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Road Rage? No, Road Repose.

How many things aren’t tainted by darkness?

The more I observe, the more I’m convinced we have been seduced and slumbered by the matrix. Would examples be helpful?

God’s word says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Phil 2:3-4).

But, our favorite entrainment says: win at all costs, get revenge, self-promote, it is ALL about our own interests.

I hear believers gush over media that inculcates the exact opposite of God’s character, clearly disregarding the directive to guard our hearts as the wellsprings of our lives — garbage in, garbage out.

We allow darkness to disciple us, then we find living with and for Christ a challenge.

God’s word says: Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle which feed among the lilies. Until [f]the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense (song of Solomon 4:5-6).

Scripture describes passionate lovemaking between a husband and a wife, not being coy about two breasts like fawns and the mountain of myrrh. God designed sex as a stunning gift to be enjoyed in the sanctity of godly marriage — He created delight, orgasm, sensuality, beauty, strength, touch and so much more.

But endless messages marginalize and degrade virgins as fools even as science affirms that faithfulness brings greater joy — less than 5% of couples who wait until their marriage night divorce — across all cultures and faiths, or non-faiths.

The enemy embalms us in the devaluation of sex, then we wonder why our lives endure endless drama, disappointment, manipulation, shame and pain.

God’s word says: something brilliant and wise . ..

. . . but the enemy counters with its lies, and then leverages our old man and the world to make evil sound good, and goodness sound countercultural, mean spirited, even  bad.

Can you think of your own examples of God’s truth corrupted in practice? 

So, what can I do? How can I navigate this? It depends on what you want. Truth be told, it can feel good, in the moment, to engage in sin, but the dark delight will ultimately bring death and destruction with deep layers of shame and self-accusation.

Step one:

Do you think God stunning beyond words? If not, alternatives will steal your gaze.

Step two:

Get really close to Him? Suggestions.

  • Read you bible– Learn what is brilliant and great for you. Having walked alongside people for decades, I can say simply — God’s plan works.
  • Go to a church– It is chic to dis “organized religion” or “the church,” especially within Christendom. I can suggest many great places, all imperfect, but all with people just like you and me, struggling yet desiring to grow.
  • Pray– I guarantee you’ll struggle with this. Few actually pray, and it is brilliant. Click here, and get this very short yet entertaining book on prayer.
  • Arm Yourself– It says we are to put on the full armor of God every day. Why? How many examples must I spell out to make the presence and impact of our enemy upon your world, your relationships and your emotions clear?
  • Hang with Pappa – How have I seen this? One man says each of his paintings is a prayer (alla Monet). Another gets close to god creating music. I employ a great cigar, the outdoors, my bible, and a journal. Others dance, or sit, or pray, or work out. Some blast worship music as they drive or drive in silence and speak with God. What is your way to be close with God?

The enemy takes what God intends for good and twists it to make it dark, sometimes with almost imperceptible shifts and other times with obscene transformations.

Want to discern whether what you value is actually good and true? See Step Two above.

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Fail, Turn Back, Trust and . . .

Shim‘on, Shim‘on, listen! The Adversary demanded to have you people for himself, to sift you like wheat! But I prayed for you, Shim‘on, that your trust might not fail. And you, once you have turned back in repentance, strengthen your brothers!”

(Luke 22:31-32, Complete Jewish Bible)

Shim’on, or Simon Peter, was receiving a directive, not a suggestion, from Jesus.

“. . . ,listen!”

What if we heeded His command and listened closely to what followed?

The Adversary, or Satan, “demanded to have” all of the disciples (you people) “for himself.” This begs multiple questions:

Who is Satan asking permission from?

Per the example in Job, Satan must get permission from God. Although the Adversary is powerful, God is the ultimate power.

Why then would God grant permission?

We don’t know 100% for sure, but scripture does say that God will perfect the bride of Christ through affliction and temptation (1 Peter 1:6, 3:17), and that our ways are not His ways (Isaiah 55:8).

Who then prays on our behalf? Do we have an ally, or are we on our own?

Jesus said, “But I prayed for you, Shim‘on [Simon Peter], that your trust might not fail.” Jesus prayed that Peter would be able to overcome the sifting of Satan.

It says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26), and that Christ Jesus . . . who is at the right hand of God, . . . also intercedes for us (Rom 8:34).

You not only have an ally, you have the ultimate allies. You are surrounded by prayers of the most holy.

Does this mean I will never fail given this prayer cover?

Look at the next line . . . “once you have turned back in repentance.” Why did Jesus say this? Because he knew Shim’on, or Simon Peter, would fail.

Let that sink in. The maker and sustainer of the universe did not pray that Peter would not deny Him; rather, he prayed that Peter’s “trust might not fail” once he turned back in repentance after he had failed.

How can this encourage us? How can this encourage me?

