Sin – Page 12 – Growing 4 Life

When Life Feels Impossible

2 Comments / August 4, 2014 August 13, 2014

So the other night I was at a Tough Truck competition. This would not tend to be my usual choice for a Friday night. But this was different because my son had entered the contest sponsored by our local fair. Of course, I wanted to support him. It’s his third year participating and, honestly, it’s kind of a fun night.

But it can get a little monotonous watching these beat-up cars and trucks take the same track again and again. So when a very lifted truck–is there another term for this that I don’t know? “very lifted” just doesn’t sound like I know what I am talking about! Anyway— when this truck pulled up to the starting line, we were growing a little bored. I heard a few comments around me wondering how the truck would survive the course. It looked like it would topple over as it took the various jumps and turns. I had to agree.

But, lo and behold, it stayed upright. The driver was able to keep his truck under control as he quickly maneuvered his way through the course from his high perch. As he took the last hill and landed on the dirt in front of him, he gunned it towards the finish line. For some unknown reason, a giant hill of dirt sat at the end of the course this year. The driver was going so fast that he had to swerve to miss this pile. As he swerved, he finally did what all of us had been expecting all along. He tipped his truck over on its side. There he lay, helpless, as men started running towards him.

They gathered around him and started trying to push the truck back over. More and more men ran to the truck and added their strength. But the truck wasn’t budging. Which is actually a good thing for the fellow who was trying to pull it back down and stood on the other side of the truck (what exactly was he thinking?!?)

After a few moments of pushing, they finally got a tractor and hooked it up. With this machine, they were able to quickly pull the truck back over onto its four wheels. The truck driver was just fine and drove off the field. The competition continued.

As I watched this whole thing, I just had the thought come to me that all that manpower really did nothing. Now could they have, with enough men, rolled that truck over? Probably.

But, oh, how that tractor had made easy work of the whole thing.

Made me think…

Sometimes we have a personal problem. It’s a giant problem (or in most cases, a giant sin issue)–whether it be an addiction, a bad marriage, anger issues, needing to lose weight, or whatever. You fill in the blank.

And we start gathering our resources — books on the subject, websites, support groups, seminars, conferences, and counselors. We gather our family and friends for support and encouragement. And all of these things gather to push us back over to where we need to be. And sometimes it works.

The show Biggest Loser (is that even on anymore?) shows us that it can work. All that pushing does help the contestants get to healthy weights (although I think many of them end up where they started — but, hey, that’s another subject for another day).

I can’t help but think, though, that as believer we have a better way to go about it.

We have the Word of God to teach and to change us (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are told in scripture that the Holy Spirit is here to strengthen us in our inner man (Colossians 3:16). And that the Holy Spirit will help us to keep the pattern of good works that was committed to us (2 Timothy 1:13-14).

All of the extra resources are okay (if they are from a biblical viewpoint) but they are just that –extra.

I know this isn’t a popular viewpoint, but the bottom line here remains that all we need for a life lived for Jesus is God’s Word. All we need to get to the bottom of any problem is God’s Word. We need to read it, study it, know it, and obey it.

Does that seem too simple for you? It may be. But that doesn’t make it any less true.

This does not mean we will have a problem-free life. However, what it does mean is that we will have the strength, courage, and guidance necessary to face our sin issues and problems. The Bible will show us the best way to get back on all four wheels and, if we obey, we will get there. It may be slow and hard, but we will get there.

I think that is really where the rubber meets the road– what the Bible tells us to do isn’t really what we want to hear.

We don’t want to hear that we need to be selfless (in a bad marriage or unpleasant work situation) or have self-control (losing weight, addictions, anger issues). We want to blame it on someone else or something else. Funny thing is, though, that God’s Word never gives blame as an option. Instead, it always hits us right where we are in our sinful hearts.

And so we wriggle uncomfortably and turn towards other options, following after the wisdom of man instead of the wisdom of God. We push and sometimes even unwisely pull without much success.

Oh, how foolish we are.

Let’s turn our hearts back to God’s Word today. I love how Psalm 119: 9-11 puts it —

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

The Fifty Dollar Bill

2 Comments / July 28, 2014 July 28, 2014

Taking our anger out on those we love most seems to be a pretty typical pattern for many of us.

If something bad happens at work, on the team, or at church, most of us tend to keep our cool. It isn’t until we are in our own homes that we react emotionally to the painful incident or bad day and end up hurting those closest to us by lashing out in anger.

The other day, I found an old checkbook that I no longer use. I ripped up the few remaining checks and threw the whole thing in the trash. For some reason, I glanced down at the wastebasket. Was I surprised when my eyes fell on “part” of a $50 bill!

At first, my thought was no way! and I quickly reached down and pulled out the piece, not quite believing that it was actually real. Then I panicked a bit — did I actually just rip up a $50 bill?

I started searching a bit frantically for the pieces. In just a moment, I had found all three. I carefully put the pieces in order and then started taping them back together.

