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Hope for Overcoming Sin

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Fed up, tired, ashamed, hopeless — these are just a few of the emotions I experience when I’m dealing with this one nagging sin that I can’t seem to kick to the curb. We all have one, right? One sin (maybe more than one if we’re honest) that we just can’t seem to get a handle on. A sin that rears its ugly head every time we think things are going well. A sin that reminds us how weak and inadequate we are. 

For me, one of these sins is gluttony. My particular “lust of the flesh” comes in the form of my desire to over indulge my taste buds — to completely refuse to exercise any self-control and eat until my belly hurts and my head is hanging in regret. Food: it’s the addiction I don’t know how to quit.

Now, before you start to think this post is about my sinful relationship with calories, let me make it clear that it is not. This post is about our struggle with sin and the hope that we have to overcome it. And let me give you a little hint in how we overcome it: the hope is not found in ourselves, it’s found in Jesus.

We are Death-bound Sinners

Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We also know that we can’t keep God’s law, because “whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). On our own, we are down-right, good-for-nothing sinners. It’s been part of our human-nature ever since Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit. We can’t help it. Apart from Jesus, we are each a slave to our sins (John 8:34).

And because we are sinners we deserve punishment. Not just a small punishment either. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a). According to BlueLetterBible.org, the original Greek word for death can be defined as “death comprising all the miseries arising from sin, as well physical death as the loss of a life consecrated to God and blessed in him on earth, to be followed by wretchedness in hell.” In other words, death is eternal, everlasting separation from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Good, Good News

But that isn’t the end of the story. Did you notice the ellipses, the three little periods at the end of the verse I just quoted? The entire verse says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, emphasis added). Yes, we filthy sinners deserve death, but God offers us eternal life through — and only through — His son Jesus.

But God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8

Here is the good, good news: even though each and every one of us deserve hell we don’t have to end up there. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from sin, but God has provided us with the free gift of salvation — His son living a perfect life, dying our death, and rising again to justify us. All because He chooses to love us.

But We Still Sin

But we still sin, don’t we? Yes, we are forgiven and justified, but we still sin! Struggling with sin is nothing new. Paul wrote about it extensively in Romans 7. He says “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do” (v 15). In other words, Paul is saying no matter how hard he wants to stop sinning he can’t. Even though he knows the law of God, he can not keep it. And because he can not keep it, he sins time and time again.

Oh, I can relate! Can’t you?

Hope in His Faithfulness

But there is hope!  If you take the time to read Romans 7 you might notice that Paul continually uses the pronoun I.  The focus of that chapter is himself and his ability (or inability) to keep the law. It is through this focus on self that Paul teaches us that when we rely on our ability to overcome sin we will fail every single time. 

Every. Single. Time.

Instead we need to focus, rely, and trust in Jesus. 

After Paul confesses that he can not keep from sinning he writes:

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3-5)

Paul is making it clear that we have a choice to make. We can either 1) focus on ourselves and our sin (setting our minds on things of the flesh) or 2) focus on Jesus and all that He has done on our behalf (setting our minds on things of the Spirit). 

Let me explain it another way. I’m a food glutton and when I think about all the food I should not be eating, guess what? My craving for those earthly things increases. When I repeatedly rely on my own ability to exercise self-control and deny my cravings, my cravings grow stronger and my self-control buckles under the weight of my desire. This is me setting my mind on things of the flesh.

However, if I choose to set my mind on things of the Spirit it’s a different story. When I focus on Jesus I find strength and satisfaction in Him, not in food. My desire to be a glutton diminishes and my desire to be like Christ flourishes.  

There is one verse that I am constantly repeating to myself. It reminds me that the struggle with sin will not last forever. The verse is 1 John 1:9. It says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

What a promise!

Yes, we will sin, but if we confess our sin we can rest and take hope in the promise that Jesus will forgive and cleanse us completely.

Lord in Heaven, you are more good than I can fathom. Your promises are more hope giving than anything I can find on this earth. Thank you for not expecting me to take care of my own sin. Thank you for meeting me in my struggle, forgiving me, and promising to make me clean. Help me to rest and trust in all that you have done and continue to do. Amen.

Our Refuge and Redeemer (Psalm 34:19-22)

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As we come to the final verses of Psalm 34, our eyes turn toward eternity…

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34:19-22

Our Refuge and Redeemer: a study on Psalm 34:19-22

God Delivers Us From Affliction

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19)

Friends, if someone tells you that your challenges are a punishment, and that if you were more holy you would not suffer, remember this passage. The righteous do indeed have afflictions. Saying that life’s challenges are a result of not enough prayer or godliness is bad theology.

We can take heart, because verse 19 also reminds us that God delivers the righteous from ALL his afflictions. We know that deliverance from some of our troubles may not be seen this side of heaven, but we can be confident that God will fully deliver us from all suffering in eternity!

God Preserves Us

He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
(Psalm 34:20)

Scholars differ on the intent of this verse. Most agree that the literal and literary implications are that in context it refers to all righteous men, not THE righteous man, Jesus Christ. Writing on this verse, Augustine said, “Bones are the firm supports of the faithful. For as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives firmness. The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of the inner man: this is that which cannot be broken.”

