailed schematic of the palace Solomon built for himself. The writer of 1 Kings intentionally juxtaposes his massive home against the dimensions of the Lord’s temple from the previous chapter 6. For a quick comparison, both temples were around 45 ft high, but Solomon’s temple was longer (150 ft. vs 90 ft.) and much wider (75 ft vs. 30 ft), making his palace more than 4x the volume of the Temple. The outsized home reveals the king’s outsized pride.This was prophetically foretold when God warned future Jewish kings in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. His instructions included prohibitions against maintaining a lot of horses for himself, purchasing horses from Egypt, taking many wives, or amassing great wealth; Solomon ignored each of these. He collects 1,400 chariots with 12,000 horses (1 Kings 10:26) from Egypt (10:28), had 700 wives and 300 concubines (11:3), and “was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.” (10:23) He incorrectly placed his hope of security and influence in his strategy, his affectionate personality, and his wealth. Does that sound familiar? His military strength bred a ruthless family that quickly fractured Israel after Solomon’s death. His many wives led his faith away from God, plunging the country into apostasy. His wealth was more focused on his glory than the Lord’s, judging by the respective construction plans. Israel eventually reaped this rotten harvest. The split kingdoms were more susceptible to invasion. Eventually, the northern kingdom was conquered in 722 BC, and Judah followed in 586 BC. Was Solomon singularly to blame for Israel’s woes? No, but his poor leadership–despite his notorious wisdom–set the stage for subsequent generations to follow deeper into depravity. Similarly, the “strategic,” self-aggrandizing, and protective decisions of Western Christian leaders have laid a foundation for an equally fractured, vulnerable, and faithless population.James wrote, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27, NIV) As we invest more tithed resources into larger buildings and the accruing interest that comes with them, are we caring more for our fame than widows and orphans? When an organization’s existence depends more on making a mortgage payment than hosting the Holy Spirit, its validation comes from its administration more than its faithfulness. Doesn’t that sound like the example of Solomon’s two temples?Church buildings–on their own–are not the problem. Churches are community staples affirming the praise of God. They are cultural lampstands, subtly reminding each passer-by that the Lord is worshiped on their grounds; however, the prevalence of our church buildings is clearly inhibiting the spread of Christianity. Where church buildings are most common–in the Northern Hemisphere Western cultures–we see rapid declines in believers. In contrast, where persecution is highest–Southern Hemispherical, Eastern cultures–believers are booming. Persecution may impede a church’s physical construction but accelerates its spiritual construction. We don’t need a church building to grow the church body if we are following the Commission. We must remember how Christianity began–as a network of house churches. In Acts 2, we see believers communing in the Temple courts (not some specialized buildings) or breaking bread with those who supported the church. As Paul went on his missionary journeys to evangelize the world, he did not first plant a new building and invite strangers. Instead, he preached in the existing synagogues or spoke in community centers, such as the Areopagus in Greece (Acts 17). In His Great Commission, Jesus told the disciples to go make disciples, not to build in His honor. (Matthew 28). Western churches simply have it backward.It is appropriate for us to desire a place to welcome the Lord, but it should not be our end goal. I doubt any church claims its building is its priority above its spiritual health; however, what does its bank account affirm? God the Father preferred His Tabernacle more than David’s desired temple (2 Samuel 7:7), yet our desire is still to grow more, build more, and spend more. Where our treasure is, so will our hearts be. If we pour our resources into brick and mortar, they cannot be poured into the people within it. The Western church is more interested in its noticeable success than the invisible ones. The Western church will happily invite the lost souls but rarely seeks them. The cumulative time, effort, and resources keeping the grounds fresh is a shallow stand-in for the community work required to keep faith fresh. Whose glory do our buildings exalt: our leaders or our God? Our church does not need an excessively large building; we need an excessively large faith. We are called to make disciples, not buildings. If we are successfully training our disciples to create more disciples, then no campus would be big enough to contain them all.Yet, many American streets are lined with the hollowed tombstones of congregations past, where wood and stone are all that remain of a sedentary faith. We must heed the warnings from Solomon’s errors to avoid amassing wealth, centralizing congregations too large for a staff to care for, or exalting our name above the God we claim to worship. The greatest wisdom Solomon may actually impart to us is in helping us avoid his follies. Perhaps, it’s time for us to downsize the Western church property and renovate its faith, instead. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

We impose certain rules upon children that we do not expect them to follow as adults. These rules may protect them from harm or teach them valuable life skills. Some personal examples include restricting how far my daughter can travel alone on her scooter and a family requirement to practice piano before accessing technology. These rules are not forever but intentionally temporary for a specific season.The Old Testament laws are similar. There are 613 commands throughout the Old Testament, 365 prohibitive commands (“Do not do”), and 248 positive commands (“Do this”). These commands range from prohibitions against murder to instructions on what types of clothing to wear. With such specificity, it is understandable to suggest that these commands were intended to be exhaustive.Ancient Jewish rabbis took this position, and they still influence Judaism today. Even more verbal and written instructions were added to help Jews avoid grey areas. With these extra-biblical commands, it quickly becomes a maze of regulations. This distracts the heart from the humility before God and steers it toward our natural competitive inclinations to see who can adhere to the rules “the best.” This is the root of “legalism.”The growing sum of these additional rules made up the context during which Jesus is asked by a scholar which Commandment is the greatest in Matthew 22:36. Jesus’ famous response boils all of them down to two: Love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself. (v 37-40)So, why did God offer all 613 commandments if He planned to save everyone through Christ anyway? Galatians 3 may help us better understand. Paul writes to his earliest church plants in the southern part of the Roman province of Galatia, who are being instructed to accompany their faith in Christ with Jewish requirements, such as circumcision, observing the Sabbath, and eating only kosher foods. Paul rebukes their attempts to “earn” their salvation through works. He writes, “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3, NIV) He presses the point, “Does God give you his Spirit to work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” (3:5)By replacing faith–where all are equally unrighteous–with a pursuit of expired religious rites–where some can adhere better than others–the believer’s disposition changes from God to the self, even if that self is in extreme sacrifice and service to God. Elsewhere, God reminds His people through Hosea, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6, NIV) Remember, burnt offerings were specifically prescribed by God for various levels of offense. Is this an example of God changing His mind?This gets to the heart of the matter: the Law was instituted so that we could learn the scale of our own unrighteousness. The more the ancient Israelites sinned, the more they had to give away from their flocks and harvest. This punishment sets the scale and reveals the frequency of our faults. Like a bank account that we continue to over-withdraw, the balance approaches 0 quickly. This is the precursor to our understanding of salvation through Christ. As Paul writes to the Galatians, “the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) The Law shows us why we must have faith in Jesus more than righteousness. We simply cannot afford to atone for all of our sins. It is a debt we cannot pay.Why do I restrict my daughter’s travels or my children’s screen time? Because I want them to learn the benefits of safety and responsibilities in our structured lives. I demand homework be done early to instill a positive work ethic in my children so that when they grow up, they will not depart from it. The Old Testament Law is the spiritual equivalent. Through the Law, we better understand what our image is supposed to be, not just what the world decides it wants from us. We learn about modesty, humility, respect, and the dangers of anger and lust. There are even directions for slaves and slaveowners, revealing that our personal position before God is not subject to or conditioned by an unfair world. Our inability to live up to the Law reveals to us our necessity for a Savior, Jesus.Paul’s warnings of the Galatians’ legalism are meant to prevent spiritual competitive comparison. If we focus on what we can do rather than what we can’t live up to, then we marginalize Christ’s role in our lives. Jesus declared, “the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” (Luke 22:26, NIV) This, similarly, reframes our hearts from competitive legal observance to humility and care.So, if the Law is simply a measuring stick to reveal our depravity but not to declare our righteousness, can we continually choose to engage in blatant sin under God’s grace through faith in Christ? That has been a pernicious suggestion for thousands of years. Paul addresses this in his letter to the Romans, “By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:2-3, NIV) The disciple John also addresses it, “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8, NIV) While we cannot achieve perfection by our own will, any persistence in habitual sin denigrates Jesus’ sacrifice for us. If we take the Gospel claims seriously, our hearts will change so that we want to love God and others more than we want to sin in selfishness. We may not always overcome our temptations, but we should pick up our daily cross in the fight against our sinful natures. We can take heart that we are no longer bound to the Law, yet it still proves helpful for us to understand what it means to love God more than ourselves. God is looking for our humble hearts to lower ourselves before Him and others, even if we occasionally fail. Our confession to Christ grants us more freedoms, but have we outgrown our immaturity to live in them? If you’re stuck in sin, perhaps it’s time to revisit the basics (the Law) to understand better how to outgrow it. In this way, you will experience the freedom of a mature believer rather than the amputated life that sin and its regulations impose. If you want to outgrow the rules, then it is time to follow Jesus’ advice: “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33, NIV) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

A sense of justice is embedded in the human psyche. When financial advisors scam their clients, we generally want punishment beyond simple repayment. The emotional toil on victims feels as if it carries additional value–that’s why courts assign repayments for “emotional distress.” It’s not enough for a perpetrator to regret and fix their poor choices; they must serve as an example–a warning–to suggest others avoid acting in the same selfish or criminal ways. Humanity’s justice includes punishment.Justice through punishment has a long history. Medieval times were rife with torture devices for enemies of the king. The movie Braveheart famously ends with William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) being drawn and quartered after being taken captive in battle. In the Bible, we see vicious forms of justice, whether it was the Philistines gouging out the eyes of Samson (Judges 16) or, later Philistines removing the heads of King Saul and his three sons before displaying their mutilated bodies for all to see (1 Samuel 31). These forms are brutal by today’s standards, but they were intentionally gruesome to make an even more violent world think twice before acting.The Roman Empire had its own form of public punishment–the crucifixion. Reserved for the most severe revolutionaries or criminals, the guilty would have nails driven through their hands and feet to a wooden cross and lifted high for all to see. Hung for hours, their muscles and tendons would tear, and they would have to press their flesh against the nails driven through them to take each breath. Slowly, the strength would fade, and the convicted would suffocate from an inability to draw breath in their lungs. That is one abhorrent, convincing example.That is the context by which Jesus died for us. A perfect man convicted on behalf of all of our sins, He endured this pain–after brutal beatings and flesh-ripping lashes–for our benefit. However, Jesus was not the only one crucified that day.Scripture reveals there were two other criminals crucified alongside Jesus. Luke 23 records that one of the criminals mocked Jesus, expecting the “true” Messiah to be able to save Himself. The other, “rebuking him, said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’” (Luke 23:40-41, NASB) This criminal acknowledges his own guilt and his due penalty–if you can call such a torturous death as “due”--while still recognizing Jesus’ innocence. Doomed to death, the criminal asks, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42) Does Jesus rebuke this criminal or tell the criminal it was “too late”? No, “He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:43) The Roman Empire deemed the criminal an opportunity to show law and order, but Jesus deemed him an example for grace. There was no baptism. The criminal never tithed to a church. He never evangelized. There was only–simply–faith.The criminal’s faith was new and weak–a last-ditch effort at redemption. His faith was not convinced by apologetics but validated by the example Jesus set on the cross. That meager, infant, perhaps selfish faith was still enough.How can this be? Doesn’t the Lord take vengeance on his adversaries, making no clear way for the guilty? (Nahum 1:3) Isn’t this the same God that forced the Israelites to wander in the desert for 40 years, who sent vipers among his own rebellious people? How can the same God who loves justice and hates robbery and wrongdoing (Isaiah 61:8) welcome an admitted criminal by a profession of faith in his last moments? Where is the justice in that?The Bible has many examples of God extending mercy to seemingly undeserving subjects; the various ways in which an unchanging God reacts to different sinners force us to ponder what the differences are. If sin can beget different responses, what is He really looking for in us? Micah 6 has one answer: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NIV) God also speaks through Jeremiah, saying “if in a truthful, just, and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will be blessed.’” (Jeremiah 4:2, NIV) God desires us simply to reject the world’s conventions and recognize Him–especially in His Son, Jesus. The crucified criminal exemplifies this: unable to perform just acts or extend mercy to another, he still had the option to show humility before God. He was saved by it.True heart change is the core of any authentic conversion. It is important for believers to act justly towards God and others and to show mercy by loving our neighbors as ourselves. However, these characteristics will flow from a humble heart. The heart change is the delineator.God will receive the ones who, through humility, acknowledge His Son, Jesus Christ, even in the last seconds of life. 1 Samuel confirms, “The Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV) and if the heart is genuine in its profession of faith, it is enough for God to cover the impending punishment with eternal grace. As a football is heaved at the last moment by a Hail Mary, last-minute confessions occasionally work, too.Knowing this, do we risk our eternal salvation on our cognitive abilities in our last moments? Or, do we honor a God so enamored with His creation that He will accept a lifelong sinner by one final repentant act? My advice is to welcome Jesus into your heart now and become an example of grace, not punishment, for the rest of your life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The company we keep determines much of our lived experiences. In professional circles, motivational speaker Jim Rohn suggests our behaviors amount to the categorical averages of the five people we spend the most time with. Socially, prison recidivism is dramatically reduced if released felons disassociate with the cultural circles that got them in trouble before. As tribal creatures, we imitate the company we keep.New believers, then, face difficult times transitioning into a life governed by the Will of God over their own. For example, humans develop routines after decades of poor choices that alter our brains' neuropathways. It takes conscious effort to refrain from repeating past mistakes, which leaves us susceptible to our old desires in moments of weakness, hunger, anger, or exhaustion. Though our profession of faith in Jesus Christ makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:16) in spirit, our body’s fallen nature continues to resist our new moral standard. What should believers do to overcome the behaviors their Christian walk can no longer accommodate? If believers are still stuck on their old priorities, they must rely on a community to guide them to a new way of life. All believers must pull our social average up by replacing the closest influences in our lives with those affirming biblical truth. The importance of our community validates the importance of the church. All believers, especially new ones, must be surrounded by love, accountability, and support. Left to our own devices, we become easy prey to doubt, temptation, or possession, as Jesus warns in Matthew 12:44. Therefore, we must consider our old acquaintances, habits, and identities as lost to us. It is common