Will the bank accept this bill? I think so –although I’m not quite sure — never having done this particular foolish thing before.

But will it ever be the same again?

No, it will not. I can never make that bill magically into one whole piece again. It will always be taped for the remainder of its days in circulation.

What makes this even sadder is that I never intended to rip up that $50 bill. It just kind of got in my way, unknowingly hidden within the pages of an old checkbook (I still have no idea why it was there or any recollection of putting it there).

What a great picture of what so often happens with our closest relationships–

We are frustrated or upset about an issue that has nothing to do with anyone at home. Yet, as we are letting go of the angry or hurt emotions, we often end up ripping our loved ones into pieces. It isn’t our intention, it just happens.

The thing is, just like that $50 bill can never be put back together whole, so we can never truly repair the damage we do to our relationships. Oh, we can patch things up and forgive each other and move on but the damage has been done. While we can forgive, we rarely forget. How helpful it would be if we just didn’t let these things happen in the first place.

Life is so short. And most of us have been so blessed with deep, abiding relationships with our families and even some friends. Let’s make sure that no person is ever in the path of any ungodly anger or emotion we end up displaying (which is certainly sinful under any circumstances, but seems to be doubly bad when we end up hurting others in the process).

Let’s protect our relationships. They are fragile. And oh so precious. No bad day is worth causing those we love hurt and pain. Let’s not let something that won’t matter a bit in eternity erode our relationships with our spouse and children. It’s so not worth it.

So Who Knew?

4 Comments / May 5, 2014 May 5, 2014

So who knew that for the past two thousand years the church fathers were so wrong? I mean if we believe what the modern day “Christian” leaders tell us, they got more things wrong than right —

–7 Literal Day Creation (Genesis 1)

Modern Approach: They had that all wrong. God just starting the ball rolling and put it in motion. They weren’t literal days.

–Women should not be in church leadership (I Timothy 2:11-12)

Modern Approach: That was all about the culture of the time and has no bearing on today.

–We should separate from the world (I John 2:15-17; James 1:27)

Modern Approach: The exact opposite, we actually need to be like the world to win the world.

–We should be holy (I Peter 1:15-16)

Modern Approach: Holiness isn’t any big deal, it’s love that matters.

–There is a literal hell (Matthew 10:28)

Modern Approach: A loving God would never send anyone to hell.

–Church is designed to grow and encourage believers (Colossians 3:15-16)

Modern Approach: The church is a very hip, safe place to bring our unsaved friends, where they won’t feel judged or uncomfortable and may (or may not) hear the true gospel.

And the most recent— Homosexuality is a sin before God (Romans 1:24-27)

Modern Approach: We may have gotten that all wrong. After all, gay “Christians” are some of the nicest people around.

Oh, dear brothers and sisters, how we have strayed so far from the Word of God. We are relying on the tainted words of so-called leaders to shape and form our doctrine. We listen to songs and popular authors and they redefine what we think about God and His Word. It happens so slowly we don’t even realize it.

In the last fifty to one hundred years, the modern “church” (and I use quotes because I do not believe it is the true church) has turned away from almost every basic doctrine of scripture. The only thing that is left is love and the cross. And some are even turning away from the cross, encompassing anyone who believes in anything as heaven-bound.

Does anyone else find this incredibly disturbing?

But it is also refreshing. And here is why–

I was thinking about this as I read this article about the Jars of Clay band, that is supposedly a Christian group. One of the group members had a series of tweets that very clearly showed that he believes scripture is irrelevant when determining morality. You can read about it yourself, but something someone said in response to him is very worth sharing here–

“This issue will separate the true Bible believers from those who put experience or personal relationships above Scripture, and while it might result in some real challenges for those who hold to the Word, this could be just what the church of America needs today: a wake-up call to arise from our apathy and man-centered, what’s-in-it-for-me gospel, and a determination to follow Jesus regardless of cost or consequence,” Brown said.

We desperately need this wake-up call. For way too long we have straddled the fence, trying to play both sides. The time for that is over. We either believe what the Bible says or we don’t. We cannot have it both ways.

John MacArthur puts it this way in the monthly letter I receive from Grace to You–

But now, with the facade of cultural Christianity crumbling, true Christianity is starting to stand out in a way it hasn’t in our lifetime. Scripture teaches and church history confront that the Body of Christ is most potent and most effective when it simply speaks and lives the gospel without equivocation or apology. With the mask of superficial Christianity gone, I believe the best days of the spread of the true gospel are ahead of us.

The gospel advances by personal testimony to Christ, one soul at a time. When the church acts like the church; when shepherds preach Scripture and confront error with clarity and boldness; when believers are sanctified, built up, and equipped in truth; people are saved. And that’s when the culture truly changes — nothing transforms the culture like genuine conversion.

For far too long we have lived in the muddy waters of a shallow Christianity in this country. As long as you said “the prayer” you can do or be whoever you like and still consider yourself saved. But this is not what scripture teaches. And as the chasm between true Bible believers and those who follow their own man-made, people-pleasing God widens, we can and should expect that life is going to get a bit harder for us. We are no longer mainstream and we are going to need to adjust. We are quickly and consistently getting slapped with labels like “intolerant”, “prejudiced” and even “dangerous”.

