Regarding Our Bodies

In my last blog I addressed the issue of self-discipline in the area of finances (not that I have totally mastered that area in my own life... but I'm working on it).  This time around I would like to "think aloud" about self-discipline where our health habits are concerned.  Now, this is one touchy subject matter and I know I'm treading on thin ice, but sometimes we just have to be willing to speak the truth in love and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest.  So, here goes!

The medical and pharmaceutical industries are among the most powerful organizations in our world today.  Billions upon billions of dollars are spent annually worldwide in addressing the health issues of the population.  In addition, billions more are spent on alternative sources, such as the vitamin industry and holistic approaches to wellness.  (At least this money is aimed at trying to prevent illness rather than just treat its symptoms.)  However, I believe that the majority of the money thrown into these industries could be spent elsewhere (like missions, maybe?) if we would simply take charge of our bodies and make choices that would represent our good stewardship of that which we have been given of God.  Doing so requires the exercise of self-discipline.

I doubt that anyone reading this blog will not know that smoking is bad, bad, bad for health.  Nonetheless, as I drive through my own State of South Carolina I pass by countless fields of tobacco being carefully tended by dedicated farmers who make their living raising and selling the product.  Packs of cigarettes line the shelves behind every grocery counter.  Chewing tobacco is of common use in this part of the country, as well.  I have been fortunate to never have succumbed to the addiction of nicotine, but I do know that it is a powerful drug that holds many people captive... but it is an addiction that can be conquered with the help of God Almighty and the exercise of self-discipline.  Through the strength offered by the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to be set free from cigarettes or other tobacco usage.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control"

(2 Timothy 1:7, Amplified Bible)

Smoking leads to a host of other health problems.  There is no question about that.  Countless research projects have proven its detriment over decades of study and research.  

If you are fortunate enough not to struggle with nicotine addiction, perhaps this next issue will touch a nerve:  Obesity is the leading factor in resultant health issues worldwide.  OUCH!  That one strikes close to home for me.  A little over one year ago I wore a size 24 dress (and I am only 5'3" tall).  I was in terrible health and battling high blood pressure, diabetes, and a whole host of other health problems directly attributable to my obesity.  In fact, the doctor informed me (much to my dismay) that I was considered "morbidly obese" at that time.  In short, that phrase means that my overweight condition would most probably result in an early death for me as a result of associated health problems.  Together with my husband I determined to get a handle on the situation and we lost significant weight over a ten month period of time.  My husband went from a size 42" waist to a 32" one, and I went from that size 24 dress to a 10-12.  Our diabetes was halted and our blood pressures returned to normal.  We never felt better in our adult lives.  Now, I am ashamed to say we've allowed some of that weight to creep back on, but we recently determined again to get serious about our health and get those 10-15 pounds back off before they become 50 or 60 pounds.  It takes self-discipline to lose weight, exercise, and make healthy choices for our bodies, but praise the Lord we don't have to do it all alone!  The Holy Spirit is always at our side and ready to give us strength and guidance if only we seek Him in our daily choices.

Obviously, there are many other factors that will determine our overall health.  Issues of alcohol consumption, the use of drugs, poor (or absent) exercise, lack of sufficient sleep, an overabundance of stress... these and more can contribute to poor health and a decline in the condition of the bodies we've been given in this life.  Stewardship does not apply to our finances alone, but to everything God has entrusted to our care, and that includes our mortal body.

"Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God?  You are not your own, you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own].  So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body."

(I Corinthians 6:19-20, Amplified Bible)

Remember, friends, that we are not expected to reach perfection in this life.  But we are called to excellence, and that includes excellence in self-discipline and stewardship where our bodies are concerned.  This is one tough area to conquer, and I know that all too well... but it can be done through the strength of the Spirit Who lives in every believer.  If you have been angered by this post it may be because you have come under conviction, as I have, that something in your personal life needs to change.  Perhaps you have lost self-control in a certain area and it is negatively affecting your health.  Today is the day to address that.  Confession is the beginning that leads to forgiveness and strengthening.

