Enough Already!

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
James 1:15 (ESV)

Violence, destruction, cruelty, heinous crime, unbelievable loyalty to killing, hate, injustice…when will it ever stop? Throughout history, we see examples of sin manifesting itself into hearts and becoming full blown issues in the world. Take a look at current times. The news is painted with scene from Israel as rockets enter the land and citizens scramble for shelter. And why? How can this be? What causes differences to escalate to levels such as these? What is the root cause of this ongoing behavior?

We probably all would agree on the three letter word: Sin. However, what is sin? 1 John 5:17a (KJV) says, “All unrighteousness is sin…” 1 John 3:4 (NLT) states, “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.” And, not to be a Debbie Downer, sin entered mankind through Adam and Eve therefore, this issue is a struggle for all humanity.

In chapter one of Nahum, we find our precious God defined as Holy, righteous, and the perfect representation of purity and light. The supreme authority, able to judge the hearts, minds, and actions because He is all knowing. There is none greater than Him although the enemy has tried. (Isaiah 14:12-15). Nahum reminds us that God is loving and patient, but there comes a time when He says Enough Already!

When reflecting upon this, gardening comes to mind. We have several large clusters of ornamental grass throughout our flowerbeds. There are years when last year’s growth isn’t cut down soon enough and new growth begins to appear. Unfortunately, the dead stalks begin choking out the current sprouts and effect the overall production. It can cause the grass to not fill in completely and be all it could possibly be. So, at some point we have to deal with it and say Enough Already! (As you can tell from the picture above, we got a little behind on the task.)

Sin has a way of choking out our spiritual growth as well. In Romans 6:23 (KJV) we read, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sin can slowly creep into our lives and eventually take over if we don’t stay on top of it. Much like the grass, once it gets out of control it is a hard task of dealing with it. Little by little, pruning and separating useless debris from productive areas is not for the faint of heart. It is never fun and exposes more than we ever knew was there. (Just like the two wheelbarrows full of dead stalks removed.)

God is slow to anger and very patient with us. He loves us beyond measure, but we must know that at some point He will utter the words, Enough Already! Nahum 1:3 (ESV) The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Our sweet Lord has given us free will and wants us to draw close to Him. God provided His Son as a sacrifice and extends the gift of forgiveness if we are open to receive. John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He went even farther by giving us His Word as a roadmap to living and the Holy Spirit to guide us daily. The Father wants us to deal with our sins and stay under His authority. It is not an easy task and it does require discipline and dedication to live life according to God’s ways. But–oh the reward, the transformation, the renewal, the fruit, and the list goes beyond our human comprehension. Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV) I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Is there a part of your life you can identify as Enough Already! I know there is for me.

Psalm 86:5 (ESV) For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Psalm 86:1-17 (ESV) Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

May 17, 2021 0

Spiritual Muscle

You’re killing me Smalls! How did I get roped into your “God Word”?
Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity… Ephesians 5:15-16

Anyone have spring fever? March is the month when spring break is the buzz word on the street and students are geared up for some fun away from school. Plans are being made and parents are requesting time off. During this time of the year, people begin to be out and about doing yardwork, washing cars, walking the track, spending time outdoors, etc. Seems like everyone is getting a little more exercise outside of the house.

Exercising and discipline use to be my middle name. I would follow through with my goals, plans, schedules, workouts, house cleaning, healthy cooking, you name it. Oftentimes, to a fault! The “pit” truly pulled me off track and Tamoxifen left me tired, unmotivated, and battling a thyroid issue. My pickup and go had packed up and left. Unfortunately, there was little discipline and I barely recognized nor felt like myself. What an experience to say the least!

Hang in there. I do have a point to make…

So, why did I reference spring? Last spring marked one full year of God allowing me to live out His directed pathway. He lifted me out of the valley and showed me the refining of my life amidst the storm. I cannot express the inner peace and joy I found after I humbly surrendered it all to Him. At this year mark, the Lord gave me the words for the Refining study, set my feet on His pathway, and then said “I gave you a year to recover now GO!” Here I am a year later in disbelief. God is truly a miracle worker. By His almighty hand, he has me writing. (an area that was never my strength nor my favorite) Never in my wildest dreams!!!

