The Search for Truth by Feed the Hunger

The

Search for Truth

A journey through misused and misquoted Bible verses and sayings

Joseph L. Williams

The

Search for Truth A journey through misused and misquoted Bible verses and sayings

Joseph L. Williams

Table of Contents Introduction Day 1: Let’s Get Together Day 2: Make Me Proud Day 3: The Man with the Plan Day 4: He’s So Mysterious Day 5: The Devil is in the Details Day 6: Be a Do-Gooder Day 7: We’re Supposed to Go Where? Day 8: Spare and Spoil Day 9: What Time Is It? Day 10: Grin and Bear It Day 11: Money is Bad Day 12: Help Me, Lord! Day 13: There’s Three of You?! Day 14: He’s Not My Problem Day 15: The Last Part Sounds Good. I’ll Use That Day 16: Behold! I Stand and Misuse this Verse Day 17: I Love You, but I Hate What You’re Doing Day 18: We All Fall Down Day 19: Godly First, Clean Second Day 20: Can I Judge You? Day 21: My Version Sounds Better Day 22: There Was No Room in the Inn for Accuracy Day 23: Don’t Be a Knucklehead Day 24: Name It, Claim It Day 25: Make It Go Away Day 26: Wrong on Both Counts Day 27: Take Me Away Day 28: I Am a Super Hero Conclusion

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Introduction There is a verse that I jokingly made my wife memorize before we got married. It was the latter part of Genesis 39:6 – “…Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.” Was this verse really about me or a guy with a pretty robe who lived 3,500 years ago? The answer should be obvious if you’ve read at least this chapter! So, the purpose of this study is to help you learn from my mistakes. I have incorrectly used several of the verses and sayings mentioned in this devotional. However, the Holy Spirit has convicted me to work harder at studying the Scriptures and other resources to understand the historical, cultural, and literal context of the times in which the Bible was written. God’s Word is a unique tool. It is an invaluable compilation of literature that He created over a period of several thousand years to guide and direct us in every facet of life. The early Christians wanted a convenient way to reference various passages, so some divisions of the text were implemented. However, it wasn’t until the 13th century that the chapter divisions we use today were created, and not until the 16th century that today’s verse structure was first implemented and printed. The problem that this created was the possibility of reading a verse and applying it to a particular situation, while inadvertently taking the meaning out of its context. And so, for years we have misused, misquoted or misinterpreted various Bible verses. Now, I am not a Hebrew or Greek scholar, nor do I have a seminary degree. What I do have is a conviction that we have been misusing and misquoting Bible verses for the sake of convenience or to validate our own personal view on a particular matter. We are also guilty of taking other common sayings and treating them as Scripture. This is an easy practice to do in our short-attention span, spoon-fed culture. This 28 day journey is not meant to be all inclusive, to cover every verse that is misused or every saying that is attributed to the Bible but actually isn’t. My explanations may not be perfect either, nor is there space to fully explain some of the verses being covered. Please remember this. What I do hope is that this devotional will encourage you to delve into a deeper study of God’s Word.

Day 1 Let’s Get Together “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 This is perhaps one of the verses I’ve personally heard misquoted most often in church services. I’ve heard this verse mentioned in group prayer settings where people are asking God for an answer to a specific prayer need. God must be listening to their prayer since there are two or more asking for it, right? Without looking at the context, do you find anything strange about this verse? It suggests that God is only present if two or more are gathered. Does this mean He doesn’t hear your prayers when you’re by yourself? Certainly not! Now let’s look at the context. You have to go back the beginning of Chapter 18 in Matthew to get the setting. Jesus is talking with His disciples about various issues. In verse 15, He tells us how to deal with someone who has wronged us. If you confront him (or her) and they do not repent, get another believer or two to confront him a second time (verse 16). If he still does not repent, take the matter to the church. If he still does not repent again, he must leave the church (17). Long story made short, this misquoted verse is actually about church discipline, not whether or not God listens to believers gathered together. While this is used to convey solidarity and unity in those praying or worshipping together, it is a sad example of a verse that has been quoted completely wrong.

