Rubber On The Road  

 Today, I decided I’d had enough of trying to do something with my unruly hair. Settling into the ‘hair chair,’ at the beauty parlor, I told the beautician of my struggle. Since I’d moved from NC to Florida, my hair “do” had become a hair “don’t” and I didn’t have a clue how to fix it. 

Running her fingers through my hair, looking from every angle, she finally pronounced, “I know exactly what you need, I can fix it. But you’re going to have to change what YOU are doing in order to keep your hair from going back to the way it was to start with.”  Oh, my, you mean–I– have to do something? 

Whenever a change is made, some more changes need to take place in order to keep from going back to the way it was. That’s good old fashioned common sense!  It’s the same way when I accept Jesus and begin my Christian walk. I have to not only stop bad behavior; I have to replace it with good behavior, or, I’ll return to my old ways.

How long does it actually take to form a new habit to replace an old one? It takes an average 66 days to form a new habit, according to new research by Phillippa Lally and colleagues from the  UK Health Behavior Research Center, based at UCL Epidemiology and Public Health.

Life style changes must be reinforced daily in order to be ‘locked in.’ Further, a negative life style has to be done for the same amount of days in order to be reinstated. So, in spite of what satan whispers to me; ‘backsliding’ isn’t slipping up on me when I’m unaware. Only if I CONTINUE to sin, have I lost my victory.

I John 1:9 tells me that if I DO sin, God is faithful to forgive me of my sin. But, I John 3:9-10 further instructs that if I love God, I will not continue to sin. Hebrews 6:4-8 warns that if I accept Christ’s atoning blood then continue to sin, I crucify the son of God all over again!  Think about that for a moment. THAT is quite a wake up call.

God sends His Holy Spirit to convict me of sin and lead me in the way of righteousness. It is up to ME whether I choose to follow that path of righteousness–or not. 

I can’t keep doing what I’ve been doing and expect to see the fruits of a Godly life just ‘happen’.  Doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results is—-foolish.

I Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Prayer:  Father, help me to live each moment of my life in awareness of my new life in Jesus.  Every day, make me aware of what returning to sin–means to–you.

Scripture References:

I John 1:9   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

I John 3:9-10  No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.  This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

Hebrews 6:4-8  It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.

To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

One afternoon, my little grandson got in the car, obviously annoyed. 

One of his friends had been very attentive as long as a treat was in hand; but as soon as the treat was gone, so was the friend. 

This had happened several times! Crossing his arms, Max announced that this time, he’d had enough! 

I told him this was called being a ‘fair weather friend’ and it always hurts when we are used that way then tossed aside.  Cautioning him to always be attentive to his friends, no matter what they had to ‘give’, we prayed together for his opportunistic acquaintance. 

Sometimes, we see God as just a bad weather God. When life’s troubles hit, we find time for prayer, church and Bible study. After the Holy Spirit directs us and leads us out of our troubles, we forgot about God–again.   

The children of Israel did the same thing. Again and again, they turned to God in trouble then turned away from Him (read Judges, First/Second Kings)

Sometimes, they even thought that their blessings came by their own hand rather than the hand of God!  (Deut. 8:17-18)  

Like the Israelites, crisis over, we so often forget God’s faithfulness. When we stop seeking God, we deny ourselves the strength and joy of His presence.  

If we seek God only in times of trouble, there is no joy of relationship, only an awareness of need. Our God is an every day God. He created us to enjoy the pleasure of His company.

 When we seek God only in the storms of life, we rob ourselves of a relationship that continues into eternity and quite literally, risk losing everything we have. (Deuteronomy 8:19-20) 

Deuteronomy 8: 10-11 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Satan keeps trying to convince me that I’m a failure. Whenever I fall short and mess up, the devil makes sure that I know what a big loser I Am. 

Daily, I must remind myself that satan is a liar (John 8:44) and that listening to his lies–or not– is a choice that I make moment by moment. 

Satan never gives up, he is always whispering words of discouragement to me.  The Holy Spirit whispers words of encouragement; I choose the voice that I listen to (Philippians 4:8).

All of the hard circumstances that have happened in my life are planned out, in detail, by satan, with no other reason than to distract me from having an intimate relationship with my Lord. Whether I let those things actually come between Jesus and me is–my choice.

Failure requires my participation—life is all about choices. When I fail to choose God’s plan for success, satan’s plan for my failure prevails.

