Look Ahead

 Look Ahead

It seems that every time that I pray and ask God to speak to me through His Word - He does just that. I have to admit though; it isn't alway what I want to hear!

I was in Genesis chapter 25 reading about Jacob and Esau. The birthright of the 1st born was a pretty big deal back in the day. I cannot believe that he gave it up so easily. 

I feel like he exaggerated a little. That makes sense to me because I have done that throughout my recovery. He said, "What good is a birthright if I am dead from starvation." That sounds like me when I say, "Oh, just this one drink won't hurt me." Or, "I am tired and going through a hard time. A drink will relax me." 

 

God showed me today that I am a lot like Esau. I am indifferent to the things in life that are really important. 

Like Esau, my primary concerns have been to satisfy my immediate physical needs - with little or no thought at all about my future!

I can easily talk myself into any bad decision without giving much thought to the consequences or the way that it will alter my future. 

Recovery gets tough! Lots of times I know that I just want to give up. A bad day will make a bad decision look good and much easier to make. 

God showed me today that I need to see things in the long view. Before I make any decisions, I need to think about the consequences and the way it may alter the future. 

I definitely need to treat my recovery this way. I need to picture the positive, long range results that will come if I just hang in there. The hard work pays off in the end when you get the positive results. If you look ahead and think about that, maybe it will be a little easier to give up the momentary pleasures of the bad decisions that keep us from reaching the positive results at the end!

Be Encouraged, Chris 

The Nature of Christ part 2

The Nature of Jesus

What would it be like to be God, and to know that you are God? We all like to pretend we are God sometimes. We want to act like we have the power to control certain situations, or we want to act like we can control another person, and our list of trying to be God goes on, and on, and on.

          Jesus was just like us. He could smell, touch, feel things, experience hurt, pain, anger, and He was God. Imagine what you would do when someone hurt you and your anger burned strong within you. What would you do? Would you denigrate them into a steaming pile of goo, or would you love them and offer them forgiveness and die for them? I am willing to bet the 1^st would be your choice.

          Imagine the self-control that it took Jesus to hold back on those Pharisees. Imagine the self-control that it took him to not lust after women. Imagine the self-control that it took to walk to that cross. Guys we are weak. It is about time that we step out of our little bubble of denial and admit that. No matter what we do, we can not achieve the things that Jesus achieved. If we could, he would not have had to endure the painful death on the cross that we deserved. Remember – he did that for us!

          When someone makes me angry, I usually get upset and overcome with emotions. Instead of talking to God and saying, “Lord, please help me to forgive this person.” It is realistically more like, “Lord, please help me to not kill this person right now.” And by not going to them and resolving the issue immediately, resentment and hatred toward that person start to build. If I continue to let this go unhandled, then I am talking to someone else about the person behind their back. That is like pouring gasoline on a fire. We have all been guilty of this at some point in our lives.

          I am not God and I do not hold the position to judge anyone for their actions. I am a sinner, you are a sinner, they are a sinner, we are all sinners. What is the difference between all the sins that I have committed verses the sin that a person commits against me? God forgave me for all the horrible things that I have done. So why can I not forgive the person for doing me wrong? That is the proper response. Forgive and forgive immediately. Make things right immediately. Between you and the person. Not your entire click, or your entire work family.

          Although our nature will never be like that of Jesus Christ, our attitude can be altered by prayer, the study of God’s Word, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is within us! It is up to us if we choose to follow! The next time someone upsets you, try something different. Try to gently tell them how they upset you and that you forgive them for that. See if that does not work better than allowing anger and resentment to take control.

Be Encouraged, Chris

The Nature of Christ

The Nature of Christ

“Though he was God he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges and took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

          As I was reading this, I was thinking, “How would I behave in this situation?” I would have been shooting lightning bolts at people and levitating them straight up off the earth that I created. We could not possibly control a position of such power. We would be completely overcome by it. Jesus, he did not selfishly grasp hold of the position he had like I would have. Instead, he was willing to give himself over to serving our needs.

          Maybe if Jesus would have behaved in a manner likewise, the Jewish leaders would not have been so infuriated with Him. He was claiming to be God but seemed as a weak little man. If Jesus would have blasted them with a lightning bolt or two, I am sure their minds would have quickly changed about Him. They probably would not have plotted to kill Him, but instead would have worshiped Him. But that is not the way God wants to gain our attention is it? Jesus set the example of what God is like – not a dictator, but a loving, serving, father.

