The Besetting Sin in Your Life?

Pete (not his real name) wept as he described his Christian experience. Guilt was so much a part of his life, he was considering throwing it all away.  In the decade since he had accepted Christ, he had lived a roller coaster life;  times of joy, followed by defeat; weeks when he managed to restrain old habits, followed by falls into them.  Guilt had turned into fear and doubt. He wondered if God cared, if he could ever change.  Yes, but not by determination alone. He was trying to do for himself what only the Spirit of the Lord can do for anyone of us.

What’s sin do you come up against repeatedly?  What derails you, leaves you feeling defeated, breaks you down? 

For some, it’s stuff. They just want more and often spend themselves into a deep hole, again and again. 
For others, it’s sex. They never are fulfilled, are enslaved by fantasies, or pornography, or even promiscuity. 
For some, it’s work. They either love it or hate it.  The lazy man avoids it.  Others are consumed by work, slaves to performance. 

Some are tripped up by appearance, others by reputation, still others by religion.  Some can’t get over the past, some are so in love with the future they fail to see today. Still others are prideful and insecure.

Those things that keep coming back to defeat you are ‘besetting sins.’  The Bible says, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. " (Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV)  So, how do we find freedom? There are three critical choices that the Spirit asks of those who would live freely. 

The first is to “lay aside the sin.”  Yes, literally, stop carrying it around.  Entrenched thought patterns, deeply engrained habits, give those sins their strength in your life. It’s amazing how we arrange our lives to accommodate our sins.  We make excuses for them. We give them new names so they don’t seem so bad.  Stop! Confess it for what it is. Look at it without the filters. And, God, the Holy Spirit, will give you strength to throw it away, if you are willing to stop dealing with symptoms and treat the disease.  Pray for insight into why you choose to spend too much, wallow in porn, pretend, or play too many games.  It may be that you need a spiritual director who helps you to get under the surface, to the real issues that feed your habitual sins. Often sin finds its power of us when we ignore a legitimate need or when we attempt to satisfy our hunger with a shortcut.

Second, we ‘run with patience.’  Spiritual disciplines are daily acts, not Sunday morning choices.  Scripture intake, prayer and meditation, practicing service, generosity, thankfulness, dying to Self – will produce a life that is rich in character, deep in Spirit, and steady in faith.  But, just as physical fitness demands ongoing exercise, spiritual health requires constant enduring practice of those things that open our minds to God’s work. A holy life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. 

Third, we ‘look to Jesus.’  The Christian life is much more than self-help and/or positive thinking. It is discipleship. We are followers who desire to know and emulate Him.  This is not an easy question and you may not even understand it at first.  Are you really seeking to follow Jesus, or are you just looking for the benefits of being a Christian?  Do you love Him or just the things He can provide for you?

Pete re-focused on Jesus. He worked on his thought processes. He began to practice spiritual disciplines. He discovered new stability, real peace, and consistent victory over ‘besetting sin.’ You can, too!

Here’s a word from the Word. "Don’t tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They’re a lot of hot air, that’s all they are. They’re completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us. So, then, if with Christ you’ve put all that pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and ascetic. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important. So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides." (Colossians 2:18-3:1, The Message)

What Keeps You on the Level?

What keeps you on the level?

Few Christian leaders enjoy the level of admiration that is given to Billy Graham, the evangelist who will be 95 years of age this November. Honestly, Graham is not the best preacher in the world. But, he’s been faithful to his call and honored the Lord. And God entrusted him with world-wide fame and the opportunities to preach the Gospel to more people than any other person in history! I always admire the person who lives with integrity, doing the right things over the long haul, through the up’s and down’s that come to us all.  Couples that still love each other after 50 years of marriage are worthy of celebration. People who stay with their church for a lifetime, giving, serving, loving through changes they like and those they hate, are some of my heroes. The ‘faithfuls,’ as I call them, share something in common: deep character, a quality of spirit, at the core of their being.

·         The keel of a ship is the main structural member and backbone. It runs along the center of the bottom of the hull from stem to stern. A ship’s stability in the water depends on the right design and construction of its keel. Never seen, it critically important. 

·         A house rests on foundation. The builder digs down deep, puts in a footer, builds a solid foundation before creating anything of the structure that we see.  Buried in the dirt, the foundation determines if a house remains intact over the years.

·         A wheel needs a hub from which the spokes radiate. A weak hub will cause failure of the wheel.

Have you built a solid core in your life, like a ship’s keel, a house’s foundation, the hub of a wheel? Are your hopes, dreams, and plans resting on that which will not give way under stress and pressure? It’s a question of unequaled importance. Your eternal destiny depends on your foundation as well as your present joy!  The Bible says, “You are God’s building. Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.” (1 Corinthains 3:9-15, NLT)

Jesus Christ must be our foundation. What does that mean?

First, we trust completely in His grace to reconcile us to God. We do not hope to enjoy God’s favor because we do ‘good things,’ or because we are born into the ‘right family.’ We confess that we were desperately ensnared by sin, and we accept the gift offered by Christ’s death and resurrection. He must be the foundation of our relationship with the Heavenly Father. If we rest ‘on Christ the solid Rock’ we know that ‘all else is sinking sand.’  We have laid a stone in an immoveable foundation.

