IT IS NOT A SIN PROBLEM, IT IS A WILL PROBLEM

I have felt a heavy burden of intercession lately, as I pray for so many dear ones that are walking a dark road.  Every choice they make places a little more distance between them and their, once strong, relationship with God.  The sin they once found abhorrent has become an everyday lifestyle and I wonder what will awaken their spirit and hunger for the things of God.  As I continued to weep and intercede this morning, I felt a “God-pause” in which He spoke this to my spirit, “Susan, this is not a SIN problem, it is a WILL problem.  I settled the SIN problem on Calvary; my blood was payment enough to take care of sin for the whole world.  When I created humans, I gave them free will; they can choose SELF or they can choose GOD.  When someone walks down the path away from My presence, they will manifest sin because they are choosing SELF.”

It Started In A Garden!!!  Adam created in the image of God, received the breath of God and became a living soul.  God took a part of Adam and created him a mate, which he called Eve.  To this first man and woman, God provided everything they would ever need including FREE WILL, the freedom to choose.  Of course for free will to be valid, a choice must be present, so God provided a choice; to eat or not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  We know that Adam and Eve both made the choice to eat.  This action, we call SIN and as God said, the consequence is DEATH.  We teach our children this story of how sin came into being because Adam and Eve ate the “forbidden fruit,” but was that the real story.  I would submit that sin was conferred upon all of mankind because the first man and woman chose SELF instead of GOD!

Do not fool yourself into thinking that God loves you so much that you can serve Him and still serve self.  Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness.  Serving SELF is the antithesis of serving GOD and will lead you far away from everything that is pure and holy.  SELF is a greedy master with a voracious appetite that can never be sated.  SELF’s hunger will push you on a never ending search; on a new, more exciting quest to experience, to feel, to obtain anything that will temporarily satisfy the emptiness that cannot be filled.  As Romans states, you will become a SLAVE to SELF!!!

We know that as soon as Adam and Eve sinned, God set a Redemption Plan in motion.  God had told them, “In the day that you eat of the tree, you will surely die.”  A Holy God demanded DEATH FOR SIN but a Merciful God had a PLAN CALLED GRACE!  The Plan involved a BIRTH, a DEATH, and a RESURRECTION.  So the great Creator of fallen man, robed Himself in flesh, stepped from the Heavenly realm and was born.  He would become the PERFECT substitution for IMPERFECT man and satisfy the death sentence for sin.  When Jesus died on the cross, the SIN PROBLEM was settled once and for all.  Hebrews 9:12 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”  That’s it!!!  It is finished!!!  The Sin Problem is settled!!!  But there still remains the WILL PROBLEM!!!

Jesus paid the price that sin demanded but you still have FREE WILL.  You still have to choose and the choice is the same for you as it was for Adam and Eve.  Will you choose SELF or will you choose GOD?  The actions are still the same; OBEDIENCE TO GOD or FOLLOW YOUR OWN LUST.   Finally, the consequence to your choice is still the same; SUBMISSION to GOD leading to ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD or SURRENDER to SELF leading to DEATH AND ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.  Is there really any question?  CHOOSE TO SUBMIT!!!

HAPPINESS IS THE LORD

There are days I just walk through my house thanking God for all the little things that fill the rooms.  Then I thank Him for all of the people that walk through the doors; people that I am blessed to “share life with.”  It was such a day as this last week, as I walked from one room to the next, singing songs of praise, it hit me, “Susan, you have had a happy life!”  The little song I had learned in Sunday School, so many years ago began to echo in my mind:

“Happiness is to know the savior

Living a life within his favor

Having a change in my behavior

Happiness is the Lord”

Oh yes, I have had a very happy life.  Am I more blessed than most or do I just recognize the blessings?  Is the happiness a fleeting emotion unleashed because of a momentary pleasure or is there something  that bubbles up from deep within, when I “Think of the Goodness of Jesus?” 

People are constantly searching for something to feed the “Happiness Gene” that seems to exist in a perpetual state of hunger.  Millions of dollars are spent on the latest gadgets, luxury automobiles, houses and vacations trying to finally satisfy the longing for happiness.  It remains unsatisfied because the gadget doesn’t remain the latest, a newer car model will be released and someone will build a bigger house.  Men and women opt for divorce and go after another man or woman, convinced that God wouldn’t want them to be UNHAPPY!  SO, DOES GOD WANT YOU HAPPY?  I believe that He DOES want you happy, but God’s definition seems to war against our definition of happiness and the search continues.

