The Battle Is the Lord’s: Facing Your Goliath with Faith in Jesus Christ

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Come Follow Me | June 15-21 | “The battle is the Lord’s.” —1 Samuel 17:47

There are seasons in life when the challenge standing before us seems larger than our faith, stronger than our resolve, and better equipped than anything we possess. We may know the language of faith, remember the promises of scripture, and sincerely believe that God is with us, yet the giant still appears to dominate the valley. It calls attention to our weakness, rehearses our failures, magnifies our fears, and confidently predicts our defeat.

For one person, that giant may be addiction or the relentless temptation to return to an old way of living. For another, it may be grief, rejection, loneliness, financial uncertainty, family conflict, shame, resentment, or the lingering consequences of decisions that cannot be undone. Some giants appear suddenly, while others have occupied the valley for years, issuing the same challenge every morning and evening until fear begins to feel like the natural condition of life.

The Come, Follow Me lesson for June 15–21, covering 1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26 and 2 Samuel 5–7, invites us to look again at David’s story and hear his declaration that “the battle is the Lord’s.” That declaration does not mean our participation is unnecessary, nor does it promise that discipleship will protect us from every difficulty. David still walked into the valley, selected the stones, prepared his sling, and confronted the enemy. What he refused to do was accept the assumption that the outcome depended entirely upon his own size, strength, resources, or experience.

David understood that he was participating in a battle whose final authority belonged to God.

That same truth can transform the way we approach our spiritual battles today. We do not have to pretend that our giants are small. We do not have to deny the pain, complexity, or danger of what stands before us. Faith does not require us to minimize reality; it teaches us to see reality within the greater reality of God’s power, covenant faithfulness, and redemptive purposes.

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Social Media Gainsayers: The Anti-Mormon Playbook Has Not Changed—Only the Platforms Have

Timothy R. Berman1 Comment

How Ex-Mormon Influencers, Evangelical Critics, and Online Ministries Repackage the Same Arguments for YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Podcasts, and Livestreams

In 1989, anti-Latter-day Saint ministries, often referred to as Counter-cult or Anti-Mormon groups, relied heavily on printed tracts, cassette tapes, books, traveling seminars, church presentations, and controversial films—most notably, The Godmakers. Pastors would announce special meetings from their pulpits, offering “classes” on how to witness to Mormons. If you strolled into any brick-and-mortar Christian bookstore, you’d find a substantial collection of books specifically discussing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among the more notable titles were Kingdom of the Cults by the late Walter Martin, Letters to a Mormon Elder by James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries, Mormonism 101 by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson, and Mormons Answered Verse by Verse by David A. Reed and John R. Farkas. In addition to these apologist works, you’d also discover a range of small group and individual study guides about the LDS faith.

As if that weren’t enough, it wasn’t uncommon for members of the faith to be invited over to a family friend’s or relative’s home for dinner, only to be introduced to a friendly couple. The gentleman would often start the conversation with, “I used to be a Mormon, but I’ve found Jesus.” This felt like a kind of religious intervention aimed at coaxing you to leave the church. I experienced this firsthand in my early twenties when my mother-in-law invited my then-wife and me over for dinner. That evening plunged me into the world of Anti-Mormonism and apologetics. I had already purchased They Lie in Wait to Deceive by the Browns (I had all four volumes at that time), The Truth About the Godmakers by Gilbert Scharff, and The Gainsayers: A Converted Anti-Mormon Responds to the Critics of the LDS Church by Derrick T. Evenson—this last book serving as the foundation for my Social Media Gainsayers series.

This atmosphere left minimal opportunity for individuals to hear a meaningful response from Latter-day Saints. The urgency of the message was unmistakable: “They are stealing your people. They must be stopped,” as Ed Decker wrote in his letter to pastors, promoting his book and film, The Godmakers. Fast forward more than three decades, and we see that the media landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation. Pamphlets have turned into Facebook posts, and cassette tapes have been replaced by podcasts. Traveling seminars have morphed into YouTube livestreams and channels, while the controversial film The Godmakers has resurfaced on social media platforms, mainly appearing as “The Mormon Banned Cartoon.” Church basement presentations have transitioned into TikTok debates and live discussions. The once-printed quotations, often stripped of context, have been condensed into fifteen-second video clips and responses. What used to be the anti-Mormon bookstore shelf has now become algorithmically generated playlists.

