Take the next step:
How does the Bible fit into what we crave in life?
Would you like to dig deeper into the Bible? Try our study on John 6.

Back to the Fact, Fiction or Fallacy index page

How accurate is the Bible? Is what we have today what was written down 2000 years ago? Is what was written down 2000 years ago true? Over the course of the video series, Josh McDowell explores questions of truth and accuracy within the Bible. Fact, fiction or fallacy? Can we trust what the Bible says?

Take the next step:
How does the Bible fit into what we crave in life?
Would you like to dig deeper into the Bible? Try our study on John 6.

Back to the Fact, Fiction or Fallacy index page

How accurate is the Bible? Is what we have today what was written down 2000 years ago? Is what was written down 2000 years ago true?” Over the course of the video series, Josh McDowell explores questions of truth and accuracy within the Bible. Fact, fiction or fallacy? Can we trust what the Bible says?

Take the next step:
How does the Bible fit into what we crave in life?
Would you like to dig deeper into the Bible? Try our study on John 6.

Back to the Fact, Fiction or Fallacy index page

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” Galatians 6:1, NLT

Because I am so good at it, and because it is so wrong and yet so easy to do, I talk a lot about all the subtle ways we sit in judgment over one another. As I do this, I am often asked about how we hold each other accountable to the truth if we are not supposed to judge. This verse is what that’s all about, but even this verse is often misconstrued into judging someone without any attempt to really do what it says. Let me show you what I mean:

Dear brothers and sisters … if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should be happy about your relative godliness, because you haven’t fallen like this person has.

Dear brothers and sisters … if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should find out as many details as you can about what this person is up to so you can make it a matter of prayer with all your mutual friends.

Dear brothers and sisters … if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should ostracize that person from your fellowship.

Dear brothers and sisters … if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should avoid bringing anything up about it at all.

No, it says to restore that person, humbly and gently, and that means getting involved personally, and it means sharing you own life and your own vulnerabilities. Which might look something like this:

You go to that person and tell them what they are doing is wrong. Use scripture, not your opinion. Perhaps ask them to read a portion that applies to their situation and talk about what they think it means. Tell them of your own struggles with sin, what your hardest battle is at the moment, and how they might be able to help you. Ask them if they want help and make yourself available to help them be accountable. Help them get help from someone more qualified if it’s beyond you. Tell them that you love them and they can’t shake you whatever they do. Tell them that you are sticking by them regardless, so that if they decide to sin again, they are dragging you in with them.

And do be careful, because no one is so godly that they are beyond falling into the same temptation as well, and knowing this is what will keep you humble, and not judgmental, as you seek to help.

Question: Is there someone you know who needs godly guidance? How can you approach them in a way that will be winsome to their understanding while still honoring to God?

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Cañon City, Colorado was completed in 1929 at a cost of $350,000. (The relative cost today would be approximately $15 million dollars.) The bridge spans 1,260 feet and stands 150 feet above the ground below.

As the bridge approaches its 100 year anniversary, it seems to be holding up quite well: There are no signs of it collapsing. The bridge is held together by 2,100 strands of galvanized wire. Individually, each wire could easily be snapped. But working together in tandem, they are able to support the entire weight of the bridge, plus much more. This allows the bridge to remain a significant tourist attraction for hundreds of tourists every year, even though it is nearly a century old.

By working together, we can achieve much more than we can on our own. The author of Hebrews exhorts us to “not give up meeting together … but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25). In Acts we read about the early church, and how they would meet together in order to encourage each other (ex. Acts 2:42-48).

This often will be difficult, since our churches are sadly sometimes filled with strife and argument instead of encouragement and fellowship. This is why Paul teaches us to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

Our work with our fellow Christians is too important to ignore. We as frail individuals are like thin strands of wire: Weak individually, but when mutually supporting one another, enabled to do so and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are strong.

Question: Do you sometimes find it uncomfortable when meeting with other believers? Why or why not?

Please open your Bible and read Genesis 6:1-13

Scripture teaches that Noah walked with the Lord. Noah’s relationship with God permeated his whole life, as evidenced by deliberate, faith – filled acts of obedience.

