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Before your head hits the pillow

The First Sin

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

The First Sin

Today’s world doesn’t really like to talk about sin. And unfortunately some churches and Christians don’t like to talk about sin either. Some people believe that because we have been redeemed that a discussion about sin is too negative. I believe that unless we discuss sin in a real way and understand that even if we are Christians we must fight against sin, we make it too easy to fall into sin.

So what about that first sin? For years, I believed that the first sin happened at the moment that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree forbidden by God. But the more I think about this, the more I think that was not the first sin. The first sin didn’t happen when Adam and Eve at of that fruit, or even when they picked it off the tree. The first sin happened in the MIND of Adam and Eve when they chose to deny the truth that God had given them forbidding them to eat of the fruit.

Sin begins in our minds. Sins are not typically impulsive. When a child decides to pick up a candy bar and steal it in the checkout counter, they first thought about how good that candy bar would taste. They thought and then they acted.

When someone becomes involved in pornography it doesn’t just happen. The person begins to think lustfully FIRST and then starts looking at things they shouldn’t be seeing. When a husband or wife gets involved in an adulterous relationship, they first begin to think about what it would be like to be with this other person.

Mark 7:21-22 says, “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” All of these sins start in the thoughts of men, women, and even children.

James 1:14-15 tells us, “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.”

And James 4:1, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”

So, sin begins in our minds and in our desires. This is the reason that it is so important to guard what we see, to guard what we hear, to be careful with whom we associate, and to steer clear of those things that could bring our thoughts to a place that breed evil desires, and where evil desires breed evil deeds.

David Peach in 5 Ways to Avoid Sinful Habits and Thoughts (whatchiristianswanttoknow.com) gives us these ideas about guarding our thoughts:

First, fill your mind with God’s Word. Philippians 4:8 says, “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.” Reading the Bible will fill our lives with these virtuous things!

Second, keep your mind clean. Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

Third, establish accountability with someone. Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Fourth, view others with godly eyes. I Timothy 5:1-2 “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” We must think of others as brothers and sisters. If we do this our minds won’t stray to gossip and slander.

And fifth, avoid temptation. Romans 13:14 “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Sin does begin in our minds, but we can resist sin. We have to believe in the assurance of I John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Oh how I love the promises of God!!

Before your head hits the pillow

I’m an Emotional Wreck!

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

I’m an Emotional Wreck!

Have you ever heard those words? Maybe you have even said them. Having emotions is part of the way we were creating but having out of control emotions is not what the Lord for His children.

God created us with the ability to love, to laugh, and to feel joy and happiness. But if we have lost the connection with our Lord our emotions can get out of control. If we fail to recognize that God is in control of our lives we can experience emotions that lead us to fear and despair.

Romans 8:9 tells us that because of the Spirit who lives in us we can control our emotions. “You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Galatians 5:24 says, “Those who belong the Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

If you feel that you are an emotional wreck or if you experience mood swings, first up and then down, you may be lacking self-control. The goal of a Christian should be emotional maturity and stability. Emotional instability drains your energy and stresses those around you. Don’t ever let you emotions make decisions for you. If you are in the midst of making a decision and you feel emotional, take time, slow down.

GotQuestions.org in their answer to “What does Bible say about managing/controlling emotions? Says, “Out-of-control emotions are the product of a heart which is not saturated with Scripture. The way to control our emotions is to control our minds, renewing them by the daily input of scriptural principles, the knowledge of God, and meditation on His attributes. Then the Holy Spirit, along with the Word of God, will bring about appropriate emotions based on truth. When we immerse ourselves in the only means of our sanctification – the Bible- we arm ourselves with the only affective weapon against out-of-control emotions. Then we can control our emotions instead of them controlling us. In themselves, emotions are not unbiblical, but they are indications of what is in our hearts.”

Things that occur in our lives can cause emotional distress: Harboring ill will toward someone can make you spin out of control. Not letting go of guilt and shame after the Lord has granted forgiveness will cause emotional dysfunction and grief can certainly throw you into a tail spin. But if we stay constantly in the Word, if we meditate on the Lord and seek Him in prayer, you will be able to handle these emotions. You should not expect that this will all be easy but it will be manageable. With God’s help you can change any out-of-control emotion into a maturely controlled emotion.

B. Shelburne in Making Jesus Lord of Our Emotions gives us these tips: Quiet your soul. Psalm 131:2 says, “But I have calmed myself and quieted my emotions. With God’s help you can do this.

You must also hand over emotional burdens to God. Once you have handed them over DON’T take them back. And if they do come back immediately give them back to the Lord. Shelburne says, “If you have handed something over to God, every time it tries to return you must give it back again until gradually a new pattern is formed. Make a covenant with God that each time the thought returns, you will instantly give it back without spending time in struggle or guilt.”