In Christ, no matter how broken we may feel, God preserves us, and makes us whole. Our faith helps us to patiently endure the trials of life. 

John, in chapter 19 of his gospel, does detail the fact that Jesus’ bones were not broken after He was crucified. It is noteworthy that the bones of the sacrificial lamb at Passover were commanded to not be broken (Exodus 12:36, Numbers 9:12), a fact that would not have been unnoticed by Jewish Believers.

Unforgiven Sin Exacts the Ultimate Price

Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
(Psalm 34:21)

In the end, the wicked will be ruined by the evil they do. Sin exacts an eternal price!

“…and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23b)

Make no mistake: there is always hope for redemption, even for those who have done great evil. All have the freedom to choose redemption through Jesus Christ! But those who persist for all their earthly days to sin against God and persecute His people will ultimately pay in eternity.

God is Our Refuge and Our Redeemer

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
(Psalm 34:22)

You and I are sinners too, but as willing servants of the most high God, we have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood! Jesus is our refuge – we tuck ourselves into His arms (we abide!) and are safe.

If you were to stand trial today before a heavenly jury for your wrongdoings, you would be convicted: GUILTY! But in a trial, after a verdict is found, a sentence must be handed down by the judge. And dearest child of God, even though you are guilty of sin, you are NOT condemned, because Jesus is your refuge!

Bless the Lord at All Times

Last week, after 101 years of faithfulness, a precious son of God we know slipped away to Jesus for eternity. He experienced many afflictions in his life, and certainly in his later years, as his body deteriorated, many of them were physical. Yet this dear brother has now been completely delivered from every affliction, physical and otherwise. In his earthly life he praised God continually. Now, face to face, he praises Him for eternity.

Friend, trouble is certain in this earthly life, but God protects us, and redeems all our suffering. Indeed we can say, from the moment words first form in our mouths, to the evening of our lives when like the setting sun we fade, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1)

FOR STUDY AND REFLECTION

  1. Make a list of all the things Psalm 34:19-22 says God will do. What do these actions show about His character?
  2. Share with someone about a time God delivered you from an affliction.
  3. What do you think of Augustine’s analogy of faith being like the soul’s bones?
  4. Numbers 32:23b says “…and be sure your sin will find you out.” What do you think this means? Have you observed this?
  5. What does it mean to you to “take refuge” in God”? You may find doing a word study gives you insight.
Trouble is certain in this earthly life, but God is our refuge. #Psalm34TasteAndSee

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Our Sins, God’s Grace – Series Wrap Up

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Our Sins, God's Grace... read more about sins Believers can struggle with and the grace of God at DoNotDepart.com
This whole month here at DND we’ve looked at sin and we hope you aren’t walking away feeling down.

We focused on some disheartening things like:

  • Anger.  Do you give vent to your anger? I did. But God convicted me and revealed a solution: Him! He forgives, helps, and strengthens us to do better.
  • Adultery.  Kelli shares her story with us about how it feels to be “that” Christian– the one who’s been divorced and remarried. She reminds us that when Jesus forgives, our sin is forgiven completely.
  • Worry.  How can we silence it? Lisa gave us 3 words to help quiet our worry and reminds us of the benefits of intentional prayer.
  • Unbelief.  Caroline showed us how unbelief comes from lack of faith and trust. But when we reconnect with God, He graciously fill us with wholeness that strengthens our faith.
  • Pride.  Patti reminded us that pride puffs us up like inflatable beach toys… filled with nothing. But God’s grace pricks our balloon hearts.

We hope that you walk away marveling at the sweet grace of God that convicts us, leads us to repentance, and covers that sin completely.

We started the series off with a verse from Proverbs. Let’s finish with it, too. Read it slowly and let it sink in deep. Let it remind you of how blessed you are because of Christ’s gift of blood that washes away all your sin.

 “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

Rest in His grace, friends. …His grace to convict, help us avoid sin, His Word that arms us to fight, and the precious Sacrifice of His Son. All grace…

#OurSinsGod’sGrace… series re-cap at DoNotDepart. Anger, Adultery, Worry, Unbelief, and Pride.

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Giving Vent to Anger? Don’t be a Fool!

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“A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.” Proverbs 29:11

When I was a little girl, my parents would jokingly say that my temper was due to my red hair.

Now that I’m an adult, people are usually surprised to find that I occasionally have a temper. Friends often say that they can’t imagine me being angry.

Little do they know the journey I’ve trekked to get from the fiery little girl to the (usually) calm woman.

It wasn’t until I was married with children that I really started to realize that even infrequent angry outbursts could cause big problems.

Giving Vent to Anger? Don't be a Fool! Read more about the sin of anger and the sweet remedy of God's grace at DoNotDepart.com
Here’s an embarrassing confession: I remember a day when my husband and I were newlyweds and we got into an argument. I became so angry that I backhanded my full glass of grape juice and knocked it flying off the coffee table. It sent the spray of dark sweetness splashing across the spines of our brand new encyclopedia set. One that we could little afford at the time, I might add.

