Tag Spiritual Discernment •

Facebook Pharisees, Digital False Prophets

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

An editorial for the age of the algorithm—

There was a time when false prophets needed a crowd, a marketplace, or a pulpit to spread their delusions. Now they just need Wi‑Fi.

Open Facebook, scroll for five minutes, and you’ll meet them: the self‑appointed seers, the “thus‑saith‑the‑Lord” status updates, the viral rebukes dressed up as “discernment,” the spiritual hot takes that sound more like clickbait than cross‑bearing. It’s a strange new world where anyone can claim divine authority with a ring light and a strong opinion.

Scripture, however, is not surprised.

Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). The medium has changed—from hillside sermons to social media feeds—but the danger has not. The wolves have simply learned how to use hashtags.

The rise of Facebook Pharisees

Let’s start with the “Facebook Pharisees”—those who weaponize Bible verses in comment sections, not to build up, but to win arguments and score public righteousness points.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were not cartoon villains. They were serious, religious, biblically literate people. Yet Jesus said of them, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8}). They loved the appearance of holiness, the respect of the crowd, the feeling of being right. Social media has given that same spirit a global platform.

You’ve seen it:

  • The thread where someone vulnerably shares a struggle, and instead of compassion, they get a barrage of proof‑texts and cold rebukes.
  • The “discernment” post that names and shames other believers, not to restore them, but to rally a tribe.
  • The public call‑out that conveniently forgets Jesus’ instructions about going to a brother privately first (Matthew 18:15}).

Jesus described Pharisees as those who “tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4}). That’s what happens when we use Facebook to pile guilt, shame, and spiritual pressure on others, while our own hearts remain untouched by grace.

The Facebook Pharisee is more concerned with being seen as doctrinally pure than being known as Christlike. They forget that “the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” ({1 Timothy 1:5}). Truth without love is not biblical boldness; it’s spiritual brutality.

Digital false prophets and the platform problem

If the Facebook Pharisee misuses truth, the digital false prophet distorts it.

We live in an age where anyone can start a page, call themselves “Prophet So‑and‑So,” and begin declaring dreams, visions, and “urgent words” to thousands of followers. Jesus’ warning feels painfully current: “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11}).

False prophets are not new. Jeremiah had to confront them in his day:

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ … They are prophesying the delusions of their own minds.”
(Jeremiah 23:25–26})

Social media has simply amplified their reach. A “word from the Lord” can now be shared, liked, and believed by millions before anyone asks the most basic biblical question: Did it come true? God’s standard is clear: “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken” (Deuteronomy 18:22}).

Yet online, failed prophecies are rarely repented of. They are quietly deleted, re‑framed, or buried under the next “urgent update.” The platform continues. The followers remain. The algorithm rewards engagement, not accuracy.

Digital false prophets often share common traits:

They prioritize visibility over accountability.
They operate without a local church, elders, or real spiritual oversight. But Scripture assumes prophets are tested in community: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29}). Online, there is often no “others” to weigh—only fans to applaud.

They center the message on prosperity and personal breakthrough.
God does bless, but when every “word” is about money, success, and “your next level,” we’ve drifted from the biblical pattern. True prophetic ministry calls people to repentance, holiness, and faithfulness. False prophets, by contrast, “heal the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14}).

They use fear and urgency to manipulate.
“Something terrible is coming—only those who sow a seed will be protected.” That’s not biblical prophecy; that’s spiritual blackmail. The gospel is not a subscription service you pay to avoid disaster. God does not sell protection through PayPal links.

They rarely preach the cross.
Paul resolved “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2}). If a digital prophet’s feed is full of dreams, dates, and dramatic declarations but empty of the cross, repentance, and the hope of resurrection, something is deeply off.

The algorithm is not the Holy Spirit

One of the most subtle dangers in this age is confusing virality with validity.

A post goes viral, and we assume God must be in it. A “word” gets shared 100,000 times, and we treat it as confirmation. But the Bible never equates popularity with truth. In fact, Jesus says, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26}).