"If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]."

(I John 1:9, Amplified Bible)

We will either be internally governed (through the exercise of self-discipline) or we will be externally governed (by doctors, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry).  I pray we believers will make the right choice.  Today is grocery shopping day for our household.  Hm-m-m, guess I'll be spending a lot more in the produce section this time around.

"But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]."

(I Corinthians 9:27, Amplified Bible)

Internally or Externally Governed?

One of the hallmarks of the mature Christian life is self-discipline.  We will either be internally governed (controlled) or externally governed, but one way or another we will be controlled in our actions and reactions to the events of life.  There are jails and prisons filled to overflowing with individuals who lack self-discipline and whose choices and actions have necessitated the intervention of external government through the auspices of law enforcement agencies and the court system.  As followers of Christ, we must be concerned with learning how to control ourselves appropriately so that it will not be necessary for someone else to step in and take control of us.

"He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls."  (Proverbs 25:28)

There are a multitude of areas in life where self-control (or the lack of it) can become clearly evident to those around us.  Finances, weight and health issues, anger, time management, stewardship-- all these and more require that we develop a clear understanding of God's will for our lives in these areas and then set forth to live accordingly, making those choices which will honor God and enrich our lives.  In an affluent society (such as the United States), financial control is not a popular goal to seek.  In fact, the abundance of credit cards, payment plans, layaway offers, and "easy" financing options seem to give us the message that being in debt is not only to be viewed as a normal state of affairs, but we are to actually seek after those very things which will hold us in bondage so that we can "keep up with the Joneses" and live the good life now.  God has strong feelings concerning the accumulation of debt, and His Word is filled with over 800 verses that instruct us on the need for self-discipline in our lives where finances are concerned. 

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."  (Proverbs 22:7)

"The wicked borrow and pay not again [for they may be unable], but the [uncompromisingly] righteous deal kindly and give [for they are able]."  (Psalm 37:21)

"It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay."  (Ecclesiastes 5:5)

"Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another..."  (Romans 13:8a)

Once we have dug a pit of debt for ourselves, it is difficult and it takes time to work our way out of it.  There is no immediate fix for the problem.  Debt accumulates over time, and it will take time to resolve it in an honorable way.  Too many Christians are buying into the lottery craze with pie-in-the-sky hopes that they will be the one in ten-million who will win and for whom the lottery will be the miracle answer for their lack of self-control with their finances.  There are those who believe that bankruptcy is the way out for them.  The question is, is it the honorable way out?  Satan loves to see believers embroiled in debt and captive to their lenders.  He knows (as we should) that  "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in)."  (Matthew 6:24)  Drowning in debt will affect other areas of our lives in negative, destructive ways.  Relationships will suffer, especially the marriage relationship.  In an article by Ron Leiber of the New York Times in 2009, the odds of a marriage ending in divorce due to finances is approximately 45 percent.  Numerous health problems are directly related to the stress of financial debt in a person's life.  When debt looms over the household, the first thing to be forgotten (in the vast majority of cases) is the issue of the tithe.  No wonder the devil works so hard to undermine our self-discipline in this area of finances.