The technology has changed, distribution has accelerated, and the audience is now global. Yet, the underlying playbook remains startlingly familiar. Today’s social media gainsayers might identify themselves as Ex-Mormons, evangelical Christian pastors, Christian apologists, cult experts, deconstruction coaches, religious commentators, or former “insiders.” Though they use differing methods, it’s crucial to note that not every critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is manipulative, dishonest, or deceptive.

Legitimate criticisms deserve legitimate responses. Difficult historical questions should never be ignored, and former members have every right to share their personal experiences. Likewise, Christians have every right to express their disagreements with Latter-day Saint theology. The challenge arises when personal experiences are framed as universal facts, theological disagreements are marketed as scandals, and mockery and insults take the place of honest discussions. Unfortunately, algorithms often amplify the most hostile narratives.

That’s when criticism turns into gainsaying. As Latter-day Saints, we bear the responsibility to stand firm in our faith and testimony, for it is through “sound doctrine that we both exhort and convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9, KJV).

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Set the Sail for Recovery & Sobriety — The Urge to Share

Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

In my own life, I’ve learned that the most powerful ministry moments are never scripted—they are Spirit‑led. They happen when we are sensitive to the still small voice, when our hearts are open, and when we allow God to interrupt our day for the sake of someone else’s pain.

Years ago, I was at a local church, carrying more than I could handle. A phone call from my father had shaken me, and a careless comment from someone nearby only deepened the wound. I stepped outside, sat on the front steps, and honestly—I wasn’t praying. I was stewing. Hurting. Lost in the swirl of emotion.

Then a young man walked up, sat beside me, and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “I was driving by,” he said quietly, “and the Holy Spirit told me to turn around. Anything I can pray for?” He didn’t preach. He didn’t correct. He didn’t offer advice. He simply sat with me and prayed.

That moment has stayed with me for years because it revealed something essential about the heart of Christ: To share the light of Jesus is to sit with people in their mess without judgment. This is not merely an act of companionship but a profound demonstration of love and solidarity. It challenges us to look beyond our own struggles and step into the vulnerability of another, reflecting the grace we have received in our own times of need.

This is the heart of today’s message. In an age where everyone seems to be vying for attention, it can be exceedingly rare to find someone who is willing to pause, listen, and simply be present. Yet, it is in these unassuming moments that we often see the clearest reflection of Christ’s love. When we allow ourselves to connect with another’s sorrow, we become vessels of hope.

Anchor verse: Romans 10:10 — “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” This verse serves as a reminder that our faith is rooted in a heart-to-heart connection with God, which in turn shapes how we connect with others. The Lord looks upon the heart of a person (1 Samuel 16:7) because it is within the heart where we struggle with identity and purpose, grappling with understanding how God loves those who are so broken and distraught. To have the heart of the Father (Psalm 103:13) means we have a deep and compassionate concern for those suffering.

Our ministry efforts, our outreach, and our words should mirror this heart of compassion. How we minister—how we share—and the urge and desire to comfort those in distress are accomplished through the ministering of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that we find the strength to empathize, listen, and provide solace. This is how we build up the Kingdom of God, by fulfilling the call to truly mourn with those who mourn and walk alongside them, carrying their burden as Christ carried our burdens (Galatians 6:2).

Today, we are going to look at the Urge to share the message of hope and how we minister as the light of Christ and the Glory of the Father. We are set upon the hill, shining as a beacon for all who are struggling in their own despair. More than just an act of faith, sharing our hope involves actively engaging with those around us, bringing the light of Christ to their darkness. We must be vigilant and willing to heed the call when the Holy Spirit nudges us, reminding us that even the smallest actions can lead to significant transformations in the lives of others. Let us embrace our roles as conduits of God’s love, ensuring that the light we shine is a reflection of His unconditional love and grace.

Full Post Moved to Sacred Sobriety | Set the Sail for Recovery – Urgency to Share

Molded by God: Identity, Healing, and the Beauty of Being Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Psalm 139:14)

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I always had this inclination that something was wrong. And whenever that feeling rose up, I was convinced it was because of someone else. Someone failing me. Someone not stepping up. Someone not doing the honorable thing. I lived with this constant sense that other people were the reason I suffered. And underneath all of that? A deep ache that no one truly cared, no one appreciated me, no one saw the effort I poured out trying to prove myself.

