There are moments in the life of a believer when conviction does not fade with time, but deepens. It is not always loud, but it is persistent. It does not come from anger, but from a growing weight of sorrow—a heaviness of heart over what we begin to see more clearly.

For me, that conviction is not theoretical. It is shaped by where I have come from. Having once lived in a place where truth and deception were intertwined, where spiritual language was blended and clarity obscured, my concern is not abstract. It is personal. It is experiential.
And it raises a question that cannot be easily set aside:

Are we (the Church), even unintentionally, creating the same kind of mixture within the Church that we were once called out of?

This question often surfaces during what should be the most sacred time in the Christian faith. We gather to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to reflect on the cost of sin, and to celebrate the resurrection that stands at the center of our hope.

This is not simply a tradition.
It is the foundation of everything we believe.

And yet, in the middle of this holy remembrance, many churches include something else—something widely accepted, culturally familiar, and often defended as harmless.

An Easter egg hunt.

For many Christians, there is no tension here. It is joyful. It brings families together. It creates excitement for children and offers a way to engage the community.

These are not wrong desires. The longing to welcome others and to create spaces of joy reflects something good within the heart of the church.

But sincerity does not remove the need for discernment.

Scripture calls us not only to good intentions but to careful examination. 
“Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The question before us is not whether something is enjoyable or effective in gathering people.
The question is whether it is faithful.

Are we being faithful to Christ, faithful to the gospel, and faithful to the people we are called to disciple?

At the heart of this discussion is not simply what is permissible, but what is formative.

Every practice within the Church shapes

• our affections
• our attention
• our understanding

Ultimately, those practices shape our devotion and form our understanding of what Christianity is.

So we must ask:
Does what we are doing draw us more fully toward Christ--or divide our attention between Him and something else?

Scripture calls us to a singular devotion. “Keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
Idolatry is not always obvious. Sometimes it is the quiet presence of something that competes for meaning, shares symbolic space, or softens the clarity of where Christ alone should remain central.

When we place non-biblical symbols within the most sacred remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection, we must ask whether we are maintaining that clarity or unintentionally diminishing it.

Syncretism rarely begins with open rejection of truth. It begins with addition.
Throughout history, movements such as Gnosticism and systems like Haitian Vodou developed not through immediate denial of God, but through gradual blending—combining truth with outside ideas until clarity was lost.

That is how drift happens.

Not all at once.
But slowly.
Quietly.
Unexamined.

The concern is not that a single event defines syncretism.

But rather, are we introducing elements that, over time, blur what should remain unmistakably clear?

Are additions shaping perception in ways that blur the uniqueness of the gospel over time?
 
We are not the only ones interpreting our practices.

In a culture where many are exploring spirituality through systems such as Wicca and other nature-based beliefs, symbols carry meaning. Eggs and rabbits are not always seen as neutral. They are often associated with fertility, seasonal renewal, and cycles of life.

When those same symbols appear within a Christian setting, they may not be interpreted as harmless. They may be seen as familiar. And what feels familiar is often dismissed.

Perception matters, especially to those outside the church.

Rather than encountering something distinct, they encounter something that feels blended. Another variation of what they already believe. And what feels blended is often dismissed.

And that weakens our witness.

There is another group we must consider carefully: those who are new to the Christian faith.

Many believers are still learning what it means, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Many are just beginning to discover:

• what it means to follow Christ
• how to renew their minds
• how to distinguish what is holy from what is of the world

For a mature believer, it may be easy to distinguish between what is cultural and what is essential. For a new believer, it is not.

When cultural and worldly traditions are placed alongside the gospel, they are often received as part of Christianity itself. And in doing so, the Church may unintentionally model and teach a blended faith—one where truth and worldly traditions exist side by side without clear distinction.

Over time, this can weaken our discernment and make it more difficult to recognize compromise in other areas.

