Dry, itchy, flaky skin is one of the hazards of growing old. My mother-in-law is constantly and unconsciously scratching. Hand lotion helps but does not cure the problem. Special itch lotions help but don’t stop the scratching. Anti-itch creams on the irritated areas do not stop the scratching. Is the scratching habit or truly an itch? It is probably both.
How do we stop the incessant scratching? Verbal reminders work for the moment if she is awake; however, the worst scratching is done at night in her sleep. Creams are applied before going to bed and even during the night as appropriate.
What is the big deal? Scratching on fragile elderly skin leads to skin tears. Skin tears lead to bleeding. Bleeding leads to scabs. Scabs lead to more irritation and scratching. The cycle goes on.
My irritations and scabs are not of the skin type, but I have them anyway. A thoughtless comment or action hurts my feelings. I am irritated. I pick at the irritation by not forgiving and choosing to nurse my hurt feelings. The wound will eventually stop bleeding because I get busy and forget to be hurt. Then we have a chance encounter and my mind starts picking at the scab. Before long it is bleeding again. The cycle of a broken relationship is born. I rationalize my behavior and choose to not forgive.
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6 NIV
So even my good actions do not meet up to God's standards. My sin of unforgiveness and the resulting break in relationship must really be like extremely, unmentionably filthy rags. As long as I choose to pick at the scab of someone else’s thoughtlessness, my witness for Jesus is compromised for he commanded us to love others.
“ Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-39 NIV
So by selfishly choosing to put myself before God and others by not forgiving, I sin.
Lord, teach me to forgive. Convict me when I start to fall into the selfishness of picking at the irritating scab caused by another’s actions.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Me--Beautiful?
“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” Isaiah 61:10-11 NIV
Sometimes a passage of Scripture will take my breath away. This is one of those passages. These verses are an inspiring hymn of praise. God has beautifully clothed me in salvation as his bride. In other words, God loves ME. He sees me as sinless because Jesus cleansed me through the shedding of his blood. Me sinless!?! Why I cannot go through an hour of life without having a sinful thought, saying a sinful word, or making a sinful action. Amazing grace!
But we would be remiss to stop there. This passage goes on to say that “the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up.” Of course if God wants to do so, he can. However, we are to always read verses in context. Just a few verses earlier, God gives us a hint about how he is going to accomplish this task.
“And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God.” Isaiah 61:6a NIV
So God expects his people to be priests. We are to not keep our faith a secret. We are to proclaim God’s truth to the unsaved. Do I correctly understand this passage? Let’s look just a few verses previous to this one.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1 NIV
We have our instructions. God’s call is not one of coaching from the stands where there is little risk and much bravado. We are to be in the game witnessing to whatever team God has placed on the field-- the poor, brokenhearted, captives and prisoners. God has given us a job to do. How can we refuse our loving Lord?
Lord, show me to whom you want me to witness today. Give me the right words and right actions to be a powerful witness in any and every encounter.
Sometimes a passage of Scripture will take my breath away. This is one of those passages. These verses are an inspiring hymn of praise. God has beautifully clothed me in salvation as his bride. In other words, God loves ME. He sees me as sinless because Jesus cleansed me through the shedding of his blood. Me sinless!?! Why I cannot go through an hour of life without having a sinful thought, saying a sinful word, or making a sinful action. Amazing grace!
But we would be remiss to stop there. This passage goes on to say that “the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up.” Of course if God wants to do so, he can. However, we are to always read verses in context. Just a few verses earlier, God gives us a hint about how he is going to accomplish this task.
“And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God.” Isaiah 61:6a NIV
So God expects his people to be priests. We are to not keep our faith a secret. We are to proclaim God’s truth to the unsaved. Do I correctly understand this passage? Let’s look just a few verses previous to this one.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1 NIV
We have our instructions. God’s call is not one of coaching from the stands where there is little risk and much bravado. We are to be in the game witnessing to whatever team God has placed on the field-- the poor, brokenhearted, captives and prisoners. God has given us a job to do. How can we refuse our loving Lord?
Lord, show me to whom you want me to witness today. Give me the right words and right actions to be a powerful witness in any and every encounter.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Who Me? Sin?
How is your sin life? What sin may I pray that you will be able to overcome? Are you struggling with a particular sin?
I distinctly remember about ten years ago when a Christian friend asked me about my sin life using a question similar to the ones above. After a moment’s thought as I mentally ran through the Ten Commandments, I told her that I thought I did not have any serious sin issues. She politely said if I ever needed her to pray for me that she would be glad to do so. Over the past twelve months, that incident has popped into my consciousness many times. God is using it to convict me of my tendency to rationalize my sinful behaviors.