Last summer, when taking the pilot group through the Refining study, I received a new God Word. When we walked through the steps of “One Word”, the Lord gave me DISCIPLINE! I didn’t want the word nor did I want to be held accountable. Seriously! I did ask over and over, “God, why this word?” He answered when I read “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it” in Luke 11:28.

Well, here I am nine months later eating better, walking when I can, reading through the entire bible, and applying “discipline” to my life. Let me tell you, I have a long way to go and I might have this God Word for several years. Why? Because I have allowed my muscles to be lazy in so many ways for waaaaaaay tooooo long. I allowed the spiritual battle to overwhelm physically and mentally. Somehow the enemy found a way to take away my value, self-control, and proper priorities.

The gig is up Satan!

Through God’s authority and power, I am retraining and strengthening muscles. Each day, I intentionally plan to make healthier choices because I am not my own. I was meant to fulfill God’s will and my entire body belongs to Him. The Lord wants me stronger and has fabulous plans for the days ahead. My Heavenly Father is giving me a workout and building my spiritual muscle beyond my imagination.

How’s your spiritual muscle?

I truly care about you my friend and your growth plan. I never want you to feel devalued and lifeless like I did several years ago. My prayer for you is to live a life empowered by His goodness and grace where you experience a secure connection with the one and only Lord. He delivers freedom and protection, but you must choose to engage in the workout.

Give God praise as Psalm 30:4-5 declares. Place your trust in Him alone because He is faithful as we read in Psalm 37:2-3. Stay in His word (Psalm 119:1) and talk to Him (Psalm 116:1-2). Be intentional with your time (Ephesians 5:15-16) and know that your creator will help strengthen every part of your body, mind, and soul because you are part of His magnificent design (Psalm 139:14). Set your goals according to His authority and commit to Him.

I am praying for you and your days ahead. You can do it! Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are not alone! Tap into your assets (Romans 8:37) and know you are created to bring glory to the King (Ephesians 2:10). You are a royal family member who God loves dearly.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3.

P.S. Poor Jace. I made him walk five miles one evening this week. He hasn’t done that in several years.

March 6, 2020 1

Stay in the right lane

Do you have a new car? I am blessed to experience driving newer vehicles due to my job. The rental car agency has outstanding service and quite the variety of vehicles. I am always intrigued by what I might drive from week to week. Most of the vehicles have bells and whistles that my trusty, paid for ride lacks. Yes, occasionally a manual would come in handy. (Seriously, who puts the gas tank release on the door panel?)

Recently, I have found myself in Nissans. Each one has proven to be a smooth ride with a roomy interior. The heated seats have definitely been an added plus on those chilly mornings when I leave before the rooster crows. Most have had the ability to control the speed and distance on the highway with respect to the vehicle ahead of me. But let’s talk about the lane departure assistance.

The lane departure warning does provide an alert if the vehicle leaves the traveling lane. The steering wheel vibrates, an audio alert occurs, and a visual appears at the slightest detection of crossing over your traveling lane. What a super feature when you aren’t driving in construction zones. After several hours of the feature, I truly wanted to disengage it.

This experience brought to mind Galatians 5. Paul highly encourages us to stay in the right lane when walking out our freedom. It is a battle to keep from crossing over into the sinful nature lane of life. The struggle is real for each of us. Galatians 5:24 says that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Denying the acts of our sinful nature requires devoted, intentional living.

Galatians 5:25 reminds us that the Holy Spirit is in us guiding our lives but we have to stay in the same traveling lane as the Spirit. This is how we find life in the Spirit, a gift from God just like freedom in Christ Jesus. We have to rely on the Spirit to define our traveling lane and speed. It requires discipline and attentiveness to his alerts.

For me personally, I cannot fulfill God’s will without living by the Spirit. I rely on the Holy Spirit to work in me and through me to exhibit pleasing fruit. It is through the mighty power of the Spirit that I have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When I try to live life my way and revert to my sinful nature, I find myself off track and definitely in danger of destruction.

I cannot disengage the lane departure warning the Holy Spirit gives me. I must stay in tune to the sound of his voice, “Stay in the right lane!” What about you?

November 26, 2019 0