Visual Examples of Purity

   I am a preschool teacher in a public childcare center. Thus, I do not do much preaching/evangelizing with my actual words there. However, I have also been involved in my church’s Sunday school programs, Vacation Bible Schools, and church camp ministries. Because of this, I learned how to teach younger children the truth about God. One experiment that really helped open the eyes of the kids I was working with was an experiment using bleach.

   I remember talking with the kids about how we are born into the world with a sin nature. We are unclean like this jar. The jar had the word sin on it with water and food coloring (or iodine) in it. Then, when we sin, we become unclean as well. I poured some of the sin container into a different jar labeled “you.” This made the jar labeled “you” to become red. No matter what I do, I cannot get the red to separate from the clear water that was in it before. 

   Then I took at jar with bleach in it labeled “Jesus” and poured some of it into the “you” jar. When you accept Christ as your savior, he comes into your life and cleanses you. I explained this to the kids and asked if anyone wanted to do that. Many of the children did so. I prayed and as I was praying, the jar labeled “you” became clear. When I said, “amen.” The kids’ eyes lit up when they saw that the water was clean again. It was an amazing example of God’s work. 

   The last thing I did was reminded the kids that Jesus was tempted to sin just like we are each day. I poured the rest of the jar labeled “sin” with the food coloring in it into the “Jesus” jar with the bleach in it. But Jesus did not sin. So, the jar labeled “Jesus” stayed clear!

   Jesus can make you pure again no matter what you have done. He is your advocate, brother, and friend. He loves you just as you are, warts and all. Because of that love, he died for you so you could be with him in heaven.

   So, what does this experiment mean to you? How can you practice purity each day? Watch the Eustace clip below and think about how it relates to purity. How does the clip relate to you?

Eustace changed https://youtu.be/InAukk4DuRw 

Sin experiment https://youtu.be/wRefcuICmuM 

https://youtu.be/8z1I7YQwaI8

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?

 

I'm Listening...

   I’ve talked a lot about how sometimes it feels like when we talk to God that it is a one way conversation. There’s a scene in the Avengers where Thor tells Loki to listen well that reminds me of this. Thor is about to reprimand Loki and he says “listen well brother.” Then Thor is hit by Iron Man. Loki says “I’m listening.”

   Sometimes I feel like that is how it is with God. A while back I wrote a blog called A One Way Conversation. I talked about how it is nice to know that God is listening, but sometimes I wish he would talk back. A lot of times he does talk back indirectly. But, sometimes I get a feeling that he does talk to me directly. I get a feeling in my heart that I should do something.

   That’s when God says: “listen well, my child.” And then it is like “I’m listening.” But then you only get that feeling or hear a voice telling you to do something to help others. Sometimes I feel like I want another sign. I question whether or not this is actually God telling me to do something, or if it is just a fleeting idea. But, normally, you know if God is telling you to do something.

   This is when sin comes in. Wait, you are saying if I do not do something I know I am supposed to do it is still sin? I thought that sin is doing something wrong/disobeying God. It is, but there are sins of omission and sins of commission. Sins of commission are sins that we know are wrong that we directly do. Sins of omission are things we know we should do but we choose not to do.

   See, like Loki, we may say we are listening but when God tells us to do something we choose to ignore him. A wise preacher once said that he noticed that as we grow in our relationship with God our sins become less of commission and instead sins of omission. We may not directly sin against God. But, when he tells us to do something we choose not to do it. We are to be God’s light to the world.
   So many times we see bad things happening we wonder “why isn’t God doing anything about this?” Well, he is probably telling you, or someone else, to do something but you choose not to. It is time for Christians to stand up and say “I’m going to do something (Check out the song Do Something by Matthew West here).” Rather than stepping back and saying “it’s not my problem.” That is not what God calls us to do. We must follow the Great Commission and show others the love of Christ.

   So, do you ever not listen to God? What can you do to start listening to him more? Are you going to do what he tells you to do and follow the Great Commission?
   James 4:17, John 10:27-28, Matthew 28:16-20