Consider this verse instead:

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 (a great chapter of praise too)

Day 2 Make Me Proud “To thine own self be true.” For decades, the King James Version of the Bible has been one of the most popular. Whether or not it is the most accurate translation is not the point of today’s devotional. My point is that when we see a common saying and it is in this old English style, we tend to assume that it is must be from the Bible. Nope. Perhaps most of us are too separated from our high school English classes, but this sentence was actually penned by the late great William Shakespeare and his notable work, Hamlet. More specifically, it can be found in Act I Scene III where Polonius is giving advice to his son, Laertes, before he leaves for Paris. There’s a litany of fatherly advice in this passage. One of these nuggets is: “This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” Interestingly, another familiar saying we still use is just a few lines before: “Neither a borrower or a lender be…” Anyway, being true to yourself is certainly something we may say to our children before they go to a high school party or go off to college. This would perhaps be along the lines of “Don’t do anything foolish” or “Make me proud.” As believers, we must go one step further since we represent Christ to the world. Be true to Him.

Some Biblical advice for our children as they go out:

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Day 3 The Man with the Plan “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 There’s a good chance I’m going to rain on the parade of several of you on this one. We quote this verse when we’re going through a tough time, and are hoping that better days are ahead. It’s a claim that improved quality of life is most definitely just around the corner. Here’s the problem: what if you have terminal cancer? What if you’re imprisoned for your faith and will die in chains? The future looks pretty bleak. Let’s look at the historical context of this verse and passage. King Nebuchadnezzar had defeated the Jews and sent the people to Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah wrote to these exiles in Chapter 29 to get comfortable and go on with their lives for now (verses 5-7). However, this was not to be their final home on earth. In 70 years they would return to Jerusalem (10). This was God’s hope and future for them. Look at it this way, when you read in Genesis 12:1-3 that God told Abram: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…” Do you then apply this to yourself as well? It is clearly stated in both passages who God is addressing. Verse four in Jeremiah 29 clearly states: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon”. So one thing is clear: in its context this verse is specifically addressed to Jewish exiles a long time ago. God is returning the Jews to their homeland at a future date. It is being quite liberal to use this to claim that your high school senior will get into the college of his choice or you will land a dream job.

Here’s a good passage to bring perspective:

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” James 4:13-15

Day 4 He’s So Mysterious “The Lord works in mysterious ways.” It could certainly be argued that we don’t understand how an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God works. His ways are “mysterious” to me a lot of the time. However, this is not a verse from the Bible, but it is rather old. In the 1700s there was a man named William Cowper (pronounced like Cooper). His mother died when he was only six while giving birth to his brother. William was a follower of Christ, but he also struggled greatly with depression, doubt, and even had bouts of insanity. He was also friends with John Newton, the man who penned the great hymn, “Amazing Grace”. The two men published a hymnal together called Olney Hymns. In it was a poem written by William called, “Light Shining Out of Darkness” that was converted into a hymn entitled, “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”. The very first verse introduces this popular saying: God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. It is no wonder that this phrase could be treated as Gospel after being sung in tens of thousands of churches for well over 200 years. Further, the hymns of old often used language that was rich with imagery and meaning. It doesn’t change the fact that this sentence is not found in God’s Word.

Good verses to quote about God in this respect:

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Romans 11:33-34

Day 5 The Devil is in the Details Over the years we have substituted and twisted details in Bible stories to make them more believable or to put them in our modern-day context. Here are three quick examples: We say that Adam and Eve ate an apple, which was the forbidden fruit. What they actually ate, the Bible doesn’t say. Here’s what it does say: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Genesis 3:6 Perhaps to make the story more appealing and memorable to children and more believable to us, we say Jonah was swallowed by a whale. After all, it’s the largest creature in the sea, right? Well, maybe not back then: “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 Delilah got Samson to reveal the source of his strength so he could be tamed. This lover’s tale is much more appealing if she was the one who cut Samson’s hair. Oops: “After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.” Judges 16:19 Maybe these twists of details are harmless. But, why do we feel like we should perpetuate the misquoting of God’s Word? After all, these three stories are already so amazing. As we’ll see in a couple of weeks, perhaps no other story has had more erroneous details added than the Christmas story.