The Bible gives us clues to follow in our pursuit of happiness, Psalms 37:4 says “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”  An unexpected thing happens to our mind as we begin to “Delight ourselves in the Lord,” all of the things we just thought we “couldn’t live without,” suddenly seem to slide down the priority list and our hearts begin to desire anything that will strengthen our relationship with God.  We suddenly find we have moved and are living in the STATE OF HAPPINESS.

There are other “Keys to Happiness” in the Word of God.  Some of them are definitely NOT items I would choose to place in my “happiness bag.”  Job: 17 says “If we allow God to correct us, we will be happy.”  Psalms 128:2 declares “a person is happy when they eat from the labor of their hands.”  Then of course we read in Proverbs from the wisdom of Solomon; “Happy is the man who finds wisdom and gains understanding,” “Heeds the word wisely and trusts in the Lord.”  Proverbs goes on to tell us that a “reverent man is happy,”  as is the one who “keeps the law.”  Back to my little song;  “Happiness is to know the Savior. Living a life within His favor.”  So it would seem that God does indeed want His Children to be happy. 

God doesn't dangle happiness like a carrot at the end of the stick to manipulate and entice you in to following His plan.  He offers you happiness as a gift and allows you to choose.  Happiness by GOD'S definition or the temporary and fleeting happiness derived from following your own plans, pursuing your selfish dreams and building your own little kingdom, which will all eventually crumble and fall.

1 Timothy 6:6 "Now Godliness with contentment is great gain."

I think the writer of the Sunday School song had finally figured out real happiness.  "HAPPINESS IS THE LORD!"

I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO.....

Before I begin this blog, I must establish two facts:

1.   I have lost the same weight at least 10 times over my life.

2.  I raised 2 boys that see life through a reality lens and have never sugar-coated anything.

It was a Monday morning and so of course my mind was on the start of a new week and maybe trying to start another “healthy eating” plan.  Because I am one of the world’s greatest multi-taskers, I was finishing up a cup of coffee, scanning face book and watching the morning news all at one time.  A familiar testimonial ad for a diet plan was playing on the television and the thought entered my caffeine-awakened brain, “I would do anything to look like her.”  Instantly, the phantom voices of my two boys interrupted my musings with, “No you wouldn’t Mom, because all you have to do is eat healthy and exercise.”  Well there went that fantasy and the voices were absolutely correct….after counting the cost, I was found to be a few dollars short!

A few years ago, I was walking with my daughter-in-law, when I saw the most beautifully landscaped lawn.  I remarked, “Oh I would love to have a yard like that.”  She replied, “Yes, me too, if I had someone to take care of it.”  (Amazing, my realist son has a realist wife.)  Obviously, the cost of the beautiful landscape was one she was not willing to pay.  Too many times we yearn for the finished product, after the price has been paid, unwilling to draw from our own treasures to cover the cost.

In the Word of God, there are many examples of men and women who COUNTED THE COST, then made their decision.  Matthew, Mark and Luke relate the story of a “Rich Young Ruler.”  He had a desire to prepare for the future and so he asked Jesus how he might inherit eternal life.  Jesus spoke to him of following the commandments, to which he proudly replied, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”  But the ledger was not yet balanced, so Jesus continued, “Sell all you have, give to the poor and come follow me.”  Luke 17:23 records the young ruler’s decision, after counting the cost, “But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.”  After counting the cost for eternal life, the Rich Young Ruler made the decision; Eternal Life was not worth the price!

The Bible also records the story of a beautiful young Jewish woman named Esther.  She had been taken captive by the Babylonians and she lived with her uncle, Mordecai in the citadel of Shushan.  The king was looking for a new wife, so after a year of preparation, Esther was presented to the king.  The king looked upon her with favor, choosing her to be his new wife.  It came to the attention of Mordecai that one of the kings trusted men was plotting to kill all of the Jews and he had to be stopped.  Mordecai convinced Esther to petition the King for favor and to save her people, the Jews, from annihilation.  After fasting for 3 days, Esther went, unbidden, into the king’s presence, knowing her action could carry a “death penalty.”   The story continues with the king holding out the golden scepter to Esther and consequently saving the Jewish people, living in the kingdom.    The last line of Esther 4:16 tells the real story of Queen Esther, “And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”  Esther had Counted the Cost and was more than willing to Pay the Price!