God has plans to prosper me and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11) Satan has a plan to rob steal and destroy.  Which plan I choose to lead my life is entirely up to me.

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

This morning, I made wheat bread with dried cranberries, chopped English walnuts, cinnamon and allspice.

Also, I made oatmeal cookies with those same ingredients. Both recipes also included flour, butter and salt.

The obvious question is, how could the same ingredients produce two such completely different outcomes?  The outcome depends on the measure of the ingredients, the preparation method, the oven temperature and the subtle differences between the two recipes. In the end, it’s ALL good!

In the same way, God uses our individual life circumstances to mold us into the vessel He has planned for us to be.  As Christians, we are each created in the image of God, saved by the blood of Christ and endued with power by the Holy Spirit to worship God and serve as His disciples.

Paul addressed the sameness and the differences of individuals in the body of Christ in I Corinthians 12:21,”The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  He emphasizes that even though we are each different, we are all part of the same body. 

Satan’s tactic is to divide and conqueror (Ephesians 4:25-27). First, he pulls me away from fellowship with unfounded feelings of inferiority. Then, he tells me that I’m not important and why even go to church, nobody needs me anyway. He acts as a giant spoon, stirring and stirring until everybody is comparing themselves to everybody else!

When we are focused on each other instead of the ministry God has called each of us to do, the body of Christ suffers.  Discord and discontent tear down relationships. When we are angry with each other, our prayers are hindered and our ministry is ineffective (Matthew 5:23-24).

Satan works hard to stir up trouble in the body of Christ. My responsibility is to guard my heart to make sure I’m not one of his spoons.

II Timothy 2:23-24 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

Prayer: Father, help me to build, to restore, and encourage everybody I’m in contact with. Show me how to be helpful when others need help, to lead when leadership is needed and to pray over everything.  Amen.

Scripture References:

Ephesians 4:25-27 ²⁵ Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Matthew 5:23-24  ²³ Therefore if you are presenting your ^[a]offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your ^[b]offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your ^[c]offering.

LIFE COMES AT YOU FAST!

John 16:33

One morning, my daughter looped the leash of their full grown Great Dane, Toby, around the table leg so he’d be out from under foot while she did household chores. She headed upstairs; certain that he’d not be able to follow her.

When Toby saw her start upstairs, he decided he’d go with her. When he took off, the table followed as far as space permitted then slammed into the kitchen counter flying into pieces!

Hearing the crash, she looked up to see BIG Toby sliiiiiiiding wildly across the kitchen floor ON HIS BACK, feet waving wildly!  She dropped the laundry she was carrying and ran to see what was going on. The kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off!

The kitchen table was in a heap, broken in many pieces. The laundry was everywhere. The trash can had been knocked over and there was trash all over the floor. She listened; silence. Toby was nowhere to be found.

She called for him, no answer. Fearing he had been seriously injured, she started going through the house softly saying his name. She found him in his sleeping crate, with his front paws over his snout, eyes big as saucers–trembling. Toby, having NO idea what happened, figured he had been a very BAD dog and ran to his sleeping crate to hide.

Sometimes, these unexpected events are humorous, at least in retrospect.  Other times, life’s unplanned interruptions are much more painful. The unexpected serious illness of a loved one, a tragic accident, a sudden financial reversal; the list of possible crisis is endless. Satan often tries to use these hard life experiences to destroy our faith.

So often, like Toby, when disaster strikes, we run and hide, figuring we have somehow caused the tragedy. When “stuff” happens, it doesn’t mean that we have been bad.  God isn’t punishing us; He isn’t angry at us for some sin we have committed unawares.

The scripture says that bad stuff will happen!  The important thing to remember is that God loves us and no matter what happens, the Holy Spirit will direct us and comfort us. Where we have a problem is when we run away from God instead of toward God. Even when we hurt and are confused, God has answers for our every need.

(John 16:33) I have told you these things so that in me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Prayer: Father, help me to realize that you are sovereign and that you work all things for my good.  Encourage, direct and comfort me by your Holy Spirit. Help me to keep my eyes on you, even in difficult times.  I love you. Amen.

I have mouth trouble.

Sometimes, my tongue beats my eyeballs black and blue in the on-going quest for mouth control!  Mercy!

Did you know that humans are the only one of God’s creations that can express their thoughts in words?   

Some birds can be trained to mimic words and animals can be taught to respond to specific commands.  But, only man has been given the ability to verbalize his feelings and thoughts.   