Day 6 Be a Do-Gooder “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” One of the errors we tend to make is quoting a verse that sure sounds like the heart of God, yet we still quote it partially. You could say this is true for the statement above. Just this morning, I read this verse in a devotional as you see it. While I don’t think this verse is commonly misquoted, this instance does demonstrate how we sometimes omit part of a verse for the sake of expediency or to prove our own point. The actual verse in Galatians 6:10 contains a very important statement at the end. It says: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” The Apostle Paul was writing the church in Galatia, encouraging proper behavior among the Body of Christ there. In this chapter, he mentioned topics like carrying each other’s burdens, not comparing themselves to others, and sowing and reaping in the flesh or spirit among other topics. In this verse, it seems that Paul was telling the believers to do good to everyone, but especially to the other believers in Galatia. Does God want you to do good to all people? Of course! You can argue that from other Scriptures. The point is to avoid quoting part of a verse to make your point. It is an unhealthy practice.

A similar verse that Paul wrote to his audience: “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

Day 7 We’re Supposed to Go Where? “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 Okay, it is confession time. This is a verse that I have not misquoted, but misused. Maybe you have done the same. I have worked almost exclusively in overseas missions for the last twenty years. One of the main criticisms our ministry has received every now and then, has been from people who believed we should be working here in America too, perhaps even primarily. This would get me rather hot under the collar. I would quote Acts 1:8 in a somewhat offended manner and emphasize “the ends of the earth”. And it was true – the guilty party was ignoring this part of the verse. To only focus on domestic missions goes against Jesus’ directive here. However, as these “America-only” people were ignoring 25% of this verse, yours truly was ignoring the previous 75%. Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria were all a part of Israel. Until two years ago, I wasn’t involved in helping to reach my own city, state or nation. God showed me that comparing poverty in America to the worst slums I had seen overseas just wasn’t fair. There were still people in need here. The lesson here for me was to not be a hypocrite. I needed to remove the huge plank of hardwood in my own eye before pointing out the much smaller grievance in another (Matthew 7:3). So, while this is certainly an appropriate verse to quote about The Lord’s charge to us to spread His Word to the world, make sure you are obeying it to the fullest.

Day 8 Spare and Spoil “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” This used to be a more common phrase in previous decades when it wasn’t frowned upon for parents to spank their children. When I was growing up, it was okay for neighbors, extended family, and teachers to spank children who misbehaved. Today, merely touching a child too firmly could land you in trouble with the police and Social Services. This saying is not in the Bible, though there is a verse that closely matches it. The above form is actually a quote from Samuel Butler, a 17th century poet. He wrote a satire about what he believed was the religious hypocrisy of the Puritans of his day. He no doubt used Proverbs 13:24 as his source: “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” So let’s get to the real question here – is the Bible condoning harsh physical discipline of your children? For those that use this saying or verse to justify it, they don’t know their Bible, and this can be proven with another verse. Let’s look at Psalm 23:4b for another example of this controversial object: “… your rod and your staff, they comfort me”. A rod is used by a shepherd to guide, protect, discipline, and rescue sheep who are straying, not obeying or in need of rescue. Wouldn’t you agree that this is our calling as parents and adults, to guide children in the way they should go and to protect them? To summarize, God is not condoning violence in Proverbs 13:24. On the contrary, He has the children’s best interests at heart. The reality is that we cannot leave children to raise themselves. They do not know what’s best, so they need guidance, discipline, correction, and love.

Here’s another helpful passage:

“A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother. When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall. Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.” Proverbs 29:15-17

Day 9 What Time Is It? “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36 In prophecy circles, people love to quote this verse to speak against those who set dates for the “rapture” or the Second Coming of the Lord. While I’m not endorsing date setting, I’m against using this verse for this purpose. To take it literally is to ignore the Jewish context. The sentence, “No one knows the day or hour” is a Hebrew figure of speech referring to a fall festival, more specifically, the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah. It also refers to Jewish wedding customs, but there’s not room here to explain this aspect. The Hebrew calendar operates on a lunar cycle. Each month begins with the new moon. The Sanhedrin – the supreme Jewish religious body – appointed two witnesses to determine the date of the new moon. They testified independently to the head of the Sanhedrin as to the new moon’s appearance. The unique challenge that the seventh month of Tishri presents is that the festival of Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first two days of the month. Therefore, no one knew the day or hour it started until the two witnesses reported to the Sanhedrin, and the shofars or trumpets were sounded to herald in the festival. In short, Jesus was not only referring to Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets in this verse, but He was and is telling us that He will return for His people on a future Feast of Trumpets. This verse has nothing to do with date setting as it is interpreted today.

