What If You Are Not Pure Anymore?

   Some of you may be wondering, “is it too late for me? Am I too far gone that I could ever be washed clean, be made pure?” Some of you may have made the choice to sin when you didn’t even know what you were doing was wrong, or a sin. Others of you may have made a conscientious choice. You knew what you were doing was wrong but you chose to gratify your carnal desires for a temporary high. Is it too late for you?

   Here’s the thing. Sin is like a cage, or a jail cell. You are inside it thinking that you are on top of the world but it is a temporary fix. It’s like putting a band aid on a cut then cutting it open again yourself. You are trapped but it doesn’t seem like you are because it’s your choice to keep sinning. Now, you may be saying, “if this is something I can choose to escape then why am I in the cage or jail that is locked?” The door isn’t locked. The door is wide open. You just have to choose to take one step, then another, and another until you are out and free.

   Who opened the door you may be asking? Jesus did. He died to take on the blackness of your sin. If you accept him as your savior and cleanse yourself in his blood then you are free. The chains, the cell, the bondage of sin holds you no more. It cannot be that easy, can it? 1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He forgives our sins and cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. That time you lied about where you were going. The time you stole candy from the store. When you bought that dope to get high. When you were in your room alone looking at porn. The time you lost your patience and yelled at your family in anger. ALL OF IT IS WASHED AWAY!

   But it is your choice. You can choose to stay in the jail with the door open. Or you can choose God. You can choose purity.

   So, what is your choice? If you have already chosen purity, how can your continue to grow in God and stay pure?

https://youtu.be/3DivZbSv4JI

Purity in Couple Relationships

   Now we are finally to the part where we talk about the purity that most people think of when they hear that word: purity in couple relationships. When you finally meet someone, you feel you can spend the rest of your life with, it will feel right. God created humans with two genders: male and female. He created their parts to fit together. He created sex.

   Before I go any farther discussing sexual purity, I want to put in a PSA here. I went to a public high school then a Christian college. In high school I learned about sex and how it works. When I got to college, some of the girls in my dorm went to Christian schools their whole life. Some of them did not know how sex works. They didn’t even know about their own bodies! When I asked them what they were taught about sex they said, “not much.” Most of them replied with the idea that they were told sex is icky and we shouldn’t talk about it.

   Mouth drop on the floor here. If sex isn’t good, why did God create it to be bonding? Why did he create it and make it feel good to do? Why did he make it as the way to reproduce? Sex is good, in the context of marriage. And yet, churches don’t teach that. Christian schools don’t teach that. Parents don’t teach their children that. In all my years serving as a soccer coach at a Christian college only one player who I have asked what she was taught about sex had a good answer. Her parents taught her that sex is beautiful in the context of marriage. That it should be saved for when a man and a woman love one another and are married. That’s what we should be teaching others. Thus ends my soapbox.

   Relationships nowadays are very different than relationships back in Bible times. In Bible times, there was no dating. Today we have dating, dtr, engagement, then finally marriage. And, there’s no set time as to how long each of those things can take. Thus, why staying pure in relationships can be so hard. You are spending time getting to know someone to see if you want to spend the rest of your life with them. The more time you spend, the closer you get. The closer you get, the CLOSER you want to be (if you catch my drift).

   This is when temptation comes into play. God has made it clear in his word that we are not to be sexually immoral. 1 Corinthians 7:2 says: “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.” He doesn’t say each man should have a friend with benefits, a concubine, or a prostitute. Each man should have ONE wife. God has also made it clear the dangers of having sex outside of marriage. Each time you have sex with someone, you are bonding with them. You are connected. You are one. All this can be seen in chemical reactions in your brain. There is also the danger of STDs when you sleep with more than one person.

   Knowing all of this, how do we stay pure even when it is hard? Psalm 119:9 holds the answer. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” We have discussed how purity begins in the heart. If you have a heart for God, you will read his word to get to know him.  As you get to know him, you will not only have more of a heart for him, but you will also know his word more. His word can help you guard your heart. You can pray when you feel tempted or weak. I know it sounds like a simple answer, but it doesn’t mean it is easy. God doesn’t always ask us to do what is easy. He asks us to do what is right.