Second, we draw our ultimate value as a person from His approval. There are so many other ways that we look for value. A person who wins the DNA lottery and is born with a pretty face may cling to her beauty, enjoying the affirmation that comes her way through the years, but aging is inevitable. Does her life lose value when beauty fades?  Success is the American way to determine worth. We admire the rich and famous, even if we won’t admit it. Those who control fortunes, who run the show, or who gain big followings are the envy of most. But, when fame or wealth evaporates, and it often does, what then? Is a person of less intrinsic worth because his bank account is empty or his name unknown?  When we desire the will of God, more than beauty, fame, or wealth, we have laid yet another stone in that foundation.

Third, we set our sight on Heaven. The justice we desire, the harvest we long for from our efforts, the realization of God’s promise in fullness is not likely to emerge while we are waiting for Christ’s Kingdom. The Curse frustrates the work of the righteous. But, we must remain hopeful. James was inspired to write to a Church undergoing persecution. "Friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. …The Judge is standing just around the corner." (James 5:7-9, The Message)  Yes, those who see over the horizon of time into Eternity by faith, are setting yet another stone in a foundation that will not shift.

Few things are more sad than the person who runs a race only to drop out on the last lap. Let’s not fail because our foundation is flawed. Here’s the word from the Word. It comes from Jesus. May we have ears to hear. "I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  (Luke 6:47 NIV)

____________

Treasures in a Dump

The tale goes like this. “Consider the strange story of Alex and Imogene Miller of East Orange, VT. They eked out an existence on a small farm. Alex would scrounge rusty nails from burnt buildings to repair his roof. He drove a ratty VW Beetle, and when it died, he found another even more ratty, and another...the rusting carcasses littered his yard. Alex died in 1993, and Imogene died in 1996. The local church took up a collection so they could be buried in the churchyard.”  Sounds like just another failed life, right?  If you look up the story of A.K. Miller a whole different reality emerges. Miller was actually worth several million dollars.  He had gold and silver bars hidden around his property. He had stocks and bond worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.  He had assembled a collection of Stutz motorcars, which were hidden in crudely built sheds on his property.  What happened to all this treasure?  Since there were no heirs, the government sold it all and collected unpaid back taxes. Strangest part of all, Miller was known for his Bible quotes. Seems that even the treasure of the Word never found proper use in A.K. Miller’s life!

Jimmy Evans, a pastor, in a message on legacy, remarked  "When I die, I want a lot of people to show up and cry real hard!" That might sound a little self-serving, but he was explaining that his vision for life is not to build up a big pile of treasure and then live for himself. He wants to spend himself on God’s church, give his life away, so that he’s made a difference.  I like that, how about you?

Are you hiding treasures in a dump?  Are you putting the riches of your life (that’s more than money, you know) in places where they cannot accomplish any good, produce no real results, and bless no one?  Jesus says “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (Matthew 6:19-21, The Message)  We cannot miss the last part of His wise counsel.  “Where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.”  Yes, it is true. Our affections follow our treasure.

Are you loving things or people?

Are you trying to secure life with stuff or in God?

One of these days, sooner rather than later, you will either leave your treasure behind or join it for all eternity. Your mortality confronts you with a grim deadline or an anticipated arrival. What will it be?

So, here’s the word from the Word. "Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences." (Hebrews 9:27, The Message)  Make those consequences glorious. Start now to live as Jesus taught: loving God, loving people. Then, when that moment comes, you’ll close your eyes on this side and awaken to those wonderful words - "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" (Matthew 25:23, NIV)

______

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,

Sing His mercy and His grace.

In the mansions, bright and blessed,

He'll prepare for us a place.

Let us then be true and faithful,

Trusting, serving ev'ry day.

Just one glimpse of Him in glory,

Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us,

Soon His beauty we'll behold.

Soon the pearly gates will open,

We shall tread the streets of gold.

When we all get to heaven,

What a day of rejoicing that will be!

When we all see Jesus,

We'll sing and shout the victory!

Eliza Edmunds Hewitt | Emily D. Wilson

Public Domain

Read more about Miller ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kennedy_Miller

Monsters Under the Bed

Monsters under the bed

When I was a little kid, the light coming in the window caused shadows to dance on the bedroom wall.  Sometimes those shadows became 3-D in my mind, came alive, and turned into monsters that seemed very real!  Sheer terror gripped me and I would shrink into the bedcovers, covered with goosebumps, shivering. When I could not take it any longer, a little quavering voice would say, “Mom” and her shadow in the doorway would chase the monsters away.  Her hand straightened the covers, touched my face, and then she prayed for God’s Spirit to watch over us.  Peace reigned and I slept.