          Jesus did something that is extremely hard for me to do. Verse 7, he emptied himself. He emptied himself of all self-interests. He came here to do one thing, and one thing only and that was the will of the Father. For God to become a man was extremely humbling, but he did not stop there. He completely took himself the extra mile and took the role of a servant. When Jesus came, we all should have fallen to our knees in complete worship and praise – our Lord is here. Instead, the Lord fell to his knees to serve us. The Creator served His very creation. Wow! Man, Oh man!

          A lot of days I ask myself, “How should I live as a Christian?” No better example of humiliation and a complete selfless attitude could possibly be given than that of Christ. That is the example the believers in Philippi were being encouraged to follow. That is the example we are encouraged to follow today. Verse 2 - be like minded – live humbly before God, and each other.

          God sent Jesus on a mission. This is His briefing – “1. That He should assume human nature by being born of a woman, and thus enter into temporal relations; and that He should assume this nature with its present infirmities, though without sin. 2. That He, who as the Son of God was superior to the law, should place Himself under the law; that He should enter, not merely into the natural, but also into the penal and federal relation to the law, in order to pay the penalty for sin and to merit everlasting life for the elect. 3. That He, after having merited forgiveness of sins and eternal life for His own, should apply to them the fruits of His merits: complete pardon, and the renewal of their lives through the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit. By doing this He would render it absolutely certain that believers would consecrate their lives to God” (Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology (p. 269). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co).

          Jesus perfectly accomplished all these things that we could not. So, what is your response to this. What is your response to Him?

Be Encouraged, Chris

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule

          “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite but love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18, NLT).

          What happens when someone does us wrong? We usually act out from our emotions. If we are hurting, we want to inflict that hurt upon the other person. Hurt people hurt people! Sometimes when we are upset, we do not even say anything to the other person. But we sure do tell everyone else. We talk about the problem behind their back and do you know what that does? It only makes the situation worse. This just leads to resentment and hatred.

          Since the 18^th century the “Golden Rule” has commonly designated this ethical maxim. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. That sounds familiar. Probably because Jesus said this in Matthew 7:12. So, if you are treating someone poorly, you should think about this. Is this how you want to be treated in return? When someone is doing you wrong, it does not feel good does it? The natural consequence of harboring ill feelings and a grudge-bearing attitude is going to result in vengeance. You are going to do something that you will regret!

          The kind of love that is being discussed here means that a person is to forgive a neighbor’s wrongs as quickly as they would forgive themselves. It means you are to show others the same practical care that you show yourself!

          For me, that was a major problem. The care that I showed myself was alcohol and drug abuse. I had a poor view of my self-worth, and I treated myself like garbage. I am 36 years old and I am just now realizing this is why I have treated people so poorly throughout my life. This is why so many of my relationships have failed. This is why my relationship with God failed!

          Is this you too?

          How could I love and respect God if I could not love and respect myself? When God would tell me I was the apple of his eye, I would call him a liar. I will tell you what helped me to turn around. It was when I done someone horribly wrong, but yet they did not do me wrong. Instead, they showed me love, compassion, and forgiveness. It took that happening for me to see the love, compassion, and forgiveness that God had extended to me so many times. It took that for me to extend that same love, compassion, and forgiveness to myself!

          I am trying my best to live by Jesus’ example. I fail all the time, but Jesus did not! “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly” 1 Peter 2:23. If we repay evil with evil, we are putting ourselves in the place of God. And we are also sinning against the sinner! God is the only fair judge! Your job, my job, is to love. So start showing people how you want to be treated today. We all want and desire to be loved!

Be Encouraged, Chris

How About You

Mark 1:21-28

          I remember the 1^st time I heard expository preaching. It was different for me in so many ways. It really penetrated my heart because I was understanding the Scripture the way it was meant to be understood – in context. It challenged me to not only grow deeper in my knowledge of God’s Word, but to grow in my daily life of living that Word out.

          I could not fully explain these things that day and I imagine that is how the audience in this synagogue is feeling as well. There was just something about this Jesus guy, something different from all the other teachers.

          When I teach, I will quote sources when I use them, and the scribes did the same thing when they taught in the synagogue. Jesus would explain the Scripture in a way that they had never quite experienced and then I suppose they were looking for the source of those words. Jesus never quoted anyone because He was the source. The author was standing right in front of them. They could see the Word that we read with their very own eyes and they could hear his voice with their very own ears.

          And then in verse 23, “A man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out.” The only one in that religious gathering that knew who Jesus was, was the evil spirit. When the Word of God is spoken it has so much power. It convicts your heart and it initiates a desire in you to listen. It breaks you down and makes you aware that you are sinful; that you are separated from God. The people’s hearts were just so hardened that they could not turn to it. They wondered but they would not accept.

          I want to make you aware of this. Where was this evil spirit at? This is a question I want you to answer. Comment below.