   So, are you pursuing purity in your relationships? How can you grow closer to God?

https://www.healthline.com/health/love-hormone 

https://youtu.be/ueX8bUxIFPQ

Purity in Mind

   Many of you know I enjoy Disney movies. They have catchy songs, and you can pull good messages out of many of them. Yet, I don't agree with the basic doctrine of Disney which is, "follow your heart." Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" We are not to follow our hearts. Yet, when we become Christian and try to follow God, the desires God's heart should begin to become the desires of our hearts. 

   And yet, we are still imperfect. We still sin. Many of our sins come from our mind. We are tempted to, like a dog, go back to our vomit or sin. Many of our sins have to do with our eyes. We see something we want; we think/know we want it, then we face our choice. Will we sin or not? Oh yes, we may go through a struggle in our minds of pros and cons, but we know the truth. We know the answer. We know we should not sin.

   Even more so, we should be growing in God so much that battles in our minds don't go on as long. Why? Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Our thoughts are not to be on the things of this world. Everything here is temporary. The only things that matter in eternity is our soul and the souls of others. Whatever work we do to gain things here isn't worth it. The work we do for the kingdom, that matters.

   That's why our thoughts should be pure. We should be focused on the excellent things of the Lord. We should wake up thinking: "God please help me serve you and your kingdom today." Then, when we face battles of the mind, we can keep our eyes and our thoughts fixed on God. 

   So, are you following Philippians 4:8? When you face temptation and battles in your mind what do you do? How can you keep your eyes and thoughts focused on God?

https://youtu.be/ZzgyoUrjOcg

Purity is About More Than Sex

   Normally when someone thinks of purity, they automatically think of sexual purity. In other words, not having sex before marriage. But purity is about more than not having sex. 

   The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines pure as "free from dust, dirt, or taint." That doesn't mention sex at all. But it does relate to sex. Yet, to be pure, we need to be righteous. We need to be clean. We are free from dust, dirt, or taint. This means we are free from sin.

   James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Ooo, a phrase that hits hard for me in this passage is "cleanse your hands." If you have ever worked with kids, you know many of them don't know how to wash their hands. It's nasty. Their hands have dirt, grime, and germs all over them. They need help to clean them.

   We also need help to clean our hands from sin. We try to be righteous and follow God, but we fall short. That's why Jesus died: to cleanse us from our sin. We need to draw near to him. We need to learn about him. We need to try to stop sinning, so our hearts stay clean and pure.

   See, purity applies to all areas of life. Are we pure in our actions, our words, our relationships? In our hearts? Some of us act pure and holier-than-thou in our lives. That's not helping the kingdom. We need to be authentic with others. We cannot continue to praise Jesus on Sunday but go on sinning the rest of the week. The double life isn't helping you. It isn't helping spread the Gospel. It isn't helping anything. Purity happens every day, every minute, every second. Purity is a choice.

   So, are you living a double life? Are you practicing purity? How can you open a conversation on purity today?

https://youtu.be/XjbbLxgLPpE

A Conversation on Purity

   "Our goal is to not kiss until we are engaged." Once I said that to my friends their shocked faces surfaced. They already knew my relationship with Nate was not going to be a typical one, at least in the way the world thinks as typical. We both knew we wanted to stay pure till marriage. In fact, since I was in high school, I have worn a purity ring every day (other than when I played soccer, you do not want to jam your finger with a ring on, trust me).

   Thus, Nate and I made a choice to set our boundary at holding one another close. Why there? Does the Bible say anything against kissing before marriage? No, but neither does it say anything about dating. In Bible times, many marriages were arranged. Some may have married for love but many times the couples wouldn't spend any alone time before the wedding.

   Here is what the Bible says in Hebrews 13:4 "Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." The marriage bed is to be held in honor. What does that mean? That means if you do anything with someone else and you aren't married, you aren't honoring the marriage bed. Each time you have sex with someone not only are you creating an invisible emotional bond with them, but you are also possibly sleeping with someone else's significant other.