The algorithm is designed to reward outrage, novelty, and emotional intensity. The Holy Spirit, by contrast, produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self‑control” (Galatians 5:22–23}). If a feed is full of anger, fear, and division—even if it’s draped in Bible verses—it may be driven more by the flesh than by the Spirit.

We need to recover a simple discipline: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1}). Testing means:

  • Comparing every teaching with the whole counsel of Scripture, not just isolated verses.
  • Watching the fruit of a person’s life over time, not just the flair of their latest post.
  • Asking whether the message leads us to deeper love for Christ, greater obedience, and genuine humility—or just deeper obsession with signs, predictions, and personalities.

The Bereans were commended because they “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11}). If they tested the apostle Paul, we can certainly test our favorite Facebook prophet.

When we “love to have it so”

Here’s the uncomfortable part: false prophets and Facebook Pharisees don’t exist in a vacuum. They thrive because we follow them.

Jeremiah said, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so” ({Jeremiah 5:31}). That line cuts deep. Sometimes we prefer the drama of sensational “words” to the slow, steady work of discipleship. We’d rather have spiritual entertainment than spiritual formation.

We click, we share, we comment, we feed the very voices that confuse us. Then we wonder why our faith feels scattered and anxious.

The truth is, God sometimes allows false voices to flourish as a test: “For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:3}). The question is not just, “Are they false?” but “What does my attraction to them reveal about my heart?”

Do I chase prophetic drama because I’m bored with simple obedience?
Do I crave spiritual celebrities because I’ve neglected the ordinary means of grace—Scripture, prayer, fellowship, sacrament?
Do I prefer outrage posts because they let me feel righteous without actually repenting?

These are not comfortable questions, but they are necessary ones.

A different way to be online

So what does faithfulness look like in the age of Facebook Pharisees and digital false prophets?

First, we anchor ourselves in Scripture.
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32}). The more deeply we know the Word, the less easily we are swayed by spiritual trends. We don’t need a constant stream of “new revelation” when we haven’t yet obeyed the revelation we already have.

Second, we stay rooted in real community.
Online voices can be helpful, but they are not a substitute for a local church, pastors, and brothers and sisters who actually know our lives. The New Testament assumes believers are joined to a body where gifts are tested, character is seen, and accountability is real (Hebrews 10:24–25}).

Third, we practice humility in our own posting.
Before we hit “post,” we can ask: Is this building up or tearing down? Is this about Christ or about me? Am I speaking as one who will “give an account for every careless word” (Matthew 12:36})? We don’t have to be silent, but we do have to be sober.

Fourth, we refuse to participate in public stoning.
There is a place for warning against false teaching—that’s biblical. Paul did it (Acts 20:29–31}). But there is also a way of “discernment” that becomes a sport of humiliation. When we delight in exposing others more than we grieve over sin, we have slipped into the spirit of the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11}).

Finally, we fix our eyes on Jesus, not on the feed.
The writer of Hebrews calls us to be “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2}). Social media constantly invites us to look at ourselves, our brand, our enemies, our fears. The gospel invites us to look at Christ—crucified, risen, reigning—and to let His voice be louder than any timeline.

Conclusion: less spectacle, more Savior

The Church does not need more Facebook Pharisees or digital false prophets. We need ordinary, faithful believers who quietly love God, love neighbor, and refuse to let the algorithm disciple their souls.

False prophets will continue to arise. Pharisaical spirits will continue to comment. The feed will continue to churn. But in the midst of it, God’s call remains the same:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37}).
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16}).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16}).

In an age of digital noise, that kind of quiet, rooted faith may not go viral—but it will endure. And in the end, when every platform has faded and every feed has gone silent, it won’t be the Facebook Pharisees or the digital false prophets who stand. It will be those who heard the Shepherd’s voice, tested every other voice by His Word, and chose, day after day, to follow Him.



This has been “{A View From the Nest} and that is the way I see it. What say you?

