The Life of A Walking Oxymoron

The Scales Fall Off

2011-12-30T11:19:00.000-05:00

Five years ago, I had LASIK eye surgery. It was one of the best decisions and investments I ever made, because I was, literally, blind as a bat. The procedure itself took no more than 7 minutes for both eyes, and while one eye is being operated on, the other is covered to ensure that no foreign particles fly in it, and to block out the blinding light hovering above head. Hearing the laser making strange, alien-spaceship like noises is intimidating enough in itself, but the worst part of the entire experience is when everything goes black. In a brief moment ( that lasted no more than 30 seconds), I experienced what it was like to be blind, and a sudden dread came over me. I wasn't fearful because I couldn't see: I was afraid because it was so dark. If a few short moments in the dark terrified me that much, I don't want to ponder, even for a second, what eternal darkness must feel like. My vision had to be surgically corrected in order for it to be fixed permanently. The surgery was a daunting task and extremely uncomfortable, but I did what was necessary so I could rely on my own vision as a means by which to see, and there was no other way to do it. Jesus knew that HE had to do what was necessary to save this world, and the only way, was to offer himself up as a living sacrifice for it(Hebrews 9:26-28).

My temporary darkness was obvious, because my eyes were covered, but what I came to realize in that moment was that we in the world, walk in darkness in the broad daylight, as this world looms heavy around us. No one is innocent of this; we see the world though scratched lenses on purpose, in an attempt to justify or even accept our sinful ways. Those who are not yet saved simply do not know any better. But those of us who are, gouge out our own eyes with our excuses for near-sided faith. Over and over again God does great things in our sight (1 Samuel12:16), so we can see His glory. Like LASIK, God restores our sight (Luke 4:18), but we as sinners, continue to revert back to wearing glasses when we fall back into the ways of this world.

In order to have 20/20 vision, the cornea of the eye should be a perfect circle around the iris. People who are near-sided generally have oblong corneas which cause them to squint. If the entire area is not covered, it is impossible to focus. Since my initial surgery, I’ve had to, twice, go back to my surgeon and “enhance” my vision in both eyes. My eyes were so bad that the initial surgery did not completely restore my sight. And even though I had the surgery, I was still squinting because I couldn’t focus.

When Jesus first restored my sight, I was happy, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overwhelmed by my new found freedom. I was not quite ready to see myself without the blur of the world that was blinding me. Taking those initial steps and getting rid of my glasses was, and sometimes still is, quite painful. Pre-surgery, I couldn’t see my own hand waving in front of my face. Post-surgery, and with a few enhancements, the world is now crystal clear. As my vision had to be enhanced to perfect it, so does God enhance my faith, daily, by his grace, mercy, and forgiveness; provided only through the body and the blood of Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

When change takes place, it requires life-altering occurrences. Who I was pre-Jesus was an empty vessel of a person dying to my sin, and it was painful to see who I was before I was reconciled unto God through Christ's broken body and shed blood (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Peter 3:18). Who I am post-Jesus is a spirit-filled vessel, still a sinner, but one who asks, daily, to be shown the error of my ways, in a quest for holiness (Leviticus 20:26). This does not give me the right to intentionally sin because I know that I will be forgiven (Romans 6:1-2). But it does give Jesus the right to bring my sin to light to extinguish it (Ephesians 6:16), and blot it out forever (Acts 3:9).

Just as Jesus dropped the scales off the eyes of the Apostle Paul who was blinded by the world and the law (Acts 9), so will He restore our vision in a place that balefully grows darker by each passing moment . With the New Year fast approaching, and gas prices continually rising in a world of constant, uncertain calamity, those of us in Christ can walk in faith; knowing that Jesus will always provide us with the fuel to keep our fires burning and our lights shining bright in the midst of darkness.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

-Jesus

The Spirit Bully

2011-11-02T13:17:00.002-04:00

"A bully is a person who uses strength and power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker than them."

The Ant Bully, an animated movie, depicts a story of a young boy who, because he was ridiculed by other children in school, took his anger and frustration out of innocent worker ants. As his oppressors oppressed him for being smaller and different than they, so did he do the same to the ants in his back yard, who were smaller than him. Fighting fire with fire only causes an inextinguishable inferno. One tiny seed of evil can blossom into napalm, obliterating one's spirit. That seed will dig its roots deep, sprouting bitterness, leading to antagonism, implacability, prideful ambition, rage, and hatred; all of which can lead to spiritual death (Job 21:25).