   Now you may be asking, what does that have to do with kissing? Well, unless you are like a friend of mine from college who used to think that when her parents kissed it made a baby, not much. But God created us to be relational beings. He created sex as something good, in a marriage between a man and a woman.

   But 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us of something that has to do with kissing. It says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." When you are physically attracted, or in love, to someone your bodies will want to do what God created them to do. There's only one boundary between kissing and sex and that further physical touch. To not be tempted, Nate and I decided to put in a barrier, so we don't go further.

   We are sort of doing what Eve did in the garden. She said they could not eat the fruit or touch it or they would due. God never said they couldn't touch the fruit. She put in this barrier so she would not fall into temptation and sin. And you can see how well that worked out. 

   Will some people think we are strange? Yes, but that's no different than how we are viewed other days. We are set apart. We are in the world but not of it. This doesn't make us any better than others. It just means we are trying to live a different life to reflect God's glory.

   So, are you staying pure in your relationship? What temptation do you face? How can you reflect God's glory today?

https://youtu.be/xdI-cIXqkww

Are You Leaving the High Places Up?

 If you have ever read the books of 1 or 2 Kings in the Bible, you will notice a common trend in the writing. Such and such became king, he did what was right or wrong in the eyes of the lord, he lived this many years, he fathered this many sons, then he died. Sometimes you will get a bit more information on what he did or did not do.

There was something that struck me the other day as I was reading it. Many kings did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Some did. Of those who did, many still had one problem: they did not tear down the high places.

What are high places? High places were where people went to worship idols. I imagine by building them up high they thought in some way that they were closer to their gods so the gods may hear them better or see them worshipping. Whatever the case, even the kings who did what was right in the eyes of God did not tear them down. 

Why was this a problem? Well, even though those kings may have had a heart for God I imagine they had a people pleasing problem. See, if they were bold, had faith, and trusted in God’s plan for them they would have torn down the high places. Tearing down the high places would upset those who worshipped those gods. Thus, many kings left them, I imagine, in fear of what the people would do. See, even if they would have followed their heart for God fully and torn down the places, the people may have revolted.

There are times where we tolerate things because of fear. We fear what others will think of us. We fear what others will do to us. We fear discomfort. Yet, we forget what 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says “We don’t look for the things that can be seen but for things that can’t be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can’t be seen last forever.” You can see a mob of people coming after you in anger for your choices, but that mob is temporary. You can see someone firing you from a job, a job that is temporary. You can see health concerns in your life, but those health concerns are temporary. 

Thus, we face the same choice as those kings. Will we choose to keep up the high places, the things of this world that help us get ahead, that help us stay in comfort or peace, or will we choose to say no? Will we choose to walk in our lives reflecting God’s glory by not tolerating the high places or things of this world that may cause us or others to sin?

https://youtu.be/gBMEpyJG8Ys?si=tqN-ggRm_8saifKx

It's Right There...

   Have you ever had the experience where you are stuck in line at a store? I'm sure you have. It is a good test of patience. But more than that, there are other things you are tested in. I mean, store owners are smart. They know you will be stuck in line but they don't leave you to be patient in peace. No, they have to put temptations within your reach.

   You know what I'm talking about. There are little trinkets there that look cool. There is chocolate. There are snacks, magazines, and much more. It's all right there... all you need to do is reach out and take it. 

   BUT, you know you shouldn't. Yet that nagging voice says you may as well because you are stuck in line anyway. And that's when you tell that voice to shut up. You say, no, I don't need it. It may look good now but eventually it will not be good for you. It's in the moments when you look at something, see that it looks good and may fill up your senses for a bit, but can let it go that you have defeated the temptation!

   Now your temptation may not be while you are waiting in line. It may be somewhere else like in your room, at the gym, or wherever it is. Many temptations pop up when you are at your weakest. The Devil knows your weaknesses and will capitalize on them. That's why it's so important to know Gods word. So when temptations come up you can combat them.

