Integrity is the currency of a healthy relationship, but only among those who value it. It is the fruit of a morally upright heart that practices honesty, loyalty, and justice (Psa 15:1-5; Prov 19:1; 28:6; Mic 6:8). Without integrity, trust is compromised, communication suffers, and the stability of the relationship is jeopardized. Duplicity stands in stark contrast to integrity. While integrity involves honesty, loyalty, and adherence to moral principles, duplicity embodies deceit, unfaithfulness, and self-interest above the interests of others.
Category: Spiritual Growth
Biblical Strategies for Dealing with a Toxic Supervisor
The content depicts the author's experience with a toxic boss, leading to emotional struggles. Seeking solace in faith, the author turns to biblical coping mechanisms and prioritizes life choices for stability, peace, and resilience. This account emphasizes forgiveness, integrity, and reliance on God's guidance during adversity, offering insight into handling difficult leadership situations.
What it Means to Be Spiritual
Spirituality refers to a life dependent on the Holy Spirit and living according to Scripture. Spiritual maturity requires discipline, positive volition, time, and adherence to God's Word through faith.
Two Kinds of Forgiveness with God
In our relationship with God, there are two kinds of forgiveness. One is judicial and the other is parental. Judicial forgiveness is the forgiveness we receive from God when we stand before Him as the Judge of all humanity. This forgiveness occurs at the moment of faith in Christ, where “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43; cf. Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). This is a one-and-done event that is never repeated, as we are “forgiven us all our transgressions” (Col 2:13). Parental forgiveness is the ongoing forgiveness we receive from God as our Father and is repeated many times throughout a believer’s life. Judicial forgiveness brings us into a right relationship with Him at the moment of faith in Christ. Parental forgiveness restores our fellowship with Him.
Saved by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone
The gospel is the solution to a problem. The problem for us is that God is holy, mankind is sinful, and we cannot save ourselves. Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He’s done for us through the Person and work of Jesus who is the Son of God incarnate (John 1:1, 14; 20:31; Heb 1:8; 1 John 4:2), whose sacrificial death on the cross atoned for our sins (Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 1 Pet 3:18), who was resurrected (Rom 6:9; 1 Cor 15:3-4), and who grants eternal life to those who place their trust solely in Him (John 3:16-18; 10:28; Acts 4:12; 16:31). Jesus died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), but the benefits of the cross, such as forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), and eternal life (John 10:28), are applied only to those who believe in Him as Savior.
Toughminded and Tenderhearted
The teachings of Jesus in Matthew 10:16 and Luke 16:1-9 call believers to navigate the challenges of the world with a balanced approach, being “shrewd as serpents” by exercising wisdom and strategic thinking, while also remaining harmless “as sheep” and “innocent as doves” by maintaining honesty and moral purity. These lessons underscore the importance of discernment, strategic use of resources, learning from both positive and negative examples, and ultimately leveraging worldly aspects for eternal purposes. The overall message advocates for a harmonious blend of toughness of mind and tenderness of heart in the pursuit of a wise and righteous life.
Eternal Assurance: Trusting in Christ Alone
Back in the early 90’s I faced a crisis as I held to a works-based salvation and constantly lived in fear of my eternal destiny. I had no assurance of my salvation because I never knew if I’d performed enough good works to validate my salvation. It was a terrible place to be. The solution came when I began to study the Scriptures carefully, stopped looking at myself, and fixed my “eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:2). I trusted Jesus at His word when He said, “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). And the apostle John, who wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
Two Fathers, Two Kingdoms: Understanding Spiritual Identity in a Divided World
Everyone we meet has two fathers. Everyone. They have a biological father and a spiritual father. Biblically, their spiritual father is either God or Satan. The Pharisees incorrectly thought they were children of God, and said to Jesus, “The only Father we have is God himself” (John 8:41). Here’s an example were perception was not equal to reality. Jesus refuted them, saying, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world” (John 8:23), and “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” (John 8:44a). According to William Hendriksen, “Identity of inner passions and desires establishes spiritual descent: they are constantly desiring to carry out the wishes of the devil; so he must be their father. The devil desires to kill and to lie, and so do they.”[2] We live in a divided world where “the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one” (Matt 13:38; cf., 1 John 3:10).
Beyond Self-Interest: Embracing Disadvantage for the Blessing of Others
The more I understand biblical Christianity, the more I think our advance to maturity involves being willingly disadvantaged that others might receive an advantage. To be voluntarily disadvantaged means I am deprived of something so that others might gain an asset, an edge, a benefit, or an opportunity they might not have otherwise. This is charitable on my part, in which I give for the benefit of others. This is how Jesus lived, as He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Walking Worthy of God’s Call to Service
As God's people, we are called into service to the King, to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1). Paul uses similar language when writing to Christians in Thessalonica, saying, “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). We are called to a mission, and our mission field is wherever we happen to be and includes whoever we happen to meet. To fulfill our divine objective requires submission, humility, commitment, biblical education, field training, and advancement testing. We reach the spiritual high-ground by operating by faith as God’s Word saturates our thinking and directs our speech and behavior.
Godly Leadership: A Different Metric for Measuring Success
The article discusses the qualities of successful leaders and how they are measured by their outcomes, which should be achieved with high moral standards. However, when considering those called into service by the Lord, success is measured by faithfulness to God, His Word, and the call itself, rather than output or results. The article provides examples of godly leaders such as Noah, Moses, and Joshua, who were faithful to the Lord, even though their guidance was rejected by others. The main point of the article is that success among God’s leaders is not based on positive outcomes but rather on faithfulness to the Lord.
Virtue Love in the Christian
Virtue love and personal love are distinct. Personal love is based on an individual’s particular likes and affections, which fluctuate and change. Personal love is no greater than the person whose desires and feelings vacillate. Virtue love is greater, because it is tied to God and His love. God’s love is stable, constant, sacrificial, and does good to everyone. Virtue love is based on God’s truth. True love requires truth, otherwise, it becomes a lesser form of love that is subject to personal whims.
Take Advantage of the Time God Gives
As God’s children, we have choices to make on a daily basis, sometimes moment by moment, for only we can choose to allow these distractions to stand between us and the Lord. We must be disciplined with the time and opportunities God gives us, learning His Word and living by faith so that we can advance to spiritual maturity and serve as lights in a dark world (Eph 5:8-10). Every moment is precious and we must make sure our days are not wasted on meaningless pursuits, but on learning God’s Word, living His will, and loving those whom the Lord places in our path.
God Uses Imperfect People
God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines. This means He works through imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will. Though I believe God calls us to be transformed in our thoughts, words, and actions (Rom 12:1-2), and to strive for spiritual and moral purity (1 Pet 1:15-16), the reality is that He does not wait for us to be perfect before He uses us. In fact, if God were to say to His children, “Let those who are without sin serve me”, there would be none. Though Christians are not perfect, we can be humble and obedient, and when willing to do God’s will, He can and will work through us as conduits of truth, grace, and love.
Spiritual Disciplines for Christians
Discipline is doing what I ought to do, whether I want to do it or not, because it’s right. Christian discipline is living as God wants me to live, as an obedient-to-the-Word believer who walks by faith and not feelings. The proper Christian life glorifies the Lord, edifies others, and creates in me a personal sense of destiny that is connected with the God who called me into service.
Christians Under the Law of Christ
The Church is not Israel and is not under the Mosaic Law as the rule for life. Just as Israel had a clear body of Scripture which guided their walk with the Lord (Exodus 20 through Deuteronomy 34), so the Church has a body of Scripture that guides us (Romans 1 through Revelation 3). The Christian living in the dispensation of the church age is now under the Law of Christ (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2).