Paul speaks directly to this issue when he writes, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful… not all things edify” (1 Corinthians 10:23) or build faith.

The question is not simply what is allowed, but what strengthens the faith of others.

And even more directly he warns: “Be careful… that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). If even a portion of the body is confused or hindered, this is something to take seriously.

And it leads us to a deeper question—one that reaches into the formation of the heart.

What will people remember?

When children and families participate in a weekend that includes both the remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection with activities such as hunting for plastic Easter eggs filled with candy or prizes, those experiences do not remain separate.

They are woven together in memory, shaping not only what is remembered, but what is most treasured.

And over time, what is most vivid is often not what is most sacred, but what is most stimulating.

• The laughter
• The activity
• The reward

 
So we must ask honestly, when someone looks back on the weekend we hosted, What will they remember most? What will feel central to them years from now?

Will it be the cross, the reality of sin, the grace of God, and the victory of the resurrection?
Or will it be something else, placed alongside it?

Ask kids at church next weekend, what were their favorite parts about Easter weekend. Their answers are the memories we are shaping.

Scripture shows us that remembrance is not casual.

In Exodus 12, the Passover was established with intention and clarity, pointing to Christ. Jesus continued that pattern in Luke 22:14–20, and the Church was instructed to remember Him in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 in particular ways.

These moments were not supplemented with additional symbols. They were centered entirely on what God had done. Nothing was added that could compete for our attention. Because:

• What we remember shapes what we value.
• What we value shapes our devotion.

This also leads us to consider the stewardship of the church. The time, energy, and resources entrusted to us are given for a purpose. They are meant to reflect the priorities of Christ and to build up His body. The early church devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42–47). While this does not dictate every form of activity the modern church can do, it establishes a pattern of Christ-centered focus.

When significant resources are directed toward activities that are not rooted in Scripture and that may carry mixed meaning, it is reasonable to ask whether those resources are being used in a way that most clearly reflects the mission of the Church.

For leadership, this is an opportunity—not a threat. Leadership carries a sacred responsibility in shaping how the Church remembers, teaches, and represents Christ. When concerns are raised about how practices surrounding our Easter or resurrection celebrations—such as events like egg hunts—may affect clarity, conscience, or our witness, they should not be dismissed without thoughtful engagement.

Not every concern or difficult question is an attack or the enemy.

Sometimes these questions or concerns are an invitation to grow in discernment, looking at the spiritual weight they carry. They also present an opportunity for greater refinement and unity. As faithful leadership listens carefully, weighs concerns against Scripture, and seeks to guide the body of Christ with both truth and grace, these questions turn into blessings.
And at the same time, believers not in leadership who carry and raise concerns must do so with humility. Our call is not to accuse or judge intentions as evil but to speak truth in love, pursuing unity. Our convictions don’t give us license to encourage division, hatred, or disrespect our brothers and sisters who disagree.

Conviction and unity are not enemies.

Our convictions should not be a call to remove joy from the church or disengage from community and fellowship with those who disagree. Ours is a call to align our expressions of joy with the truth.

The Church is not limited to copying cultural traditions that carry and promote mixed meanings. We can create experiences that are engaging, meaningful, and rooted in Scripture, without eggs or bunnies. We can create opportunities that do not simply entertain, but that clearly and consistently point to Christ.

Imagine if the Church promoted during the holy resurrection weekend events that only focused on:

• a resurrection-centered journey
• a gospel-based story experience
• interactive teachings that lead families to Christ

Not less engagement—but more clarity.

Ultimately, this is not about Easter eggs. It is not about preference or tradition.
In the end, this is about Christ.
It is about devotion.

• Does what we are doing draw us more fully toward Christ?
• Does it strengthen the clarity of the gospel?
• Does it build up the faith of believers and present a clear witness to those outside the church?

In our desire to engage culture, have we allowed culture to shape how we present Christ?

The gospel does not need to be supplemented to be compelling.

The gospel simply needs to be seen clearly.