   So, what's your temptation or weakness? How can you combat that weakness with scripture?

   James 1:14-15

https://youtu.be/mdU6Y7lgylM

Mountains of Bloomsburg Finale: Choices Made

   Ahda and you reach the stone bridge that goes across the lava. You walk across and see Ubel step out. Ubel smiles and looks at Ahda. "Ah, I have waited a long time for you my friend." Then Ubel looks at you, "we had a deal. My servants will help you get home." Little creatures who looked like Ubel came out and led me toward trees on Ubel's side of the lava river. You kept going past trees and suddenly a branch grabs you, then another, and another. You realize you've been tricked. 
   Now you watch helplessly as Ahda is with Ubel. Ahda steps forward, "why did you want me to come here?" "I just wanted to talk with you and see if I could help you out." Ahda raised his eyebrows, "How could you help me? Gottes has given me everything already." "Everything?" Ubel remarked. Ahda sighs, "Well he has not given us your area of the mountain." "That's right, Gottes has given you dominion over all of his creation... except for my area." 
   Ahda glances over at Ubel's area. Right now you see Ubel, his minions, and his dominion for what it really is: a wasteland. You try to scream to Ahda to run but the tree covers your mouth. Ahda looks and sees lush, green trees. He sees golden fruit as well.
   "You do have a very nice area, but Gottes has given us so much." Ubel nods his head,"yes, but he has not given you everything." Ubel pulls a golden fruit out of nowhere and bites into it. Juice dribbles down his mouth and he licks his lips. "Haven't you ever wondered why I am able to do what Gottes can do? Why I am able to grant wishes just like Gottes?" Ahda nods and looks at the fruit in Ubel's hand.
   "I can do that because I have knowledge. Whoever eats fruit from my dominion has knowledge like Gottes. Would you like some fruit?" Ahda grabs the fruit, "Gottes told us not to eat your fruit but it looks good." "Why wouldn't Gottes want you to have what is good? Why wouldn't he want you to have knowledge like him?" Ubel says. 
   You watch in horror as Ahda bites the fruit. The juice dribbles down his face. Suddenly Ubel jumps on Ahda. Ubel's minions race away from you and across the bridge. You realize you've made a horrible mistake. 
   From the sky you see a flash of light then you hear the crack of wood breaking. Jordan, the Engel, has set you free. He takes you to the very top of a mountain. "What has happened?" You ask. Jordan frowns, "Ubel now has dominion over the mountains because Ahda disobeyed Gottes." "What can we do?" Jordan looks down the mountain at the destruction. "We cannot do anything." "Then it is hopeless?" "No, Gottes has a plan" Jordan said has he touches your head.
   Your mind suddenly sees a man who was unlike any other man. This man died to defeat Ubel. You did not understand why another man's death would defeat Ubel but then you see the man raised to life. The man the crushes Ubel. You see many people following this man and being saved from Ubel. You also see Engels and Ubel's minions fighting each other for all eternity. Then Ubel is finally defeated.
   Your mind comes back to Jordan. "What do we do now?" "Choose to follow Gottes and tell others about him." You look down at the village and see a massive dragon like creature destroy the entire village. "Where will we live?" "Wherever Gottes calls you to. He will be with you, if you choose to follow him."
   Would you have chosen to eat the fruit to gain knowledge? Would you have followed God back then though it would be harder now? Will you tell others about what God has done for them?

   Proverbs 14:12, Genesis 3, Galatians 2:20

You Shall Not Pass

    I had a friend who worked at a pizza place a while ago. One day there was a fire at the shop. Much of it burned down and they were out of business for 2 years. As they were going through the wreckage, he found a Christmas sweater of his that said, "you shall not pass."

   If you are familiar with this quote, you know it is from the Lord of the Rings. Gandalf says it as he is facing the Balrog, a creature covered in flame. Gandalf knows that he must stop this creature if the fellowship is to continue with their journey. Stop it he does.