There is an answer:  Do it God's way.  Sit down (with your spouse at your side, if you have one) and begin to research the steps a Christian should take to resolve the issue of debt in his or her life.  Dave Ramsey offers a multitude of sources that will serve as a guideline to the believer of not only how to get out of debt, but how to stay out of it and begin to handle finances in a way which will glorify the Lord and make the Christian a shining example of faith, obedience, and self-discipline.  His programs have been tested and proven by multitudes of believers and non-believers alike.  The first step is to admit that you have fallen short in the area of self-discipline where your finances are concerned.  Turn to the Lord in confession and seeking His forgiveness, then ask for His supernatural empowerment to do whatever is necessary to honorably resolve your debt issues.  We are fortunate that the United States no longer operates "debtors' prisons" as such (prevalent up until the mid-1800's),  but those who are laboring under an enormous burden of debt live in their own private prison of guilt, fear, anger, confusion, and hopelessness.  Such a life is not aligned with God's will for the believer.  Jesus said, "The thief (Satan, our enemy) comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."  (John 10:10)  Understand that Christ was not saying that every Christian will be wealthy.  The accumulation of money and possessions does not guarantee an abundant life.  In truth, great wealth has often been the source of tremendous sadness and discontent in the lives of those who possess it.  However, the accumulation of debt most certainly guarantees a life of misery, anxiety, and limited possibilities.

So, self-discipline in the area of finances is a definite commandment of God.  Make no mistake, either we will develop self-control with our money or we will live under the control of others to whom we owe it.  I urge you today to turn to God for His forgiveness and divine guidance in mastering the art of financial self-discipline in your life.  It is possible to live debt free in a culture consumed with greed and the love of possessions, money, and power.  Remember that as Christians we are are given this direction in God's Word:  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  (Romans12:2)  

In coming posts I will explore the area of self-discipline as it relates to some of the other issues in life.  Let me encourage you with this:  It is not necessary, nor is it expected, that you tackle every area of your life where you lack self-control all at once.  In truth, you need to pray for direction in which area you should begin the pursuit of excellence and self-discipline, apply the truth of Scripture to that area, and master the art of self-discipline therein.  When you have experienced victory in one area, you will be energized and renewed to take on the next challenge.  In time, you will know the freedom and joy that comes from living the disciplined Christian life.

"For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness-- in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]."

(Hebrews 12:11, Amplified Bible)

Inside the "Gas Chamber"

For those of you who were expecting a new post on Monday and didn't find one, please accept my apologies.  An unfortunate encounter with a sinus infection put me on the sidelines for a few days, but now I am feeling back up to snuff and ready for a new post... so here goes.

This morning I am thinking about surfing.  I'm not talking about surfing the web here, rather I'm referring to the sport of surfing in the ocean.  Before you ask, let me say that I have never been surfing, I do not own a surf board, nor do I ever expect to go surfing.  All that said, I do admire the beauty, skill, and tenacity of those who love to surf.  Having watched the sport on television, I am amazed at the tremendous energy surfers expend in just getting to the place where they can begin to enjoy the waves.  I can only imagine the amount of practice it must take to perfect the sense of balance needed to stay on that surf board and ride through some churning waters.  Certainly, they must need to practice the art of just getting onto the board from the water and then staying on the thing under even the mildest of conditions.  What a learning curve that must be.  How many falls that aspiring surf master must endure in perfecting his sense of balance, but every one of them just brings him closer to that time when he will possess the strength and courage necessary to challenge even the most ferocious of waves.

Once that feat of balance has been mastered, the surfer eagerly climbs aboard and fearlessly paddles out into the ocean to find a wave.  The bigger the wave, the better.  When he spots it coming, he jumps up to take his position on the board and waits expectantly for that moment when the wave reaches him.  Then, it joy and confidence, the surfer spreads his arms open wide and welcomes the power of the wave as it carries him back toward the shore.  Time after time I have witnessed the waves overpower the surfer and sweep him off his feet, throwing him into the churning waters with savage cruelty.  Yet, even after such a fearful experience, the seasoned surfer battles his way to the surface, locates his surf board, and once again take mount with the full intention of swimming out to meet yet another wave and try it all again.

For the veteran surfer, there is that glorious moment of finding himself in the "gas chamber."  That is the effect that is experienced when a large wave creates a temporary horizontal tunnel of air with the surfer inside it.  Within that tunnel, the surfer is carried along at a rapid speed, sheltered by the wave itself, until he emerges safely at the end of the tunnel ready to start the process of finding another wave once again.  Inside the gas chamber the surfer is alone with his thoughts and has the choice of succumbing to his fears and anxiety or rising above them to find escape at the end of the tunnel.

