change of plans...

I'm on vacation this week. Well, technically it was supposed to be a VAcation, but instead turned into a STAYcation. Before this week, I honestly thought staycations were ridiculous and sorry excuses for vacations. Now I know that sometimes there is no other choice. The ironic thing is that this vacation anticipation has been building for quite some time. The last time we planned a vacation, we procrastinated for so long in planning anything that we just punted on the whole idea and skipped vacation all together. How pathetic is that? So THIS time we planned. We worked out the details, we reserved the dates, we planned to take the kids out of school, I got vacation time approved at work, I crammed in creative meetings and emails and tied up any loose ends that I could think of. We were excited! Then, about two days before leaving, things just didn't work out. Plans fell through and we were no longer vacating. We were staycating.

This past weekend, people were asking where we were going and what we were doing and we would say "well, our plans fell through" or "we had a change of plan". Then, in a rather nonchalant way, I said to my mom... "but I mean, God is sovereign, so if He wants us to stay home then there must be a reason..."

That statement has been absolutely haunting me ever since. Not because it's not true...but because it is! The question I've had for myself is: "so...why isn't that always your response when your plans change?" Do I really believe that God has a better plan when it isn't in line with what I originally wanted? The vacation/staycation thing was pretty easy to feel good about because it was between the original plan, which I really liked, or staying home, which I also really like! (side note: I'm a pretty reclusive homebody if left to myself...so the prospect of staying home for a week with no agenda makes the recluse in me rather giddy...)

The more I've pondered my off the cuff remark to my mom, the more I've contemplated sovereignty and its close companion, providence.

Webster defines "sovereignty" as:

supreme excellence

supreme power

freedom from external control : autonomy

controlling influence 

Webster defines "providence" as:

divine guidance or care 

God, conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny

Hmmm...so basically I said to my mom: "but I mean, God, being the supreme example of excellence and power and being totally autonomous as well as the controlling influence in my life, clearly exercised His divine guidance and care over our lives and guided our destiny by causing us to stay home...so He must have a reason."

Again, that's a lot easier for me to stomach as well as to rattle off these lips when the two options are equally palatable to me. It becomes a little harder when...

- my house in California is still hanging as an albatross around my neck with no end in sight and no conceivable chance to get out from under the financial pit of quicksand that it has become. (even though the mall across the street from it has been set on fire twice...TWICE since we moved. Could the flames not have just leapt across the street and burned the house to the ground?? Is that too much to ask?? I realize that seems a bit morbid and desperate, but hey...that's where I am on the subject.)

- I feel a very strong sense of preparation and instruction going on in my heart for something, but still feel "wait and learn" as the predominant mandate. Patience never has been a virtue I've possessed for any length of time.

- I pray and pray and pray for something...even PLEAD...and God doesn't seem to make any move in the direction of my prayers.

Those are just a few examples, and there are many more, so needless to say (but I'm saying it anyway) I am very aware of some truths that need to continue to sink into my life and heart and take root. 

Nothing touches me or my life that is not first sifted through the hand of God. Nothing. See, that's the thing about being in charge of every person and thing in the whole universe. Nothing happens without your ok.

My plans are just that...my plans. God's plan is the one that will actually get carried out. There's no such thing as a change of plans, thwarted plans or last minute considerations in God's plan. When my plans coincide with God's plans, then there should be gratefulness that I am a part of His story! When they don't, then there should be gratefulness that God is carrying out HIS plan whether I see, understand or like it and that there's an invitation to join Him. (There should also still be gratefulness that I am part of His story!)

Interestingly, I have HUGE PLANS for this weekend and am beyond hopeful that they're also in God's plans for me as well. This weekend I get to experience my very first EVER college football game. In Jacksonville Florida. That's right....FLORIDA vs. GEORGIA baby!!!! I'm a little bit ecstatic and have no doubt it will be an experience to remember. At least that's what everybody tells me! But, as excited as I am I do feel like I need to apply this scripture to this and all future scenarios in my life:

"Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."" James 4:14-15

If the Lord wills. This needs to be the pre-cursor statement of my life.

So...if the Lord wills, I'll be joining half of the people in Jacksonville on Saturday and screaming GO GATORS!!!!!!!! at the top of my lungs. Here's hoping!

Maybe this staycation was simply a tool to learn about the sovereignty and providence of God. I may not ever know a specific reason, but there's rest to be found in the fact that He knows everything that I don't and He orchestrates everything that I can't. I love that.

peace. 

top ten must - haves for fall...

I was so glad to see the calendar change to September yesterday! Even the weather was cooperating with mild temperatures and some sprinkling here and there. In my opinion, September is one of the BEST months of the year, second only to December which houses my hands-down favorite holiday of all time. September is amazing because it signals the end of summer (and in Georgia, SWELTERING temps) and ushers in crisp air, changing leaves and open windows. It also combines my two sports loves...major league baseball and the postseason, as well as college football! Is there anything better? I'm particularly looking forward to fall in Georgia this year because for the last five years, we've been in California. Historically, California is God's country when it comes to beauty and weather, but in the particular category of fall, it comes up rather short. In my experience, California switches right from summer to winter in most cases and just skips over fall. I'm looking forward once again to the proper progression of seasons. As I was pondering the transition to fall, I realized that I was taking mental notes of all the things I needed to be sure I had and was excited to be able to use...so I thought I'd share what are (in my humble opinion) the top ten MUST HAVES for fall. These are in no particular order, by the way. All of them are grand and don't deserve to have their egos bruised by a ranking. So, without further adieu...

10) BOOTS

No, not ridiculous boots like these. Sassy boots. Knee boots, ankle boots, high-heeled boots, Ugg boots, furry cuffed boots, sweater boots, rain boots...boots. Bye bye flip flops and relentless pedicures. Hello socks, skinny jeans and sassy boots. Welcome. Back. Boots.

9) SOUPS

I'm so excited to be able to indulge in warm, comfort food again! These particular soups are my favorite, though they are a little pricey. You can find them in the soup aisle and all you do is add water to their variety of different flavors. I also take the time to add broccoli florets, cauliflower or chunks of chicken to make a particularly hearty soup. It also makes a half gallon! Great to eat on for a couple of days and a quick and warm lunch solution. This is also a great time for the return of tortilla soup, our family favorite. Yum. Yum. Yum.

8) SWEATSHIRTS & HOODIES

With cooler temps come LAYERS! Finally! I have found that a good pullover sweatshirt or zip up hoodie comes in quite handy and I usually keep one in the car for unexpected outside excursions or relentlessly air-conditioned buildings. Here you can also see the beautiful marriage of baseball and college football that I mentioned earlier. Three cheers for layers!!

7) SCARVES

I know, I know, fall isn't the only time scarves are appropriate now that there are summer scarves. BUT, fall is the first time they're cozy and helpful for anything other than fashion. I have cabillions of scarves. It's gluttonous really. But, they are truly the perfect fall accessory and immediately spice up my go-to clothing colors of black, grey and chocolate brown. Scarf it up!