I can’t even remember what that argument was about, but I still have the stains on the book spines to remember my fully vented anger. Not proud.

I wish I could say that was my only angry outburst over the years. Sadly, I can’t. But what I can say is that particular situation was a stepping stone to understanding just how detrimental anger could be. God used that ugly moment to confront my sin.

Yes, angry outbursts are sin. (Actually, any anger other than anger directed at wickedness is a sin.) And we Believers aren’t immune. Do I still get angry at times? Sure. But I’m learning to take my frustrations, hurt, impatience, and other feelings to Him before they develop into full-blown anger. I’m learning to hold back.

I’ve heard testimonies of people who were instantly healed of anger when they became a Christian. I love those stories and to see God’s power displayed like that. But for me (and maybe you?), it’s been different. It’s been a gradual process… a slow metamorphosis… and I’m not quite finished yet. I still feel an adrenaline surge when I get frustrated. I still have to bite my tongue (sometimes literally) when I want to use snapping, curt words. I still have to stop and pray and breathe out. Slowly.

It was more than 20 years ago that the Lord used the grape juice incident to open my eyes to see that flares of heated anger are destructive to yourself, others, and are even your physical surroundings. And isn’t that what Satan wants? He comes to kill, steal, and destroy.

But God wants better for us.

The Lord also helped me to see that being angry like that was pure foolishness. I had witnessed the second part of Proverbs 14:1 in action. It was time to choose to find a remedy or continue plucking away at my home and all that my husband and I were working to build.

“The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1

I’m thankful that He’s taught me that He’s the remedy. God forgives me when I repent. He helps me to do better. And He even strengthens me when I feel too weak to do better. He brings scripture to mind, responds when I call out to Him, and allows His peace to flood my heart in place of indignation.

And the sweetest thing? Jesus washes away all my sins. Oh, what grace!

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Yes, my encyclopedias are still stained and serve as a physical reminder not to let my anger get the best of me. But you know what? My soul is not stained… Jesus’ blood serves as a spiritual reminder that through His work, I’m white like wool!

He does all of this for me, and He’ll do it for you… because He’s that kind of God– the kind that wants all of His children to look more like His only begotten Son. So, He picks us up when we fail, cleans us up, and helps us to know better, to do better, and He gives us a wise heart so we don’t have to be foolish any longer.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

How has God helped you deal with anger?

Giving Vent to Anger? Don’t be a Fool! #OurSinsGodsGrace

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Do you struggle with the sin of anger? God is the remedy. #OurSinsGodsGrace

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Our Sins, God’s Grace

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Our Sins, God's Grace... read more about sins Believers can struggle with and the grace of God at DoNotDepart.com
Oh, sin.

It’s a debbie-downer to the Christian life, isn’t it? We’d rather talk about grace, love, and joyful things.

Rightly so. Grace and love are what Christianity are founded upon.

But we also need to remember sin. It’s why Jesus came to us in the first place. It’s by His death and the shedding of His blood that the ugly stain of sin is washed away.

The Bible mentions sins more times that I can find a record for. If you do some searching, you may find (like I did) estimates that “sin” is mentioned from 700 to 1000 in God’s word.

But these estimates are off and here’s why:

  • In the Old Testament alone, the top two Hebrew words used for sin exist 966 times. And there are eight different Hebrew words that depict sin.
  • In the New Testament, about 12 different words for sin exist and are used many hundreds of times.

So the estimates are off because not every word that means sin is translated specifically as “sin.” Sometimes the Hebrew and Greek words used are put into English as “transgress”, “err”, “go astray”, “wicked”, and so on. That’s why is’t hard to get an accurate count.

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

But why is looking at sin so important? I mean, after all, don’t we want to focus on grace?

Indubitably! But since sin is obviously an important issue to God, we’ll be addressing it here at DoNotDepart. It’s important for children of God to be aware of what the Bible has to say about sin because when we know, we can:

  1.  avoid it
  2.  repent when we do it
  3. seek forgiveness
  4. better realize all our precious Savior has done… and how great His love for us is!

Please join us this month as we look at sin from a Biblical perspective. We’ll talk about some common sins many Believers struggle with or have encountered, the remedy for sin, the sweet grace that covers it, and the encouragement and hope the Bible offers us in regards to it.

Ali

What does the Bible tell us about sin and grace? A new series at DoNotDepart. #OurSinsGodsGrace

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The Power of God’s Word to Battle Sin (Psalm 19:12-13)

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The Powere of God's Word to Battle Sin

The struggle with sin is the oldest struggle we humans face. Indeed all of our challenges find their root in sin. As we continue our journey through Psalm 19, David turns his attention toward the sins that beset our hearts.

Hidden Faults

Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Psalm 19:12

You have probably come across an unexpected photograph of yourself somewhere, especially in this age of Facebook. You log in and suddenly a picture pops up that makes you cringe. “I look like that?” you think in surprise.

