For the Weary Warrior

This year has seen my family shatter and Joy unexpectedly taken several hours away from home. It has been a year of grief, conflict, tension, brokenness, and isolation. It has worn me down. My body is tired of carrying so much tension. My brain is tired of jumping through all the legal hoops. My heart is tired of sorting through the emotional aftermath. My spirit is tired of . . . well, my spirit is just tired. The enemy has been telling me I just need to quit – to shut myself up in a room, lick my wounds, and put it all away. In other words, to give up. I’m not going to lie – it has been tempting.
But the Spirit keeps bringing one verse to mind: Paul wrote, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9). The word “weary” means be so exhausted as to lose courage. Notice it doesn’t say, “don’t admit that you’re tired.” It just says, “don’t give up. Because God is faithful.
I ran across this today in my Facebook memories and it explained so much about the past year and about what I am feeling. It was written by Francis Frangipane of In Christ’s Image Training Ministry. “There are times when we face extended spiritual conflict. We fight, endure, and finally prevail. Yet remember: our enemy is a “thief” (Jn 10:10). You may be so relieved that your main battle is over that you fail to notice your joy is gone. The obvious fight has been won but in your weariness your peace was depleted. Therefore, routinely take inventory of your soul. Wait before the Lord and listen. Make sure the thief hasn’t stolen any of the fruit the Holy Spirit has been cultivating in your heart — that your “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” are all functional and growing in you (Gal 5:22-23).” –www.icitc.org.
Paul and Francis are both right. We can’t give up. But we can rest. There is too much at stake to throw up our hands and throw away our peace and Joy and hope. I’m going to take the summer off from school and I’m going to enjoy every minute I get to spend with my girl. I going to let the Spirit of Christ nurture my spirit. I might even clean up my house. But I will not give up.
Beloved, I don’t know what battles you’ve been fighting, but maybe it’s time to rest a spell. Let the God who loves you heal and refresh you. Just don’t give up.

Tips for Getting Spiritually Healthy

Confession time. I am overweight. I have diabetes and high blood pressure. It’s the bad health trifecta of the south. I gotta deal with this because I want to be here for Joy for the long haul. Recently, my health insurance offered a monitoring and support system for diabetics, and I signed up for it. They sent me a free glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, and snazzy scale that automatically uploads the results to my cyber-file. They also offer consultants to help and encourage me. All this is great and I intend to utilize it. But they also want me to tell them what I’m eating. Um, that seems a little intrusive. I don’t want to have to admit to some of the stuff I consume. And I sure don’t want to give up my favorite snacks and treats. Sigh.
One of the most direct and practical books of the Bible is James. James (Jesus’ half-brother) was a no-nonsense kind of fellow. He did not believe His brother’s claims until His resurrection, and then he became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. His letter is filled with straightforward truth. He spoke of sin, bringing it right back to our own evil desires. He said, “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent . . .” (1:21); “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (1:22); “Keep yourself from being polluted by the world” (1:27). Over and over James got to the point of relationships, judgment and love, faith and deeds, taming the tongue, wisdom, submission, humility, arrogance, grumbling (ouch), perseverance, and being trustworthy. He also talked a lot about suffering for the cause of Christ – which he understood well as persecution against Christians started there with the mother church.
And then he said, “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other . . .” (5:16). Here’s the honest truth – there are things about me I don’t want you to know. Not salacious things, but human things – sinner-saved-by-grace things. But you probably deal with them too. And what if we did humbly confess our sins to one another? What if you and a brother or sister committed to prayer over a mutual struggle? James said, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Beloved, I need you and you need me. We need to hold one another accountable and we need to hold each other up. Find someone you can trust to love you through the hard stuff. And love them back.

