Category Archives: Christian Living and Practice

An Open Letter to Hayden

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I receive lots of emails from people. I respond to those seeking information and assistance. When I receive other types of contact I normally disregard them, especially if they are of the argumentative type. I simply do not have the time or interest in engaging people who seem to have no point in the communication but to air their supposed grievances.

I am making an exception for Hayden if that is his/her real name. I received the following message from Hayden:

Why should I believe in your version of Christianity over the thousands of others that exist? Because the Bible says so? Your opponents will say the same thing. The Bible can be used to justify almost if not all interpretations and versions of Christianity. Every Christian believes that they’re right, god is on their side and if you don’t adhere to their interpretation the punishment is to burn in hell forever. Christians everywhere are all pointing fingers at each other threatening one another with the prospect of burning in hell forever. That being the case, why should any of us take the Bible and Christianity seriously?

For the record, I’ve never interacted with Hayden in any context. I do not know if he contacted me because he watched or listened to a sermon that I taught, a conference presentation that I gave, or a conversation that I had on a podcast. I simply do not know why Hayden would contact me with his questions concerning Christianity. I am glad that he did though because I want to provide Hayden with answers to his questions.

If Hayden and I had a conversation I would respond to his questions this way:

(1) Study the Bible for yourself and then choose what “flavor” you believe best reflects what you understand the Bible teaches.

(2) Refuse to take part in the behavior you cite and that you find abhorrent and criticize.

(3) Not all Christians are as you describe. Many understand that there can be some room for interpretation on lots of subjects.

(4) Neither I nor anyone that I am acquainted with, point fingers at other Christians and tell them they are going to burn in hell because they do not believe the same things that I do. There are people like that but not everyone and certainly not a majority of Christians.

(5) Hayden, you are responsible as an individual to understand what God has revealed to you. You cannot gauge Christianity, the faithfulness of God, or the veracity of the Bible based on what imperfect people do or say.

(6) #1 above will require that you are a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is based on the following three verses of the Bible:

John 3:5-7 –  5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Romans 8:12 – 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

1 Corinthians 2:6-14 – 6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Hayden, I encourage you to read the Bible for yourself and ask God to help you understand what you are reading. He is willing to do that if you are willing to sincerely seek Him. I pray that you will.

How Can I Pray For You Today Apparel

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Hi friends. One way you may support the Transforming Word Ministries is to visit our T Springs store and purchase apparel. A percentage of the purchase benefits the ministry.

The most popular item by far is the “How Can I Pray For You Today?” t-shirt. Every time Kathy wears her’s she has people stop her and ask for prayer on the spot. It is a great way to meet people, hear their burdens, and encourage them in the Lord as you pray for them.

You may visit the store at the following link – https://the-transforming-word.creator-spring.com/ to view what is available.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

You may support The Transforming Word Ministry by sending your gifts to:

Dr. Mike Spaulding
PO Box 3007
Lima, OH 45807

Online at http://www.thetransformingword.com
Or by PayPal support@drmikespaulding.com

Christian Schools Who Uphold Biblical Sexuality Being Targeted

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Inflation is off the charts, Russia’s on the verge of a Ukrainian war, shoppers can’t find a bagged salad to save their lives, and what is Joe Biden’s focus? Transgenderism.
While the country fights to stay above water in the COVID surge, worker shortage, price hikes, and every other crisis this administration has made worse, the Department of Education has decided to take the fight over gender identity to Christian colleges. If this is their attempt to change the conversation, it’s a pathetic one.
Secretary Miguel Cardona must be a glutton for punishment, because fresh off of the news that he was responsible for the “parents-as-domestic-terrorists” letter scandal, he’s directing his attack dogs at the Office of Civil Rights to investigate Lincoln Christian University in Illinois for not indulging the fantasy of one of its male students who wanted to be treated as a girl on campus. Kalie Hargrove, the young man in question, claims the university “discriminated against him” by associating him with his actual biological sex.
Hargrove, who’s no longer at LCU, complained to the Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP), who is systematically targeting Christian institutions who uphold biblical sexuality. Now, the extremists at REAP have apparently convinced the DOE to act, writing, “In August 2021, the University discriminated against Kalie Hargrove (Student A) on the basis of sex (gender identity) by directing her either to withdraw from classes or face discipline because she publicly identified as transgender.”
Of course, under Title IX protections, any school that receives federal funds has to adhere to the far-Left’s definitions of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” The exception — the one REAP is desperate to undermine — is for religious institutions like LCU. But the DOE is apparently image-conscious, worried more what people will think if it doesn’t uphold the Left’s standard of wokeness than the First Amendment. In the lawsuit, REAP has damning words for the department, accusing it of turning a blind eye “to the abuses that thousands of LGBTQ+ students have endured at taxpayer-funded religious colleges and universities.”
Interestingly enough, back in June, Cardona’s agency seemed willing to defend the exemption, even as it promised “a comprehensive review of its regulations implementing the law.” REAP was apparently unsatisfied with that and demanded an investigation. Even so, they aren’t optimistic. “We are glad to see the Office for Civil Rights take this important step in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ students at taxpayer-funded religious colleges,” REAP founder and director, Paul Southwick, said in a statement. “However, we fear that the religious exemption to Title IX will likely result in the dismissal of Kalie’s complaint.”
Even if they aren’t successful, REAP’s inroads at DOE sound an important alarm. This is the canary in the coal mine when it comes to religious freedom. Because the real goal here isn’t just agreeing to call a boy a girl. It’s about driving all Bible-believing Christians, Christian education, and Christian institutions into some sort of spiritual ghetto — far away from the public square.
This push to undermine the religious tenants of these institutions may be part of the Left’s response to the growing enrollment at Christian colleges and universities while secular institutions are seeing significant declines. It’s also driven by the idea that religion is something we should keep to ourselves. And eventually, as we’ve seen in oppressive regimes throughout history, even that won’t be enough.
As FRC’s Meg Kilgannon, a DOE official in the Trump administration warned, “The reality of sex is under attack by the fiction of gender. At the same time, respect for religious convictions and legal protections for believers are being undermined LGBTQ activists. Religious colleges and universities have every right to their beliefs. And so do LGBTQ activists. What they can’t do is force their beliefs on others. But that is what groups like REAP want to do — force a religious college to allow a man pretending to be a woman to study on campus, when religion and science both reject the notion that a person can change his or her biological sex.”
Unfortunately for the Left, they’ve picked this fight at exactly the wrong time. Yes, extremists finally have a radical president in the White House who agrees with their twisted priorities. But that’s all they have. The public — especially after incidents like the Left’s pool party last weekend — has turned on the idea that Americans should accommodate this gender madness at their children’s expense. The transgender movement knows it. Pollsters know it.
For a lot of families, especially in sports, the transgender debate is no longer an academic one. And as this conversation hits closer and closer to home, America’s reaction is becoming a lot like the swimmers’ parents at the recent Ivy League meet: this is “messed up.”
Originally published at Family Research Council