I chased validation like oxygen. I wanted approval so badly that I shaped myself around what I thought others wanted. I tried to be the “better person” in the eyes of everyone else, all while never actually seeing who I was. I was blind to my own entitlement, blind to my victimhood, blind to the way I was both the victim and the villain in someone else’s story. Hypervigilant. Defensive. Exhausted. And yes—hurt by real betrayals, real lies, real wounds that left me carrying depression, resentment, bitterness, and anxiety like a backpack full of bricks.

And then came the moment that broke me open.

My father had just been released from the hospital after months in intensive care from a brutal auto accident. I had given up everything to be there. And yet, I found myself standing on a cold Seattle curb in January of 2005 with nothing but a backpack, work boots, and three cartons of cigarettes. No home. No money. No plan. No one.

I walked the streets of Seattle wondering if this was the end of me.

But God had other plans.

A transitional housing program took me in. I rested. I worked. I rebuilt. And slowly—slowly—I found my way back to faith. But even then, I still couldn’t see myself clearly. I still felt unworthy. I still lived for validation. I still believed I had to earn dignity, earn love, earn respect.

It wasn’t until years later that the Holy Spirit began breaking the spiritual blindness I had carried for so long. And the revelation was simple, but it shook me to my core:

I didn’t know who I was. And I didn’t know how my Heavenly Father saw me.

Anchor Verse — Psalm 139:14 (NASB2020): “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.”

Two words rise like mountains in this verse: fearfully and wonderfully. Fearfully — yārē’ — to stand in awe, reverence, astonishment. Wonderfully — pālā’ — marvelous, extraordinary, beyond human ability.

This is not casual language. This is identity language. God is not saying, “You’re barely acceptable.” He is saying, “You are My intentional, awe-inspiring work.” We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Even when we feel like a mistake, God calls us purposeful, crafted, and known (Psalm 139:1–4).

So today, let’s walk slowly through what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made—especially when we don’t feel like it. Especially when addiction, shame, trauma, or codependency have distorted the mirror we look into. Especially when our past tells us one story, but God is trying to tell us another.

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The Plan Never Changed – He Sees Us and Our Struggles

Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

There was a moment in my youth where I learned a lesson I didn’t understand until much later. It happened during a Boy Scout outing one summer. We were out on the bay near my hometown, and it was the first time I ever learned how to paddle a canoe.

Okay, so what — you got to go out on the water, learn to paddle, in a canoe. What’s the big deal?

Here’s the lesson.

On the way back to shore, the tide was going out. We were paddling against it. Not upstream on a river — against the tide of the bay. And the harder we paddled, the slower we moved. Every inch forward took every ounce of strength we had.

Life feels like that sometimes. Recovery feels like that often. You’re straining at the oars, wondering if you’re even moving, wondering when you’ll reach the destination, wondering when the struggle will ease.

I didn’t think about that moment again until I came across a reel of a guy with a sideways cap, tattoos, and piercings teaching on Mark 6 — the same chapter where Jesus feeds the 5,000, right after He receives word of John the Baptist’s death, and right after He commissions the Twelve to preach the Gospel.

Anchor Verse — Mark 6:47–48 (NRSVUE): “When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came toward them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by.”

And that’s where everything shifted. Pastor Kelly K said something that stopped me cold: “If Jesus saw them, He sees you too.” The disciples were in serious trouble — rowing hard, struggling against the wind and waves. And Jesus saw them long before He ever stepped onto the water. Just like He sees you. Then came the line that most of us have never paid attention to: “He intended to go past them.” Why would Jesus walk toward them… but not stop?

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This Crucified Life: What I No Longer Miss

Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

What is the purpose of this message today? Why focus on what I no longer miss? Because today’s message is about what dies and what rises within each one of us. Luke 9 is the clearest, the sharpest, and the most recovery aligned call Jesus ever gives. It is a call to deny self. A call for us to take up our cross daily. A call to follow after Him. And it is one where we are asked to count the cost because it requires that we lose our life in order to save it. It is where we come to the end of ourselves, attempting to gain the appeasement of those around us, to gain what the world may offer us, yet lose our very soul in the process. It speaks directly to the “things I no longer miss” in my own addiction, codependency, chasing the girlies, and pretending to be someone I never was.

