Wanting one thing but willing another

The young man told me that he wanted to be sober, that he really loved his family, that he hated the person he became when he was drunk.  And yet, alcohol controls him. He craves it, plans his life around getting a drink, and is gradually being destroyed by his continuing addiction.  He knows that life could be different but his body’s needs overwhelms his best intentions and he believes the lie that ‘just one more drink’ is all he needs.

This is the way all temptations work. Despite knowing what is 'right,' we experience a strong desire to do something else. We know that we should be making a change, but we are tricked by the lie that to be happy we need do give ourselves permission ‘just one more time.’

Jim (not his real name) is a great guy who is deceived, with places of brokenness that go much deeper than just his alcoholism.  He cannot grasp the amazing grace of God nor is he able to take hold of the truth that God has made him a person of value and worth.  The pain of what he thinks is ‘reality’ overwhelms him and he gets drunk.

He is not unique in his struggle! We all wrestle with temptation. Paul reminds us that "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”   It may be alcohol or perfectionism. It may be pride or materialism. It may be pornography or gossip. It may be obsessions with appearance or laziness. The fact is that as long as we live in this world which is broken by sin, temptation is a fact of life!  But, we are NOT victims destined to fall. In Christ, we find a new truth that gives us hope. “All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message)

Temptation grows from a seed of desire that takes roots wherever there is an ache, an unmet need, a longing, or a lie.  Remember how Satan approached Jesus in the story of His temptation? Jesus was alone, fasting, seeking God.  Evil met Him first at the point of hunger!  "Hungry, Jesus?" Satan asks. "Then, misuse your power and make these stones into bread!"  When we leave a basic physical need unmet, we create a place for temptation to enter our lives.  As simple as it seems, Christian a first line defense is to stay whole. Get your rest. Properly feed your body.  Find friends, forgive, strengthen family ties. 

After failing to exploit Jesus’ hunger, Satan tried to introduce a lie to Him about His mission, offering a shortcut to success. "I’ll give you all the kingdoms of the world if you will fall down and worship me!" he lied.  His tactic has not changed.  Temptation often comes to us at our place of strong desire to do good!  Cutting corners, bending the rules, and replacing principle with expedience corrupts the highest calling. With the loss of integrity, the whole endeavor collapses.

Are you feeling the tension of wanting one thing and willing another? Is the whisper of temptation telling you that you could be happy or fulfilled if only you could do what you want to do?  Remember you’re not especially evil in that place. You’re not unique. You’re not alone.  Christ Jesus is your hope, your advocate.  He has defeated sin once for us all.  Christian, commit yourself to Truth and Light!  Many of temptations lose much of their luster when we take them out of the dark of our imagination and hold them up to the Light. Truth is sometimes ugly, but it will bring us freedom. What seems so good in our mind is not nearly so wonderful when we talk about it and the consequences that will follow if we go ahead and follow our impulse.

Don't wrestle with temptation alone! Bring your struggle to Jesus. All the pain, all the shame, all the guilt – He will forgive, cleanse, and restore.  The Word reminds us that He has experienced temptation, too. "Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:14-15, NLT)  Let someone who is filled with the Spirit of God, who is wise and gentle, become your partner in prayer.  Amazing power is released into our lives for good when we agree with another about the way and will of God and together invite the Spirit to bring about change. Isolation is spiritually deadly. We are called into Christ’s church, to walk with others who were once sinners, who are seeking wholeness.  Together, we find victory over the world, the sinful nature, and the Devil.

Here's a word from the Word to fill your mind today.  Revel in the wonderful promise found here. “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (Romans 7:24-25; 8:1, NLT)

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A Mighty Fortress Is Our God-  Luther, Martin

A mighty Fortress is our God,

A bulwark never failing;

Our Helper He, amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great,

And armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

And though this world,

With devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear,

For God hath willed,

His will to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,

We tremble not for him.

His rage we can endure,

For, lo, his doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours,

Through Him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also.

The body they may kill;

God's truth abideth still.

His kingdom is forever.

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing,

Were not the right Man on our side,

The Man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth, (The Head of Heaven’s Armies) His name,

From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

© Public Domain

I want the answer NOW!