   My friend's sweater went through a fire and survived. Gandalf faced a fire and survived. We, too, face fires in our lives. The fire may look different at different times. Sometimes we face temptation, jealousy, hatred, and many other sins. During these times, we must say to the devil, "you shall not pass."

   1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Temptation is common to us all. God is with us in the fires of temptation. He is there reminding you of his love and that he has given you a way out of the fire.

   We know we will face the fire. Yet, there are ways we can become more fireproof. As we grow in God, we learn more about him. We learn about his desires and love for us and all those in the world. We know he loves us, but we should not go on sinning. One of the reasons we are here is to learn about who God is and have a relationship with him. It is through a strong relationship with God, that we can better defend ourselves against the fires of temptation.

   So, what fires have you faced in your life? How can you defend yourself against temptation? How can you show God's love to others today?

Don't Itch

   One day I was minding my own business driving to soccer practice. It was a sunny day, and I was feeling good and excited to practice that day. Suddenly I had an itch on my leg. Since I was driving, I did not look down and just itched it. When I itched it, it felt good and alleviated the need to scratch, for a bit. 

   I continued to drive and then felt itchy again in the same place. Thus, I scratched again. When I finally reached my destination, I looked down. To my dismay and annoyance, I had been scratching a mosquito bite. The bit had gotten quite big because I was scratching it.

When I was at practice, I would feel the itch again. However, this time I would avoid itching it. If it was really itchy, I would end up slapping it. Eventually, after a few days, the bite mark went away. 

   More than likely, if you live in an area where mosquitoes are, you have had a similar experience. But you may be wondering why I am telling this story. Well, after that experience I got to thinking about how mosquito bites are similar to the Christian walk.

   Sin is like a mosquito bite. Once you sin once it is quite easy to sin again. It is like an itch. The sin is under your skin like a mosquito bite. You know it is there and you know you should not sin. Yet, the temptation is there and if you sin again the temptation goes away, for a little. But if you do sin again it gets easier and easier to do. You may not see the impact of that sin immediately on your life. Eventually the impact is clear though because of the consequences you are facing.

   James 1:14 says: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." We are sinful beings who are tempted in different ways. As Christians we are called to be holy and follow Christ. That does not mean it is easy to do so. Sinning is much easier most of the time, Satan makes it that way. That does not mean that reason is an excuse for us. 

   Hebrews 2:18 says: "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." When we are tempted, we are not alone. Jesus is with us. When temptation comes, instead of giving in, we can call on Jesus. He will help us through our temptations. In this metaphor, I guess you can say that Jesus is hydrocortisone cream. He helps alleviate the itch to sin. 

   Now, one last thing I want to say about this topic: if you have put hydrocortisone cream on a bite you know it only alleviates the itch for a bit. Then you need to put more on to help with the need to scratch. It is the same with temptation to sin. We cannot just call on Jesus once to ask for help with the temptation to sin. We must be in constant communication with him each day. We must get to know him. That is how we can flee temptation when it comes.

   So, are you being tempted right now? What can you do to avoid the itch of that temptation? Are you spending time with Christ each day?

 

