When you cannot help.

“I can help!” This is what you keep telling yourself…in some way, somehow, you will be able to help.

That mom, who walks into my school everyday; she is a pillar of strength and determination, a loving mother and beloved wife, a cheery friend and a bright testimony, but in the grip of rampant cancer. “I can help!” I can smile and be encouraging, I can love her two little boys, I can give money, but in the end…am I really helping?

What about the friend you love who is having a rough time—you want to help, but you can’t snatch away the pain or patch it with a Band-Aid; you can’t do what needs to be done for them and nothing seems truly encouraging? They face a formidable challenge and who are you to ward it off?

Those times when we face years of certain struggle, or struggle with uncertainty, when future seems more foe than friend…can we help?

There are some times and situations in which we are truly helpless and any gesture seems superficial. We are paralyzed to aid others or ourselves and this is perhaps the most terrifying of all. Sometimes we cannot DO anything; cannot rescue or ease suffering. And what are we to do when we find ourselves in such positions? There is only one thing we can do, and that is to approach the Helper, to go before His throne of grace in bold confidence that He is more than able to help in the best way—to carry out His divine will for His greatest glory and our ultimate good. We must pray prayers of intercession.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph 6:18).

“The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

All teaching and all teachers are equal because

there is no absolute truth.

Got red flags? You ought to. This blaring fabrication ought to be obvious as such to any Christian, yet it’s surprising throughout history how many of us it has caught in its sticky web. Hopefully, most Christians would immediately recognize the deceit of such a statement. But are we aware of the more subtle statements of its sort that we face almost daily?

The internet brings the world to our fingertips. Never in history have we had such extensive and easily utilized tools for effective Bible-study and research! It is a wonderful resource; however it poses its dangers in this area. Through this platform, everyone has a voice and can influence the world with their “doctrine.” We need to be wary of who we believe. Scripture warns—

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt 7:15).

Here’s the thing about false prophets--it takes discernment to recognize them early on, before they do significant damage. That’s why we’re told, “ye shall know them by their fruits…” (Mt 7:16). It’s a bit hard to judge the fruit of one we don’t know, whose circumstances and immediate circle of influence we are not acquainted with, which is precisely why it may be hard to recognize a false prophet online. His blog/website may seem fantastic, his insights feel fresh and exciting, his claims and teachings ring full of hope and encouragement, his writing inspire you to your toes…but what is the spirit of his message? Are his words consistent with Scriptural Truth? What is the fruit of his teaching? It’s our responsibility to be aware of these things; to be Bereans and rightly divide the Word of Truth.

The motives of a false prophet will center on money, power, or sensuality, however we are called, again, to judge the fruit which reveals the heart—not the heart itself. So as we surf web articles, blogs, journals, audio or video streaming, etc., we must be aware of the methods that a false prophet will use:

1. They undermine God-given authority.
2. They exploit younger or weaker Christians.
3. They misinterpret God’s grace, turning it into license to do whatever they desire.

Anytime we find these methods in teaching, we know we have run into a “false prophet,” one whose teaching is contrary to God’s Word. The truth of the matter is, all teachers and teaching is not equal. The truth is that God and His Word are our absolute Truth by which we measure the worth of philosophies, theology, worldview, and doctrines.

Are there any other ways you have found helpful in recognizing false teaching?

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Insights from Ron Dunn's Sermon

fine.

How many times a day do you lie? This may sound like a strange question, but how many times today have you answered the question, “How are you?” In our society, we are hounded by this query—when we bump into someone at the grocery, when we see each other at church, when we pick up the phone. It is something everyone asks—and this is good etiquette—we should ask each other how we’re doing. But both question and the inevitable “fine” that follows has become nothing more than empty ritual.

Do we lie by implication when we ask another, “how are you?” As Christians, we ought to be genuinely interested, compassionate, joyful, and empathetic with those around us—this is key to both true fellowship and true ministry. When we ask someone how they are, we should be sincerely seeking an opportunity to share in their life; even if only for a moment, even if all we can do is pray, even if it opens an opportunity for evangelism, relationship, or discipleship.

Do we lie when we answer, “fine”? So how ARE you doing? Are you actually just “fine”? A friend of mine says, “Behind every smiling face there lies a melodrama.” This is so true! Rarely are we just “fine.” Sure, every once in awhile we have a so-so day, but generally, there’s more to life than meets the eye. “But, this is ridiculous,” you say. “I can’t really take the time out of my schedule to share the details of my day with everyone I bump into!” Right. You probably don’t. The good news is you don’t need to—just be truthful. It’s really as easy as saying, “fine.” If you’re doing splendid, don’t be afraid cast aside the bands of “fine-ness” and say so! It’s still one word. Has your day been truly hideous? Be honest. Be real. People appreciate this.

True, there is a fine line (no pun intended) between being honest and being “needy.” But let’s get real with each other. Give each other a chance to be more than just another face behind a desk. Be positive, be pleasant, be sincere, be honest. Life is so much more than “fine.”