At that time I thought if I was not worshipping some graven image, I went to church on Sunday, I was not committing adultery, and I had not stolen anything that I was doing very well in the area of not sinning. After all, I am a good person.
Poppycock. Pure hogwash. I cannot believe I thought that way. I have been a Christian most of my life. But just because I had saving faith and had been saved for years did not mean I was a mature believer. I was not. I had not been studying the Bible. I had been only spending minimal time in prayer. I had been attending church somewhat regularly—well at least for a few months. Let’s face it, I was a sorry excuse for a Christian. Sadly I did not recognize my rebellion against God. For that is what sin is. It is a willful and rebellious desire to place wants, ideas, and activities ahead of anything done with or for God. I was a rebellious Christian.
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 NIV
Even though I was living a good life which was marginally devoted to God, I expected God to answer any prayer I did make, and I expected the answer to be what I wanted it to be. How arrogant! Did I really think I knew better than God what was best for me and what would bring him the most glory?
I am beginning to truly understand how enslaved to sin I was and am. I challenge you to write down your sins for just one day-- every time you think a selfish thought, say an inappropriate word (e.g. curse, unkind, bragging), don’t do a kind act because it is inconvenient, refuse to forgive someone, fail to seek God’s will before you delve into an activity, etc. I tried writing down my sins once. It didn’t take me long to stop because the list became lengthy. The realization that even a good person like me can be extremely sinful became a reality in my mind.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” John 15:7 NIV
So if I want God to honor my prayers, I must remain in him—pray, study Scriptures, place God before myself, serve others. If I remain close to God, my desires will become more closely matched to his desires and he will grant them. In other words, my proclivity to sin will be diminished when I place God first in my life.
Lord, show me my sins then through the power of the Holy Spirit make me victorious over them.
I distinctly remember about ten years ago when a Christian friend asked me about my sin life using a question similar to the ones above. After a moment’s thought as I mentally ran through the Ten Commandments, I told her that I thought I did not have any serious sin issues. She politely said if I ever needed her to pray for me that she would be glad to do so. Over the past twelve months, that incident has popped into my consciousness many times. God is using it to convict me of my tendency to rationalize my sinful behaviors.
At that time I thought if I was not worshipping some graven image, I went to church on Sunday, I was not committing adultery, and I had not stolen anything that I was doing very well in the area of not sinning. After all, I am a good person.
Poppycock. Pure hogwash. I cannot believe I thought that way. I have been a Christian most of my life. But just because I had saving faith and had been saved for years did not mean I was a mature believer. I was not. I had not been studying the Bible. I had been only spending minimal time in prayer. I had been attending church somewhat regularly—well at least for a few months. Let’s face it, I was a sorry excuse for a Christian. Sadly I did not recognize my rebellion against God. For that is what sin is. It is a willful and rebellious desire to place wants, ideas, and activities ahead of anything done with or for God. I was a rebellious Christian.
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 NIV
Even though I was living a good life which was marginally devoted to God, I expected God to answer any prayer I did make, and I expected the answer to be what I wanted it to be. How arrogant! Did I really think I knew better than God what was best for me and what would bring him the most glory?
I am beginning to truly understand how enslaved to sin I was and am. I challenge you to write down your sins for just one day-- every time you think a selfish thought, say an inappropriate word (e.g. curse, unkind, bragging), don’t do a kind act because it is inconvenient, refuse to forgive someone, fail to seek God’s will before you delve into an activity, etc. I tried writing down my sins once. It didn’t take me long to stop because the list became lengthy. The realization that even a good person like me can be extremely sinful became a reality in my mind.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” John 15:7 NIV
So if I want God to honor my prayers, I must remain in him—pray, study Scriptures, place God before myself, serve others. If I remain close to God, my desires will become more closely matched to his desires and he will grant them. In other words, my proclivity to sin will be diminished when I place God first in my life.
Lord, show me my sins then through the power of the Holy Spirit make me victorious over them.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Exhausted
I’m beat—emotionally and psychologically exhausted. Yes, maybe there’s a bit of physical exhaustion also. I was going to bake some banana bread this evening and plan tomorrow’s lunch. I had a couple of other easy projects for the early evening hours. But instead I sat—just sat. I’m dull, listless, and lackadaisical. But that is no excuse for ignoring my God.
“Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’” Matthew 22:37-38 NIV
So there is nothing in that verse that says we only have to love God when we feel like it. Love is expressed through actions and communication. If I love God more than anything else, I will pray, read his word, meditate on scripture, and/or sing praises to him even when I am tired. It is not an option. Either God is first in my life or I am first in my life. And who am I compared to God my creator?
For me tonight, I found comfort in praying for Christian friends and in meditating on a passage of scripture which my parents loved.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5 NIV
Lord, thank you for your word. Even though I am tired, reading your word and praying with you has given me a new hope. I am joyfully looking forward to serving you when I wake up in the morning.
“Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’” Matthew 22:37-38 NIV
So there is nothing in that verse that says we only have to love God when we feel like it. Love is expressed through actions and communication. If I love God more than anything else, I will pray, read his word, meditate on scripture, and/or sing praises to him even when I am tired. It is not an option. Either God is first in my life or I am first in my life. And who am I compared to God my creator?
For me tonight, I found comfort in praying for Christian friends and in meditating on a passage of scripture which my parents loved.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5 NIV
Lord, thank you for your word. Even though I am tired, reading your word and praying with you has given me a new hope. I am joyfully looking forward to serving you when I wake up in the morning.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Promise of Significance
One of the things I have finally understood about myself is that much of what I have done is to seek significance. It seems to be a driving force. I want to know that I am important and what I have done has had a lasting value.
The ways I have gone about seeking significance have been counterproductive at times and at times they have produced the desired results. But even when my efforts for importance were successful, I was too quickly left with an empty hollowness. Success by this world’s standards is not permanent and so much can happen to mar the warm feelings. Why do I spend so much time and effort on the world’s idea of success?
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV
So all my efforts to make a mark for myself in my community were a waste of time. My focus should have been remaining in Jesus. But what does that mean?
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-11 NIV
So I must obey Jesus’ commands. That sounds easy. After all, I am a good person.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12 NIV
Whoa! That is asking a lot. It will take much time and energy to love as Jesus loves. I'll have to give up some of my personal desires, wants, and resources. As a matter of fact, I am unwilling to do it and cannot do it without the power of the Holy Spirit working in me. Is it worth the effort?
“This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 NIV
So if I love others as Jesus loves I can have an eternal significance. Isn’t that much better than the fleeting, hollow recognition this world gives?
Lord, keep me focused on you. Show me how to love even the unlovable. Make me a selfless servant for your glory.
The ways I have gone about seeking significance have been counterproductive at times and at times they have produced the desired results. But even when my efforts for importance were successful, I was too quickly left with an empty hollowness. Success by this world’s standards is not permanent and so much can happen to mar the warm feelings. Why do I spend so much time and effort on the world’s idea of success?
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV
So all my efforts to make a mark for myself in my community were a waste of time. My focus should have been remaining in Jesus. But what does that mean?
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-11 NIV
So I must obey Jesus’ commands. That sounds easy. After all, I am a good person.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12 NIV
Whoa! That is asking a lot. It will take much time and energy to love as Jesus loves. I'll have to give up some of my personal desires, wants, and resources. As a matter of fact, I am unwilling to do it and cannot do it without the power of the Holy Spirit working in me. Is it worth the effort?
“This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 NIV
So if I love others as Jesus loves I can have an eternal significance. Isn’t that much better than the fleeting, hollow recognition this world gives?
Lord, keep me focused on you. Show me how to love even the unlovable. Make me a selfless servant for your glory.
Monday, August 2, 2010
What's on Your Mind?
What’s on your mind? Is it the normal worldly things or is it things which would please God? Honestly now. What is on your mind?
I could sanctimoniously answer that question by saying “Things pleasing to God” without feeling a twinge of guilt. Oh, but my emotions tell me a different story. My emotions are a barometer of what is happening in my head. I justify and rationalize my behaviors to the point I can say my mind is thinking about good and godly things when in fact I am not. Well, I am once in a while, but the predominate thoughts in my brain are about me—what I want, how someone else should treat me, how good or bad a particular outfit will make me look to others, how much weight I need to loose, how well I treated an acquaintance last week, how generous I was when…
I have no control over others. Their thoughts and behaviors may be influenced by my actions or words. But I dominate no one’s thoughts and actions. They make their own choices. Likewise I make my choices.
I choose on what my mind will concentrate. My emotions, actions, and words reflect those choices. Candidly my mind is too often focused on me and not God. Because my basic human nature is sinful, my mind can entertain unpleasant and evil thoughts especially when I perceive that I have been treated unfairly or been slighted.