Jesus knows our frailty. He knows, even with our best intentions, that at times we will lose our temper, not defend our faith, or fail in so many ways. Our encouragement is His prayer that we will not lose our trust in Him after we genuinely repent of each of our failures.

When we fail, we can turn back [repent] into the arms of our loving Father, trusting Him. Each time we turn back to God, He can then use our failures and our “returnings” to transform our character and even prepare us for our future assignments and calling.

Think this last sentence is true? What did Jesus direct Peter to do at the end of this verse?

Jesus knew that Peter would feel deep shame after denying him three times. Jesus knew that this would be a defining event in the development of Peter’s character, courage, and humility. Jesus knew this would be an essential failure upon which Peter could become grounded in his resolve for the gospel. Jesus knew this was a foundational event to launch Peter into his leadership role of the disciples.

So, Jesus directs Peter to “strengthen your brothers” after Peter had repented. Peter was being commissioned to become the leader he was always meant to be only after he experienced this humiliating failure. Jesus used Peter’s failure, turning back, and trust to prepare him for his new role and future.

NOTE: Jesus did not pray that Peter would not be sifted.  The sifting to enable Peter’s turning back was allowed.

Is it the purpose of this post to encourage you to fail?

No. But do these scriptures encourage you that when you do fail, as your Adversary is trying to sift you, that you have Jesus and the Holy Spirit on your side, that you can turn back from your failure and return to Jesus, and that when you return, God may just have further prepared or transformed you in a way you never before predicted?

Can you think of a time when God used your failure, possibly even in response to a sifting, and then your turning back and trusting Him in a way that transformed or prepared you for some future event or responsibility?

Feel free to share below.

 

 

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Warfare — So Passé?

Scripture, a book of out-of-date exceptions or a handbook of examples?

An example of an out-of-date exception is that we now no longer sacrifice at the Temple, but forgoing truths about Satan is at our own peril.

To know how to war, we must know our enemy. Three of its general tactics?

  1. I’m Not Here: Too many churches treat Satan as already defeated, so we live as if he is no longer active in our lives. Because of this, when evil happens to us, we have only ourselves or God to blame.
  2. Full Scale Assault: Once we awaken and engage our enemy as instructed by scripture, it levels assaults directly at us and even at those in our lives. If we are yet unskilled warriors or maybe in a broken state, the enemy needs only small skirmishes to discourage and derail us. As we grow in skill and might, the enemy elevates its assaults.
  3. Let’s Cut a Deal: As Graham Cooke says, “the enemy is on a limited budget.” As we become too powerful, it will try to negotiate a deal. “You know you’ve been mighty for the Lord and you’ve accomplished a lot. You’ve earned a break; let others do the work.”

What should we do?

Multiple verses provide strategies and tactics, but we’ll start in James. Look up more for extra credit.

Submit therefore to God [it starts here and only here]. Resist [our responsibility] the devil [guess it must be actively engaging us] and he [a real being] will flee from you [we can kick its tail, in Christ]. James 4:7

Alone you have NO power against our enemy, so you must begin by submitting your authority to our King. Then you resist. How?

  • Acknowledge its existence. Ever walk into a place and for no good reason felt angry, or tempted, or unsettled. Or ever had a slightly challenging conversation that unexplainably exploded as if someone doused it with gas? Is Satan an active category in your worldview?
  • Kill the head trash. Once the accusations and gossip start in your head, stop them instantly. Replace them with facts and scriptures you know to be true. Try this for a day, and see if it impacts your life.
  • Avoid. A simple way to think of this is “watch little feet where you go.” You could also add “watch little mouse where you click,” “watch little Netflix what you choose,” and “watch little iPhone what you access.”  Another is to be self-aware about the many excuses you make. “Holiness is so impractical,” or “I can guard my heart as I steep in wicked influences.”
  • Invoke God’s authority. Once we recognize our enemy’s presence, send it away in the name and power of Christ. Decide to resist.

Example:

My wife’s and my discussion about our kids exploded into Armageddon over a very small thing.

How you could engage: Enemy, I see your tactics. I stand under the cover and authority of my King, and I take captive every thought, rebuking every word of head trash and accusation against the woman I love and like. In the name of Jesus Christ, the one who died, rose, and sits at the right hand of my Father on our behalf, I command you to leave, all of you: anger, accusation, lies, fear, guilt, shame, disappointment, and any I’ve missed. Go to the foot of the throne and take the punishment given to you. I resist your efforts to destroy my relationship with my bride, the very one I am here to protect, and I receive the love, peace, forgiveness, grace, and mercy of my King in this place right now.

If you decide the enemy is not actively engaged in your life, its already won most of the battle.

Accept its existence and involvement, seek out other verses, grow in power, and crush your enemy. It will make you more dangerous for good.

We will post more examples in the future, and we welcome comments of what you do below.