This trumpeted arrival time is affirmed here:

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” I Corinthians 15:51-52

Day 10 Grin and Bear It “God will not give you more than you can bear.” Most of us have probably heard this sentence given as a word of encouragement to someone going through a hard time. Maybe they are sick or multiple challenges are coinciding in their life. However, is it true that God will not give you more than you can bear? I’ve met plenty of followers of Christ who have been given more than they can bear. Was the mom who eventually died of breast cancer given more than she can bear? How about the Christians being martyred for their faith around the world? There are a myriad of tragedies that affect the lives of believers who eventually lose the physical and emotional battle. I know several people personally who are going through health problems that they would say are definitely more than they can bear. They have been broken physically though their faith may remain by a thread. Some have even looked forward to death to come and bring relief. The reality is, this saying is actually an egregious misquote of 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” This verse is clearly about temptation and God giving us the ability to overcome it. It has nothing to do with God preventing us from reaching our breaking point. Our happy ending doesn’t really occur until heaven, so, until that time, we know there will be hard times.

Here are two encouraging verses to share instead:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Day 11 Money Is Bad “Money is the root of all evil.” Shame on you for wanting money! It’s the root of all evil after all. Everything bad in this world can trace its roots back to money. Better to be poor and happy than rich and condemned for eternity. At least that’s what this Bible verse insinuates. So much of the Old and New Testaments contain stories, parables, and principles about money and possessions. It’s safe to assume, then, that God felt it was important for us to both understand and be good stewards of resources. God has blessed many believers in the past and present with material wealth. And many didn’t allow it to be the root of the evil in their lives. Many have and do give it away freely, including some to this ministry for which we are grateful. The problem with this quote is that it leaves out an incredibly key phrase and the second half of the verse. The actual verse in I Timothy 6:10 states: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Loving money will get you into trouble. Loving God the most and serving Him wholeheartedly is the path to take. You can’t go wrong!

This verse cannot state our choice more clearly:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24

Day 12 Help me, Lord! “The Lord helps those that help themselves.” Surely if a saying has the Lord’s name in it, then it must be from the Bible. Wrong. Various versions of this statement go all the way back to Greek civilization. Euripedes penned the line in the Greek tragedy, Hippolytus. In it he wrote, “Try first thyself, and after call in God; For to the worker God himself lends aid”. Sophocles also wrote, “No good e’er comes of leisure purposeless; And heaven ne’er helps the men who will not act.” It is interesting to note, that a similar directive appears in the Quran, Chapter 13:11. That should definitely be a red flag to you! It states: “God does not change a people’s lot unless they change what is in their hearts.” A 17th century politician named Algernon Sydney is credited with the modern English version of this saying. Probably the main reason we are familiar with and use this phrase today, however, is because Benjamin Franklin quoted it in Poor Richard’s Almanack (that’s how it was spelled). This was published annually and was very popular in the 1700s. Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) also painted depictions from its material. The Almanack contained other sayings we still use today including “haste makes waste” and “nose to the grindstone”. It is worth noting that Benjamin Franklin did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, but only that He was a great teacher. Instead, he thought our greatest service to God was to serve others. So you should question his use of this old cliché. The Bible is clear that apart from God we can’t really do anything. I need His help so desperately. So do you.

A simple Proverb to bring proper perspective: “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.” Proverbs 28:26

Day 13 There’s Three of You?! The word, Trinity. Is it in the Bible? Perhaps no other concept hurts my brain more than the word, Trinity. How can our finite minds get around the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? How can He be one person and three people at the same time? Sounds like a multiple personality disorder! Since I have faith in God, I don’t have to understand everything on this side of eternity. Even if I didn’t believe in the Trinity, it doesn’t mean it’s false. I can’t see the wind, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. I can see its effects all around me. There are two verses in particular that clearly mention all three. One is Matthew 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus gives another description of the Three and Their roles in John 14:15-17: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” So, don’t let your brain hurt any longer. The Trinity and many other mysteries and questions will be answered and understood one day when God restores His Kingdom forever. Until then, believe by faith in the Triune God who loves you.

Day 14 He’s Not My Problem “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’” Genesis 4:9 Anyone who has had a younger brother or sister has probably used this line on their parents to shirk responsibility. I know I have. In the context I used it, the point I was making was that I was not responsible for him. Maybe my brother had done something wrong or something I didn’t want to be associated with. That was known to happen from time to time, but don’t tell him that I said so. He’d be jealous because I was so well-behaved (wink, wink). At face value, there is a measure of truth to the question in this verse. As a child, we are “kept” by our parents. Older children are often responsible for younger siblings. As adults, we keep ourselves until such an age when we need assistance. And God the Father is our ultimate Keeper now and forever if we are one of His children. In this particular passage in Genesis, God was asking Cain where Abel was, knowing full well he had been murdered. The question is this: why would anyone - including myself - want to use the same excuse with God as a man who was jealous of his brother and murdered him? Maybe this verse is not a good choice to use as a modern-day excuse!

Good verses to aspire to:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12-13

Day 15 The Last Part Sounds Good. I’ll Use That “The truth will set you free.” Is this a Bible verse? I’ve heard it used by people trying to enlighten another as to the so-called “truth” in a particular situation. It’s often stated in a humorous or even condescending way. I think I may even have used this on my wife once or twice when I was convinced I was right about something and was trying to enlighten her. A portion of people who don’t know any better attribute this saying to Martin Luther King, Jr. He used it in a sermon about the Vietnam War. He did make it clear that He was quoting Jesus in John 8:32 and he quoted the full verse – not just the last part above. Here it is from the NIV (MLK, Jr. quoted from the King James) with the previous verse also: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” What does the context seem to say? In this previous verse, Jesus told the Jewish believers that they were His disciples if they followed His teachings. And in the verses that followed, He defined the truth that set them free: believing that He, the Son, had set them free from being a slave to sin. In our pursuit of truth through this devotional, a wonderful truth is being conveyed in this verse and passage. If you ever decide to share this verse with others (I’m speaking to myself too), please do so in the context of the Savior setting us free from sin if we just believe in Him, just as those early Jewish believers were admonished. Amen!

Day 16 Behold! I Stand and Misuse this Verse “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 For perhaps decades here in America, this verse has been used to describe God knocking on the door of our hearts and offering salvation through His Son, Jesus. We use it as a metaphor of inviting Him into our hearts. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation were addressed to seven churches, which today would be located in the country of Turkey. They were: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. On a sad side note, apparently all seven of these locations have little or no viable Christian presence today. The community of believers that was addressed in this verse was the wealthy one at Laodicea. In this passage, the believers there were reprimanded for their “lukewarm” service to the Lord. Further research will tell you that Laodicea actually had lukewarm water supplied to the city, so they would have been familiar with this analogy. The believers there were urged to repent or risk rebuke and discipline. Therefore, in this 20th verse, they were urged to answer the Lord’s call and come into close fellowship with Him. This verse was also a figure of speech from the Jewish wedding custom, whereas the bridegroom knocked on the door of his bride-to-be’s home and hoped she would invite him in. Finally, it was an image of Jesus, the bridegroom, coming to His bride, the church. So, although this verse sounds appropriate for salvation, it is referring to believers uniting with their Savior.

Here are two appropriate verses about salvation:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Day 17 I Love You, but I Hate What You’re Doing “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” This cliché is used quite frequently in Christian circles today as justification for loving people regardless of their sins or lifestyles. After all, God is a God of love and yet He also detests sin. However you feel about this saying, it is not in the Bible. It goes along the same thread as “judge not lest you be judged”, a verse that we’ll cover on another day. Love ‘em all and let God sort it out in the end since He’s the only one who knows who is saved or not. Today’s statement basically appeared in Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi’s autobiography in 1929, but it didn’t originate with him. It actually goes all the way back to Augustine who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries. One of his letters (211) contained a Latin phrase which translated, “With love for men and hatred for sin.” Let’s say that I had a friend who is cheating on his wife. How is it love to knowingly allow him no accountability over his sin? Am I not responsible for telling or reminding him what the Bible says? In this current day and age we have equated blind acceptance as Christian love. So, if I apply this statement to the situation, do I stay silent? I don’t think so. Conversely, such a phrase can also tempt you to eventually hate the sinner because you already hate what they’re doing. Your distaste for them grows as you witness ongoing unrepentant behavior. You know what’s best? Don’t allow a non-Biblical phrase to guide how you deal with people.

