The Wind and the Waves Obey Him, Will You?

So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” – Matthew 8:27

 

I believe this is an important message. It’s longer than usual, but don’t let that deter you. I believe this message is “for such a time as this.”[1] Please pray it through. The Lord prayed it through me. Please share it with others, especially those who already know Jesus as Savior and Lord, disciples. Share it with those who are concerned, maybe even confused over what is happening in this world. Pray it through.

Who Jesus is, what He came to do, is all revealed, substantiated, and validated in the word of God. The phrase “that it might be fulfilled” or similar phrases occur twelve times in the Gospel of Matthew (1:22; 2:15, 17, and 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14 and 35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:9). Jesus came to fulfill God’s word. That is important for us to see as an example. If we are to be conformed to His likeness (Romans 8:29), then we too, as Christians (I.e., “little christs”) should live with God’s word as central to who we are. We are to be living epistles (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). When people look at us, they should see signs of Jesus in our lives. This is an important point to consider for what follows.

In Matthew 8:18-27 we find an account of Jesus stilling the wind and the waves. It’s an incredible display of the power of Jesus. But the significance of the events in this passage challenges us to define being a disciple and counting the cost of following Jesus. As I pondered this passage and prayed the Lord was really speaking to me and so, what I share here is something the Lord first preached to me and now I share with you.

The Cost of Discipleship

18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

It’s a good thing to want to get in the boat with Jesus. Even scribes were interested in following Jesus. New Testament Scribes were professional experts in the Mosaic Law. They were lawyers, theologians, and scholars. They were responsible for copying, interpreting, and teaching scripture. They accumulated enormous social and religious privileges. They sat on the Sanhedrin, a supreme Jewish council of 71 members who judged religious and civil life. Their position and responsibilities earned them status and material benefits. Jesus’ response to this scribe was likely meant to say, “If you follow Me, you’re going to have to leave the comfort and security of your position behind. You’ll have less than a fox or a bird, common creatures.”

21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus wasn’t being insensitive here. It wasn’t that this disciple’s father was dead and awaiting burial. The sense of the disciple’s request was that he asked that he be able to prioritize his familial responsibilities as long as his father was alive. This was an open-ended excuse based on cultural family responsibilities in an attempt to postpone following Jesus. Whatever or whoever you prioritize over Jesus, is an idol. Idolatry is exalting or prioritizing something or someone above the Lord. Jesus saw right through this disciple’s hypocrisy and called the disciple out on it. “If you’re going to follow Me, follow Me, don’t make excuses not to.”

The Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciple’s followed Him.

The disciples were either fishermen or at least very familiar with the fishing environment surrounding Galilee. The people generally and the disciples in particular knew the geography of Galilee was such that the “Sea” was given to unexpected storminess. But they followed Jesus just the same. If Jesus got in the boat, it must be okay. What could go wrong? They followed Him.

24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.

In the ancient world, the sea and deep waters were widely associated with chaos and evil. The Hebrew word tehom (the deep) carried ominous connotations. Storms were sometimes seen as expressions of hostile spiritual forces, which may be why Jesus’ rebuking (Greek epitameo) the wind, made use of the same word used for rebuking demons. Given what follows in the chapter, this storm may have a spiritual dimension to it.

But He was asleep.

That Jesus was asleep in the boat is evidence of His humanity. In His human body, Jesus experienced fatigue just like we do. He knew about feeling tired.

That Jesus was asleep in the boat, when the storm kicked up, and that He had to be awakened because He continued to sleep through the storm, tells us Jesus was not a worrier. Jesus slept in peace trusting His Father to protect Him. Jesus sets an example for us to sleep in peace trusting the Father.

25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

The disciples knew exactly Who to go to when the first signs of stormy troubles arose. For them this was an all-hands-on-deck situation. These experienced fishermen knew this was a serious storm that could sink them. They immediately turned to Jesus. Good decision.

26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Jesus awakens; sees fear in the faces of the disciples, and comments, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” I wonder what Jesus thinks when He sees us worrying in the storms of our lives. Fear is the foe of faith. It would be better for us not to respond in fear and anxiety, but to simply go to Jesus and trust Him for whatever situation we are in.

Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Jesus “rebuked” (Greek epitamao) or admonished, forbid, charged, rebuked, “the winds and the sea.” And as soon as He did this, “there was a great calm.” Jesus can calm the storms of your life with a word.

27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

The men “marveled” (Greek thaumadzo) or wondered, admired, marveled. Certainly, it is marvelous the way Jesus was and is able to still storms with a word. When a storm kicks up in life, go to God’s word, go to Jesus, and listen; trust Him.

Now notice something here. Jesus rebuked the “little faith” of the disciples before He rebuked the “great tempest.” Why? Because the “little faith” of the disciples was of greater concern to Him than any “great tempest.” The condition of our faith, according to Jesus, determines our ability to move the mountains we face in life (Matthew 17:20).

The Wind and the Waves Obey Jesus, But Will You?

Jesus responded to the groupies, one a scribe, another a “disciple” wannabe, wanting to follow Him. He told them that following Him would cost them. They would have to give up relying on the stabilities of this world like the comfort and security of a home, and He, not their families, would have to be top priority. What does it mean to follow Jesus?

What does it mean to follow Jesus? To follow Jesus means to follow in His steps and walk as He walked (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). To follow Jesus means to be a “little christ.” To follow Jesus means to witness to truth as Jesus did (John 18:37), it means to be conformed to His likeness (Romans 8:29). It means to love Him with all your heart and live accordingly (2 Corinthians 5:14-16). What might that look like?

It’s easy to say, “I love Jesus.” A little harder to say, “I love You Jesus.” But loving Jesus is not mere words. Jesus put meat on the bones of “love” by saying the one who loves Him must obey Him. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. . .. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. . . .” (John 14:15 and 21). To love Jesus is to obey Jesus. To follow Jesus involves obedience. We have to go beyond mere platitudes to tangible obedience to Jesus. What does that look like? I suggest it involves four things.

1. The RELIABLE word of God as our guide –

Jesus said, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 5:18; 24:35). We need to know the word of God. The Bible states:

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Part of being “diligent” and relying on the word of God is to know why the word of God is trustworthy and be able to share that with people. The Bible was received by 40 different authors on three continents over 1500 years and its continuity testifies to a singular Author, God. That’s incredible. The Bible is “inspired” (Greek theopneustos) or literally God breathed. The idea is that God breathed and directed human agents to write what He wanted written like wind blowing in the sails of a ship. God worked not mechanically, but personally using each person’s personality as He directed them to wrote down His truth. The Bible describes inspiration as “. . . holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

The Bible is not inspired because the Church says it is inspired. The Bible is inspired because, God inspired it. And the flawless truthfulness of the inspired words, received by those who walked with Jesus, or were closely associated with someone who did, was clearly seen and received as other worldly by the early followers of Jesus. When these inspired writings were being collected into a canon (the authoritative books of the Bible), the Church did not determine what writings were canonical and inspired but merely discovered them (66 books) as such. The Bible is the supreme authority for the Christian, not the Church. Everyone and everything must bow to the truth of God in His word. Those who claim the canon of scripture was determined by the Church have a faulty and mistaken notion of what the inspiration of scripture truly is.

Here are reasons why you should trust your Bible as inspired by God:[2]

1. Internal Consistency

The Bible was written by roughly 40 authors across 1,500 years, in three languages, on three continents, yet it presents a single, unified redemptive narrative from Genesis to Revelation. No human editorial conspiracy could account for this coherence across such vast distances of time and culture.

2. Prophetic Accuracy

The Bible contains hundreds of specific, verifiable prophecies fulfilled in history. The Old Testament alone contains over 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus including His birthplace (Micah 5:2), manner of entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9), betrayal for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12–13), and details of His crucifixion (Psalm 22). These prophetic words were written centuries before Jesus’ birth. The mathematical probability of one person fulfilling even a fraction of these by chance is effectively zero.

3. Archaeological Confirmation

Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed biblical accounts once dismissed as myth. The existence of the Hittites, the fall of Jericho, the Pool of Siloam, the existence of Pontius Pilate (confirmed by the Pilate Stone discovered in 1961 at Caesarea Marittima), and King David’s dynasty (confirmed by the Tel Dan inscription) are all examples of how archeology confirms scripture’s historical accuracy. No archaeological discovery has definitively disproved a biblical claim.