Welcome back, fellow travelers. If you haven’t watched the recent devotional in our Set of the Sail series— “The Lord Giveth Knowledge: The Spiritual Awakening of Christian Recovery”—I encourage you to do that. In that message, we talked about walking the crucified life… not coping, not managing, not surviving… but dying to self so that Christ may live fully in us. Having a real genuine spiritual awakening to the things of God.

Today, we’re going deeper. Because if we’re honest, many of us have spent years trying to “manage” life on life’s terms. But Sacred Sobriety is not about management. It’s about transformation. It’s about stepping boldly into the victory Christ already secured.

You and I have twenty‑four hours today. And I want to take a few of those minutes to speak directly to the wounds, addictions, anxieties, fears, and faith crises that have shaped us.

Because there are things I no longer miss. And I want to show you why.

Anchor Verse — Luke 9:23–26: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.”

This is the heartbeat of recovery. This is the heartbeat of discipleship. This is the heartbeat of Sacred Sobriety.

Jesus is not calling us to cope. He is calling us to die— to ego, to self‑will, to the old patterns, to the old wounds, to the old survival strategies. And in that death… He calls us to live. To live a blessed and abundant life. To live with peace of mind and joy in our hearts. Yet to do this – he invites us in because we are heavy laden, weary travelers and are in much need of rest (Matthew 11:28-29).

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From Surviving to Thriving: The Spiritual Awakening Every Christian in Recovery Needs

Timothy R. BermanLeave a comment

If you’re not familiar with the early story of Alcoholics Anonymous, it’s often said that the ideas behind the Twelve Steps were shaped by the Oxford Group—a gathering of Christian men committed to honesty, confession, restitution, and surrender. Bill Wilson, one of AA’s founders, was deeply influenced by them. But today’s devotional isn’t about the origins of AA. It’s about a man named Rowland Hazard, whose struggle with alcoholism led him to seek help from the famed psychiatrist Carl Jung in the early 1930s.

After extensive treatment, Jung told Hazard something that sounds harsh but is deeply honest: his condition was hopeless from a medical standpoint. His only hope, Jung said, was a spiritual experience—a profound awakening that would transform him from the inside out. That realization eventually shaped the foundation of AA itself. Hazard’s spiritual awakening, experienced through the Oxford Group, was shared with Bill Wilson, and from that encounter the Twelve Steps were born.

Let’s sit with that for a moment. Because in my own journey—through recovery, sobriety, homelessness, fear, doubt, and a faith crisis—I had to face the same truth: everything was utterly hopeless until I had a spiritual awakening. Some call it “hitting bottom.” But I’ve come to see it as the moment the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us in a way the intellect alone could never reach.

Today, many try to think their way into faith. They know about God but never come to know God Himself. And that brings us to the heart of today’s message: What does it mean to truly know God—and Jesus Christ whom He has sent? (John 17:3)

Our anchor verse is Isaiah 1:18–20, where God invites us to “come and reason together.”

Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: if your sins are like scarlet, will they become like snow? If they are red like crimson, will they become like wool? If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

This is not an intellectual debate—it is an invitation to examine our hearts, our wounds, our failures, and our inability to save ourselves. It is a call to return, to be still, and to know that He is God.

Today, we explore what it means to know Christ, to know the Father, and to know who we truly are through a genuine spiritual awakening.

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Not “Another Gospel”: A False Accusation Against Christ

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It really never fails that someone who has issues, without tissues, against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recycle the same accusation and anti-LDS tropes. And typically, the go to Evangelical eisegesis “gotcha” verse is Galatians 1:8. A weaponized verse used to bludgeon Joseph Smith into the status of being accursed, preaching a different gospel and the case is closed. It sounds bold and confident. However, it is mere haughty arrogance posturing from a place of one being completely illiterate of properly interpreting the scriptures. Evidence of another gainsayer who is ever learning and never understanding:

You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unfeeling, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them! For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate immature women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires, who are always studying yet never able to recognize truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people, of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. But they will not make much progress because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone. … Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have known sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:1- 9, 12-17).

Yet, such arguments consistently collapse the moment we examine the text, the history, and the logic.

The claim is simple: Because Paul warned about another gospel and because Joseph Smith reported an angelic visitation, therefore the Restoration must be a demonic deception. An arrogant and boastful claim. One that appears to sound quite powerful – until you take the time to read Paul, understand his context, and compare it to what Latter-day Saints actually teach. Yet, these internet gainsayers are mere lazy learners who do not want to test their claims against truth. They want to sound loud and proud screaming into the Social Media landscape to deceive people. And they don’t want their claims challenged.