If we are willing to pause, to listen, and to examine our practices together, this does not have to become a point of division. It can become a moment of refinement—a chance to pursue clarity over familiarity, faithfulness over convenience, and Christ, fully and unmistakably, at the center of everything we do.

That’s a goal worth pursuing together.

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
Matthew 9:5-7

I woke up this morning thinking about medical diagnoses and how many are given to us at times.  A particular friend was on my heart, who has a listing of so many diagnoses that she could make alphabet soup.  At that same moment I was pondering the list of disorders, I heard the Word of the Lord repeat the scripture of Matthew 9  in my mind, "Which is easier..." 

It got me wondering, why is it easier for us to believe the magnitude of our sins are forgiven, or that we have eternal peace with God and a new home in Heaven when we die, but we get stuck at believing in Jesus' redemptive work of healing for our physical bodies here on Earth?

Which is easier to believe?  

Probably it's easier to believe our sins are forgiven, because we often do not emotionally or physically feel the weight of all those sins in our body the same way that we feel pain or disease.  It's easy to feel the difference between your healthy body and an unhealthy body, or know when an illness or injury affects you.  With the physical body, we can measurably experience the difference between our good health and a negative health.  With sin, people don't immediately feel disease impacting their souls.  The eternal effects of sin are more intangible than say a broken leg, diabetes, or a stroke.  Because humanity is more experienced with the physical realm via our senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste, smell), our spiritual plane of existence is more easily theorized than practically experienced.

Yet, if scripture is to be understood as true, than the healing Jesus offers to all who come to Him in Isaiah 53 is a package deal with the forgiveness of our sins.  The fullness of Isaiah 53 is explained just one chapter earlier in Matthew (8:16-17), where it states all of Jesus' ability to heal disease and broken bodies and offer deliverance from demons was accomplished as fulfillment of Isaiah 53, by Jesus' stripes we were healed.  Healing and salvation are two parts of the same coin.  Isaiah 53 intertwines Jesus' ability to physically heal people with His ability to be the vessel for our forgiveness of sins. 

Which is easier to believe?

If only we could see and experience spiritually the way we understand and relate to our physical world; it would transform our minds.  Many of the roadblocks to healing for our bodies would fall away.  Our willingness to embrace disease would be eradicated, and our ability to believe the Word of the Lord would grow and overcome the world. 

Scripture states forgiveness of sins is just as easy as the healing of a paralytic body, and Jesus has the power to offer you both!

I enjoy reading books about pioneers and great men and women of faith.  One of my favorite men of faith is Smith Wigglesworth.  The following is an excerpt from God-Given Faith, written about Smith Wigglesworth upon a house and encountering a woman who was in extreme need of deliverance.

" 'I knew something had to be done, no matter what it was.' He said, 'then with my faith, I began to penetrate the heavens, and I was soon out of that house. I will tell you, for I never saw a man get anything from God who prayed on the earth. If you get anything from God, you will have to pray into heaven. That is where it all is. If you are living in the earth realm and expect to receive from God, you will never get anything... I saw in the presence of God the limitations of my faith. Then there came another faith, a faith that cannot be denied, a faith that takes the promise, a faith that believes God's Word. And from that presence, I came back again to earth, but not the same man. God gave a faith that could shake heaven. And in that faith there was total deliverance for that young woman.' "

May we all learn how to expand our faith off the earth, into the Heavens, and back again to help others.

I'd like to see a bible where the words that God speaks are all in RED.  We have a similar concept for putting the words of Jesus in red in the New Testament, but too often are the spoken words by God in the Old Testament neglected.  While every word, be it black or red, was inspired to be written down by the Holy Spirit, seeing how much God spoke in the Old Testament to believers would be a valuable insight.  Probably, it would be just as important to believers today as the first coloring of red words were for Jesus' speaking in the New Testament.  