The Trap of Complaining

   One of my favorite sayings is "attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." All of my students and players know that if you have a good attitude you will get far with me. I say I will take a player who has a good attitude, puts in the effort, and is not that skilled any day over someone who thinks they know it all and is skilled.
   One thing I cannot stand is people who complain. I heard a story about complaining once that went like this. One day a man was walking down the street. He saw an old friend. They got to talking and were trying to catch up. The friend said, "I cannot believe schools nowadays kids just are not learning what they should be learning." The man said "at least kids can go to school to get an education." 
   Later on the friend said, "I was driving the other day and I got cut off by a trucker. People just have no common courtesy; he was just being an idiot. He had the whole other side of the road to drive on!" The man said, "I am just glad that you did not get in an accident and that you are safe."  
   The man was running out of things to say to his friend because he felt so drained so he said, "nice weather we are having. It has been so sunny out lately." His friend looked up at the sky and said, "yes it has been nice. But, it looks like it is going to rain soon. When it rains my body just tenses up so much and people are so gloomy."
   Can you see why I am telling you this story? This life will not be easy. But, that doesn't mean we cannot focus on the good. There are some people out there who choose to never look at the good. I don't know why some people are that way but if you've ever been around those people you know it is draining. We are Christians. We care called to be a light in the world. How can we be a light when we choose to complain all the time? If we complain all the time we are just creating more darkness. 
   If you are caught in the trap of complaining I encourage you to check your heart. In this world we will have trouble but we also have hope. Because of that hope, we know that any trial we go through will only be temporary. Am I saying that we cannot vent to others? No, I am saying that if you tell any Tom, Dick, or Harry about your problems over and over then you are either trying to get attention or you are hurting yourself. If you complain you will keep going back to complaining and people will not want to be around you. 
   If you know someone who is caught in the trap of complaining I encourage you to help that person be accountable. In a nice way go to your brother and tell him what you see. Use facts; do not say your opinion. If all else fails and your friend does not listen, to you or to others, pray for him. Pray that he is able to let go of contempt for others. Pray that he is able to see the good in all situations. Pray that he will cling to God no matter what trials come his way.
   So, will you choose to complain or will you be a light to the world? How can you stop complaining if you are caught in that trap? Will you pray for your brother if he is caught in the trap of complaining?

   1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 4:29, James 5:9

   Image from here. 

If You Think It: Jesus Series

   "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28

   Have you ever thought to yourself: "If people could see, or hear, my thoughts then you wouldn't like me too much." See, the great thing about the human mind is also an annoying thing. We cannot know anyone else's thoughts unless they tell us those thoughts. That's how we can keep secrets, which are important at times. But, at the same time, if people could hear thoughts then communication would be so much easier, and more dangerous.
   Think about some of the thoughts you've had that you wouldn't want others to know about. You know the thoughts like, "I really don't like that person," "I could just punch you now," and "I hate myself now." If those thoughts got out what would happen? How many relationships would you have?
   In this passage Jesus is talking about our thoughts. He uses the example of adultery and says that if we must after someone we've already committed sin. That means that if we think it, it's as bad as doing it. If I think about lying it's as bad as actually lying.
   Now, this gets confusing because of temptation. Being tempted isn't a sin. If you act on the temptation it is a sin (Mat.4.1-11). Let's say you mess up on a big project at work. You could tell the truth or you could lie. The Devil is probably going to tempt you to lie. If you think about lying, you come up with a plan to do it, but you don't actually lie then it's not a sin. But, do you think that's a thought God would want you to have?
   If we think about lying enough more than likely we will lie. In the case of this passage, if we look at someone lustfully long enough more than likely we will act on those thoughts in some way.
   Jesus says this because he wants us to guard our thoughts. We will mess up and have wrong thoughts from time to time. God wants us to grow in him enough that we can push back those sneaky thoughts Satan sends us. One way we can do that is by answering those thoughts with scripture. When Jesus was in the wilderness he answered everything the Devil said with scripture. That's how Jesus avoided temptation and guarded his thoughts. Can't we do the same?
   So, are your thoughts godly ones? What can you do to guard your thoughts when temptation comes? Will you come alongside others to help them grow in God and defeat tempting thoughts?

   Image from here.

More than Conquerors

   I like challenges. Actually, let me rephrase that, I like challenges I can beat. When I come upon a challenge, I make sure I can beat it; or, if I can't, I work hard to beat it eventually. I am very athletic and competitive. I like to play sports and win. I also like to beat challenges at work (wherever I am working). But, like many of you I'm sure, I don't like failing challenges.

   I play video games, not gory video games. I like to win and beat the game, but it's not always easy. Just like all my other challenges, I have to work to beat it. But, the problem is I don't always have the skill to beat them.
   Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like you don't have the skill to beat challenges you are given? Maybe you have a long to do list that you feel like you will never get done. Maybe you know someone doesn't like you and you keep trying to get that person to like you but it's not working. Or, maybe you have a sin that you keep going back to that you cannot defeat.