In the end, it's all about identifying the challenge, swimming out to meet it head-on, riding out the most terrifying moments, then emerging at the end of the tunnel to seek out the next challenge with renewed energy and confidence gained from the victory of enduring the wave from within.

I know that I could begin to draw all kinds of parallels here to the challenges of the Christian life, but I'm pretty sure you've already reached your own conclusions based on your individual experiences with the challenges of life.  Be encouraged, my friends.  With each emergence from the tunnels of despair, loneliness, grief, loss, fear, illness, uncertainty... with each victory that comes from surviving the "gas chamber" to find the way of escape at the end... the Christian who rests in the strength of his Lord and Savior becomes stronger and more secure in his faith.  He develops a sense of balance that enables him to ride the wave successfully and to share the experience with those around him.  And with each victory comes the determination to face the next wave with confidence.

Wherever you are today, whatever surf you are facing, I pray that God will renew your strength, give you clear vision, surround you with His peace, and lead you to the other side of the tunnel in victory.

"Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.  For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

(Romans 8: 37-39)

The Promise of Spring

Today is the first day of spring!  Here in South Carolina the sun is shining gloriously, the sky is a beautiful azure blue, birds are giving a free concert for everyone, daffodils and jonquils are waving a happy "good morning" to passersby... but someone today has not even noticed all this beauty and promise.  Perhaps their heart is heavy with grief.  Maybe they are consumed with worry over financial problems.  The argument they had with their spouse last night may still be weighing heavily on their mind.  It's possible that they are harboring unforgiveness in their heart toward someone who has hurt them.  The list of contingencies is endless, but the result is the same.  For some people this day, the first day of spring, has lost its glorious promise because they choose to remain captive to the "winter" in their lives.

God has ordained that this world will function on a seasonal cycle.  Each year is predictable.  Summer will eventually bow to autumn.  Autumn acquiesces to winter. And winter always gives way to spring.  Spring renews the earth with fresh rain, sunshine, and warmth.  The great promise of the glory of summertime is revealed in the budding of the trees and the gentle comforting breezes that carry the intoxicating fragrance of the wisteria and the jasmine.  In the harshest months of winter we can always know that beyond the ice and chill, beyond the barrenness, beneath the drifts of snow lies the promise of a gentler day.  Spring is that promise realized.

And so it goes with our lives.  Not every day is filled with cheer.  Some days bring sorrow; some bring illness; some bring financial troubles; some bring angry words and wounded hearts.  Those days represent the winters of our lives and they sometimes feel as if they last forever... but they don't have to.  Although we cannot control the forces of nature, we can control the winters of our hearts.  We can choose to create the renewing power of spring in our thoughts and our lives by the things we say and do.  Scripture tells us, "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)  Probably the most effective tool we have is that of generosity and concern for others.  There is always someone whose situation is more grievous than our own.  When we determine in our spirit to seek out others who are hurting and to bring some encouragement into their lives, we will find our own discouragement and hurt begin to give way to the warmth of the Son.  It doesn't take a lot of looking, either.  A glance around your church family will reveal many who are in need of a kind word or a gentle act of love.  A trip to a nearby nursing home will yield a bounty of hurting, lonely souls.  There may be a neighbor near our home who is in need of what we can offer.  The bottom line:  When we reach out in love to bring healing into the lives of others, we will always find that the benefit becomes our own.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort we ourselves have received from God."   (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

As you look out your window today, see beyond the temporary limitations of whatever season you are experiencing in your part of the world.  Choose to embrace the promise of spring for yourself and for others.  Make a list of two or three people you know who need encouragement, then determine a way in which you can reach out to them with the love of Christ to bring the Sonshine of Christian compassion their way.  Be creative.  Perhaps an invitation to a special tea or luncheon would be appreciated.  Maybe you can offer some financial aid as a result of God's blessings on you.  A hand-written note on pretty stationery always touches the heart of the one who receives it.  Even an afternoon drive in your car and a stop for ice cream along the way can yield a bountiful return on the investment.