          These people had never experienced anything like what took place that day. Jesus, the Son of God was right in front of them. Nature knew it, Satan confessed it, Angels recognized it, and here in this passage – the men felt it! But they would not accept it.

How about you?

The day is here!

          As I was reading Scripture this morning, I was reading in Mark chapter 1. I came across verse 9: “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan river” (Mark 1:9, NLT). I was reading that, and I was thinking about Nazareth just a little. If you think about it, the people back then would have probably thought that their Messiah would come from Jerusalem rather than a little small village that really had no significance whatsoever. It reminds me of Jellico, here where I live. It is a small town of maybe 2,500 people if that. In the bigger cities people always say, “Nothing good ever comes out of Jellico.” That is because this little town is overrun with drugs. But I can see the people on the scene back then thinking that very same thing about Jesus and about Nazareth: “Nothing really good ever comes out of Nazareth.”

          And then another thing that really smacked me across the face was Jesus being baptized. Especially in a baptism for the repentance of sins. If Jesus needs to be forgiven of sins, then we are all very much in trouble. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Shew! Thank goodness – that was a close one! So, Jesus participated in John’s baptism not because he needed to repent of his sins, but he did it to identify with us – sinful humanity!

          Wow! This is it! The time we have been waiting for is happening … Then the spirit descended on Jesus like a dove when he popped up out of that water verse 10. This verse took me all the way back to Genesis 8:10-12: “After waiting another 7 days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.” God’s promise to Noah of a new world was there! And it is here in Mark that we see the Messiah coming to fulfill the promise that God made to his people!

          Have you ever saw a dove? We had one hanging around the house here for a while. It was so gentle, just as Jesus the gentle servant who was coming to bring healing and restoration following a message or repentance by John. Israel was being asked to turn around. You are going the wrong way folks! Turn around from your disobedience and rebellion and start anew by turning to the Messiah – he is here!

          Hope you guys have a fantastic day. I was super blessed with my Bible study and I just had to share 😊

Be Encouraged, Chris

How Do You See Yourself?

How Do You See Yourself?

          “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground. So, God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them’” (Genesis 1:26-27, NLT).

          Growing up, I always had a poor value of myself. I believed that I was a horrible person. I did a lot of bad things because of my drug and alcohol addiction: I stole from people, I lied to people, I used people etc. I did a lot of bad things, so I thought I was a bad person that deserved nothing but bad things. Even though that has been a long time ago, those memories still stay with me.

          I forget to remind myself that I am different from all other forms of creation. It is only human life that is called “created in the image of God.” God has given you and I communicable attributes. We have the ability to learn and increase our knowledge, we can reach a certain level of spiritual understanding, we can be very creative, if we seek it – we can become very wise, we can love, we can feel and show compassion, etc. God breathed His very breath into us.

          Even though I always had a poor view of my self-worth, looking back, there were others that were trying to remind me of who I am, and who they are. I was given second chances by people that should have wronged me, I was forgiven by those that I hurt tremendously, and I was shown love when I only reflected hate. This is that beautiful image of God and that beautiful Spirit working its wonders. I sometimes wondered how someone could be willing to forgive me so easily. When I understood the forgiveness of God, and how he had forgiven me, and what He had done for me – then it made sense to me. You must understand that we all need forgiveness! Every single one of us!

          I remember when my daughter Madison was just a little girl, maybe only 2 or 3 years old. She was so loving and so understanding and forgiving to be so young. I remember when I would let her down, she would sit in my lap and rub my hair and say, “It is ok daddy, you have pretty hair.” (Laugh out loud)

          I must put aside my anger, put aside my differences, and have that sweet child-like faith and compassion to be able to forgive in that way. Don’t we all? No matter how you see yourself, how you see others – we are created alike. We have been created in the image of God! We are all valuable and precious to God. Should we not all be willing to forgive?

Be Encouraged, Chris 😊

A True Friend

A True Friend

“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us. When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.” (Ruth 1:16:18).

          Some of my best memories as a child was my friends. Early on, I had a couple ride or die friends that were always there for me. That would always do anything for me. Travis Jeffers and Brian Gosnell. We were so young back then. Maybe 10 or 11. As you get older, you realize that very rarely you will ever have the kind of friendship with anyone that you had with a childhood friend. That is just a different kind of friendship right there. The sleepovers, the all-nighters on the old Sega Genesis 😊 those were the days.

          Reading this passage of Scripture brought back old memories of friends that I have not saw in years. I thought to myself, “Man, what a friend Ruth was.” It would be nice to have a genuine friend like that would it not? It is hard to find a true friend these days.