Psalm 91 is perhaps my favorite psalm, particularly because of its personal miracle displayed in my life when leaning upon these words.  With the thought of Yahweh speaking in red, I've taken Psalm 91 and revised it.  What do you think?

We cannot live in Christian community without transparency.  Yet, too many of us go to Sunday church or meet with other Christians with a mask on.  We come smiling, ready to put forth a positive face and attitude.  Unfortunately, entering a world of smiling faces may not be an honest reflection of our walk with Christ.

Sinners entering into such an atmosphere may feel rejected, like we cannot understand their pain and struggles.  If we fake joy or happiness to appear what we are not, we  build barriers between us and those needing Jesus.  Saints may also feel insecure about admitting their failures or struggles to other Christians.  This insecurity leads many to put on a mask to appear that Jesus has completely fixed their life.  Sometimes, all these masks look like everyone else has their act together and you're the only one failing.  As a result, you might fear judgement should the truth be known you don't feel much joy right now or you are struggling with a sin.  If we create an environment where everyone is allowed to wear masks, we undermine the power of the Gospel. 

The Gospel is for our darkest hours, our trials and temptations, and even our complete and utter failures.  Christians must be able to safely express the darker side of life with each other without fear and rejection.  In order to grow in our walk with God, we must be free to express the not-so-nice things of life without condemnation, in a safe environment where we are protected by love.  Fear of not wearing a mask prevents many from experiencing the freedom that comes in true Christian community.  Freedom where we can ask and receive help at any time, for any thing.

Every person has faults.  We who are spiritual should be in the process of edification and restoration for everyone around us, especially the household of God.  And we must be willing to work from a humble place of remembrance that our own sins have been forgiven.  Operating from love and humility, we will avoid the temptations of gossip and pride and fulfill the Love of Christ.  When we create a culture of love, humility, and acceptance each other's areas of strength and weakness, the family of God will pray for each other and experience unimagined victory together! 

 Masks may be comfortable, but the rewards of living mask free are SUPERIOR. 

A mask free life can:

• Demonstrate the power of the Cross
  
• Increase your witness for Jesus
  
• Edify your brothers and sisters in Christ
  
• Give you boldness to walk in truth
  
• Give you freedom from fake expectations
  
• Allow you to openly express your needs & receive edification from others
  
• Increase your joy in the Lord
  

While it's simple to notice a lack of quality teaching from most pulpits, it's also too easy to place blame on any particular pastor or leader in a local church when the fact is the entire Body must bare the guilt as well.  Seriously, we (the people of Christ) are the Church.  The Church is not a place or building; it is fluid and living according to the Bible.  Every person in the Body of Christ is supposed to study the Scriptures to be able to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2Timothy 2:15).  We are also to be able to give a reason for our faith at any time (1Peter 3:15) to anyone.   Not only should pastors leading the congregations be able to explain the validity of God's word and the teachings within it, but every mature Christian should be able to do the same... which brings us back to Joe. 

Joe has been surrounded by Christians in the church over the past 10 years.  Many of those Christians I know personally, and several are considered leaders and mature Christians within that particular local church.  I truly wonder why they would feel it was wise to not speak to Joe about God in order to help make him feel comfortable.  I understand the concept of "relationship evangelism," but after 10 years, enough opportunity for relationship had been given.  What was lacking greatly was the actual sharing of the Gospel message with Joe from those he considered his brothers in the Church. 

The Holy Spirit inside a Christian is an enemy of the Spirit of the flesh inside a nonbeliever.  The two are at war spiritually, and the conflict is felt in the physical plane.  Most people are either repulsed or attracted to the Spirit of God after spending time in the presence of God's people.  I'd never met anyone like Joe, who had spent 10 years around the family of God as a nonbeliever and came away believing he was part of the family.  Obviously, the Church has failed Joe!