Throughout our lives, it is so easy to look at a possession or the achievement of a friend and think to ourselves, “I would give anything to….” And all the while, we have no idea the cost of their perceived success. If we could see their “Ledger,” would we consider the cost too great?  Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—Before you make any decision for your life, obey Luke 14:28; Sit down, count the cost, then make your decision! 

The next time you utter the words, “I would give anything…” do a little digging, what is the ASKING PRICE and what are you WILLING TO PAY!!!

IF YOU ASK THEM, THEY WILL COME; THEN WHAT?

She slipped into the church a little late and sat 3 rows from the back.  She might have gone unnoticed and even slipped out a little early saying nothing to anyone, if it hadn’t been a Wednesday evening and the congregation was dismissed to go to their Life Group classes.  Walking down the aisle, I noticed the bewildered look on her face as most people walked past and down the stairs.  I stopped, introduced myself and said, “Why don’t you come with me.  I will show you the way and sit with you.”  She smiled grateful for a friendly face and together we walked to the Adult Life Group.  

For conversation’s sake, I asked what brought her to our church; had someone invited her; did she know someone that attended the church?  She said softly, “My Jesus-level was real low.”  I replied that I was very happy she had decided to join us this night.  The lesson was about spiritual growth and seemed directed at mature, committed Christians.  I listened to the teacher, all the while praying that something was getting through to her and at least would bring her “Jesus-level” up to a readable measure.  After the teacher finished his lesson, some comments were made and she raised her hand; “Thank you, this really spoke to me tonight,” she said.

After the class, I told her again how happy we were that she had come and invited her back for Sunday worship.  She said, “I want to come back and I will, but tomorrow I am going into Rehab for a few weeks.”  I hugged her, told her to take the time to get better and when she got out of Rehab, we would be here to love her and her children.  I have her name, phone number and address and I intend to follow up and help her raise her “Jesus-level” to the top.

We are encouraged to invite our friends and neighbors to come with us to church.  So we invite, they come and then what?  What do we have to offer; what are we serving up when they come?  Most cities have “Heinz 57” or “Baskin Robbins 31 flavors” when it comes to church variety.  There are architecturally-beautiful buildings, multi-program mega churches, rock-star music complete with flashing lights, pastors preaching in robes, suits  or jeans, rumpled shirts and tennis shoes; but what happens when our “Jesus-level” is low?

I recently read an article about a church in Oklahoma that is offering a Sunday evening service of Beer & Hymns.  Sure, they check your Id and there is a 3-beer limit.  And after all, you are singing hymns that hopefully mention Jesus.  Perhaps after you have consumed your 3 beers you might even be ready to listen to a salvation sermon and pray the “Sinner’s Prayer,” but what about the emptiness in your soul?  What about your Jesus-level?

Jesus asks the woman at the well for a drink of water, how different the story would have been if His next comment had been, “Come on down to the synagogue with me.  We can have a beer together and sing a few songs.”  It wouldn’t have satisfied her thirst or upped her Jesus-level; she needed the Living Water that Jesus offered.  What hope would the young lady at our Bible Study carried with her to Rehab, if we had shook her hand, offered her a beer and sang a few hymns?  She needed some Living Water.

When we invite our friends and the come, they are not looking for programs; they can find that at the local community center.  They are not looking for professional music or flashing lights; they can find a concert to attend every weekend of the year.  They are not looking for a cold drink and friendly faces, where “everyone knows your name,” chances are they know a better bar that serves better beer.  They are not even looking for an eloquent, hip speaker sporting the latest clothing trends and spiky hair.  NO, they are hungry for something that satisfies the longing deep inside.  Life probably hasn’t worked out so well, they want things to change and just maybe you will provide some answers. 

When we invite them and they come, we must offer HOPE!!!  HOPE that there is “something more.”  HOPE that they can be free of sin’s chains.  HOPE that the weight of the load they carry can be lightened.  HOPE that their “Jesus-level” can be filled to overflowing.  When you invite them and they come, then what?