6) SIGNATURE SCENT(S)

I'm sure you're thinking "Really? Signature scents?" But it's true! Now, I'm not talking about your breezy Bath & Body Works spritzes or the Dove body spray line. Those are good for summer and are light, which is what summer calls for. But, for fall, I'm saying good, quality stuff. Eu de toilette. Parfum. Why? Because all those scarves that I mentioned earlier are going to smell like your signature scent. Unless you wash your scarf after each wear (which is terrible for them, by the way), then it's going to smell uniquely like you. And you want that to be a good, rich, nostalgic smell...not an alcohol-filled cheap smell which is specific to those cheap sprays mentioned earlier. I tend to prefer Daisy by Marc Jacobs and Lucky You by Lucky Brand, but that's just me. Go out and find something that's uniquely YOU.

5) BLANKETS & SNUGGIES

Fall would not be fall without something to snuggle under. This stack of blankets is right next to the leather recliner in our house so that snuggling is only a reach away. There are blankets across the back of my couch in order to support warmth while you are there as well. A snuggie has also become a must for this girl. I freeze most of the time. And...even though the commercials make everybody laugh about being able to still work on your laptop while staying warm...that's TOTALLY what they're good for. That's my snuggie on top of the pile. I know it shocks you that it's college football themed. Bring on game day!

4) FIRE

 

I don't really think this needs any explanation. It's fall. We get to have fires in fireplaces again. All is right with the world.

3) CANDLES

Different kind of fire, but still a MUST for fall. I struggle through most of summer because as much as I like melon, green apple and the like, they are no match for cinnamon stick, vanilla creme brulee, pumpkin spice and the other scents of fall. Candles are my favorite thing. They transform an entire house just by smell and make an otherwise cold, sterile environment suddenly warm and inviting. Get some candles. You'll be glad you did. (Honorable mention goes to: simmering pot-pourri. A true delight on the stove and for bathing a home in scents when candles are unavailable.)

2) BOOKS

So, your candles are lit, the window is cracked, the fire is going, the soup is on, your snuggie has magically allowed your hands to be free and now all you need is a good book. I don't mean your quiet time material or your Bible in this instance because it's my assumption that you have those at hand regularly. I mean, a BOOK, something rich and engaging and that sucks you in and transports you to another place. Classics, new arrivals, biographies, mysteries...whatever floats your boat. Read. It's good for your brain! (Honorable mentions in this category: iPads, Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers...though I don't think they're as romantic and cozy as a good old-fashioned book, they do have their positives. So, settle in with one of those if you must, but do yourself a favor either way and READ!)

1) COFFEE

It may be last, but it's certainly not least. Coffee (or hot tea for you non-coffee connoisseurs) is the perfect compliment to the above must haves. It warms you from the inside out! Thanks to Keurigs and french presses and every other coffee craze of the last few years, gone are the traditional days of old, boring coffee. You can get it in every flavor imaginable and can make enough only for yourself. There's no waste! What's not to love?

So there you have it. Those are the components of my perfect fall...

What are yours?

two truths & a lie...

I love Diet Coke. Period. Diet Dr. Pepper.......even better. I truly love them, have enjoyment whilst drinking them and crave them at certain times. I wouldn't say that I'm addicted in the sense that I can't stop, but I would say that I'm addicted in the fact that I LOVE them, would choose them over any other drink option any day, any time (breakfast, lunch or dinner) and suffer withdrawals when not drinking them. Yeah, ok.......I'm completely addicted.

I've known about this addiction issue for quite some time, but this is the first time that I've been comfortable enough to admit my addiction. After all, the truth sets you free, right?

Interestingly, my addiction began as repulsion. You see, I was addicted to Coca Cola Classic before I made the switch to Diet Coke. That addiction was much the same. Loved it over every other drink option and drank it readily and often. Shortly after Jeffrey and I got married, our shared love of Coke resulted in our shared newlywed weight gain. Add the birth of Maggie and preceding pregnancy and sympathy pounds to our mix, and we were two plump, carbonated parents! We decided that something had to change. Mind you, we were not prepared to address our love of carbs of all shapes and sizes, nor our propensity for fast food due to our hectic travel-heavy lifestyles, but we zeroed in on the one thing we thought we could do. Switch from Coke to Diet Coke. You see, one 12 ounce can of Coca Cola Classic has 39 grams of sugar and 140 calories!! Multiply that times the several we drank each day, not to mention the larger quantities that come as a result of the drive-thru window and their drink sizing.......and we were probably consuming in Coca Cola what should have been our entire caloric intake for the day! So.......we decided to make the switch. After all, the nutrition facts on the back of the Diet Coke can reveal a long line of (0). No fat, no carbs, no protein and best of all......NO CALORIES! So, our choice was made. The first taste of Diet Coke was nothing short of revolting to us. Where oh where was the sweet, syrupy goodness we'd grown up loving? This was a fraud! A sham! A shameful copycat of a finer soda beverage. Jeffrey was done. He'd had enough. If he couldn't drink Coke, he'd just switch to water. He wasn't putting that Diet Coke filth in his mouth again.....and he hasn't since. I made the switch though. It was a gross, saliva-repulsing process, but I finally hooked myself on the substitute. Oh, and we lost over 25 pounds collectively by changing nothing else but our choice of soda.

Fast-forward 9 years. Now, the taste of Coca Cola is repulsive to me. It tastes like drinking maple syrup. Jeffrey still doesn't consume soda and I'm still hooked to Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper. I mean, it's true what they say......"Diet Dr. Pepper really does taste more like regular Dr. Pepper." This addiction hasn't come without a reprieve here and there though. A couple of years ago, I got on a SUPER healthy kick, switched our family to organic foods, cut out carbonated beverages......PERIOD, began exercising P-90X style, lost 30 pounds, easily wore those designer jeans mentioned in the previous post and was militant about foods, cosmetics, calorie contents, empty calories, whole foods, green living, natural instead of processed and all that goes with it. I loved it! I was healthy, my family was healthy, we felt good and life was good. Then, along with job changes and life changes, our income didn't support the expense that comes along with that lifestyle and my emotions didn't support the expense that comes with enduring some massive hurt at the hands of people and circumstances. Before long, I justified treating myself with Diet Coke (because after all, I deserved it after all I'd been through) and before I knew it, my treat was an addiction.

Along with the return of my addiction, I began to notice some other interesting changes. You see, when I was consuming primarily water or juice beverages, my skin was clear, my stomach was flat, my migraines were significantly lessened and my aching joints and muscles weren't nearly as noticeable. My hair was healthier, I generally smelled better as a person (weird, I know) and my teeth were whiter. As I began to introduce Diet Coke back into the mix, the water and all other beverages phased out. It just didn't taste as good to me! Along with the water, all of the benefits of the water left as well. For me, the spiritual application has become painfully clear over the last few years. Yes, often times it takes years of being beat over the head before I embrace something. I may be a bit stubborn (sarcasm intended).