Buckle your seat belt and hang on, because I am pretty sure we are in for a rough ride. But just you watch and see God work in amazing ways! I am already seeing Him work in individual lives, drawing them to Himself. He is real and alive and He is faithful!

And, in case you haven’t heard me say this before, get into God’s Word for yourself.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

If you enjoyed this post, would you consider sharing it and letting others know about Growing4Life? Thanks! :)

“This issue will separate the true Bible believers from those who put experience or personal relationships above Scripture, and while it might result in some real challenges for those who hold to the Word, this could be just what the church of America needs today: a wakeup call to arise from our apathy and man-centered, what’s-in-it-for-me gospel, and a determination to follow Jesus regardless of cost or consequence,” Brown said.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2014/05/pro-gay-jars-of-clay-singerschooled-by-christian-leaders/#D9KgrlTsxROeuJsc.99

Candy Crush Madness

2 Comments / December 15, 2013 December 15, 2013

It all started with an innocent question asked by a friend.

“Do you play Candy Crush?”

I don’t like to waste a lot of time playing iPad games, but I do enjoy a half hour in the evening to wind down and I was in need of something new and fresh. I thought I’d check into it.

At first, I sailed through the levels, enjoying the challenge of moving the little candies into rows of three. It reminded me of the original Bejeweled game, which I loved and no longer exists (to my knowledge). And so, about a week ago, Candy Crush became my game of choice.

As I moved up in levels, it became increasingly harder to pass. And if you failed so many times, a message would pop up, telling you that you would have to wait for so many minutes before playing again.

But, lo and behold, this could be avoided by paying for extra lives. Or extra treats to help beat the levels. Only $.99.

Now, I like to play games but I’ll be darned if I am paying anything to beat a level. That seems almost dumber than gambling. At least in gambling there is a slight chance to come away with more than what you put in. Apparently there are plenty of people who do pay, however. A website claims that Candy Crush makers rake in almost a million per day from people who pay to play.

So, if I wasn’t going to pay, how was I going to beat this thing? Well, at first I figured out that if I changed the date on my iPad, I could continue playing. It would fool the game into thinking that my “Life” stash was full again. Great. Now I could just play.

But, alas, I got to a very, very difficult level. I just kept playing and playing the same board, all the while telling myself how utterly ridiculous I was to waste time on this. But, finally, I passed that level and then went onto the next level. I passed that one after only a few tries.

And then I got to one that truly appeared impossible.

I kept playing and playing and the screen, offering the little treats for only $.99 became more and more appealing. Just once wouldn’t hurt, right?

Failed again.

Surely, I can get this. I continued to waste time trying to beat a level that I am still not sure it was even possible to beat without paying anything.

And then I realized something.

I had been fully sucked in. And I decided to escape while I still could. (How in the world would I explain Candy Crush charges to my husband??)

And, so I exited the game, deleted it from my iPad, and chose to move on with a more productive use of my time.

But my time spent on that game showed me one thing.

It showed me just how we get sucked in to sinful habits.

You see, at first it doesn’t cost much. There is a great deal of satisfaction and no payment–

~One cocktail or beer relaxes us and helps with our conversation skills.

~A few minutes looking or listening or thinking about something ungodly doesn’t seem to hurt a thing and gratifies something fleshly inside of us.

~A few minutes at a gaming table is all great fun.

~An evening spent playing video games is a fun evening with friends.

~Eating a pastry that is loaded with calories just melts in your mouth.

That first taste doesn’t cost us anything and the rewards are great. But, if we aren’t careful–if we aren’t self-controlled–we can get caught up in the rewards and we need more and more to yield the same feelings of satisfaction. That is what addiction is and it can happen with almost anything.

I think it is clear that there isn’t any sin in having a drink or a delicious pastry. There is no sin in spending the evening playing video games (if it is a video game that is not dishonoring to God in any way). But if we become compelled to have more and more, we will get caught in a web that becomes almost impossible to escape from.

Self-Control. A highly under-rated character trait that has almost disappeared from our world. I can tell you that it is one that I struggle with daily.

But if we don’t cultivate self-control in our lives–if we aren’t even aware of the battle– we will, at the very least, end up wasting our time on unimportant, trivial things, or, at the worst, end up destroying our family, our health, or our very lives.

And, so it is good-bye to Candy Crush for me. It is so not worth it. Glad I found out before I wasted too many of the few precious hours that make up my life. Now…to apply that same philosophy to a few other areas of my life that need some work!

Why Do We Get So Angry?

Leave a Comment / October 15, 2013 October 15, 2013

I can get really angry. Some of the things that make me angry (or at least very irritated) are–

• drivers that go below the speed limit

• being interrupted while I am trying to concentrate

• kids who argue or show disprespect

• leaving the lights on and closet doors open

• twisting the truths of scripture

• not getting my way

Now before you judge or criticize me, stop and think about yourself for a moment. I am guessing that there are a few things that probably make your blood grow a little hot, as well.