Bullies are like the mafia with Satan at the helm as the Godfather; barking out orders to harm those who don't obey. Studies have shown that bullies are weak and insecure and use smaller, weaker people to build themselves up, knowing their victims are too afraid to stand up to them. Satan is weak against God, so he uses the weaknesses of people, causing faith to waiver, and spirits to doubt. He creeps into the thoughts and minds of those in turmoil, lying to them, telling them that they don't need God. He isn't called the Father of Lies for no reason (John 8:42). He is weak against God, so he preys on the weak in faith. Satan will try to tempt anyone to advance his plans. He's so arrogant that he thought he could break Jesus, and he failed, a miserable (yet successful) defeat (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4).   The only way to defeat the father of hate is with the spirit of love.

Satan digs his heels in deeper in us the more obedient we become to God, using our sin against us in an attempt to make us feel useless in the eyes of God. But what we forget to realize is, that it is because of our sins that He sent down his love to destroy them on the cross; and because of the cross, our sins are forgotten in the eyes of God upon salvation (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12). God's love was revealed through an act of hate (John 1:29); quenching Satan's eradicating fire with living water (John 7:38).   Fires eventually go out, but the enemy always seems to find a way to reignite them. When it comes to those we care about, we are the most vulnerable; especially when they are being held hostage, and their ransom is being paid with our joy. One family disagreement has the ability sew seeds of bitterness, resentment, and sometimes banishment. Jesus felt this when he was turned away by his people and his family (Mark 6:4), but he defeated the enemy by standing firm in truth and in love. Satan longs to steal one's joy, like a bully longs to steal one's dignity.

The only way to defend ourselves against our adversaries is to call the enemy out on his lies. But be warned that he is as persistent as a car salesman, coming back at you with a sweeter, cheaper deal every time he goes out back to "talk to his manager." The last thing we need is a payment we can't afford to part with--our souls.   Jesus commands us to stand strong and firm in our faith, and in doing so, He will fight our battles for us (Luke 21:12-19), giving us the right words, His knowledge and wisdom to fight off THE bully and his evil minions (the world and it's temptations). Bullies may seem big and ferocious, but they are nothing more than a spec of dust compared to God; and if we have God living in us, then we are greater than the bully that is against us (1 John 4:4).

Love defeated hate on the cross, so that we could live in victory. The enemy does his best to steal the peace and joy that Jesus left us by feeding us lies and filling our heads with insecurities. But we have the power to overcome these stories using joy as our swords of truth. The Apostle Paul and Silas were in chains for the cross, but they sang triumphantly, for Christ gave them victory even under persecution (Acts 15). The spirit of hate is no match for the power of the spirits of joy, peace, and love. The happier we are, the weaker the enemy becomes. The more we give into temptation the weaker we become, and the deeper Satan digs his grubby, mud slinging, spirit defying hands into us.

So the next time you go to shake your fist and swear at the guy who just cut you off, smile at him instead, and wish him well. The next time you go to give that clerk who gave you a hard time a piece of your mind for making a holiday gift return, smile and tell them to have a nice day. Smile, smile, and smile some more. Smile until it hurts. Smile until the hurt turns into joy. Smile at your enemy and he will turn away. Be still and know that God is the one who is exalted, not the devil (Psalm 46:10), and since we are one with him (Galatians 3:28), we have victory over hate through Jesus' death (1 Corinthians 15:54). The bigger your smile, the smaller the bully. Take that, Satan!

Slain to Sustain

2011-10-18T12:24:00.001-04:00

A heart transplant is easily one of the most dangerous surgeries a doctor can perform. There are various complications associated with it; rejection and infection being the most traumatic of side effects, both of which can lead to fatal heart failure. Most people, being fully aware of the possible complications of such an invasive procedure, would still go through with it, realizing that the alternative (not having surgery) would surely result in death. We put our lives in the hands of doctors, faithfully, in hope that they will save our lives...on Earth. And if it fails, then what? Many people might say, "I've been a good person, so I'll go to heaven." It is statements like this that are causing people to pass both physically and spiritually on a daily basis. Being a good person, and doing good works, does nothing but make you look good in the purview of world (Ephesians 2:8-9). True salvation is granted by the surgeon of the universe who gets it right, every time, WITHOUT complication; and it doesn't take hours in an operating room. It takes a moment on your knees.