4. Historical Reliability of the New Testament

The New Testament is the best-attested document in all ancient history. There are over 5,800 New Testament Greek manuscripts far exceeding any other ancient text. This is important because, while we don’t have the original autographs, these manuscripts help to verify through cross checking, the accuracy of the written word. The time gap between the original writings and earliest manuscripts is remarkably short. Secular historians such as Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger independently corroborate key figures and events described in the New Testament.

5. The Resurrection — The Linchpin

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central claim of Christianity and the ultimate authentication of Scripture. The empty tomb has never been successfully disputed by Roman or Jewish authorities who had every motive to do so. Over 500 eyewitness accounts testify to the resurrected Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:6 NKJV). The lives of the disciples were dramatically transformed from hiding in fear to boldly proclaiming the Gospel even at risk of their lives. Saul (who later was called Paul), a rabid persecutor of Christians, was converted on the Road to Damascus because of the revelation of the risen Jesus (Acts 9). Jesus’ own brother James was converted and became a follower of Jesus. Siblings who grow up with each other know the truth about each other. As 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NKJV) states: “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Paul himself acknowledged that the entire Christian faith, including the word of God, stands or falls on this point. The evidence supports the New Testament account.

6. The Manuscript Integrity

The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, contained Old Testament manuscripts 1,000 years older than any previously known copies. When comparing the older with the newer manuscripts, they matched with extraordinary accuracy. This demonstrated the reliability of the copies of manuscripts of Scripture over time. The scripture copies are faithful to the inspired text preserved across the centuries.

7. Transformative Power

Throughout history, the Bible has transformed individuals, cultures, and civilizations. It has turned violent men peaceful, broken addictions, reconciled enemies, and sustained martyrs through torture and death. No other document produces this quality and consistency of life transformation across every culture, language, and century.

8. Jesus’ Own Testimony

Perhaps most powerfully, Jesus Himself treated the Old Testament as the authoritative, unbreakable Word of God. In Matthew 5:18 (NKJV) He declared: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” If Jesus is who He claimed to be and confirmed by the resurrection, then His endorsement of Scripture carries ultimate authority.

The Bible versus the Quran

But isn’t the Koran just as reliable and authoritative as the Bible? Let’s see.

1. Manuscript Evidence

The New Testament has over 5,800 Greek manuscripts, with some fragments dating to within decades of the original writings. Comparing these manuscripts makes a truly incredible system of verifying the accuracy of the Bible. This textual criticism is the basis for determining the accuracy of ancient documents. By contrast, the earliest complete Quran manuscripts date to 20–30 years after Muhammad’s death, and early variants or discrepancies were reportedly ordered destroyed by Caliph Uthman around 650 AD to enforce a single standardized text. In other words, the Quran lacks the manuscripts to verify its accuracy. The Bible’s manuscript tradition is far more transparent and verifiable.

2. Verifiable Prophecy

The Bible contains hundreds of specific, dated, verifiable prophecies written centuries before their fulfillment including the rise and fall of specific empires (Daniel 2, 7), the destruction of Tyre (Ezekiel 26), and over 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. THE QUARAN CONTAINS NO COMPARABLE PREDICTIVE PROPHETIC MATERIAL WRITTEN CENTURIES IN ADVANCE WITH VERFIED FULFILLMENT IN HISTORY. This is significant because Deuteronomy 18:21–22 (NKJV) establishes prophecy as God’s own test of authentic revelation: “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.” If Muhammed was of “Allah” and provided a “holy” book, and prophecy is such a strong means of verifying Divine authorship, why no prophetic element in the Quran?

3. Archaeological Corroboration

While the Bible has been verified repeatedly by archeological evidence, the Quran has been exposed by historical inaccuracies such as Mary the mother of Jesus being confused with Miriam the sister of Aaron who lived thousands of years apart (Surah 19:28). The Quran describes Haman the Persian as a servant of Pharaoh in Egypt (Surah 28:6). These inaccuracies are evidence of the unreliability of the Quaran.

4. Internal Consistency

The Bible achieves remarkable unity across 40 authors and 1,500 years. The Quran, written by one man over roughly 23 years, contains passages that Islamic scholars themselves acknowledge contain abrogations where later revelations cancel earlier ones raising questions about the consistency of its “revelation.” The Bible on the other hand depicts a continuity and consistency of God’s revelation in history and His prophetic fulfillments.

5. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

Despite the plethora of historic attestation, the Quran denies the crucifixion of Jesus (Surah 4:157). The Quran claims Jesus only appeared to be crucified. But the crucifixion of Jesus is confirmed by the Roman historians Tacitus and Josephus. Romans were expert in the act of crucifixion. No one survived a crucifixion. The crucifixion is a historical event virtually undisputed by secular scholarship. Therefore, the Quran denies an event that secular historians affirm. The Bible’s account aligns with the historical record; the Quran’s does not.

6. Transmission and Preservation

The Bible’s transmission was open — multiple independent manuscript traditions across different geographic regions allow scholars to cross-check and verify the text. Islamic tradition holds that the Quran was standardized under Caliph Uthman, with variant copies burned. This centralized control of the text actually makes independent verification more difficult, not less.

7. The Character of the Founders

Jesus lived a sinless life of sacrificial love, died for others, and demonstrated His claims through miracles and especially, the resurrection. His ethical teachings about loving enemies, forgiving persecutors, serving the poor are appreciated and admired by all people, even non-Christians. Muhammad was a military and political leader who participated in warfare, genocide, authorized executions, endorsed deceit as a tactic of conquest, and took multiple wives including one who was prepubescent. The moral character of a revelation’s source is relevant to evaluating its divine origin.

8. The Nature of Salvation

Theologically, the Bible presents a God who comes to rescue humanity. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Islam presents a system of works and submission with no assurance of salvation. The Gospel of Jesus Christ revealed in the New Testament presents salvation from sin and eternal life solely by grace through faith in Christ. Because salvation for the Christian depends on the work of Jesus, not the individual’s personal efforts, a person can have full assurance of salvation and eternal life. God’s love not human effort and pride are the central message.

When we weigh the evidence, it is clear the Bible is superior and more reliable than the Quran. The Bible is from above; the Quran is from below. The Bible’s Author is God; the Quran’s author is not.

I say all this as a matter of speaking truth. I do not intend to incite hatred toward Muslims. My intent is to love them home to Jesus by way of His truth. Jesus Himself commanded in Matthew 5:44 (NKJV): “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you.” The goal of this comparison is truth-seeking, not contempt, salvation not denigration.

The Bible does not ask for blind faith. It invites examination, historically, archaeologically, prophetically, and experientially. Knowledge is the friend of the Christian and the Bible. Knowledge is not the friend of Muslims and their Quran. At every examination across 2,000 years, the Bible has proven uniquely trustworthy among all documents in human history. The same cannot be said of the Quran.

2. We need to put Jesus first and stand and live by and proclaim the word of God.

We need to understand that Biblical truth will always run counterculture which is inclined to sin. This will especially be true as we come closer to the return of Jesus and the climax and conclusion of all things. Jesus taught that He must be supreme and first in all our relationships (Matthew 10:34-39).

The Bible clearly states:

1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV) – 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 5:19 (NKJV) – 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

To follow Jesus demands a decision. Indecision is decision. Will you follow others, the world, the things of the world, or will you follow Jesus? Who will you serve, Jesus, or something or someone else? When you make your decision, keep in mind the words of Jesus who said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

3. Guard against scripture twisting.

Eisegesis versus exegesis. Eisegesis is a hermeneutical term that describes when someone improperly reads into the scripture something that is not there. Eisegesis usually takes a verse of scripture out of its context creating a pretext. Exegesis is drawing out through proper interpretive methods what a text actually does say in its context. It is a red flag when people obfuscate and “explain” in order to squeeze their view into an “interpretation” of scripture. As a rule when the plain sense makes common sense seek no other sense.

Recently a liberal pro transgender bishop, Yvette Flunder of the City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland California, frustrated with the truth of scripture, called for a “Third Testament” to suit her worldview. [3] She stated, “I’m of the opinion that we need a Third Testament because the Bible has become problematic.” In other words, if the revealed truth of God’s word contradicts your worldview and preferences, just change it. Such thinking replaces God with a human being on the throne. Such thinking is akin to cults, false religions, deceivers and, the father of lies, the devil himself (John 8:44).