I drank Diet Coke because I liked it and I was thirsty. I also actually thought it was quenching my thirst. And it did in the short term. But I was always thirsty again. I'd bought into the lie AND I had received no nutritional or lasting value from the Diet Coke. The side effects of Diet Coke aren't just in what I don't gain from it, but also in what I lose in my addiction to it. Any time I sin, I'm choosing to believe a lie instead of the truth. I choose to believe that it will make me happy, cause me to feel good, not really hurt me in the long run or that no one will ever know. I exchange truth for lies. In the same way, sin tricks us into thinking we're gaining something yet we're always losing, because sin always leads to death. Maybe not our physical death initially, but there is always death of something. Innocence, trust, purity, self-control, humility.......the list is endless and full of casualties as a result of sin. For the sake of this illustration, the water of my spiritual life is the Word of God. Spiritual nourishment, lasting joy, peace amidst the storms of this life and anything else beneficial are found there. Any attempts to nourish myself spiritually in place of the water of the Word of God are false, artificial and imitation substitutes for what my soul really needs. Spiritually, my Diet Cokes are the sins that I hold so dear, cling to and dress up like something other than sin, or explain and rationalize away. I have bought into the lie that I'm somehow more satisfied with them, otherwise I'd have dropped them long ago. I've exchanged the truth for a lie.

Interestingly, in recent years Diet Coke and other diet sodas have increasingly been linked to a variety of disorders and diseases mostly in connection with the artificial or substitute sweeteners that make it calorie-free. Has this caused me to pause and think about whether or not I should drink it? Of course! In the long run, has it really changed much for me, regardless of what I know? No. I suffer the effects as well. Headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, face breakouts, unhealthy hair, stomach issues and digestive issues among others. For some reason, I cannot seem to strike a healthy balance between my dance with Diet Coke and the water my body so desperately needs. The Diet Coke wins every time. I've noticed that with my sin too. Do I know the side effects of holding my "respectable sins" so dear? Of course! Does it change anything? Not really. I also can't strike a healthy balance between my sins and the Word of God. You see, the Word of God doesn't share. If I love one, I hate the other.

Even as this analogy has been chipping away at the walls of my soul for awhile, another layer was exposed about two weeks ago. As we were in a neurologist appointment discussing my Dad's Parkinson's Disease, the doctor made an amazing point. She said that in these hot spring and summer months, it's great to drink water and that it's ultimately the best for you, but unfortunately, the heat is so intense, that the effects of the water are sapped away far more quickly than usual. The benefits of the water are not decreased, but the ability of the body to exist on them as long is. She said that it's crucial to begin supplementing with electrolyte-enhanced water whenever possible. The electrolytes in the water bond to the red blood cells in the body keeping them hydrated longer. Electrolyte drinks carry fluids directly to the bloodstream. Blood volume is raised and fluids return to healthy levels. I was amazed. I realized that I don't even have Parkinson's and had been having some of those same symptoms. It didn't help that Diet Coke was also taking center stage as my beverage of choice.

The more I've pondered, the more the illustration has become clear. Spiritually speaking, the Word of God is fully sufficient, is living and active, and in it is everything we need for life and godliness. But, in this sin-filled, daily compromising, media saturated, godless world we live in, it is a necessity to supplement the Word of God with the spiritual electrolytes of accountability, prayer, worship...both privately and corporately, theologically sound teaching, missions, solitude and other spiritual disciplines. It's not enough to get out of bed, pour a cup of coffee and read the Bible before I enter my day and think that it and reading a few well-worded spiritual tweets will last me through all that will confront me in that day. I must nourish myself with the word AND the spiritual disciplines of life. I must be in community with other believers. I must be in relational accountability with like-minded, mature believers. Oh...I also have to put sin to death in my life. Unlike drinking an occasional Diet Coke, which isn't a sin, there can be no part of me that believes "well, that sin isn't so bad...and I'm not quite ready to be done with it yet." I have to mortify, or put to death, sin in my life. For the sake of our illustration....Diet Coke can't exist as a primary beverage in a healthy world. A physically healthy person must be nourished by water and electrolytes. They are the truth. Nourishment at the hands of Diet Coke is a lie.

Respectable sins (you know, the ones you're thinking of right now...) can't exist in a world where we're spiritually healthy. They have to be put to death intentionally and often. I must be nourishing myself with the Word of God and the spiritual practices that supplement my growth in Him so beautifully.

In case you're wondering......yes, I'm trying to quit Diet Coke. It truly is a refreshing, carbonated lie. Will I be perfect? Probably not. But, you'll see me carrying around my Camelbak full of water and my Vitamin Water Zero pretty religiously. They're the truth.

My goal is also to put sin to death in my life. Will I be perfect? No. Should I still strive to do so? Yes. My amazement at His sinless sacrifice on my sinful behalf should always result in my desire to do what pleases Him. I won't be perfect. But isn't that what's so amazing about the grace of God? Always.

peace.

jeaneology...

Citizens of Humanity, 7 For All Mankind, True Religion.........

Designer jeans. I. Love. Them. Once upon a time, I was a regular Old Navy or Gap jeans kind of girl and I was perfectly content. I didn't even know that I wasn't fulfilled in my experience of jeans. Then one day my sister-in-law introduced me to my first pair of designer jeans. I remember it like it was yesterday. I put them on, and I felt.......AMAZING. I hadn't known prior to that moment that I could be THAT happy in a pair of jeans. I hadn't known that my life was missing anything.....but it was......oh, it was.

It's been 6 years and two children since that pivotal moment and for the first time other than pregnancy I'm without my designer jeans. Oh, they're still in my closet, but our connection is gone. It has been for about 6 months now. Why, you may ask? Well, I'd love to tell you that it's because I've sold them all and given the money to charity, or that I've since realized that I don't need designer jeans when regular old Jordache will do. But, I'd be lying. The real reason lies in the number 22. Twenty-two. The big TWO TWO. That number represents the amount of pounds that I've gained since Christmas. Twenty. Two. Pounds. I discovered this tonight. I had a sneaking suspicion it was close to that, but tonight I stepped onto the dreaded scale. Sadly, those pounds won't fit into my designer jeans any more than a Delta jet can fit into a ziplock bag. It's absolutely impossible. The sad part is.......it was all preventable.

Now, before you start judging me (more than you already are for the fact that I didn't sell them and donate the money to charity.....) let me assure you that I did not pay full price for any of my jeans. In fact, several of them were free. Having a relative that works in a high end department store has its perks. So does being smaller than someone else who gained weight and can no longer fit into their designer jeans. It's funny, but as much as I can't live without my designer jeans, I also refuse to pay full price for any of them. Double standard? Probably.

I told a friend of mine that I was certain I'd gained at least 20 pounds since moving to Atlanta from California and she said. "Absolutely not. There's no way. You can't tell at all." That actually kept me going for awhile! "People can't tell I've gained weight. Sweet! I have always been able to dress to accentuate the positive and downplay the negative. I'm doing good!" The problem is...I only LOOKED like I hadn't gained 20 pounds. That didn't change reality. I have gained 20 pounds whether I look like it or not. And believe you me, without all of my strategically placed clothes, I most definitely look like it.

Here's the thing. I didn't gain 22 pounds overnight. I also didn't suddenly wake up and realize that I was gaining weight. I didn't try to gain weight. I gained weight because I made no effort to stop it. I ate what everyone routinely eats, I paid less for groceries rather than more. I was lazy, I compromised, I was indulgent, I took the easy way out, I caved........and now I'm paying. Let's be clear. Gaining weight is what naturally happens to a vast percentage of the population if there is no attempt made to stop it. Staying thin (and healthy) actually takes work. Fighting is required.