The Bible has a lot to say about ‘talking;’ ranging from a heart condition to words of witness. (Matthew 12:34) What you say reflects what’s really in your heart.

(I Peter 3: 15) We are to make a place in our hearts that gives reverence to Jesus as Lord and from that understanding, always be ready to share that knowledge with others (evangelism).  

Just as in life choices, we have word choices.  It takes a conscious effort, a willful act, to use our mouth to build up instead of tear down.  (Psalms 19: 14) God doesn’t control my mouth, I do.  

The Word says the tongue is full of evil and impossible to tame. (James 3:7-8)  In other words, it’s a “me” problem that requires that I must consciously commit my mouth to the rule of Christ.  

Our mouth is to be used to edify or build up those around us; to encourage, not to tear down.  The Word says (James 3:9-10)  it is wrong to use the same mouth that speaks mean words to worship God.  I Thessalonians 5:11 says that we are to encourage and build each other up, not tear each other down.  

The battle for mouth control is on-going and serious. In Matthew 12:36, God’s Word says that we’ll be held accountable for every careless word we speak.

God does not see teasing, demeaning words as ‘ok, everybody is doing it.’ He sees it as a lack of obedience that compromises our relationship with Him.  

James 1:26  If anyone considers himself to be religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Prayer:  Father, I love you and I want to please you in all my ways, including my words. Help me to think before I speak and to say only those things that build up, encourage and give Godly direction.  Thank you. amen.

Scripture references:

Matthew 12:34   You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 

I Peter 3: 15  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect–

Psalms 19: 14  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

James 3:7-8  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison

James 3:9-10  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 

I Thessalonians 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Matthew 12:36  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 

In the Old Testament, we find one of the things that made God angrier than anything else was: 

When his children embraced the behavior and gods of the world rather than the one true God. (Judges 2:1-2 and the WHOLE books of I & II Kings) 

God’s people were not to accept the foreigner’s ways nor their gods. When they disobeyed God and sought other gods, their rebellion lasted, literally, for generations. (Judges 2:10-13) 

It is human nature to imitate those we spend a lot of time with. When we lead in Christ, we say, ‘follow me as I follow Christ’ (I Corinth. 11:1). We are to live so strong for Jesus that those we associate with will imitate us and receive Christ as their savior. (Acts 26:18) 

If your life in Christ is influencing your friend, the old falls away and Christ will begin to be seen in your friend’s speech, attitudes and interests. If not, then perhaps they’re influencing your life? (Proverbs 12:26) Evaluate yourself honestly.  

Since your friendship began, have YOU changed? Do your attitudes and life choices continue to reflect Godly principles? If you are taking on the attitudes of the world, you need to find new friends–quickly. (I Corinthians 15:33) 

The children of Israel failed to make this self ‘check’ and over and over, mixed the foreign gods of their friends with the one true God. (II Kings 17: 7-23) By doing this, they brought God’s wrath upon themselves.

God is a jealous God. Not because He is jealous as a man would be jealous but because He knows where those friendships can lead—and the Hell that awaits those who reject Him.  Heaven welcomes those who love and serve the Lord, don’t choose to make an ash of yourself.

Deuteronomy 6: 13-15  Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit; I want to know your ways. As I read your Word and spend time talking to you, teach me how to live a life pleasing to you. I love you.  Amen.

Scriptural references:

Judges 2:1-2 The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ² and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this?

Judges 2:10-13   After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. ¹¹ Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. ¹² They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger ¹³ because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 

I Corinth. 11:1  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Acts 26:18   to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Proverbs 12:26  The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

I Corinthians 15:33  Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.

II Kings 17: 7-23  (long but worth the read)

⁷All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods ⁸ and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. ⁹ The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.

¹⁰ They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. ¹¹ At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. ¹² They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”

¹³ The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”

¹⁴ But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. ¹⁵ They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

¹⁶ They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. ¹⁷ They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

¹⁸ So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, ¹⁹ and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. ²⁰ Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.

²¹ When he tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit a great sin. ²² The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them ²³ until the Lord removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.

The Bible says we are conquerors through Christ. However, there’s more to it than just acknowledging what the Bible says. 

There are some personal commitments that I must make in order to become so full of Jesus that I can be a conqueror.  