Every Plant My Father Did Not Plant

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
Expository Study of Matthew 15: Tradition, Doctrine, and the Uprooting of False Teaching
MATTHEW 15:13 EVERY PLANT MY FATHER DID NOT PLANT

Introduction: When Jesus Confronts Tradition

There are moments in the ministry of Jesus when His words cut through centuries of religious tradition and expose the difference between what God establishes and what men construct. One of those moments appears in Matthew’s Gospel, when the Pharisees confront Jesus about ritual handwashing. They were not defending Scripture. They were defending tradition. They were protecting a system that had been built over generations, a system that looked authoritative but had no life in it.

Jesus responded with a statement that still echoes through the church today. He said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up.” [Matthew 15:13] It is a warning, not to sinners or outsiders, but to religious teachers who build doctrines God never authored. It is a reminder that the Father is not obligated to preserve anything He did not initiate. If He did not plant it, He will uproot it.

The Context: Tradition That Overrides Truth

To fully understand Jesus’ warning in Matthew 15:13, it is essential to consider the entire narrative leading up to this verse. The encounter begins when the Pharisees and scribes confront Jesus, questioning why His disciples do not follow the tradition of ceremonial handwashing before eating. This tradition was deeply ingrained in Jewish religious practice, though it was not a commandment from God but a human tradition meant to maintain ritual purity.

Jesus responds by challenging their focus on external rituals while neglecting the heart of God’s commandments. He quotes Isaiah, saying, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9, KJV)

The dialogue continues as Jesus points out how their traditions nullify the Word of God. He gives the example of the practice called “Corban,” where people dedicate their possessions to God, thereby avoiding using them to support their parents, which breaks the commandment to honor one’s father and mother. Jesus condemns this as hypocrisy, saying, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6, KJV)

The Pharisees and scribes are offended, but Jesus uses this moment to teach a deeper truth. He says, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” (Matthew 15:13, KJV) This statement is a divine warning that any teaching or tradition not planted by God Himself will ultimately be uprooted.

Here is the full exchange from the King James Version (KJV) that sets the stage for verse 13:

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

This entire exchange reveals the heart of Jesus’ teaching and the seriousness of relying on human traditions over God’s Word. It sets the table for understanding the uprooting Jesus warns about in verse 13, showing that it is not a casual statement but a profound judgment against religious hypocrisy and false doctrine.**

Context matters. The Pharisees were offended because Jesus and His disciples did not follow the ritual handwashing traditions of the elders. Jesus made it clear that their traditions had begun to override the very Word of God. He said, “You have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” [Matthew 15:6] In other words, they had built a structure that looked religious but was not rooted in the Father’s planting. It was a house built on sand, and Jesus warned that such houses cannot stand.

When Jesus speaks of plants, He is speaking of teachings. The seed is the Word. The plant is the doctrine. The fruit is the outcome. A plant the Father has planted is a teaching that originates from His Spirit, His voice, and His truth. A plant He did not plant is a doctrine that originates from human tradition, denominational inheritance, ritual practice, or theological systems built on sand. Jesus does not say these plants will be corrected or adjusted. He says they will be uprooted.

The Uprooting: Judgment and Mercy

This uprooting is an act of judgment, but it is also an act of mercy. False teachings misrepresent God and mislead His people. They create confusion, bondage, and spiritual instability. When the Father uproots what He did not plant, He is removing what harms His flock. He is clearing away what obscures Christ. He is dismantling what stands between His people and His truth.

Jesus’ use of imagery connects directly to His teaching about the wise and foolish builders. One man built his house on the rock, and the other built his house on sand. When the storm came, only one house remained. The house on sand collapsed because it was never anchored in the truth. In the same way, doctrines built on tradition, ritual, and human invention cannot withstand the storm of divine truth. They may look sturdy, but they are straw and sticks in the mouth of the wolf. Only what is built on Christ Himself can endure.