Let’s focus on Paul’s words on how we should love:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Corinthians 13:4-7

Day 18 We All Fall Down “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” Isaiah 9:10 Without having to name names, there have been at least two high profile U.S. politicians who used this verse in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was meant to be a rallying cry of patriotism – the country would come back stronger than before and the terrorists would not crush our spirit. To be sure, there was a swell of patriotism and a brief period of spiritual revival after that horrible day. Most all Americans want our country to be great, to be a place of peace and security. And yet, we shouldn’t use a Bible verse out of context to justify our sentiment, like we do with verses such as Jeremiah 29:11 (see Day 3). Isaiah 9:10 is in the midst of a passage where the Lord’s anger is burning against the nation of Israel, and judgment is coming. In fact, all you have to do is read part of the previous verse where the Israelites were saying “with pride and arrogance of heart, the bricks have fallen down…” This wasn’t said out of a humble desire to rebuild. In the verses that follow, The Lord shared what He was going to do to this proud people – and it ain’t pretty! Destruction was in Israel’s future. Read the rest of Chapter 9. This is a stark example of achieving the exact opposite of your intention with quoting a verse. Please be aware of the true meaning of God’s Word!

Pray this verse for Israel instead, and perhaps God will do this for America as well:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Day 19 Godly First, Clean Second “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Parents used this saying with my generation, but it may not be said as much today. This was deemed motivation to get a child to clean his room or eat at the dinner table without making a mess. Yep, the parents played the ole God card, so it was hard to argue with them, right? This saying is not a Bible verse, but has apparently appeared in many forms over thousands of years. We have more modern-day English speakers to thank for passing it along and keeping it relevant. You might recognize the name, Sir Francis Bacon. He was quite the renaissance man of his day, and once wrote: “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.” Another name you may recognize is John Wesley, considered the founder of the Methodist denomination along with his brother, Charles. In John’s Sermon #88, he spoke: “But, before we enter on the subject (of outward dress), let it be observed, that slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. ‘Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness’.” He was paraphrasing George Herbert who said, “Let thy mind’s sweetness have his operation upon thy body, clothes, and habitation.” Anyway, you get the point. Smarter people than I have said it, but it doesn’t make it a Bible verse.

The godliness and cleanliness that God is concerned about most:

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:7-10

Day 20 Can I Judge You? “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1 Oh, how we love to quote this verse to promote tolerance for sin in our society. Have you heard it used in Christian circles today? Or even non-Christian? I mean, who are we to say that we have the right to judge what someone else is doing? That’s between them and God. The subsequent verses in Matthew 7 shed much light on what is actually being said here. Jesus was not saying we shouldn’t judge or that we should do so in a self-righteous or condescending manner. In the next verse He said that God will judge us the same way we judge others. In verses 3-5, He used the analogy of trying to remove a speck of sawdust (notice how small it is) from someone else’s eye when you have a two by four in your own. Deal with yourself first, so that then you can help the other person see their error. Read the passage for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion. Are there any hypocrites reading this? I know there is one who is writing this. For example, why should I tell one of my children not to use a certain derogatory word when they hear me use it all the time? Ouch. My child needs to be corrected, but I need to come clean with the Lord first. So, before lovingly confronting a friend or family member about their problem, it’s your obligation first to examine your own life before the Lord for any sin that needs confessing. It’s not judging them; God’s Word spells out what is right and wrong. We just need to obey it and help other believers to do the same.

Day 21 My Version Sounds Better “All things work together for good.” In our short attention span microwave-ready culture, we sure do love the short pithy sayings. Have you heard the above declaration before? Usually, something good has come out of or after something bad for someone. They might post what happened on Facebook and then state, “See! All things work together for good. Isn’t God awesome?! #worktogetherforgood #Godisawesome” As the late Steve Irvin, the “Crocodile Hunter”, would say around a hazardous situation or animal, “Danger! Danger!” You’ve just completely misquoted Romans 8:28. Here is the full verse: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What was Paul saying? We serve a sovereign God who is in control of each believer’s life. This is also called God’s providence. It is my humble opinion that He is telling us of the spiritual benefits He works in our lives as His children, and also of our promised future glory in eternity. If we love God and desire to serve Him wholeheartedly, what we want is really for Him to use our lives for His glory. He works for our good even though it may not always seem or feel like a good thing in the short term. We don’t define what “good” means. Read it for yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth. This is a reminder of my burden for you through this devotional. Don’t take my word for it.

