Friday, June 6, 2014

Day 207 - Need A Babysitter?

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 91
         
Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.  


The scripture used to start today’s writing is probably my favorite.  I so love the freedom God gives my spirit when walking each day in His truth.  Some Christians are not living the Truth of Proverbs 3:5-6 because some emotions and obsessive thoughts, and ongoing sin, prohibit them from doing as God says.


DAY 207

Need a Babysitter?


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. --Proverbs 3:5, 6

I remember a couple with an out-of-control child. Every night cookies were put on every other step and down the hallway leading to the child’s bedroom. This is how they got the child to go to his room at night. You can imagine the luxury of dropping the child off at a babysitter's for a night's rest. Aside from all the issues this situation brings up, it made me think how emotions can be a lot like uncontrollable children. They wear us out, and we would be happy to drop them off at a babysitter's just to get a break from them. We need a break from our emotions and obsessive thoughts, so we stop off at the babysitter of drugs, alcohol, TV, gambling, videos, romance, and more. We want something else to take charge of our emotions and thoughts to give us a break. There is another option, though. When they are such a hassle, we should just desert them. We cannot control them, so we need to abandon them at God’s doorstep and admit that we are powerless and done in. 

It has taken me some time to come to the place where I could say that sin is stupid, but it is! It is stupid because it does not fit our new nature, the life of Christ. If I were to ask a group of farmers to wear dresses, high heels, and pantyhose for one week, I imagine that they would be quite uncomfortable. Obviously, it is because the attire does not fit their nature! They are men; they want men’s clothing. Likewise, we believers are uncomfortable when depressed, angry, unforgiving, full of criticism, or sinning simply because those do not fit our new nature, the life of Christ. If a believer goes to bed angry with his mate, he punishes himself. If a believer refuses to forgive, he punishes himself. If a believer returns to a past sin, he punishes himself. Someday in heaven it will be revealed that the commands of God were never a burden (I John 5:3). The proof will be in the fact that when they were neglected or disobeyed, His children were miserable. Whenever they were kept, we were happy! Dwell on this: Sin and punishment are one and the same. We need not punish a cancer for being a cancer; cancer is its own punishment. The woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. She never asked for forgiveness, and yet Jesus did not condemn her. Why? Her behavior had already condemned her; there was no need for Him to say anything. Sin is stupid! It has been said that the fruit of sin is either rotten or green, but never ripe, juicy, and satisfying. Sin simply does not fit a believer any more than the clothes and behaviors of the opposite sex.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory



In somewhat of a continuance of last week’s writing, emotions are the first mention we see Michael address.  Once again, we cannot let our emotions take us to a level of being uncontrollable. 

It is absolutely important that we join Michael in recognizing sin is stupid…all because it is “not who we are” in Christ!  It does “not fit our new nature, the life of Christ.”  If it is not who we are, why are we trying to be somebody we aren’t?  Recognizing Truth and recognizing sin for who they are…exact opposites…perhaps will help us to make some decisions we might not otherwise make.  But, in the end, Michael nails it: “sin and punishment are one and the same…sin is stupid…sin simply does not fit a believer.”


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Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
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