Of course, all of us do not express anger the same way. Some of us yell and scream. Others sulk or get very quiet. Still others gossip or slander. Some people (hopefully not any of my readers) express their anger inappropriately by throwing things or hitting and kicking.

But, no matter how it manifests itself, anger is a part of all of our lives.

A sermon I listened to recently clarified the sinfulness of anger. It also made it clear how much I shrug off this sin. I rationalize that everyone gets angry once in awhile. So what? What’s the big deal?

We can sometimes fool ourselves into thinking that we have righteous anger, but it doesn’t take much honest introspection to come to the conclusion that most of our anger is about our own personal agenda and has nothing to do with an offense towards the Holy God we love.

In fact, when I started to think about this particular sin in my life, I was mortified at just how important I consider my agenda, my comfort and convenience, my desires, and my stuff.

After all, why would I get so very angry when someone crosses me if they weren’t so important to me?

{And suddenly I remember what I really am—a self-absorbed, pathetic sinner in desperate need of a Savior. For if anything can remind me of the wonder of salvation and the glory of the Gospel it is coming face to face with my own sin.}

So, if I am angry because someone is keeping me from my doing what I want to do or having what I want to have, what exactly does that mean? I believe that it means that something is more important to me than God at that moment. And that means that–at least for that moment– there is an idol in my life.

For example, let’s just say that I want a clean house and so I work hard to have one. An hour later my husband walks through the house with muddy boots. If I grow angry (and I usually do), then I am putting my desire for a clean house before pleasing the Lord with my tongue.

Another example comes to mind. Let’s say I am searching for a pair of earrings and can’t find them. I eventually figure out that one of my daughters borrowed (and lost) them. If I speak angry words in frustration (which is, quite honestly, normally how I respond) than–for that moment–my stuff has become more important than pleasing the Lord.

The sad thing is that this happens to me way, way too often.

You see, most of us like to blame our anger on something or someone else. We talk about our hormones, our misbehaved kids, or our demanding parents. We blame our husbands, our pastors, or our co-workers. They made us angry.

But, if we are honest, we really cannot shift the blame for our anger on to someone (or something) else. In each instance, whether we grow slightly frustrated or absolutely furious, we still hold the responsibility for that anger.

There are better ways to solve problems than anger. In fact, I would go so far as to say, anger compounds the problem rather than solving it. Think about the last time you got angry. Can you think of it? Now think about how you responded. Got it? So my question for you is this: Did your yelling and screaming help or hinder resolution? Did your sulkiness and sullenness bring peace or strife to the situation?

So, in a nutshell, our anger not only shows us that we are selfish to the core but it also hinders our relationships. If that is the case, then what is the right way to respond? And how do we get ourselves to respond in this right way?

Honestly, I am still working on that one. I am pretty certain that it has to do with devaluing and dethroning myself while I make pleasing God my most important priority in all aspects of my life. Some things that would probably help me in this are memorizing scripture, prayer, and having a response plan in place for the inevitable frustrating moments that will come.

What I do know, without a doubt, is that our spouses are more important than our desires, our children are more important than our stuff, and that God is more important than anything else. That leads me to believe that working on this problem of anger isn’t an option, but a necessity if we are going to grow in our faith.

On Finding a Wolf

8 Comments / September 26, 2013 January 17, 2026

Over the past year I have become aware of a few wolves in the modern day church. They are surprising wolves, quite honestly, and by all accounts, play the part of a sheep quite well–almost perfectly. In one case, I was appalled to read a review of a popular book that basically redefines Christianity. The man who wrote it is a popular evangelical preacher. And I was equally appalled to attend a conference where I heard a live presentation by a very popular Christian author who so effectively weaved together true doctrine with heresy that it was almost impossible to define between the two. I am not going to go into who they are here, as my purpose for blogging is not to take a controversial stand against certain persons. However, there are a few things we need to be looking for when we choose to listen to or read the books of another person (no matter how famous). So here are a few criteria that can be used to spot a wolf–

1. Wolves use buzz words like “social justice” and “rights of the poor” on a frequent basis. The term “social justice” is never found in scripture but is found in books written by Karl Marx. In other words, it is a communist term, not a biblical one. From a biblical standpoint we are to extend mercy and help, but it’s not about “social justice”. Now, let me be clear, I am not saying that all people who use this term are wolves. It has become such a popular term that it may be used quite innocently. But when I hear this word, my ears perk up and I make sure to investigate further. Along that same line, Wolves try to make us feel guilty for any material blessings we enjoy. There is a big push for communism in this country and the church has jumped on board, adding a spiritual twist to it. Wolves give the message that if we have something that someone else doesn’t have we are materialistic and selfish. But this is not a biblical point of view. While we are called to be good stewards of our money, there is no sin in being wealthy. The sin comes in when our treasure, hope, and joy is found in our wealth. The sin comes when we use our wealth only for our own good and satisfaction, giving no thought whatsoever to the poor and needy (Matthew 6:20, Proverbs 13:22, Genesis 13:2, I Timothy 6:7-10).