Building on Solid Ground and the Wheat and Tares

To deepen our understanding of Jesus’ warning about every plant not planted by the Father, it is helpful to consider other key Scriptures that illustrate the nature of truth, falsehood, and judgment in the kingdom of God.

Jesus taught about the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27 (KJV):

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

This parable clearly shows that the foundation of our faith and doctrine must be solid and divinely planted, or it will not withstand the storms of life and spiritual testing.

Another powerful teaching comes from Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30 (KJV):

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

In this parable, the wheat represents the true children of the kingdom—the teachings and believers planted by God. The tares represent false teachings and those who appear similar but are ultimately of the enemy. They grow together for a time, but at the harvest, the difference becomes clear, and the tares are removed and destroyed.

This imagery complements Jesus’ warning in Matthew 15:13 about every plant not planted by the Father being uprooted. The enemy’s tares are designed to look like wheat, but their true nature is revealed in due time. The Father’s judgment will separate truth from falsehood, preserving only what He has planted.

Together, these Scriptures emphasize the importance of discerning the origin and foundation of our beliefs and teachings. Building on Christ, the solid Rock, and recognizing the wheat from the tares, we are called to remain rooted in the truth that the Father has planted and to be wary of doctrines and traditions that only appear to be genuine but are destined for removal.

The Modern Moment: When Encounter Exposes Tradition

We are living in a time when many long‑standing doctrines are being exposed as plants the Father never planted. Some were built on mistranslations. Some were built on transliterations that preserved ritual instead of meaning. Some were built on denominational politics. Some were built on inherited traditions that were never examined in the light of Scripture. As believers encounter Christ Himself, these structures begin to crumble. The encounter reveals what the Father planted and what He did not.

The people who met Jesus in Scripture were never confused. They did not need theological charts or ritual vocabulary to understand Him. They recognized His voice. They responded to His presence. They followed His leading. Their faith was built on the Rock, not on the sand of tradition. When Christ reveals Himself, the difference between truth and tradition becomes unmistakable.

The Only Safe Place: Christ Himself

The only safe place for the believer is Christ Himself. Not ritual. Not denominational identity. Not inherited doctrine. Not theological systems. Not the structures men have built over centuries. The safe place is the Rock, the Cornerstone, the Shepherd, the Word made flesh. Everything else is sand.

Jesus’ warning remains as clear today as it was when He first spoke it. “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up.” [Matthew 15:13] The question every believer must ask is simple: Who planted what I believe? If the answer is Christ, it will stand. If the answer is tradition, it will fall. The storm will reveal the truth, and the Father Himself will uproot what He never planted.

Closing Reflection

The uprooting Jesus describes is not meant to frighten the believer but to free them. It is an invitation to examine what we believe, why we believe it, and whether it was planted by the Father or inherited from tradition. Only what He plants will endure, and only what He establishes will stand when the winds of truth blow across the landscape of our faith. This calls for the saints of God to use discernment and to really tune into the voice of the Good Shepherd since this is not want of voices in the world each crying louder than the next to be heard, and the still small voice of the Lord often goes unheeded. Search yourselves saints and see if there be any wicked way in you or if you have taken the commandments of men as more binding then the living Word of God Himself. I pray you are among the gathered wheat and not among the tares. Blessings to you all.

This has been “A View From the Nest” and that is the way I see it. What say you?

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EATING BREAD BAKED OVER DUNG: HOW THE CHURCH IS FEEDING ON TRUTH COOKED OVER THE WORLD’S FIRE

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

There is a moment in the book of Ezekiel that feels less like ancient prophecy and more like a mirror held up to the modern church. God commands the prophet to bake his bread over a fire fueled by dung. The command is shocking, but the symbolism is unmistakable. The bread itself is not unclean. The contamination comes from the fire beneath it. The fuel is polluted, and therefore the food absorbs the impurity of the flame. “Thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread defiled among the nations whither I will drive them.” (Ezekiel 4:13).