Therefore, I am not here to dodge the passage. In fact, the only person that appears to dodge a real discussion is the gainsayer refusing to have a livestream discussion on whether or not the Book of Mormon is demonic. As such is the individual’s claim. Neither am I here to soften Paul. I am here to take the claim seriously, steelman it, and then show how it fails on every textual, historical, and theological level.

Today, let’s examine Jarrod Cochran’s claims regarding Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and an unfolding dialogue regarding whether or not this gentleman is speaking truth – or perpetuating ongoing lies and deceptions.

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Book of Mormon Contradictions? A Latter-day Saint Responds to Paul Gee on “Baptism” and “Church” in Mosiah 18

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We are going to look at a very specific claim: that the Book of Mormon story of baptism in Mosiah is just Joseph Smith copying Acts 2 – and that baptism for the remission of sins could not have existed before Jesus Christ, therefore the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible. If this is true, Latter-day Saint scripture definitely collapses. If it is not, then this criticism is built on a very sandy foundation. Let’s actually examine to see if such a claim has any credibility and validity to truth or if it is a false claim.

Now, I am not asking you to take my own word for it. I am asking that we open up the scriptures, open up our hearts and minds because we are going to walk through Paul Gee’s argument, steelman it, and then test it against scripture, history, and essential logic. By doing this, we can critically assess the merits of his claims and their implications for the understanding of both the Book of Mormon and biblical texts.

This is not an attack on Paul. In fact, he reached out and asked me to read it as it will supposedly prove that the Book of Mormon is false. And I will quote him fairly, present his argument in its strongest form, and will show how I believe it fails – scripturally, historically, and logically. By carefully dissecting the specifics of his argument, we can delve deeper into the theological and historical context of baptism and its significance within both texts.

Understanding that baptism as a practice existed in various forms before Christ and that the concept of a remission of sins is not exclusively tied to any one scripture, we must analyze whether the Old Testament precedents and the teachings of Christ later broaden our comprehension of baptism. This exploration will hopefully shed new light on claims made against the Book of Mormon, fostering a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the narrative within its pages.

As we navigate through this intricate discussion, I invite all readers to remain open-minded and reflect critically on the scriptures, drawing personal insights even as we engage with challenging interpretations. A sincere examination can lead us to a deeper faith and understanding of these profound spiritual texts.

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Does the LDS Faith Have 3 Kinds of God?

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Are there three Gods within the LDS Faith, or is Matt Slick of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry making three specific category errors? He appears to contend that Latter-day Saint theology contains three types of gods. Yet, his conclusion seems to depend entirely on misunderstandings, inaccuracies in reading LDS sources, and the imposition of post-Nicene metaphysics onto texts that do not utilize them.

When we scrutinize Slick’s assertions, it becomes apparent that they stem from misrepresentations of key doctrinal points. The Latter-day Saint understanding of God emphasizes a singular divine nature, with a clear distinction between God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who are unified in purpose but distinct in being. This understanding challenges Slick’s insistence on a concept of multiple gods existing in separate categories, which does not align with LDS beliefs as how we interpret our scriptures and teachings.

By examining the categories he uses and applying a proper lens through which to analyze LDS doctrine, one may ultimately see that Slick’s arguments significantly falter. His framework seems to force the doctrine into a misunderstanding of the term ‘God,’ failing to account for the context and nuances within Latter-day Saint theology.

His claims not only misrepresent what Latter-day Saints uphold but also create contradictions within his argumentation regarding what he purports they teach. This is not merely a disagreement over religious interpretation; it represents a profound mischaracterization that undermines genuine discourse.

Today, I wish to respond to this critique with clarity, doctrinal precision, and integrity, standing firm in the belief that the truth of Latter-day Saint doctrine deserves to be presented honestly. It is vital that we engage with those who misunderstand or misrepresent our beliefs with a spirit of boldness and respect—exhorting and convincing the gainsayer (Titus 1:9) through proper correction and thoughtful rebuke (2 Timothy 3:16). By addressing these misunderstandings directly, we can foster a more accurate understanding of Latter-day Saint teachings and encourage meaningful dialogue that respects differences while seeking common ground.

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