Today is the first day of spring, 2014.  Hallelujah!  The long winter is past and summer is just around the corner.  Resolve today to celebrate the promise this day holds and to share the good news with those around you.  Winter never lasts forever.  There are brighter days ahead.

"So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is the Law of the Prophets."

(Matthew 7:12)

Because of Who You Are!

Some years ago Sandi Patty recorded a song entitled "Because of Who You Are."  It was a musical message of praise to God for being everything to all people.  I recently stumbled across my old cassette tape of the song (and yes, I still have my old cassettes) and was reminded of the simplicity of that message.  Too often, we think that praising our God should only happen when He has done something great for us, performed some miracle in our life, or in some way demonstrated His prompt response to our calls.  What happened in our hearts that prevents us from praising Him because He is the one true Almighty God of the universe?  Could anything deserve greater praise than that?

There is an advertisement currently playing on national television for a major amusement park here in the South.  It starts with a family piling into their car and the young son exclaiming, "Hey, everyone.  What's taking you so long?"  His mother gently chastises his impatience with a calm, "Come on... he's your grandpa," as an elderly man makes his way down a flight of stairs and approaches the car.  The ad goes on to show the progression of their day at the amusement park in which the grandfather is enjoying the rides and adventures to be had, side by side with that grandson.  At the close of the ad, as they walk along one of the thoroughfares in the park, the boy suddenly turns to his grandfather, wraps his arms around the old man's legs, and gives a mighty squeeze of affection.  The grandfather looks down and asks, "What's that for?"  The boy replies, "Because you're my grandpa!" 

Too often in life we become impatient with God when He fails to answer our prayers in the ways we would choose or the time we desire.  We're tempted to ask, "Hey, what's taking You so long!"  Yet, we would all be far better off to recognize that our Lord's timing is always perfect, His answers are always the best, and (most importantly) HE IS ALMIGHTY GOD!  If we could wrap our minds around His sovereignty and love for us perhaps we would be more apt to wrap our hearts around Him in praise and thanksgiving for who He is.

About a year ago a young family I know lost their home and everything they owned to a devastating fire, but they were all able to escape the flames safely.  Every week I attend classes with a young man who was born with cerebral palsy and a crooked spine that keeps him in constant pain every day of his life, but he preached his first sermon at eight years of age and hasn't stopped proclaiming the Good News of Jesus since.  Just the other day I watched a television report that showed a small child sticking his head beneath a stream of water pouring from a newly dug well in his village on the other side of the world.  This child had already lost four of his siblings to disease because the village had no clean drinking water available.  A missionary project had dug this new well and, although the child had no cup to drink from, that little boy was reveling in the precious gift of clean water.

Each year America sets aside a national day of Thanksgiving wherein we gather as family and friends and issue a word or two of thanks in an obligatory manner to God for all His blessings bestowed on us.  I wonder if God wouldn't be willing to forfeit that national day of obligation for just one or two quietly whispered words of thanks and praise that emanate sincerely from the hearts of His children.  When we are tempted to forget His mercies, we need to look around and begin making a written list of everything we own... homes, cars, clothing, household goods, and the list goes on.  We should be praising Him every morning for the ability to rise up from our beds under our own power and go about doing the things we choose to do without limitation or pain.  We should lift a glass of clean water heavenward and shout praise to the One who has provided it that we might live.