This is the condition of the church today. We are not consuming outright heresy. We are consuming truth that has been cooked over the wrong fire. The bread is still called “Christian,” but the heat that shapes it comes from a furnace God never authorized.

IN THE WORLD — BUT NO LONGER DISTINCT FROM IT

Jesus prayed a prayer that defined the identity of His people: “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15). His intention was never escape. It was distinction. His followers were to remain present in the world without being shaped by it.

Yet the modern church has drifted into a posture where it is fully immersed in the world’s atmosphere and deeply influenced by its fires. We have not withdrawn from culture, but neither have we remained distinct from it. Instead, we have allowed the world’s flames to season our bread, and the smoke of that fire has begun to alter the taste of our theology, our worship, and our worldview.

Paul warned the church with clarity: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2). Conformity is not always loud. Sometimes it is subtle. Sometimes it is simply the decision to bake the bread over the wrong fire.

THE BREAD IS STILL GOOD — BUT THE FIRE IS FALSE

Ezekiel did not eat filth. He ate bread baked over filth. The distinction is essential. The danger is not always in the message itself. The danger is in the source of the fire that shapes it.

Scripture gives a name to fire that does not originate from God. It calls it strange fire. When Nadab and Abihu brought unauthorized fire into the presence of the Lord, they were not judged for enthusiasm or sincerity. They were judged because the fire they carried was not the fire God had ignited. “And Nadab and Abihu… offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them.” (Leviticus 10:1–2).

God does not accept fire He did not ignite.

When the church allows its convictions to be shaped by the world’s furnace, it is offering strange fire. When our emotions are stirred more by headlines than by Scripture, we are offering strange fire. When our worldview is formed by influencers rather than apostles, we are offering strange fire. When our spiritual diet is seasoned by the smoke of digital outrage, we are eating bread baked over dung.

Yet this analogy, while powerful, risks being misunderstood or losing its force. Saying “the bread is still good” can unintentionally excuse the fact that the manner in which the bread was prepared—the fire beneath it—did not truly affect the bread’s essence. But the reality is that the WORD, not baked in the HOLY SPIRIT, not drenched in HOLY ANOINTING OIL, is polluted by popular opinions, cultural constructs, denominational sensibilities, and modern times.

We have heard it over and over: THIS IS THE 21st CENTURY, not the 1st century, as if GOD needs to be modernized. This is offering bread baked over dung, not purified by HOLY FIRE and HOLY ANOINTING.

THE MODERN DUNG‑FIRE: THE 24/7 INFORMATION FURNACE

In Ezekiel’s day, the dung‑fire was literal. In our day, it is digital.

The modern dung‑fire is the constant stream of polluted information that saturates the atmosphere of our culture. It is the twenty‑four‑hour news cycle designed to inflame emotion rather than inform. It is the endless scroll of TikTok clips engineered to provoke outrage and addiction. It is the river of X posts, Facebook arguments, influencer monologues, and algorithm‑driven content that disciples the mind without permission.

Jeremiah warned of voices that speak from their own imagination rather than from the mouth of God: “They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:16). These voices still speak today, only now they speak through screens, feeds, and notifications.

The modern dung‑fire is the fire of disinformation, the fire of emotional manipulation, the fire of half‑truths, the fire of unverified claims, the fire of algorithmic discipleship. It is the fire of immediacy, urgency, and noise. It is the fire of opinion masquerading as truth and outrage masquerading as conviction.

This is the furnace beneath much of the bread the church consumes.

THE WORLD’S FIRE ALWAYS LEAVES A FLAVOR

Bread absorbs the aroma of the flame beneath it, and so does the soul. A message that begins with Scripture but is baked over the heat of cultural anxiety will taste like fear. A sermon that begins with truth but is shaped by the smoke of political fervor will taste like division. A teaching that begins with holiness but is flavored by the fumes of entertainment culture will taste like compromise.

Jesus warned that the eye — the lamp of the body — determines the condition of the whole person. “If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22–23). What we gaze upon shapes what we become.