When a person has a heart transplant,it doesn't make them a different person, except for the obvious fact that the new heart he or she has used to beat in another body. The same blood pumps through the veins, still taking in the same oxygen needed to circulate healthy blood flow, protracting life. Only there is a brand new, clean heart (Psalm 51:10) in the old one's place, beating for a new purpose--new life. Jesus is like that new heart--He gives a new beginning, a new change, and a clean slate to really start living. But a new heart does not mean the old one is completely gone--it may be new, but the blood that pumped to our old hearts is the same blood that pumps through the new one. Existing complications don't vanish with the beat of a new heart. Just as the same blood continues to circulate, so are we still living in the same world we lived in prior to receiving new life. We can't always change our surroundings, but we can be a change TO them and set an example FOR them, though our new, changed hearts(Ezekiel 36:26-27).

The heart, like any major organ in the body, cannot function without blood, the fluid that sustains and maintains life. There is a reason that the heart is at the center of our bodies. It is at our core, pumping blood, pushing oxygen in, and pushing toxins out. But without both white and red blood cells, blood is useless, and the heart, and the entire body for that matter, cannot function without them. Red blood cells(RBCs) pump oxygen into the body and carbon monoxide out. White blood cells (WBCs) fight off infection and foreign bodies that enter through the blood stream.

God, like the heart, is vital to our existence. Jesus, like RBCs, pumps His spirit into us, giving us life; giving us the oxygen we need to survive, and filters out toxins (like carbon monoxide) that are harmful to us. The Holy Spirit, like WBCs, pushes out impurities that cause damage to our souls, by convicting us of our own sin and the sin lurking around, tempting us (Acts 17:11). It is only when we continue to live in our sin, and be enveloped in it, that our lives become toxic--like mutated cancer cells that are too powerful for WBCs to fight off on their own. Sin causes our spiritual cells to metastasize and mutate, infecting us with diseases of lust, lying, covetousness, etc. Jesus won't let us die for our sins once he's made His initial transplant. God can perform an emergency blood transfusion for us at any time. Jesus has, in a gigantic blood bank in the sky, an abundance of it stored for those who have yet to be saved, and for those who have fallen off course. Saved or not, it is sometimes necessary to have a heart attack to get back on track.

The heart will stop beating if all three components are not working in unison for proper blood flow. Without the WBCs fighting off infection, we would be sick all the time. Without RBCs, we would suffocate, due to lack of oxygen, and an excess of carbon monoxide. In the same way, we can't have Jesus, and not have the Spirit; without both, there is no heart beat, no life, no God (no heart). After a transplant is done, it is final, and impossible to put our old, bad hearts back in our chests. New hearts do not beat for a temporary, Earthly existence, but for eternal and Heavenly stature. At the end of this life, our hearts will stop beating, and our bodies will turn to dust (Ecclesiastes12:7) , but our new hearts will beat forever; through the the slain body and shed blood that sustains us for all eternity.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51:10-11

The Greatest Investment

2011-10-05T13:48:00.000-04:00

With the threat of another recession and the continual rise and fall of the stock market, the last thing that people want to do is invest their hard earned money into an economy that continues to be so uncertain. And with unemployment rates at record highs across the nation for the first time since the great depression, people are more apt to shove money underneath their mattresses than turn it over to the likes of asset managers and investment bankers. It's really sad to think that the reality of all of this sadness is triggered by money. There never seems to be enough of it, and when there is, it seems to run out just as quickly as its earned.

Money sews dirty seeds that grow from them, the seven deadly sins: A prideful attitude when we feel invincible when we have it in excess; an envious heart when others have more than we do; a gluttonous outward disposition because we want to consume more than what our capacities (or bank accounts) allow for (which can result in credit card overages and in extreme cases, fraud); lust for more of it; wrath over our jealousy that others have more of it than we do; greed because it never wants to be shared,and we constantly want more; and, finally, sloth because the last thing we want to do is use it to advance anyone but ourselves. Money is, as Timothy put it, is the root of all evil (1Timothy 6:10).

But what if there was a someone who could promise you a return on investment for life? I can assuredly tell you that there is such a person, and He works for the Bank of God, located on Golden Road, Divine, Heaven, 77777. First name Jesus, last name Christ. He is available 24/7, 365 days a year (He even makes Himself available on his birthday--now that's commitment!). He can turn YOU into a venture worth investing in for all eternity. No strings attached, no money down, just your spirit. He will give you something worth more than money, gold, or diamonds. He will give you new life that will allow this investment to mature over time, so long as you meet with him as often as possible (I recommend several times a day).