   Have you ever given up on a challenge you couldn't defeat? I'm sure that we all have. Have you ever given up trying to stop sinning? I hope you have not. I know many of us have sins that we feel get the better of us. We may even feel like Satan is on our back making us go back to that sin. He's not, but the temptation may make it seem that way. How can we defeat someone who is so strong?
   We cannot defeat Satan. But, there is someone who already defeated him: Jesus. Jesus defeated Satan. In fact, it wasn't even a challenge for Jesus. He crushed Satan under his foot like Satan was an ant. Therefore, if we have Jesus in us, we are more than conquerors (Rom.8.31-39).
   It is like Jesus gives us a power up that makes us invincible. We may die on earth but we have eternal life because Jesus paid it all. He took away all of our sins. That doesn't mean he took away all of our challenges. We still face challenges; but, during those challenges, we can have peace because we know the war is already won.
   So, when you face hard challenges what will you do? Will you choose to trust in Jesus? Do you believe that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus?

   Roman's 8:31-39, James 2:1-4, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

   Image from here. 

Pressure All Around

   Imagine you are going throughout your day. Suddenly you see a man. He looks a little shady and you are not sure you should trust him. The man walks up to you and says, "hey, you wanna try this? I'll give you a free sample now." You look down and see a pill in the man's hand. You know taking drugs is wrong so you quickly say "no" and walk away. 
   As you walk away in you mind you suddenly see yourself in battle armor. You are holding a shield and the man hurls a spear at you. Since you are ready for it, you easily block the spear with your shield. 
    You shake your head and the vision disappears. You continue walking down the street and you see a woman. She looks like a business type woman. But, in her eyes you think you see a glint of trickery there. She walks up to you, shows you a magazine, and says, "would you like to buy a magazine? You can take a look to decide which one you like." Just looking at the front page and the title of the magazine you can tell that this is not a Godly magazine. You look at the woman, say "no thank you," and walk away quickly.
   Once again you have a vision. It is relatively the same. You have battle armor on and a shield, the woman throws a spear at you, and you block it. 
   You walk down the street and reach your designated meeting point. Your friend shows up and says, "rather than going for coffee do you want to try out this new place? I hear the food is good, the entertainment is great, and the drinks are to die for." Your friend winks. Since your friend suggested it, you decide that it cannot be that bad of a place. Therefore, you agree.
   This time as you are walking down the street your vision changes. You still have battle armor on and you are still holding a shield. However, this time your shield is down. Your friend has a spear and throws it at you. This time, since your shield is down, you are hit.
   Every day we have choices. We can choose to sin or we can choose to obey God. What we cannot see when we make those choices are the consequences, both physical and spiritual. There are battles going on all around us. 
   We have pressure every day to be like everyone else, choose to do the right thing, excel at our jobs. There is so much pressure. But, even when we have that pressure, we need to stay strong. We need to keep our shield up when we are tempted. Even our friends can tempt us to do the wrong thing and that's when we need to decide that no matter what we are going to obey God. 
   So, have you been tempted at all lately? What did you decide to do? Will you choose to do the right thing even when it's hard and your friends may not be making good choices?  
   Luke 10:27, John 14:15, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
   This blog is based off of a sermon by my Uncle. Thanks for giving me this idea Uncle R. 

Does Everything Really Happen for a Reason?

   For a long time now I have said time and time again that everything happens for a reason. Well the other day I was looking at my home page on Facebook and I saw a blog that said “Dear Christians, Stop Saying Everything Happens for a Reason (link).” I looked at the blog and it was talking about how a loved one had cancer and this woman just could not figure out why God would let that happen. Then she said that somethings are not God’s will. 

   I still stand behind my belief that everything happens for a reason and I will tell you why. The basis of my whole theory is based off of the word of God. James 1:13 talks about how no one is to say “I am being tempted by God” because God does not tempt anyone. However, God does test us. James 1:2-4 discusses the fact that we should count it a joy when we meet trials because the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. To say that everything doesn't happen for a reason is to say that God doesn't have control over what happens.