2. Wolves focus on love and tolerance alone. However, tolerance has been re-defined to mean that anyone can do anything they want and it’s okay. (Of course, there is no tolerance for those who believe scripture teaches living a holy life. They categorically define that as legalism.) There is very little, if any, talk about sin and moral justice. There is almost no mention of righteous living. If you never leave church feeling convicted of sin in your life, it may just be led by a wolf. They do not preach about sin, because sin is not important to their religion. It is all about love. But I ask you–doesn’t that leave a gigantic hole in the gospel? If there is no sin, there is no gospel (Romans 6:23).

3. Experience always trumps biblical doctrine. And so wolves teach that the foundation of spiritual religion is personal experiences and feelings, rather than the Word of God. This was has reached its tentacles into even the most conservative churches. Someone once asked my husband when he was in church leadership how he can argue against someone’s experience. But I ask you– doesn’t it seem like the lion who is seeking to devour us (I Peter 5:8) and the angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14-15) could offer counterfeit experiences?

4. Wolves tell us that any confrontation is equal to judgment. They will quote Matthew 7:1 emphatically, conveniently ignoring verses like Matthew 7:16 and James 2:26. Church discipline and confronting a sinning church member are almost unheard of anymore. Wolves teach that confrontation is the opposite of love. But the Bible teaches us otherwise. Check Matthew 18:15, Galatians 6:1, and 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

5. Wolves conveniently forget about the scriptures that have to do with worldliness and holiness — or they re-define them to mean something different than they have meant for the last 2000 years. All tradition is thrown to the wind, so that they can satisfy worldly desires or grow mega-churches and gain popularity (or both). Of course, not all mega-churches are bad and don’t confuse traditions with traditional interpretation of scripture–they are two very different things. If your pastor is discarding traditional interpretations of scripture faster than you can blink, you may want to make sure that he’s not a wolf. If your pastor is using worldly entertainment such as ungodly movies and songs to promote scriptural principles or is more like a stand-up comedian than an expositor of God’s Word, you may want to run. Wolves change their churches to appeal to the world instead of making an effort to be separate from it (I John 2:15).

6. Wolves also conveniently forget that Christians are going to be hated in this world and the road to heaven is narrow (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 10:22). They proclaim the salvation of thousands because of a prayer whispered at an alter, even if no transformation or any life change has ever taken place. They tell us that we can expect the praise and honor of the world. They teach us to join with the world to solve big problems. But Jesus said in John 15:19 that the world will hate us because we are not of it.

7. Wolves encourage new age spiritualism, giving them new names that sound biblical. Contemplative prayer, breath prayers, divine mystery, centering prayer, inner light, labyrinth, and spiritual formation are all terms that find their origins in far eastern religions. This is a very serious infiltration in the church today, moving people towards one world religion. It it so important that we be well read and aware of what’s going on, so that we will not be fooled. Be very, very wary and keep your eyes open (I John 4:1, I Timothy 4:1, Jude 1:4).

8. Wolves are not very careful with their associations. They partner with known false teachers in the Christian religion and these days we even find some of them partnering with teachers of all religions. Be very careful of a teacher who has condoned, partnered with, or quotes any speaker or author who has clearly turned away from the Gospel and biblical doctrine. There are a zillion examples of this and we should find this most disturbing (Romans 16:17-18).

Now, in presenting this list, I want to make it very clear that I do not believe that all pastors and teachers promoting one or two of these seven things is a wolf. Some very sincere pastors and teachers have been deceived. If you believe that your pastor or spiritual leader has been deceived, make it a matter of prayer and then talk to them about it.

But what I am saying is that you might want to investigate because they could be one. We need to stop relying on fallible men for our spiritual growth. While they can be used to help us to grow, God’s Word needs to be our compass, so that we can spot a false teacher. We need to love the Truth. We need to study the scriptures and we need to study with humility, integrity, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to mold our lives to the lessons held within its pages. We need to be careful not to manipulate the Bible to say what we want it to say.

The other thing we have to do is to be very careful not to allow the pendulum to swing the other way so that we shy away from helping the poor and loving our neighbor. The Bible clearly teaches that we are to do both. The gospel is about justice and love.

Let us be ready and willing to fight the wolves that have surreptitiously made their way in among the true church flock (John 10:11-14). Let us step outside of status quo and stand up and be a light in this very dark church age!

The Mouse and The Camper

Leave a Comment / September 16, 2013 September 16, 2013

The tell-tale droppings were found in the most horrible of places — the silverware drawer.

“Oh, no, not again!” was my first thought.

It is first important for you to understand that we live in a home surrounded by fields. It is beautiful and I wouldn’t want it any other way, but along with the fields come the mice. The bothersome rodents always seem to find a way into the camper during the winter but this was mid-summer–August, in fact. What were they doing invading my space now? After checking all of their favorite places for evidence, I–once again– pulled everything out to wash and disinfect.