Or perhaps it is a video. The voice that comes out of your mouth on the screen does not sound anything like the voice you hear in your head when you speak. You experience a disconnect. It seems that perhaps the person you imagine you are, and the person others know, aren’t quite one and the same.

Because we live in our own heads, it can be difficult for us to fully perceive ourselves. This reality affects not only our physical perceptions, but also our mental perceptions. Many of us have faults we are not even aware of. These are the hidden faults to which David refers.

It is often through our closest relationships that our hidden faults are revealed. Perhaps you have a tendency toward impatience, or maybe a complaining tone, and didn’t realize. Even hidden faults can trip us up, and they certainly impact those we love.

As painful as it is to have those hidden faults pointed out, it is a blessing to become aware of them.

David asks God to declare him innocent from hidden faults. Isn’t encouraging to think that as He brings each hidden fault to our attention, we can acknowledge our brokenness and be washed clean?

Presumptuous Sins

Yet it is presumptuous sins that are most alarming!

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Psalm 19:13

What are presumptuous sins? Charles Spurgeon explained them thus:

“A sin that is committed willfully against manifest light and knowledge is a presumptuous sin.” – Charles Spurgeon, Sermon 135

We all sin…”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23.) When we have become aware of our sin and we continue in it knowingly, we are willfully walking away from God. David acknowledges the power such sins can have when he asks God’s help in restraining him!

Some of the most obvious sins are those that are laid out for us in scripture, often referred to as acts of the sinful nature:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. Galatians 5:19-21a

We are in a battle for our souls, and the battlefield lies within. Every single day we face choices that lead us toward God or away from God. Each of us has his or her own areas of weakness, and each of us needs to daily suit up for the battle!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18a

The reality is that we can not win this battle on our own. Like David we are compelled to plead, “let them not have dominion over me!”

We Need God’s Word as We Battle Against Sin

It is not accidental that these verses about sin follow directly after five verses about God’s word.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 19:11

More than anything else, it is through the word of God that we become aware of and our hearts become convicted of our sins.

And not only does God’s word convict, it also helps us fight our battle against sin. You may have noted that in the spiritual armor presented in Ephesians 6:10-18, the one offensive weapon is “the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

As Jesus demonstrated when Satan tempted Him in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), scripture has great power to help us resist temptation.

Ultimately it is All About Jesus

The struggle against our sins will be a lifelong battle. We would be hopeless without Jesus Christ:

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Romans 5:8-9

We won’t be free of sin this side of heaven, but instead of walking in sin, walking away from God, we can turn back to Him (the meaning of the word “repent.”) Because of Jesus’ great love, in Him we become in God’s eyes, as David prayed, “blameless, and innocent of great transgression.”

God's Beautiful World and Perfect Word {a Psalm 19 study}Read the entire series on Psalm 19

God’s Word is essential in our battle against sin. #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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Today you will face choices. Will you walk toward God or away? #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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No Condemnation – Romans 8:1

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Romans 8:1. Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

– Romans 8:1-11 (ESV)

Every day this month the Do Not Depart team will be posting a scripture graphic that you can use to spread the Word of God. Share it on social media, print it out and write someone a letter, email it to someone who needs encouragement.

You are free to share our image with Romans 8:1 above. If you have questions about how to download images, just ask in the comments (be sure to tell us what type of computer/device you are using.)

Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

WRAP UP of Purity for Today’s Christian Woman

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Does purity really matter? That’s the question we considered this month. As we said when August was just getting started, “If we’re going to talk about God’s truth, we have to talk about Purity for Today’s Christian Woman.”Wrap Up Purity for Today's Christian Woman

We hope the Bible study tools this month have challenged and helped you as they have us. Before the month slips away and we turn the page on the calendar, let’s wrap up with a look back at resources to help us apply truth to our need for living pure, holy lives.

Purity for Today’s Christian Woman WRAP UP

We hope this month helped you know what God has to say about our purity. Our team loves to share tools and resources for personal growth and for use with others in your circle of influence.

May God be glorified as we live more holy lives to reflect Him to the watching world in our homes, places of work, neighborhoods, and communities!

Check out this WRAP UP of tools & resources for Purity for Today’s Christian Woman

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Holy habits for everyday life

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We’re already practicing holiness, to one degree or another. People might say you’re “all in” when it comes to letting God’s holiness drive your habits.  Others might say you’re one of those who keeps God’s holiness and your habits in separate categories.

But what does God say? Does He leave it up to us to decide how holy we want to be, practically speaking? Or does He gives us any kind of a picture to show us how holiness looks in the everyday life of His followers?

The first part of Ephesians spells out our identity in Christ; the second illustrates how that identity matters. As we change who we were, contrast who we are, and imitate who the Father will always be, our new holiness in Jesus changes everything.

Holy habits everyday life

Holy habits due to change

Do you describe your dietary choices with words like “vegan, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, or sugar free?” A lifestyle change impacts how we spend, what we talk about, what decisions we make, and how we think. A lifestyle change is no small choice … if it’s authentic.