First, I commit to spend time in conversation with my Lord so that I’m aware of the holiness and majesty of God as a conqueror over every trick of satan. When I talk to God, like talking to anybody else, I begin to know Him; what He can do. 

Part of talking is listening so, I spend time in God’s Word.  God speaks to me through His Word; both in my personal study and through doctrinally sound teachers and preachers.

When I purpose to the discipline of daily prayer and Bible study, through the Holy Spirit, I realize the heart of God so I can pray in knowledge of His will (I Corinthians 2:10). Like in any relationship, intimacy comes through time spent together.  

Satan can’t keep me from having a relationship with my Lord. Nothing the devil does can stop me from taking the time to have intimacy with Jesus. Only one person can stop me from making the time for relationship that will make me a conqueror. That person is—-Me.

If I have not made the commitment to conversation (prayer) and Bible study, then, I’ll never be victorious. In order to be a conqueror, I have to make a plan and discipline myself to follow that plan.

Romans 8:37-39  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Scripture Reference:

I Corinthians 2:10  these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Prayer: 

Lord Jesus, thank you for conquering sin so that I can be victorious. Help me to listen to your Holy Spirit so I will make wise choices. Thank you. Amen.

My grandson, Gregory, was visiting from England. As we were getting into the car, he was side tracked by a caterpillar crawling along the sidewalk.  Fascinated by the worm, he called me to come and look.  I told him he should stomp on it with his foot! Horrified, he declared that such an action was not only senseless but CRUEL!  

Taking him by the hand, I led him to a tree growing by the walk.  Showing him the leaves where some caterpillars had already been feasting, I explained to him that even though the cute little caterpillar looked harmless, it was in reality, a killer.  I showed him how the ‘harmless worms’ were slowly eating all the leaves on the young tree and would, if not stopped, do serious harm, even killing the tree. 

Horrified, Gregory stood looking from the wiggly worm to the damaged leaves. Abruptly, with as much fury and force as his little 8 year old self could call forth, he began stomping the caterpillar saying, “It must die then!  It MUST die NOW before it ruins everything!” 

Gregory’s change of heart and determination to kill the worm reminded me of how we should react to sin.  Sin doesn’t always look bad or dangerous.  Many times, sin looks inviting and harmless, even fun.  When we allow sin, in any form, to enter our lives, we open our hearts to destruction and death. 

No matter how innocent or pleasurable sin looks, the minute the Holy Spirit whispers to our heart that we are toying with danger, we should rise up in the power of Christ and destroy the sin, NOW. 

Learn to listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and do not give sin any time or part in your life, even if the sin looks harmless, it is deadly.  Like little Gregory said, “It must die then!  It MUST die NOW before it ruins everything!” 

Scripture reference:

II Corinthians, 11;14-15  And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.-

Prayer:

Father, God, help me to be sensitive to the voice of your Holy Spirit, give me discernment. I want to recognize evil even when it looks pretty and cute. Amen.

Some friends of ours recently learned that the foundation of their beautiful home had been destroyed by termites. 

For many years, they’d said they’d check into termite prevention, but, had never gotten a round to it.

One of the things that life teaches us, through experience, is how even the smallest every day decisions can have a BIG effect on our lives and the lives of our family.

Whether we are young or old, every day we make small decisions that can have long term consequences.  Serving God is the same way; there are many things that we keep in mind to do but never get a round to it; like daily prayer, Bible reading and fellowship at church. 

During the course of a day, we make plans to do things that are important to us. We mark in our calendars and date books to remind us. How successful would our relationships as parents, spouses and as friends be if we gave them the same priority as we do God? 

The God decision is made moment by moment, hundreds of times each day.  A committed Christian life that glorifies Jesus isn’t about long term commitment; it’s about right now commitment.  Like any other activity in our busy lives, we do the things we plan for.   

If I don’t make a plan for time to read my Bible, go to church and talk to the Lord, I won’t. I must make the things of God a priority in my life, not something I do when I get a round to it.   

If I don’t make a daily plan to serve God and DO IT, my heart becomes hardened to the things of God and I don’t see the damage that has been done until—it’s time to pay the price for my neglect.  Forgetting what is behind, I choose right now, to get a “round tuit.”  

Joshua 24:15  But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Prayer:  Father help me to want to be part of your plan for my life. Show me how to arrange my time to include you.  I love you, I want you to be in my every day schedule. Amen.

Oh, and here’s what you’ve been waiting for (I needed one too!)—your very own round