Walking in the light with God requires:

Reconciliation to God. Mankind is spiritually dead from birth and, therefore, unable to have a personal relationship with God. Upon salvation, we become spiritually alive and are reconciled to Him.

Trust. Every relationship should be built on a cornerstone of trust; without it, there can be no intimacy. Faith grows as we get to know God, and Scripture is our main resource for learning about His priorities, character, and feelings about us.

Being in Agreement. We are to agree with the Lord about a number of things, including the following: sin is destructive and does not fit who we are; Jesus, the Son of God, has charge of our life; God’s character is perfect and His Word is true; God’s priorities are to be ours, and His orders are to be obeyed; and without unity, we will find ourselves moving away from Him.

Fellowship with God. The Lord wants to listen to us, and He has much to tell us too. Time is a primary ingredient of communion with our Savior. Giving Him our undivided attention is another vital aspect of fellowship.

Reconciliation, fellowship, agreement, and trust are four keys to remaining close to the Lord. We cannot move forward without reconciliation, and the other three factors stabilize our spiritual life. So, how steady is your walk?

Question: Which of the requirements of walking in obedience do you find most difficult, and why?

John the Baptist would never get hired today. No church would touch him. He was a public relations disaster. He “wore clothes made from camel’s hair, had a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6). Who would want to look at a guy like that every Sunday?

No, John would never get hired today. His tactics lacked tact. His style wasn’t smooth. He made few friends and lots of enemies, but what do you know? He made hundreds of converts. “All the people from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River” (Mark 1:5).

Look at that. “All the people of Judea and Jerusalem.… ” How do we explain such a response? It certainly wasn’t his charisma or clothing. Nor was it his money or position, for he had neither. Then what did he have?

One word. Holiness.

John the Baptist set himself apart for one task, to be a voice of Christ. Everything about John centered on his purpose. His dress. His diet. His actions. His demands.

He reminded his hearers of Elijah. And he reminds us of this truth: “There is winsomeness in holiness.” You don’t have to be like the world to have an impact on the world. You don’t have to be like the crowd to change the crowd. You don’t have to lower yourself down to their level to lift them up to your level.

Nor do you have to be weird. You don’t need to wear camel’s-hair clothing or eat insects. Holiness doesn’t seek to be odd. Holiness seeks to be like God.

You want to make a difference in your world? Live a holy life:
Be faithful to your spouse.
Be the one at the office who refuses to cheat.
Be the neighbor who acts neighborly.
Be the employee who does the work and doesn’t complain.
Pay your bills.
Do your part and enjoy life.
Don’t speak one message and live another.

Note the last line of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12.

Do all you can to lead a peaceful life. Take care of your own business, and do your own work as we have already told you. If you do, then people who are not believers will respect you.

From A Gentle Thunder
Copyright 1995, Max Lucado
Used by permission

Questions: What about your life makes it a winsome witness to those who are not Christians? On the other hand, what about it speaks non-verbal words that pushes people away?

“But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.” But the new Pharaoh said to his people: “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.” (Exodus 1:7 & 9, NKJV)

How interesting, Pharaoh noticed that the Israelites were MORE and MIGHTIER than the Egyptians. He recognized that they were a threat and in the event of war they could join with the enemy and fight against Egypt. Even worse, they might leave! So Pharaoh decided the way to deal with them was to put them to work, keep them so busy that they don’t realize the potential that they have to overtake. The Egyptians were even in “dread” of the children of Israel! However as long as they could keep the Israelites intimidated and distracted, they could continue to control them.

In Canada, Christians make up about 9% of the population. As “special interest groups” go, that is a high percentage. When you consider that just 2% of a population has the ability to change a nation in the course of about twenty years, if our 9% mobilized for the cause of Jesus, we would have a significant impact. Couple that with the fact that we have the Spirit of God in us, and you have to admit that we are a formidable force, bound for victory against the attempts of the enemy to keep us down.