Day 22 There Was No Room in the Inn for Accuracy The Christmas Story The Body of Christ has certainly taken some creative liberty with the Christmas Story over the centuries. We’ve added extra details for unknown reasons. I’m sure they can be traced to various roots, but there’s not room for all of that here. Let’s just list several of the details not mentioned in any of the birth narratives: • Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem • Jesus was born on December 25th • The inn was like a motel • There was an innkeeper • The manger was made of wood • There were three wise men • The wise men rode on camels • The wise men visited Jesus as a newborn None of these erroneous details overshadow the main purpose of the story, of course. The Savior took the form of man to bring salvation to the world! It does demonstrate, however, our proclivity to laziness and altering God’s Word for the sake of convenience, personal taste or to fit our own context. It is interesting to note that nowhere in the Bible does it encourage the reader to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Jewish people held festivals that were ordained by God to commemorate important events in the history of their people. Jesus also fulfilled or will fulfill them all. The four festivals in spring commemorate Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and the Holy Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost. The three in the fall foreshadow His Second Coming, Day of Atonement, and millennial reign, although Christians do not agree on the future fulfillment of these fall feasts (study for yourself!).

We can still rejoice over Christ’s arrival and what it meant: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

Day 23 Don’t Be a Knucklehead “Pride comes before the fall.” Alright...confession time. I think this saying is a tradition in my immediate and extended family. I would say that this statement of warning favors the male species because we are more likely to think more highly of ourselves. I’ve heard it used numerous times, and I’ve even said it recently to my son when he was being a typical male knucklehead. So, it’s usually done in a somewhat humorous way in our context. This is a variant of part of a Bible verse, but not a very good quote. It is ironic because Proverbs is a book of the Bible where the verses don’t really have context. Many of the verses can stand on their own and are good for memorization. Therefore, it should be less likely to get it wrong. Here is the full verse in Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” In essence, we are quoting the second half of this verse. The first half is kind of ominous, don’t you think? I don’t want my son or me to have an instance of pride that causes that kind of complete damage. Nor do I want us to fall or fail because of a lack of humility. So, I think by all means we should share this verse word for word, but with the seriousness it actually portrays. Then maybe we won’t make some of the same mistakes our male (or female) relatives or friends have made.

Day 24 Name It, Claim It “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 I have traveled to some of the poorest nations on earth. I have seen with my eyes the ravages of poverty, war, corruption, and so on. Yet, one of the worst poisons I have seen is “prosperity theology” being propagated in these countries. This is the belief that God is, in essence, a genie in a bottle that is just waiting for you to ask for anything under the sun, and He will give it to you. Remember – just send in your financial gift to the couple on TV as a “faith seed” and God will return it to you tenfold. John 14:14 is another example of a verse used for this reason: “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” I’m sorry, but I’m not mincing words here. It is an egocentric universe for those who believe this is why God created us, and then try to propagate this lie to gullible masses. If this were true, you could say this to a Christian in a Muslim country, who has lost everything because of persecution, and God would bountifully restore it to him in this lifetime. Whole books have been written on prosperity theology by those far smarter than I, and there are myriads of Scripture to disprove this belief. So, how can I sum it up and disprove it here? I believe I’ll let Jesus do that in Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Take to heart both the reality and comfort Jesus gave His disciples about this life:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Day 25 Make it Go Away “This too shall pass.” Hard times can be no fun. We want them over with as quickly as possible. This sentence is used to encourage people who are going through a hard time. Don’t worry – it will soon be over. All will be well in the near future. So let’s cut to the chase. This is not a Bible verse, but a saying that’s been around a long time. I won’t get into all the instances or variations, but it has also been used by none other than Abraham Lincoln, which no doubt helped its staying power. Here are a couple of sentences from his speech: “It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: ‘And this, too, shall pass away’.” While not Scripture, there is certainly some truth to it. Regardless, I can think of two Bible verses that apply a stronger truth. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us of our old sinful self that passes away, and Christ making us a new creation. And one day, as told in Revelation 21:1, He will make all things new after He has wiped the old world away through judgment and wrath.