Sin and the Heart

This may surprise you, but I am a sinner. Yes, I belong to Jesus, He has saved me and redeemed me and continues every day to transform me into His image. He has done so much work in my life where sin is concerned. But like every other human being, I was born with a sinful nature and sinful desires. They may be different from the things that tug at you, but sin is a real and present danger for me.
How do we handle our bent toward sin? The Bible has some great advice for us. Here are a few suggestions:
Recognize sin for what it is and don’t make excuses or exceptions for it. (Psalm 51:3-4)
Keep God’s Word close – in your hands, in your mind, and in your heart. (Psalm 119:11)
Keep God closer. (James 4:7-8)
Keep sin-triggers at a distance. Don’t put yourself in positions you know will pull you into sin – whether places, events, movies, T.V. shows, websites, or even people. Take the way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Repent when you do sin. (Acts 3:19).
Pray.
Repeat as often as necessary.
The prayer I find myself returning to again and again is: “Lord, cause me to love you so much that sin has no appeal to me.” I came to that prayer while meditating on Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart.” I realized that if God is my delight, then I will desire only Him – and that is a desire He is more than willing to fulfill.
Because it is all a matter of the heart. When the Bible speaks of the heart it is not talking about emotions but of intention. The heart is “the seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, and endeavors.” The heart is under our control. It is affected by what we indulge in – whether sin or righteousness. If God is the delight and desire of my heart, I will take no delight in sin and will instead be repulsed by it.
Yes, I have a long way to go, but this is my heart’s desire. Will it be yours too, Beloved? if you love God with all your heart there is no room in your heart to love sin.

Doctrines of the Faith: The Spirit and the Unbeliever

We’ve considered the work of the Holy Spirit in creation and in the believer, but how does the Holy Spirit work with the unbeliever? The Spirit has one chief responsibility regarding the unregenerate person: conviction. Jesus said, “When [the Spirit of God] comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8-9). The word “convict” means to refute something or someone with a suggestion of shame. And that is the heart of the matter. Shame has become the enemy. But sin is shameful. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin by calling it what it is: something to be ashamed of.

Perhaps now you see the problem. Our culture has made sin something to be proud of, something to celebrate, and something to hold up as the highest goal for humanity. Those who are caught up in sinful lifestyles are told there is nothing to be ashamed of. Any message from the church that even hints at the shame of sin is shot down. Honestly, I would expect that from a world that is under the devil’s control (1 Jn 5:19).

Unfortunately, the church is falling right in step. Many churches are doing away with the conviction of sin. There is no shame. And that is to humanity’s detriment. Paul explained it like this: “Where there is no law there is no transgression” (Rom 4:15). When the church refuses to preach and teach the truth about sin, the world reasons that there is no such thing. Thus, they feel no shame for their actions. Shame is not a weapon, it is an arrow that points sinners to the cross.

One other way the Holy Spirit convicts of sin is through Christians. No, not bashing people over the head with the Bible or pointing self-righteous fingers in their faces. Christians convict unbelievers of sin by living holy lives. The truth is, a faithful Christian doesn’t have to say a word to bring about the Spirit’s conviction. The contrast between light and dark is obvious. Paul said, “God did not call us to be impure, but to live holy lives” (1 Thess 4:7). Lives that stand out. Why do you think the world hates true believers? Why do you think satan is working so hard to make the church look like the world?

The question is, are you and I helping the Spirit’s cause or hurting it? Beloved, what does your life say?

Church History: Why The Past Matters

I wish I had taken the time to get to know my parent’s pasts – their youth, their childhood, passions, interests, crucial points in their lives, and their relationships. I wish I had had the opportunity to interview my grandparents to know them better. But we didn’t live nearby (we were a military family) and I was caught up in my own life. We should want to know the lives of those we love. We should want to know our own history. Maybe that is why I am so passionate about the history of the Christian Church. I love the church, I have been in church since the cradle roll. I want to know the church’s story because the church has shaped my life.
We start today to study Christian History – the part that begins where Acts ends. The part that most Christians don’t know. But this is rich stuff and it has shaped the church you are part of today. It shaped this nation and the world for many years, although those years and lessons are a distant memory. The church has changed dramatically since Paul made his way to Rome – some changes were good, some not so much, but every change still echoes through the ages.
Why am I so taken with this stuff? Because – watch your toes – the current generations are ignorant of the history of their faith, and it shows. We are repeating the same mistakes our fathers and mothers made and we are falling prey to the same deceptions – albeit dressed in more modern fashions – that caused so much division and heartache in the past. Many of our current issues in the Christian faith have their roots in the past. But most of all, we know little to nothing about the heroes of our past. We have forgotten how these men and women stood firm against persecution and fought – and died – “for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Their examples should inspire and encourage us in these days when the church is being targeted. We need their resolve for the battle ahead.
There is a reason that Scripture tells us to “remember” – because forgetfulness is costly. We will study people and places and decisions and doctrine. We will feel the whips of persecution and the sting of tyranny. But we will also celebrate the overwhelming response of men and women who found faith in Christ worth living – and dying – for. Join me every Monday for this walk through history.