We will surely face challenges in this lifetime, but if you are able to read this blog you are already blessed far and above most of this planet's population.  Why do we complain so when God doesn't respond like some cosmic vending machine to all our demands?  What has happened in our hearts to make us forget the innumerable mercies that come from His hand?  Why do we continue to ask for more when we've neglected to say "thank you" for what we've already been given?  Take some time today to praise Him because of who He is.  Wrap your arms around him and proclaim with joy, "Because You are my God!"

"Praise the Lord!  Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the heavens of His power!  Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness!  Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!  Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with stringed and wind instruments or flutes!  Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!  Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!"

(Psalm 150)

True Friends

Friendship is a precious commodity.  If we are blessed in this life we may find two or three people with whom we share a true friendship that lasts a lifetime, and I have two such women with whom I can talk, laugh, and share openly.  They seldom have concrete answers for what challenges I may be facing, but they are always ready to listen and pray.  In a world filled with self-centeredness, the gift of one's time is something to be cherished.  The strangest part of all is that both these dear women live over 800 miles away from me!  Praise God for long-distance phone service, the U.S. mail, and Facebook!!

Choosing friends is so important that the Bible devotes numerous scriptures to directing us as to how to select those who will edify (build up), admonish (lovingly correct), and share freely with us all they have learned and experienced, that we might be able to learn from them.  Proverbs 12:26, 13, 20, 14:6-7, 22:24-25, and I Corinthians 15:33 are just a few.  I think true friendship may be the most valuable and cherished possession we are given in this lifetime.  Jesus placed great value on friendship, and Peter, James, and John occupied a special place in his life here on earth.  John was called "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and as such he might be considered (in today's vernacular) Christ's BFF.

The things that make a true friend are difficult to find in a world consumed with selfishness.  A true friend is completely committed to the relationship, in good times and in bad, and isn't afraid of the ugly stuff we often face in this life.  She doesn't look backward to focus on our mistakes.  A friend looks forward with encouragement and faith in our possibilities.  She is willing to confess her own shortcomings and share her mistakes in hope that they will serve as lessons for both.  Perfection is neither expected from nor professed by a true friend.  A friend is that person who loves you "warts and all!"

This week held a birthday for me.  The day came and passed pretty much as any day would.  I received a few cards in the mail, got a personal visit and well-wishes from my son and his family, spoke with my daughters long-distance on the phone, and went out for a lovely lunch with my husband.  Despite the blessings of the day, I was inclined to focus on the calls I did not receive, the too-many years that have passed by, and all the things I desire to experience in the here and now, but am not seeing at this time.    It didn't take long for me to feel discouraged and down.  Then, my friend called.  We chatted for some length and she shared her own experience with lost friendships and disappointment in years past.  By the end of the conversation we were laughing at our own foolishness.

My prayer for you today is that you will find one or two true friends with whom to walk through your life.  I know that it is the will of God for us to have those people in our lives, so don't hesitate to pray for them.  With a good friend at your side, you'll be able to face the challenges of this life with greater strength and determination.  However, it is crucial that we do not forget the greatest friend of all.

"What a friend we have in Jesus;

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit;

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer."

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Proverbs 18:24

God Is Not a C.P.A.

     Many Christians live their lives trying to make up for their past.  The devil continually whispers into their ear that they have a lot to pay for... way more than they will ever actually be able to make compensation for.  So, they set out to even the scales in their life by engaging in activities they believe will please God and somehow appease His wrath for all they did wrong before coming to Him.  They teach Sunday school classes, sing in the choir, give of their tithe, join the women's group, work in a local homeless shelter, and the list is endless.  Every day brings to their heart a new sense of "owing" God something more.  After a few years of feverish pursuit of good things to do, they begin to weary and grow discouraged.  Reality sets in.  The truth begins to stare them in the face:  "I will never be able to make up for all I did wrong in my life, so why am I even bothering to try?"  In total hopelessness and dismay, they simply give up trying and begin to drift away from God in despair.