The Demonic Spirits of Slander and Gossip – Dr. Mike Spaulding

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And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,  being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,  slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;  and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32

Each day brings new blessings from the Lord. Each day provides new opportunities to demonstrate your faith. Each day will likely also provide challenges that will attempt to undermine both His blessings and our faith.

The Bible speaks repeatedly about the consequences of a slanderous and gossiping spirit. Psalm 101:5 for example informs us that:

Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heartwill I endure.

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Christians and the Spirit of Antichrist

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In his first epistle, the apostle John speaks about the spirit of the antichrist that is already in the world. Normally, we speak of that presence and the manifestations of it in terms of evil and wickedness perpetrated by unbelievers.

In this post, I want to identify a much more deadly and heartbreaking manifestation of the spirit of antichrist in the world today – in the publically displayed attitudes and social posts of Christians. I see it especially in the people who consider themselves watchmen. Biblically speaking we should expect it to increase in unbelievers as we draw closer to the return of Christ. But, it is disheartening when Yahweh’s people become entrapped in this behavior.

Where has the practice of contending with one another in grace gone? The apostle Peter reminds us that we should deal with unbelievers with respect and gentleness.

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 1 Peter 3:15

That being the case, aren’t we to relate to our brethren even more so? How is it that we have allowed ourselves to be driven by the spirit of antichrist to a place where those we might disagree with over eschatological matters we now label as cultists?

How are we honoring Yahweh by demeaning the brethren on matters that you or I have no definitive answer on? A case in point is the rapture. Pre, Mid, Pre-wrath, Post, or no rapture views are held in today’s ecclesia. Which view is right? My understanding of the Scriptures is that a couple of views are possible and a couple of views are not very likely. How do I argue for my view? I argue for my view with grace, respect, and gentleness toward others who hold a different view. I am not fortifying my view by vehemently attacking other people and their views nor am I honoring my brethren when I refer to them as being in the “cult of (you fill in the blank).”

Cults are cults because they deny Jesus Christ and some aspect of His divine nature, not because they hold a different view on eschatological matters than you do. Cultists practice abhorrent, God-dishonoring things, and seek to draw people into their self-aggrandizing web of deceit.

I see many of those who fancy themselves lights of truth and biblical revelation as practicing the very things they accuse the brethren of doing. What is that accusation? The accusation most prevalent is that those who hold a different eschatology are somehow “wolves” and “deceivers” and “leading God’s people into error,” “blind guides of the blind,” and so forth.

There is no shortage of diatribes aimed at other believers today. However, have those same people who issue these scathing invectives toward the brethren considered that they are guilty of doing the very things they accuse others of? Are they so certain that they are correct that they are willing to destroy the ministries, the reputations, and the unity of the body of Christ? Paul gives a clear warning to people of that persuasion.

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. Romans 2:1

We can allow ourselves to be driven by the spirit of the age, which is the spirit of the antichrist, or we can yield ourselves to the leading of the Spirit of Yahweh and seek unity within the ecclesia that Jesus desires to see.

I am captivated by His love for Me and His commands that I love my brothers and sisters. Paul captured that succinctly in his second letter to the Thessalonians when he wrote:

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 2 Thessalonians 2:3

My encouragement to you friends is that you refuse to give heed to people whose “ministry” results in the dividing of the body of Christ through endless arguments, posts, supporting videos, and alliances with others who behave in the same manner. It is clear to me that their mission is not the unity of the body, it is not the building up of the body, it is not edification and equipping of believers that they seek. Developing unity within the body of Christ only comes when we approach one another in humility, seeking the best for others as a first priority.

The Psalmist said it well.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron’s beard,
Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever. Psalm 133:1-3

The ecclesia is one body and we must function together for the end-time harvest. Remember, Jesus lamented that the laborers for the end-time harvest were few. I wonder if He made that statement because He knew the laborers would be distracted by arguing with one another instead of entering into the field of the world with the Gospel that is the power of God for salvation to all who will believe?

Let’s be sure we have the right mission assignments in view. I guarantee you this – Jesus is coming back when the Father sends Him and it may or may not line up with your eschatological thinking.

Please share this with your friends and be about the Father’s business of building up the body.

Pastor Mike

You may support The Transforming Word Ministries with your gifts to:

Dr. Mike Spaulding

PO Box 3007

Elida, Ohio 45807

Or you may give your gifts online at www.thetransformingword.com or through PayPay – support@drmikespaulding.com