Relying on a world that is only temporary only creates temporary results that fade and diminish over time. Houses can stand for decades, but need updates due to withered materials, and to keep up with the times (in the 1800's there was no such thing as central air). Houses require money, time, and hard work. But a house is nothing more than a place we live in, for our short time on earth. And given the current real estate crisis, people are fleeing them just as quickly as they buy them. Brick and mortar crumble over time. In God's house, there is no need for renovations or updating because it stands on a solid foundation and the materials used to build it have stood the test of time. And despite any stains we may have on our credit reports, how empty our bank and/or retirement accounts are, he wants us to live there with no money down, no obligation, no dotted lines to sign...for FREE! The one and only stipulation is your life--saved by his son, the investor (John 3:7--"You must be born again"). Jesus offers us an eternity in God's house in Heaven with streets of gold and pearly white gates leading to it (Revelation 21:21), and debt free for all eternity. In this day and age, what could be better than that? People are losing their jobs by the minute in this country, and their hope at the same time. Jesus gives it all back with no interest attached.

No other worldly source or "religion" can make the same promise and commitment that Jesus can make to you. He WAS the greatest investment that God made, and he put down his life as a down payment for all of us; he ransomed us from the grave and redeemed us from a slow death (Hosea 13:14; Hebrews 9:15). Jesus paid for our freedom with his broken body and shed blood knowing the risks involved, but He still knew that there would be a big return on His investments. Thousands of years since that dark day at Golgotha, He is still cashing in on this one time venture, and He didn't have to be reincarnated a dozen and a half times to to see this investment grow. Can the Bank of Buddha promise the same? NO. Invest wisely. Invest in Jesus and be amazed as He transforms you into something that is worth more than anything this trivial, temporary world can offer. HE gives you peace, He gives you love, He gives you life.

Call 1-777-GET-JESUS

and watch your investments grow!

Rejection for Perfection

2011-09-23T16:16:00.002-04:00

I think we've all been through this before:

"I like you....Would you...maybe...uh.... want to go go out sometime?"
"Uhm....No. I am sorry, but I like someone else."
"I only like you as a friend."

Next you go through the "slow burning" questions of,

"I wonder what it is about me that he/she doesn't like."
"Am I not attractive enough?"
"How can I change myself to get them to change their mind?"
"Is there something wrong with me?""

Rejection is something that everyone, at some point in their lives, experiences; whether it be rejection from that certain someone we are interested in, to not "making the cut" on a team roster. I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't painful. It almost feels like getting sucker punched because we almost always go into these situations blindly. When the punch comes in, you don't know what the response will be, and when you get socked with a negative response, it's shocking, and you're left with a pit in your stomach thinking, "I'll never get over this." Eventually, however, we do get over it, because we realize that whatever the situation was, just wasn't meant to be.

Jesus understands what it feels like to have been rejected. He was dismissed by His own family (Luke 4:16-30), his own people (John 1:10-11), and people today still reject him. Jesus knew that He was going to catch fire for claiming he was the Messiah, and he did it anyway, knowing he would burn for the good of mankind. To be rejected by the likes of this world (a person of interest or sports rosters) stings only for a moment, because we either find someone else, or work harder to make the team the next time around. If everyone accepted Jesus during His life, then there would have been no reason for His death. But if we continue to fuel the fire of the flesh, we will burn to a crisp (Jeremiah 4:4), because we are rejecting the ONLY one who can save us. Sin stings, but remaining in them stirs up a towering inferno in our souls.

This world is, as God said to the Prophet Ezekiel, filled scorpions who rebel against Him (Ezekiel 2:6).   The truth was literally staring the people of Israel in the face, and they still rejected him, and we are often guilty of the same thing. The truth was alive, breathing, walking, and LIVING in the world and He was shut down as quickly as one flips a light switch. And even through the insults, slander, and ultimately His death, Jesus still spoke in truth, and the people heard it: Whether they liked it or not. They may reject the truth, but they will hear it. If you get too close to a scorpion, don't be afraid. They will only sting you if they feel threatened. But do be afraid of the ones who will stop at nothing to poison your soul.

How many times have we pretended not to hear someone speaking when we knew they were giving us good advice, or when we are being called out on our foolish actions? Moreover, how many times have we ignored the Holy Spirit when we have felt Him convicting us of our sinful ways? How many times have we indulged in a sinful act and justified it with our "get out of jail free card" that is Jesus' constant forgiveness? One excuse will lead to the next, only leading us down a dark road away from God. Without the Spirit, there is no truth; without truth, there is no God (1 John 4:6); without God, this world is nothing more than an illusion. If there were no truth and no God, this world wouldn't exist because WE wouldn't exist! Yet so many of us still deny His existence.