          This Scripture is so awesome for me because it shows me how we should be in our friendships with others. It shows me where I fail as a friend. Naomi tried to get Ruth to leave, but she was not hearing it. The original word for determined in verse 18 means – strength, firmness, and persistence. We could all use some of that in our lives, couldn’t we? Man, this just reminded me how quickly we give up on people. We give up on people so easily sometimes. All I know is if we were fixing to embark on a journey together, and I had just had the worst luck, the most of horrible days, and you told me to just go ahead and go home – ok see you pal! Be careful. Call me when you get there!

          You know what really stuck out to me? Isn’t our recovery journey a lot like that? Those whom we thought were our friends just bid us farewell. They pretty much write us off. Good luck pal hope you make it through your recovery. Most of them are not ready or willing to be by our side through it all! We all need a friend in our life that possesses a character like Ruth. Someone that will hold us accountable, always be there for us, and not give up on us when we give up on ourselves. Do you have a friend like that in your life? If you do, consider yourself extremely blessed.

          Call them or message them today and tell them how much you appreciate their friendship and everything that they have done for you. Even if you are like me, and it is an old childhood friend that you have not saw in years. Try and get in touch with them and see how they are doing. Talk about your memories together of the good old days. This could be life changing for you! We sometimes take friendship for granted. Having a true friend is like taking a coin into the pawn stars shop in Vegas and finding out it is worth 1 million dollars. You did not realize what you had!

Be Encouraged, Chris

Hope everyone has a Happy Father’s Day!

Are you going to answer the call?

Isaiah 42:1

          Do you remember when we were little? Gosh that was so long ago. I remember in P.E. class; we would always play basketball or dodgeball. Those were the days right there. I remember sometimes I would be upset because I would not get picked to play. I mean the ones that did not get picked would get split up onto teams anyways, so we all got to play. But that is not the point. It is just the way that it felt not being picked. It does not feel good does it?

          We do not ever have to feel that way. Isaiah 42:1 says, “I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” You have been picked by the Creator of the Universe! The God that made the heavens and the earth. Every star that you see in the beautiful sky. How does that make you feel? We seem to always forget that. We should never be concerned if we get picked for a game, or for a job, or for anything really!

          This should be the highlight of our day – everyday! In our toughest times and our strongest doubts, we should not fear because salvation is assured. This crazy, radical, remarkable love that God shows us; we do not deserve, but we have it! What are we doing with it? Some of us are ignoring it. Some of us will never know it.

          When I was saved, I was not seeking God to be saved – He called me. It happened totally unexpected. I am not saying that it happens this way for everyone. That is how it happened for me, and I have saw many accounts through the Bible where it has happened in that same way. When Jesus called the Apostles, He said, “Come, follow me.” They did not run to Him and ask to receive that position! If you are seeking God, He will not turn you away, but if you are seeking Him through works and works only – you will never find Him. It is by faith and faith alone!

          There are a couple different views on this topic of “election” mentioned in this verse here. John Calvin believed that God has chosen to save an unknown number of specific individuals from the deserved consequences of all humanity’s sin – a choice based solely on God’s undeserved mercy.

          Others like Wesley believed that God desires to give all people equally the ability to receive His offer of salvation. I believe both these views. I will tell you why. Sin separates us from God and the further we grow in sin and the harder our heart becomes – the harder it is to make our way to God. And when we do – it is all His doing, and by His power, grace, and mercy! It happened that way for me. I had gone two weeks without a drink and had not even realized that I had quit drinking. No joke! This was back in 2011 or 2012.

          Something happened in my life that drove me away from God and back into my sinful lifestyle. I was so far lost in my sin that I denied God and continued to choose my sinful lifestyle over Him. I was a Youth Minister and an Encourager Coach at Celebrate Recovery. I was doing God’s work and was loving every minute of it. Sin will overtake you faster than you will ever realize that it has. It feels as if swimming in the river and all the sudden before you realize, the current drags you under. It happens that quick – believe me!

          God knows us and He knows that some of us will never return from our life of sin! So, if that is the case, then Wesley could be correct with his view. Does God want to just leave you buried within the sin that has overtaken your life? Of course not! But He gives us all the choice – the choice to choose. It is a choice. I chose sin over God for a long time. I felt Him sometimes. I heard Him sometimes – but I ignored Him.

I do believe that God has called us, but I believe that it is totally up to us whether we answer that call or not. So, with that being said, I believe salvation is available to “everyone” that believes by faith to answer that call. Have you answered, or is the phone still ringing?

Be Encouraged, Chris

jellicochris@gmail.com

Where Am I With Others?

The other day we talked about where we are with God. Today, I ask? Where are we with others?