I expressed my frustration to my husband, who decided to set a few traps and put out some poison. I then doused cotton pads with peppermint oil and put them everywhere (supposedly mice hate the smell of peppermint oil).

A few days later, Eric went down to the camper to check his trap. And there it was! The tiny, gray creature that had caused me so much frustration. My husband disposed of it and we figured that was the end of the mice…at least for the summer.

Boy, were we wrong!

A few days later, as Eric pulled out one of the bagged chairs for a picnic, out fell three baby mice. The mouse had built a nest right in one of our chairs. Had we not found them we would have multiplied our mice trouble times three!

The things is, we can’t figure out how or where these annoying pests are entering our camper. They can get through the smallest space, so it is imperative that we seal even the most minuscule place of entry.

When we got this camper last year, my husband assured me that my mice troubles would be over as he was sure this model was sealed up tight, unlike our old one. How frustrating to realize that there is still some small way of entry.

I think we get ourselves into trouble with sin sometimes when we have that philosophy. Our pride leads us to believe that we are locked up tight against sin and we let our guards down.

When we see the tell-tale signs of a short temper or apathy or prayerlessness (to name a few), instead of finding the problem, we just “wash” the outside and keep going on.

But, just like the mice multiply, when we don’t find the sin and eradicate it, it just keeps growing and clean-up becomes messier and harder with each season.

We have to figure out what’s going on. What is causing the symptoms that are showing up in our lives?

Is it–

Greed? A lack of discernment? Anger? Pride? Disobedience? A rebellious heart? Fear? Doubt? Messed up priorities?

You see, until we can figure out the true reason of what’s going on in our lives and confess it and start working on it with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to put out the numerous fires that are started because of it. We will continue to use our human efforts to wipe up the messes we leave behind but never solve the problem that caused the messes in the first place.

And just like we “accidentally” found those baby mice, if we pray with a heart that truly longs to know, then God will show us sin in areas we never even dreamed there was any.

Some of us leave many openings for sin to invade our souls. We have ungodly friends, we pour wretched, sin-filled entertainment into our minds, and we go to places and participate in activities that are full of worldly temptation.

Others of us work really hard to keep ourselves locked up as tight as possible from the sin that can destroy. And we do so by keeping ourselves in God’s Word. We pray. We discern. But we can never rest. Sin is like that mouse–there is almost always a way in. We can never let our guards down.

On our camping trip this past weekend, our camper was mouse-free. We are thankful, but we will not rest. We will continue to give our efforts to keeping our living space free of rodents and other creatures.

We need to give as much (or more) effort to keeping our lives sin-free.

Taking advantage of grace

2 Comments / August 19, 2013 August 19, 2013

It was a beautiful day to be at the art show. My eyes took in the creativity around me. There were simple folk-art items and detailed oil paintings. There were homemade handbags and clever metal sculptures. But it was the exquisitely crafted jewelry that caught my eye and drew me into the booths. I am always looking for the “perfect” pair of earrings. I never find them, but I keep looking. It was at just one such booth that I found myself having a pleasant conversation with the artist and her husband. Her work was beautiful but very expensive. I browsed with no intent to buy. I complimented her on her talent. The conversation went something like this–

Me: “Your work is beautiful.”

Artist: “Thank you!”

Man (with friendly smile): “You are welcome to try on any piece.”

Me (laughing): “Oh, my. Thank you but my husband would kill me if I spent that much on a piece of jewelry!” (I was slightly exaggerating with this statement).

Man (half-joking): “Well, you do know it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”

Me (still laughing but very serious): “Not if you want a happy marriage.”

After a bit more banter, I walked away. But I couldn’t help thinking more on his joke about how to get my own way.

I could have bought a piece of that lovely jewelry. My husband, while he would have been a bit upset with me, would have quickly gotten over it. It would not have destroyed our marriage and probably would not have even destroyed our day. But I love him more than that. I want his permission and his blessing and I seek both before spending a large amount of money. He does the same with me. We do this because we love each other.

As I mulled this conversation over in my mind a few hours later, a light bulb came on in my head.

We do this with God all the time.

We want our own way. And, yet, we know in scripture that what we want is forbidden. We know God has either expressly forbidden the exact action or that He hates the sin that is associated with the particular activity we would like to participate in. But we go ahead and do it, anyway.

Because it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

We can get our own way, be forgiven, and we honestly believe that all is well.

But is it?

If I would have bought that necklace against my husband’s wishes, it would have symbolized that something is not quite right in our relationship. It would have been a sign that I consider my wants and desires more important than his. And I would have been taking advantage of the grace and forgiveness I knew that he would have extended under the circumstances.

This same principle can be applied to our relationship with Christ. When we involve ourselves in sin of any kind on purpose, we are telling Christ that we don’t care about his desires. We are saying that our desires are number one. And we are taking advantage of his grace and forgiveness.