The Truth of Scripture was never been spoken clearly, because Joe had never been told Light has no fellowship with darkness.  Joe cannot be in darkness retaining a hostile spirit of anti-Christ and think for a moment he is our brother, an equal heir in Christ.   Why we would even allow him to do so is absurd!  Unfortunately, Joe was deceived by the Church as a whole in a most grievous way.  We allowed Joe to believe the delusion that another commonality in life was a foundation for fellowship with us and God.  Each Sunday, we encouraged him to believe he was safe with God, welcomed to be one with us through our ideal social chit-cat and talk of subjects that had nothing to do with God.  It was only natural Joe would think he had a "home church," even though Joe never was part of THE Church and never a member of the Body of Christ.

Joe's rational was logical.  He should not be blamed for coming to his conclusions about the Church or his position in it.  After all, we treated him as a brother, as an equal, and had no real relationship or deep conversation with him to understand his spiritual deprivation and need.  We gave Joe the appearance of fellowship and the lingo of Jesus without ever truly knowing Joe or trying to help Joe grow in Christ.  We expected if Joe was interested, he would save himself, feed himself milk from the Word, and grow up.... all without a mentor, without a guide to help him.  

So the next time you greet someone at the church door, in the foyer, or are directed to greet your neighbor in the pew beside you, don't be satisfied to simply shake their hands or say hello.  Ask yourself these questions: 

• Are you content to stay on the social fringes of people's lives in your local church when it could cost them eternity? 
  
• What if it were you, your son, or daughter drowning with a sea full with lifeboats all around and no one on board those ships even noticed your desperate spiritual need?  
  
• How will you react when you get to Heaven and find out you're standing beside Joe before the Judgment Throne of God, and he is being sentenced to eternal damnation because Joe never knew or understood who Jesus was because he never had any connection from a Sunday sermon to his personal life; then the Lord turns to you to give account for why you never noticed Joe, never truly talked to him while he was hanging out in your circle of church friends socializing after service?  Joe was someone you could have possibly helped to know Jesus better.
  

The Church is called for more than silent witnesses to those on the Highway to Hell.  We are called to boldly proclaim from every aspect of our lives the Love of God, the Truth of God's Word, and salvation from sin.  Never be content to withhold the gospel, because you don't want to make someone uncomfortable.  I guarantee you, there is no comfort in Hell!

While ultimately the decision of whether to reject God in Jesus rests squarely upon Joe's shoulders, the Church as a whole plays a big part in how Joe experiences God.  The bible is clear... "How then can they call on Him (God) in whom they have not believed, and how can they believe in Him (God) whom they have not heard, and how will they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)  I challenge Believers everywhere to understand that "preaching" is more than a Sunday sermon, falling solely on the shoulders of one man in a congregation.  Preaching the Gospel includes your living example.  It includes your discipleship of unbelievers into the family of God and mentoring of new Believers.  It's your life: your actions as well as the words you speak from the Bible.   We are the living love letters of God (2Cor 3:2) for Joe and the world to read as a witness.  What's your letter really saying?

Wondering how to improve your witness?
Here's a good book to learning how to witness.

As you read Joe's story in part one, you might be thinking isn't it nice that Joe feels so comfortable going to Church as a non-believer?  Isn't it wonderful that the Church is a safe haven, where anyone can come, fit in, and feel like they are part of the family of God?  Maybe you are happy Joe found a niche within the Church that spoke to him, in this case it was a Christian biker group.  If Joe hadn't found a group he felt comfortable with, he might have left and never come back.

I can assure you, while talking to Joe, my heart was anything but happy or at peace.  There was a great grieving within my spirit for Joe who had been going to church for 10 years and never learned anything about God.  Joe honestly believed he as a nonbeliever had the same eternal blessings in Heaven as those who are in Christ.  Joe's false security in the Church is actually leading him strait to hell.  Hell is a real place, with real people suffering in it. 