True followers seek “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

No one follows Christ without making a genuine change. Ephesians 4:22-32 shows us how a life of loving the Holy One requires putting off our old self and putting on the new. Old habits like lying, sinful anger, stealing, corrupt talk, and unforgiveness have to be put away. Like cleaning out Twinkies when we choose to go sugar free, past routines fall away as we take on holy habits in their place. True followers of Christ Jesus change.

Holy habits due to contrast

Sports seasons inspire fans to bring out team flags, wear jerseys, do cheers, and follow players. Devotees don’t follow every team; just their own. They may be aware of others, but they don’t buy into others. Real followers want their loyalty to be known. It’s the same for real Christ followers, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8)

Instead of continuing to let darkness reign in our practical life, new life in Christ means the light of the Lord shines into every area of our personal everyday. The fruit of the Spirit within us comes out in how we talk to customers, discipline of our children, respond to hardships, solve financial problems, react to our mate, view our computer screen, deal with family relationships, see our culture, choose reading material, conduct our sexual life, participate in our local church, and get dressed daily. God’s light where darkness once reigned shines into every crack of our lifestyles.

The contrast brought by Christ can’t help but create holy habits where darkness once reigned.

Holy habits due to imitation

Reflection reveals the authenticity of our admiration. After all, isn’t imitation the highest form of flattery? A child’s mimicry on Fathers Day shows how much they watch, idolize, and strive to follow dad … or not. God’s unchanging holiness only requires a change in those who call Him “Abba,” Father. Our imitation brings Him praise.

For the children of God, holiness in practical living is the only believable response to the Father. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,” (Ephesians 5:1-2).  Our growth in practicing holy living reveals the genuine nature of our adoption as sons of God.

Before we joined God’s family through Christ’s holy sacrifice, we were “sons of disobedience.“  When our father was the Devil, we imitated him. Once we’re adopted into God’s holy family, covered in a righteousness not our own, our Father is God, and we imitate Him through obedience. Like a child who grows older, revealing more and more of their father’s nature in the way they look, talk, walk, smile, laugh, and do life, so a child of God imitates the heavenly Father in holiness more and more.

A child of God has changed, lives in contrast to the world, and imitates the Father through holy habits in practical ways in everyday life.

Would you be willing to pray this prayer?

Father, You are my Father. I want to imitate You, like a genuine child who reflects Your nature. Would you make me alert to practical areas of my life where I need to mimic You more? Help me see where I’m acting more like the old me than the new me. Show me how to apply holiness in all of my life habits.

New beginnings start with history

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Based on reliable information, I was destined to be a real hell-raiser. But before I could grow up to write a long, empty, broken history, God spared me and drew me to Himself. Like many others who began a relationship with Jesus as a child, I don’t have many sordid tales to convince you I was on the path of destruction. Maybe you have a testimony of early salvation and you’ve struggled with how to tell a story of life change and new beginnings that seems rather dull compared to those of dramatic transformation.

Look no further than your own family history for the answer to your dull dilemma.new beginnings start with history

With the ease of accessing information, there has been a resurgence of interest in genealogy and family history. God can use this to reach people! Online sources like Ancestry.com have taken away the barriers of discovering our ancestors. Author George Orwell spoke truth when he said,  “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”  Without looking at our history, both recent and far, we fail to shape a solid case for sin. As we uncover our lineage, we trace the pathway of the footsteps we were destined to follow.

Who were you on track to become before you began a new life in Christ?

Out of a love for history and a longing to connect with family, I began a search for my history, hoping to find something noble and redeeming.  What I found was evidence left to me by generations back to the late 1500’s. Instead of a long line of saints, I found a yearbook of lost, empty, broken, lives. I needed a new beginning.

I was not only born to “look” like them, but to LIVE like them.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, emphasis mine)

I know we’re all born as sinners and destined to die because of it, but my family history proves I was born onto a trajectory that set me on a course for vices like alcohol, anger, and abuse. I had no hope of being a fine, upstanding citizen on my own. You?
When God intervened in the life of my parents and then in my life, He saved me from a future that was as sure as my history. He washed me, changed me, and declared me righteous because of what Jesus did. He is the God of new beginnings. Only Jesus can change the course of a life.

Praise God He can and does change the course of lives every day!

So, what’s in your story? Who were you destined to become?

New Beginnings Series - donotdepart.com

Bondage broken after 18 crippled years

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If you’re bent over, all you can see is the dirty ground, the earth from which we came. It would be hard to lift your eyes and look up with hope if your view excludes the faces of people, the landscape, or the horizon. Even work would be mostly out of reach, not to mention community life and relationships, without the ability to look into the eyes of another person or reach forward with purpose.crippled woman set free That’s how we meet one unnamed woman in the Gospels.

Bent over for eighteen years, the crippled woman of Luke 13:10-17 had been “kept bound” by Satan himself. Unable to even straighten up, she waited at a house of worship, a synagogue. When Jesus came to her synagogue on a Sabbath day and saw the woman’s condition, he set her on a path to change the course of her life.

Freedom from bondage

On that day, the woman long bound by Satan was unbound.