About the same time that I felt myself getting dissatisfied with my temporary Target jeans and my expanding waistline, the Holy Spirit started pressing in on me in a very familiar way. See......I've been really digging into this idea of holiness for about 5 years. I've been studying, digesting and wrestling with all of the implications of scripture's exhortations to us as believers. We are commanded in no uncertain terms to BE holy. Everything about the pursuit of holiness requires active and in many cases aggressive steps on our part. We are naturally prone to getting really fat on the pleasures of this world. Because of our ongoing battle against sin and our flesh, we are not naturally holy. We begin to be worldly because we make no effort to stop it. We watch or listen to what everyone routinely watches and listens to, and have less convictions rather than more. We grow lazy, we compromise, we're indulgent, we take the easy way out, we cave, we abuse grace........and we pay. The chance for holiness for me required a priceless sacrifice on Jesus' part. It wasn't free like my designer jeans. But glory to God.........with diligence, the indwelling power of the Spirit and the glorious grace offered to me, I CAN BE HOLY. I don't have to just LOOK holy, I can actually BE holy.

Unfortunately, much like my weight, I think I've learned how to dress to hide my unholiness. After all, I am practically a professional christian. I work in ministry, I work at a CHURCH for crying out loud. I lead worship, I lead children, I'm a pastor's kid, I married a worship leader, I can quote scripture, I've never been drunk, I own multiple Bibles, I have favorite sermons, favorite worship songs, eat Chick-fil-A and only use Apple products. For all intents and purposes, I look like a holy person. But, lately, God's been convicting me that looks are very deceiving. If I'm not careful, I'm tempted to hide behind the fact that everyone thinks I've got this holiness bit together. It's then that I realize that He always sees me without my holiness clothes on and knows just how fat I've gotten on what this world has to offer. I don't have to work very hard to be comfortable in this world. I don't even have to work very hard to be assumed as holy around other believers. Jerry Bridges calls this "cultural holiness." He says:

"Many Christians have what we might call a "cultural holiness". They adapt to the character and behavior pattern of Christians around them. As the Christian culture around them is more or less holy, so these Christians are more or less holy. But God has not called us to be like those around us. He has called us to be like himself. Holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God."

THAT is what I want. I don't want to just be like the other Christians around me. That's becoming more and more scary by the day. We've validated the phrase "what one generation tolerates, the next embraces." I want to know what it means to put sin to death in my life, to appropriate the grace of God to the situations I face each day, to love others as He did, to esteem others as better than myself, to deny myself the things that erode my spiritual health and to take up my cross daily. You can't fake that stuff. There are a few people in my life who are pursuing this full force and it's a beautiful thing to watch.

I'm not satisfied with these 22 pounds. They have to go. Not just because I want to get back into my jeans.......but because I want to be healthy. I'm not satisfied with my cultural holiness either. It has to go. Not just because I want to look like I've got it together to those around me........but because I want to be holy.

I'm so thankful to God for the ladies around me who've committed to this journey also and meet weekly to encourage one another and exhort each other. I have no delusions regarding how easy this will be.......I know it won't be. And since it will not be completed on this side of eternity, I already know the value of having encouragers and exhorters who are in it for the long haul. But......blessing follows obedience and obedience requires heeding the promptings of the Spirit in my life. So.....I continue on the journey. Hope to see you along the way. Maybe when we do see one another, I'll be back in those beloved jeans.

"The moment we make up our minds that we are going on with this determination to exalt God over all we step out of the world's parade. We shall find ourselves out of adjustment to the ways of the world, and increasingly so as we make progress in the holy way." A.W. Tozer

peace.

something old, something new...

I've had much occasion to ponder new beginnings, new opportunities, new horizons and all other things new over the last 5 months. We've moved into a new situation, I've started a new job, the kids have been in a new school, we've plugged into a new church (that just recently moved into a new building), new acquaintances have been made, new goals, dreams and visions launched........ all things new.

Along with the excitement and anticipation that accompany newness, however, there is also the palatable sense of loss, sadness, nostalgia and remembrance that also tag along. Relationships left behind and familiarity upended leave a pretty substantial and gaping hole where comfort and warmth once were. Sure, it won't last forever, but for a time, there is a profound sense of loss. Sometimes in the midst of all the newness, the sadness of what's been left behind creeps up when you may least expect it.

We are walking through this with our children right now, and especially with our oldest, Maggie. We had the chance to return to California this weekend for the wedding of one of our dearest friends in the world. The whole family was in the wedding, we got to hang out with the people we love, visit the places we've missed (namely: JAMBA JUICE!) and get that old feeling of familiarity that we had when we lived there. Maggie and Jack went by their old school and were welcomed with open arms by all their classmates and teachers as if no time had passed and they'd never left. All this was well and good......until it was time to leave. Maggie is our deep feeler. She feels emotions all the way to her soul and it is quite a deep well. As the time approached for wedding festivities to end, I could see the waters of Maggie's deep soul well begin to churn. Now, she's no drama queen, so she tries quite adeptly to keep everything in check and stay in control. But.....before long, once we were out of the "public", she began to cry. Not those annoying tears where you think "good grief, get it together child!", but the kind of tears that signal deep hurt and loss. She really couldn't see past leaving Breanne's wedding, California, her friends and all she'd known. She couldn't imagine how going back to Atlanta would ever feel good.

I have to say that sitting there in that moment, I could totally relate. It was so nice to be around the people that know us best, who'd walked through some of the roughest times of our life with us and who know us inside and out. It was nice not to have to even think......it was nice just to be.......and to be there. We encouraged Maggie that this was not the end and that there would be other visits and longer visits and more communication and more experiences. But I don't think much of that really comforted her. In retrospect, it doesn't really comfort me either. What Maggie wanted to keep a grip on, and what I now realize that I want to keep a grip on is that familiarity. The comfort. The normalcy. The security.

It seems to me though, that God has not designed us for comfort and security on this earth. He's designed us for Himself. I'm encouraged to be less concerned about how I feel here on earth and more concerned about how I am with God. I want the comfort, security and familiarity I feel to be that of His presence and favor......of His direction, guidance and correction.....the assurance that regardless of what my earthly surroundings may look or feel like, that He is the constant in my life that I can unquestionably count on and know will never leave me with a sense of loss and sadness. I want to teach Maggie, and all of our children, how to navigate through the changes that this earthly life will bring while knowing exactly Who they can cling to and trust to take them from season to season.

Even as I write this, I am sitting in the airport in Houston......halfway from California to Atlanta......and heading into another season of newness. A new house for our family in just ten days, a summer without weeks of camps for the first time in fifteen years, a brand new children's ministry adventure in just two weeks, another new school for the kids in a few short months and whatever else God may have ordained for our journey that we can't even comprehend yet. I feel the tugging. I wanted to stay in California. I wanted to just pick up where we left off there. Yet, I want to come back to Atlanta......to pick up all we have there as well. As it turns out.....seems I have a pretty deep soul well too.....and it's been churned a bit. Above all, it makes me run full tilt toward my Father who understands every bit of it. I'm so grateful that He holds me and helps me navigate as I hold my daughter and help her navigate.