Shelburne also gives these encouraging truths. “1) If it seems too hard to change, remember that our character is the sum of our habits, and our habits are the sum of our repeated choices. As we decide more and more often to entrust our burdens to God and deal with our emotions according to His directions, we will store up less and less poison and we will have growing inner peace. 2) We will succeed more in dealing with destructive emotional thoughts if we do so when they first appear, and are small and manageable.

So if you feel that you are an emotional wreck, turn it over to the Lord. Spend time in the Word and in prayer and then bask in the love of your Lord. Doing this repetitively will certainly calm your emotional storm.

Before your head hits the pillow

Why is it important that God is unchangeable?

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

Why is it important that God is unchangeable?

Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Numbers 23:19 – God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?

James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Yes, our God never changes. This is one of His attributes. He is immutable, that means He never changes. He is not better at one time and worse at another. But for us, as people of God, why should this matter?

The fact that God does not change is central to every other attribute we know of God. God is all knowing. He never knew less than He does today and He never knew more. His knowledge has ALWAYS been the same. God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” God didn’t only know Jeremiah before he was in the womb, He knew each of us. God’s knowledge of us and His plan for us has NEVER changed.

God is merciful and just. God’s mercy is the same today as it was thousands of years ago and His judgment is the same. As I read through the books of Chronicles and Kings I became amazed at the Kings who were evil. Each one of them must have seen God’s judgment on previous evil Kings but they still did evil. God’s justice is supreme justice. God will always deal with evil in His perfect unchanging way. Many of the kings of the Old Testament failed to learn about God’s unchanging justice but we have the Bible to read. We see what turmoil can befall us if we choose to turn our backs on a perfectly just God. But we can also see God’s mercy, His perfect and never changing mercy, on those who fall on their face, profess their sins, and work to fulfill God’s plan in our lives.

God is unchangeably holy. Nothing we can do can make him more or less holy. He is unchangeably righteous and unchangeably faithful.

God has promised His blessings and his faithfulness to those who follow Him. That doesn’t mean that our lives will always be easy, but they will always be blessed because that is God’s promise. His vows, promises and commitments will NEVER change.

The fact that God is unchangeable gives us the great assurance of our salvation. God tells us in Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

The fact that God does not change gives us the assurance that once we have truly accepted Jesus as our Savior nothing can undo the grace and mercy that God has given. This promise, this mercy, this grace is unchangeable. God’s commitment to you as one of His children is an eternal commitment. Because God is unchangeable, this CANNOT change!

Things in your life may change. You may go through struggles and trials. You may be tossed about by the waves of this world, but God’s love for you, His promise of your salvation, will NEVER change. That is why is why it is so important that we understand that God cannot change. God is our anchor in the wind tossed seas of our life. He will hold us fast. He will tether Himself to us. He will NEVER leave! Praise God! Praise Him for His unchanging love, His unchanging mercy, and yes, even His unchanging justice!

Before your head hits the pillow

Can we be completely assured of our salvation?

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

Can we be completely assured of our salvation?

I have spoken with people, Christian friends, who walk day to day with no assurance of their salvation. To be honest this saddens me. And recently I had someone ask me if a person could lose their salvation. I think this post might help give you my thoughts on this issue.

God wants us to be assured of our salvation. He wants us to live in His peace. To not know, day by day, whether we are truly saved, to worry about whether we will fall in and out of grace, brings no peace at all, and lays the responsibility of our salvation on our own actions and feelings.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us how to be saved: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” That is it. When Jesus died on the cross, His final words before committing Himself to His father were, “It is finished.” What was finished? His atonement for our sins. If we Jesus said it is finished and we believe that it is finished, then finished it is!

John 10:28 tells us about the assurance of our salvation. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” No one can take you away from the Lord, once you are His. He will not walk away from you. He will not forsake you!

We are not saved by what we do, but by God’s grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. Do you really think that God would take his grace away? No, He is faithful.

If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior you CAN and MUST be assured of your salvation. This does not mean that we will not sin, because we will. I John 1: 8,10 states, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us..if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” But God says in Hebrews 10:7 this about the saved, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

So as a Christian, if you are worried about your salvation, remember the blessed words of Romans 8:38-39 – 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.

It is finished. Jesus paid the price. If you believe and accept Him as your Savior, then NO ONE or NO THING can separate you from His love. His grace is irrevocable, His love is immeasurable, and your salvation is assured!

Before your head hits the pillow

How important is planning? or Should a Christian Plan for the Future?

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

How important is planning? or Should a Christian Plan for the Future?

Many of you may remember the Doris Day song, Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be will be. The future’s not ours to see, Que Sera, Sera. I know of Christians who live this way. They believe that investing in their future shows a lack of faith. They say that God will supply all of their needs so there is no reason to make plans, no reason to invest in the future.

Does planning for the future show a lack of faith. Does working hard, making a good living, saving and investing for the future of your family show that you don’t believe that God will take care of you?