     My friends, God is not a C.P.A. (a certified public accountant).  He does not sit on His heavenly throne with an account book that bears our name; He is not recording every bad deed or failure in our life to see if we will be able to do enough good things to outweigh them.  If we had been at all able to do that for ourselves, the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross of Calvary would have been in vain.  His death would have been a waste.  We would forever be possessed of an unbalanced account in the eyes of God.

     At the moment of our salvation-- that very instant in time when we realize our need for a Savior and ask Him to become the Master of our life-- right then all our past sin is wiped away; all our present and future sin is forgiven by virtue of His cleansing blood.  He did not just die for our yesterdays, but for our todays and our tomorrows as well.  And even more amazing is the fact that those sins have not only been erased from our balance sheet, but they have been erased from God's memory!  Scripture tells us, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

     Our good works, those things we do in obedience to God's call on our lives, have a purpose and are in line with God's plan for us as believers.  However, it is crucial that we recognize that purpose is not to make up for what we've done wrong in the past.  Our good works will not purchase our way into heaven.  The Bible clearly states, "For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith.  And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Lawn's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]" (Ephesians 2:8-9)

     But understand this: We have been recreated in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works (Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:11-14).  Our good works bring glory to God.  "Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection..." (I Peter 2:11).  They become a demonstration to the world of the living nature of our faith.  "What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]?"  (James 2:14) 

     Balance is the key word here.  We must understand that God desires we do good things in honor and service to His creation, but those things are to be done from a heart that longs to please Him and benefit others, not a heart that is feverishly trying to make up for the past.  Our past has already been paid for.  Jesus paid the ransom for our souls.  His perfect sacrifice is our victory over what was and our entrance into what will be.  God is not a C.P.A., so stop wasting your time and energy trying to ensure that your account will be balanced by the time you are called to your final judgment.  In the words of a great Christian hymn:

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,

"Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.

Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow! 

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool."  (Isaiah 1:18)

Preparation for Presentation

It is entirely worthy of our attention that from the time of Jesus' birth into the world to the next time we hear of Him in Scripture, twelve years pass by silently.  We have no information as to what events were taking place in His life during that time.  We can certainly make some assumptions that He was learning the skill of carpentry from His earthly father, Joseph, since Joseph was himself an accomplished carpenter.  Later in the Scriptures we learn that Jesus had brothers and sisters, so we can assume that He was learning how to get along within a family unit.  We are told that He honored his parents throughout His life, so we can assume that He probably underwent some discipline in training throughout His childhood.  All of these are assumptions, but none of them are chronicled for us in the Bible.  We know only one thing for sure and certain:  Jesus was being prepared by His earthly parents and by His Heavenly Father for the ministry to which He had been called from the very beginning of time.  That preparation was, perhaps, not only for Christ's benefit, but even for the benefit of those around Him.  Surely, those who knew Jesus as a child, a teenager, and a young man must have witnessed the changes that were taking place in His life as God prepared Him for the work ahead.

My husband is quite an accomplished carpenter himself.  He has designed and built some beautiful pieces of furniture for our home and for the homes of our children.  His work has blessed us all.  As his wife (probably the closest to him of anyone), I can tell you that a great deal of preparation goes into those labors of love long before they are ever presented to the public.  Bob takes time to draw up detailed plans (using some skills he learned way back in his high school years).  Then, he goes to the store and sorts carefully through the wood available to him, choosing only those pieces he sees as top quality and worthy of his project.  Back in his shop, he tediously prepares the wood, cuts and shapes, sands and re-sands each piece, until it is ready to be used.  Much labor goes into fitting each piece with the others, securing it into place, and then sanding some more to prepare them all for their final finish.  Even applying the chosen stain requires multiple coats followed by multiple sandings.  Eventually, after dedication and devotion, he is ready to present the finished piece to the world.  Trust me, it has always been worth the wait.