When the church bakes its message over the world’s fire, the result is predictable: a Gospel that comforts but does not confront, a cross that inspires but does not transform, a faith that encourages but does not sanctify, a Jesus who saves but does not rule.

LIGHTS AND GUIDES CANNOT FEED ON THE WORLD’S FUEL

Jesus declared, “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14). Light does not borrow its glow from darkness. A lamp that draws its oil from polluted sources will flicker, dim, and eventually fail.

We cannot guide the world while consuming the world’s worldview. We cannot illuminate darkness while feeding on the philosophies of darkness. We cannot lead people out of Egypt while eating Egypt’s bread.

A guide who eats contaminated bread becomes a blind guide.

THE CALL IS NOT TO LEAVE THE WORLD — BUT TO STOP LETTING IT SEASON YOUR BREAD

Jesus never prayed for His people to escape the world. He prayed for them to be kept from its corruption. The church is not a monastery hiding from culture. It is a messenger sent into culture. But a messenger cannot carry a pure word if the fire beneath the bread is polluted.

Peter echoed the call to distinction: “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” (1 Peter 1:15). Holiness is not isolation. It is purity of source.

THE SOLUTION: RETURN TO GOD’S FIRE

The bread must be baked again — this time over the fire God Himself ignites. It must be shaped by Scripture rather than speculation, by prayer rather than panic, by consecration rather than consumption, by holiness rather than hype, by the fear of the Lord rather than the fear of missing out.

God’s fire purifies. God’s fire clarifies. God’s fire refines. God’s fire reveals. The world’s fire only distorts.

David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10). Renewal begins when the fire changes.

CONCLUSION: THE DANGER IS NOT THE BREAD — BUT THE FIRE BENEATH IT

Ezekiel’s warning is not a relic of ancient judgment. It is a living word for a church that has forgotten to examine the source of its flame. The bread must be pure. The fire must be holy. The message must be unpolluted. And the church must once again shine with a light that does not come from the world.

The danger is not the bread. The danger is the fire beneath it.

Navigating in the Fog: Finding Clarity When the World Turns Cloudy

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

The Fog That Follows Us

Driving home through dense fog tonight, the world shrank to a few feet of visibility. Familiar roads felt foreign. Landmarks vanished. The horizon dissolved into a gray wall. And as the mist thickened, I realized how closely this mirrors the spiritual climate believers face every day. We live in a world saturated with noise, misinformation, emotional manipulation, and a constant haze of competing voices. The fog is not accidental. It is a tactic.

Scripture warns us that confusion is a weapon of the enemy, not a condition of the Kingdom. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33). When the atmosphere grows cloudy, it is never the Lord who has obscured the way.

Fog Lights for the Faithful

On the road, high beams only make fog worse. They bounce off the haze and blind you. But fog lights sit low, cutting beneath the mist, illuminating the next few feet with clarity. That is exactly how the Word of God functions in a world full of spiritual haze.

The psalmist declares, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105). A lamp for the feet is not a spotlight for the horizon. It does not reveal the entire journey. It reveals the next faithful step. When the world is filled with lies, distortions, and half‑truths, the Scriptures give clarity that nothing else can match. They cut through the haze.

Jesus Himself prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17). Truth is not merely an idea; it is illumination. It is the light that exposes the path when everything else is obscured.

Trusting the Light, Not Our Sight

Fog distorts everything — distance, direction, depth, even the shape of what stands right in front of you. In those moments, you can’t trust your eyes. You trust the light. Spiritually, this is where faith becomes more than a concept. This is where obedience becomes more than a virtue. This is where trust becomes more than a sentiment.

Scripture speaks directly to this moment: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6). When visibility is low, understanding becomes unreliable. But the One who sees the end from the beginning never loses sight of the road.

Paul reminds us that our walk is not dependent on what we see: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Fog does not hinder God’s vision. It only reveals the limits of ours.

Jesus: The Fog Light and the Lighthouse

Fog lights guide your next step. A lighthouse guides your direction. Jesus is both.