I really love music. I have since the time I was a young man. When I was around 13 or 14, I started learning how to play guitar. I appreciate the great harmony of music. You can be down in the dumps, going through something horrible, and a song can pull you straight out of that. For those of us that love music, we may all have a song or two that we fall back on in those times.

          I want to look at the actual definition of the word harmony for a second. It means the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect. Good music does that for me. It produces “a good and a pleasing effect.”

          Psalm 133:1 says, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” When we are all getting along does it not have this same effect? I can go to work in a great mood and within 30 minutes of being there someone with a negative attitude can pull me right down with them.

          When you speak positive words to them the outcome is much different than if you fall into the negativity that they themselves are reflecting. We realize that sometimes when we take our problems home with us. Our spouse or family may be excited to see us when we get home, and we are frustrated and angry, and unfortunately, they become the victims of our emotional rage!

          The original word used in that verse for wonderful means – good for the intended purpose! The same word is used in the creation account in Genesis 1. Wow! When God was creating the heavens and the earth and he said, “Ok, this is good.” When he created male and female in His own image and said, “Ok, this is good!” That is the same exact thing he has about healthy relationships amongst us!

          Most of us are self-centered and to selfish to worry about others these days! The next verse goes on to say, “For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe” (Psalm 133:2). This verse is describing God’s presence. It is God’s presence and provision that enable us to have this kind of relationship! I have those three words highlighted there because in the original language they are all the same word. The word means “descend.” That is because the blessing for this kind of relationship, this kind of love, comes from above – from God and God alone!

          So, as you go about your day, be thankful for those that you have in your life that you sometimes take for granted. The one’s that you sometimes mistreat and take your anger out on. The one’s that you work with, be thankful for them, and try to bless them somehow rather than tear them down! How much better could life be if we all live in unity?

Be Encouraged, Chris

jellicochris@gmail.com

Where Am I With God?

Where Am I With God?

Genesis 3:1-13

          A few months back if you would have asked me that question, my answer would have been, “Who is God?” I once was close to Him, but I chose a life of pursuing sinful desires rather than the life that He had laid out for me. What a stupid horrible choice that was. My sin had made me so shameful that I completely cut Him out of my life. Guilt and shame will make you do that. Have you ever wronged someone and then tried your best to avoid them because you did not want to face the consequences of your actions?

          I had a bad drug problem when I was in my early 20’s. This addiction led me to do horrible things. I found some of my grandfather’s blank checks one time. I stole a couple of them and wrote them out and cashed them. I think it was a total of $800 or so dollars. Thankfully, he had insurance on his money and his bank refunded him the money. He knew it was me and my family knew it was me. I avoided him for probably close to 2 years over that. I felt so horrible that I could not face him. That is exactly what is happening to Adam and Eve in this passage.

          Verse 8 says, “They hid from God.” Do you see how sin separates now? The thing is though, we cannot hide from God! We can run and cut Him out of our life, but we cannot hide from Him. If we choose our sinful desires over God, He will let us! And one of the consequences of that is that sin will increase in your life. The separation will grow further from God and from other people in your life!

          Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God. One little mess up was a chain reaction that led them to separation from God! The flame from a cigarette lighter is not that bad. It is just a small flame. But if you pour gas all over the place and then light that little flame over it, what will happen? I do not have to tell you because you know.

          My sinful behavior caused me to push everyone in my life away. For the past 3 months, I have been working on my relationship with God and with other people. Things are coming back together. Even though God forgives us for our sinful behavior, the worldly consequences stick with us much longer. It is not worth it. So, I leave you with this question today? Where are you with God? Is your relationship non-existent, are you hiding, or are you separated because of sin? What in your life needs to change to draw you closer to God?

jellicochris@gmail.com

Be Encouraged, Chris

What is Controlling You?

2 Peter 2:12-19

“They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you” (2 Peter 2:19, NLT).

          Have you ever been controlled by something and you did not even realize it? Maybe the people around you see it and they try to tell you, but you just do not want to hear it because you think you are wise and correct even in your complete foolishness. I have been there before.

          We like to think that we have control over things. I thought that I had control over alcohol. Well, I would like to think at one point in time I did. I would have a drink after work just to relax and slow down a bit. Maybe once or twice a week – but that is how it started. By the time I realized it had become 4 times a week, then 5 times, then every single day.

          “They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight” (2 Peter 2:13b). I am starting to look kind of like these false teachers in a sense. My drinking was affecting all those around me and I was lying and trying to use God’s Word to justify it! Some days I remember being hammered by noon and still trying to go out and do stuff. My lifestyle was surely sending the wrong example to people that depended on me! I was beginning to watch porn and lust after women. I have a beautiful wife. I have no reason in the world to look otherwise. But that is exactly what happens when our sinful desires take control over us.