But let’s not forget: True love does not take advantage.

You know, according to the modern church, many things fall under the “gray” area in the Christian life today. Movies, music, dancing, gambling, personal debt, and drinking are some of the many things that fall under the wide, expansive “gray” area that is “permissible for some Christians but not for others.”

But is there actually this big “gray” area or is there simply a church taking advantage of God’s grace? A bunch of people who say they love Christ with their mouths but it never quite reaches their hearts?

I am reminded of something I read the other day–

“It is amazing how clear lifestyle issues–often called gray areas by many believers–become when examined against the commitment to be thoroughly Christ-centered.” (Jim Berg)

Love and commitment truly do bring clarity to these areas of our lives. We either show our love for our Savior with our choices or we don’t. There isn’t much in between.

And if we all are honest with ourselves, we know whether or not the TV show we watched last night or the music that we listened to on the way to work or the book we finished last night was pleasing to God. We know if the words we spoke to our spouse before they left this morning or the way we handled the accidentally spilled juice last night was pleasing to Him. We know if what we ate, drank, and played yesterday was glorifying to God or it wasn’t.

Oh, we will never be sinless and we will constantly be confessing and asking for forgiveness. And God’s marvelous grace is available for those moments. But as we grow in Christ, our desire to willingly do something that we know will not please Him should grow weaker and weaker. Our desire for sin will diminish as our love for Him grows.

Our choices are the evidence of just how close our relationship is with the Savior. But most Christians today are not interested in hearing this. Instead, we want to do our own thing and be forgiven for it. We want to take advantage of grace. When you really stop to think about it, that is a pretty tragic thought.

Yes, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask permission but that is not love.

Wednesday Wisdom: Are You Weary of Being Outraged?

1 Comment / July 24, 2013 July 24, 2013

This is from the newsletter of Jan Markell at OliveTree Views.org. I do believe that we Christians often forget that we know the ending of the story. I found this encouraging and hope that you do, too–

If you’re like me, you’re fed up. You’re disgusted that evil always seems to win! You wonder why God allows serial liars in government and elsewhere to keep prospering and even to win re-election in many places. Just being aware of the fact that we’re in an Isaiah 5:20 world isn’t enough: that we’re likely in the midst of evil being called good.

We have unspeakable atrocities going on at the highest levels. People are being silenced on Benghazi and the perpetrators are still running free. America funds one of the most evil outfits on earth: the Muslim Brotherhood. All Americans are being spied on! What I’m typing here in real time is likely being recorded somewhere. You and I are being watched and listened to as if we were criminals. Truth is, we are being watched by criminals — the ones who are murdering the Constitution. And soon we’re going to have to trust the most corrupt institution there is – the IRS – to administer our healthcare.

And even if we rioted in the streets, or started a third, fourth, or fifth political party, we wouldn’t see much of a change for the good. Government is supposed to serve us yet it is clearly operating the other way around and to many, government has now become a god. Just quoting the familiar verse from Proverbs 29:2, “When the wicked rule, the people mourn,” is not a comfort. We want to throw the wicked bums out and cannot.

Most of us are weary of being outraged. We’re outraged at media obsession or, the other side of the coin, media neglect. We’re outraged that those in power never let a good crisis go to waste so they stoke the flames, lie even more, and promote an evil agenda.

And it isn’t enough to suggest that because we’re in the last of the last days that we have to sit and watch as tornadoes, floods, fires, droughts, and more, rip apart the lives of good people who just happened to be in their path. It’s too heartbreaking. On many days, we cannot echo the words of Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” because if God is all powerful, He would put a stop to the mayhem and wipe out the corrupt. (That happens, but later!)

Set aside the world for a minute and let’s consider the church. We’re outraged that people love false teachers and that they cannot see that they are false! We’re driven nuts by the death of discernment. We watch a lot of Christians today beat up on one another probably for their own personal gain. We’re sick of the religious Left deluding Christians to take their focus off of the gospel and onto global warming, immigration, and social justice. And we’re even more outraged when these Christian Leftists parade around as evangelicals, but then we’re saddened that the word evangelical has become so trashed.

My favorite political commentator, Erick Erickson, says, “I think the world is going to hell. But I believe in God the Father and in His son, Jesus Christ, and the Second Coming, and a judgment, and a final victory over death and sin and evil, and a life everlasting where I will walk one day beside my very real Creator. The rest? It’s rather small potatoes in the eternal scheme of things. God is permanent and politics and political coalitions are not.”

Erickson continues, “I get why so many on the secular left, who don’t believe in a Heaven or a Hell, get so upset about certain things and want to politicize everything. To them, this life is all there is and every advantage, in politics and culture, is fair game.”

He concludes, “The grand story is that there is good news available. God didn’t ignore the evil that the Fall produced by sin. He spoke by the entrance of His Son, Jesus, into the world (Hebrews 1:2). When Jesus cried those anguished three words on the cross, ‘It is finished,‘ it signaled the beginning of the end. The power of sin and death, which so strangles the human soul, which ravages the planet, which obscures the glory and grandeur of our great God — this has been defeated, and like a helium balloon, is dying a slow death.