The devil has noticed that we are “more and mightier” than him too, and he and his troops are in dread of us. However he too has recognized that if he can just lay heavy burdens on us, keep us distracted and very busy, we will not notice, that we in fact, do have the upper hand and the ability to dominate and overtake. As long as we allow the cares of this world and the burdens of every day life to keep us distracted from the reality of who we are and what we have in Christ, Satan can continue to keep us and those around us in slavery and captivity.

It is time for us to lift up our heads and recognize the deception that keeps us from being all that we are meant to be. We need to begin to fully engage as a mighty people, exercising the authority we have over the enemy that was won for us at the cross. It is time to stand together in this great Kingdom work of taking back all that the enemy has stolen and see the people of this and other nations come to know the one who loves them.

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NKJV)

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57, NKJV)

Question: What fears or challenges most often hold you back from sharing your faith?

Are you ready to explore who you are as a child of God? Try our life lesson “Becoming a Woman of Purpose”

“But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.”

But the new Pharaoh said to his people: “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we” (Exodus 1:7 & 9, NKJV).

How interesting, Pharaoh noticed that the Israelites were MORE and MIGHTIER than the Egyptians. He recognized that they were a threat and in the event of war they could join with the enemy and fight against Egypt. Even worse, they might leave! So Pharaoh decided the way to deal with them was to put them to work, keep them so busy that they don’t realize the potential that they have to overtake. The Egyptians were even in “dread” of the children of Israel! However as long as they could keep the Israelites intimidated and distracted, they could continue to control them.

In Canada, Christians make up about 9% of the population. As “special interest groups” go, that is a high percentage. When you consider that just 2% of a population has the ability to change a nation in the course of about twenty years, if our 9% mobilized for the cause of Jesus, we would have a significant impact. Couple that with the fact that we have the Spirit of God in us, and you have to admit that we are a formidable force, bound for victory against the attempts of the enemy to keep us down.

The devil has noticed that we are “more and mightier” than him too, and he and his troops are in dread of us. However he too has recognized that if he can just lay heavy burdens on us, keep us distracted and very busy, we will not notice, that we in fact, do have the upper hand and the ability to dominate and overtake. As long as we allow the cares of this world and the burdens of everyday life to keep us distracted from the reality of who we are and what we have in Christ, Satan can continue to keep us and those around us in slavery and captivity.

It is time for us to lift up our heads and recognize the deception that keeps us from being all that we are meant to be. We need to begin to fully engage as a mighty people, exercising the authority we have over the enemy that was won for us at the cross. It is time to stand together in this great Kingdom work of taking back all that the enemy has stolen and see the people of this and other nations come to know the one who loves them.

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4, NKJV).

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57, NKJV).

Questions: What is keeping you from being all that you are meant to be? How does the enemy keep us from doing Kingdom work?

“When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.” James 2:20 (LB)

Is faith simply a frame of mind? A passive attribute of a Christian waiting to see what God has in store for you: a promotion, cancer, depression, betrayal, blessing, wealth, and injustice … some see it that way. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” That’s crazy talk.

Faith is active. It’s not passive. It’s a commitment. Look at your lifestyle and see what kind of actions follow as a result of it. If you’ve got the real stuff, faith can be demonstrated.

When you were baptized you made a statement to God and the people around you. You said, “I’m in!” But it doesn’t stop at baptism – not by a long shot! What else do you do? You start following the pattern of Jesus. Faith is proven by how we live. Don’t misinterpret this. What you do – your walking around, everyday life – doesn’t get you into heaven. It doesn’t make you saved. It doesn’t mean you’re a Christian; it shows you are a Christian.

The next steps:

· Celebrate the lavish gift of grace. You were saved because Jesus is crazy about you and wants you to be with him in heaven. Revel in it!

· Show your faith. Wedding rings don’t make you married, but they say “Yes” in a visible way. In the same way, baptism isn’t the thing that will get you into heaven but it’s an act of obedience. (Jesus commanded us to baptize and be baptized.)

· Share your faith with the people around you. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, then why not share it? There are lots of ways to do that. Get plugged into serving God. There are literally millions of possibilities. Point people to Jesus and love them like Jesus did. It’ll be something you will relish for eternity.

Question: Does your church, friend, family member, or community have a need that you are able to fill?