Did you know that many fruits are picked green so that they can be shipped without as much spoilage? Prior to putting them on display some are artificially ripened. Bananas and tomatoes, for example, are exposed to ethylene gas to give them the yellow and red color we expect!  There is a difference in the natural process and the ‘forced’ one however. Some tomatoes are sold as ‘vipe ripened.’  And there is no comparing a supermarket tomato to one freshly taken from the vine in the backyard garden. 

Hannah Anderson borrows the practice of artificially ‘ripening’ fruit to meet consumer expectations to illustrate the way that so many of us demand almost instant maturity of understanding from the Lord. She writes that “while Jesus is concerned that His disciples grow in their understanding, He is also comfortable with them not knowing ALL things- in part because they are not ready for more knowledge yet.” (Humble Roots, Moody, 2016)

Each of us lives through times when we have BIG questions.
Why did that happen? 
How could this be good? 
Is God unfair? 

In the crisp sunshine of a New Jersey Fall, with beautiful color around me, yesterday morning I stood at Bev’s grave with tears streaming down my face. I sobbed and choked, asking God to help me to make sense of her death. “Where are You? Do you care about me at all? How can I possibly believe that You are good and loving when You allowed her so much pain and took her home leaving me so alone, so sad?”  It would make a nice story to say that the Holy Spirit showed me a great passage that answered all those questions, but it would be untrue!  I stumbled to my car to wipe away tears, my heart still broken.

What I do know is that my faith is ripening naturally, unforced.  I would like Him to accomplish His purposes quickly, but He seldom does. Time passes, events flow around us, and gradually we become more like Jesus. I can tell you, with great assurance, that things that have broken my heart in the past are now memorials where I see Him at work. But, making any sense of those moments required years to pass, perspective to develop in me and for me.

Let’s be clear about one thing. Life is not as simple as we would like to think.  Christians, especially, love to draw straight lines of ‘cause and effect,’ as if things that happen can be reduced to a single catalyst. Spiritual immaturity is revealed when we praise God when we think life is good and blame Him when things are not as we want.  Let me use Bev’s death from cancer as an illustration of the complexity of life. Only God knows, literally, what combination of environmental factors, genetic issues, and nutrition contributed to her body’s failure.  Or this - Who knows what stirred the winds of the deadly hurricane that blew across the Caribbean and up the US coast?  Did God simply decree the death of hundreds in Haiti only to spare West Palm Beach, Florida with a wave of His hand? Some think this way, and reveal an immature faith in so doing.  Who knows all the factors that create the weather as well as the sociological choices and history that make some populations so much more vulnerable than others?

It is not that God is incapable of healing cancer or directing hurricanes. He IS God! But, He has also given us (all of our lives are intertwined) choices to make. Those choices can lead us to life or death. And, we individually, bear the weight of choices made by others, too. Our freedom can be a great blessing but it also makes terrible suffering possible.

Our response, Jesus says, needs to be like that of a trusting child. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3-4, NIV)  A child is willing to learn, knowing that she must trust parents and teachers about things she cannot yet grasp. The life of a teenager is often complicated because he makes foolish choices, thinking he knows so much more about life than he actually does. Are you willing to trust the Lord like a child?  Jesus promises that when the Spirit comes, He will guide us into all truth.

With maturity comes greater capacity. Greater understanding increases both strength and productivity. However, that maturity cannot come without today’s lesson. A first grader must learn that 2 plus 2 equals 4. Mastery of the basic is the foundation for doing algebraic equations in ninth grade.  Our spiritual life is similar, though less linear. The Word reminds us of the discipline that is absolutely necessary. (Do not equate discipline with punishment.) We read “we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  (Heb 12:9-11)

Meditate on the wisdom of the Proverb. God calls us to faith. "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Message) As you trust, always remember to factor in the improbably, the impossible, the unimaginable. 

Here is a word from the Word. Let’s believe it and wait for faith to ripen!  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,(things beyond even our imagination!)  according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, KJV)

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You can be different!