He declares, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12). He is the immediate clarity for today and the fixed point that never moves. He stands above the haze. His voice cuts through the noise. He guides His people with unfailing constancy.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this promise: “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.” (Isaiah 30:21). Even when the fog is thick, the Shepherd’s voice remains unmistakable.

Hearing Becomes Sharper in the Fog

When sight is compromised, hearing becomes more important. The hum of the engine becomes more pronounced. The rhythm of the tires is more noticeable. The quiet voice of the GPS stands out. Spiritually, fog has the same effect. It heightens our dependence on the Shepherd’s voice.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27). Fog does not silence the Shepherd. It silences the distractions that kept us from listening.

David understood this deeply: “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.” (Psalm 142:3). Overwhelm does not confuse God. It draws Him closer.

The Light That Cannot Be Overcome

The world, though wrapped in haze, the people of God walk in a light the darkness can’t extinguish. John opens his Gospel with this triumphant declaration: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5). Darkness has never once succeeded in overcoming the Light.

Even when the fog is thick, even when the path is unclear, the believer always has guidance. Even when the voices are many and the truth seems hidden, guidance is never absent. The Word is our fog light. Jesus is our lighthouse. The Spirit is our compass. And the Father is the One who knows the road even when we can’t see it.

Walking Forward With Confidence

The world may feel hazy. The path ahead might seem uncertain. Voices around you can be loud and contradictory. Take heart. You do not need to see the whole road. You need to see the next step. You need the lamp at your feet. You need the Light of the World who stands above the fog and guides His people with unfailing clarity.

The psalmist captures this assurance beautifully: “The Lord shall guide thee continually.” (Isaiah 58:11). Not occasionally. Not when the skies are clear. Continually.

Fog does not weaken faith. Fog reveals where faith actually rests.

A Closing Benediction

Father, in a world thick with fog, voices multiply. Truth is often obscured. We look to You—the Light that no darkness can overcome. We thank You for the lamp of Your Word. It has a steady glow that cuts through confusion and reveals the next faithful step. We thank You for Jesus, the Light of the World, who guides our feet and anchors our hearts. And we thank You for the Holy Spirit, who whispers direction when our sight is dim.

Lord, teach us to trust Your light more than our limited vision. Teach us to walk by faith when understanding fails. Teach us to listen for Your voice above the noise. And teach us to rest in the promise that “The Lord shall guide thee continually.” (Isaiah 58:11).

May Your people walk with confidence, not because the road is clear, but because the Guide is faithful. May Your truth cut through every haze. May Your presence steady every trembling heart. And may Your light shine through us into a world desperate for clarity.

In the name of Jesus—the Light that shines in the darkness—we pray. Amen.

A Call to Action

If the fog has been thick around you, take one step today: Open the Word. Turn on the fog light. Let Scripture illuminate the next few feet of your path.

Begin with the promise: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105).

Read it. Pray it. Walk in it.

Christ’s Love Once for All

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Advent lights a final candle and calls it love. But was love for God found in that manger? God’s love most certainly was—He sent His Son into the world, wrapped in flesh, laid in a smelly stall because there was no room inside. That was love incarnate.

Yet even then, it stood in stark contrast to the hearts of men. Cold toward God, busy chasing worthless idols, fearful of authority, hardened by religion. The same voices that ignored Him at His birth would later cry, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21).

Love is not found in ritual candles or seasonal sentiment. It is found in the cross. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That is once‑for‑all love—eternal, unrepeatable, unshakable.

The Advent candle flickers sentimentally, but the cross blazes with eternal love. Love is not seasonal—it is finished.

Prophetic Closing

Do not mistake ritual for reality. God’s love was revealed in a manger, but fulfilled at the cross. The Christ Mass fails to display it, because true love is not a flicker—it is the once‑for‑all sacrifice of Christ. Stop chasing idols and seasonal shadows. Receive the love that was proven once, forever.