WHEW!!! TIME TO CLEAN OUT THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL!

I stumbled, sleepily to the sink, desperately needing that first cup of coffee.  As I turned on the water to fill the Keurig, a nasty smell cleared the fog from my brain.  The sink was clean, checking the trash can under the sink revealed nothing.  What was hiding in my kitchen?  Once more leaning over the sink, the smell took my breath away and the truth hit me; the garbage disposal needed to be cleaned out.  A couple of days ago, I had rinsed off the dinner plates and scrubbed the sink but I had forgotten to flip the switch to clear out the disposal and wash its contents down the sewer.  A garbage disposal is a wonderful kitchen tool to rid your house of unwanted food garbage but if you don’t flip the switch daily to clear out the unwanted fragments, you will eventually have a bigger problem in your kitchen today than you had yesterday.

How many times have we pushed aside the garbage that accumulates in our life every day, cleaning up the surface but forgetting the important next step; clearing out the garbage disposal.  You may go on happily through life for a few days and then at the most inopportune time, you notice a stench emanating from deep within.  You thought you had gotten rid of it but there were little bits and pieces lying there, putrefying, and just waiting to invade your life once again.  It is time to flip the switch and clear out your personal garbage disposal.

We can fool ourselves and those around us for a time but eventually the garbage that we have just set aside and forgotten to get rid of will make itself known.
Luke 6:4 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Check yourself, do your words carry an unpleasant aroma; sarcastic and cutting instead of edifying?  What about your attitude?  Are you guilty of “stinkin’ thinkin’” instead of hope and thanksgiving?  Even your actions can tell the tale of a full garbage disposal; you begin to consider your own lusts and desires instead of following the Will of God.  Don’t despair, there is an easy solution; FLIP THE SWITCH!!!

Prayer is a beautiful cleanser for our personal “garbage disposal.”  Spend a little time allowing God to give you a thorough cleansing.  He will take away the garbage of the day, the hurts and slights, the aggravations and even the little things we allow to discourage and weigh us down.  Then as an added benefit, God sprinkles on a little Grace to keep you smelling sweet.  You will feel fresher and those closest to you will begin to notice the pleasant aroma of God’s love that emanates from deep inside.  It is time to CLEAN OUT THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL!  Don’t wait, the smell will just get worse; DO IT TODAY!!!

GOD DIDN'T MAKE MONSTERS ANYWHERE

We can talk ourselves into or out of believing almost anything.  If you don’t believe me, try this…Tomorrow morning, when you get out of bed, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you don’t feel good and think you are getting sick.  Brush your teeth and tell yourself again that you think you are coming down with something.  Chances are you can convince yourself to get back into bed and lounge around in your pajamas all day.  By afternoon or late evening you may experience cold chills and a pounding headache.  Are you really sick? Probably not, but you have talked yourself into believing that you are, complete with symptoms, which are very likely due to hours of inactivity.   The reverse also works.  Truthfully, most of us do not feel energetic and ready to conquer the world when we roll out of bed.  It may take a shower and hot cup of coffee before you can think about facing the day but look in the mirror, take several deep breaths, smile and say, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Tell yourself that you are “more than a conqueror” and “can do all things through Christ.”  Sing a praise and worship song as you brush your hair and get dressed, grab that cup of coffee as you walk out the door thanking God for the beautiful morning.  Are you really going to conquer the world today?  Possibly because you have just convinced yourself that you can accomplish whatever comes your way, today.

This is true in just about every area of life; when we speak, we are often speaking prophetically, our words have power.   We find  that during Job’s great trials, he makes this statement in Job 3:25, “For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.”  When Job stopped fearing and began to speak blessing, everything he had lost and more was restored to him.  Now before I am accused of being a “prosperity preacher” or of embracing the “name it and claim it doctrine,” let me assure you that I believe we pray and receive according to the will of God not according to our own selfish lust and desires.  I also believe that we talk ourselves into many situations that are not according to the will of God because of negative, fearful, discouraging words and even sometimes go against the will of God by convincing ourselves that our desires our God’s primary priority in His plan for us.