for us to consider leaving behind bad influences, and we may hope to be free of addictions and selfish desires. Yet, Christian conversion requires us to reassess even those items that may seem “good” through the lens of Jesus. The Apostle Paul is an excellent example to follow. Paul recounts his life before faith in Christ as, “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more.” (Philippians 3:4, NIV) He lists his Judaic accomplishments in detail. He was a young, promising, rigid Jewish leader. He pursued the imprisonment and deaths of the followers of Jesus (Acts 8) until his miraculous conversion (Acts 9). Remember that Paul still had faith in the same God of Abraham, but he was not living with a Christian worldview. When Jesus entered his life, however, everything changed.Paul left behind his training, identity, and career for the sake of Jesus’ gospel. Even his traditions and studies had to be put away and reframed after he accepted Christ. His life–as he knew it, as he prepared it, as he envisioned it–was over. As a result of his total abandonment of everything pre-Christ, he became the single greatest missionary in history, spreading the gospel across Macedonia and central Europe. His subsequent letters make up a large portion of the New Testament, and his impact continues to change lives every day.Earlier in Philippians, Paul warns his church against “those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.” (Philippians 3:2, NIV) Paul is referring to religious teachers falsely mandating the observance of circumcision for believers in the Way–or first-century Christianity. He labels these Jews, who continued to follow what he, himself, previously practiced, as “mutilators.” The revelation of the new covenant of Christ nullifies everything Paul used to hold sacred to such a degree that he now condemns what he once condoned. Imagine Paul’s susceptibility in modern “cancel culture;” an ignorant assessment would label Paul a hypocrite. Instead, Paul’s about-face further validates his testimony of a life-changing encounter with Jesus.Paul is critical of the former “righteous” religious rites that fall outside his Christian faith. Similar ideologies for modern believers may include their habits, hobbies, politics, social stances, career, or even their family and friends. If they do not align with the life God calls us to, then they must be severed from us, as Jesus instructs in Matthew 12:46. Christianity brings total life transformation, not comfortable improvement. In fact, such drastic change is often uncomfortable and requires a network of support–a church–to help us through. We need other believers to pull us away from our worldly past. New believers must trust their newfound church community to pull them out of the sins that bind them.Secularists may label this as indoctrination. Indoctrination is a form of manipulation against the well-being of the convinced through imposed authority. Christianity should differ from indoctrination by our insistence on personal study of the Holy Bible and relationship with Jesus. It’s true there is little time for new believers to study the biblical text before they lose spiritual motivation, and the church can be the intermediate proxy to instruct them on Christian lifestyles and best practices. However, if the Christian stays wholly dependent on others’ spiritual study, he won’t experience growth–that is, indeed, a form of indoctrination. It is then of utmost importance for the church to model not only new physical behaviors of decency and holiness, but also the spiritual disciplines of study and prayer so that the believer may walk in those just as confidently.In teaching others a crash course of Christian behaviors, the church sets a standard that a new believer should willingly accept in the early days of faith. Christianity implores its readers to go to the inspired source more than their fallen leadership (Galatians 1:8). Christians should invite questions, apologetics, and interpretations to sharpen each other towards the image of Christ (Proverbs 27:17).Believers must lean on their church community because true faith cannot survive alongside routine sin; we cannot serve two masters at once (Matthew 6:24). As consumption and selfishness reign in culture, believers must relinquish their control and offer it to their church–at first–and then to Jesus. This only comes through reading Scripture and prayer. The newly faithful cannot survive without the church, and the church will not survive without the newly faithful adding to its ranks; this is the perpetual nature of the Great Commission.Paul left everything behind for Christ. Jesus called His disciples to forsake all they had for the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:21). Similarly, the new believer’s only hope for a newfound life in Christ is to let go of old habits to pursue a new life in Godly community. New believers must trust their church to guide them in the early days of faith. The church must be ready to receive these spiritual infants, dying to themselves to help the fledging believer grow. Is the church ready for this active responsibility? Are you ready to leave the world behind? It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Ask any basketball player how they feel about their coach in the middle of their fifth wind sprint, and you’re bound to hear a different perspective than during the offseason. No one enjoys going through conditioning. However, the coach cares less about what the players like and more about what they need.When a team plays well, the players receive the accolades and attention. However, if the same team continues to win across seasons, the respect shifts to the coach. While the rosters change, the coach remains the same. The accumulating record proves that the coach and the system beget success. Yes, the players are the hands and feet, but the coach leads them to victory. Anyone can have a talented team for a year, but it takes the right coach to build a successful program.Imagine this successful coach assigns more wind sprints at practice for your team than any of his prior seasons. Does that mean he dislikes this year’s team? Does it mean this team is most out of shape? You may lament these drills as a player, complaining that it would be better to work on the fundamentals, set pick-and-roll drills, or craft defensive schemes. From your perspective, the team needs to prepare for the next game, or fundraise for new jerseys, or play more pick-up games or….. or…. or…..But the coach knows best. His consistent record proves he knows how to recognize and address his roster's weaknesses and turn them into champions. The players who trust the coach benefit from the system, even if they cannot see the fruit of their labor upfront. Those players who resist, disobey, or criticize are either benched or cut from the team. There is no other option but to trust the successful coach despite the arduous practices.One faithful servant (player) in the Bible was Job. In this basketball analogy, Job was the leading scorer. Job “was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” (Job 1:3 NIV) He trusted God and was rewarded for it. However, all of his wealth, health, and family were taken away. As this obedient, loyal servant suffered at the hands of evil, his resolve wore thin. At one point, Job defends his righteousness, declaring, “Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.” (Job 19:7, NIV) Job knows he’s the best player, and instead of enduring the spiritual wind sprints, he is vocally questioning God’s coaching decisions and would prefer to do something more fun or to his strengths.To cut a long story short, Job moans in his self-righteousness, endures accusations from three friends, and then is chastised by a fourth for his self-exaltation. It reaches a breaking point where God calls down to Job, rebuking him for daring to equate himself with God. After a thorough scolding, Job has no other response but to reply, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2-6, NIV) Job offers sacrifices and prayers to the Lord on behalf of his wayward friends. This restores everything Job lost. He lives to see new generations of his lineage grow. Job finishes the race well.God is our faithful coach; we are the players. Though our hands and feet play the game for our season, He knows what the kingdom needs to continue growing. Like Job, we must come to realize that none of our spiritual talent, self-declared righteousness, or even our religious zeal dictates His timing or game plan. A man may make his plans, but the Lord directs the steps he must take to get there.(Proverbs 16:9, 20:24)When we try to control the game, we attempt to take over the system from the coach who installed it in the first place. Our God is faithful; His track record proves it. He may have us running wind sprints, riding the bench, or reviewing tedious basics, but there is a reason for it. Like a player who buys into the system, we must endure the conditioning and the trials to be prepared for our game-time moment.Sports analogies are fine, but what do we do when we cannot pay the mortgage? How do we stay faithful when our child is sick? Where is the hope when our marriage is heading for divorce? Do we demand the spiritual ball to win the game on our own, or do we acquiesce to the coach who promises us victory? (1 John 3:8) The smart play is to trust the process, and when we do not know the process, we must trust the God that created the process, along with us, our children, our spouse, and our universe. We must lean in through prayer, repentance, study, and faith. Truly we must trust in the Lord with all our heart, leaning not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:6)Job was restored through his faithfulness–even after his disobedience. Though we may struggle through our exercises, He is faithful to endure, so long as we don’t let our pride get in the way of the kingdom’s success. Thank God that He is gracious; He sees us in our struggle and knows what it is like to suffer as a human. It is because of the good times He has already given us, we can recognize the bad times we are currently suffering through.Our best play is to trust the coach that got us here in the first place. So, let’s obediently endure the pain, grit our teeth, and run in such a way that we may win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Our Western culture constantly yearns for “true love.” Music sings of the excitement of finding someone special. Movies introduce star-crossed lovers who must overcome worldly opposition to be together in presumably perfect love. These stories are as old as written human history. We are a people obsessed with love.Going further, we “love” the idea of unconditional love. We dream of relationships that remain “happily ever after.” Something within our very DNA yearns for a permanent love. Yet, if love isn’t to be subject to our changing whims, it must originate from outside of ourselves–otherwise, a “love” we create and control will always bend to our changing fancies. At best, this cheaper love is passion. At its worst, lust.Love’s cheapest imitator, lust is a temporary euphoria eliciting the dopamine effect of love but on our own terms. Where love requires sacrifice, lust only consumes. When love prioritizes the needs of others, lust focuses solely on the urges of the self. Because lust is such an indulgent experience, we can understand why society prefers to “follow our heart” rather than restrain ourselves from our wildest desires. The metaphorical “heart” is an enigma. Culture thinks highly of it, preferring to assign it as the source of such good things as love and charity. We advise others to “follow your heart” to discover purpose. However, the Bible offers a different perspective. Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV) Between the Bible’s view of a man’s heart and the world's adoration of it, which perspective should we believe?As more people follow their hearts, does our society feel improved? Prioritizing the self places a premium on money, power, sex, material, or fame. In a society where many of our needs are met, our hearts turn toward something else to pursue. Western society has its essentials covered, so we want more. More money, more power, more sex. Following our hearts because an unending pursuit of self–an unending pursuit of lust.It is no coincidence that as lust has become more ubiquitous, so has homosexuality. In any natural view, homosexuality is selfish. A biological perspective confirms homosexuality is counterproductive because a species cannot survive through these relationships. A supernatural view includes intentional design pairing males together with females. Under any philosophical analysis, homosexuality exalts our will above our species’ needs or our Creator’s intention. Homosexuality is about the self over others; it becomes a categorical lust and, like all forms of lust, is a consumption and not a sacrifice.Western society best knows consumption, so it’s no wonder that it seeks love through the exercise of lust. This futility is not confined to homosexuality but also to hook-up apps, torrid affairs, and more nefarious perversions. While we give ourselves over to whichever form of lust fits our fancy, God has allowed us to fall into the disappointment we are staging for ourselves. For example, Paul wrote to the growing church in Rome about the similar errors of their surrounding culture. He wrote, “God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also…” (Romans 1:26-27, NIV) Like Pharoah in Exodus, our hearts resist God’s undeniable will. Therefore, God brokenheartedly allows us to go our own death-destined way–like the father of the prodigal son of Luke 15.To rationalize man’s desire without disappointing God, liberal interpretations impossibly attempt to balance both. Numerous scholars erroneously attempt to frame Paul’s homosexual prohibitions as admonitions against exploitation alone. They suggest we consider all possible forms of the original Greek, instead of using the traditional exegetical process that we follow for all ancient texts–biblical or not–of defining it within the specific, written context. Scholars try to paint the biblical terms as only opposing rape, but this suggests that ancient homosexual behaviors were most commonly understood as forced, which was as untrue then as it is today, as evidenced in the simple instructions of Leviticus 18:22. Still, more scholars suggest homosexuality cannot be prohibited because the term “homosexual” wasn’t even invented until the 1800s and could not be applied to first-century texts; yet, the Greek word of the original text specifically pairs “male” and “bed;” it was the best term for a writer discussing homosexuality for the time. Paul warns against homosexuality in 1 Corinthians 6. He advises putting off our sexual immorality in Colossians 3. Jesus refers to marriage between man and woman specifically in Matthew 19:4. Put bluntly, the liberal defenses for accepted homosexuality rely on man’s passion more than the Bible’s instructions.If we confront this inescapable reality, we are left with an uncomfortable realization: we do not control the purpose of our own bodies. We are constrained to our assigned image, regardless of our desires. Indeed, it seems we are to die to our preference every day. However, culture refuses this truth and attempts to create entirely new “truths” that deconstruct the identities of gender and sexuality. We create our “authority” to decide how we define ourselves, how we use our bodies, and how others must address us. Again, this requires others to adhere to our preference rather than for us to adhere to the communal ethos. This is a selfish lust more than a serving love.How does defining homosexuality as a form of lust affect our understanding of those who practice it? It is the same as the husband who consumes pornography. It is the same as the teen scrolling social media for inappropriate content. Unfortunately, the church has reacted with condemnation for homosexuals while it tries to restore–or worse, protect–the fallen, adulterous pastor. In God’s eyes, they are on equal ground. Homosexuals are as unrighteous as adulterers, liars, thieves, me, or you because Jesus had to die for every one of us.However, His grace does not give us a license to continue in our sins. When the adulterous woman is brought before Jesus in John 8, He does not condemn her, but He instructs her to sin no more. We may not understand the prohibition (1 Corinthians 2:14), but that does not negate its validity. Jesus suggests that it is better to lose your sight than fall victim to lust (Matthew 5:29), so clearly all sexual perversions are serious. We cannot escape the fact that homosexuality is included.Yes, love is a choice, but it is a choice to sacrifice. True love sacrifices our lives for another, both to our partner and our Creator (or species, for the atheists). The fairytale love proffered by stories, songs, and movies does not exist on its own–it must be created through sacrifice. It was love that offered Jesus on the cross. Therefore, we must return our love through the sacrifice of our bodies back to Him.If we truly want to live happily ever after, we must follow the guidance and design of the only ever after there is: God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Though hardly known, taking oaths is a big deal within Christianity. James, the half-brother of Jesus, instructed the church of Jerusalem, “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.” (James 5:12, NIV) He says “above all” at the end of a letter, including such tenents as faith without works, prayers of healing, and endurance through persecution. Above all these things, we should worry about taking oaths?! Whoa. Where does he get this from?James’ instructions echo those of Jesus. In the first half of His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns His disciples against making oaths. He declared, “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not  make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But make sure your statement is, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil origin” (Matthew 5:33-37, NASB) Well, where does Jesus get this from?The Old Testament established the prohibition. Leviticus 5 warns, “if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil–in any matter one might carelessly swear about–even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty.” (Leviticus 5:4, NIV) Taking an oath, whatever its intention, required the payment of a sin offering–often a spotless lamb.Of the infinite questions Christians could ask ourselves regarding eternity, salvation, and the supernatural, Jesus’ cautionary advice against swearing oaths admittedly feels frivolous. What difference can oaths make when there are cosmic consequences concerning faith and humility? Do oaths, especially caring or well-intended ones, really originate in evil, as Jesus claims? If we break it down, there’s a lot here for us to consider in our daily walk. Like any appropriate biblical interpretation, it is crucial for us to start with the cultural context.As Jesus explains, our oaths have little value when they offer collateral that we have no imminent control or domain over. We cannot control heaven, offer Jerusalem, or even change our hair color–naturally. While we may include these as some assurance to whomever we are dealing with, we have no control to offer them legitimately.However, Jesus’ concern goes deeper than our inability to meet our promised liabilities. Jewish, Greek, and Egyptian philosophies all have ancient texts similarly advocating against the use of oaths because it presupposes that the guarantor’s words are illegitimate without them. If I must convince you of my honesty by swearing on my city, doesn’t that incriminate my words in which I do not offer any oath? Instead, if we live truthfully with every word and action, then we have no need for grandiose assurances. The use of oaths indicts all of our words spoken without such promises.Still, isn’t this a petty point? Can’t we accept the intention of the oath as assurance, with the cultural understanding that the collateral is meritless? What are the odds that men would manipulate oaths for their selfish interests?Buckle up. There is a remarkable story at the end of Judges. Israel has been through civil war, as eleven of the tribes war against Benjamin in response to a horrid group rape. After a few battles, most of Benjamin is wiped out, with few women to help repopulate it. During the throes of the war, the eleven tribes swore an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to the brutal Benjamites and they issued a curse on anyone who chose to defy it; however, the tribes began to lament this vow after their victory. Their emotional haste before the war has vowed them into a corner. To skirt their obligation, the solution is to kidnap young women from a festival at Shiloh, a town within the tribe of Ephraim, as wives. By their logic, “when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we shall say to them, ‘Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin a wife in battle, nor did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.’ ” (Judges 21:22, NASB) Essentially, the tribes want to backtrack on their oath. Instead of breaking it outright, they deem kidnapping a better alternative. This decision is seriously flawed but is not the worst example of manipulating oaths, unfortunately.Earlier in Judges, a Judge named Jephthah is tapped to free Israel from the oppression of Ammonites. In his uncertainty, Jephthah makes a rash vow to sacrifice the first creature that approaches him on his return home, if God sees him through to victory and survival. Jephthah survives and returns home safely. In a terrible twist, it is Jephthah’s only child, his daughter, who greets him as he returns home. Judges 11 ends with the human sacrifice of Jephthah’s daughter (though liberal interpretations try to paint a different outcome).Both examples reveal the heart of any vow: the oath-keepers become more concerned for their own well-being than anyone else’s. Oaths shift the focus from the honesty of keeping one’s word to the selfishness of avoiding the offered payment or punishment. By betting big in uncertainty, these biblical examples take advantage of vulnerable women for their own benefit. The tribes of Israel hope for victory, receive their request, and then decide to kidnap young women as payment. To save his own life, Jephthah murders his daughter, albeit unintentionally. We must not forget that God does not request or confirm any of these oaths, but the powerful men prefer to maintain their vow-keeping honor rather than humbly serve others. Nothing about these oaths is pure, just, or holy.Now, there are examples of God making vows. That’s different because He is the One who can actually control the collateral of history and creation. We are accustomed to wedding vows, which follow through on God’s designed purpose for Man to leave his parents, form new families, and promise fidelity. These types of vows do not compare to the exploitation of others for selfish gain. God-ordained vows are the apples to the oranges of Man’s manipulative tactics.By living in such a way where our ‘yes’ means ‘yes,’ Christians can live above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2). Living in a way that refutes criticism is a powerful ally in our testimony and faith in Jesus (1 Peter 3:16) Such truth and humility is vital for the success of the Great Commission. How will others trust our Gospel message if they have reason to suspect our legitimacy without oaths? Oaths—whether kept or broken—erode the legitimacy of our words and character. Let us not rely on oaths as the means to remain true to our word; instead, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Proverbs 11:3)Let’s obey Christ and preserve the faithfulness of our every word by avoiding oaths. This way, the Gospel can reach the masses who need to hear it. A reputation built on everyday honesty is worth more than 1,000 oaths–I swear. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

One of the ways I like to parent is through incentives. When my son was having difficulty behaving at school, I made his daily allotment of screen time dependent on whether he received negative points on his school’s behavior tracking app. On the first occasion where he lost his time due to a negative note, he attempted to renegotiate the terms of the rule to make it a sliding scale of loss dependent on how many offenses he received. I didn’t go for it, but I appreciated the cunning attempt. It’s in our nature to look for loopholes. In benign ways, we hire specialists to minimize our tax liabilities. In the worst ways, we cheat others to unfairly pull ahead professionally or competitively. This type of thinking assumes that if it isn’t forbidden, it’s acceptable. But our culture generally does not accept those premises. Attend any sporting event and watch how quickly and loudly fans bemoan a questionable uncalled foul. Follow a political rally where the rich are lambasted for their financial schemes. See people react when someone cuts ahead in a grocery check-out. None of these are explicitly forbidden, but they are understood broadly to be important. Western cultures have a heavy sense of fairness until we personally benefit from a bent rule. It’s funny, then, how strictly so many of us view the rules of God. We obscure facts in order not to lie. Youths come up with sayings that rhyme with phrases forsaking God’s name to feel more adult-like without taking that name in vain. Teens push the boundaries of premarital sex so long as certain lines aren’t crossed. Media labels softcore nudity as “gritty,” “real,” or “natural” to defend our lust. We define cells with human DNA as something less than to avoid the implication of murder. We weave through twisty moral roads to live our desired life while tricking ourselves into believing our righteousness. I suppose we assume that tactic because the Bible has many written rules. Critics of Christianity draw attention to the extensive list throughout the first five books (collectively, the “Pentateuch”). Yes, there are a myriad of prohibitions on commercial, sexual, dietary, and even fashionable perversions. Many of them seem outdated and unviable in today’s world, and many are met with the death penalty. If God is so graceful, why are there so many rules for the early Israelites, especially with such severe punishments?We modern believers must remember that at the time the Hebrews received these instructions, they had lived in Egypt for 400+ years, many of those in bondage. In a culture where pluralistic gods were worshipped, generations of slave children were easily slaughtered (see Moses’ origin story), entire courts of officials were murdered and mummified when a leader died, and sons deposed fathers’ thrones by sleeping with their mothers, there were few of the moral standards as we know them today. Humanity was still in its moral infancy and needed to be taught the utmost basics of righteousness. They were not ready for more abstract thought. Enter Jesus at the turn of the age, and things are different. Not only were the Jews upholding their ancient standards, but they had also added hundreds of additional written and oral directions from religious leaders over the centuries. In many ways, their legalistic culture was much like our modern Western experience. Instead of simplifying as they went, new situations required new regulations. First-century Jews were winding through their divine instructions, cultural additions, and pagan influences just as we try to today. Thus, the background is set for a Pharisee’s question to Jesus about the commandments. The Pharisee sect was a competing Judaic order akin to a Jewish Puritan, resting on the Torah’s text more than tradition. One such leader asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest. “Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)The Pharisees were attempting to trap Jesus into blasphemy to convict Him. If He picked any of the commandments, He potentially indicted the others as lesser. Instead, Jesus boils all the Law down into two simple commands that still represent the heart God wishes us to have while removing the loopholes. Critics also attack this response, suggesting Jesus is merely parroting earlier philosophies. To quickly rebuttal, Jesus is the earliest archeological example of putting the “golden rule” into a positive phrase. Earlier societies advised against doing anything that you wouldn’t want to happen to yourself. However, Jesus twists that into the positive “do unto others,” suggesting there is more than just abstinence—there is an expectation for gracious action. Also, just because others may have found a form of truth earlier does not negate an eternal Jesus as the ultimate source of that truth. But I digress…We are left to ask what God wishes for our hearts. The Bible answers this as well. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NIV) Micah was written approximately 800 years before Jesus, yet Israel could not comprehend the simple instructions. Love God. Love others. God takes great care to dispel any future concerns by blatantly declaring all animals as clean foods to eat (Acts 10) and blessing Gentiles with the Holy Spirit (also, Acts 10).Keep it spiritually simple. Our God weighs our innermost thoughts. He calls us to act in charity, not just abstain from violence. The more effort we put into twisting our way through a moral code, the less we acknowledge the true weight of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Instead of following the winding road of moral loopholes, let’s choose the straight and narrow path. (Matthew 7:13) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Human history only knows of the duopoly of good and evil. Pagan religions primarily tell stories of brave gods warring against nefarious ones. The Eastern concept of Yin and Yang suggests that light cannot exist without the dark. Even our modern entertainment heavily features supernatural heroes overcoming incredible odds to vanquish powerful villains. Without villains, what use are heroes? Our world finds purpose in the eternal struggle between good and evil.But viewing good and evil as both eternal creates problems if viewed at the extremes of time. Taking a brief philosophical trip, one universe can only have one creator, for if two competing deities possess the power of creation, why would they create within the same system? How can the universe be governed by one set of laws for physics, matter, and light but have two owners? Whichever god made these laws would have the home-field advantage for creation’s ultimate destiny. If evil could cement its power through its unique creation, why wouldn’t the evil god create its separate universe instead of confronting the good god within its work? Perhaps the universe was formed by an evil spirit, and the source of good came to salvage it out of pity for those ignorantly spawned into doomed existence. However, just as a son cannot change his DNA to disassociate himself from his father, an evil creation will always be bound to its original deity’s identity; there would be no way to remove the evil embedded within the system or creatures. In this hypothetical drama, the salvific good god is on a fool’s errand. Therefore, we can reason that good must exist first, and then evil comes second to corrupt it.Deep, huh?Let’s speak in more natural terms. In the subject of Chemistry, there is a theory called “entropy.” In short, entropy is lost energy. We see inefficient losses in electricity, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and force through wasteful heat caused by impeding responses, such as friction. To account for this loss, chemical reaction equations include a remaining variable for entropy. Over the long arc of time, all energy will be lost to entropy, and nothing of substance will be left. Indeed, creation began as light and is headed towards darkness; it began with heat and will end as an abysmal cold.Dire, huh?Whichever perspective we take—natural or philosophical—the universe can only trend toward demise. Darkness, death…. evil… is “winning.” Death is more than a stain that cannot be removed; it grows.Yet, Christians must believe that good has, can, and will again exist without evil. Creation began as perfect with established nature, laws, and life (as chemistry suggests). Evil, bound by this creation, introduced sin (as philosophy suggests). Where reality differs from our philosophical surmising above, evil is subservient to good—evil cannot create; it only corrupts (like entropy). Because evil cannot create, it must play as a visitor in good’s homecourt, working within nature and making it worse. Nature seems to suggest this is true.It is Christian understanding from Ezekial 28 and Isaiah 14 that Satan began as God’s most beautiful angel, Lucifer. It was Lucifer’s pride that resisted God’s reign. Never mind that things were perfect; evil chose to exist, even in the perfect presence of good.We have not quoted much of the Bible here but have set the stage to understand it better. As we have done with the philosophical and chemical theories before, when we take the holiness of God to an eternal extreme, the existence—and destruction—of hell is the only logical solution. Without hell, everyone who denies God’s authority would be readily welcomed into eternal grace. The spirit of prideful resistance would remain forever. Evil will again choose to exist, even in the presence of God, and creation’s painful yearnings continue ad infinum. Without hell, God is left with either enduring evil forever, turning creation into machines without free will, or scrapping everything and pressing a heavenly CTRL+ALT+DELETE on reality entirely. A good God would be left to decide whether to doom everything to suffer, turn creation into puppets, or allow nothing to exist. The Bible confirms that none of these will happen. Instead, our God of justice wants to free His beloved creation from the influence of sin, death, and evil. The only way to do that is to expel the pride that created them during this first go around. Expelling the source of evil requires separating metaphorically stubborn goats from humble sheep. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (Matthew 25:31-32, NIV) He must separate those souls of creation that can choose to exist in perfection through humility and faith apart from those obstinately refusing for their own pride and power.Fortunately, the choice is ours. Psalm 117, the shortest chapter in the Bible, says, “Praise the Lord all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.” (ESV) All nations and all peoples have the choice to praise Him and escape death. Evolution, nature, and philosophy do not give us any comparative options.Furthermore, the concept of grace cannot exist without the existence of judgment—punishment must exist for us to receive grace from it. For example, after Moses receives a new set of Ten Commandments, The Lord’s presence exclaims, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:9, NIV) God forgives rebellion and punishes lineages at the same time. The unspoken differentiation is the disposition of the sinner; are we repentant or prideful?Therefore, Hell must exist if God is ever going to have His perfect creation. We can feel alarmed that a loving God would banish some of His creation to eternal separation and despair, but should we not also be alarmed that so many would blatantly refuse the offer of grace? Perhaps this is man’s (sinful) fault; where Jesus came in humility, we have stood in authority over others. Where Jesus came for the least of us, we have expelled them through religion and judgment. In this case, whose side would you rather be on between the eternal words of Jesus or the whims of man’s latest thoughts?You may find God’s judgment repugnant, but nature’s offer is worse. Entropy ensures there is a 100% chance of nothingness and despair. The only way to achieve an eventual perfect creation is to purge evil and those who would, unfortunately, choose it. The compassionate and gracious God of Abraham wants to invite you into an existence we cannot create on our own—one where every tear is wiped away for the rest of time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

To be in a relationship with someone is to be vulnerable. Any friendship or romance without vulnerability is no relationship at all but a simple contractual understanding more akin to being coworkers. While there is safety in self-protection, there is also loneliness, and we were not created to be alone. (Gen 2:18)People are imperfect, however. We lie to each other, we hurt others’ feelings, and we may take advantage of other people. If we include the ingredient of spiritual doctrine, then our imperfect relationships become much more dangerously potent to strike at our vulnerable ideas of value, purpose, and identity. This is the foundation upon which “church hurt” occurs.For those unfamiliar with the term, “church hurt” is a colloquial short-hand label for a variety of ways someone can be turned off to the idea of attending a church due to some previous bad experiences. At its most benign, church hurt can spring from congregational gossip or some spiritual leader’s condescension of a lifestyle. At its worst, church hurt can be rightfully understood due to physical or mental abuse. The thought of willingly attending a church, forming relationships, and potentially experiencing these past hurts again can trigger the sufferer enough to avoid church altogether.As scandals have rocked all denominations, more Western Christians are forsaking the “church” while attempting to maintain their Christian beliefs on their own. Socially, this allows believers to defend their faith without answering for the baggage of whichever group they would have otherwise been associated with. This removes the individual from blame for any perceived cultural offenses while resting on their freedom of faith. However, such a view of personal faith is severely limited. Faith, by a popular biblical definition, is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV) More simply, faith is something we hope to be true but cannot prove within our scientific constructs. Whether it is a spiritual doctrine, trust in another person, or the performance of global stock markets, if we do not think something to be true before it proves to be, we never had faith in it to begin with. My point is that faith requires us to take seriously something we cannot satisfy our flesh-laden concerns with; if we wait until something is proven, there is no room left for faith to exist. Therefore, we must act and decide upon the pre-validated trust, or the faith is dead.For Christians, the Bible is the source of much of our faith. There are other sources of our faith, like cultural upbringing, prayer, and miraculous experiences, but the Bible is the most readily available resource. From it, we learn of our theological history, the desires of God’s will, and the testimonies of heroes and villains of the faith. We place our confidence in its accuracy.Therefore, if a Christian claims to have faith in the Bible, they must also take its claims of continual supernatural activity seriously. Creation began supernaturally. God changes nature—stopping the sun (Joshua 10), swallowing a man for three days (Jonah), flooding the entire earth (Noah), and raising the dead (Jesus)—to reveal His power. The miraculous power of the Holy Spirit cannot be naturally proven.Evil, then, is also supernatural. A speaking snake entices man and woman to sin. Demons possess creation (men, pigs, and more) at their first opportunity. Satan tempts Jesus with visions and instantaneous transportation. If we have faith in the accuracy of the good, we must also acknowledge the accurate descriptions of the bad. Therefore, when we read that evil prowls like a lion while looking for victims to devour in sin (1 Peter 5), we must take that as seriously as we believe in Christ’s power to overcome that evil. The lion metaphor is handy. Lions hunt by singling out their prey from the herd. Lions only hunt herding animals because—presumably—any appropriate food source that did not band together in a pack was easily hunted and consumed to natural extinction. The strength and intelligence of the lion outmatch its prey, but the gazelle’s or zebra’s strength comes in numbers. The lions hunt in particularly small numbers. Their group—or “pride”—limits their deadliness (yes, the pride pun is intended); however, their strength and speed make up for the strategic disadvantage.To be clear, Christians are the prey in this metaphor. Our enemy is supernatural and cunning. Temptations befall us unexpectedly. Doubts creep in quietly. Selfishness grows silently until it controls our every decision. Addiction begins manageably until it isn’t anymore. If we—the weaker, tasty targets—feel we can manage our spiritual health independently, we become easy prey. Without accountability, our decisions become murky. Without corporate worship, our voice quiets. Our faith, effectiveness, and purpose are slowly eaten away by the enemy that has separated us from our herd.There is an Old Testament story in Exodus 17 where Joshua leads a wandering Israel into battle against the Amalekites. While Joshua led the army, Moses stood on the mountaintop, lifting his powerful staff as a banner declaring the power of God. If Moses let that staff sag, Joshua and his army began to lose the battle. When the staff raised high, Israel would win.No matter how strong Joshua expected his army to be, their fate was tied to the symbol of faith in Moses’ hand. Even in great numbers, their victory came from the encouragement and power of the public presentation of God’s reign rather than their supposed tactics, weapons, or strength. Their banner, their corporate identity, propelled the day to victory.What of Moses; did he single-handedly decide the outcome? As the battle raged on for hours, Moses’ arms grew tired. He, too, needed help from his brother Aaron and brother-in-law, Hur, to help carry the load as they propped his arms high when his strength failed. As dependent as Joshua’s army was on Moses, Moses equally depended on Aaron and Hur. This shared strength is vital for our spiritual warfare, too. This world is not easy to commute through on our way to Heaven. We need the help and encouragement of others. Whether we are the infantrymen in the middle of the battle or the spiritual leaders encouraging others, we all need a community of believers to support us. Our strength is in our numbers.Hebrews 10:25 warns us against forsaking the assembly of believers. Why should we persist? So that we can exhort, support, and encourage each other to run our race well. Like a family, associating ourselves with a church imputes a part of its identity—good or bad—onto us; however, we then have the chance to influence its identity with our own. The vulnerability we share with a church community can be scary, especially if it has been abused before. However, the risk of pain from our fellow believers still pales in comparison to the eternal consequences of a consumed faith by a hungry enemy.Leave the pride for the lions. Instead, serve one another with love. Encourage each other in the faith, as Paul proclaims in Phillippians. If the world will only know us by our love for each other (John 13:35), then we must first have others to love publicly. That is the church. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

When I reflect upon my parenting style, I might describe it as a tale of two fathers. I am laid back, indifferent, casual, and often silly for large swathes. I enjoy making my kids laugh and don’t take myself too seriously. I encourage them to take risks, work hard, and have independence. I think I do alright.The flip side of my parenting comes in my wrath. In electrical engineering, there is a graph called a “step function” where there is a sudden, disjointed jump in the line. Unlike the graphs you may have studied in high school math, these graphs change suddenly on a point—not gradually. This is how I often describe my anger. After a long lead-time of patience for ignored instructions, my mood changes suddenly. My voice sharpens, and my face turns serious. The children know that I now mean business.If you were to observe my family, your impressions of my parenting method may vary wildly depending on when you saw us, but in either case, you, as a witness, are missing the larger context. I am neither entirely goofy and fun-loving nor completely strict and demanding. My parenting mechanisms change to meet the present scenario while weighing my historical experiences to decide what is best needed at that time.God the Father is a more perfect example of this style of parenting. Indeed, the differences seen in the Bible can be so stark that it’s common for believers to struggle with reconciling the Old Testament God of judgment as the same sacrificial God of love, exemplified through Jesus. It is undoubtedly a favorite contrast for cynics and antagonists to attack. However, much like your impressions of my parenting style, it would be imprudent for us to draw conclusions about God in microcosmic contexts.Let’s review a couple of examples. Jeremiah 3 opens with God chastising the nation of Judah (the southern half of Israel). He compares the nation to a woman leaving her husband and sleeping with other men but expects to return to the marriage. He asks “But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—would you now return to me?” (Jeremiah 3:1, NIV) It’s obvious that God’s wrath is being poured out in force. Judah’s destruction is imminent and God is allowing it to happen. This is, sadly, what most people think the Old Testament is mostly about.But, if we stay in the Old Testament, we see a much different tone from God elsewhere. Zephaniah 3:15 says, “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies” (ESV). Same God, same nation, different time periods, and different responses. We must be catching God on a “good day.”The judgment we see from the “Old Testament” God are the snippets where God reaches His Holy step function inflection point. While we read the Bible, it is easy to gloss over the generations of time that separate written events. We can read thousands of years of history within a couple of months—there is a lot of missing detail. So, who are we to suppose that the highlights we read are the exhaustive list of failures God has endured? Child sacrifice, rampant prostitution, and rape are all contextually alluded to through the ceremonies by which Israelites worshiped other gods. Thousands of lost lives through abuse, murder, and war only require a few biblical verses. I am much convinced that if we were to witness the total depravity as God saw it, in history’s real-time, we would have agreed with His decisions and judgments. We would sympathize with our angry Father.Also, like a good parent, God sticks with His people. We reread time and time the many ways God offers Israelites, gentiles, and even enemies the opportunity to repent and submit themselves in humility. He is longsuffering and forbearing for our sake. (2 Peter 3)A notable exception may come from His desire to create a new nation after the Israelites created a golden calf as an idol at the base of Mount Sinai. (Exodus 32) Moses intercedes on their behalf to turn God from His anger. That would seem like evidence contrary to my previous claim, right? I’ll use one final example to present an alternative understanding. Once, my youngest son broke one of his sisters’ favorite toys somewhat intentionally. Now, he was young (4) and did not understand the concept of the permanency of his sister’s loss. She, naturally, was distraught. I was frustrated because this was not his first time taking liberalities with his sisters’ stuff. So, after sufficiently scolding him, I grabbed one of his favorite toys and publicly threw it in the outside trash can. Oh, how he cried! I instructed my son that I would allow his sister—whom he had hurt—to decide whether the toy would stay in the trash or come back inside. I told my daughter I was okay with whatever her decision was—this was her right as the victim of her lost toy. Seeing my son’s pain and his pleas, she said she wanted his toy returned to him. After confirming with her, I retrieved my son’s trashed toy. This experience taught them both a lesson. My son appreciated his sister better for her kindness. My daughter learned something about the gift of grace and the potential pain caused by revenge.Moses’ intercession for His people sounds a lot like my experience with my children. By this time, Moses had endured the Hebrews’ doubts and confrontations in Egypt. Moses faced their criticisms at the Red Sea. He received their scolding when they were hungry and thirsty, by which he struck the rock for water to satisfy. Could God, by offering Moses the chance to leave his people to face destruction, have actually used that instance to turn Moses’ heart back to them? Given the opportunity to get the Hebrews back for all of the trouble they caused him, Moses had to decide if they were worth the continued doubts, worries, and confrontations. Moses realized he was better with them than without them. God’s “judgment” worked for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (in this case, Moses).If we see ourselves in worldly contexts, we are apt to resist God’s fatherly intuitions and decree His judgments as “unjust.” Like children, we do not know what we do not know. We have little real concept of our fall into sin. We are ignorant of our sinful impacts on others. God, then, endures with patience and also provides His justice for our sake and the sake of others. Even today, the New Testament’s God of love is still punishing us, in love.Fortunately, we have the singular, same God, who created us as His “very good” creation, who was heartbroken when we became separated by sin, and who was willing to offer all He had—His holiness, His honor, His Son—for us to be reunited with Him. Honestly, I’m glad the God in the Old Testament is the same God as the New—it proves God is as omnipotent and omnipresent as the Bible claims. Therefore, we can also trust His faithfulness and His promises to be just as eternal.Thankfully, the same God who has endured all of human history’s faults still has patience for us. The fact that He restrains such powerful judgment on our behalf makes Him the best Father we could ask for. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

As Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Taxes are both a source of our angst and security; angst in our personal finances and security through the funding of our national armed forces. Taxes both impede and promote economic advancement, impeding private sector investments while building up grants and awards that inspire technological innovation. How you individually view taxes is heavily influenced by which perspective you take.The same could be said for tithing. With one perspective, we can look at what we lose—the expendable spending, the comfort of a growing savings account, or perhaps a bigger house or car. It is increasingly difficult to simply sustain our standard of living when inflationary forces keep rising, pinching every penny tighter. The many examples of pastors, clerks, and clergymen embezzling money from other church coffers don’t inspire much confidence, either.On the other hand, we can choose to look at the benefits of tithing. Tithing supports our local church, which is (hopefully) shepherding ourselves and our families well. It pays for events we participate in and the leaders we care about. Many churches send part of their revenue to their denominational offices or other nonprofit services, expanding the kingdom of God. Tithing is our way to participate in the Great Commission from the comfort of home.To briefly recap the structure of tithing, God instituted tithing for 11 of the tribes of Israel so that they could support the entire 12th tribe of Levi, who were not given a land to call their own. (Numbers 18) Then, He required tithing from Levi to support the smaller group of priests. This way, the country collectively supported the entire priesthood.These ancient tithes consisted of agricultural offerings. Bartering goods was the primary unit of trade because government-backed tenders weren’t minted until larger empires emerged. In our modern world, things are different—not only have we adopted currency, but there are international currencies that remain (largely) stable. Cash is the new school crop. With this in view, it is unavoidable that we should treat our cash in the same way God initially instructed the ancient Israelites to treat their goods.Much like taxes are a certainty, so must tithing be. As we depend on our levels of government for our temporary protection and infrastructure, so should we support the church for its eternal benefits. We must have ministers to continually lead believers away from the traps of the world and into faith—this takes resources, lest the ministers starve to death. Millennia of experience proves that we are bound to go astray without appropriate spiritual leaders. However, this logistical equation is not the primary motive for these commands. God’s desire is not for our money—His desire is for our hearts. God knows that money has a powerful influence that can tear our hearts away from our faith. When we loosen our grasp on our wealth, we force ourselves to tighten our grip on faith. God desires greater faith more than our self-depravation. Just as love and charity require sacrifice, so does faith. Sacrificing a portion of our finances supports His kingdom while revealing the depths of our humility. As Hosea 6:6 commands, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” The sacrifice is simply a means to overcome man’s obsession with the world and the self. We caught a glimpse of His plan when Jesus instructed a rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and become a disciple. (Matthew 19:21) In this case, Jesus asked not for 10%, but 100%; why would Jesus ask this man to sell everything?Christians are not called to be universally poor but to remove all distractions that take us away from deepening our faith and dependence on Him. If our lust is uncontrollable, perhaps we should tear out our eyes. (Matthew 18) Similarly, maybe our hands should go if we strongly desire to steal or attack. The rich man from Matthew 19 still placed his identity in his possessions and not in his faith; this is evident in his reaction to Jesus’ command. This man’s wealth was interfering with his calling by feeding his pride. Humility is the mechanism by which we become joyful givers. (2 Corinthians 9) When we recognize that all good things come from God (James 1), including our provision (Philippians 4:19), we are more willing to support the ministers of His work than to spend or save for ourselves wastefully. So, why does God command us to tithe? It requires a humility that begets a more sincere faith. When we offer our financial control to God, it is then a short leap for us to hand over our hearts. Tithing is a perpetually difficult task that regularly humbles us before our Lord. Tithing deepens our faith, like prayer, reading the Word, communion, and fellowship.Thankfully, God wants us to live life with abundance (John 10:10), though not necessarily abundant with stuff. His promise is a life abundant with love, peace, joy, and faith. In reality, that’s what we are really searching for. Savings may give us some measure of peace, but it’s fleeting. We say we love our house, car, or things, but it’s all shallow and certainly not reciprocated by the stuff. His promise is much more rewarding and permanent, though He can only offer us these gifts if we offer Him all of ourselves, including our wallets.God does not need our money. He only wants a portion of it as the conduit to gain the entirety of our hearts. Let go of your wallet and take hold of everything He has to offer—it’s a great deal. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

As controversial as the final trilogy of the mainline Star Wars movies were (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker), one moment speaks to me above the otherwise predictable storylines. In this particular scene of The Last Jedi, a despondent Luke Skywalker begins to burn an ancient tree containing the remaining literature of the Jedi Way. As he sees the flames build, he has a change of heart when he considers the weight of the value, history, and—perhaps—power to be lost forever. Luke rushes in to save the books but is repelled. His woes deepen until his old Master, Yoda, appears as a Force Ghost and accelerates the destruction of the tree and books by conjuring an additional lightning strike. Yoda knows something that Luke is struggling with: the Force does not depend on the relics of the past.This scene is analogous to our God; He is not dependent on the existence of His word, but the word exists to serve Him and His purpose. The same could be said for every church building, every ministry, every evangelist, minister, pastor, or missionary. If everything in this world is destroyed by moths or rust (Matthew 6:19), then an omnipotent God exists above everything that bears His name.We can be understandably disappointed when a church closes, a pastor leaves the profession, or a missionary dies. We can wonder how God would allow His glory to be marked by the perceived failure. However, as Master Yoda knows of the Force, the power of God is not sourced, contained, or altered by the presence—or disappearance—of any of these temporary artifacts or people.I’m reminded of this while reading Psalm 74. The writer is lamenting the Babylonians’ destruction of Jerusalem, specifically the Temple. Verse 7 mourns, “They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.” (NIV) The writer cannot understand how God would allow such a travesty to His glory. Verse 9 declares the uncertainty, “We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be.” From Man’s perspective, the enemies of God have won the day, and the writer implores God to remember His people and reaffirm His name.But, who are “God’s people”? In Man’s limited understanding, they thought God’s people were descendants of Abraham or converted Gentiles. Yet, God could raise the sons of Abraham from stone (Matthew 3). Even in the Bible, we see people despair over losing what they limit God to be while in ignorance of His unfathomable strength and power.God, though, does not care for dwelling places; He cares only for the hearts of His children. When the Israelites set up false idols at the base of Mount Sinai, God was ready and willing to set Himself up a new people, inviting Moses to plead and intervene on their behalf. When David wanted to move Israel’s central worship from the Tabernacle to a permanent temple, God never wanted a temple for Himself. (1 Chronicles 17) God is omnipresent (Psalm 139) and is not bound by any building, person, or movement in His name, which can become forms of idols if cherished too much. Instead, God calls us to a heart change. He calls us to live in His word and His will for our entire lives, not only on Sundays or in specific buildings. If He is only our master for 2 hours a week, then He is not our master at all.Yet, our culture attempts to box God into locations and organizations. Shallow faiths come with their Sunday-best clothes to campus after a Saturday of wearing lustful swimsuits on the beach. Western traditions attend church on Sunday with an eye on the clock to beat the lunchtime buffet rush. We put forth our best impressions on Sunday mornings and resort to our worst or most brash every other day. Indeed, we live spiritually segregated lives, which are often encouraged by our overemphasis on the temporal.Like Yoda, God will let our idols burn, rust, and fall apart if that helps us turn from them and repent of our selfishness—He may even burn them down Himself. Though His name is holy, He will not protect its earthly reputation at the cost of our eternal salvation because Man’s perception of Him does not impute His holiness; God is the source of all holiness. As God works good in all things (Romans 8:28), He can certainly work in the perceived desecration of His own name if it draws the prodigal child home.Christians should support and encourage all those who bless the name of the Lord but should do so with an open hand. If we hold our organizations, buildings, or brands too tightly, we let them supplant God’s rightful priority in our hearts. So, do failed ministers and ministries infringe on God’s will? No. The Son of God did not despise the cross (Hebrews 12:2). God did not mourn the destruction of His (multiple) temples. God is willing to sacrifice His name, His body, and His Son for our salvation. He does not reside in any particular building, mission, or human. Instead, He inhabits the praises of all His people (Psalm 22:3), wherever they may be. Let us not rally around the brand of our church. Let us not depend on the notoriety of our leaders. Let us, instead, praise the Lord with our whole heart; in that, He will truly be satisfied and glorified. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

There is a common fallacy that the larger Christian faith is exposed as illegitimate through the failings of its leaders. Whenever a famous pastor, influential apologist, or chart-topping contemporary artist is revealed to be sinful, prideful, or deceitful, some critics are inspired to jump on the hypocrisy of these spiritual leaders. Suppose these people, who often espouse Christian moral attributes, are secretly living in secular sin. In that case, they claim, the Christian faith must be a false religion meant only to extract money and exert authority.Sanctification and righteousness are undoubtedly crucial to any Christian, and especially for the Christian in a public or leadership position. Paul demands that church elders be above reproach or offer no cause to question their character (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:7). James warns spiritual teachers because they are held to a higher standard due to their impact. (James 3:1)  Indeed, righteousness is essential in validating our testimonies of Jesus as our true Lord and Savior.Yet, God is not limited by our sinfulness or righteousness. He intends to work His plan, no matter our choices. God seems to revel in His ability to use stuttering killers (Moses), cowardly military leaders who tolerate paganism (Gideon), the imprisoned (Joseph), the adulterous plotter (David), those who may deny Him in weakness (Peter), and arrogant accomplices to murder (Paul) to accomplish His perfect will despite their imperfections. Imperfection is God’s only option beyond the perfect obedience of His Son, Jesus, from whom God asked the most.So, we should not be surprised when another Christian leader falls. Disappointment is natural, but it does not—cannot—implicate the validity of the faith. To assign the failings of a fallen Christian leader to the faith is akin to blaming the US Constitution for a president’s poor job. In the latter case, the Constitution provides the framework by which we should judge or potentially remove a president. Similarly, our faith and the Word of the Bible provide the framework with which we correct, punish, and—yes—support the disgraced Christian. Neither source is responsible for the errant representative; in fact, the necessity for the source itself is validation because of the tendencies of our representatives to fail, whether politically or spiritually.We see God work with terrible standards throughout the Bible, and ample evidence exists in the Book of Judges. One of the most famous, Samson, is known for his superhuman strength. It’s written that he tore a lion apart with his bare hands. He lifts and moves a massive city gate. This is Superman-type stuff.Samson was a miracle baby given to a barren woman (Judges 13). As a part of this miracle birth, Samson’s father and mother vow to raise Samson as a Nazarite, a notably pious Jewish sect known for abstaining from wine and not cutting their hair. These lifelong offerings were intended to deepen the spiritual humility of the vowed Nazarite. Unfortunately, Samson is not a great example of adhering to this birthright prerequisite.Samson’s first story involves his demand to marry a Philistine woman. While intercultural marriage is supported in our current Western culture, it was highly controversial then. More notably, it was against God’s law, for He hoped to avoid the negative consequences of spiritual intermingling. (Deuteronomy 7:3) Our first interaction with Samson is his demand to break God’s law.This first story also includes the account of the lion. The lion attacks Samson, and Samson defends himself by killing the lion. A honeycomb later grows in the carcass, and Samson eats some of its honey. For Samson to eat food from the decaying carcass heavily violated kosher laws. (Leviticus 11) This is another instance of his unrighteousness.The ensuing marriage celebration lasts for seven days. While the Bible does not record it, Samson’s track record indicates that he most likely drank wine at his wedding. This would have violated one of the Nazarite vows. Some may disagree with this interpretive liberality; however, we see future episodes of Samson’s uncontrolled rage and poor decisions with women while having no regard for his spiritual responsibilities. Such an accusation is not too difficult to imagine for a seven-day party.Despite Samson’s many errors, God still uses Samson to accomplish His will. Samson resists the Philistinian occupiers. Samson is regularly endowed with the Lord’s Spirit to gain strength. Samson has a poor track record of obedience, yet the Lord remains faithful.Only when Samson foolishly reveals the source of his strength to a later woman, Delilah, does he fall on hard times. Judges 16 tells us, “Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.” (Judges 16:19, NIV) Why was Samson’s hair the key to his strength and success? Because it was the last remnant of Samson’s vow still intact. Now that it is gone, Samson is left without.The consequences are tragic; without his strength, Samson’s eyes are gouged out, and he is imprisoned. “But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” (Judges 16:22, NIV) Samson gets his revenge as he is paraded blindly in front of his enemies and asks the Lord to bless him one last time as he destroys the building they are all gathered in. This time, Samson recognizes where his power comes from and, in humility, achieves his God-ordained purpose.Samson was God’s chosen champion for his time, but moral failings still marked him. We should not aspire to imitate Samson’s arc, but we can take solace that God remained with him throughout, especially by providing Samson another chance to fulfill his original purpose.Christian leaders will fail, just like secular ones do. In fact, Christian leaders are larger spiritual targets and undoubtedly face even more temptation—it is how our enemy works. Our expectations should be high for such leaders because of their impact on the church, but we should be willing to extend a large portion of grace to them when they fail because God brings good things through failure. He brings good things through each of us.The most blessed vow today is not to be a Nazarite but is, instead, our profession of faith in God’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth. So long as we can hold fast to that indestructible truth, our vow will stand, and our God will not leave us. Instead of condemning the faith for the failings of our Christian leaders, perhaps we should instead exalt the source of our faith, Jesus, for being all that we cannot be—that is, worthy of the position. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The separation of church and state within the framework of the newly minted American Constitution was a game-changing political revelation in the 1780s. Prior to that, national religious identities would change at the whim of a newly crowned monarch.  Conflicting religious sects have warred against each other across the millennia in the name of some goverment. These conflicts have killed millions of people across time as religion was mixed with state affairs.Jesus did not advocate for zealous violence, yet Christians have been equally as guilty in this abuse of religious identity. The Spanish conducted a bloody Inquisition. Catholic English monarchs slaughtered Protestant citizens (see: Bloody Mary). Let’s not forget the inter-faith violence that has become routine, such as in biblical warfare or the multiple Crusades. Without a doubt, the name of Jesus has been abused in Man’s pursuit of power, land, and wealth.With this in mind, the separation of church and state must be a good thing, right? The answer is not so simple for the Christian. There is a corporate value in refusing to adopt a national religious identity; however, there are dangers for the individual who lives his political life under worldly constructs and his private life under God’s.A popular biblical verse used to exemplify the separation of beliefs from politics is from Mark 12 when Jesus is being confronted about paying Roman taxes. He responds with, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17, NIV) Indeed, Jesus suggests that our heavenly responsibilities do not absolve us of our Earthly ones. However, using this verse to suggest that faith has no place in one’s political alignment is particularly short-sighted.For example, it was God’s desire that Israel be politically led by Him and His commandments alone. Known as a theocracy, God and His Law were to be the only guiding principles of the Israeli society, and local leaders with the title of “Judge” were meant to interpret the Law and settle disputes. An entire book of the Bible is committed to the lineage of these Judges.We can confidently say that any other political structure was against God’s wishes for His people. In Deuteronomy, God warns His people of their impending heart change and offers instructions to appoint kings whom God chooses, “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and you take possession of it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will appoint a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’“ (Deuteronomy 17:14, NASB) Unfortunately, Israel ends up like any other country, exchanging kings through murder, plot, and deceit. It does not go well.However, we see God’s heart here—His desire is for His people to live by His Word above anything else. Can a Western society adopt that rigidly? No. Yet, as individual voters, we must still make that choice for God’s will. Imagine what our culture would be if every individual lived simply by Christian moral guidance. We would be in a different world.What happens when we ignore our individual dispositions for the sake of the democratic majority? What happens when the world clamors to go in an anti-Christian direction? Should Christians simply shrug off the difference between church and state to remain “peacefully complicit”? Peaceful–yes. Complicit–no.Another example that may help us with these questions comes from one of Christianity’s greatest villains, Pontius Pilate. Pilate was a historical Roman governor of the Palestine area during Jesus’ ministry. History tells us that Pilate was a brutal leader: he lost his position and was recalled back to Rome after a massacre of Samaritan civilians. You may know Pilate better as the governor who condemns Jesus to His crucifixion at the demand of an angry Jewish crowd. The crucifixion is mentioned in each of the four Gospel books. In Luke’s version, chapter 23 recalls Jesus’ presentation before Pilate, Herod, and the crowd. We read Pilate’s declaration of Jesus’ innocence, trying to convince the mob against putting Jesus to death. Before we give credit to Pilate for being such an upstanding advocate, let’s not forget that he ordered the vicious 39 lashes before Jesus’ death and, ultimately, condemned Jesus to die. Pilate had the authority to commute this punishment and refused. This is where indifference becomes as dangerous as intentional evil. Indifference allows the innocent to be hurt by the angry mob. Indifference reveals the weakness of our inner character because the indifferent prefers personal peace and conflict avoidance more than the protection of the marginalized and vulnerable. A righteous man can confront the mob peacefully and lovingly; however, a righteous man cannot condemn the innocent to suffer in any peaceable way.While our culture demands abortion “rights,” who do we stand with? As our culture advocates for separationist, nationalistic policies, do we turn a blind eye to the massacred and suffering abroad? When the culture confuses our children, do we allow the mob to dictate their identity, or do we defend their divinely inspired images? If culture wants to imprison the poor, do we stand idly by while they are handcuffed?National religious identities lead to tribalism and, often, violence; however, the lack of a personal religious identity leads to indifference, weakness, and cowardice like Pilate. An angry democracy is much like an angry mob, only with more political entitlement. People of God are called to be not of this world. We are called to stand in the gap for all oppressed and hurting, no matter the risk or cost to ourselves. People of God, it’s time to take a peaceful stand, but a stand nonetheless. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

With our social media culture, the speed at which information spreads has quickened exceptionally. In its short lifetime, social media has contributed to political revolutions, social justice movements, and instantaneous newsfeeds. Putting aside media biases, technology accelerates everything for better or worse—so what works for “good” or true information works equally for “bad” or false info. Because of the click-to-share nature of today’s data, more nefarious sorts, like conspiracy theories, spread like wildfire.Whether it’s embezzlement, human trafficking, or (even) time travel, many such theories revolve around politics. Something about leadership and Man’s constant quest for power seems to elicit our suspicions of corruption—imagine that. We shouldn’t be surprised because it has been that way since the beginning, and there are certainly examples in the Bible.In 2 Samuel 3, there is a full-scale war between Saul’s son—with control in the northern parts of Israel—and David, who controls Judah. David enjoys military successes but has an uphill battle usurping the inherited kingdom for Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth, but Ish is feeling the pressure. Like all leaders who can sense their power slipping away, suspicion runs rampant. Ish-Bosheth accuses a senior leader of his, Abner, of having slept with Saul’s concubine—which is an unreserved accusation of treason in these times. Much later, we’ll see David’s son revolt against his father and claim the kingdom for his own by sleeping with David’s concubines—so, Ish-Bosheth is essentially accusing Abner of usurping his claim to the throne. Ish is undoubtedly buying into his fearful whispers. Just like his father was suspicious of David, Ish ostracizes his most faithful leader.Abner is so offended by the accusation that he switches sides in the conflict. Abner goes around to some of the other tribes to vouch for David’s right to reign. He then presents himself to David, offering his allegiance and service to David’s kingdom. David receives his former enemy with grace and warmth.However, David’s commander, Joab, returns from a raid to find out Abner has been and gone. Joab is incredulous with David and suggests that Abner was merely playing the spy for Ish. Joab pursues Abner, coaxes him to turn back from where he was going, and then murders Abner.Now, there’s a backstory—Abner killed Joab’s brother in a previous battle; clearly, there is some bad blood here. Whether Joab truly believed Abner had ulterior motives or he was using it as leverage for his personal revenge is unrecorded. However, Joab leverages the accusation as a means to justify the murder.There’s a lot to unpack in David’s response—the elders who had previously aligned behind Abner now must decide if David ordered the murder and if he will do the same to them. David has to publicly mourn and testify against his involvement to clear his name and maintain the conjured support, but that’s for another message.We can learn plenty of lessons from the negative examples of both Ish-Bosheth and Joab. Ish-Bosheth’s paranoia caused him to lose a powerful ally and turn him into a powerful opponent. In Ish’s desire to protect his throne, he lost more of it. If he had trusted in the Lord as much as David had, perhaps things would have been different—Ish would eventually be murdered, as well. Similarly, Joab uses conspiracy to unintentionally wind up on the wrong side of David’s ire. David distances himself from his commander, and upon David’s deathbed, he instructs his son, Solomon, to kill Joab for the murder of Abner. Sure, David’s justice is not as immediate, but it is permanent.Both Ish-Bosheth and Joab sought power. Both accused Abner of untruths that served their purposes or fears. They both lost their lives in their efforts to protect them. They were ruled by fear and conspiracy, ultimately dying due to their false accusations.So, how should Christians treat conspiracy theories? In the way we should treat all worldly things: by keeping our minds on things above. We must remember that God sets the course of the world, even allowing unjust kings to be crowned (Daniel 2:21). Our fears suggest that something unfair or untoward may be afoot, but—even if they are—should we place more faith in our detective skills or in the heavenly Creator who’s in control of it all?Our social media culture looks for concealed “truths” everywhere while ignoring the eternal Truth so clearly evident (Romans 1:18). Let go of the fear and live for Christ above all. Remember, those who try to save their life will lose it (Luke 17:33). Ish-Bosheth and Joab are Old Testament testimonies speaking to our New Testament promises. Leave the conspiracies for those who are only living for this world; no matter who rules on Earth, let’s remember Jesus reigns above it all. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Humans are tribal creatures. From the earliest parts of our history, our ancestors have lived in tribes, villages, and cities to better protect and provide for themselves. We assign ourselves to teams, groups, parties, and denominations to assume and contribute to a larger group identity. It is clearly not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18)Our desire to fit in can be so strong that we ignore our moral impulses and begin to think and act in ways we otherwise would not. This comes from peer pressure, and those we grow up with see our failings and missteps. If we’ve made quite a few mistakes, it can be difficult to shake their impressions of us. Each one of our words, steps, and choices influences how others see us.What happens when we want to change who we are? Or more, what happens with our Creator God changes us to be more like Himself? A new believer who does not come from a Christian background has the most difficult time adjusting to life after conversion. Not only will this new Christian face the spiritual battles that often befall each of us, but they must also contend against all the other images and versions of their past that others maintain about them.I suppose there is one comfort for those of us who must confront others’ impressions of us: Jesus endured the same. Matthew 13 includes a small story of Jesus returning to Nazareth, only to be met with doubt and offense. Verse 54 picks up, “Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked.” (Matthew 13:54, NIV) They go on to question their understanding. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary?…And they took offense at him.” (55, 57) Jesus retorts—to them—“Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” (57)Even Jesus was judged because of His familiarity with others. Jesus lived a sinless life—there was no dirty laundry for Him to overcome in their minds. They knew Jesus as a typical boy, from a typical carpenter, in a small village in ancient Israel. What’s profound about their doubt is their recognition of Jesus’ wisdom and miraculous powers, yet they cannot accept that Jesus is anything other than their expectations of Him.Perhaps you’re in a spot where you want to make life changes, or you have found a deeper degree of faith, but the expectations of others are holding you back. Take heart—it’s nothing personal. Instead, we must recognize the limitations of humanity’s collective groupthink. God calls us to great things, even when the world ignorantly or intentionally attempts to hold us back. We can let the world have its way in our lives or let God have His; rarely can we appease both simultaneously.So, how do we respond if our new life in Christ pushes in a direction that others begin to question, criticize, or resist? First, we must prepare ourselves for the trials ahead. How seriously do we take our faith? If we take Christ’s sacrifice seriously, then let’s do this faith thing right! Resolving ourselves to run the race well (1 Corinthians 9:24), we must gird ourselves with faith and righteousness (Ephesians 6). We must be prepared to live out our faith in front of our friends. If they cannot see how serious our faith is, either we are not actively showing it, or they are unwilling to accept it. In the latter case, perhaps we should close that chapter and form a more supportive community that embraces our faith identity.But before we jump to writing our friends or family out of our lives, we must earnestly live out our faith in front of them. Living our faith may be as simple as living faithfully. In Philippians 1, Paul is under house arrest for an upcoming trial, yet, he writes to his Philippian church plant, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” (Philippians 1:12-13, NIV) Paul’s lifestyle has convinced even his guards of his innocence while serving as a platform for the Gospel to spread. His example becomes an encouragement for others. Let us remember that our example can speak louder than our words in front of our family and friends—those who know our worst history.It is human nature to categorize other people into groups—this is particularly rampant in our hyperpolitical, postmodern era. Our worst tendencies look for the slightest sign of inauthenticity or impropriety—as if we have none ourselves—to then judge or “cancel” someone else. As we categorize others, they are equally categorizing us. Those who have known us longer have ample evidence for the labels they assign us, even if we now disavow much of what we previously did. When we share our faith with those who were witnesses to our pre-Christian behavior, we face a steeper challenge in negating who we were in exchange for who we are now.We must approach our family and old friends differently than strangers. For strangers, I am a strong advocate for typical evangelistic methods. However, for family and friends, we must first convince them that we are different—not why we are different, but show them how we are different.How do we make our differences obvious? Hopefully, the Holy Spirit’s work in us becomes evident. To spell it out, we must exhibit the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We must prioritize love, joy, peace, and patience over our previously expected behaviors. We must choose kindness, goodness, and gentleness in interactions where we would otherwise resort to our worst traits. We must exercise self-control and faithfulness in the face of temptation.Our lives become living proof of our change more than our words. Our testimony of Jesus will only be received warmly after those who knew our worst can see us at our best. It’s up to us to live up to that standard. The world is watching what we do next, and our families and friends have front-row seats. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Preparing kids for bedtime is often challenging. The younger the child, the more regularly they must be reminded to wear their pajamas or brush their teeth. This is often met with scorn, excuse, or feigned ignorance; any parent knows what I’m talking about.From a holistic, third-party view of this comically repeatable night-time experience, is my authority reduced by their continual resistance? No, I’m still their parent and still hold the rights to their obedience. If we zoom in and step into my young son’s mind when he throws a tantrum in response to my instructions, how does he view my dominion over his life and choices at that moment? He chooses his desires and questions my intention for his evening instead of honoring me as his father. In his mind, his decisions are better than mine, despite his ignorance of the next morning’s consequences.I am not suggesting parents rule their children with an iron fist; instead, I am drawing an analogy to our everyday choices that stand against God’s standards and, thus, His will for our lives. With God as our Creator, our Father, we must make everyday choices to respond to His instructions. For us, this amounts to a standard of holiness.We desire to live by the world’s indulgences. God instructs us against that. Which do we choose?Paul warns the Ephesians in chapter 3, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” (Ephesians 3:17-18, NIV) In 1 Timothy 4, Paul similarly warns against false teachers, “whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy 4:2, NIV) Similarly, our consciences can be seared against the wisdom and preference of God through false things we convince ourselves of while we live in darkened ignorance and separation.Our attempts to justify it can even leverage the expanding allowances between the Old Testament and New. When God the Father allows for food to be eaten that was previously deemed unclean, it is natural for us to extrapolate that in illogical ways to justify our own preferences. While we instinctively want to apply this same sense of broader allowances to other areas of our lives, there are several instances where Jesus actually commands us to more strict versions of Old Testament law. During His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-6), Jesus commands stricter rules against lust, anger, and hatred than the Old Testament specifically forbids. He condemns the then-commonly used form of divorce and restricts the grounds that it becomes acceptable. In Matthew 5, Jesus remarks, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5: 17-18, NIV) We must use care in discerning God’s will.Jesus may be our eternal “get out of jail free” card, but He does not abolish the Law that rightfully convicts us and condemns us to that jail. Even after evening struggles with my son, I am still in command of my house despite the grace he will receive from me as he matures through his obstinance. Though he may pout through bedtime, he cannot change the rules—only I, as the father, can.It is similar to a holy standard of living: Jesus’ grace covers our sins, but that does not mean lawlessness can ensue. Like all things of our faith, it is a matter of the heart. Are we obediently following God’s commands or throwing our tantrums in resistance?If we refuse to act on those Holy Spirit convictions, we push Him out of control and place ourselves back in control. If we opt for our desire above God’s simple instructions, we confine His reign to smaller subsets of our lives. Therefore, God only inherits dominion as we allow Him—making ourselves the true lord of our lives. Living with one foot in and one foot out of holiness is an issue of pride.We are not saved by our works and cannot earn our way into heaven; we are saved by faith alone. However, honest faith exalts Jesus above ourselves. Only allowing Jesus to command parts of our lives impedes our faith. We lean on our understanding (read: desire) instead of His. There is grace for the impulsive crimes of passion, but our persistent failings are premeditated offenses. Yes, Jesus can walk alongside us through those struggles, but are we really turning them over to Him in faith if they plague us for weeks, months…. years?If we claim Jesus as our Lord but conspire against His Law or attempt to restrict His dominion—either in our own lives or the lives of others—then we are treasonous. Holiness is submission to His will and not our own. Holiness is humility in action. Holiness is not natural, instinctive, or easy—it is countercultural and anti-indulgent. Holiness is a small measure of confession and a large struggle to keep our minds on heavenly things—not worldly things.Why do I demand my children follow a set bedtime routine? Because it will be better for their rest, growth, mental development, and mood. Do they understand it in the same way? No, they will only realize—and appreciate—it when they are more mature; for now, it makes no sense to them. Similarly, we may question, wonder, and resist why God’s commands and expectations exist. We need not appreciate or understand why they are there; we need only to show our humility and faith in God’s goodness, wisdom, and promises by following them. Like a full night’s rest, it’s good for us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The Internet has created entirely new industries. Social media marketing, data science, and SaaS (software-as-a-service) companies all directly owe their entire existence to the creation of the Internet. This also extends beyond professions—the democratization of written, photographic, or video content has altered traditional industries like media and television. Everyone can now have a viral moment, but many will not.As many of us chase fame and meaning in a digital environment, exploding the growth of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, most participants will amount to meager, insignificant views. Not everyone is chasing fame, undoubtedly, but many are. Many of those will fail. Therefore, our culture assumes that those who are famous have somehow done something correctly to deserve it. Whether it be the all-star athletes, the funniest comedians, or the best musical performers, fame is regularly linked to success and fulfillment. Yet, many of these representatives are flawed; we uncover it in later memoirs or current scandals. Others are more obvious, rising to fame by selling themselves and their inherent value for a mere moment of attention.Despite being another failed desire from the world, there is something self-aggrandizing about chasing fame on that scale. Such pursuits stand in stark contrast to a faith-filled life. There’s nothing wrong with gaining fame or notoriety by or through our faithful activities, but—like all things—it’s a matter of the heart. One could argue that the characters of the Bible are some of the most famous in history. Indeed, the heroes of Moses, Abraham, and David have been well-known for millennia. Maintaining popularity over thousands of years is incredible, especially in our week-to-week pace of virality.Not all bible characters arise to that level. Reading through the book of Judges, there is a litany of characters, and many are well-known. Samson, Gideon, and Deborah are fan faves, yet, still others are not. I was particularly struck while reading Judges 10. The chapter opens with two lives, spanning 45 years of leadership over the course of only 5 verses.Tola was a man from the tribe of Issachar. “'He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.” (Judges 10:2, NIV) Tola was followed by Jair from Gilead. He led for twenty-two years and was particularly wealthy with 30 sons on 30 donkeys. Then he died. After Jair, the Israelites fall to the cultural religions of the Baals and Ashoreths to repeat their experience of anguish and then restoration through a particularly flawed character in Jephthah.Tola and Jair make it as historical mentions, but there is no story of salvation or praise. All we can surmise is that either the enemies of the Israelites were so decimated after the previous Judges that it took a generation to build up their forces or—and this is more likely—that these men faithfully served the Lord while leading Israel. If we accept the latter explanation, what does that tell us about the more frequent characters of the Bible?God protects the intentionally righteous. We see this in other areas of the Bible. One regular reference is in Psalm 1, where the righteous man does not adapt to the wicked culture but meditates on the word of the Lord. This man prospers in all that he does. Similarly, with Abraham—we only read of the most dramatic forms of his faithfulness. Little is mentioned about his many years in his own desert. The entire story of his son, Isaac, can be read in a couple of minutes. We know little of Peter, James, John, and the other disciples beyond the 3 years of Jesus’ ministry; once the church is established, attention turns from the persons and to the message through epistles, letters, and sermons.The same can be said for Tola and Jair in Judges 10. All that’s left to show for their faithfulness are five verses spanning almost five decades. Does it seem backward for the Bible to expound so much on worldly drama instead of reveling in those who live faithfully and successfully?No, it is not backward. The Bible is not about how successful mankind can be. The Bible is not necessarily about how holy God’s judgment will be. Instead, the Bible’s central theme is God’s overwhelming grace toward His fallen creation: Man. This is best exemplified through the pinnacle sacrifice of Christ, but the theme is there from Genesis to Revelation. As men and women struggle with worldly dispositions, God’s patience, consequences, and ultimate grace are commonly in view. The historical narratives often skipped on Sunday mornings reveal the depravity of those who benefitted from the faithfulness of their ancestors and squandered it on the world. The Bible regularly shows how God steps in to save his repentant people or allows them to bear the brunt of their poor worldly choices.The lives of faithfulness are marked by peace. This peace is not newsworthy, and it is not salacious. Man’s flair for the obscene does not appreciate it until after life ends, and the crowd is perplexed as to how someone could live so long with such simplicity and contentment. The countercultural example becomes attention-worthy only after having successfully completed the race faithfully.However, peace is what we so often crave. Security in position and provision is an internal peace we want. Securing a relationship provides peace in appreciation. Social justice movements and international organizations seek peace from war and violence. Peace is our objective, but we regularly reproof God as the source of peace and misassign it to ourselves. No wonder we are left unsatisfied.A faithful life still encounters sickness and death. A faithful life is still attacked by drama and uncertainty. Trials are inescapable on this side of heaven. However, a faithful life is marked by the unexplainable peace of God (Philippians 4:7). It may not be glitzy or glamorous. Still, just like Tola and Jair, the legacy of a faithful life outlasts life itself and sets itself apart from a world constantly distracted by self-indulgent false fame and unrest.Don’t we all want a piece of true, enduring peace? A faith-filled life is the only way to get it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Have you ever lied to continue covering up a previous lie? Most of us have. When children try this, it quickly becomes apparent—it’s simply too difficult to manage the runaway implications of deceit. Our natural proclivities are to protect ourselves from consequences rather than live in the truth.As terrible as our sins can be, our worst natures also reveal to us the overwhelming grace of God. It does not matter how many sins upon sins we’ve committed in our past—when we declare Jesus our Lord, we are immediately made righteous. No further defense or justification is necessary. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for our earthly consequences.Take King David as an example. David is a heroic figure in Judeo-Christian history; however, he was a man plagued by sin like the rest of us. David exhibits a few major moral failings—most famously, his adultery with a woman named Bathsheba, which is recorded in 2 Samuel 11. The story goes: David is home while his army is away at war. He sees a beautiful woman bathing and has his servants bring her to him while her soldier husband is away. David tries to cover up his impregnation of Bathsheba by inviting the husband, Uriah, back home and coaxing Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba. Uriah doesn’t take the bait, so David hatches a plan for him to die in battle. The whole story is deeply maleficent.David’s general, Joab, plays an instrumental role in the cover-up by sending Uriah and a group of men to a heavily defended area to ensure he is killed. In verse 17, “and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.” It was a poor military strategy initiated purely because of the king’s sinful desires.All of this history is important to understand best what happens next. In the next chapter, the prophet Nathan receives word from God that David will suffer extreme consequences for this gruesome scheme. As David professes his guilt of sin, Nathan stunningly replies, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” (2 Samuel 12, 13, ESV) To be clear, the son conceived by the adultery passes away, and David’s lineage is condemned to murder and infighting; there are earthly consequences for his earthly follies. However, David’s sins are immediately forgiven on an eternal scale. How can that be? Before attesting to God’s grace, let’s be honest with each other—our sins all have rippling effects. The financial cheats irretrievably lose many lifetimes' worth of savings and hard work. The harsh words from our rage echo throughout the lifetime of our children. Even hacking someone’s Facebook account leaves the victims anxious and angry. No sin is momentary; they all carry consequences. Yes, David’s plan is particularly vicious, but are we in any place to condemn him? Holiness is such an exacting standard that “'For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10, NIV) We have all broken at least one of God’s commands, so we all are as guilty as if we broke every one of them. This all-or-nothing consequence of sin is heavy, but it is the only possible holy response. To prove this holy binary, let’s consider the alternative. What if God were like us, where different sins begat various heavenly penalties with differing severity? What would be appropriate for David’s worst decisions? What would be appropriate for ours? My suggestion is that any gradient of responses to sin makes some more tolerable than others. A soft response to a “minor” sin would introduce a point where there is little difference between a perfect creation and a “slightly sinful” one. This hypothetical existence of a Holy sliding scale actually degrades the value of being Holy in the first place. By tolerating any sin in the slightest, it ultimately undermines and unravels the entire concept of perfection.By understanding this value of holiness, we can now see that all sin is worthy of the death penalty. Each and every sin, no matter the “size” or “severity” of it, irrevocably stains all of creation. This ultimate judgment does not reduce the severity of the “worst sins”, but increases that of all sin. With this measuring stick in mind, let us think of how Jesus bore all penalties for our unrighteousness. Even upon the cross, Jesus asks God to forgive the ones who nailed Him upon it. Can we even imagine such love?How could God offer David instantaneous grace? Not only was Uriah intentionally killed by David’s plot, but so were the innocent “servants of David” who died alongside him during the staged death trap. How can God so quickly forgive David for something so cruel? Because Jesus paid the debt for all people, for all time. Even though Jesus’ crucifixion occurs later in the world’s chronological history, His atonement was, is, and will always be available for all of time. Jesus’ historical event supersedes that very history and covers all saints in all eons of time with all-enduring forgiveness. David is an equal recipient of that grace. So are you and me.This particular sin of David stole Uriah’s life, as well as the innocent bystanders who died with him. Our sins also carry a heavier weight than we will ever know. Thankfully, Jesus pays the eternal debt, with all of sin’s compounding interest, so that we may be reconciled with a God that merely wants to enjoy eternity with us. Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

The world revolves around words. Words create families through vows of marriage and can cause death through declarations of war. In court, words can free or convict defendants. Written and spoken words preserve history. If you consider computer code a language, its impact expands further by manifesting imagination into real-world actions. Words are ubiquitous, innumerable, and consequential.Words certainly impact our relationships. The more important the relationship, the more weight our words carry. As Christians, our relationship with Jesus is the most consequential; therefore, the words that impact our faith have the greatest impact on us. We confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9). Others are saved when the Gospel is preached and heard (Romans 10:14). We were created (Genesis 1:26) by words and saved (John 1) by the Word—the Logos—the truth.Now that we have established how important words are to our eternal salvation, what kind of words are you listening to? Which are you reading? As we think of Jesus—a Jewish carpenter who lived 2,000 years ago—can you imagine how many messengers have claimed His name with their words? How do we know which are true and which can lead us astray?This is why the Bible is so critical: its words are eternally true. The Bible is the plumline by which all other Christian messages can and should be weighed.The Bible’s words are so important that James, the half-brother of Jesus, cautioned followers how they were to teach them. James 3 warns that many people should not become teachers, “for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1, ESV) Why are teachers judged more strictly? The teacher is like a rider on a horse, whose bit guides the whole body (James 3:3). Indeed, by a teacher’s words, many will make choices that either strengthen their faith or weaken it. If our words have consequences on our own lives, then those of a teacher have an exponential impact through the lives of the students. Thus, the broader our impact, the heavier the burden and the larger the judgment.Some teachers do not have honest intentions (2 Timothy 4). All teachers stumble in sin (James 3:2). Without something more eternal than a teacher’s words, our faith is precariously endangered by the whims of ourselves or others.  The Bible, then, is the source of truth that any Christian must revisit to ensure their relationship with Christ is sound, authentic, and personal.Christians who claim faith but do not regularly read the Bible are living someone else’s faith. That’s not to say faith is pluralistic; instead, shallow Christians rely on others’ relationship with God as a proxy for their own. Would you consult your neighbor to interpret your spouse’s needs? How do we react when someone tells us how to perform our job? If we give up our role in our relationships or positions, they begin to belong to someone else. So it is with our faith; if our belief is only guided by Sunday morning sermons, then we lean on the pastor’s relationship with Jesus more than our own. If they are mistaken, so are we. This is a failing proposition.Say what you may about the Bible’s accuracy on time, science, or history—there are compelling pieces of data across the board. However, the Bible stands true on faith matters despite all objections. The Bible reveals our purpose. The Bible shows us how unconditional love can be. The Bible offers guidance on humility, even within the world’s worst constructs like prostitution, slavery, and prejudice.If we don’t read the Bible, we will not recognize the many ways God has and continues to love us. The words of the Bible prove God’s faithfulness and rebuke Satan’s words of doubt. Our study of God’s words reveals our commitment to our relationship with Him. We cannot have a relationship with the Father or Son without reading their words, and we have no other source for their words but the Bible.Though character limits were a fad in our digital economy, those trends have all but reversed as we culturally appreciate the nuance and depth of our words. The Bible is not a short read because it takes time and breadth to dispel every incorrect rumor and disprove every false prophet thoroughly. Like any relationship to thrive, we must invest in it, at the expense of something else.When we consider the immense scope of the cosmos, tiny words seem insignificant, yet, their impact on our lives is far greater than the largest star. While we marvel at majesty across lightyears, nothing influences our existence quite like words, whether from family, public personalities, or social media feeds. Of all the words that influence us, we must lean on the Bible’s most of all. The Bible is a cornerstone of our relationship with Jesus and, therefore, our salvation. Without the Bible to guide us in our faith, we are simply taking someone else’s word for it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Our modern Western experience affords us an unending supply of luxuries. Through technology and wealth, many of us have more security and free time than our ancestors—at least by historical standards. Suburban salaries have replaced seasonal harvests. Laws protect us from our employer’s worst expectations. The Internet, devices, and democratized information provide endless content. Travel is accessible. These truly are indulgent times.With so many options, how do we choose how best to spend our limited time? Studies reveal our human brain is actually more satisfied with fewer options—the massive amount of choices overwhelms us with a fear of missing out. Anxiety and loneliness are currently rampant despite our ability to pursue whichever vocation, experience, or material we could imagine. How does this make sense?While extracurriculars are innumerable, a few core principles remain in short supply—purpose, meaning, and value. Could it be that the quiet times in between our continual distractions impress upon us our lack of direction? Could our activities be stealing our time away from our purpose? Atheists argue there is no purpose because there is nothing of a higher order than the universe we can experience. Humanists claim our purpose comes intrinsically from our human existence—I’m unsure how that makes sense when philosophically tested. Buddhists seek enlightenment. Hindus hope to ascend the plane of existence for a new and better reincarnated life.In contrast to all of the self-seeking, the purpose of the Christian is to glorify God.Yet, there are similarly unending ways to bring glory to God. Providing charity to the poor, regular prayer, instilling faith in the next generation, and spearheading social justice movements all glorify God if driven from the proper heart. So, suppose our cosmic reason for being can be experienced through an equally abundant number of choices. How can the Christian be any better at identifying her purpose than the secularist?Christians discover their purpose by listening to Jesus.Matthew 17 opens with Jesus leading his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, up a mountain. Known as the Transfiguration, Jesus’ appearance changes into an awe-inspiring display of white light, and He is joined on the mountain by two patriarchs of the faith: Moses and Elijah. In his excitement about the experience, Peter suggests building three shelters for these icons to have separately. Likely, in Peter’s mind, this was the beginning of the many messianic prophecies, upon which Jesus would reclaim the world, the state of Israel would be free of its oppressors and ascend to the fame and power their people had been praying for over hundreds of years.To the disciples’ terror, a cloud forms around the mountain and a voice interrupts Peter, saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (v 5). The cloud and the holy leaders disappear, and Jesus—in his typical human form—assures the disciples that they are safe.Of all the things an omnipotent creator God might say, at a time like that, why would He end with “Listen to Him?” Doesn’t this supernatural episode grant Jesus some privileged authority on its own? Why does Jesus need to be reaffirmed to His three closest disciples and only them (remember, no one else was there)?Though Peter’s intentions were admirable, they were not God’s purpose for Him. Peter, seeing a supernatural revelation, willingly began planning how to serve. He reacted to the miracle and hoped to capitalize on it—not for his gain, but surely with the intention to aid the coming kingdom of God, as he best understood it at that time. Peter thought he had found his next way to serve God’s kingdom and immediately set about acting; it was wrong, though.Unbeknownst to Peter then, God intended to send Peter (and the other disciples) out into the world, not to build stationary shelters. God’s role for Peter was to testify to God’s grace and acceptance more than His power and hierarchy. If Peter had built those shelters and the holy men would have ruled the Earth, as Peter likely expected, then Jesus’ mission would have failed. Instead of building, Peter needed to listen.Our best intentions can cause us to rush into what we think God wants us to do. I am most guilty of imagining a better future, a new app, or an innovative model for the church and then running at it with full force in my zeal to please God. I have leaned on my own understanding instead of listening to God’s.As Jesus says earlier in Matthew 7, “'Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23, NIV) (emphasis mine) If we use Jesus’ name to build the kingdom of God how we want it, we are attempting to limit God’s plan, unintentionally or otherwise. Instead, we are called to be servants of the Most High God, doing His bidding—no matter our opinions.We are commanded to listen to Jesus before acting for Jesus.That humility is a thread throughout the Christian experience. We are called to pray and fast for our directions. We are called to love those we would naturally deem unlovable. We are called to forego our own definitions of purpose or identity and instead offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Anything less is asking God to do our bidding—asking Him to listen to us more than we listen to Him.Prioritize Jesus’ command in your life. Let go of your endless options and, instead, let Jesus decide.The world keeps creating more choices because none of the current ones satisfy. Instead, come to the well that never runs dry and find your refuge in the true Prince of Peace. He’ll tell you what to do. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Many people are familiar with the story of David vs. Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, we see a young man—more like a young teenager—named David take on a hulking giant in a champions battle. David ends up defeating Goliath, giving the country of Israel a military victory. This story is regularly referred to during cultural events where an underdog outperforms expectations to achieve their destiny. It is an encouraging account that provokes us to pursue our dreams, face our fears, and believe in ourselves.However, that’s not what the story is about at all.We culturally get this story wrong in our assignment of David’s responsibility for the victory. As we provision his victory for our challenges, we assume that David had something to do with the outcome. But David never prepared for this fight beforehand.To be sure, David had experience confronting ferocious animals while protecting his family’s flock of sheep. Warding off bears or lions is undoubtedly intimidating, but it was never done with preparation for a wartime role in mind.Diving into the text, David only quotes his experience as a shepherd when convincing King Saul to let him go as Israel’s champion before Goliath. David is not relying on his experience in preparation for this battle. Instead, David depends on the God of the armies of Israel (v. 45) to grant his victory. This story is not about the secular achievement of your dreams through hard work—it is instead about glorifying God’s ability to overcome any worldly obstacle for His glory. David is merely the vessel—not the subject.This may feel semantic, but let’s go one step deeper. We have many historical records of champions dueling to settle larger military affairs. Egyptians, Greeks, Assyrians, and (here) the Philistines and Israelites let chosen champions decide the outcome of the confrontation. One army’s best warrior was elected to confront the other army’s best. Whether one-on-one or in smaller groups, these champions represented each army’s god(s), believed to be fighting and determining the battle supernaturally. The human outcome was merely an earthly extension of the heavenly conflict.What’s striking here is that Israel’s “best” representation was represented as the “ruddy” youngest son from a family in Bethlehem. Though handsome, he was not impressive. Though skilled, he was not honored—even his own father barely recognized his importance, while his older brothers condemned him for showing up to the battle in the first place.This story isn’t about believing in yourself—it’s about believing in God.In verse 43, Goliath—representing his gods—curses David by them, who responds by declaring victory in the name of the Lord Almighty.  Like Elijah upon Mt. Carmel before, this is a confrontation between the fake and the real. It is also poignant that these champions are facing off in the Valley of Elah, which spans East and West between Gath—where Goliath is from—and Bethlehem—David’s hometown. This arena is squarely between the stronghold of the enemy and the barely known city destined to be the birthplace of the everlasting King.David is the diminutive, unassuming forerunner to a later king; a king from Bethlehem who also conquers a dastardly enemy with too much bravado. Both kings faced certain death while exulting God the Father. The success of both kings saved their people from enslavement. Israeli leaders doubted both of these coming kings. Both kings were condemned by their brothers at points in their journeys. Both of these kings were considered the least within their ranks.These kings are not set apart by good fortune, nor is it hard work and determination. Only their faithful belief and trust in God allowed David to defeat Goliath and Jesus to defeat Satan.Similar to David, Jesus arrived in the gulf of mankind’s separation from God—a valley between secular death and the unrecognizable kingdom of God. Jesus unassumingly stood in the gap and took on a champion we could never defeat on our own. Jesus faced an enemy with a track record of victory while enduring the jeers, doubts, and taunts of his own side. His coming made no earthly sense, and yet it was our only hope. Despite His dread of the cross, he overcame death by His reverence for the God of the armies of Israel.David does not represent us facing our fears. David represents what Jesus will do several hundred years later. We are merely the onlookers—the soldiers watching what is to become of our fate. We cannot influence the battle. We cannot win the war. We can merely pick a side and hope our side wins.Fortunately for us, we know who wins—the King from Bethlehem. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Ask any parent their favorite child, and they’ll likely dodge the question. Sure, each kid is different, but to rank them feels improper. Now, there are certain activities I would rather do with one of my kids over the others, but there is enough variety that each of them has a unique and special place in my heart.As God our Father looks upon our world, we must wonder if He feels the same about us. In the United States, it’s popular to suggest that both Israel and the US are especially anointed; such beliefs heavily influence Conservative political agendas, and the recent rise of anti-semitism is entrenching those values in response. Surely, all the telltale signs point to God’s providence over these two countries, right? YHWH uniquely chose Israel; see Malachi 1:2. Israel’s stunning victory during the Six-day War was providential. Perhaps America’s “Manifest Destiny” sets us apart, too. The United States is the most prosperous country to have ever existed, and both countries are in the top 15 for GDP per capita. Both are undoubtedly blessed.Yet, are these the best metrics by which we should measure God’s favor? There is a theology in Christianity called “Calvinism.” One of the Calvinists’ core beliefs is that salvation comes through God’s Holy providence alone, meaning that each person is destined to either accept or reject Jesus before they are ever born; God singularly picks who is saved and who is not. This doctrine is known as predestination, and you can read more about it in Ephesians 1 and Romans 8:29. Many evangelical denominations subscribe to this notion, especially Presbyterians and Southern Baptists. Setting aside the centuries of controversy around the doctrine, suppose we adopt it for the sake of conversation. In that case, the nations most blessed by God would not necessarily be those with the greatest worldly riches but would have the largest population of elected believers, right? Think about it: The countries with the most citizens who are called and protected (Joshua 1), who know the shepherd’s voice (John 10:27), and who can ask anything of God (John 14:13) would be exceptionally blessed, right? Under these auspices, Israel and the United States don’t look so great. Only 2% of Israel’s population is Christian, compared to 74% Jewish and 18% Muslim. While Israel was chosen to bring about the Savior, they have not welcomed Him. As the Apostle John says, “No one who denies the Son has the Father.” (1 John 2:23, ESV) The United States is approaching a similar end, though it has a much longer runway. According to the Pew Research Center, the US population professing Christianity has dropped 30% over the last 50 years. Pew and Gallup confirm US adults are flocking to a “non-affiliation” of spiritual beliefs, now representing a third of the country. Under the Calvinist doctrine, these trends suggest that God is removing His blessing from these countries at an accelerated rate.I am not going to declare either the US or Israel as damned or saved; my suggestion is that using worldly gain to measure God’s favor is insufficient. While both countries have the right to chase prosperity, their success does not equate to God’s blessing. The Apostle John reminds us, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, ESV), so we cannot use worldly prosperity to assume the Father’s joy. I’ll even go one step further and suggest that God doesn’t favor any country more than another. Instead, He favors the faithful, not flags.Instead of thinking in worldly measures, let’s look at the question in biblical terms. In His covenant with Abraham, God declares Abraham will be the father of many nations in Genesis 17:4. God foretells that He will welcome those outside of Israel into salvation (Hosea 2:23). John’s revelation included a great multitude of the elect from every nation (Revelation 7:9). Paul declares that the blessings of God belong to those of Abraham’s faith, not just his nation (Romans 4:16).Jesus first revealed Himself as Savior to an estranged Samaritan, who were the despised cultural antagonists of Judea (John 4). He praises the faith of a Roman “colonizer” in Luke 7. Paul was chosen by Jesus not to evangelize to his fellow Israelites but to the innumerable Gentiles (Acts 9:15).God does not care about our nationality because many are saved across country lines. Indeed, our Great Commission is to go to the ends of the Earth (Matthew 28:19). He does not care about our bloodlines because He could create descendants of Abraham from the rocks if He desired (Luke 3:8). The nations mean nothing to God because they only plot in vain to usurp God’s authority with their own (Psalm 2:1).So, what do we do with this realization? How does it change our politics? How does it affect our hearts toward our political or national enemies? Perhaps we should stop taking God’s providence and protection for granted. We are NOT to hold up a flag to elicit God’s favor, but we are to hold up God’s Son (John 3:14).If I can return to Calvinism for a moment, we don’t have the bandwidth here to assess the Scripture around it, but I will mention there exists an alternate doctrine known as Arminianism. To roughly summarize, Arminians still acknowledge that faith alone provides salvation, but every person has the free will to accept Jesus or not. So, I ask you, which do you choose: your country or your God? Where do you put your faith: the flag or the cross? Choose Jesus. Radically love those with different political or national interests because Jesus first radically loved you. As Isaiah prophesied, “All mankind will see God’s salvation.” (Isaiah 40:5). That includes you and your enemy. What’s my choice? I pledge allegiance to the cross. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Popularity is a continually enticing prize. Whether being popular in school, winning a political election, or “going viral” today, the appeal of mass appeal is baked into our Western culture. Indeed, popularity is a democratic form of society’s approval.Yet, popularity is fickle. As social networks have grown, there is an ever-increasing pool of people or content to draw our attention. What’s trending today can be forgotten tomorrow. That is the struggle of chasing popularity—it’s never permanent and never satisfies.The church is not immune to these desires, either. Lots of time, planning, and resources are spent on making faith seem more approachable. Whether through contemporary music, world-class A/V equipment, or the latest technical immersion, churches, and ministry organizations desire to be popular—a pressure resulting from the need to pay for large building mortgages or paid staff members.I do not mean to insult church leaders, you, or myself for wanting to be popular. Indeed, even God is jealous for our attention and faith, as seen in Exodus and Deuteronomy. There is nothing inherently sinful in wanting to be valued or liked, so long as those desires do not overtake us in obsession. Instead, we should prepare ourselves to be unpopular bearers of Good News within our mission field, wherever that is.Jesus sends us on a mission to evangelize the world with the news of His death and resurrection. While the news is joyous, it requires each hearer to submit in humility to receive Jesus’ gift—that is the unpopular message. We are intentionally sent to live, speak, and act differently throughout a world built on the self: self-love, self-truth, self-righteousness, self-identity. Ours is an unpopular, contrary message.It has always been the case that God’s message is met with scorn. We see it when Moses leads the enslaved Hebrews out of Egypt. Jonah fears the unpopularity of his assignment so much, that he tries to run away from his task (before being swallowed by a large fish). We also see it as Jeremiah prophesied against Israel for its sins and proclaimed Jerusalem’s impending doom from the powerful Babylonian army.In Jeremiah 37, we read about Jeremiah being imprisoned as a result of a false accusation stemming from his unpopularity. Why was he so unpopular? Jeremiah regularly warned the Israelites that they needed to renounce their sins, while false prophets told the king and the people self-affirming lies. Jeremiah foretold Jerusalem’s fall and was seen as a traitor despite the fact that this revelation came from God. Therefore, when an angry military sentry found Jeremiah leaving Jerusalem, this was the opportunity to frame him for desertion. The leaders seized that opportunity to beat Jeremiah and falsely imprison him. Does that sound like anyone else’s experience in the Bible? While foreign to Western cultures, many who have lived in cultures antagonistic to Christians know Jeremiah’s feelings. Many are experiencing it today in the global south, where Christianity is booming.God often speaks as a loving Father who instructs His children in the way they should go, including warnings, cautions, advice, and promises of consequences. Humans do not like receiving those kinds of messages, so we rebel. Those are the messages Christians are called to share with our families, friends, and communities.It’s a hard assignment.Like Moses in the wilderness, Jeremiah in jail, or Jesus on the cross, our advocacy of God and His perfect ways will invite scorn and resistance. Dare I say, if we are not encountering resistance to our faith, we may not be living it visibly enough. This is not to say we are each called to condemn and judge the world—that’s not our role—but the conviction of our faith and its message of humility are counter-cultural. We cannot escape that.No one wants to be jailed, but is imprisonment as bad as living an unmeaningful life? Jeremiah’s identity and purpose is as God’s messenger—it is not worth giving that up to avoid hardship. In the end, Jeremiah ends up fine, but others, like Jesus and His disciples, face gruesome earthly ends. That’s the kind of faith, however, that changes the world and alters eternity.How much does your faith mean to you? Enough to be unpopular? Perhaps it is time we band together in our common unpopularity as one corporate church body to live our earthly purpose for the heavenly king. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

Why would God want a ruthless, egotistical, maniacal person like Nebuchadnezzar to declare His glory? Doesn't God resist the proud? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com

First, if you're an existing subscriber from God @ Work, * I’m pivoting the messages to be broader than simply work-related applications of theology. I took time away to finish Seminary—and survive the holidays—but now I’m back to a more regular schedule. * It’s still (entirely) Christian but will look at broader topics, as directed by Scripture. * I’m also adding audio/video options as the world moves in that direction.* The (eventual) goal is to build an in-person community around Central Kentucky. Online-only is welcome to participate and share, but future references to in-person events will be focused on my home state.* I would love it if you stay subscribed—the encouragement and convictions in these upcoming messages (Tues & Fri) apply to us all equally.Let’s consider this episode a bit of a “prequel.” It will be short, only 3 minutes or so, but it is critical to set expectations for what you’ll hear from this newsletter/podcast/video series (however you choose to consume it).prodigals.online is a digital-first Christian organization. What does that mean? We will use technology to reach people instead of purchasing or renting a building. However, our goal is to grow a community so that we can coordinate in-person events. Such events could be large barbeques at a park, coordinated evenings at a local event, or smaller house groups for deeper study. While anyone, anywhere, is welcome to subscribe or listen, the goal is a genuine Christian community in central Kentucky that loves each other in the ways Christians–nay, humans–were created in the first place.Second, we want to be convenient and effective. These messages are quick enough for you to listen to while walking your dog or to read during a break at work. My hope is to provide a mid-week supplement to make Christian faith the center point of your life. That’s why messages will be posted multiple times during the week.Third, we are not a church–at least not yet. Our goal is not to compete with other churches but to supplement where church communities feel stale or are non-existent. I would very much like to coordinate visiting different churches as a group to understand our denominational differences better. The world is charging hard into pluralism, so let’s ground ourselves in all the biblically-based forms of Christian worship. Lastly, we want to be innovative. I lament so many tithes funneling to mortgage companies and land purchases. I am exhausted from seeing so many roadside signs welcoming strangers in–we should be going out to invite them personally. From a non-believer's perspective, all our welcoming signs look the same. They are ineffective, yet churches regularly spend money on them because we are afraid to confront our antagonistic culture. We shouldn’t be provoking others to anger, but we should be boldly sharing the Truth of Christ in love. That’s why community is so critical, so we can bolster and harbor each other through the Great Commission we are called to. Considering how much time the average American spends on their device, an online-first strategy feels prudent.Prodigals.online is not about doctrinal differences; we’re a non-profit with a board representing multiple denominations. Since I’m creating these messages, you can check out www.prodigals.online to see the list of beliefs I generally carry and what you may hear come through the messages. That said, my goal is not to convince you away from your doctrine; my goal is for all of us to live all-out for Jesus that we won’t care about the secondary or tertiary topics. Perhaps we’ll learn something from each other along the way. I suppose that’s a good segue to introduce myself. I’m Brad Farley. I grew up in Ohio but now live in Lexington, Kentucky. I have three young children from a previous marriage and am engaged to a lovely woman named Sara. We regularly attend a Church of God denomination church, but I periodically drum for worship services in various cross-denominational settings. I have a few degrees, but the most relevant is a Master of Art in Christian Ministry from Liberty University. I’m doing this because I really love Jesus and am hoping to inspire others to love Him deeply too. I won’t go into my whole testimony here, but there was a time in my life when the Holy Spirit was pressing hard on me. I could not reconcile an omnipotent, omnipresent, sacrificial God with how we casually praised and taught about Him on Sundays. My heart wanted more, and God has led me on a wild journey since. I would love to share more about it in-person sometime. Thanks for checking this out. Subscribe to the substack to receive new messages whenever they are posted. I hope we get to grow in Christian community together. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prodigalsonline.substack.com