The Devil is a supplier of sickness, a developer of diseases, and an ambassador of affliction. He loved taking a woman made in the image of God and twisting her with an infirmity as a trophy of his bondage. But then Jesus saw her, called her forward, and said, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Jesus laid his hands on her and right away her gnarled spirit-bound body straightened up. Right away, she praised God, because that’s what a genuinely unbound woman does.

Staying in bondage

On that day, a religious ruler long bound by tradition stayed bound.

The Devil has planted the sickness of legalism in the hearts of the religious ruler and his friends. Though not visibly bent in body, their hearts were gnarled by their regard for rules. As quickly as the freed woman stood to her full height in praise, the synagogue ruler was overcome with indignation, blurting out rebuke to the Healer for healing on the Sabbath day. Instead of a declaration of worship, he responded by defending the same hollow tradition that was unable to free the woman during any of her bent up, eyes down, infirmity ridden eighteen years. Jesus rebuked him in return, allowing the crowd to hear His heart for setting captives free. Instead of lifting up His opponents as He had the crippled woman, “all his opponents were humiliated” (v.17b).

The Devil despises the image bearers of God, but Jesus came to “free captives”(Isaiah 42:6-7) from the bondage of the Enemy. Has the supplier of sickness, the developer of disease, the ambassador of affliction bent you down physically, spiritually, or emotionally? Do you feel like all you can see is the dirt of the road you walk? Are you finding it hard to lift up your eyes and see a hope-filled future?

Jesus sees you, calls you, and wants to free you from what the Enemy is using to bind you. What do your shackles look like? He is the true Bondage Breaker who can take a gnarled heart or twisted relationships or a downcast life and raise them up for His glory. Ask God to unbind you and help you walk in newness of life. Let yours be the next voice to praise Him, because that’s what a genuinely unbound woman does.

Has God given you freedom from bondage in your life? Leave a comment and share a praise.

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Wisdom for today … still calling

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The Bible isn’t the only book of wisdom. Around the globe, men have reached for other books claiming to be the source of wisdom, also known as “skill in godly living.” When biblical wisdom literature was recorded, scribes of parallel cultures and kingdoms also penned their words and stories. But when we talk about biblical truth, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work,” (2 Timothy 3:16).  God’s book self identifies its content as inspired by the one true God, and that makes its wisdom unique and essential.

When we refer to biblical Wisdom Literature we include five books:  Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. The righteous, the wicked, and the true God play the main parts in these books, revealing the limits of mankind’s wisdom and the necessity of fearing of God to prosper and find peace. In the times their words were written, voices opposing God’s ways called out from ancient streets peppered with a plethora of gods, but today voices call out from media screens, digital highways, steel framed cities and hand held gadgets. The tug of war for how we live hasn’t changed, but in many ways, the appearance of “righteous” and “wicked” has. Some may assume, then, the Bible doesn’t speak to life today, but Wisdom Literature’s concrete teaching matters as much now as when Job scraped his oozing sores.

Keys to unlock the 5 Wisdom books:

  • Job – This book addresses the same questions asked today:  Can we trust God? Is He good? Where do we find real comfort? The relatable character’s story takes place outside of Israel. Ultimately, we can put our faith in the sovereign God.
  • Psalms – Not all of these songs written for public worship fit in the “wisdom” category. Divided into 5 books, the Book of Psalms likely began as personal expressions of emotion, adapted for congregations. This book gives shape to our intense feelings about life in pursuit of God. Basic Old Testament themes like the fall of man, the One God, and the covenant relationship come to life here.
  • Proverbs – This collection of wisdom makes it clear that to be skillful in godly living, we must fear God and walk His way in everyday life. Practical truths show what a restored life with God looks like in our behavior, producing a joyful, useful life. Wisdom is available to all, and we discover it by comparing the wise man, the foolish man, and the simple man.
  • Ecclesiastes – This is a book for our day; Ecclesiastes explores trusting in God while living in a messed up world. Poetic devices help organize these proverbs into clusters with a plot line about the unfolding of a  quest for a good and satisfying life. This could be written in our day.
  • Song of Solomon – Intimacy stirs up emotion, and this book of love poetry is no exception. With a variety of opinions on its interpretation, some treat it as an allegory of God’s love for Israel and others as a picture of Christ’s love for the church. Authorship is not certain, but we agree that it’s a love story. There’s no doubt this poetic book demonstrates how God’s ways are the pathway to delight.

In the New Testament the Book of James and some of Jesus’ own teaching also qualify as “Biblical Wisdom Literature,” but these five Old Testament books form the collection commonly known as Wisdom Literature.

Today, as in days of old, “fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7) but wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the market she raises her voice,” (Prov. 1:20).  Wisdom asks, “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?” (Prov. 1:22). It’s hard to hear the call of wisdom in today’s world, but our children, families, and world are desperate to understand and apply skill in godly living that leads to a relationship with God and His peace.

“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:22)

What evidence do you see that people desperately need biblical wisdom?

Click here for the printable Wisdom Bookmark to accompany our study of Wisdom Literature.