The Bible contains several strong warnings against distorting or mishandling Scripture. In the Old Testament God through Moses commands, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). In the New Testament through the Apostle Peter God warns, “. . . untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:14-18). We are called to rightly divide and honestly interpret God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15-17). The Bible concludes with a very strong warning:

Revelation 22:18-21 (NKJV) – 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Jesus confronted and corrected the pharisees stating, “You are mistaken not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). The Apostle Paul was inspired by God to pronounce an anathema on anyone who would offer “a different gospel, which is not another. . ..” (Galatians 1:6-10). We are warned about being deceived by “another Jesus. . . a different spirit. . . a different gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). The Bible renounces “craftiness. . .” or “handling the word of God deceitfully. . ..” Our standard is using God’s word truthfully “commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). There were false prophets, false pastors, false ministers in Biblical times and throughout history including our day. There have always been and until Jesus returns, there will continue to be those who infiltrate the Church with “destructive heresies, even denying the Lord Who bought them. . .” They will entice people to follow their “destructive ways” that blaspheme the truth of God (2 Peter 2:1-3).

In the Apostle Paul’s final words to Pastor Timothy he pours out his heart in a charge to him stating:

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) – 1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (Cf., also Isaiah 29:13-14; Jeremiah 23:36; Matthew 15:8-9).

Liberal blasphemous bishops and the like should consider such a charge before they entertain thoughts of adding a “Third Testament.”

4. The Bible versus the World/Culture

Jesus prayed His followers would be sanctified (or set apart unto God for His purposes), by the truth of God found in the word of God (John 17:17). What does that look like? As we take our Christian stand and follow in the steps of Jesus and the truth of His word, as we live lives sanctified by God’s truth we will inevitably run counter to the ways of the world. Some
“Christians” have drifted so far from the truth of God that they have lost sight of right and wrong. There is a “right” and a “wrong” according to God and His word.

The neglect of God’s word and allowing it to be abused as a dusty old “irrelevant” relic on a shelf in one’s house has led to great compromises. The contemporary “woke” “church” tends to view God’s word, (or vast sections of it) as irrelevant. To be “woke” is to be more in touch with your feelings than the faith producing word of God (Romans 10:17). The Old Testament to them is optional. Prophecy, though one of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of scripture, is too “scarry” to touch on in church. The priority of much of the modern church is to fill the pews and keep people there by all means. Peter said, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). And so it should.

God has given us such a wealth of truth and instruction for life in His word. Safety and security and abundant life are found in lives lived within the parameters of God’s word. Theft, murder, and destruction in its various forms awaits those who choose to live outside the parameters of God and His word (John 10:10). What does that look like in life?

There are a number of landmarks, red flag issues, truth markers of God that we would be wise to abide by. Below are some landmarks of truth that make up the “narrow gate” way Jesus spoke of that “leads to life” (Matthew 7:13-14).

• Creation NOT evolution – This universe, world, and we ourselves were created by God. We are not the product of a chance evolutionary process starting at mud and aimlessly continuing into this mess of humanity. The creation account specifically states, “evening and the morning” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). This points to twenty-four hour days not billions of years no matter how much scripture twisting or philosophizing is done. The God of scripture could have created everything in the blink of one of our created eyes. But He sovereignly chose to create in an orderly way and then teach us the importance of a day of rest. Evolution wrecks humanity with a godless human centric existence with no hope offered after the inevitable death all people experience (Hebrews 9:27). I’d rather live for Christ and look forward to the hereafter (Philippians 1:21).

 

• Two genders NOT many – Genesis 1:27 speaks of, “male and female” (Genesis 5:2). Jesus affirmed this in Matthew 19:4-5 and Mark 10:6-7. Romans 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 11:8-9. Isaiah 45:9 say that which is made should not strive with their Maker. Genesis 1:31 has God’s assessment of the creation of male and female: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” God’s two-gender design was not a limitation but a declaration of His goodness. Anything beyond two genders does not come from God but from fallen humanity. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tells us God is able and willing to help us overcome victoriously any twisted alternatives to His perfect will. You don’t have to talk yourself into settling for something outside God’s will for you. God has promised to always make a way of escape for any temptation we face (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

• Marriage is between man and woman NOT Same Sex Unions – Genesis 1:26-27; 2:24 define marriage as between a man and a woman. This is important because marriage pictures the relationship between Jesus as Groom and Church as Bride (Ephesians 5:21-33). The reason holy matrimony is targeted is because the enemy of our soul wants to destroy the family unit which is one of God’s greatest sources of blessing. The enemy of our soul wants to desecrate and confuse the relationship between Jesus and his bride the Church. Make holy matrimony holy again!