Twice this past week I was called about marriages that had run into difficulty. Misunderstandings and missed expectations were the garden in which bitterness and brokenness had taken root. People once in love told me that they were ending their relationship.  When I suggested that love could be rediscovered, that with hard work, their marriage could be a place of fulfillment, I was met with disbelief, even something like scorn. To suggest that divorce is not the best choice, that working through the sadness instead of ending the marriage, is counsel that is often rejected – even by Christians – as ‘old-fashioned.’  I have been accused of being too wrapped up in religious rules when I encourage hard work on saving a marriage. Before you conclude that I simply don’t ‘get it,’ let me assure you that in spite of a long and mostly happy marriage to my late wife, there were times when both of us wondered why we had married ‘that person!’ 

Let me hasten to say that divorce is just one of those sins that we have ‘normalized.’  Greed is another. Selfishness, dressed up as self-fulfillment, has become quite acceptable, too. Laziness, in the guise of leisure, is a sin almost no one ‘sees’ anymore.  Christians must be different.

Are you one of those who wants the benefit of God's grace through Christ without becoming a disciple?  Do you resist the disciplined life that leads to transformation?   Dr. Gayle Beebe warns of losing our ability to see our way to what right because of the fog that surrounds us. “There is a cultural malaise that touches us all.  … We have become completely accustomed to the normality of dysfunction.  The constant stream of scandal, broken lives, and mayhem of every sort elicits barely a yawn from us.  We have come to expect little else … This overall life dysfunction is so pervasive  in our culture is it nearly impossible for us to  have a clear vision of spiritual progress.  Shining models of holiness are so rare today.” (Longing for God, 2009) 

All Christians want to have the hope of Heaven at the end of this life, but many try to reserve the right to live at the fringe of the will of God along the way.  Many are deceived by a diabolical life that insists that life as a Christian disciple will be a dull, joyless, and colorless; an unending slog through religious duty and constant suffering.  I recall reading the slogan on a T-shirt  - "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. - Have no fun!"  and wondering if it was meant to be funny or a statement of the wearer’s philosophy of life? Genesis tells us that Eve allowed the serpent (used by the Devil) to convince her to believe the lie that she could only know happiness if she discarded the will of God. He told her - "You will be like God, knowing good and evil."  His lie caused her to throw away her perfect relationship with her Father and Creator.  Yes, she was ‘enlightened’ and the loss of innocence introduced her to a terrible reality!

Are you convinced that there are things you must do, places you must go, in order to be happy?
Does God, the Holy Spirit, invite you to walk away, and yet you find yourself so attracted to those things that you refuse to turn away?

When we become disciples of Jesus, making the daily choice to respond to God with obedience, we find rich rewards including these things -
A disciple is blessed with …
 

• Serenity because he finds authority over sin and evil and is spared the consequences that of disobedience which is always bitter after the initial illusion of sweet satisfaction.
• Transparency because he has nothing he must hide from the scrutiny of others.
• Guidance because he hears the voice of the Spirit more clearly, and thus, lives purposefully.
• Esteem because his life lends light to the world where he walks, helping others to see their way out of confusion.
• Trust because he can be a 'friend of sinners' without becoming a participant in their ways.

In case you think I am writing from some lofty perch of perfection, think again!  I know the lure of temptation, feel the pull of sin’s seduction. And, I have fallen hard, more than a few times in my Christian life. God does desire that we live a holy life and He matches His call with amazing grace.  He entered this world and experienced every temptation you or I have known.  When we fail, we must not allow shame to cause us to run away from Him. Instead we run to Him and there, in repentance, we are both forgiven and healed!

Overcoming temptation can be a long, hard fight! But, we are not in it alone. Holiness (belonging to God and doing what He desires) is both God's work and ours! We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis in order to live a holy life. There are choices to be made - sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, sometimes provoking scorn from others - that allow the transformation to continue in us.

Christian, you can be different. Indeed, we must be different for we are God’s own people, invited to the ‘beauty of His holiness.’

Here's a word from the Word. Think deeply and prayerfully about the application to your life today.  "But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation."  (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, The Message)

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Lord I Need You

Lord I come I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

And without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

Christy Nockels | Daniel Carson | Jesse Reeves | Kristian Stanfill | Matt Maher

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