          These false teachers had no shame in their game. Their sinful habits and addictions were completely controlling them just like mine were me. And what is weird about this is that we brag about it! We brag about drunkenness, immorality, and all kinds of other filth. In doing so we are encouraging others to jump right on the wagon with us. And what really gets me about this verse is that it is one thing to party during the nighttime; but when you are partying through the morning and day – drunk by noon! (me) I mean dude – you have a problem!

          “They lure unstable people into sin” (2 Peter 2:14). If you are not super strong in your faith it is easy to be led astray by these types of people. Have you ever trusted someone that led you into a bad situation? I know I sure have, and I know that I have led a few people into bad situations myself.

          I was so blinded by my wrongdoing and distortion that I did something horrible and I did not even realize how bad it was when I did it. Angie and I was smoking CBD for headaches and other problems that we were dealing with. One day I went and got some “real weed,” and asked her, “Hey, do you want to smoke this with me?” I never told her it was the real thing. She thought it was CBD. So, I went outside and smoked it and when I came in, she said, “Chris, that better not have been the real thing!” I said, “It was.”

          She was so upset with me. She said, “Was you really just going to ruin almost 10 years of sobriety for me?” It hit me, “What was I thinking? What was I doing to her?” I had become that horrible of a person. I was already being overtaken by my sinful desires and bad choices, why was I trying to bring her down with me?

          “These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct” (2 Peter 2:12). Animals are creatures of instinct you know. We on the other hand are ruled by reason – or at least some of us are! Do you know what the difference is? Instinct acts blindly without a knowledge of consequences. Reason, however, foresees the end that is to come. These false teachers were acting like an animal running out in front of a speeding truck chasing a leaf, not knowing what was going to happen, while we with reason know the outcome of that is going to be horrible!

          I was acting in this same manner. My sin had taken complete control over me and I was acting as a creature guided by instinct rather than a man guided by reason! This can happen so easily to any of us! Read 2 Peter Chapter 2 and see that it was happening 2,000 years ago. People were being led astray. They were being freed from their sinful destructive lifestyles by Christ, and they were turning around and running right back into it wide open.

          We that have been through addiction know the outcome, but yet we relapse like an animal driven by instinct even when we know the horrible outcome and consequences that we will face!

          “They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you” (2 Peter 2:19, NLT). These false teachers were enslaved to their sin and they did not even realize it!

          “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:16). My sinful behavior controlled my life for so long. It cost me everything and I did not even realize that I had fallen so far away until it was to late.

          Thank God that He grabbed me, and I finally came out of denial with it. It took something horrible to bring me out of it though. I hurt someone that I love dearly. But I am almost 3 months sober and my sinful behavior is not controlling my life anymore! The reason for that is right there in that verse above (Romans 6:16) I gave control to God and He is changing me from the inside out. My sinful behavior is being transformed into righteous living. I mean I am not perfect. I still make plenty of mistakes, but they are becoming less. And for the 1^st time in a long time I feel free. Not free to continue in my sinful habits like these false teachers are saying, but free from them Amen!

 

jellicochris@gmail.com

Be Encouraged, Chris

1 Timothy 6:3-10

What Do You Really Need?

I want to tell you a little story about a guy that I knew here in Jellico, TN. He lived in the projects with his beautiful wife, and his three stepchildren. Her nor him had a job, but he did odd jobs to make a little money here and there. Mowed grass, farming, a little manual labor, etc. Just what ever came his way.

          They were in church, celebrate recovery, and were youth leaders. This guy had little, but he had everything! Life had never been experienced with this kind of joy and happiness by him before. As time went on, he started to have the need to debate the Bible with those whom he thought were just getting it all wrong. The name it claim it preachers; the prosperity preachers; etc. The “you send me this donation and God is going to bless you abundantly guy.”

          Which, we should share the truth of the gospel with those who distort it for their own personal gain. What we should not do is pick up their nasty characteristics while we are doing it! You see, that is exactly what happened to this guy that I am speaking of.

          Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.  These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth (1 Timothy 6:4-5a, NLT). This guy ended up becoming just like those whom he was trying to shine the light on, easily forgetting the true purpose of the gospel and the mission of the church and his devotion to Christ.

          He started seeing all his friends having these nice things, homes, cars, clothing, and all the accessories. He found a good paying job and eventually, he had all these things too. But it was at an extreme cost. One that would ultimately bring him to lose everything that he had!

          His job was demanding. He had to work long hours and did not have time for the ministry anymore. He had to step down as youth leader and encourager coach at celebrate recovery. His wife trusted his decisions and followed him, even though she loved the youth ministry and celebrate recovery more than anything!