No use hiding ~ A weekend riddle

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Do you remember the first time you hid your sin? Adam and Eve first tried in the garden, and we’ve been grasping for fig leaves ever since. Knowing I was born with instincts to hide, my mother chose Numbers 32:23b as the first verse I memorized, “… be sure your sin will find you out.” That truth prevented me from grabbing fig leaves out of my closet more often than I did.

Agur knew what my mom knew:   we all have a sin nature and the instinct to hide it.

In Proverbs 30:18-20 Agur presents truth for everyday life that makes sense to young and old. This man mines truth out of daily things like churning butter (v.33) and nose bleeds (v.33). A closer look out of our fig leaf coverings reveals a truth in his riddle not to be ignored.  He begins by admitting three things that are too wonderful, even “four I do not understand” (v.18).

“…the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin” (v.19).

 

Like analogies on the SAT test, these four natural things share something in common. An eagle’s flight in the sky leaves no trace. A snake moving across a rock leaves no trace. A ship sailing on the sea leaves no trace. A man’s relationship with a woman leaves no visible trace. All four conceal evidence that they ever happened.

 

Like most riddles, a clue is found (verse 20): “This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and say, ‘I have done no wrong.’” We all have a sin nature and the instinct to hide it.

 

Sin may be easy to conceal when an adulteress cleans up, conceals evidence, and nonchalantly claims innocence, but it doesn’t change the truth. The eagle has flown. The snake has slithered. The ship has sailed. The man has loved. The adulterers have offended.  We may try to hide the evidence; we may try to hide our shame, but we can be sure our sin will find us out.

Adultery has many appearances. Perhaps Agur used the eagle, snake, ship, and man, so we wouldn’t fall into the trap of seeing only a beautiful seductress dressed in veils, inviting men to her lair. His riddle leaves me asking:

  • “How do I commit adultery against God by loving other things and keeping passions ‘secret’ while claiming to be a lover of God?
  • Does my public image reflect my private heart?
  • Am I committing spiritual adultery against my Love, then wiping my hands, covering my heart, and presenting false innocence to those around me?”

Lord,

Expose any wicked ways in me. Leave a trail behind me that leads me to confession and real cleansing. Thwart attempts I make at concealing my sin, and help me to be wholly Yours.

The Overflow of the Heart

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I like to color-code when I study Scripture. Depending on what book I am studying, I pick a color scheme to make repeated topics and patterns stand out to me more vividly. A few years ago I was working my way through Proverbs, innocently highlighting, when some of the verses began to make their way off of the page and burn into my heart. {Amazing how God speaks to us when we dig into His Word!}

Page after page was brimming with that tell-tale pink highlighting.

The Proverbs have a lot to say about our speech.

The volume of our speech:

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
  but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. – Proverbs 10:19

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
   but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. – Proverbs 15:28

The results of our speech:

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. – Proverbs 12:18

A soft answer turns away wrath,
   but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

The destructiveness of gossip:

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
   they go down in the inner parts of the body. – Proverbs 18:8

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
   therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. – Proverbs 20:19

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
   so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. – Proverbs 26:21

As I read through the admonitions about our speech contained in the book of Proverbs, I hear the words of James in my heart:

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. – James 3:5b-6

Serious. Sobering. As a person who finds myself ensnared by my words more frequently than any other aspect of my life, these verses sting and cut. Sometimes I even begin to despair – nothing reveals my fallen humanity like my speech. Like the prophet of Isaiah long ago, my heart cries – “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5, NKJV)

What is a girl to do? As much as I read what the Proverbs have to say about my speech, why does my tongue trip me up time and time again?

Jesus gives a sobering answer to my question in Luke 6:45: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Proverbs, an intensely practical book, describes for us the practical outcomes of our speech. But to control our speech takes more than just knowing what we shouldn’t do. I cannot will myself to be wise and holy. Only Christ can transform me from the inside out – and only being transformed from inside out can transform my speech. If I want the overflow of my heart to be uplifting, encouraging, and healing, my heart must be transformed in His presence.

As you dig into the book of Proverbs on your own, I highly recommend that you pull out your favorite Bible highlighters or colored pencils (I prefer crayola twist-up crayons!) and mark up those pages with the repeated themes that show up time and time again. And if you’re like me, those “speech and tongue” verses will jump right off the page and smack you in the face. But, friends, they are not a call to “try harder” or “bite your tongue.” They are like a mirror to us, revealing the sin lurking in our hearts when we are tempted to be enamored by our own self-righteousness. They call to us to humble ourselves before the throne room of God, asking Him to purify us from the inside out.

Sinful speech is a symptom of sin-sickness in our hearts – a sickness only God can cure.

Useless. Irritating. Chaff. ~ Psalm 1

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Tossing chaff as seen from my window

From the window of our bedroom, I looked out across the rice fields surrounding a distant mountain. During harvest, people covered their faces and arms, threshing stalks of rice and separating sharp hulls of no use. As farmers tossed the stalks into the air, chaff filled the sky and was caught by a hot wind; it blew in from the fields and irritated our lungs and eyes. Useless. Irritating. Chaff.