“But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Romans 2:8 NIV
So I must monitor my thought life and eradicate the self-seeking thoughts. Who said living a life pleasing to God would be easy? They were wrong. I struggled today as I wanted desperately to wallow in self-pity but knew that my thoughts were ones I should eradicate by asking for forgiveness and praising my merciful Lord. Many examples in scripture exhort us to take our minds off of self and to focus on others.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV
Like most women I want to look attractive, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as the motivation is right. Is the real reason that I want to be thought of as sexy? Be thought of as wealthy? Be thought of as socially elite? What is the real reason for my attire?
“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety…” 1 Timothy 2:9a
For out of my mouth and through my actions, I display what I allow my mind to mull over throughout the day.
Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, give me control over my thought life. Make every thought, every reflection, every deliberation, and every plan pleasing to you.
I could sanctimoniously answer that question by saying “Things pleasing to God” without feeling a twinge of guilt. Oh, but my emotions tell me a different story. My emotions are a barometer of what is happening in my head. I justify and rationalize my behaviors to the point I can say my mind is thinking about good and godly things when in fact I am not. Well, I am once in a while, but the predominate thoughts in my brain are about me—what I want, how someone else should treat me, how good or bad a particular outfit will make me look to others, how much weight I need to loose, how well I treated an acquaintance last week, how generous I was when…
I have no control over others. Their thoughts and behaviors may be influenced by my actions or words. But I dominate no one’s thoughts and actions. They make their own choices. Likewise I make my choices.
I choose on what my mind will concentrate. My emotions, actions, and words reflect those choices. Candidly my mind is too often focused on me and not God. Because my basic human nature is sinful, my mind can entertain unpleasant and evil thoughts especially when I perceive that I have been treated unfairly or been slighted.
“But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Romans 2:8 NIV
So I must monitor my thought life and eradicate the self-seeking thoughts. Who said living a life pleasing to God would be easy? They were wrong. I struggled today as I wanted desperately to wallow in self-pity but knew that my thoughts were ones I should eradicate by asking for forgiveness and praising my merciful Lord. Many examples in scripture exhort us to take our minds off of self and to focus on others.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV
Like most women I want to look attractive, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as the motivation is right. Is the real reason that I want to be thought of as sexy? Be thought of as wealthy? Be thought of as socially elite? What is the real reason for my attire?
“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety…” 1 Timothy 2:9a
For out of my mouth and through my actions, I display what I allow my mind to mull over throughout the day.
Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, give me control over my thought life. Make every thought, every reflection, every deliberation, and every plan pleasing to you.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Doing It My Way
“Doing it my way” is as American as apple pie and baseball. The spirit of individual initiative is part of the reason our country is so great. But is “doing it my way” pleasing to God?
“Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” Isaiah 55:7 NIV
In this verse, God’s people are the ones being referred to as wicked and evil because they had turned from God. They were proceeding with their plans. In this passage they are commanded to return to the Lord and his plan for them.
So it is safe to assume this means do as God says and not as I want. Let’s look at the very next verse.
"’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 NIV
So there is no way I can please God and “do it my way.” I must do as God directs. That is the hard part. If my ways are so very different from God’s ways, how am I to know what to do? In the first six verses of Isaiah 55, we are told to “Come…Listen…Seek the Lord.”
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 NIV
The Bible is God’s Word. It is how God speaks to us. If we come to Scripture, listen to what it is saying, and seek the Lord through meditation and prayer, God will reveal himself to us.
“… my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 NIV
Lord, show me how to do it your way. Through the power of the Holy Spirit make me acutely aware when I veer from your action plan for me.
“Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” Isaiah 55:7 NIV
In this verse, God’s people are the ones being referred to as wicked and evil because they had turned from God. They were proceeding with their plans. In this passage they are commanded to return to the Lord and his plan for them.
So it is safe to assume this means do as God says and not as I want. Let’s look at the very next verse.
"’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 NIV
So there is no way I can please God and “do it my way.” I must do as God directs. That is the hard part. If my ways are so very different from God’s ways, how am I to know what to do? In the first six verses of Isaiah 55, we are told to “Come…Listen…Seek the Lord.”
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 NIV
The Bible is God’s Word. It is how God speaks to us. If we come to Scripture, listen to what it is saying, and seek the Lord through meditation and prayer, God will reveal himself to us.
“… my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 NIV
Lord, show me how to do it your way. Through the power of the Holy Spirit make me acutely aware when I veer from your action plan for me.
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