          Overtime the stress of the job and the stress of the poor decisions made by this guy, took a downward spiral. He began drinking, watching porn, and talking to other girls. He had the strong desire to seek acceptance. He needed to feel good about himself. He was not getting that kind of treatment at home and felt as if no one appreciated the sacrifices that he was making by working all these long hours and buying all this stuff. The truth is – his wife and family were dealing with the change of this new life as well.

          People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:9-10, NLT).

          The man that lived in the projects with his beautiful wife, served in the church, had a wonderful relationship with God, and his family, left it all behind in the pursuit to find happiness in money which could not be done. Relationships started to deteriorate, and everything started to fall apart. He gave up everything for nothing! He was on top of the world and chose willingly to sink all the way to the bottom of the pit!

          Money and worldly things can be used for good, or they can be used for evil and our own selfish desires. It is so easy to be tempted in this situation (verse 9). Be careful what you wish for! Do not let worldly possessions become your downfall. There is nothing wrong with working hard and having some things for your family. It is the driving force behind it that is the most important. Are you doing it for selfish desires, or are you doing it for the glory of God?

          I know this story quite too well because the guy that I was talking about is me. True happiness is like a breeze of wind on a hot and humid day. We do not realize how wonderful it is until it has already passed by!

          “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3, NLT).

          Add a little water, food, and clothing (1 Tim 6:8), and we have all of our fundamental needs. Everything that we will ever need – nothing more!

          Hope this blesses you abundantly! If you see yourself making some of the same mistakes that I made, there is time to change it. You can have nothing in this world, but if you have a relationship with God and people that love you – you have everything! Nothing can replace that!

jellicochris@gmail.com

Chris Stringer, May 11^th, 2020

Be Encouraged, Chris

         

         

Bible Study Matthew 5:27-30

I have been doing a 10-day study on Lust (I am on day 4 I think), and so far, it is giving me a whole different approach and determination to overcome it. I want to share my Bible study with you in hopes that you will have a different approach and determination to overcome your struggles as well.

Matthew 5:27-30

          “You have heard the commandment that says, you must not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your eye – even your good eye – causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand – even your good hand – causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30, NLT).

          Before we start, I just want to say, “Please do not start amputating yourself 😊. Jesus is using “hyperboles,” which are exaggerations to further drive home his point! So, please keep all your body parts.

          1^st we are going to look at the main players in the passage. The Disciples – They are important here because they cannot truly follow Jesus if they have a lustful mind and heart. Sin separates us from God. Jesus – He is explaining to them that lust is not just committed by the act itself. It starts in the heart and mind. A woman – We should not look at a woman with lustful thoughts or in a way that would cause lustful intent in either person. People referred to by Jesus – This is not just a command for the disciples but applies to Everyone!

          Next, I looked at important cross – references to this passage from the Bible. Job 31:1 – “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.” This passage reminds me to be innocent like Job was proclaiming. Innocent in action and thought. He had not committed the act of adultery, but he had not lusted after a woman as well.

Exodus 20:17 – “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” Remember this was wrote a long time ago 😊 so today it may say, “vehicle or four-wheeler rather than ox or donkey. I do not know though, out here where I live you see quite a few donkeys. But this passage reminds me to fight against any desire or obsession that compels me to violate the law of God!

          Next, I made just a little summary thus far of what this passage is speaking to me. Jesus is really speaking to the heart right here. The Pharisees I am sure, taught that adultery was committed by the act. Basically, we could run free with our thoughts if we just did not do it! Not true! Jesus says, “That is exactly where it starts.” We need to start working with the seed of the sin rather than wait until it has fully bloomed. It is much easier to deal with early on, than before it becomes a full-blown problem!

          So far, we see that

-         Jesus wants His followers to deal with sin where it starts: the mind or emotions. Do not wait until it already has a foothold on you.

-         We should be vigilant in avoiding sin, making every effort possible to remain pure.

-         Sin must be avoided even if radical sacrifice is required. It costs less to address the root of a sin early on than to carry the weight of the consequences of the sin fully developed as well as the weight of judgment before God.

-         The earlier sin is dealt with, the better.

-         Do what ever it takes to correct your heart attitude.

The Theological Principle that I picked from this passage is Desire – A sense of longing for or wanting something. It may be a positive or negative force in the human character, but sinful desire is characteristic of human nature and must be overcome by the believer. God also expresses desires in Scripture.

          Following Jesus Christ means putting to death sinful desires! Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” We are not completely capable of that. I do not know about you, but when I give Jesus a problem of mine, eventually, I end up going back and getting it. It is through faith and faith alone. We participate in Christ’s death and resurrection, leaving behind our determination toward selfish desires.

