Getting Personal

There is such sin as personal sin, which includes things like gluttony, smoking, drugs, etc., They’re things you’re doing to your body, and that’s between you and God. But, when you take another look at them, are you really the only person those things are affecting? Have you seen the “600 Pound Life” show? Everyone is sucked into that whirlpool of gluttony and co-addiction. There’s such a thing as second-hand smoke, which we now know is harmful. And the havoc that drug abuse wreaks in a family’s life is absolute hell. So, those sins really aren’t that personal in nature after all, are they? When we look closely, we’ll find that most sin isn’t just a personal affair; someone is always at risk of being affected in one way or another. That’s why God is so adamant about our living sinless and righteous lives.

(1Cor. 6:18-20) Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Sexual immorality is defined as, “Interpersonal activity involving sex organs that does not conform to God’s revealed laws governing sexuality,” according to biblestudytools.com and Christianity.com.

(1Cor. 6:9-12) Read all three verses, please, but the one I want to concentrate onverses 9 &10first:: Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. In verses 12 & 13, Paul says, “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Sexual immoral behavior is that one-night-stand thing that becomes habitual, any type of illicit sex, which includes adultery, and prostitution. If we give it a closer look, and the sex is consensual, you are sinning against your own body, even in adultery because you are one with your spouse/mate. But really, when you think in terms of putting stumbling blocks in front of others, or causing others to sin, you’re also sinning against them in that way. (Matt. 18:7) When it comes to these sins, they are personal sins and, unless the person(s) involved choose to reveal them to another, are between the person(s) involved and God. They are nobody else’s business. If they are revealed to us by the person(s) involved, we are obligated to tell them the truth and try to get them back on the right track. And, of course, pray for them. When it comes to the homosexuality thing, this is also true. That’s between the person(s) involved and God. We don’t have the right to judge and condemn anyone, for any sin; so, that’s best left to the Lord, who is The Judge. (Matt. 10:15)

What Paul says in verses 12 & 13 is that we can do anything we want to do, but not everything we do is going to be helpful to us, and some will be really harmful. We can do anything we want to do, but do we want to be enslaved to (dominated) by what we do? Example: I start out by eating a bacon cheeseburger once a month. Suddenly, I’m craving them once a week. Now, because I choose not to say no to the craving, I’m eating one every day, and I’m in tears as I eat it because I know it’s making me fat and harming my health. And I can’t stand it! This is how I felt by the time I finally got serious about quitting cigarettes. This is another way in which we sin against our own bodies. We miss the mark by destroying our health, and sometimes even our sanity.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Stir Yourself Up Before The Enemy

Today’s message comes from Psalms and Proverbs 9. Psalm 9 is an awesome way to stir yourself up right in the midst of adversity; right in the height of the storm. Our enemies are fear, doubt, shame, guilt, dejection, etc. It is with these things that the enemy strikes us, and through them, that he binds us. I believe that the crown of thorns they pushed into Jesus’ head, represents a hedged in mind. Then, your hands are helpless, and your feet lame. You can’t do anything, and can’t go anywhere except where the enemy wants to take you; which is Hell-here on Earth, and then in eternity. I love verse 6 of this psalm: “The enemy has come to eternal ruin…” Jesus did that through His death and resurrection. “…the very memory of them has vanished.” The longer you walk whatever it is, out with the LORD/Lord, and according to His Word and Ways, the weaker the power of that sin, that dysfunctional mindset, that fear, etc., becomes. Pretty soon, it’s all gone! Hallelujah! I have no more thoughts of smoking, and no more thoughts of running to drown my sorrows, frustrations, etc., in alcohol. The “triggers” have been rendered powerless by, and through, God’s love. Verse 9 assures us that we are never forsaken by God; He is a stronghold in times of trouble, and especially in oppression-be it physical, mental, or spiritual. Verses 10-14 tell us that God lifts us up from the gates of death. Every bitter end is a death. But, thanks to Jesus, through His resurrection, we have a hope of a new beginning. When one door closes, another opens. Some bitter ends include divorce, loss of another kind, perceived failures-dreams, goals, etc. God lifts us to the next level – even from those. Verse 16 tells us the wicked are ensnared by the work of their own hands. This is why we’re told not to lean on our own understanding. We live what we learn, and we learn what we live. Let’s live with, and for, God.

Proverbs 9 speaks of the seven pillars of wisdom. I came up with these: 1. Honor the LORD 2. Receive instruction/take it to heart 3. Increase in learning 4. Obtain guidance/seek the LORD/Lord 5. Treasure God’s commandments 6. Walk in integrity 7. Hold fast to steadfast love and faithfulness – He is faithful and has promised never to forsake us or leave us. And He loves always, and anyway. We should too! He is love…so should we BE. Jesus said, “be perfect, therefore, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” When we surround ourselves with these pillars, and stay within their boundaries, we can overcome the world.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

You Are Hotly Pursued

Today’s message comes to us from Psalms and Proverbs 7. The first part of Psalm 7, 7:1-9 is a prayerful song sung by King David regarding his enemies. Verses 1&2 give a very clear picture of how hotly you are pursued by the hosts of spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places. “Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.” (1Peter 5:8) tells us: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When you watch lions hunting, you’ll see they go into hot pursuit of their prey; they don’t stroll after it. Never take your souls safety for granted. Satan wants to destroy it.

What’s really awesome in this psalm is verse 8: “The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity.” You know that saying, “and idle mind is the devil’s playground?” Yeah, ever find yourself battling with the same thoughts over and over? My battle with that when I quit smoking comes to mind. Even long after I’d given cigarettes up, Satan was lurking and waiting to lure me back there. I had an argument with my husband one day, and the first thing that came to my mind was: “I should just start smoking again; that will show them!” The next thing that came to mind was, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” I knew that my smoking would hurt me; not anyone else. (See how the Truth rushed in there?) The Holy Spirit nipped that one in the bud! When I think of this vindication, I think about catching my children doing right. Praise is doubly as important as reproof. Here’s why: Verse 9-“Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and mind.” The more we celebrate our doing right, the stronger the desire to do right becomes, and the less power the lure of evil, the wicked, and sin has over us. *This works on adults who are being renewed in the knowledge of God, as well.

Proverbs 7 Speaks of the adulteress, but when in spiritual context, it is the lure of sin and sinners. This includes false religion, idolatry, peer pressure, etc.) When we make our children strong against these in the LORD/Lord and His Word, they’re better able to resist and walk away. (2Cor. 10:5) tells us: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The more truth you have within you, the stronger you are to stand against the wiles of the devil; and against deception.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu