Does the church replace Israel? Answering tough theological questions



Does the church replace Israel? Did I ignore the Jews? Does the formation of Israel in 1948 fulfill Old Testament promises?

These were a few of the questions and critiques sparked by an essay I wrote last week, "How Tucker Carlson vs. Ted Cruz exposed a critical biblical question on Israel." After providing a cursory biblical-theological exploration of the question "What is Israel?" I answered that no, the modern nation-state of Israel is not the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. I also stated that Christians are not biblically commanded to support the modern nation-state of Israel because the state of Israel and the biblical Israel are not the same entity.

To some, my conclusions sounded like heresy. But others, through emails or comments, expressed thankfulness for what they saw as a long-overdue correction.

In any case, I am thankful for every subscriber to and reader of Blaze Media, and I am thankful for everyone who wrote comments, positive or negative, and engaged with me.

This topic understandably touches nerves, but that's why this conversation matters. And if the reaction proved anything, it's that we need more biblical clarity. Below, I am going to respond to some of the critiques. I hope to provide clarity with charity and continue the dialogue about this important topic.

Did I ignore the Jews?

Mark Brown commented: "I’m curious how you just seemingly ignore the Jew in your theology. The New Covenant in Jeremiah is to be made with the House of Judah and with the House of Israel. Gentiles (read as the nations) are grafted into the olive tree and the roots of that tree are Israel. In effect, you are teaching that the church has replaced Israel which couldn’t be further from the truth!"

First off, thank you for subscribing to Blaze Media, Mark. I appreciate your thoughtful pushback.

I do not ignore Jews in my theology. I believe that scripture is clear that Jesus — a descendant of King David from the line of Judah (and therefore a Jew) — is the one true Israelite. As I stated in my essay, "He is the true and faithful Israelite who perfectly fulfills Israel's vocation and perfectly keeps the covenant. Jesus is the great high priest, the anointed one, and the prophet of prophets."

In that sense, Jews have a unique and special role in God's redemptive plans. It is the line of Judah, after all, that God preserves to bring about his redemptive promises despite Judah's repeated covenant unfaithfulness. You are right that the new covenant is made with the "House of Judah" and the "House of Israel" and that indeed happens in Jesus, as the author of Hebrews explains (Hebrews 8).

The question, then, is this: Do Jews retain their special status today?

On one hand, yes (e.g., Romans 3: 9-11). But the apostle Paul makes it clear that faith in Jesus, not ethnic identity, is what defines the true "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16). For example, whereas torah commands physical circumcision as an external sign of inclusion, what humans really need is circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 30:6) — internal transformation. This happens in Jesus and through the Holy Spirit. As Christians, God has replaced our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh, and God's law is now written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27).

I do not teach replacement theology (i.e., that the church replaces Israel). Rather, I teach fulfillment theology — that all of God's promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. I will say more about this criticism below.

One more point: I think it's important to understand that "Jew" and "Israel" are not synonyms. The Hebrew word for Jew, yehudi, literally means "of Judah." While biblical Israel certainly includes Jews (one of 12 tribes), not every Israelite is a Jew; by definition, Israel encompasses all 12 tribes of Abraham's descendants.

This is why Paul understood what happens in Jesus — the ingathering of Israel — to be no longer limited or defined by ethnic boundaries. By definition, then, the restoration of Israel is not limited to the tribe of Judah.

Is Jesus a Jew?

Dale Errett responded: "Will you next claim that Jesus is not Jewish because He is a Christian?"

Dale, thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Blaze Media and taking the time to comment on my last essay.

I do not deny the Jewishness of Jesus. He was descended from David, born into the tribe of Judah, circumcised on the eighth day according to torah, raised under torah, and lived as a faithful Jew. In fact, if you read the New Testament carefully, you will see how Jesus perfectly keeps torah, never violating nor abrogating it.

The Jewishness of Jesus is critical to his identity as the Messiah.

Does the church replace Israel?

Dale Errett responded: "You couldn't be more wrong! The modern stand of replacement theology that you are spouting here is utter heresy."

Rebecca Freimann commented: "Replacement theory is from Satan."

Dale and Rebecca, thank you for subscribing to Blaze Media. I appreciate the responses.

I share your concerns about replacement theology, a strand of thought that I find extremely problematic. But I do not teach replacement theology, nor do I think my essay advocated for it. I simply teach, as the New Testament does, that God's promises to Israel are fulfilled in Jesus Christ — the true and faithful Israelite — and that anyone united to him by faith, whether Jew or Gentile, is an heir of those promises.

From this perspective, Israel is not discarded but brought to its intended purpose in Christ, the shepherd who gathers the lost sheep of Israel and brings in the nations.

Paul teaches that "not all who are descended from Israel are Israel" (Romans 9:6) and that "if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed" (Galatians 3:29).

The church — Christians, people who follow the Christ, that is, Jesus — is the continuation and fulfillment of God's Old Testament promises. Jesus is the revelation of those promises, not the replacement.

The apostle Paul takes great pains to explain how this works (see, again, Romans 9-11) using the metaphor of an olive tree. Gentiles are grafted into the family of God, sharing in the nourishing root of the Abrahamic covenant. The church — or, as Paul calls it, the true "Israel of God" — includes both Gentiles and Jews, the faithful remnant who place their faith in Jesus.

This is how God has always worked, not through ethnic boundaries alone, but through covenant faithfulness. Notice that Jesus' genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew includes several non-Israelites (i.e., Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba).

In Jesus, God is forming one people through faith in Him.

Did the modern formation of Israel fulfill OT prophecies?

An anonymous subscriber commented: "Might want to read Isaiah 11, Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 32, among others regarding the restoration of the nation of Israel, and then consider if 1948 and modern Israel might be the fulfillment of these prophecies."

Anonymous, thank you for subscribing to Blaze Media and leaving this thoughtful comment. Unfortunately, there is not enough space here to adequately respond to your objection, but I will try my best to give a cursory answer.

Each of the chapters that you cite refers to the future restoration of Israel. But the key question is when and how these prophecies are fulfilled. I believe the New Testament consistently teaches and interprets the restoration of Israel happening in and through Jesus.

For example, Isaiah 11's vision of a righteous ruler points to the Messiah who inaugurates God's kingdom, which is what Jesus did (e.g., Mark 1: 14-15). Ezekiel 36, meanwhile, envisions not just a physical restoration of Israel, but a spiritual one in which God gives his people a "new heart" and a "new spirit" (Ezekiel 36:26). And it is this internal transformation that defines the new covenant people of God (Jeremiah 32:40), a hope and transformation that is realized in Jesus.

Yes, the formation of the state of Israel in 1948 is historically significant. But it leaves me wondering: If the Old Testament is referring to that event, where does Jesus fit in?

Here I will quote the apostle Paul in Romans 9:25-26, where he quotes from the prophet Hosea:

As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one," and, “In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

It is my belief that scripture invites us to see Israel's restoration as both physical and spiritual, ultimately centered on faith in Jesus Christ and the ingathering of God's people from all nations into one new humanity.

Thank you, again, to every Blaze Media reader and subscriber. It has been a deep joy to wrestle with scripture and these questions and to engage with you all.

Rainbow rebellion: How Christians can take back what Pride Month stole



Pride Month is here.

For the next 30 days, corporations will rebrand their logos with rainbow colors, politicians will posture toward the LGBTQ lobby, and progressive ideology will be shoved down our throats.

We can't stand sheepishly in the face of anti-God celebrations. Silence isn't neutral, but is itself an action that speaks volumes — it's surrender.

As the most holy secular celebration — a month-long altar call to the gods of sexual identity and self-expression, complete with its own liturgies, saints, and sacraments — Pride Month claims to be a celebration of liberation and truth. But beneath the rainbows and glitter lies a dark reality: Pride Month is a demonstration of our culture's complete rebellion against God.

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This month, Christians have a choice.

We can be quiet, keeping our convictions hidden while silently hoping that no one asks us if we are a fellow Pride parishioner or an "ally." Or we can fight fire with fire, reclaiming the very thing the LGBTQ lobby has monopolized: pride.

Not pride in sin — the kind God hates — but pride in truth.

God's truth speaks

The Bible mostly condemns pride.

Hear the wisdom of Proverbs: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Or, from the epistle of James, which quotes Proverbs 3:34, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble" (James 4:6).

This is the kind of pride that exalts the self to the place of God, thereby defying God.

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But scripture also speaks of a different kind of pride, which is rightly ordered. Let's call it "holy boasting."

The apostle Paul, for example, instructs the Corinthians to "boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31; cf. Jeremiah 9:24). Paul himself takes pride in his weakness — because it demonstrates the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). In fact, Paul expresses a desire to boast — but only "in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).

Follow Paul's example

This month, Christians should follow Paul's example. We should boast and take pride in God's truth.

Let us, therefore, boast in God's design: God made us in His image, male and female. He made us with complementary sexual and biological distinctions ordered toward the covenantal union of marriage — not personal fulfillment — so that we can carry out the divine mandate to subdue the earth and multiply. That vocation, ultimately, is for the flourishing of all creation.

Let us boast in God's vision for marriage: He created marriage to be a lifelong, sacred, one-flesh union between one man and one woman. It's neither a social contract nor a lifestyle accessory, but it is meant for the building up of families who can carry out the divine vocation.

Let us boast in our identity: Not in the self-chosen, surgically constructed, self-designed identity of the LGBTQ brigade, but in the identity that God has given us in Christ. We received our "born again" Christian identity from the Creator, our Father in heaven who calls us "sons" and "daughters."

Let us boast in our redemption: Not in the redemption of self-actualization and therapeutic happiness, but in the redemption that comes only from the blood of Jesus Christ, a redemption that invites every sinner to repent, be forgiven, and be made into a new creation through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

This is our witness to the rainbow warriors. We boast not in sin but in our Savior.

Why this matters

Pride Month isn't neutral. It's a month-long catechism in a counterfeit religion that preaches a false gospel. It demands affirmation and allegiance and silences all dissent. It forces our culture to wear its colors, chant its creeds, and celebrate its dogmas.

Worse, it's being forced not only on us, through TV advertising campaigns and glitter parades, but the LGBTQ ideology that Pride Month celebrates is being forced on our children. And while the LGBTQ movement and its takeover of June are finally losing steam, now is not the time for passivity.

RELATED: LGBTQ Pride festivals see corporate funding dry up after conservative boycotts

The question for Christians, then, is this: Will you have the courage to live and speak the truth?

How we respond matters. We can't stand sheepishly in the face of anti-God celebrations. Silence isn't neutral, but is itself an action that speaks volumes — it's surrender. Faithfulness, on the other hand, requires courage.

The early church didn't spread Christianity through passivity. Rather, Christians under the thumb of the Roman Empire lived countercultural lives that bore witness to the truth about our holy God.

We must do the same. We must speak the truth — not only with our voices, but with our lives. Our faithfulness is a witness to the beauty of God's truth, and it brings moral clarity where there is confusion.

So as the culture waves its rainbow flags for the next 30 days and celebrates rebellion as "liberation," Christians must stand faithfully on God's truth with boldness and resolve.

This Pride Month, let us take pride in God's truth and boast in Christ. Not because we hate, but because we know the truth — and because we know that God's way is the righteous path that leads to life.

The art of prayer: How to unleash its power



As Christians, we should know what we owe to our fellow Jesus followers — “one another” as the Bible calls us.

Before we can effectively love our neighbor — “neighbor” in this context meaning those not yet a part of the family of God — we need to understand the importance of how we interact with our brethren in Christ.

Paul’s prayers center on one thing: that believers may become more and more like Christ, growing into spiritual powerhouses.

Obviously, we are to love one another. We are to model the early church as it is described to us in Acts. We are to mindfully learn and apply all the “one anothers” the Bible gives us. We are to speak truth in love to one another (and others, as well).

One of the most powerful ways to love one another is to diligently pray for one another (James 5:16). And one of the most powerful ways to accomplish that is to pray scripture for them.

This is nothing new. After all, many of us have been praying the Lord’s Prayer, which is straight out of scripture, for much of our lives. Many psalms also lend themselves to prayer and worship. Much scripture has been set to music so that we can pray in song, as well.

But when it comes to powerfully praying for our brethren, the apostle Paul was a master. In God-breathed letters to at least three churches — the Colossians, the Philippians, and the Ephesians — he tells his flock exactly how he’s praying for them.

Paul’s prayer for the Colossians

Colossians 1:9-12:

For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

What a magnificent prayer! In a few short lines, Paul asked God that the Colossians might:

  • Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding: This is a wonderful starting place for praying for your fellow believers — that they understand and wisely follow God’s will for their lives.
  • Walk worthy of God, pleasing Him in every way

And then he prayed specifically for how they could do that:

  • Bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God: These two categories are what should comprise our day-to-day existence! Knowing Him and making Him known. Sitting at His feet daily, and serving Him wholeheartedly.
  • Be strengthened with all power, according to God’s glorious might, to attain perseverance and patience: Paul recognized that persevering and being patient only come through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit within us and are important enough to merit their own mention in his prayer.
  • Joyously thank the Father, who has qualified us to share in His inheritance of our fellow saints in light: Here, he prays for his fellow believers to be filled with joy and gratitude, looking up to what lies ahead.

If you’re praying for the believers in your life to understand God’s will, walk worthy and please Him, bear fruit and know Him better, be strengthened In God’s power, and joyously give thanks — you’re on target.

Again, this was a prayer for a specific group of people from Paul. But because it is recorded in holy scripture, we know this prayer is God-breathed. What a privilege to be able to pray this exact prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can do that in general, praying for all our fellow disciples this way.

But it is perhaps more meaningful to actually write out this prayer for a specific brother or sister, by name.

For example:

Lord, I continually ask You to fill Anna with the knowledge of Your will in spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that she will walk worthy of You and please You in every way — bearing fruit in every good work and growing in her knowledge of You. Please strengthen her with all power, according to Your glorious might, so she may obtain great perseverance and patience. And help her joyfully thank You, who has qualified us both to share in the inheritance of Your saints in the kingdom of light.

Praying this way ignites my spirit. We know that when we pray in alignment with God’s will, He acts. How amazing that He’s given us scripture like this that demonstrates, in a very practical way, how He would have us pray for the “one anothers” with whom He has blessed us.

Bonus question: How might you adapt this prayer for your unbelieving friends?

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians

Another rich prayer is recorded for us in Philippians 1:3-6:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.

This is a good reminder to thank God for the Jesus followers He’s brought into our lives — and to start any prayer for them by expressing our gratitude for the blessings they bring to us.

Note also the attitude he brings to his prayer time for them. He is mindful of their “participation in the gospel” — he is mindful that they are walking the same path as he is — and this brings him joy.

His next thought is a verse we often quote as a reminder that “God isn’t finished with us yet.” Isn’t it interesting that he put it right here in a prayer for them? Almost like he wanted to remind himself that no matter what mistakes and stumbles he might have to address, these beloved friends were a work in progress, in the process of being sanctified.

In other words, they were people deserving of his grace, too. Another good reminder.

But the real meat of his prayer for them is found in verses 9-11:

And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

That our love may overflow ... in real knowledge and discernment. What do those two things have to do with love?

As for knowledge: Our agape love for our brothers and sisters does not spring from some sort of flowery sentimentality. It springs from scriptural truth. Scripture is what defines love, so we can’t love well without that knowledge. Again, we speak the truth in love and love others well with truth — always.

As for discernment: It turns out love is not blind, after all. The Greek word used here for "discernment" is where we get our English word “aesthetic,” which as John MacArthur notes, speaks of moral perception, insight, and practical application of knowledge. “Love is not blind,” he says, “but perceptive, and it carefully scrutinizes to distinguish between right and wrong.”

That biblical, perceptive love is what Paul wants overflowing in believers. Why?

So that we can discover what things are excellent. This is about developing keen perception, distinguishing between which things are worthy of our time and which are hindrances. And what does this pursuit of excellent things net us?

It means we are sincere and blameless as we transition out of this world and into our heavenly reward in glory with Jesus. It means that in this life, we are filled with thefruitof righteousness, again as a result of Jesus’ work. And what is the purpose of those results? The glory and praise of God.

Don’t we all want someone praying these things for us? So let us pray them for one another — wholeheartedly and personally.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians

Ephesians 1 is a magnificent chapter, and I encourage you to read it right now. Paul’s first prayer for the Ephesians comes toward the end of that chapter:

Ephesians 1:15-19a:

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe.

This is such a rich passage. Paul is telling the Ephesians that when he mentions them in his prayers, he does so with continuous gratitude for them — due to their exemplary faith, evidenced by their love for one another.

And then he goes on to tell them what he asks God for, on their behalf:

  • Wisdom: The ability to take knowledge and put it into action, or in other words, how to live well in God’s world. This is an attribute we should diligently seek always. The first nine chapters of Proverbs make a powerful argument for this pursuit.
  • Revelation in the knowledge of Him: This is the continuing learning process (“revelation”) that we undergo as we learn more about God through immersion in His Word.
  • Enlightened “eyes of the heart”

That last one means seeing God clearly with a spiritually enlightened mind, which results in knowledge of three life-changing truths:

  • The truth of the hope of His calling: a confident understanding of the hope He provides His children, and a grasp of what awaits us.
  • The truth of the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints: again, starting to grasp the immense and glorious riches that are ours as His saints.
  • The truth of the boundless power of His greatness toward us who believe.

I love what John MacArthur says about this last point:

God’s great power, that very power which raised Jesus from the dead and lifted Him by ascension back to glory to take His seat at God’s right hand, is given to every believer at the time of salvation and is always available. Paul therefore did not pray that God’s power be given to believers, but that they be aware of the power they already possessed in Christ and use it. — MacArthur Study Bible (notes)

That’s really the point of Paul’s prayer for enlightened eyes of the heart: that we be aware of what God in Christ has already given us — and then we use it.

This is indeed an immensely powerful prayer that we can personalize for our brothers and sisters. And there’s nothing wrong with asking our brothers and sisters to pray this for us, too.

But Paul had one more spectacular prayer for his beloved Ephesian church. It is one of the most beautiful passages in all his letters (and there are a lot of beautiful passages, to be sure):

Ephesians 3:14-19:

For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

Praying this sublime language is an act of worship in itself, since it includes such a marvelous depiction of God’s unquestioned authority.

But let’s look at what Paul is asking God to grant the Ephesians here “according to the riches of His glory,” which again are available to every Christ-follower:

  • That God would grant them strength, derived from the power of the Holy Spirit within each individual, so that Christ dwells in their hearts through faith. In other words, that we would please Him by keeping our hearts clean through the power of His Spirit as we submit to His lordship.
  • That God would grant them the state of being rooted and grounded in love — the self-sacrificial agape love given for us by Him, that we are to freely share.
  • That God would grant them comprehension (awareness and understanding), along with all the other saints, of the vast immensity of the love of Christ, which surpasses simple head knowledge. We can’t know this kind of love without being His children.

Knowing all of this leads to being filled with the fullness of God. It leads to spiritual strength as we discipline our minds and spirits to study, understand, and live by God’s word through His Spirit’s power — increasingly, as we mature in Him.

Quoting my friend Dr. MacArthur one more time:

Although the outer, physical person becomes weaker with age, the inner, spiritual person should grow stronger through the Holy Spirit, who will energize, revitalize, and empower the obedient, committed Christian.

But wait — there’s more

Here are a few more of Paul’s prayers that you can personalize for those you are bringing to God’s throne room:

Paul’s prayers center on one thing: that believers may become more and more like Christ, growing into spiritual powerhouses. That is why these passages are so powerful when we pray them for each other, by name, specifically.

Let’s love one another by praying this way.

This article was adapted from an essay originally published on Diane Schrader's Substack, She Speaks Truth.

Self-discovery trap: Finding truth on the battlefield of lies



The ancient Greeks said to “know thyself.” Unfortunately, Western culture has elevated that pursuit to a life goal, as in, “The purpose of my life is to discover who I am, find my happiness, etc.”

But focusing on ourselves is not what we were created to do.

Truth is the first weapon in the arsenal against lies.

That’s the key. We were created by Someone for something. Who we are can only truly be understood in relation to the Almighty Creator of the universe. That understanding, properly acted upon, brings us purpose and meaning and life and joy.

And, according to the apostle Paul, everyone starts in precisely the same place.

"And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Ephesians 2:1-3).

That’s the bad news. Fortunately, Paul doesn’t make us wait for the good news — it's the very next thing he shares.

Ephesians 2:4-10:

But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Light vs. darkness, truth vs. lies

These glorious truths are a light to the world. However, we live in an increasingly dark world of lies. We don’t know who we can trust or believe as we watch current events unfold.

Sometimes we struggle with what to believe about ourselves. It only takes watching a few commercials to be told we aren’t living our best lives. We not only need that new thing, but we’re told we deserve it. Or we’re told we’ll be less without it — less attractive, less successful, less happy.

Always, happiness is held out as the primary goal of our lives. Whatever we must pursue to find happiness is worthy.

This philosophy has done more damage to families than perhaps any other. Is my spouse not making me happy any more? Dump him or her. After all, I have to be true to myself and what makes me happy. Or maybe I’m not being true to my own sexuality. Maybe I need to change my body to reflect my sexual inclinations. I gotta be me. This is my truth. (A lie if there ever were one.)

There is human wreckage left in the wake of these lies — this illusion of multiple truths. And it is staggering.

Those left behind in broken families — children and adults — are left grappling with the ugly reality of betrayal, abandonment, confusion, insecurity, and pain. And Satan steps right into this with more lies — always the lies. A voice whispering in their ears: You’re not worthy. You are less than. You will never be good enough. You will never be loved.

Make no mistake. This is a spiritual battle, and sadly, it is increasingly common (see Ephesians 6:12). But this is precisely the place where we must know who we are in Him. If you belong to God, you are His precious child, redeemed from the pit of hell for His glory. And since you are still alive, that means He has plans for you, also for His glory (re-read the passage from Ephesians 2 above).

Redeemed and precious to God. That is who you are.

Keeping truth top of mind

How do you remember who you are when you’re suffering an onslaught of lies from that pit of hell?

Fortunately, God has given you a complete set of weaponry to fight back. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-17:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God …

Notice that truth is the first weapon in the arsenal against lies. Of course it is! So here are a few more truths upon which to reflect.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. … For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

And Jesus says, "You are My friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14).

Back to Paul: "For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God ... (Romans 8:14-16).

The Bible has no shortage of truth about who you are in Him. We can meditate on these passages to permeate our hearts with these truths, helping ensure that what we’re telling ourselves is not contradicting His word.

What we say and believe about ourselves must be truth.

This article was adapted from an essay originally published on Diane Schrader's Substack, She Speaks Truth.

What does the 2024 Bible 'verse of the year' reveal about our culture?



As the presidential election, economic instability, and foreign wars dominated headlines this year, a significant number of people appear to have turned to the Bible to comfort their anxiety.

YouVersion — the most popular Bible app in the world — named Philippians 4:6 the Bible "verse of the year" after users highlighted, bookmarked, and shared it more than any other verse in the Bible.

The promises of progressivism only produce chaos, destruction, and death.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God," the verse, written by the apostle Paul, says.

The words "prayer" and "peace" were the most searched terms in the app this year, reflecting the themes in the app's top 10 most popular Bible verses. At Bible Gateway — a popular Bible website — the most popular New Testament chapter of 2024 was Philippians 4, yet more evidence that people are searching for comfort in a chaotic and disordered world.

At the same time, Bible sales are booming.

Through October 2024, Bible sales had increased 22% compared to the same period in 2023. In the first 10 months of the year, Americans had purchased 13.7 million Bibles. At that pace, total sales for the entire year will far surpass 2023, when Americans purchased 14.2 million Bibles.

Importantly, many of those who purchased Bibles in 2024 were first-time buyers, the Wall Street Journal reported.

It's easy to explain away the Bible sales boom as Americans looking to the word of God for hope and answers to their anxiety. I believe, however, that it reflects a growing realization that postmodern liberalism is a failed cultural experiment.

Progressive culture promises the good life, where every individual gets to be, essentially, his or her own God. But the promises of progressivism only produce chaos, destruction, and death.

Americans are searching for the true source of life — and they know where to find it: in the word of God.

YouVersion's top 10 Bible verses of 2024:

  1. Philippians 4:6 — "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
  2. Matthew 6:33 — "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
  3. 2 Timothy 1:7 — "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
  4. Isaiah 41:10 — "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
  5. 1 Corinthians 10:13 — "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
  6. Romans 12:2 — "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
  7. Ephesians 4:29 — "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
  8. James 1:12 — "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
  9. Joshua 1:9 — "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
  10. Psalm 27:14 — "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Biblical truth outshines feminist fiction in Lily Phillips’ OnlyFans stunt



The reaction to the OnlyFans model who recently slept with 100 men in a single day is a needed reminder that feminist propaganda is no match for biblical truth. Lily Phillips is the 23-year-old British woman who recently filmed herself having sex with dozens of strangers and posted it to her OnlyFans page. But the YouTube documentary about her stunt sparked intense reaction online when it was released in early December.

Despite decades of feminists trying to convince the public that women should — and can — have sex just like men, I didn’t see a single think piece claiming Phillips as an exemplar of sex positivity. In fact, several female commentators wanted to shift attention to the men who participated in Lily’s experiment.

Lily Phillips decided to play with fire and is feeling the burn right now. Let’s hope she will come to her senses before she is completely consumed.

This didn’t surprise me one bit. Many women want every “privilege” they associate with being a man — except being responsible for their actions. Yes, Phillips was visibly shaken after having sex with 100 men in a day, but she was no victim. She came up with the idea, recruited the men, and posted her activity on her OnlyFans page.

If Andrew Tate said he wanted to sleep with 100 women in a day, no one would have a problem criticizing him for being a sex-crazed degenerate. To make things worse, Lily Phillips is now planning to have sex with 1,000 men in early 2025 in an attempt to break a world record.

The women whose first impulse was to criticize the men who participated in Phillips’ self-degradation were tacitly acknowledging that attempts to reclaim the word “slut” and declarations that “sex work is work” are lies. Despite decades of social conditioning meant to convince us that men and women are identical sexual beings, deep down they believe those men should have protected Lily from herself.

They are right. I would be ashamed of my sons if they walked into a room with condoms strewn on the floor to participate in something so degrading, but the men who participated didn’t show their faces or allow their real voices to be broadcast.

Lily is the person trying to become famous for selling sex, and the physical consequences of her actions are likely the least of her worries. She already admitted feeling a sense of shame over her chosen “career” path. She will likely find it hard to find a decent man willing to marry her. Many people will hear her confessions and think they are a sign that society needs to become more tolerant and accepting. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The revulsion people feel when reading Lily’s story — and the conflicted emotions she expressed in the documentary — are signs of a conscience that has not been completely destroyed.

On a personal level, the news really is bad for Lily Phillips. She sounded like a woman whose soul died in that room.

Thankfully, Christians are made spiritually alive through Jesus. As it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is the good news that she needs to hear.

Some people claim to believe in God but think Christ’s atonement for sin only covers the minor, private sins. When it comes to strippers, prostitutes, fornicators, adulterers, or homosexuals, they assume some people are too far gone for God to save.

The apostle Paul certainly wasn’t one of these people. After rattling off a list of sins that keep people in spiritual bondage, he utters six of the most important words in the Bible: “And such were some of you.” Lily Phillips hasn’t done anything in front of a camera for money that disqualifies her from receiving the forgiveness God promises to every person who turns from sin to follow Jesus Christ.

The responses to Lily Phillips were not just a repudiation of second-wave feminism. They were also a useful reminder that atheism can attempt to explain the origins of human life but has no answer for the source of human worth. If humans are simply evolved creatures who make their own choices and define their own reality, nothing would justify the reactions provoked by a woman having sex with 100 men in a day.

People who truly believe Lily Phillips and the men who subscribe to her content are no more than apes with agency wouldn’t assign any moral value to what they are doing. They would nod in agreement when she refers to herself as a feminist and explains her decision to profit from the men sexualizing her.

But Christians who believe men and women are made in the image of God know that dignity and worth come from our creator — not our bank accounts or subscriber counts. They know that sex creates a powerful connection between a man and a woman, which is why it’s meant for a husband and wife within a marriage covenant.

A flame can warm a home when it’s contained in a fireplace but will destroy a house if it escapes its proper place. In the same way, sex creates a sense of security and closeness when enjoyed within marriage but leads to a very different set of emotions outside that context. Lily Phillips decided to play with fire and is feeling the burn right now. Let’s hope she will come to her senses before she is completely consumed.

The invitation — and challenge — of living out a Christian calling



What does it mean for a Christian to live appropriately to their Christian calling?

The Apostle Paul instructs Christians in his letter to the Ephesians that one key aspect of living consistent to their Christian identity means doing everything possible to maintain peace and unity with one another (Ephesians 4:2-3) because there is "one body and one spirit" (Ephesians 4:4-5), and more importantly, one God (Ephesians 4:6).

And that one God, Paul wrote, gave us a gift: Christ (Ephesians 4:7).

To walk the path of life means living into the fullness of your Christian identity.

Christ, Paul went on to say, equips Christians to help build up one another into Christian maturity (Ephesians 4:12-14) so that Christians can become like Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16).

But what does it mean — practically speaking — to live out this Christian calling, an "in-Christ" identity?

Paul goes on to write in Ephesians 4:17-24:

Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

But that is not how you came to know Christ,assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires,to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

The imperative is clear: Christians, through acceptance into the family of God, can no longer live as if they are outside the family of God — or, in Paul's words, like the "gentiles."

Paul described such people as having hardened and calloused hearts, those type of people who walk the path that leads to death.

To walk the path of death means living like you did before you came to know Christ, before your eyes and ears were opened, before you came to knowledge of the "truth that is in Jesus," before you were made new through the spirit of God. That's your old self, which has died.

But Christians do not walk down thatpath. No, they walk the path of life.

To walk the path of life means living into the fullness of your Christian identity. It means, Paul wrote, that you live according to the way of Christ. Your new self has been created "according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of truth," Paul declared.

That's good news! But how do we do that?

Paul said that an ingredient critical to putting off the "old self" and living into the "new self" is the renewal of the spirit of your mind and thoughts. What does this mean?

Consider some other Pauline verses:

  • Romans 8:5-6: "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."
  • Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
  • Colossians 3:10: "Put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator."
  • 2 Corinthians 4:14-16: "For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day."
  • Titus 3:5-7: "He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life."

Examine yourself today: What do you need to do to renew your mind in order to align yourself with your "new self" and your Christian calling?

Happy Lord's Day!

HYPOCRITE: Why Jenner Needs to REPENT
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HYPOCRITE: Why Jenner Needs to REPENT

Stacey Abrams cites famous Bible verse invoking persecution of early church in concession speech: 'Persecuted, but not forsaken'



Democrat Stacey Abrams invoked a well-known Bible verse in her concession speech Tuesday in an apparent comparison of her situation to the early persecution of Christians.

What did Abrams say?

While speaking to supporters after Gov. Brian Kemp (R) was declared the victor of Georgia's gubernatorial election, Abrams said the moment reminded her of when the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church members about persecution.

"I am ... reminded of what Scripture tells us," Abrams said before reciting 2 Corinthians 4:8, "We are troubled on every side yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast dead on but not destroyed."

"I know the results aren't what we hoped for tonight, and I understand that you are hurting and you are disappointed— I am too," she continued. "We may not have made it to the finish line. But we ran that race. And we know this path and we know that running is what matters. That standing is what matters. That defending is what matters."

Stacey Abrams delivers concession speech in 2022 Georgia governor race youtu.be

In contrast to her 2018 post-election speech, in which she did not concede her loss, Abrams conceded that she is no longer a candidate for governor.

"Now, tonight I am doing what is clearly the responsible thing. I am suspending my campaign for governor," she said.

"I may no longer be seeking the office of governor, but I will never stop doing everything in my power to ensure that the people of Georgia have a voice," she vowed.

At the beginning of the speech, Abrams congratulated Kemp on his second consecutive victory.

Anything else?

Kemp defeated Abrams by approximately 7.5%, which translates to about 300,000 votes. By comparison, Kemp only defeated Abrams by 1.4% in 2018, or about 50,000 votes.

Still, Abrams has alleged that an election security law enacted last year disenfranchised voters. Those allegations came despite record-high voter turnout for a midterm election.

In fact, on Saturday, Abrams claimed that voters turned out despite "barriers" erected by Republicans.

"We know that people turned out early because they understand that [Republicans] put barriers in place," she said on MSNBC.

"Let's be clear, the false narrative that voter turnout has felled the idea of voter suppression misunderstands the effectiveness of suppression," she claimed. "It has never been about stopping all voters. It is about clogging the arteries of the process and stopping certain voters. There is a precision to voter suppression."

Abrams has never provided evidence backing her claims of voter disenfranchisement.