On my birthday, my little 3-year old granddaughter, Maicie sang a song to me that came straight from her mind and heart.  She called it the “Rainbow Song.”  It began with a line about rainbows in your eyes than veered off into the things that were really on her mind.  The 3rd line of the song went like this, “God didn’t make monsters anywhere, not in your bedrooms.”  I’m sure Maicie didn’t realize what she was doing, but she was speaking prophetically, WORDS OF FAITH to herself.  I’m sure she has imagined monsters in her room and probably even dreamed of them.  I also know that she has a Mommy and Daddy who pray with her and assure her that there are no monsters in her bedroom because “God didn’t make monsters.”  As Maicie continues to speak or sing her words, she is convincing herself to believe what Mommy and Daddy tell her and eventually the “monsters in the room” become a non-issue.

Philipians 4:8 Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true; whatsoever things are honest; whatsoever things are just; whatsoever things are pure; whatsoever things are lovely; whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Whatever “monster” you are facing in your life, try Maicie’s “prophetic singing.”  Substitute words of FAITH for words of FEAR.  Begin to PRAISE instead of COMPLAIN; BLESSINGS instead of CURSINGS.  Not only will you feel a lifting in your spirit but the negativity will flee and you will begin to believe that GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS OUT FOR YOUR GOOD because GOD DIDN'T MAKE MONSTERS ANYWHERE!

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL (Just not all at once)

My pantry holds an assortment of yummy treats just waiting to fill my grandbabies tummies.  One of the favorite treats of the younger grandkids is Fruit Snacks.  For you who may not know, a fruit snack is a small packet of different colored gummy candies in the shape of a favorite cartoon or Disney character.  For some reason, it seems that is impossible to eat and chew just one of the gummies at a time.  No matter how often I say “just one,” every one of my grandkids has looked at me with their mouth stuffed full of gummies until their cheeks bulge and chewing is impossible.   It isn’t as if someone is going to snatch one or there is a timer set with a limited amount of time for finishing.  I often think of how much more enjoyment they would get if they would learn to savor each candy.  You can have it all, just not all at once.

I was fortunate to come of age at a time when it was still acceptable for women to be stay-at-home moms and being a homemaker WAS a career choice.  As the 1990’s approached, women were made to feel as if choosing to stay home to take care of your kids and make a comfortable home was only for the “dummies” who couldn’t do anything else.  I watched many of these women juggle careers, children, husbands, leisure time and social obligations; trying to HAVE IT ALL!!!  Instead of savoring every moment and enjoying different seasons in their life, they became depressed and stressed out because they were cramming too much into a small 24 hour space.  I wanted to tell them, “You can have it all, just not all at once.”

Oh there are many sacrifices to make, priorities to set and choices that are difficult but don’t fool yourself, the one trying to have it all is also setting priorities, making choices and something is always being sacrificed.  Thinking back over some of the sacrifices that allowed me to be the stay-at-home Mom that was there when the kids came busting in the house after an exciting day at school.  The wife that always had a hot cooked meal waiting when Steve came in, tired from a long day at work.  Making sure there were clean clothes in the closet, toilet paper in the bathrooms and juggling the budget, stretching the money to cover the necessities was as much of a challenge as any CEO of a company faced.  I forfeited new cars, perfectly decorated homes, gourmet restaurant meals and designer clothes; they would come and I would enjoy, just not all at the same time.  The kids finally grew up and I finally received my degree and finally started a corporate career.  Now, once again, I find myself a stay-at-home Grandma and a homemaker by choice.  Looking back over my life, I can say, “I have had it all, just not all at once.”

In our walk with God, we have dreams and ambitions; there are so many things we want God to accomplish through us.  There are gifts to be desired, aspirations of ministry and positions,  people to touch and souls to win.  Too many times, instead of allowing God to work through us we go full-throttle, packing every moment full of “working for God.”  When our mouth becomes so stuffed we can’t chew, we finally choke and wonder why God has left us gasping for air.  PATIENCE, God will give you everything He has planned for you, just not all at once.

At the present time, you may be in the “waiting mode” or maybe you are “tugging at the bit” desiring to rush into the calling you feel in your spirit.  STOP!!! Savor the moment you are in.  God is working out the last few details and when the time is right you will step into your next season.  One thing I have learned is “when we find contentment in the present season, fulfillment will await you in the next season.  Stop stuffing all the gummies into your bulging cheeks; YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL, just not all at once.