Perhaps you are thinking the Church did everything they could do to tell Joe the gospel message.  After all, 10 years of Sunday sermons should have made an impact right?  Some church leaders would say it's Joe's hard heart and refusal that is solely responsible for his path to destruction.  I'm sure there are many who would quote Scriptures to back up their positions that it's all Joe's fault for where he currently is in his walk of faith or lack there of.

But, after talking to Joe for less than 45 minutes, I can tell you honestly, it's not all Joe's fault.  Joe truly doesn't understand the Scriptures or the history behind the Bible.  He has no knowledge to base a foundation of faith upon.  He has no understanding that the Scripture can be trusted to be the Words of God and that they are not the words of men trying to control others. Unfortunately, biblical teachings on the firm foundations of the validity of Scripture are not the typical Sunday sermons preached.    Most sermons are preached from the basis that those in the pews already believe the Bible is the word of God.  Therefore, the pastors rarely seek to educate the congregation on this simple fact, assuming they already know it. 

Most sermons, at this church like so many others, provide superficial Scripture in a theatrical performance with a little personal anecdote added to connect the listener to the topic in a "relevant way."  The entire Sunday service lasts for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  The first 30 minutes is usually worship music, announcements/videos, and a short prayer.  The second half hour is the sermon with the common notation among Churches being most people in the congregation cannot stay focused beyond 30 minutes. Meanwhile, these are the same people who will spend 3 to 4 hours diligently watching the Super Bowl or other sports event.  Many in a congregation will play a video game for hours on end or watch a 2 hour movie without hesitation.  What's the difference?  Is it truly our limited attention span or ability to focus for 30 minutes, or is it our passion and love for what we are focusing on?     

There is no way 1 hour a week in a highly structured Sunday service environment is enough to know God, understand His word, and build a relationship with him.  The responsibility for Joe's ignorance does not fall solely upon the failures of a traditional Sunday sermon or any pastor of the church.

... to be continued in Part 3

Wondering how to improve your witness?
Here's a good book to learning how to witness.

I spoke with a man last month while at a friend's house.  I'm going to call him, Joe (not his real name).  Joe was definitely NOT a Christian, a fact he was very proud of.  Ironically, Joe asked me where I went to church.  This was a question, which led to Joe telling me how he and his wife had been going to a specific church for 10 years.  Apparently, his wife was a woman of faith, but he had no belief or faith in Jesus or the Bible.  Yet, he called this specific church, "his home church."  While I can not fully articulate the animosity Joe had against Jesus in this article, I can tell you, he recoiled from any mention of God and was very hostile to the concept of anyone quoting or using of the Bible.  He stated the Bible was a tool written by men to manipulate and control others... obviously not the inspired Word of God viewpoint many Christians hold. Surprised, I asked Joe what he liked about that particular church since he didn't believe in Jesus, the Bible, or the "other nonsense" being spoken from the pulpit as he put it.  He response was mind-blowing.

Over the lyrics to Highway to Hell by AC/DC playing on his stereo, Joe explained, "I like the biker group at the church and the music. The music is usually fast and good."  He went on to say that he really enjoyed hanging out with his "Biker Brothers" before or after church service.  Joe really liked the fact he could dress like a biker to go to church.  He was so glad to have biker brothers to watch his back while he was out on the road after church too.  Joe explained the Christian biker group were really good guys who took care of his bike after he was in an accident last year, and it flipped.  When I asked him about whether or not the Christian biker group focused on Jesus, his response indicated a negative.  Apparently, being "biker brothers" was by far more of a mutual bond than being "Christian brothers," at least in his mind.  Joe's view had been reinforced by the fact none of his church biker brothers had really tried to talk to him about God.  He stated they knew he wasn't into God and left the topic alone.  Joe said he was very glad he could hang with the church's biker group and no one bothered him about God while he was with them.  That made him comfortable to be at that church.