Weddings are such beautiful things and this weekend was no exception. Getting to watch two people whose lives have intersected and see the newness that God is bringing about in them was emotional. Pondering the future that lies before our little family and seeing all the new beauty that God can bring from old ashes is emotional. Getting to participate in even a small way in the giant story of newness that God is writing through history is emotional. But at the bottom of all that emotion, by the grace of God alone........there is peace.

rescue. (& reasons 25-35 on the lent list...)

Tomorrow is the day. Good Friday. The day we get to contemplate and celebrate the cross. Truthfully, I cringe at the reminder that I should be doing it every day, but am grateful for the chance to do it corporately tomorrow.

I will be getting to hang out with some children that I get the privilege of watching while their parents are in big church! As I've been praying and pondering through how the evening will go, one word has stuck with me: RESCUE. It's all about RESCUE. The cross is all about RESCUE. Good Friday is all about RESCUE. So, that's what we're going to talk about. RESCUE. I mean, even a child gets the concept of rescue. We'll see pictures of life preservers and helicopters and rescue dogs and ambulances. Then, we'll talk about what situations you might find yourself in and need rescuing. And after we've talked through all those symbols of rescue, we'll talk about the greatest symbol of all.......the cross.

I don't know if you've ever heard of The Jesus Storybook Bible, but if you have children (and in my opinion, even if you don't!), you need to get online and order it right now. It's stories from the Bible retold in such beautiful language that I have yet to read one without chills. Just put "The Jesus Storybook Bible" in your search engine and you'll find it. It was written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The tag line is "Every story whispers His name" and every story truly does. The whole point is to begin to see that every single solitary event in the Bible is truly about Jesus and leads to Him. My kids LOVE it. And I love what they're learning and hearing. Anyway......

We'll be reading two stories tomorrow night. One is the story of when sin first entered the world. It's called "The Terrible Lie". My favorite line from this story is: "Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: 'It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you!'" The other story we'll read is of Jesus' crucifixion. Its title is "The Sun Stops Shining." My favorite line from that story? "Then Jesus shouted in a loud voice, 'It is finished!' And it was. He had done it. Jesus had rescued the whole world."

RESCUE. We had to be rescued because of our sin. The means of our rescue was a brutal, tortuous death by the Son of God, because only the death of His sinless life could satisfy His Father's wrath toward my sin-filled one and my eternal separation from Him. And so.......our journey toward the contemplation of the cross ends with these 10 reasons not to sin. Read them slowly. Let them in. Past the numbness. Past the apathy. Past the tradition. Awaken to the cost of the cross.

#25: Because sin and guilt may harm both my mind and body.

#26: Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.

#27: Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.

#28: Because my sin is adultery with the world.

#29: Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.

#30: Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.

#31: Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.

#32: Because to sin is to not love Christ.

#33: Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to believe.

#34: Because my sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because it's worth anything on its own.

#35: Because I promised God would be Lord of my life.

peace.

reasons 23-24 on the lent list...

Reason #23 not to sin...

Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.

I do not know why the example of destruction that we often see in the people around us doesn't impact us more, but sadly, it doesn't. We're stunned into awed disbelief for a short time, but then things become numb and "normal" again and we continue to swallow the lies of the enemy. Other people were destroyed by those sins, but it's different with us, right? We're in better control......


Reason #24 not to sin...

Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
 
One of the hardest things about being a parent is watching your children learn important lessons the hard way. There's always a balance between protecting them from consequences and letting them learn the hard way in hopes of instilling a valuable lesson that won't have to be repeated. Imagine all the more what it would be like for those on both sides of eternity as they watch our small vapor of life and see the ways we squander chunks of it in sin.

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." - Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

reason #22 on the lent list...

Reason #22 not to sin.....

Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.

As I thought about how sin steals from us, I looked up the definitions of "steal" and "rob". Sin as a thief takes on some eerie significance when these definitions are applied......

STEAL (From Merriam-Webster:)

to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as a habitual or regular practice
to come or go secretly, unobtrusively, gradually, or unexpectedly
to steal or attempt to steal a base

to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully
to take away by force or unjust means
to take surreptitiously or without permission
to make oneself the focus of
to appropriate to oneself or beyond one's proper share
to move, convey, or introduce secretly smuggle

to seize, gain, or win by trickery, skill, or daring
to reach safely solely by running, usually catching the opposing team off guard

ROB (From Merriam-Webster:)

to steal from to take something away from by force
to take personal property from by violence or threat
to remove valuables without right from (a place)

to steal to take away as loot
to deprive of something due, expected, or desired  


This is what sin does to my reputation and to my testimony. In many cases these losses can never be regained. Many of us would probably say that we try not to worry what others think and that we are content in knowing that God's opinion is the only one that matters. We say things like "God is my defender and the keeper of my reputation." And though that is true and we shouldn't give undue weight to what others think, it is VERY important what they think about God as a result of watching our lives or interacting with us. When I'm sinning, I'm jeopardizing my chance to reflect Christ purely. Ruined reputations and stolen testimonies are a big deal. Just ask anyone who's been through it.

John 10:10 says "the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy" and sin is the primary weapon in that arsenal. Recognizing the enemy's intent to defraud is a necessary step, but refusing to give ground and jeopardize the reputation and testimony that hang in the balance are crucial to victory.


peace.

reasons 10-21 on the lent list...

12 days.....

It was a rather unexpected hiatus, but a hiatus nonetheless. I've always been a bit of an overachiever. In much the same way that my eyes are often bigger than my stomach, or that I say "yes" when I should probably say "no", to think that I could pull off a daily blog and the demands of the Passion Fort Worth conference was probably a little unrealistic. I could go on for days or longer and hopefully I can put it all down in words at some point, but Passion Fort Worth was truly life-changing and perspective-shifting for me. Things were clarified and cemented so well that I am almost restless as I attempt to process it all and assess its impact on my daily life. Nevertheless, I am still convinced it's necessary and hopefully life-changing to focus on the reasons I do not want to sin as I head toward the celebration of the events that freed me from the bondage of that sin. And so we press on.......

We've got 12 reasons coming up. They are each deeply impacting in their implications if we'll let them take root.

Reason #10 not to sin: Because my sin saddens the godly.
You have only to think of how you'd feel if "so and so" found out about your sin, or to know the immense sadness you've felt in discovering the sin of another for this to be an effective deterrent.

Reason #11 not to sin: Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
The thought of cementing for the enemies of God that our religion really is worthless and ineffective is distasteful enough. The fact that they'd have any reason to rejoice is something I want no part of.

Reason #12 not to sin: Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained what in reality I have lost.
Oh, how true this is. Do we not believe we've gained pleasure or status or love or peace or happiness or safety or stature or position when we sin? In reality, we've lost those things haven't we? As Andy Stanley says.......we sacrifice the eternal for the immediate.

Reason #13 not to sin: Because my sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
This reason is beyond sobering to me. Truthfully, we take spiritual positions and leadership far too lightly these days. We take a "well, nobody's perfect" stance on qualifying for leadership and though it's true that nobody's perfect, scripture has a well-defined list of qualifications for spiritual leadership and we'd do well to keep them in the forefront of our thinking.