Matthew 6:19-20 say, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;…

Matthew 6:28 says, “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”

And Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

People often use these verses to say that planning for the future does show a lack of faith. That Que, Sera, Sera should be our motto. Trust in God, whatever will be will be. I believe this is wrong thinking.

Proverbs 21:5 tells us just the opposite. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”

Vic Williams in the September 12th writing of InHisFootsteps.com in an article entitled: Should Christians Plan or Simply Trust God? says this “The phrase ‘the plans of the diligent’ is an interesting phrase as the word translated here as ‘plans’ comes from the Hebrew words ‘machashabah machashebeth’ which can be translated as thoughts, intentions, advice, imaginations or purpose. The word diligent could also be translated as incisive, determined or eager. We could therefore read this verse of scripture as, ‘The thoughts, advice, intentions, purposes and plans of the incisive, determined, eager and diligent lead to plenty.”

We shouldn’t JUST plan for the future, we should be deliberate and intentional in our plans. We need to look at what God has for us to do and make plans to fulfill that purpose.

I was struck while reading I Chronicles 22 how David planned for the building of the temple. God had told David that he was not to build the temple, he had killed too many in battle. David’s son Solomon was to build the temple. But David didn’t just say, “Oh, okay, I will leave that up to my son, if that is what God wants.” No he made PLANS to help his son’s efforts. Although David was not to build the temple he could still plan for its building so he gathered iron for the nails and more bronze than could be weighed. He gathered nearly 4,000 tons of gold and 40,000 tons of silver. He also gathered timber and stones for the walls. Before he died he ordered all of the leaders of Israel to help Solomon build the temple. David planned.

Paul made plans in Acts 15:36 and in Romans 1:13. The apostles made plans in Acts 6:1-3

Proverbs 6:6-8 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has not commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Yes, not only should we plan for the future, we MUST plan for the future. Planning is wise. But we must make sure that all of our plans are covered with prayer and a petition for God’s will to be done in our lives. If we are storing up things on this earth as a replacement for honoring God, these plans will lead to nothing but destruction.

Vic Williams ended his writing with these words and I think they are a good way to end this writing of mine, “Planning for the future, with prayerful consideration is good for you and your family. It is Biblical. It shows faith and trust and it establishes your commitment to do what God has directed you to do. Plan diligently, act purposefully, and live abundantly.”

Before your head hits the pillow

What does it mean to judge, or what does the Bible say about judging?

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…Before your head hits the pillow…

What does it mean to judge, or what does the Bible say about judging?

The Bible speaks often about judging and in many cases the word judge has a different meaning.

Below are many passages that warn us against judging. I believe that Jesus warned so frequently against judging, for when we judge others we don’t take an introspective look at ourselves and our own spiritual deficiencies.

We can talk about Sue at the office and how often she gossips, or we can discuss how Larry has such terrible language, or how frustrated that Mr. and Mrs. Lewis never seem to volunteer for anything at church. When we do this, we don’t take the time to look at the plank in our own eye. When Jesus was speaking about this type of judgment he was telling us not to judge hypocritically.

Judging others seems to give us a reprieve, and that is not what the Lord would want. Here are the passages on this type of judging:

Matt. 7:1-3″Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.…

Luke 6:37″Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:41″Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

So if we think it is okay to judge others’ sins or deficiencies we had better make sure that we have taken a good look at our own lives before we do. There may be time when spiritual discipline is in order, but we must be sure that we are the correct person to administer that discipline and we are doing so in love.

Now this doesn’t mean that we ignore sin, but it does mean that we must be careful before we judge someone else’s sin. We do however have a responsibility to assist another Christian who is sinning, to lovingly and respectfully let them understand their error. James 5:20 states: — let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 2 Timothy 4:2 says – preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

I think we often confuse discernment for judging. I do believe that it is valid to be discerning. It is appropriate for a parent to look at their teenage children’s friends and make a determination whether they believe those friends are appropriate for their child.

It is appropriate for us to discern that certain people are not good for us so we should not associate with them. That is discernment.

Understanding that something is not Godly, is not judging.

Many have cited the passage that indicates we will know them by the fruit on their tree. This passage, Matt. 7:15-20 is specifically speaking about false prophets and how important it is for us to be able to identify them.

Matthew 7:15-21″Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.…

Matthew 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

Matthew 12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

Luke 6:44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers.

As Christians we must be ever vigilant about from whom we are taking spiritual leadership. I think the most dangerous are those who speak some truth, but not all of the truth. They can sound good, they reference God and His power but they may also espouse Buddha or Confucius. If you find a spiritual leader like this RUN!!!

And lastly there is the judging of one’s eternal destination. I think we will all agree on this one. That is left entirely up to the Lord! We must NEVER judge someone’s salvation, for only God knows this!

So I guess the long and the short of it is: Look at yourself before you pass judgment on anyone else. If a fellow believer is sinning, approach them with love and respect and NEVER judge anyone’s salvation. That is entirely up to God!