Spiritual Weakness

I am getting to the age where body parts hurt. I’ve been dealing with knee pain for over a year and my hip has decided to join the party. Now my wrist started hurting and typing these words this morning is painful. But I am a a mom and a nana so I refuse to let a few aches slow me down. I will pop a couple of ibuprofen and push through the pain. Pain I can handle. What I didn’t count on was weakness.
The reason my knee hurts is because of arthritis that has worn away the cartilage in my knee joint – the stuff that allows the knee to move freely. Without it, my knee locks up and stops me in my tracks. Carpel tunnel syndrome is affecting my wrist, elbow, and shoulder and those joints don’t function as they should. And now the pain is overpowering the meds. But I’m not trying to give you a rundown of my health issues. There is a point – a spiritual application – to all this.
Yesterday I came across a verse that is still bumping around in my head: “You may be sure your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23). Moses was warning some of the Israelites that if they failed to keep their word, their sin would not go unnoticed. Sin will always catch up with us and I have found that one way it tells on us is with weakness. Sin causes us to become spiritually weak, no matter how well we think we conceal it.
David said, “For when I kept silent [about his sin], my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Ps 32:3-4). Sin saps our strength because it comes between us and God. Isaiah said, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Is 59:2). It is not that God turns His back on His disobedient child, but he turns His face – His favor – from us.
But David knew the answer. “I acknowledged my sin to you . . . and you forgave the guilt of my sin: (Ps 32:5). God turned His face back to David and restored his strength. Beloved, has sin drained you? Run to God in confession and repentance. He will receive and restore you. Remember, “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8:10).

Acts: What the World Doesn’t Want to Hear

Do you know why the world is filled with such hatred toward Christians? Because we are a constant reminder of their unrighteousness. I know how judgmental that sounds, and believe me, that’s not my intent. But it is the truth. And let’s be honest, some “Christians” leave a very bitter taste in people’s mouths – but I am talking about Christians who talk the talk and walk the walk as they follow in Jesus’ footprints. People like Paul. Please take a minute to read Acts 24:24-27. Remember that Paul is in custody in Caesarea, awaiting trial for accusations brought by his fellow Jews. Because of an encounter with Jesus, Paul’s life had radically changed and he devoted himself to preaching the gospel – and living it out.
Felix, who would decide his fate, found Paul’s testimony intriguing. One day he brought his wife, who was also a Jew, to hear the man speak. His topic, “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” stirred fear in Felix’s heart. Wonder why? Probably because his wife, Drusilla, who was a strikingly beautiful woman had, at the age of fourteen, been married to Azizus, the king of a small, insignificant Syrian state. She was unhappy in her marriage, and Felix, who was captured by her beauty, wooed her away from her husband and married her when she was sixteen. Scholars contend that she was the likely source of Felix’s information about “the Way,” and probably requested the private meeting with Paul. Little did she or Felix know what was to come.
Was Paul pointing his finger at their sin? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Felix was afraid and quickly dismissed Paul. Therein lies the animosity towards Christians. Paul broached the subject of righteousness, self-control, and judgment – all things a ruler who stole another man’s wife – and a sinful world – would rather not confront. Christians who speak about righteousness shine a blinding light on sin. And we don’t even have to say a word. Believers who live righteously are offensive to the world because their lives stand in sharp contrast to the darkness and wickedness of their own.
Did you notice Felix’s response to Paul’s words? “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” Those who are lost in sin only want God when it is convenient for them. If it ever is.
Don’t let the world squelch your message of righteousness – whether spoken or lived out. Beloved, shine your light.

Holy Light

“The lamp (light showing the way of truth) of the LORD searches (examines, tracks down) the spirit (breath, life) of a man; it searches out his inmost being (heart, chamber, bedroom, the most intimate part of the heart),” Proverbs 20:27.
When I am searching for something important – keys, wallet, phone – I turn on every available light and look throughout the room. I move things that might be covering up what I’m seeking. I may call for help in my search. I go back to where I’ve already looked, just in case I missed it the first time. I check every corner, hunt through drawers, closets, and shelves, and keep searching with a light in my hand until I find it. The presence of light makes it possible to see what might be hidden. (The older I get the more often I have to go through this routine.)
God has a holy light, a brilliant, powerful light that illumines every corner and crevice of our lives. When we read His Word, He shines that spotlight on you and me, searching our hearts and minds, our thoughts and intentions, our desires and passions, and our actions. At the same time, His Spirit moves everything we use to cover up our sin. He looks far deeper than we even know exists, to the most intimate levels of our being, to the place where He finds the truth about us. His purpose is to locate and root out everything in us that does not meet the perfect standard for His children. This is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11).
I need this holy light of truth to examine my life, to track down everything in me that is not conforming to the image of Christ. I need God to search out every offensive way in me (Psalm 139:24). In the deepest part of my heart, there are passions and desires and fears and selfishness – that need to be crucified to Christ Jesus (Col. 3:5; Gal. 5:24) if I am to truly love Him and be a vessel for His glory. I want to be fully open to the Spirit’s examination. I want Him to freely roam throughout my heart, mind, and body and expose me to the core. That is frightening, but it will release me from the bonds of my flesh and the world. Beloved, will you let the Word and the Spirit do a sanctifying work in you?