 

• Sex is a HOLY gift of God for those who are married NOT just anyone. Sexual relations (any kind of sexual stimulation) are reserved for those who are a married couple becoming “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Sexual relations are meant by God to solidify the marriage union of one man and one woman to each other NOT people who are using their bodies sexually as a test run to see if they are compatible for marriage. Nor are sexual relations for the unmarried who have no thought or intention to get married but just a hedonistic lustful desire (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). Sex before or outside of the marriage union is called fornication for those who are unmarried. It is called adultery for those who are married but having sex with someone other than the one who they are married to. This truth runs counter to our culture which indulges sex with little thought of God or His Biblical prescription for parameters in sexual activity. The Bible warns fornicators and the sexually immoral will not enter heaven, but that through faith in Christ they can be forgiven such sexual sin and gain victory over it (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

 

• Children are the product and responsibility of a married man and woman NOT Just anyone hooking up. A man and a woman get married and have a child making them parents, a mother, and a father. Children are born in response to God’s command to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:26-31). Children are not the property of the state. Parents, not schools or daycares, or others are primarily responsible to raise up and disciple their children in the ways of God (Deuteronomy 6; Proverbs 22:6). But we should be thankful for those who step in to care for children when their parents fall short.

 

• Sin and death are the consequence of the Fall NOT built into evolutions natural selection – Genesis 3; Romans 5. Death did not exist before the fall of man. To think that death preexisted the Fall of humanity into sin makes death a part of God’s creation, and therefore God the Author of death contrary to the truth of scripture. God did not create death into His creation.

 

• Free enterprise and personal ownership NOT socialism/ communism – The truth of scripture presents a world where individual private property ownership is the rule. When the Ten Commandments state we should not steal or covet our neighbor’s house it implies private ownership (Exodus 20:15 and 17). The Year of Jubilee when private property loaned out was to be returned to its original owner recognizes personal family ownership (Leviticus 25:10). King Ahab’s theft of Naboth’s Vineyard was a heinous crime in part because it stole a privately owned property (1 Kings 21). God’s ideal is individuals “under his own vine and under his own fig tree” (Micah 4:4). The Virtuous Woman is described as one who “considers a field and buys it” (Proverbs 31:16).

 

Jesus taught in the Parable of the Workers that the landowner stated, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?” (Matthew 20:15). This expresses liberty as well as personal ownership. Ananias and Saphira “owned” property (Acts 5:4). Theft is discouraged but work encouraged in order to help others through good stewardship is emphasized in the New Testament (Ephesians 4:28). All of this is evidence that the Bible is not socialist or communist but a free enterprise private ownership system of life.

Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Throughout the Bible God’s people are given moral responsibilities to care for the poor and needy (Leviticus 19:9–10, Luke 12:33). Indeed, God is the Owner of all things (Psalm 24). Because of that, while the Bible teaches private ownership, in reality ownership is more a stewardship of what God entrusts to us. The Bible doesn’t treat property as an absolute right independent of God, but as something held in stewardship.

• Racial equality and individual worth NOT class division, segregation, and bigotry – The mystery of the New Testament is that Jesus came to unite people in the Church (Ephesians 2:11-22; 3:1-21). Human sin takes many forms. “Class struggle,” and “racism,” as classifications are often manipulated by Socialist and Communist worldviews in order to divide and conquer and make conquest of people. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the great equalizer of people (Galatians 3:26-28). All people, regardless of race or class are called to repent of their sins and trust Jesus as Savior. To the philosophers in Athens on Mars Hill the Apostle Paul boldly preached:

Acts 17:26-31 (NKJV) – 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

• Relationship NOT religion – The word “religion” is found only 3-5 times in the Bible depending on which translation you use (e.g., Acts 26:5; James 1:26-27; Colossians 2:23). The word “religion” does not appear even a single time in the four gospels. At the beginning of Jesus High Priestly prayer He states that eternal life is “knowing” or having a personal knowledge of God and Himself (John 17:3-4). The truth of the Bible is that God wants us to know Him and have a personal eternal saving relationship with Him offered as a gift of His grace to be received through faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing God personally is more important than stone buildings, steeples, and smoky light shows.