David, while a fugitive from the insane King Saul, lived with other outcasts in the wilds. When that life became too much for him, he went to the Philistines, Israel’s historic enemy, to seek a home.  While there, fear found him. He felt threats from every side and wondered if he had a future.  But, he made a choice that each of us can make, by faith. "My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" (Psalm 56:2-4, NIV)  

“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”  Faith, my Christian friend, is both a gift and a choice.  As we read and know the Scripture, the Holy Spirit stirs faith in us. In Romans 10, God says that ‘faith comes by hearing the Word.’  However, merely reading the promises of God does not build faith.  The entry of His Truth produces the possibility of faith, the Spirit gives the invitation to  enter into faith, but we choose to live by faith!  David had God’s Word for his future.  Samuel, the prophet, anointed him as king of Israel at the house of Jesse. Yet, fear found him and he trembled.  Then, he trusted! “I will trust,” he said, and he did.

Trust means that we align ourselves to His will, that we stand up to the fear, that we refuse to hide. This is personal for me, for I am living this lesson.  The monsters crawled out from under the bed again after my recent hospitalization. Fears found a way to slip past the guards and into my mind. They whisper about ‘what might be.’  Part of me understands that these monsters are no more real than the ones that visited my bedroom a half century ago. I know that these shadows are largely without substance, but at 2 AM, they can bring on choking terror.  Until – yes, it’s true – I call on my Heavenly Father.  “Abba, come,” I pray, “secure my soul in You, for You are my hope and healer.” 

What fear has found you, friend? Are you cowering, paralyzed by the terrors of the shadows?  Fear is the worst source of motivation in the world. When we are running away from our fears, we are blind, stumbling, aimless, confused.  The better choice is to consciously turn from the fear to the Father. Run to faith, not from fear!  

The word from the Word is this familiar passage.  May the Spirit cause it to become a means of dispelling fear. "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." (Hebrews 11:1, NLT)  "So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NLT)

Abba, come with Your Holy Presence

And silence the voices of fear that make us tremble.

Stir faith in us, true hope in You,

That makes the threats that growl from the shadows

Without affect, without power.

“I will trust in You,” for You, Lord, are my

Rock and my Salvation.

Teach me to run after You,

And in that pursuit lead me to the destiny

Planned in Your eternal purposes.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

The Gift of Beauty

Driving up the winding road this morning, where trees form an arch, lined  by a stream tumbling over the rocks, seeing the sun spilling through the clouds – and the little country church on the corner, I felt a surge of gratitude at the beauty surrounding me.  The sense of the Spirit filled me up and I received the gift of beauty. Some would dismiss that experience as just an 'emotional' high, or with explanations of chemicals released in my brain. I know it was the Spirit of the Lord. He used beauty to touch my soul, to tell me of His love, to remind me of His plans and purposes.

"Doc" Edmunds, a friend in my congregation, senses God's Spirit when he listens to a classical composition. That music forms a context of worship for him. Chuck Colson, in his book, The Good Life, wrote - "When I need inspiration, I sometimes walk on a beach near my home in Naples, Florida. I've always been moved by the majesty of the oceans. The nearby Gulf of Mexico, year-round, storm or no storm, is an absolutely beautiful sight. It is particularly striking during the summer..... I experience awe and wonder and gain perspective during my walks on the beach. ... I identify with Scottish mountaineer, W. H. Murray, who described his unspeakable joy at witnessing a great mountain peak as one on of those 'fleeting glimpses of that beauty which all men who have known it have been compelled to call the truth.'"

David, the Psalmist, wrote of the glory he saw in creation's beauty.
"For the choir director: A psalm of David.
The heavens tell of the glory of God.
The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or a word;
their voice is silent in the skies;
yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to all the world." (Psalm 19:1-4, NLT)

Beauty causes us to think of the Person who brings order from chaos, who is the Painter of the sunset, the composer of the songs of birds and whales. A person does not need to be sophisticated to appreciate beauty. A child can recognize the beauty of a rose!

Because we live in a world marred by sin, there is ugliness everywhere, too. Warfare spreads chaos and destroys the beauty of human community. Hatred tears apart people - in families, in towns and cities, religion from religion, nation against nation. Gardens quickly degenerate into weedy messes when left untended. Even art becomes an expression of chaos when God’s order is removed from it. Much art produced by post-moderns, people who see the world as a product of chance and a place without over-arching purpose, is chaotic, full of noise and fury, and harsh - because that is the place from which the artist begins his work!

Are you in need of perspective?
Has life overwhelmed you, problems become many while resources have diminished?

Take a beauty break!

Go ponder the works of God in Creation. Or, listen to some beautiful music. Or, visit a garden. Or, enjoy a work of art... and do it with a prayerful invitation to the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to embrace you, to come close and to remind you that despite the destruction and chaos that the Evil One wreaks on this world, that He is the King of Kings, the Author of Life, the One who remains the Source of Hope, Life, and Beauty.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today: "...what may be known about God is plain ... because God has made it plain .... For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20, NIV)
__________________________

Carl Boberg, a Swedish pastor, editor of a Christian newspaper, and member of the Swedish Parliament, was suddenly caught in a midday thunderstorm in 1886 while visiting a beautiful part of the coast of Sweden. The rolling thunder and flashing lightning filled him with awe. "Following the violent storm, he was inspired by the calm water, the clear brilliant sunlight, and the sweet songs of the birds. The experience prompted him to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God. He penned his experience in the poem which later became the song sung across Europe and the United States - How Great Thou Art!

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art! -