Just Say No!

Sin is insidious and destructive. We always think of the “bad” sins – stealing, murder, adultery, etc., but we sometimes lose sight of the “small” sins – little white lies, lust, envy, etc. There are too many to count. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a little sin or a big one (Jam 2:10), all sin separates us from God (Isa 59:2). It also brings shame (Prov 18:3). But we can ask for forgiveness, and God will. Then the cycle continues. 

What happens to us if we continue to indulge in the sin? We become complacent and ignore the Holy Spirit’s chastening us (Prov 3:12). If we consider ourselves Christ's followers and we are not being corrected by the Holy Spirit when we sin, it is something of which to be concerned. Are we in a real relationship with Jesus as we proclaim or is it a relationship with the idea of Jesus? 

Today Pastor Groeschel taught about giving up pornography. He pulled no punches and then he provided a direct strategy to counter the temptation. He also said sin grows in the dark (John 3:19). As I listened to him, I realized we should treat whatever sin is dominating our lives similarly. We should confess the sin and seek forgiveness (Psa 32:5; 1 John 1:9), decide what we will do next time we are tempted, and seek the Lord for wisdom and strength to see and take the way out that He provides us (1 Cor 10:13). We have to remember that God is faithful to forgive our sins when we ask with a sincere heart.  

We can say “no” to sin in our lives. We who are in Christ are new creatures (2 Cor 5:16) – we are not the same people who gloried in sin before we were saved. While we still sin occasionally, we can’t stay there. And when temptation comes we can say “no” because God never leaves us with no escape. With God’s help, we can just say “no.”

If you’re interested in the message from Pastor Groeschel today, you can find it here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP1LWv2syeE. 

Be blessed!

Stop Comparing!

When was the last time you compared yourself to someone else? A co-worker? A friend? Someone on social media? What did you find? Were they ahead of you in some area of your life or not? Married? Kids? Wealthy? Fit? There are so many ways we compare ourselves to others. I know I have. And every time, it left me feeling inadequate in some way. I could do this differently or I could be better in this way. Not because I necessarily needed to be better, but because I didn’t feel as if I measured up. Their lives were so together. They were so perfect. 

The longer I’ve lived, the more I’ve learned. No one’s life is perfect. People show others what they want others to know. So those perfect pictures on Facebook or Instagram are the pictures chosen to share. They are not the full picture of the life behind the camera. No one shares the heated discussions or more unsavory parts of their life. It makes us feel better to share the good times, but not all times feel good. 

When we look at others and think their life is so much better than ours, we lose sight of our own. Our life shouldn’t look like anyone else’s, because we are not them. We need to remember we are all different and have different experiences. While we are focused on those differences, we are not making progress in our own lives. Comparing ourselves to others is a sure way to get distracted from the reason we were individually created. The Bible says our gifts will make room for us (Prov 18:16-17). If that’s true, and it is, that is where our focus should be. Utilizing our gifts for God’s glory that he blesses us and opens doors no man can shut (Rev 3:8). 

We have unique gifts and talents God will use to bless His church and to be glorified. Don’t waste time wishing life was different. Get up and walk according to God’s word so life will be different. Don’t allow others' good fortune to make you doubt God’s goodness to you. He is good (Mark 10:18) and He keeps His promises (Gen 46:27), but He fulfills them in His time, not ours. Just ask Noah and Abraham. Have faith and obey and watch God move – even in the little things (Heb 11:8-9).

What Voices are You Listening to?

All around us things happen that impact our lives. Many times, we internalize the entire situation. If I had done this or if I had done that, it wouldn’t have happened. Maybe that’s true, but since we can’t see the future and we can’t change the past, dwelling on that is futile. If we’re looking at it to determine what we should do next time we face a similar situation, great. If we’re looking at it as a way to punish ourselves for not doing better, it’s a waste of time. 

We need to learn from our mistakes so we don’t keep making them. But, if we are dwelling on our mistakes such that they paralyze us from moving forward, we are doing ourselves and all those around us a disservice. We are also denying the power of the Holy Spirit. 

We can do nothing on our own, but the bible says all things are possible with God. We either believe that or not. A caveat, God will not do anything that opposes His character. So, He’s not going to support sin. He cannot. But if our desires align with Him and His word, when we commit whatever we do to Him, He will establish our plans (Prov 16:3). 

This also means with God, my circumstances don’t define me. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than I can ask or think according to the power that works in me (Eph 3:20). If God is able to do that, His voice is the only one I should listen to. His is the one that really matters when it comes to knowing who and who’s I am. He made me so He can define me. 

This morning Pastor Craig said, “The voices that consume you will control your life.” That was so profound to me. It all starts with a thought. What voices are influencing your thoughts about who you are and what God has called you to do? Are they consistent with God’s voice or are they contrary to His word?

What does God say about His children? We are chosen. We are the head and not the tail. We are forgiven. We are set apart. We are above and not beneath. We are adopted. We have a destiny. We have redemption in Him. We’ve been purchased. We have the ability to get wealth. Through Him, we are more than conquerors. We get up. (Deut 8:18; Deut 28:13; Eph 1; 1 Cor 6:20; Rom 8:37; Prov 24:16) These are just a few of the things we should dwell on. If contrary thoughts are taking up residence in your mind, take them captive and start listening to God’s voice. His word is true and alive and sharper than any two-edged sword (Psa 18:30; Heb 4:12). 

Remember, to hear His voice say the things above and to know you are His, you have to accept Jesus as Lord. The bible says everyone who calls on the name of the LORD, will be saved (Rom 10:13). It requires us to get out of our own heads and our own way and accept that we need a savior…. that we can’t do it on our own. If we call on Him and confess our sins, the LORD is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). So what voices are YOU listening to?

Remain Teachable

Do you ever feel like you learned all there is to know about a particular subject? Do you feel like the expert? Do you think you’ve got it all figured out? I know I do sometimes and as soon as I think that, I learn something new. 

I say this to my team and almost anyone else – we never arrive. Whether it is enhancing our skills for work, finding better ways to manage our finances, communicating better with our families, or learning more about the Lord - there is always more we don't know. Life is all about the journey. Hopefully, along the way, we are learning to be more like Christ (Rom 8:29). 

How do we grow to be more like Christ? Study the Word of God and do what it says (Jam 1:22). Seek God first and let Him direct our steps (choose to follow) (Pro 3:6). We’ll never fully get there while on Earth, but it is a lofty goal (Phil 3:12-15). One we should strive for every day. Christ is our model, the one we are seeking to be like…..in all things. The thing about being more like Christ is that, it is transferrable to all aspects of our lives – our relationship with God, family, friends, co-workers, our work, etc. (Col 3:12). 

If you ever think you’ve learned all there is or you know it all, please take a step back and reflect. There is always something new to learn….a new way to do things we never thought of; a way to avoid going forward; an avenue to try, etc.  And, we can learn it from anyone – a peer, an elder, someone young, or an enemy (Pro 1:5). Lessons come from all sides, we just have to be open and teachable to receive the lesson. 

We never arrive! We have to remain teachable. If we don’t, pride will meet us. Pride goes before the fall (Pro 16:18). Pride is not our friend. He sets us up for failure, shame, and embarrassment (Pro 11:2). He makes us believe we can make it on our own. We can’t. We need help. As long as we remember we are still learning no matter how old we get (hope to live a long time), we will always be moving forward to a better place.   We will always see things as fresh and new. We won’t get stale and complacent. We’ll look for better ways. So, always remain teachable. You never know what you’ll learn or how far you’ll go.