 

• Salvation = Grace through Faith NOT human works – Righteousness or right standing with God has always been a matter of faith in God (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4). This is true in the Old Testament, and it is the emphasis of the New Testament (Romans 1-8; Galatians; Ephesians 2; Titus 3:4-7). Assurance of salvation and eternal life as one’s eternal destiny can only come through faith in Jesus. This is because Jesus has performed what was necessary for us to be forgiven. He became sin for us that we might become righteous through faith in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

 

• The Spirit NOT the flesh – God saves us by grace through faith in Jesus not so we can flounder on in our own strength. God gives us spiritual life by the indwelling Holy Spirit and empowers us to live life victoriously by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (John 14-16; Acts 1-2; Galatians 5:16-26).

 

• Holiness NOT hedonism – Hedonism is living selfishly, self-centeredly, self-reliantly. God’s plan for His people has always been to be holy. To be “holy” means to be exceptional, different, uncommon. God is “holy” in that there is no one else like Him. We are holy by virtue of belonging to God. Being holy means we do not live like the sinful fallen world. It means we live in the world but separate from their sinful ways (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:15). Holy living is godly living. God gave His Son Jesus to save us from our sins. Holy living is giving and sacrificing for others. Holy living is loving God supremely and others sacrificially (Matthew 22:37-40). Holy living is fruitful living (Matthew 13). Holy living is life led by the Holy

 

• Love NOT hate – Jesus taught us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44). The only way we can love our enemies is in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit pours His love into the Christian (Romans 5:5). Such love poured out into us enables us to fulfill the Law of God (Romans 13:10). Love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13). The love of Christ should compel us in all we do (2 Corinthians 5:14-16).

 

• Speak truth in love NOT Lies of deception and manipulation – Jesus came to communicate God’s truth to us (John 18:37). His followers are to do the same (Ephesians 4:15). The Church is to be the pillar and ground of His truth (1 Tim. 3:15). The Church should be the repository of God’s truth. That truth is based on God’s word. The world should look to the Church to discover truth. The mission of the Church is to cut through sinful lies with the truth of God’s word. We use the “Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

 

• Heaven AND Hell ARE BOTH REAL NOT One or the Other – The Gospel of Jesus Christ is salvation from sin and the consequences of that sin, eternity in the Lake of Fire. Sin, like cancer, spreads and therefore will not be permitted in Heaven. Sin is offensive to God who is Holy because it is rebellion against Him and it harms His creation and people whom He loves. Sin separates people from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Eternal life/salvation and eternal judgment are both part of the message of God (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:15; 21:7-8). If one is emphasized more than the other, then the message is imbalanced.

These are just a few of the truth markers from God’s word. The wind and the waves obeyed Jesus, will you? The wind has no mind, the waves have no will, but they submitted to the command of Jesus. Were you moved by or convicted by any of those truth markers? Are you living outside the parameters of God’s truth in some way? Jesus elevated obedience to our thoughts as well (e.g., Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44). Are you moved by the wind or tossed by the waves of this world? Jesus is calling to you through His word. The word of God can stop the wind and calm the waves in your life. You just have to trust Him and obey.

Father I come to You in Jesus’ name. I have drifted into stormy waters of this world. I’ve become complacent and comfortable with compromises contrary to the truth of Your word. Please help me to right my ship. Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name, cleanse me, make me holy, purify my heart. Father, in Jesus’ name, in the power of the Holy Spirit, by Your grace through faith, help me to obey You. Make me Your living epistle. Please make me what I need to be, to do what You call me to do, for Your glory, until Jesus returns. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

[1] Esther 4:14

[2] Claude AI was utilized to gather some of the information regarding the Bible and the Quran.

[3] https://www.christianpost.com/news/lesbian-bishop-yvette-flunder-says-bible-needs-third-testament.html