Fake News - Encouragement Café - August 5
Fake News
By Dawn Neely
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed in Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NASB
Fake news is a familiar phrase to anyone who watches television these days. It appears that there is a battle for truth in reporting the news or any event that involves politics. Almost as soon as a story breaks, there are two opposing viewpoints, depending on which outlet one chooses to watch.
So what is fake news? According to the dictionary, (yes, it’s there) fake news is defined as “…false news stories, often spread as propaganda on social media. It can also characterize any information that one finds critical about themselves.”
Here is a news flash! Fake news is not new. It began in the Garden of Eden. The“father of lies” (John 8:44 NASB), also known as the devil, began misrepresenting the truth of God as early as the beginning of time.
The devil is not particularly original; he tells the same lie over and over, but he does so because it is usually effective. His Fake News? God helps those who help themselves!
According to The George Barna Research Associates, eight out of ten Americans believe that statement is found in the Bible. It seems as if we have adopted the belief that we have to do our part if we expect God to do His. We cannot trust God to do what is best for us and besides, there is no free lunch; someone has to pay, it might as well be us!
Popular opinion is if one is not happy in one’s marriage, find a new partner. If one’s job does not allow for the pleasures of life, go into debt. You HAVE to help yourself if you are going to get what you deserve!
As Christians, we are well aware of what we deserve. A Christ-less hell! Yet God, in His great love for mankind, sent His one and only Son, “That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NASB).
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7).
When did God intervene? While we were dead. He came to us at a time we could not help ourselves. We could make no contribution to what He chose to do.
When God saves us, He activates His resurrection power. He creates something within us that was not there before. God must invade our world. He comes to us. He cannot wait for us to “do the best we can.”
I write today to those who cannot help themselves, which is all of us! I invite you to come to “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10) who is able to build you up in faith. Simply put, we lack the goodness God demands.
So, relax. God will never love you anymore than He does right now. His plan of salvation is His plan, not yours. So let us replace Fake News with Good News! Jesus saves!
Dear Gracious Father,
The things of this world will never satisfy. The God shaped vacuum in our hearts can only be filled by You. Thank You for Your great love and Your plan of salvation. Help us not to be deceived by the lies that Satan tells, but rather know that truth abides in You. There is no one or no thing that will bring us the fulfillment that walking with You can afford. When others choose to believe the lies, help us to stand strong on the foundation of truth found in God’s word.
In the wonderful Name of Jesus I pray, Amen
© 2019 by Dawn Neely. All rights reserved.
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