Rejection never feels good. But there is always a blessing waiting at the end for those who patiently endure it (1 Peter 2:18-19).   Take these instances, for example:

You finally get up the nerve to ask the girl that you've been crushing on for months to go out; only to be told she isn't interested.
That job you were so desperately hoping you would get, chose another candidate.
You practiced all year to audition for the lead role in your school play, only to get asked to work as a stage hand instead.

But as it turned out....

You fell in love with an even more amazing girl who became your wife.
You found an even better job with higher pay and amazing benefits.
You learned every aspect of the theater; behind the scenes and on stage, further honing your craft.

Jesus could have easily thrown his hands up in the air in frustration and said, "I give up." Rejection hurts. BAD. We know what it feels like to be rejected by one, two, or maybe a small group of people. Jesus was rejected by ALL of his people! If he gave up on us, there would be no hope, and no reason for the world to continue. But He allowed Himself to be berated, belittled, and murdered in a quest for perfection. He loved this wretched, venomous world so much that he died a humiliatingly beautiful death to save us. Jesus died to be glorified; so that we could be seen as nothing short of perfect in the eyes of the Father.

Things are not always what they seem, and never as bad as we may think. In a world of scorpions, God sees us as butterflies. His rejection lead to perfection, and God's truth still lives through those of us who believe in Him. And the world will hear the truth: Whether they listen or not.

Flex Your Spiritual Muscles!

2011-09-13T17:01:00.002-04:00

Now that the summer is officially coming to a close, people are back to work, back to school, and back to the gym. With that comes a lot of, "Now that the summer is over, and now that I'm finished having my fun, I'm going to go back to the gym and get back in shape; no more excuses!" We all know what happens once we proceed to go back after months of not working out; we don't have the endurance we once had; we are not flexible anymore; we tire easily; we run out of breath; and we cut our goals of working out for a full hour to half, promising ourselves that we are going to go back to the full hour once we are "back in shape" again. Or, we proceed to try and do what we did before we took a break, and experience crazy lactic acid leakage (a.k.a. super sore muscles); resulting in another week or so (and we all know weeks can turn into months) off so that we can "give ourselves time to heal." The only way to get rid of lactic acid is to push on, and through the pain until it the muscle is conditioned, and used to strenuous exercise again. But, excuse, after excuse, after lousy excuse, for our laziness and/or lack of motivation, lets it get to that point. Instead of doing something about it, we would rather complain, all the while neglecting our bodies the physical exercise it needs to maintain a healthy physical and mental physique, and we have no one to blame but ourselves when we look in the mirror. Our spiritual health is growing weak in the same way--the more we submit to this world, the more comfortable we become with living in darkness. The less we work out our faith, the less we depend on God, and the more obese we become with the filthiness of this world.

Faith is just like any muscle that needs to be worked out regularly. The more it is neglected, the more it loses its power. The less and less we "work out," the more weak we become. Just as we loose our tone and defined muscles from lack of exercise, we loose confidence in our walk with God when we neglect our faith. Try bench pressing anything after months off and see what happens. Your arms feel as though they are detaching from their sockets because they've lost their strength. The lack of motivation we have in ourselves causes us to become lazy in our walk--which is fresh meat for the devil to prey on. Because we are born with carnal minds, Satan preys on us in our moments of weakness and lack of faith in Christ. He will stop at nothing to turn our trust away from God (Romans 8:5-9), using pathetic rationalizatoins to convince us that there are other means by which to attain faith (i.e. If you are a "good person" then you don't have to be saved by Christ). Nothing can be further from the truth, and the sad part is, some of us who are saved know this, but we'd still rather take the easy way out.

All too often, we tend to give up quickly and grow impatient when we don't get immediate results from our work outs; just as the Children of Israel did when they built that golden calf(Exodus 32) becuase they grew tired of waiting on God. We live in a society of quick fixes to every day problems. The lengths that people go to, to loose weight is astonishing. Putting an attractive man or woman on a commercial or print advertisement, promising results fast or your money back is nothing more than marketing trickery. Consumers tend to disregard the fine print informing them that whatever supplement they are taking, only works in conjunction with diet and exercise. There isn't a magic pill out there that will make you fit over night. It may curb your appetite or help burn calories, but it doesn't work, unless you do the work that goes along with it. In this world of convenience, people want overnight results in all aspects of their lives--including their faith. There is no substitute for good old fashioned goal setting and hard work--and its much cheaper than liposuction.