On Earth as it is in Heaven

I’ve been in many worship services where “The Lord’s Prayer” is recited by the congregation. One part always makes me want to shout, “Wait! Do you understand what you’re saying? Is this really your heart’s desire?”
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mtt 6:10).
Have you ever stopped to think about what that means and why Jesus included it in His model prayer?
I believe Jesus wanted us to recognize Him as King and His rule as sovereign. The king’s will is the law of the land he governs. God – Jesus – is Creator and King of the entire universe – He governs the heavens which includes the angels and the earth which includes human beings. In heaven, His will is the absolute priority of every celestial creature. When we repeat this prayer we are saying the same of ourselves, that His will is our absolute priority, that we have no other will except His.
The question of God’s will has been a constant theme for generations. We want to know God’s will for our lives, but this verse invites us to look for the bigger picture and how we fit into it. While God does have a will – a plan and purpose – for our individual lives, that will is encompassed by the greater will of God: to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under the sovereign authority of Christ (Eph

1:10). The ultimate purpose of all existence is the Lordship of Christ Jesus. God’s plan was firmly fixed from before time began. All of human history has been moving toward one result: the coronation of Jesus Christ as the King of kings with “authority, glory and sovereign power, everlasting dominion, and a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Dan 7:13-14).
So when we pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are surrendering our will to the will of God and committing to being part of ushering in the Kingdom of God and Christ. Like the angels in heaven, we are swearing our total allegiance to the authority and rule of the only rightful Ruler of the universe. This is God’s will for your life. He created you to be part of His eternal kingdom. Beloved, as you consider the words of this prayer, ask yourself, “What would the world, my neighborhood, my home, church, and workplace look like if God’s will was done on earth as it is in heaven – in me?”

Covered in Grace

If I could go to heaven right now, besides seeing Jesus and so many others (that’s a post coming soon), I want to talk with one particular person – the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus. Her story is found in John 8:1-11*. Remember that the Pharisees hated Jesus and devised a plot to trap Him (v. 5-6).
When Jesus appeared in the temple courts, the religious leaders brought a woman who had been caught in adultery – but only the woman. They confronted Jesus with the Law of Moses that commanded her to be stoned to death. Then they asked Him, “Now, what do you say?” And Jesus said nothing at first. He stooped down and wrote in the dirt and finally said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him cast the first stone” (v. 7). And no one did. They all slowly walked away. Jesus asked the woman where her accusers were; “Has no one condemned you?” (v. 10). “No one, sir,” she answered. “Then neither do I . . .” he replied.
We have John’s perspective but I want to see this through the woman’s eyes. I have so many questions – starting with what Jesus wrote in the dirt. A Scripture about intentional sin or maybe judging others? Perhaps the names of everyone in the crowd who had slept with her? I suspect that whatever He wrote convicted them as much as what He said. I want to see the compassion she found in His eyes and the gentle conviction in His words to her: “Go now, and leave your life of sin” (v. 11).
And I want to know about her life after that encounter. Surely she took His words to heart and left her life of sin. She must have been a changed woman. Most of all, I want to know how she left all her shame and guilt over her past. How did she live out the rest of her days? I expect she would say something like: “Covered in God’s grace.”
Shame and guilt and regret are the biggest burdens many of us bear. But we don’t have to. God’s grace is sufficient to cover them all. Paul said, “Where sin abounds, grace abounds more” (Rom 5:20). That means you and I can hand that sack of shame over to Jesus. Beloved, you aren’t a pack-mule. You were made for grace.

*Note: I acknowledge that some scholars doubt the authenticity of this passage as it is not found in the earliest manuscripts of John’s gospel. But it was accepted by the most influential early church fathers such as Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustine. The church has long held that it records an authentic episode from the life of Christ. And I trust that God has worked throughout the centuries to preserve His Holy, Sacred Word.