Tag: sin

Comfortable Cages

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parablesLeave a comment

Children face many challenges as they grow up. They count on the significant people in their lives to provide truth and guidance. They model themselves after these people, and take their words into their hearts. This is fine and good if the words are positive and truthful:

you are loved,

you’re worth my time and attention,

God made you perfect just the way you are,

you’re fun to be around,

you have a good mind.

But lies and half-truths can hurt the child’s heart:

no one likes you,

you are stupid,

you’re not worth the air you breathe,

you are a burden,

you can’t do anything right.

These lies form cage bars which, when reinforced over the years, keep a child securely bound.

That’s where I found myself at twenty years old. After years of unsuccessfully trying to break the bars, the lies I believed, I gave up. I was stuck in that cage. Death was the only way out. And so, I curled up in the corner and waited to die.

Then Jesus found me. He woke me up and told me He had removed the bars. He called me to the freedom He offered those who followed Him.

I celebrated the freedom. I danced around my cage with excitement and devotion to my Savior. I told everyone who came near me about the freedom that He paid for. I soaked in His love and loved Him back with all that I had.

But I didn’t leave the cage. The problem was I still saw the bars. The lies were still binding me because I believed the lies over the truth. They were more familiar. They made more sense. They felt right. They were what I was taught and were frequently being reinforced by people I respected. I must have misunderstood what Jesus had said. I questioned the definition of the words He used and convinced myself that He wasn’t talking about me. I was fine where I was no matter how hard it felt at times.

Over the years, fellow Christians told me they loved me. Some even got in the cage with me so they could feel what I did. They acknowledged the difficulties of my environment and offered me pillows and a blanket to make me more comfortable in my bondage.

But a few Christians loved me enough to continually redirect my attention to the bar-less doorway. They challenged, coaxed, and urged me to see the truth. They didn’t try to make my cage more comfortable. That would have just enabled me to stay where I was. They didn’t offer to stay in the cage with me, validating my belief about the bars. Instead, they confronted my choice to believe the lies and gave me the information I needed to gain freedom.

Which Christians loved me like Jesus loved people when He was on the earth?

Did Jesus come to free us from sin or to make us more comfortable in our cages?

I think people today confuse empathy with compassion. Empathy is feeling with, understanding, and sharing the feelings of another person – while compassion is feeling for them with the desire to help alleviate their suffering. Empathy is a feeling that often comes before compassion which turns that feeling into helpful action. Empathy is a feeling. Compassion is action.

Jesus has compassion on us. He feels deep sorrow for the pain our choices cause us. But He doesn’t leave us there. He paid the price to free us and He gave us His Word to counter the bars we see in front of us.

Jesus walked the earth with compassion. He didn’t enter anyone’s cages, agreeing with how hard and painful life was, and commending them for the ways they had made their cages more comfortable. Instead, He consistently called people out of their cages. He spoke the truth no matter how comfy the cage was. He offered freedom – not acceptance of their plight.

I have looked but cannot find any place in the Bible that Jesus affirmed the lives of sinful people and left it at that. He ate with them. He talked with them. He accepted them as beloved people.  But He called them out of their sin. He preached repentance. He told them to “sin no more”. He told His critics that He had come to the sick and the lost. He taught about the kingdom of heaven. He called them to follow Him and to tell others about Him. And He commissioned His followers to do the same.

I hear frequently that we need to love all people like Jesus did. I totally agree. However, if we’re going to love people like Jesus did, then let’s love people like Jesus really did. Not how modern culture says He did. Now how our personal convictions make us feel He did. Not how other people claim He did. But how the Bible shows He did. Let’s compassionately and courageously love people enough to call them out of their cages and into the arms of their Savior.

Scriptures

Sin is Bondage and Leads to Death

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. John 8:34 

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 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. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16 

Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” Matthew 15:17-20 

Why Jesus Came

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19 

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 

… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 

Repentance

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect Matthew 5:48 

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” John 5:14 

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]] John 8:10-11 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29 

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 

Don’t Sin Yourself as You Help Others Out of Their Cages

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 2 Corinthians 13:5 

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4 

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7:3 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 

Directions from Jesus

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 

That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 

The Authority of the Bible

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

Do We Have a Forked Tongue?