When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, we are immediately saved and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Jesus may save us, but it is what we do with our new found salvation is up to us. God never said that our walk was supposed to be easy, but he did give us a means to endure those difficult times (1 Corinthians 10:13), and that is through our faith in Jesus. But is our lack of patience that sucks the faith out of us, causing us to turn to the world for a quick fix, but what we don't always realize is that there are heavy consequences to pay for taking short cuts. Take for example, professional sports players who take performance enhancing drugs to bulk up. One bad move like this has destroyed the careers of many of these athletes, and has tarnished their image of being positive role models to forever. A quick fix won't enhance our walk with Christ, nor will it postively impact our daily lives. Faith has to be lived in order for it to be built and matured.

A garden can't grow lush and green by watering itself, and the body cannot get in shape sitting on a couch night after night watching TV and eating salty, sugary snacks! Nor will the muscles become tone without oxygen being pumped to them during a work out. Without oxygen, we would suffocate. Without Jesus, we would be suffocating to the sins of this world. If we are not constantly flexing our muscle of faith, then what good did it do, asking Jesus to save us? Getting in shape physically is not easy when you haven't worked out in awhile, and the same holds true for our spiritual growth. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). His cross was not easy to bear, when he carried the sins of the entire world on it, but he didn't ask God for a Quick Trim way to get around it. He carried ALL OF IT and took no shortcuts. Satan himself tried to tempt him into taking the easy way out and He refused (Matthew 4:1-11). Because He died, he gave us easy access to God, through Him, to do good work for Him. He gave us the easy way to God, yet many of us (myself included) still have a habit of turning back to the world! We rack up our "good deeds" thinking that they will score us points with the Man, but works without faith is dead (James 2:14:17), and taking short cuts in an effort do His work is useless--you can't short cut your way into Heaven.

There's that old story about the man stranded in the ocean waiting for God to rescue him, and when a helicopter comes, he refuses, saying that God is going to save him. Next comes the boat, and so forth. When he passes away and asks God, "Why didn't you save me?" God replies that he sent him means to be saved, but he rejected them. God will help us, but we have to do our part. If we are not living out our faith, and doing our part in our walk, there's only so much God can do. He will reach down, but we have to reach up (analogy compliments of my husband, Chad!). Our bodies require oxygen to breathe, and our muscles require it to grow strong. As oxygen is vital for our survival, Jesus is vital to our living....forever. With Him, we can stand firm in our faith on the foundation of truth (1 Corinthians 16:13), and the oxygen of his being that keeps us alive.

No more excuses. Get to church (or the gym)! Don't wait until after the holidays or just before and after the summer to stay in shape, which always results in, "Ugh....I have to go back to the gym! I'm so out of shape! I wish I would have stuck to my routine!" We shouldn't be getting caught up in the likes of this world, but by no means should we be stuck in the same routine, either. Stick to your routine (by routine, I mean consistently go to the gym), and don't forget to change it up from time to time--you don't want to get used to one thing and remain in it, either--your body will get too used to the same movements and you won't see results. Study different books of the bible, do something nice for someone just because, and flex your muscle of faith for Jesus! You will see a change--GUARANTEED (and you won't need your money back because your fortune is waiting for you in Heaven).

Substitute for Substances

2011-08-29T13:02:00.001-04:00

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Deuteronomy 8:3

A little over a week ago, I decided to give up my one cup of morning coffee. This single cup gave me that sudden jolt of energy to start my day for the last 11+ years. Given that it was only one cup, I really didn't think that I 'd have issues doing away with it. Boy was I wrong. My first day, if you want to call it that, was an epic fail. I was driving to work with my eyes half closed, dried and burning, as though they had saw dust in them. Giving into temptation I turned into the first dunkin' donuts I could find, and not only did I order a coffee, I ordered a coffee with an espresso shot! I devoured that coffee like a vulture does to the carcass of road kill. As trivial as a single cup of coffee may sound, the fact of the matter is, I was, and still am, dependent on that one thing. How sad it is to think that a tangible thing could take hold of my subconscious mind and make me hunger for, and rely on , something that is nothing more than a quick jolt that goes away in a matter of moments.