“Evil, my friends, is not winning. The story of the Bible is that there is hope in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Perfect One, the Son of God.”

Thanks, Erick, for putting things into a proper perspective!

Yes, war is coming to the Middle East, the dollar will continue to melt, the economy will not recover, people will continue to let you down and betray you, selfishness will always be out of control, and everyone you know will tell big and little lies to cover up their basically rotten human nature. The very person you just put a trainload of trust in will make a whopper of a mistake and get away with it. The love of money will get even more out of control and mankind will continue to thump his chest and declare that he is the best at you-fill-in-the-blank.

Nothing in this world works very well. That’s by design.

That is why Paul exhorts us to forget the things behind us and to look forward to what lies ahead. He pressed on to win the goal of a Heavenly prize leaving behind all the earthly, broken systems. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Fear is a choice. Frustration is a choice. Trust is a choice. “Do not fear” is in the Bible 365 times.Is there a message there? It is an act of faith to look at this world and not fear. Not be anxious. Not be angry. Not be frustrated. Focusing on eternal things neutralizes the attitude and the angry juices in your gut telling you that you can’t stomach one more dilemma.

So, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Am I a Frog?

Leave a Comment / July 22, 2013 July 24, 2013

We have all heard of the proverbial frog boiling in the pot. You put a frog in cool water in a pot on the stove and turn on the heat. Instead of jumping out as the water grows hotter, it will lay there, seemingly unsuspecting, as the water grows hotter and hotter, not knowing that it is going to die a slow and tortuous death. Now I have never tried this. Has anyone? But if it is true, then I can’t help but thinking that perhaps many of us Christians are just like that frog–sitting in water that’s now starting to boil and not jumping for our lives. Why do I think that, you may ask?

Here are a few reasons–

–I heard a statistic yesterday that 91% of Christians no longer believe in absolute truth.

–I read recently of a Christian organization that received angry mail from Christians for their biblical stand against homosexuality.

–Thousand upon thousands of Christians attend churches where social justice (a term that comes directly from Karl Marx, by the way, and has no biblical basis) has taken top priority and doctrine has become irrelevant.

–Many believers are judged as judgemental (don’t you just love the irony??) by Christians if they stand up for what the Bible teaches.

Not convinced yet? Let me give a few more reasons–

–Entertainment in the this country is filled with everything God hates, and yet Christians, by the hundreds of thousands, waste their God-given time and money, filling their minds with sexual sin, crude and profane language, witchcraft, and dreadful violence, and see absolutely nothing wrong with it.

–It has become acceptable for Christians to hang out at bars and casinos.

—Christians debate over the age of the world and its creation, as if somehow science trumps God’s Word.

Now, I do admit I am using the term Christian rather loosely. Of course, many of those who call themselves Christians are that in name only and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But it is amazing how the culture has shifted even in my lifetime. We shouldn’t be surprised, though.

The pot was put on the stove a very long time ago. Take a quick walk through history with me. In the 30s and 40s we can see Hollywood’s push for worldly living to see that all was not well in this country. If we read anything by A.W. Tozer (who was born in 1897 and died in 1963), we can see that the church has been sick and on a downward spiral for a very long time. Everyone wants to talk about how perfect the 50s were but if you do any studying you will see that that decade was simply the beginning of the huge rebellion that would take place in the 60s, the era when the bubbles really started to form on the surface of the water. Of course, in the 70s and 80s, we grew to love ourselves and our entertainment more than we loved God. We were taught there are no absolutes and that God is irrelevant in our day to day lives, at best. And here we are, in 2013, in a culture that is drastically different than most of us remember from days gone by.

So what now?

Well, first, may I encourage you to jump out of any specific pot that is effectively killing your relationship with Christ. It may be a church that is subtly leaving the truth. It may be your TV, where the offerings grow worse and worse each year, hardening your heart. Or it may be your group of friends, who are not encouraging you in your walk with the Lord, but instead draw you into worldly living. It could be your computer, where you spend hours wrapped up in Facebook or the news or the happenings of the celebrities. Or maybe it’s the books you read or the music you listen to that is slowly chipping away at your faith. It could even be the college you attend, where God is attacked on a regular basis and you know that you are not strong enough to stand for your faith and are starting to falter.

Just jump out of that pot TODAY! Don’t be like the frog, sitting there in ignorant naivete of his circumstances.

And, second, may I encourage all of us (including myself) to live with our armor on securely and our eyes wide open, always looking to discern between truth and error. We cannot afford to sit comfortably letting life happen to us, but instead need to be proactively learning scripture, using our hands and feet to do things that are pleasing to the Lord, and turning away from sin.

If not, we will become like that frog, slowly but surely dying a tortuous death in a pot instead of living victoriously for Jesus Christ!

This has been shared at the Encourage One Another Link-Up #96.