Better than me paraphrasing the verses, here they are: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” Revelation 21:1

Day 26 Wrong on Both Counts “Moderation in all things.” It’s okay to do this or that as long as we practice moderation, right? I have heard this saying used with practices such as drinking alcohol. After all, Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine, and He drank wine at the Last Supper. While I’m not sure their alcohol was quite as potent as ours is today, this is not the debate I’m trying to tackle right now. Just at face value, this statement has serious issues. If I just commit adultery in moderation, then it’s okay. If I lie every now and then? No problem. The same could be said for every sin mentioned in the Bible. Or worse yet, why would you moderate good behavior? Do it all the time! So, we know there’s no way this is Scripture. Even if you knew it wasn’t in the Bible, the saying is still venerated and sometimes used as justification for certain actions and behavior. This sentence is attributed to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle. He didn’t intend it to be used as we use it today. The statement can be found in a similar form in his Doctrine of the Mean. It was used in the context of virtue, not moderation of saintly or sinful behavior. So, you are wrong on two counts if you think the statement is from the Bible and you take its meaning at face value – worse still if you act on it!

Be motivated by Paul’s words on how to live:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

Day 27 Take Me Away Is the word, Rapture, in the Bible? Perhaps no other word gets used more in regards to our future as believers than “rapture”. There are many theories and opinions as to when this so-called event happens: pre-tribulation rapture, mid-tribulation, post-tribulation, pre-wrath, etc. And everyone is convinced their view is right. Yet again, my point is not to go down the road of proving one over the others. One of my concerns with the preoccupation with the rapture is that American believers in particular think they are going to escape any or all hardship and tribulation. It smacks of naiveté at best and arrogance at worst. God has blessed this nation more than any other, but many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are suffering disease, famine, persecution, and martyrdom. And we may one day face it too before the Lord returns. So please be sensitive to this. Now, to the word at hand. The word, “rapture” does not appear directly in the English translation of the Bible. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the verse associated with this word: “After that (the raising of the dead in Christ), we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” In this verse the key phrase is “caught up”, which in Greek is “harpazó”. It means to snatch or carry off. In Latin, this is the word, “raptus” or in English, “rapture”. Now, I am not saying there is no rapture. There are wiser scholars than I on both sides of the issue. But, as we’ve already seen, the word Trinity is not in the Bible either, but there is compelling Scriptural evidence of its truth as well. I do look forward to being caught up, whenever it happens.

Day 28 I am a Super Hero! “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 I have heard this verse throughout my life, primarily as a source of inspiration in sports endeavors. This verse gets used at Christian sports camps, athletic clubs, etc. I’ve quoted it for this reason, and believed it was a stand alone statement. I even had a T-shirt with the verse and the drawing of a body builder. Guilty as charged. The red flag with our use of this verse should be the fact that we emphasis “I”. Me. So, let’s look at some personal history and some context. The Apostle Paul went through a lot in his life, especially after his conversion. You could say that he was an expert on knowing what it meant to have plenty and to be in need. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul went through a litany of the hardships he had faced, which included being flogged, beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. Now, in this chapter in Philippians, Paul exhorted the believers at Philippi in their walk with the Lord. In the context of knowing what it was to be well fed or hungry or living in plenty or want, Paul shared that God gave him the strength in all circumstances. The focus was on what God had done, not on what he had done. This isn’t really about sports, but God’s strength flowing through us, whether we are doing great or are in need.

A passage that clearly uses sports as an analogy for the Christian walk:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” I Corinthians 9:24-27

Conclusion “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 One of my favorite movies growing up was The Princess Bride. In it, one of the characters continually used the word, “Inconceivable!” in response to what was being said. Finally, one of his cohorts told him, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” In a way, this has been my point with the devotional journey you’ve just taken. I wanted to share with you some of the verses and sayings we’ve all been quoting or misquoting for years, that they don’t mean what we think they mean. Further, we have looked at other sayings that we thought were in the Bible, but are actually not there at all. I think I made it clear that I have been just as guilty as the next person. I hope you have been blessed by taking this 28-day journey. My goal here was not to be perfect in my execution, but rather to point you to study the Scriptures on your own as well as extra-Biblical resources that may help with understanding context. If you would like a free hard copy booklet of this study, just email us: info@feedthehunger.org or call us: 1-888-772-9634. Lastly, let me invite you to join our prayer email list. This will not have flashy graphics-heavy content. Nor will it be a subtle attempt to ask for funds. It will simply be a weekly email that shares the prayer requests of our ministry and our partners. If you would like to sign up, please email: info@feedthehunger.org or call us: 1-888-772-9634. God bless you on your spiritual journey!

Joseph L. Williams, CEO

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