In my oxymoronic way, this failure blessed me with a God-inspired epiphany: If I relied on God half as much as I relied on coffee or other sources of caffeine for that jolt of energy, I would have all the energy I need to share the Gospel with excitement and fervor. The difference between God and coffee is that God eternal, and the more addicted we become to His word, the more we crave righteousness through it (Matthew 24:35; Matthew 5:6). Coffee wears off after a couple of hours, leaving a person tired and yearning for more. Psychologically, we convince ourselves that we cannot function without it, which is exactly what I tricked myself into believing. But the truth is,I don't need it, but I do need Jesus, and he is the perfect substitute for caffeine. His Spirit gives me the jolt that lasts a lifetime.

I must admit, that the first few days of my caffeine detox (for lack of a better word) were tough. I had headaches, and even napped a few days (being someone who NEVER naps, this was strange to me). I need to be clear that I am by no means trying to start an anti-coffee campaign. I stopped drinking coffee and other means of caffeine, because I want to be more focused on God with out the aid of a substance to get my mind going. This not a plea for people to stop drinking coffee; I'll likely have a cup or two in the future myself. As for now, I want a deeper, purer relationship with God, and for this reason, I want nothing getting in the way of Him being my first waking thought in the morning.

To get the morning fuzzies out of my head and my eyes, I changed up my usual morning routine. Instead of the annoying, beeeeeeppp! beeeepppp! beeeeeppp! of my alarm clock, I wake up to "Lead Me to the Cross," so that now my day starts with God. Instead of coffee, I quench my thirst, and my dry, sleepy eyes with his word, that stays with me all day, where visine and coffee don't. Instead of hitting the snooze button a half dozen times and thinking about the sometimes mundane tasks I have to perform at my job, I life my hands up in praise, thanking him that I have a job. Had I not had this coffee failure turned epiphany, I would be doing the same routine each morning, without remembering that He is the reason I am one of the fortunate ones who is able to bring home a paycheck. As someone who has suffered as a result of our nation's economic crisis, having been laid off not once, not twice, but THREE times in the last seven years, I have reason to be grateful for this and all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18); not allowing myself to take for granted a single blessing (eyes that see, legs that walk, a car that starts every morning, etc.). When I was drinking coffee every morning, my first thought after I hit snooze a dozen times was, "I need coffee." NO. I need Jesus!

It's funny how, when you meet other Christians, that jolt of the Spirit inside of you intensifies, as though you drank a dozen redbulls in a minute flat. The mutual love and adoration for Jesus deepens as fellow believers feed off of each others' energies. I have a BIC (brother-in-Christ) who frequents my workplace at least once a week, and we are quite a sight to be seen. Both in love with Jesus, we literally become giddy like school children at recess sneaking candies on the playground. God's filling is so pure, so perfect, that is physically impossible for us not to get excited when we talk about Him and all that He has done in our lives. I don't recall a time when coffee ever gave me butterflies in my stomach like the Spirit does. Proverbs 27:17 puts it best when it states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Fellow believers' faith inspires mine, and therefore my faith is strengthened and recharged, as a result of that mutuality. I'd rather be filled with more of His Spirit that gives me clarity and keeps me charged for life, than a drink that claims to "keep you running" for a few hours. And with the assistance of other fellow believers around, there is no need to stop at coffee shops, so long as there are plenty of "filling stations" around to recharge;-)

Sandra Runs on

(and to) Jesus!

Satan's Favorite Question

2011-08-16T15:37:00.003-04:00

In the late 90’s, the former Christian rock band, Creed, sold millions of copies of their sophomore album “Human Clay,” with the first hit off that album being the song “What If.” The song goes, “What if you did? What if you lied? What if I avenge? What if eye for an eye?’ The question of “what if” is one that can lead to another “what if” and to another, and another, and another, spiraling out of control with no answer to the original "what if". A person can truly go mad trying to decipher all of the “what if’s” in life to the point of delusion. Six letters in a seemingly harmless phrase can put a cavernous gash in your life the size of Barringer Crater.

Stare at the picture above for a moment. After a few seconds, the spiral will begin to rotate, and you will begin to see specks of green, yellow, purple, red, and probably a few other colors that are not there. The illusions that this image portray are simply that: illusions. In the same way the constant what if’s in life can cause the mind to invoke scenarios that are far-fetched and non-existent. If you were to draw a spiral, you notice that the tip of the spiral begins small, and as you draw in circles, over and over and over again, your circle becomes larger; larger, but still going in circles. One can only go in circles for so long before crashing down. The human body can only take so much dizziness. But what was the reason for the fall? One small seed of doubt; one small "what if?"