Reason #14 not to sin: Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
My children would readily agree with this. The consequences are never worth the risk. This reason completely debunks the whole "it was totally worth it" myth in regard to sin. Consequences handed down by Almighty God in response to our sin are never worth the sinning in the first place.

Reason #15 not to sin: Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
I remember that my Dad used to explain repentance to me as "agreeing with God about my sin." That's a little different than "I'm sorry" or "Please forgive me". It's "God, I agree that my sin is an afront to Your holiness and that you can have no part of it and that it separates me from You in terms of intimacy and effectiveness for Your kingdom. I agree that I have lifted myself up against you in my sin and have attempted to steal Your glory." At this point, we begin to get on a right footing again. But oh, what a painful process repentance is. Until we are viewing sin the same way that God views it, we're not truly repenting.

Reason #16 not to sin: Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss. 
John Piper spoke at Passion last week and referred to life as a "tiny vapor's breath". It's so true. In our sin we sacrifice eternal joy and crowns for counterfeit pleasure in this vapor's breath of life. What an unbalanced and ridiculous trade. 
 
Reason #17 not to sin: Because my sin may influence others to sin.
More than once this has been true of me and I'll be held accountable for what I did with my influence. The thought sickens me quite frankly. I always have two choices to make. God, save me from using my influence to encourage others to sin by following my example. May I always lead people toward You and Your holiness.

Reason #18 not to sin: Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
Though I believe that every person that God intends to be saved will in fact be saved, there is always the possibility that I could squander an opportunity to be part of that process because of sin. What a trade...the chance to participate in the salvation of another...for sin. Gross.

Reason #19 not to sin: Because my sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
Until we get this, and I mean really GET IT, I don't know how much lasting victory over sin we will experience. Every time we sin, we're making light of the work of Christ on the cross. This floors me. Every time I read it, it floors me. My cavalier attitude toward sin at times is only made more disgusting when coupled with the fact that I'm actually making light of the cross. I think most of us like to think a little more highly of ourselves than this and say that we're not making light of the very thing Christ endured to free us. But aren't we?

Reason #20 not to sin: Because it's impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
From the book "Reshaping It All" - "An old native story describes how a young man was confused. Not knowing how to deal with his confusion, he approached an elder for some wisdom. Telling the elder that a lion and a bear constantly wrestled in his mind, the young man wondered which one would win. The old man looked at him, put a hand on his shoulder and wisely replied, "The one that you feed." Which one do you feed? Do you feed your flesh by pampering it, giving in to every cry? Or do you feed your mind with the Word of God which equips your spirit?"

Reason #21 not to sin: Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
Psalm 66:18 - "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."
John 9:31 - "We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will."
Oh God, save me from ever having you turn a deaf ear to me because of my unrepentant heart.

peace.

reason #9 on the lent list...

Reason #9 not to sin....

Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.

This. one. is. hard. Just keeping it real here, but I struggled through this at a particularly rebellious point in my life several years ago. I was actually living in the delusion that I was operating in a bubble. Then, I remember when it hit me like a ton of bricks: "Jeffrey, Maggie, Jack and Ali are the ones who will suffer because of your selfishness and sin." It was no small feat and required the intervention of the Holy Spirit and a huge season of brokenness. Much like my teenage fear of disappointing my father, the thought that I might harm my husband or children through sin is excruciatingly painful.

In thinking about this reason, I googled this question and got a great answer. There's no need to try and figure out a creative way to restate what I found, so here it is. Would love your thoughts as always on this subject.

Question: "How does my personal, private sin affect others?"

Answer: If you lived isolated on an island in the middle of the sea, then perhaps your private sin would not affect anyone but yourself. However, since the maxim is "no man is an island," there is a good chance that you have a family or at the least friends and acquaintances that you come into contact with on a continual basis. All of them will be affected in some way by sin because sin has consequences (Romans 6:23). That is a principle that follows the pattern laid down at the creation. Everything created has a seed from which it propagates itself after its "kind" (Genesis 1:11, 21,25). In other words, you do not plant corn and expect to harvest beets. You cannot “plant” sin—even in private—and not expect to reap a harvest of consequences. And consequences have a way of spilling out over everyone and anyone that comes into contact with us because of another principle called "association." This means that those around you can be blessed or hurt by association with you and the choices and actions you make, both privately and publicly.

One needs only to look at the recent scandals involving famous evangelical leaders to see the effects on others of “private” sins. Once they are discovered—and the Bible tells us to “be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23)—families, friends, congregations, and the Christian community at large will be harmed. Worse still, the cause of Christ will be damaged as unbelievers scoff and sneer at us and blaspheme His name. It may seem that people sin without visible consequences, but what is secret will one day be made manifest. "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open" (Luke 8:17). Can you honestly say that there is no one that would then be affected by your secret sins if they should become known?

Sin that is kept secret produces guilt, and guilt has a way of changing us. Others see those changes and are affected by them.

© Copyright 2002-2011 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved.
www.gotquestions.org

Ugh. This is the last kind of effect I want to have on anyone. Instead, I want to affect them for Christ and the joy of surrendering to Him.


peace.

reason #8 on the lent list...

Reason #8 not to sin.......

Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be. 

This is my current issue to be sure. I'm not who I want to be. I know who I want to be, and I know that it will require changes, refinement and surrender. I've been in a pretty aggressive refining process over the last few years it would seem. There have been some highs and some very painful lows. I know, however, that none of those things touched me without first being sifted through the hand of God.

What I'm also learning is how much sin short-circuits that refining process. There are several things that I just wish I could get rid of once and for all. I don't want to struggle with them any longer. I don't want to war against my flesh. I want to just be rid of them. I'm not referring to anything heinous or "big" by today's definitions, and I'm not even saying that there are sins that I'm purposely harboring or holding onto. But, there are sins that are constant areas of struggle and oh how weary I am of them. 

I'm weary because they make me less than what I could be. What they can't do, however, is change my standing. I'm still redeemed, declared righteous and covered by grace. I never want to harbor even "little" sins and disqualify myself from being all that He has planned for me. 

peace.

reason #7 on the lent list...

Reason #7 not to sin.......

Because I am doing what I do not have to do.

Today was a full day of birthday celebrating for my Maggie who turned 9 years old. As we celebrated, on and off through the day, I pondered this reason. I do not have to sin. I am not a slave. I have the power that raised Christ from the dead available to me. I have the Holy Spirit of God. I have an ocean of grace available to me and new mercies every morning completely sufficient for that day. When I sin, I am doing what I do not have to do. Why would I do it? It definitely means that I can't coast through this life because my struggle against sin will continue until I enter His presence and I'm no match for it without His power. But WITH His power, I can overcome it. I'm tired of struggling with it. I want to overcome it.

peace.

reason #6 on the lent list...

Reason #6 not to sin.......

Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.

Surely I can't be the only person who's experienced this. The urban dictionary defines a heavy heart like this: "When your heart is weighted down by sorrow." I wonder if oftentimes the reason we stay so busy is because if we pause too long and are too still, our true heaviness of heart will be revealed. Sometimes we operate at such a helter-skelter pace that even where there's no sin involved, we become a bit numb. We can certainly become spiritually numb and begin to court sin and realize that in time, our hearts have grown heavy with the weight and sorrow of it. This is why confession, repentance and forsaking are so critical to the health of our hearts. As if there was any doubt about why we wouldn't want heaviness of heart, I've included several scriptures below that point to the amount of emphasis God puts on the condition of our hearts.
 
Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

1 Samuel 16:7 "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

Jeremiah 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him..."

Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

Galatians 4:6-7 "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him."

Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Deuteronomy 5:29 "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!"

Psalm 40:8 "I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart."  

Maggie, my oldest, has a very tender conscience. She tends to start confessing things to me long before I would've found out about them and just can't sit in her sin for very long before it's eating her up. I would love to say that this is exactly how I operate with God. I mean, I do get convicted of sin immediately upon committing it, but I am also very good about rationalizing, excusing and explaining. Instead, I'd like to become an expert at the confessing, repenting and forsaking that I mentioned earlier. That's the key to a heart that is not weighted down by the sorrows of sin.  

peace. 

reason #5 on the lent list...

Reason #5 not to sin.....

Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.

A great example of this would be Achan's sin in the Old Testament. I found a great commentary by RC Sproul on this particular subject.....

Following the fall of Jericho, Joshua sent a force of around 3,000 men to attack the city of Ai, but the Israelite army was soundly defeated and thirty-six fighters were killed (Josh. 7:2-5). This prompted Joshua to cry out to the Lord in great anguish, for how could He have brought the people so far only to see them lose the battle at Ai (vv. 6–9)?


What Joshua did not know but what we understood as soon as we read verse 1 is that there was a specific reason why the people failed to take the city of Ai just as they had conquered Jericho. Instead of leaving all of the devoted things of the city of Jericho for the Lord, Achan (of the kingly tribe of Judah no less) kept some of them for himself (v. 1). Once our Creator explained this to Joshua, everything began to make sense (vv. 10–12). This sin would have to be dealt with as an illustration of God’s holiness and Israel’s responsibility, and Joshua was ordered to tell the people why they had been judged at Ai and what they should do about it (vv. 13–15).

This initial warning to the people should have made Achan come forward on his own and repent of his sin. Unfortunately, this is not what occurred. Instead, he waited for God to identify him before he confessed his sin (vv. 16–21). Lest we think the Lord unjust to destroy Achan and his household even after they “repented” (vv. 22–26), we should note how Achan’s failure to confess on his own and the failure of his family to do the same reveals a lack of true contrition. John Calvin comments that Achan gave no “sure indication of repentance; being, as it were, overcome with terror, he openly divulged what he would willingly have concealed.” God always forgives the penitent, but the absence of true repentance will ultimately bring condemnation.

The thought of being a spiritual liability to others and especially to spiritual leaders over me is terrifying. Because of Achan's selfishness, shortsightedness and SIN, the Israelites were defeated in battle and their leader was left wondering why. Most of us would say we'd never purposely put our leaders in that position, but are we intentionally remembering that any sin we harbor is a burden on them and could irrevocably alter the landscape of the ministry? Do we really think about the position that we put them in? Or......do we rationalize what we're doing as inconsequential? Do we assume no one will ever find out and that we're sinning in a vacuum? Many of us can point to one story after another of a person's very public and very messy "fall from grace" in ministry. Do we shake our heads and wonder "what were they thinking?" or "how did this happen?"

It happened because they stopped being intentional about putting to death "little" and "inconsequential" sins along the way and it can just as easily happen to us. We are always one sin away from burdening our spiritual leaders in a way we'd never see coming.

God save us from rationalizing sin away and assuming it doesn't matter. May we never be a spiritual burden or liability to those whose leadership You've placed us under. Keep our hearts sensitive and our feet quick to run from evil and to repentance.

peace.

reason #4 on the lent list...

Reason #4 not to sin.....

Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.

It would take quite a hardened heart not to be moved by the thought that the Spirit of God is literally grieved by my sin. But, what if it doesn't necessarily have to be a hard heart? What if it's enough to simply be unaware and unconcerned about the true ramifications of my sin? I would NEVER purposely grieve the Spirit of God. Or would I? I'm just keeping it real here, but sometimes I want to do what I want to do and I want to do it when I want to do it.......and so I do. I'm sure it's just me. 

When I was a teenager and there was the chance to do something wrong, I could pretty well ensure that if I just thought for ONE SECOND, I would quickly realize that the thought of disappointing my father was an effective deterrent. I was saved from many a poor choice by the grace of God and because I revered my father so highly. In retrospect, the times that I did disobey and disregard what he'd told me, the sting of the discipline wore off long before the regret of hurting and grieving him.

These days I'm pondering the merit of stopping for just ONE SECOND before sin to consider how it will grieve my heavenly Father. I want to caution against any temptation to use the "Jesus already died for all my sins and I'm covered by grace" argument here. It cheapens His death entirely. Most people would probably even say that sin sneaks up and happens before we have a chance to consider it. I would say that we have the chance not to sin. We have the chance not to grieve God. The enemy would love nothing more than to have us so desensitized and so tolerant that it actually does seem that sin sneaks in without warning. The truth is, there's always warning and there's always a way of a escape. Don't believe me? That gut feeling you get when a conversation is headed the way of gossip and slander? That's your chance to get out. The slow boil that begins when your husband or children has done that thing that annoys you once too often today and you're about to spew? That's your chance to change. Knowing full well that if you talk with him or her, it will lead somewhere that it most certainly shouldn't? There's your opportunity. It means being aware, being concerned and being intentional. It means being in conversation and communion with the Holy Spirit. It means being as in tune with His desires and will for me as I am with facebook, twitter or my favorite tv show. It means relying on the unending stream of grace from God (which is new every day and is never used up) and appropriating it for the killing of sin. Am I going to be successful 100% of the time? Absolutely not. It's by no means strictly human effort, but it is also by no means going to happen by osmosis. This is not about works-based faith, but about working out our salvation. It WILL require work on my part and it WILL require diligence. But wow......when the alternative is grieving the Holy Spirit of God by Whom I've been sealed? It is worth it. I want to hear what you think. I'll end today with some more John Piper. He wrote a blog post not too long ago on this very subject.

One of the poems I wrote during my leave of absence grew out of my sorrows over grieving the Holy Spirit. It is bad enough to know that God is dishonored by my sin. But to hear Paul connect my particular sins with grieving the Holy Spirit was even more painful.

This he does in Ephesians 4:30-32. He says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” And then he names my sins: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

There are mysteries in the self-sufficient Spirit being grieved. And there are many sorrows in saints who do it. And there is a day coming when it will be done no more.

                  Doubly Relieved

My patient Comforter, my God,
     My Life, my Breath, my holy Zeal,
My soul is doubly sorrowful:
     That I still sin against your Seal,
And sinning cause my Sovereign grief.
     I know it is your holy way
To make your grief serve perfect joy,
      But I still pray, O bring the day
When, in the twinkling of an eye,
     My soul will doubly be relieved:
I will not ever sin again,
     And you will nevermore be grieved.

 peace.

reason #3 on the lent list...

Reason #3 not to sin.......

Because the time spent in my sin is forever wasted.