Sinful lust is condemned we see that in our passage in Matthew 5:27-30.

God desires true worship – Hosea 6:6 – “I want you to show love, not to offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” God does not want simply good actions from us. He wants our heart and mind to be pure in our worship to Him.

Righteous Desire

Desire for God – Psalm 73:25 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.”

Desire for right living – Psalm 40:8 – “I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”

Desire for wisdom – See 2 Chronicles 1:7-11.

So, we see that God desires true worship and right living from us. That is not too much to ask for is it? We sure do require a lot more from Him most of the time than that.

My Application

          This passage has made me realize just how sinful I am on a whole different level. I am doing good with avoiding certain sinful acts, but my thoughts have yet to line up. That is where I have messed up before. You cannot stop a physical act of sin without 1^st stopping the thoughts of it. We must address the seed of sin before it has become a full blossom!

Struggles with my Application

          A lot of people will tell you that it is fine to look if you do not touch. Do not believe this. It will lead to other sin. Masturbation, porn, etc. And eventually, it will lead to adultery or immorality. Sin separates us from God and alienates us from other relationships. Keep that in mind as you are playing with dangerous thoughts.

My Conclusion

          It does not matter if your outward appearance and actions line up if your heart and mind are corrupt! Example – look at the Pharisees!

Final Thoughts

          This should make all of us evaluate our relationship with God. We wonder sometimes why God seems so distant in our lives. We need to not only examine our actions, but also look at our thoughts and change some of them for the better.

          Remember, “The world will tell you it is ok to look as long as you do not touch.” Ask yourself, “Are you going to listen to the world or to God?” Our actions start within our hearts and mind. That is what Jesus is saying here. The Pharisees taught that adultery was committed only by the physical act of it. Jesus says, “NO!” If you are taking pleasure in lustful thoughts, you have already committed adultery in your heart.

Our thoughts and desires empower our outward actions!

This concludes my Bible study! I hope that God speaks to you through this in some way. I would love to hear about it 😊 Contact me and share your thoughts with me. Be blessed, Chris

jellicochris@gmail.com

Bible Study Proverbs 6:20-35

Proverbs 6:20-35 “Warning Against Adultery.” My notes

          The audience is they young man or I see myself; “the fool” or the simple as it is put – one that makes foolish decisions but can learn and repent from them. I do not despise discipline and instruction; I just sometimes ignore it!

          The important cross references for this passage are Proverbs 3:3 – “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.” This reminds me to always keep the Word of God close to my heart. It will protect me in every area of my life – against any temptations that I may face!

          Psalm 119:105 – “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” This reminds me that God’s Word is acceptable and perfect for guiding my life. God’s Word will always guide me in the right direction and never into temptation!

My Summary

          This is a strong reminder to not stray away from the wonderful Word of God. As soon as we take our eyes off what is most important, it opens the door for evil to enter in. Remember King David “a man after God’s own heart,” even he was overcome by sexual desires “lust.” Keep God’s Word close to you heart and always on your mind so that you will be ready for any temptation that you may face!

          This passage tells us that Adultery is like playing with fire; you will get burned. Once a curtain in a house catches fire, it is difficult to put it out. Once a fire has a foothold, the whole place is in hazard! This describes adultery. This passage tells us rather than to become by a love for lust and sexual desire to rather be attracted to God’s Word adoring and loving God 1^st! Adultery starts with lust!

          The Theological Principle that I picked from this passage is Adultery – Sexual relations involving at least one partner who is married to someone else. Such relations break the marriage covenant and are condemned in Scripture. Jesus Christ extended the understanding of adultery to include inner lust as the same as committing adultery!

          Adultery is condemned by God – Matthew 19:18 – “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness.”

          Adultery begins with lust – Proverbs 6:25 – “Do not despise her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.” Matthew 5:27-28 – “You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Application for myself

          This passage reminds me to guard my heart from lustful thoughts. Replace them with godly thoughts and always be ready from temptation. Have a plan of action! Importantly, read God’s Word every day remapping my mind and building my relationship with God!

          David and Bathsheba are an example of how strong lust can be. David was a man after God’s own heart, and still yet fell to his lustful desires. We must always be ready when temptation comes before us, and the way to be ready is to never let our guard down. Always have God’s Word and His promises ready to fight the battle with you.

Application for others

          This passage should be a reminder and to make you think twice before falling into sexual temptation. It is not worth it. The effects and consequences that it will bring to your life is not worth it. Sin causes separation and it will wreak havoc on your life. Imagine dumping a bunch of hot coals into your lap from a burning fire. You are going to get burned bad. Not just burned, but the worse kind of burn – 3^rd degree (is that the worse burn there is? If not, then it is going to be even worse).