   All of this is to say that yes, sometimes the devil tempts us but God knows about that. For example, let’s think about Job. He had it made: food, animals, land, family, riches, and the list goes on and on. That’s why Satan asked God if he could take away Job’s reason for praising God. And, you know the rest. Job never cursed God. He stayed faithful to him. Satan has to have God’s permission to do anything (1 Corinthians 1:13 [key word: let]). Don’t you think God knows what he is doing?

   Let’s go to the testing then. There are countless people who were tested in the Bible. But, let’s talk about my favorite: Joseph. Joseph had trial after trial. He would excel at everything he did; but then he would be cut down by someone else. Joseph could have given up. He didn’t have to keep doing his best for God’s glory but he did. Joseph passed the test.

   Even looking back at my life I can see God at work. But, there are trials I have faced where I have no idea what God was doing and that’s okay. If I did know what he was doing all the time then I would be God, and I wouldn’t need to worship him. It is through the trials and temptations of life that we grow. We become stronger in God if we pass tests and avoid temptations.

   So, do you believe everything happens for a reason? Do you believe that you will never be given more than you can take? Will you pass tests that God sends your way so that you will grow in Him?

   Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 2:18, 1 Corinthians 1:13

The False Prophet and the Talking Donkey

   Imagine you are back in Bible times. You are riding your donkey down a dirt path with some important men. Then suddenly your donkey starts acting up. You begin to fall behind. It is important that you keep up with your group. So, you get off your donkey and start beating it. Suddenly the donkey begins to talk to you. What would you do?

   If you haven’t guessed by now this is the story of Balaam. For those of you who do not know Balaam he was a diviner, he was called an oracle (Numbers 22-24). Balaam knew the word, but he chose to turn his back on it.

   The full story of Balaam is that he was asked by the king of Moab to curse the Israelites; and, in return, Balaam would get money. The king sent men to come get Balaam and Balaam invited the men to stay for the night, which was his first mistake. Balaam sought God’s counsel and God told Balaam not to curse the Israelites and to only do what he told him to do. Then God told Balaam to go to the Moabite king. So Balaam got on his donkey and followed the men. Balaam’s sin happens here. He wanted to curse the Israelites so that he would get money. That’s why God sent the angel to stop him and then the donkey talked. Then there is a lot of back and forth where the Moabite king asks Balaam to curse Israel but Balaam can only say what God tells him to say, which is only blessings on Israel.

   That is the end of Balaam’s story in Numbers, but that is not the last time he is referenced to. See, Balaam was a false prophet. He may have only said what God told him to say at the time; but looking in later passages we can see that he also told the Moabite king how to get God to curse Israel. He told the Moabite king to start influencing the Israelites by introducing other gods and enticing the Israelites with sexual immorality. In Numbers 31 we can see the influence Balaam had when the Israelite men go to war against Midian. The men spare all of the women (v. 15/16). They did this because they wanted the women for themselves. Even in Revelation we see Balaam mentioned in chapter 2. A church started to follow the teachings of Balaam, which means they were eating things sacrificed to idols and committing acts of immorality (v. 14).

   Balaam’s sin was a sin of the heart, which means that mostly only God could see it. He was so greedy that he was willing to turn his back on God and everything he knew about the truth. There are many people in this world who are a lot like Balaam. They know the truth; but they manipulate the truth in order to get what they want. That is why it is vital for Christians to know the word. If we do not then we could be influenced by a false prophet.

   We also need to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves are we committing any sins of the heart. We know exactly what sin is, it is anything that goes against God. If we are doing anything, or causing anyone else to stumble, then we are just as bad as Balaam.

   So, are you being swayed by any false prophets? Are you causing others to sin because you may be a false prophet, inadvertently? Are you sinning, but you are not willing to change your ways? What can you do in order to stop sinning?

   1 John 4:1-6, Hebrews 10:26, Romans 6:1-23