Anger and Incense

"However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly. (Nehemiah 9:33)

Many of us visited extended family during the holidays and many us saw or experienced the continuing effects of anger: broken and strained relationships. Each of us has experienced times when anger has caused a blow up or a sudden withdrawal into silent isolation. Anger can be an explosion or it can be cold determination to maintain a wall that can not be penetrated.

I have too often drunk of the exhilarating but deceptive power of anger. Anger tends to create a reaction of anger. We may be able to “stay cool” in the face of red-hot anger which burns and is gone, but our reaction may be an icy-cold anger that goes on and on. Either way we would share in the same sin and worship the same false god: Self. When we get angry, let’s remember what god we are worshiping and repent. Anger is incense that we offer on the altar of the blood-thirsty, lusting, gluttonous god of Self.

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. … But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary…” -- The Lord Jesus Christ

Phony Phantoms

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

If something is unpleasant, difficult or unknown, I have a sad tendency of putting it off until tomorrow. This is a form of boasting, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Tomorrow, I can work on my college degree. Tomorrow, I will begin to eat right and exercise. Tomorrow, I will start a daily time of prayer and Bible reading. Tomorrow, I will be reconciled to Dick and Jane. Tomorrow is full to overflowing with our boasts. But, the Scripture in James 4:17 warns us that if we fail to do the right thing then it is sin. This warning is about Today because that is the only day in which we have any control and can truly act. It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Actions, no matter how small, are solid and real and are the stuff of Today. Intentions are the empty boasts, disappointed dreams and phony phantoms of Tomorrow.

Project:
• Let’s ask God to show us some small step we can take today.
• Let’s ask God for grace to take that small step and let's DO IT.
• Let’s ask God for grace to be doers rather than boasters.

Lovers Caught Up In A Romance

Abide n Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4)

Recently, my bride and I participated in a Christmas marriage conference. I looked forward to the conference as a time to get away and to focus on God’s Word in to our lives. But, I didn’t think much would change about our relationship because I felt like we were in pretty good shape as a couple. Once more, however, we came away from the conference with a deeper understanding of and love for each other. We’ve been to many marriage encounters, retreats and seminars. Without exception, each one has helped us to grow closer, more transparent and more in love with each other. We came way as lovers living a romance.

It is terribly easy to fool ourselves about relationships. Just being in each other’s company does not necessarily deepen a relationship. It is often helpful to step out of the daily routine, the ruts of our life, and take a fresh look at our lives. We may discover that we have built up invisible walls to prevent ourselves from getting hurt. Or, we might find that we have become good roommates or friendly co-workers rather than romantic lovers.

Our relationship with Jesus can also become a dead habit, a cold routine or a stale regurgitation of clichés. This can occur without us realizing what is happening because of our natural tendency to take the way of ease while turning the eyes of our thoughts away from uncomfortable truths. Knowing about and talking about a good habit such as daily exercise, prayer or Bible reading does not give us any of its benefit. The benefit is ours only when we first change our minds to admit we have a need and then change our lives to embrace a new way of thinking, living and relating. Our relationship with Jesus can all too easily turn into superstitious habit, legalism or a just a label rather than the glowing joy of lovers caught up in a romance.

You have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:4)

Project:
• Pray for God’s grace to become a romantic lover of your spouse and of Jesus.
• Seek out a retreat, seminar or conference to get a new perspective.
• Let’s be zealous to change our minds, lives and relationships.

Lost At Sea

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3:3)

We have all have heard of or probably personally know preachers, elders or fathers who have brought great harm to the Church by moral failure. These men started out to build God's Kingdom but ended by attacking, hurting and driving away the sheep under their care. They got caught in the snare of lust.

Lust warps spiritual sight and eventually leads to mocking the truth. The pornography in our society is like an acid eating away at spiritual foundations. It has been called “every man’s battle”. Lust is a temptation that is common to all men. Giving in to this temptation has caused preachers to change their teaching, leading eventually to public disgrace and the mocking of Christ. Lust and pornography have destroyed countless marriages and families. Sipping at the cup of pornography is not a little, harmless, private sin. Rather, giving into the temptation of pornography is like playing in a mine field.

The lure and hooks of pornography are everywhere in our culture. Once our thoughts get caught on one of those hooks then we are like a beast that can be led around by the ring in its nose. We become mockers following after a brutal taskmaster: our own lusts.

The first step in avoiding or getting free from the lure and snare of pornography is a change in our thoughts. Personally, I found that I had to humble myself and seek help from God and others. As long as we accept lust as normal or view it as a minor problem, we are sliding into the attitude and thinking of a mocker or a scoffer. This is dangerous to every good thing in our life because our thinking determines how we feel, how we relate and what we do.

Our thinking, and therefore our life, is either moving toward the Truth or toward Error. The longer we accept the lie of pornography the more it will warp our thinking toward accepting lies, deceit and moral failure and the less we will recognize, accept and manifest truth. A man who has embraced wrong thinking in one area of his life eventually becomes like Pilate who, even as he stood face to face with Jesus, asked, “What is truth?” We lose our power of discernment and are blown toward destruction by our emotions and desires. Pornography and lust will eventually destroy the compass of our life and leave us like ships lost on the open sea; ships at the mercy of the next storm.

Project:
Ask God for a change in thinking about pornography
Seek help from someone you trust: your spouse, friend, elder, or minister.
Avoid major decisions until you are freed from the power of Lust.


The Spirit also helps us in our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.