When we become believers in Jesus Christ and are saved by His atoning blood, a period of preparation follows.  Bit by bit God begins to separate in our lives that which is good and useful to Him from that which will only mar the finished product.  Our Lord patiently follows the plan that was laid out for us from the moment of our conception:

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "Plans to profit you, not to harm you; 

plans for a hope and a future."  

(Jeremiah 29:11)

Day by day God uses the events of our lives to fashion the finished product that He wishes to present to our world.  Sometimes the process is grueling, as He cuts away all those things that will only hinder our growth and maturity in the faith.  The sanding is tedious and difficult to endure, but necessary in order to rid us of the rough edges and splinters of our personality.  With each step of preparation we come closer and closer to that final completed work of God that will bear witness to the Carpenter's skills.  The time of preparation is vital.

If you are experiencing a time of preparation in your life, as I am even now in mine, I encourage you to embrace the process.  Trust in the skills of the Carpenter.  Believe in the plan He has for you.  Yield yourself to whatever refining must take place, knowing that ultimately you will be presented holy and blameless and useful for the Kingdom in God's perfect time.  Praise your Heavenly Father every day for the preparation process.  Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that "to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven."  Perhaps this is the season when God will present you to your world.  Perhaps there is still preparation which you must undergo.  Remember that wherever you are in life, Christ is there with you.  He knows every step you must take and every refining process you must endure if you are to reach fullness in your faith and power in your witness to those around you.

"And although you at one time were estranged and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked activities, yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father's] presence."

(Colossians 1: 21-22)

Bent In the Wrong Direction

     After several years of problems with back and neck pain, I was convinced to seek the help and advice of a chiropractor in the area.  I had seen him for an initial diagnosis and a few adjustments when he presented me with several sheets of exercises which wanted me to begin doing daily.  Bending, stretching, tightening... nothing drastic really, but foreign to me.  Probably noting the look of horror that swept over my face at the thought of exercise, the doctor was quick to explain and reassure me.
   
     These exercises, he told me, were not difficult, but they were important if I were to achieve the best results in my efforts to be well.  He went on to say that I needed only devote a small block of time, just a few minutes each day, and I would begin to realize some powerful changes in the way I felt.  In his words, I could be feeling "like a new person" within a few short weeks.  Of course if I chose to only do the exercises once a day or sporadically throughout the week, the recovery process would be longer.  That, he explained, would be up to me, since he could certainly not force me to do anything.

     As we went over each exercise together, I moaned and groaned and complained vehemently that the contortions he was asking me to do just didn't seem natural to me.  In fact, they were downright uncomfortable.  He replied, "They seem unnatural to you only because you have been bent in the wrong direction for so long.  You've become accustomed to being out of line with a healthy, natural state of being.  If you give these exercises a chance, you'll notice a difference quickly and won't mind doing them at all.  Your life will be changed for the better."

     Our first experiences with the Christian walk may seem like that trip to the chiropractor's office.  We find that we are given "exercises" to do by our pastor, our Bible teachers, or even our new Christian friends.  Reading the Bible, attending church and Bible studies, even praying... all these things feel unnatural to us and may even make us uncomfortable at first.  But if we are faithful in practicing them for a few minutes each day it doesn't take long before we notice the difference in our life.  The energy expended will be well worth the return on our investment.

     Romans 5:12-21 explains to us that we are all born as sinners.  This was not the way that God intended for His creation.  Through years of living in sin, we have become so accustomed to our own ways that the ways of God may seem foreign and uncomfortable.  Only when we dedicate ourselves to following the exercises of the Christian life can we come to know what our natural state should be.  We will quickly develop a desire to walk in those disciplines because we will be filled with His Spirit.  It will be a glorious feeling of wellness, perfect and natural for the born again believer.

     I takes only a small portion of our day to engage in devotions.  Regular time in prayer will always yield mighty results.  Dedication to studying the Word of God will make a noticeable difference in our lives.  Begin your Christian exercises today and experience the relief that comes when you are no longer "bent in the wrong direction."

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)