The notion of God was real to Joe, but God was a vague concept that existed somewhere in the great beyond.  Joe's God had no real tangible connection to his daily life.  To him, God was "the man upstairs" that he would meet one day after Joe died.  Additionally, Joe was convinced there was a test on Earth that he had to pass to please God.  Once he had passed the test, Joe could "move on" to be with all his deceased family members and live happily ever after in Heaven.  When I asked Joe, what was the test he had to pass, he replied, "I don't know, but as soon as it's done, I'm outta here."

WOW! 

to be continued...

Yesterday, I noticed our local bookstore was going out of business, so I went in to see what books were still available.  I found a small hardback book titled, Springs in the Valley by Mrs. Chas E. Cowman, copyright 1939.  Intrigued, I purchased the little devotional and took it home.  Last night while reading the second entry, I had a deeper revelation of the New Testament thanks to Mrs. Cowman expounding on the Emmaus Road experience. 
 
When I read the Old Testament, it’s easy to see an allegory or parable within the event being described.  Take for example the story of David and Goliath.  We know this was a factual account of a historical confrontation between a young Israeli teenager and a seasoned Philistine warrior.  While reading about the real event, most Believers also understand other layers that are allegorical or spiritually symbolic.  We perceive situations in our lives when we are in a similar position to David.  David, representing a man of faith, overcomes the impossible giant in life by trusting in God.  From David’s historical battle, we can learn a lesson of faith applicable to our own lives.  Or perhaps in the story of David and Goliath, we view Jesus the Christ, the Beloved (the meaning of David’s name) of God, taking on Satan, humanity’s giant enemy, and totally destroying him.  Whatever spiritual depths we read in the story of David and Goliath, Believers seem to instinctively know there is more to the Old Testament story than just mere historical facts. 
 
Somehow, I never truly applied this same bible reading principle to all the New Testament scriptures.  Of course like many Christians, I regularly extrapolate spiritual applications from Jesus’ teachings and parables.  Their practical application to a life of faith seem obvious, as well as in many other gospel accounts, like Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on water.  Yet somehow, many of the other events in the New Testament I read as simply historical facts and never truly considered a deeper spiritual meaning concealed behind them.
 
Mrs. Cowman wrote about the Emmaus Road experience from a new spiritual perspective.  She began recounting the tale of an early spring day when two men were walking the Emmaus Road, both recently saddened by their teacher’s death.  Then she elaborated about their heavy emotional burden and mentioned a Stranger suddenly falls in step with them along the road.  Together, the three men begin discussing the depressed hearts of the two disciples.  While the two men don’t understand who the third man is yet, their discussion of scripture ignites a warm glow in their souls that bids them to stay in this stranger’s company.  Loathed to see him leave, the two men invite him into their lodging for the night.  At dinner with the breaking of bread, the two men suddenly KNOW the third man is Jesus. 
 
Then Ms. Cowman challenges Believers to take the spiritual application of the Emmaus Road event into our hearts.  Do we have times in life when we don’t notice Jesus walking with us because our journey is full of sorrows and with heavy heart and feet we barely take the next step?  Like those two men of long ago, Jesus is walking beside us, even when we do not see Him.  Like them, do you feel warmth within your soul while reading God’s word?  Does it feel like that flame might be too small to completely lift your pain and burden, and yet you do not want the Stranger to leave?  Well, take comfort Ms. Cowman reminds, for the Lord is walking beside you!  Jesus’ revelations from Old Testament scriptures beginning with Moses clear up through Gospel events are only part of knowledge He wanted to impart to His disciples.  Jesus desired they understand all that He was, all that He did, and equally important that they see Him as He is now.  Had Jesus not wanted those two disciples to see Him as the risen Lord, He would not have stayed with them till dinner waiting for them to fully comprehend. 

• Are you on a very long road? 
• Have you been emotionally wounded and yet been walking for hours?
• Are you growing weary and disheartened?
• Does it seem like the sun is fading as twilight and dark shadows grow? 