 

Psalm 1 leaves us wondering about who first wrote its words. We’ve looked at observations and considered some meaning, but how did the words of the 6 verses apply to the original audience? As God breathed these words, what did He know about the early worshipers that made this song so powerful?

  • Water – Since the Psalms were first given to Israel as a national hymnal, the audience would’ve been made up of people familiar with  life in arid places. Precious water was the life blood of prosperity, and distance from it was the difference between life and death. To bear fruit, a plant has to be planted or transplanted to a place where it can live.
  • Covenant – They also knew that prosperity and perishing were part of the covenant God had made with them as a people. This was not brand new information, but it gave voice to their song of commitment. (Exodus 19:3-9)
  • Farming – Most of those listening knew first hand the labors of the field and the process of moving from planting to fruit bearing. To those in agricultural Palestine, a tree intentionally planted to flourish by a life giving  stream was a familiar contrast to the useless chaff removed during threshing, leaving behind the valuable grain as it was blown away in the wind.
  • Kings – The people of God who first sang this Psalm knew that a king has the right to approve of or prefer a man who please him. Many had suffered in captivity and knew the anguish of a disapproving king. As God’s chosen people, He has the right to receive or reject those in His kingdom.

The blessed man bears fruit, but the wicked man bears useless chaff.

“Scoffers” refused to follow the covenant given by the King to His people. At that time, that mean following the first 5 books we have, the Torah. Walking it’s truths led to either bearing fruit for others or perishing without being a benefit (Useless. Irritating. Chaff.)

God repeated the priority when His people prepared to cross into the land He promised them. He challenged Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Josh. 1:8).

The people who first sang Psalm 1 knew that to be prosperous, they must constantly consider and practice God’s holy Word.  Every harvest season, as they tossed grain into the air and watched chaff blow away, they would remember and be warned.

The blessed man bears fruit, but the wicked man bears useless chaff.

So what about the non-farmers of the 21st century? Does Psalm 1 apply to us?

Come back with me to the life-giving Word tomorrow,  and let’s make it personal.

The gateway ~ Psalm 1

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As Tara and I entered the garden, we saw abundant plant life, a magnificent sculpture, and a pathway leading beyond. It was my first time to Brookgreen Gardens, and my dear friend was eager to share it with me. Approaching the entrance, the beauty drew me in, stirring my interest to see more, but the gateway itself was only a glimpse of all that awaited.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Psalm 1 is what the ESV Study Bible calls “the gateway” to the Book of Psalms. This week we’ll spend four days lingering at the gateway to this Book, the song book of the people of God. If you want to know some background for the Psalter, I invite you to read here or to go here to note some of the landmarks that will help you journey further into the Book. If we take time to see the elements included in the first of the 150 Psalms, we prepare ourselves to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of what lies beyond the gateway.

To know this passage of 6 verses, it helps to observe the facts. Tomorrow we’ll consider more of the meaning of what we find in this first poem that was and is still meant to be sung.

This Psalm describes 2 kinds of men:  blessed men and wicked men.

Blessed men prosper.  Wicked men perish.

Blessed men do 5 actions in the first 3 verses:

  • walk not … in the counsel of the wicked
  • stand not … in the way of sinners
  • delight … in the law of the Lord (meaning the Torah, first 5 books, at the original time of writing)
  • meditate … on God’s law
  • prosper … in all he does

Wicked men do 2 actions in verse 5:

  • stand not … in the judgement
  • stand not … in the congregation of the righteous

There are 3 “but” statements:

  • Blessed men don’t linger in wickedness BUT delight in God’s word.
  • Wicked men are not like a prospering tree BUT are like chaff.
  • God approves of the righteous BUT the wicked will perish.

2 Similes are used in this poem:

  • Blessed man … like a tree that is by a stream, yields fruit, & doesn’t wither
  • Wicked man … like chaff blown away uselessly by the wind

Tomorrow we’ll reflect on what some of this means, but for today, let’s recognize that “the Lord knows the way of the righteous.”  Since there are 2 kinds of men, it’s important to know that God is fully aware of our hearts.

As I entered through the gate of the southern garden, I saw sculpture, plants, and architecture. I acknowledged the pieces, but uncovering their meaning amplified the beauty of the discovery.

Join me tomorrow as we pear further into the meaning of the facts in these 6 verses shaping the arch through which we enter the Book of Psalms. I encourage you to take time to read Psalm 1 aloud; find it here.  Better than that, would you memorize it with me over the next 4 days? It’s not a hard Psalm to commit to memory, and we already know the “pieces.”  The rest of the week, let’s look at questions like:

  • What makes the blessed man proper?
  • Why doesn’t the tree wither?
  • Why is chaff useless, and what is it, anyways?
  • What does it mean the “the Lord knows”?
  • What does it really mean to be “blessed”?
  • How in the world can you “meditate day and night”?!?!?!?
  • What does the counsel of the wicked and the seat of scoffers look like in the modern world?
  • What do you want to know about this Psalm?

I’ll see you tomorrow ….. just inside the gateway….

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