Hunting season.
Flu season.
Holiday season.
Sinning season.
Yeah, I said it. Sinning Season. And the only license you need is a dull conscience.
It’s not a year-round event. In fact, it often sneaks up on us as Christians when we begin to let things slip, and life doesn’t seems worse for it. Sometimes, whether consciously or not, we can begin to gauge our success and measure our obedience on how many bad things are NOT happening in our life.
“Didn’t have time for my devos all of last week. There are just so many other things that need my attention. It’s hard to take time off to study.”
Maybe our weakness is related to flim/tv/novels. “It doesn’t seem to affect my relationships at church, and I’m still loving my spouse unconditionally,” and we continue to fill our minds with content of the world.
Sometimes it doesn’t even start as a sin. The comment we made about our elderly parents was just meant to lighten the mood, but now, our attitude oozes disrespect and contempt toward them and our responsibilities for them.
It could be, you picked on your husband in front of your in-laws and kids last month, and weeks later, you realize that dissenting attitude has grown, and your kids are catching on.
Over time, we find ourselves overwhelmed, under-energized, grumpy, sad, and confused because we’ve been zooming along without check, living loosely, and losing sight of the standard for which we ought always strive: to be like Christ.
It’s like the automobile driver that hasn’t had a ticket in a while. He slowly begins to increase his average speed. 5 over. 8 over. 10 over. “Most cops won’t stop you unless you go over 10.” Soon, he’s regularly going 12-15 over the speed limit without even having to justify to his conscience about why it’s okay to travel that fast because he’s just keeping up with the rest of traffic.
Until he gets pulled over.
The little sins in our life stack up, and will take over if we don’t pay attention to our sin-ometer.
Make a point to check your speed before circumstances pull you over:
Do you have accountability in place to help you get back on track with devotions?
Are you honoring your parents?
Do you lift your husband up, in public and in private?
Are the things you put into your mind (music/tv/books) helping you focus on Christ, or serving as the “duck call” in a season of sin?
Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
Romans 6:12-14 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
In closing, I just want to take a moment to praise God for His forgiveness! 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We serve a great God who loves welcoming the sinners home, no matter the length of the season, and giving us a clean start! Let that be our motivation to do our best to stay on track!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Scary Christians
Let's try some word association.
If I say Obedience, you say . . . "dog training," "children," "faith"?
I say Sacrifice, you say . . . "barbaric," "suffering," "love"?
I say Discipline, you say . . . "parents," "spanking," "christian"?
That's good. Now, think about God's perspective on these words.
He doesn't mess around with fickle definitions, or feel good responses. When He gives a command, He expects obedience: immediately.
Some of the blessing He has for His children come only with obedience. When the israelites began their journey through the dessert after crossing the red sea, the Lord said,""If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer" (Exodus 15:26). And He tells us to "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).
Discipline is often used as a verb, meaning to punish, however, it can also be used as an adjective describing a person or thing. A disciplined person is one who obeys, or does what is right, because he should. Not always because he wants to, but because it is good for him. Very applicable in the areas of excercise, marriage, devotions, bible study, witnessing, going to bed on time, getting up early . . . you can fill in the blank. Discipline is key to being effective in any area, and most importantly, spiritually.
Anyone who was at Prestonwood's Connection service last night will recognize my example of sacrifice. It's really a foreign word in our--me first, want it now--society. Webster defines it this way: "destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else." For us Christians, we strive to give up what we want, so that we can put our husbands, roommate, or family first. We ought put aside some of our hobby time (reading, making music, watching TV) and use it to minister to our church, community, or a complete stranger. It involves risk, and even sometimes taking responsibility for the life or well-being of people with no connection or obligation to ourselves.
Ruth was redeemed by such a man: Boaz. Not only did he go out of his way to make sure she had food, but he also put his reputation and family name on the line to take responsibility for Ruth's land, heritage, and good name. A challenging example of sacrifice, indeed (Ruth 1-4).
Put all three of these characteristics together, and people used of God are a force to be reckoned with. The modern day Boazes not only demonstrate a life sold out for Christ, but also pose the biggest threat to Satan's kingdom, and spread the Lord's territory in everything they do. They are scary.
I read a quote yesterday that stopped me in my tracks:"Be the kind of women that when your feet hit the floor every morning, the Devil says, 'Oh Crap! She's up!' "
I leave you with this; how scary are you? Does Satan have a reason to be on your tail each day because you're dumping salt on his bland world, or can he sleep in because he knows your obedience is self-serving, discipline weak, and sacrifice tempermental?
Lord, help me to do the things you've created me for with fervent faith, dedicated obedience and the willingness to develop discipline in sacrifice. Your word says all things are possible with Christ, and I struggle on a moment by moment basis. May I seek You first and take it a step at a time. Make me an effective Christian who threatens the devil with every decision. Thank you for only giving me what I can handle, and for wanting me to succeed in the tests that come my way!
Phil. 2:13
Ephesians 2:10
Phil. 4:13
If I say Obedience, you say . . . "dog training," "children," "faith"?
I say Sacrifice, you say . . . "barbaric," "suffering," "love"?
I say Discipline, you say . . . "parents," "spanking," "christian"?
That's good. Now, think about God's perspective on these words.
He doesn't mess around with fickle definitions, or feel good responses. When He gives a command, He expects obedience: immediately.
Some of the blessing He has for His children come only with obedience. When the israelites began their journey through the dessert after crossing the red sea, the Lord said,""If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer" (Exodus 15:26). And He tells us to "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).
Discipline is often used as a verb, meaning to punish, however, it can also be used as an adjective describing a person or thing. A disciplined person is one who obeys, or does what is right, because he should. Not always because he wants to, but because it is good for him. Very applicable in the areas of excercise, marriage, devotions, bible study, witnessing, going to bed on time, getting up early . . . you can fill in the blank. Discipline is key to being effective in any area, and most importantly, spiritually.
Anyone who was at Prestonwood's Connection service last night will recognize my example of sacrifice. It's really a foreign word in our--me first, want it now--society. Webster defines it this way: "destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else." For us Christians, we strive to give up what we want, so that we can put our husbands, roommate, or family first. We ought put aside some of our hobby time (reading, making music, watching TV) and use it to minister to our church, community, or a complete stranger. It involves risk, and even sometimes taking responsibility for the life or well-being of people with no connection or obligation to ourselves.
Ruth was redeemed by such a man: Boaz. Not only did he go out of his way to make sure she had food, but he also put his reputation and family name on the line to take responsibility for Ruth's land, heritage, and good name. A challenging example of sacrifice, indeed (Ruth 1-4).
Put all three of these characteristics together, and people used of God are a force to be reckoned with. The modern day Boazes not only demonstrate a life sold out for Christ, but also pose the biggest threat to Satan's kingdom, and spread the Lord's territory in everything they do. They are scary.
I read a quote yesterday that stopped me in my tracks:"Be the kind of women that when your feet hit the floor every morning, the Devil says, 'Oh Crap! She's up!' "
I leave you with this; how scary are you? Does Satan have a reason to be on your tail each day because you're dumping salt on his bland world, or can he sleep in because he knows your obedience is self-serving, discipline weak, and sacrifice tempermental?
Lord, help me to do the things you've created me for with fervent faith, dedicated obedience and the willingness to develop discipline in sacrifice. Your word says all things are possible with Christ, and I struggle on a moment by moment basis. May I seek You first and take it a step at a time. Make me an effective Christian who threatens the devil with every decision. Thank you for only giving me what I can handle, and for wanting me to succeed in the tests that come my way!
Phil. 2:13
Ephesians 2:10
Phil. 4:13
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