This one is particularly hard to swallow if, like me, you're a person that takes a measure of pride in your time management and organizational skills. I love having a to-do list and then structuring my day so as to accomplish the things on the list and get all of the little boxes checked. When that occurs, I feel quite satisfied that I've made good use of the time for that day. Conversely, when I feel like the day didn't go as planned, or that nothing substantial was accomplished, I have a saying....."well that's time I'll never get back!" It's supposed to be tongue in cheek and is usually funny and agreed with by all around because we've just all seen the same ridiculous disappointment of a movie, or participated in something laborious and boring.

But, when I realize that the time I've spent in sin, and believe me there are some sins that I've clung to for months or years at a time, is forever wasted and unable to be retrieved, it produces godly sorrow and a desire NEVER to let my sin become so front and center again.

Scripture has a host of things to say about the value of the time we've been given. I have such a desire to learn to number my days and to spend them operating in light of eternity instead of wasting them on sinful fleshly desires and wasted moments and days. I view the time spent with my husband and children differently, I view my job differently, I view my worship differently and I view my leisure differently when I have eternity in view.

Does this principle impact anyone else?

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16

Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. - Psalm 39:4-5

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. - 1 Timothy 4:14-16

peace.

reason #2 on the lent list...

Reason #2 not to sin.......

Because my sin invites the discipline of God.

As a parent I can totally relate to this one from a human perspective. I give my kids choices all the time. We teach them about consequences and let them know what they can expect for violating whatever we've said to do. When they do inevitably violate something, discipline always follows. The degree of discipline certainly varies depending on the offense, but there is discipline nonetheless. It's not all that different a subject when we're talking about the discipline of God. I do think it's important to make a very important distinction right now.

For a believer, the discipline of God is very different from the wrath of God. As believers, we will never experience the wrath of God. Every single bit of wrath He had toward us because of our sin was poured out on His Son. He has no more wrath for us. This should be an extremely comforting thought for you and for me. He does, however, have wrath left for those who have rejected Him. They will spend eternity experiencing the full measure of that wrath separated from Him and experiencing an eternity of spiritual death. The wages of sin = death. Every time. Glory to God, Jesus died the death that was meant for me. God's wrath toward me has been satisfied in Him. So, since my sin invites God's discipline and not His wrath, what's the purpose of the discipline?

I loved this article on the discipline of God and the verses cited:

"God uses discipline as a last resort. If all God needed to justify mankind to himself was a bigger cattle-prod, then Christ died for nothing! No, God's plan for the earth is love first, discipline last. To get us to listen and repent, he will use deep conviction, the rebuke of friends, "coincident" sermons, the quickening of Scripture, and every other means before disciplining us. But if we resist God's Spirit of mercy, we are promised the rod of correction. When God disciplines, the punishment fits the crime. Time and again, we realize that we cannot get away with unrepentant sin. God is sculpting us into holy vessels, and the process can be painful."

Job 5:17-18 (NIV) "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal."

Prov 20:30 (NIV) Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost being.

Rev 3:19 (NIV) [Jesus] "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."

Rom 11:22 (Jer) Do not forget that God can be severe as well as kind...

Heb 10:31 (NIV) It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Rom 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

"Those who are able to consistently sin and not be rebuked by God are not His children. Those who have been born again are seized by deep conviction when they sin, and if they do not repent they are always "spanked" by God for it. Is this true in your life? Do you pass the family test?"

In all honesty, I believe I'm guilty of minimizing the severity of the sins in my life because I view them as small. My sin invites the discipline of God, plainly and simply. God is conforming me to the image of His Son and He can have nothing to do with my sin. He must purge it from me.....polishing what is of Him while eradicating what is of me. It truly is a refiner's fire of discipline.

"He is a refiner's fire, and that makes all the difference. A refiner's fire does not destroy indiscriminately like a forest fire. A refiner's fire does not consume completely like the fire of an incinerator. A refiner's fire refines. It purifies. It melts down the bar of silver or gold, separates out the impurities that ruin its value, burns them up, and leaves the silver and gold intact. He is like a refiner's fire.

It does say FIRE. And therefore purity and holiness will always be a dreadful thing. There will always be a proper "fear and trembling" in the process of becoming pure. We learn if from the time we are little children: never play with fire! And it's a good lesson! Therefore, Christianity is never a play thing. And the passion for purity is never flippant. He is like fire and fire is serious. You don't fool around with it.

But it does say, he is like a REFINER'S fire. And therefore this is not merely a word of warning, but a tremendous word of hope. The furnace of affliction in the family of God is always for refinement, never for destruction." -  John Piper (on Malachi 3:2)

Oh God, give me the grace not to invite Your discipline upon me with willful sin. Keep me sensitive to Your Spirit as You lead me to repentance.

peace.

reason #1 on the lent list...

God, in your grace, please give us fresh eyes over the next 35 days as we journey toward the celebration of your glorious Son's resurrection. Jesus, please impact us with the weight of what our sin cost you and protect us from minimizing and explaining in an attempt to soften the blows. Holy Spirit, bring these reasons to our remembrance throughout the day and may they be more than words on a screen. We are pursuing a lifestyle that magnifies the Son...

Reason #1 Not To Sin......

Because a little sin leads to more sin.

When I was a high school student, I had Andy Stanley as my youth pastor. If you're unaware or have been living under some sort of rock, he has been enormously gifted by God as a teacher and communicator of truth. As a high schooler, I had the benefit of sitting under his teaching for four years. In a particularly uncomfortable and eye-opening series called "How Far Is Too Far?" Andy talked about the perils of sexual immorality and how to avoid making mistakes that would mark us forever. We had laminated cards to remember the points and long before the "WWJD" movement of a few years later, there were several hundred high school students who were newly empowered with their laminated cards and commitment to sexual purity.

There were two points on that little card that are relevant to our reason here today.
1. The further you go, the faster you go.
2. The further you go, the harder it is to go back.

I have certainly found that no matter how "little" the sin or how infrequent, if left unchecked, my appetite will be for more. It is a WITHOUT FAIL principle. Whenever there is sin, if I do not repent of it (ie: agree with God that I am sinning and lifting up myself against Him) and turn away from it, it will always lead to more. It will always lead to more...............

gossip
slander
lying
cheating
complaining
grumbling
pride
critical spirit
critical speech
sexual sin

......and all other sins. The list is endless. I have found that this is a point that I'd like to argue and explain away. I mean, if I ask the Holy Spirit to be faithful to prick my heart any time that I am sinning, it seems to be an endless pricking session akin to some sort of spiritual acupuncture. I find myself saying "well, I mean everyone sins. Nobody's perfect! This is why we live under grace and not the law......." Though all of those statements are true, none of them requires me to take the responsibility that is indeed mine to "throw off" the sin that so easily entangles. I believe one of the first steps though is to reclassify things as sin that our christian culture has begun to accept and tolerate and in some cases, embrace. We classify gossip as "concern", critical spirits as "constructive"......and so on. Once we've begun to explain away these "little" sins, before we know it, we're knee deep in sin and wondering how we got there. How? Because a little sin always leads to more sin.

How have you seen this principle prove true?
What other sins have we begun to explain away and classify?
What safeguards can we have in place so we don't find ourselves being led into more sin?

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers." James 1:12-16

thoughts?

peace.