 
Take comfort for Jesus is with you.  Even though you cannot see Him clearly, He is walking beside you, always with you.  Mrs. Cowman encourages Believers to take the seemingly lonely road.  Walk it courageous and unafraid, because Jesus is on that road.   He will never fail you, nor ever forget His covenant with you.  Like the disciples of old, Jesus continually walks beside us, even if we don’t realize it.
 
Wow! Looking through the eyes of the Emmaus Road disciples for a practical spiritual revelation the Holy Spirit wanted to impart to Believers today was fresh rhema for my soul.  It also forever changed how I read the New Testament.  No longer will I read of early church events as simply recording the facts of what happened.   Like Old Testament stories, the New Testament facts are designed to give us a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ and His work in our lives.  Imagine what Believers will find when we read through the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the letters to the churches with a heart to view another level of revelation, one beyond the mere facts.  What precious treasures await those who seek!

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing and the honor of kings to search it out.
Proverbs 25:2

Everything you do reflects who you are.  This is the reason my husband and I decided when we became Christians not to lie to our children about Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy or anything else.  We thought, if we teach our children a lie, when they figure out the truth what will be their compass to discern in the future.  If you believe a lie so completely it becomes your reality, what does your world look like when that lie is revealed?  Can you ever truly trust those who convinced you such a lie was real to ever tell you the real truth again.  How can they be sure that what you believe about Jesus is true, when the world says is Jesus is a lie, a myth?

When my daughter was small and in the hospital, she required a lot of medical tests.  Scared, she looked at the nurse with the needles and turned to me, asking, "Mama, is it going to hurt?"  The nurse interrupting said, "No."  But I looked straight at my daughter and said, "Yes it will hurt, but only for a moment, and we are going to count together and in under 100 it will be over. You can squeeze my hand while we count.  I won't leave you."  The nurse was angry with me and asked why I would cause my daughter to be afraid before she had to be.  I said to the nurse, "if I lie to my daughter to bring her comfort and you stick that needle in her arm, she will find out herself how much it hurts.  Why should she ever trust me to tell her the truth and protect her from pain in the future?  Why should she ever trust another nurse or doctor to tell her the truth?  Telling her the whole truth is better upfront.  It will hurt, but for less than a minute, and my daughter knows I will be here with her, counting through the pain with her. She will be okay and the pain will stop soon."

                        Expecting comfort and receiving pain is the
                           ultimate result of every lie.

It's easy to get caught up with the world in lies.  It's easy to think that when you are lying you are helping somehow, but you are not.  Standing for the truth in the midst of a lying world is so difficult, but extremely necessary.  Once you are anchored in the God's truth, you can interact with the world without becoming part of it.  You can influence and bring change for good, without being corrupted.  You must be willing to walk through this life in truth in all the things you say with the people you meet.   If we ever surrender standing for the truth, we are letting down the people around us, especially those searching for and needing God.

There have been moments in the bible and in history where people have protected the innocent from being murdered and brutalized by hiding them and lying to evil men to protect them.  While it seems understandable and probably under those instances many Christians would repeat this behavior, the majority of our lives aren't as complicated.  Most people lies willingly, without any threat against a human life.  They give into little white lies to avoid uncomfortable topics or avoid arguments.  But these things should not be.  We cannot bend the truth, tell part of the truth while misleading with part of a lie, or omit the truth for sake of convenience.   Someone out there is desperately needing to hear the truth.  Someone is desperate for a person who will not lie to them, a person they can utterly depend on so they can believe the words and find salvation.  The price we pay for dishonesty is our entire witness becomes tainted.  This is too high of a price for any Christian, especially when we are to be children of Truth, born by the Spirit of Truth.  When you cannot be trusted with telling the truth in the simple things in life, how can you be relied upon for the truth of eternal salvation?  The Truth is of the utmost importance.  Never be willing to sacrifice it, for it is who you are called to be.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive, because
it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you,
and shall be in you.
John 14:16-17