When God created Adam and Eve, they had it made! They were living abundantly in the Garden of Eden without a care in the world. And what did they do? They asked, "what if we ate the fruit?" They knew right well that God told them not to eat it, but as a defiant child, they did it anyway (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve didn't trust God enough to know that he was serious in what he said. "The serpent deceived me!" replied Eve as she hid behind a bush (Genesis 3:13). We all know who the serpent was, and he will do the same to all of us the moment we begin to question God.

Though less often than not, doubt can be somewhat healthy. When a father is doubtful of his daughter going on a date for the first time, it doesn't meant that he doesn't trust her; it means he doesn't trust the boy. God doesn't trust this world and it's temptations to His children, but upon salvation, he trusts us to make the right decisions against it. If we confidently recognize that we are saved by Christ, then upon salvation, we were gifted with His Spirit (Acts 2:38); and if we are living by His Spirit, then there should be no doubt. But, alas, we are all human and we were born into this world as sinners. Satan hates the truth. If he can get his gnarly little demon hands on the smallest speck of doubt in us, he can completely turn our worlds upside down. Satan jumps right in your ear the moment he knows you have doubt.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6

Anorexia is one of the devil's favorite ailments. Unlike other diseases, this disorder is self inflicted and it starts with a lie: "What if I look fat?" This question has the ability to destroy a person physically, mentally, and spiritually. Like a vehicle, the body needs fuel in order to function. Without fuel (food), the disease reaps havoc on the individual's bones, and then major organs like the heart. Eventually the body starts eating away muscle tissue as a means to get this fuel. As the body eats away at itself, giving into the lies of "fatty," so does the spirit as it moves further and further away from God.

"He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. " John 8:44

WHAT IF JESUS ASKED THESE QUESTIONS?

"What if just tell them I am the Messiah, so I can skip the cross?"

"What if I just do a few more miracles so they will get off my back and believe in me?"

"What if I just abandon all of them, and go off on my own?"

Those of us who are saved know what the end result would be had Jesus asked these questions. We would still be sitting in our filthy pit of self-righteous sin. But Jesus did not, and would not ever, ask any "what ifs" because he had not doubt that God would glorify Him, as He said he would (John 13:32). One question of doubt leads to another, to another, and yet another until we are not only questioning ourselves and our abilities, but God, too; which is exactly why the devil loves this question so much. Doubt fuels the fire of fear that leads to deceit. This deception can lead to self hatred, resentment, and even hatred toward others. These feelings can trigger psychological dysfunction such as anxiety and depression. The more doubt we have, the more likely we are to become nervous, paranoid, and delusional. The longer we sit and stew in our own self-doubt, self-pity, and our circumstances, the harder it for us to lean on God for support--we begin to lose trust in Him, who has no reason to trust in us, to do right by His Son.

Do you Really want to look like this?

Think of a stove that goes uncleaned for months. It begins with a speck of grease. You think to yourself, "Eh. That's not so bad, I'll clean it up tomorrow. I'm tired." Tomorrow comes and goes, same excuse. Tomorrow leads to tomorrow, to tomorrow, to tomorrow, and all of a sudden your once white stove has been neglected for weeks or even months.

Or would you rather look like this?

Satan tricks us into believing that we are not worthy of being "washed as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). But God is like Oxy Clean: "BAM, and the Stain is Gone!" He keeps no record of our sins, even the most grievous of them ("Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1).

We all looked as horrendous as that stove top before Jesus saved us. Now, why on Earth would we want to revert back to the gross, greasy, sticky mess of who we were before we met Him? Because as humans born into sin, we still find ourselves giving into sin; even though we are saved, and the temptations of this world are still present. The difference between who we were and who we are in Christ, however, is the Spirit who convicts us of our sins and makes us accountable for them (John 16:8). Before we were saved, we justified screaming profanities and using suggestive hand gestures at that car that just cut us off while stuck in traffic, as acceptable behavior.

The Devil attacks when we are the most vulnerable because he is no match for God's strength and power when we are in the Spirit; he is weak against God, so he preys on the weak in sin. But we have strength in Christ to confidently stand in front of him and rebuke his lies, in the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus never doubted the Father, and God doesn't doubt those of us who are in his Son.

Satan is that grease spot that turned into a disgusting sticky mess. But for those of us in Christ, we can boldly put on our gloves of faith, spray the cleaner of Christ, rub away our messes with the scrubber that is the Holy Spirit, and be clean by the mercy and the grace of God! After all, cleanliness is next to Godliness, is it not?