On By LindaIn Open Your EyesLeave a comment
Photo by Dylan R on Pexels.com

Christianity has a bad reputation. The world sees us as self-righteous hypocrites. And for the most part, they are not wrong. We may say, “Not me,” but the truth is we’re all guilty of contributing to the picture we present to the world.

My last blog was about the need to get off the fence between the world and God. We can no longer walk that fence. God is shaking the world. We will land on one side or the other. It’s better to jump into God’s arms than to fall into Satan’s dominion. Some Christians have chosen God’s side, but most teeter between both, wanting both, trying to compromise into believing they can have some of both. It’s a lie. God made it clear. It’s Him or the world. No middle ground.

Today I write to those who claim to have chosen God’s side.

A forked tongue symbolizes deceit, hypocrisy, and dishonesty, a meaning rooted in the biblical depiction of the serpent and later adopted into the idiom “to speak with a forked tongue”.  Speaking with a forked tongue refers to someone who says one thing but means another. We can also “speak with a forked tongue” with our lives. We can proclaim one thing but live another.

Paul wrote a lot about hypocrisy in the churches.

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:2-5

I know he was talking about people in the churches because Paul wrote this to the Corinthians.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

How much of Paul’s observations can be said of professing Christians today?

Before we say, “Not me”, let me ask some questions.

Do we speak truth at all times – or do we justify lies and deception at convenient times? Even little white lies?

Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. Psalm 12:2

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

Do we praise God with our tongue – and speak evil of other people, no matter how justified we feel it is, with the same tongue?

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. James 3:9

Do we spread the gospel with our mouth – and also allow profanity and the degradation of other people to come out of the same mouth?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

Do we give ourselves grace for making mistakes – but hold grudges against those who have wronged us?

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18

Do we sing “I surrender all” to God on Sunday – then spend the week fighting for what we want or think we deserve?

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:1-3

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. James 3:16

Do we treat people who look or think like us differently than we treat people who don’t look or think like us?

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” John 7:24

Do we claim to be spreading the Gospel – but spend most of our time discussing and arguing over non-salvation issues?

Nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 1 Timothy 1:4-7

Do we spend more time thinking on the things of God – or are our thoughts consumed with the things of the world?

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2-3

Do we pray first or is prayer our last resort?

Pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18

Do we admonish fellow Christians when they repeatedly engage in a sin – or do we tolerate it in the name of ‘free choice’?

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

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. James 5:20

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1

Do we hold firm to God’s Truth – or do we accept everyone’s idea of truth?

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

Do we live an open, honest life – or do we try to get away with a little dishonesty or deceitful manipulation to save face or to avoid getting into trouble or to feed our flesh?

But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2

Do we renounce and avoid all sin – or do we justify hanging onto some?

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9

It’s time to look at ourselves honestly.

It’s time to examine our faith and to get real with our claims to be followers of Christ.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 2 Corinthians 13:5

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

It’s time to clean up the church, starting with ourselves, before God does it.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31

It’s time to get rid of our split tongues and show the world who Jesus really is.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

Open Your Eyes – What Would Jesus Do?

On By LindaIn Open Your EyesLeave a comment
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WWJD. It used to be a big thing years ago, but I still see it around today.

To know what Jesus would do in any situation, we first need to know who Jesus is and what He did when He was here on Earth.

Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth for a time. He is God in human form (Philippians 2:8). He created everything – including us (John 1:1-3). He is sovereign over all (Eph 1:20-21). Seeing Jesus is seeing the Father (John 14:9a).

Jesus loves people. He loves us so much that He died for us in order to restore our relationship with the Father (Romans 5:10-11). This shows that love means value. He values us enough to pay the painful price for our sins.

Contrary to many popular declarations, Jesus did not come here to love us as it is defined today. He didn’t walk around accepting and supporting everyone and their behaviors and choices. He was clear that sin led to death (Matt 18:8-9). He got quite angry at some of the choices people made such as hypocrisy (Matthew 23:1-36), greed and irreverence (Mark 11:15-17) and leading others to sin (Luke 17:1-2).

 “But He ate with sinners,” many people say. “He didn’t judge them.” It is true that He ate with sinners, but not to show His acceptance or support of their sin. He ate with them to call them to repentance (Matt 5:30-32). In fact, His ministry revolved around calling people to repentance (Matthew 4:17). He even sent out His disciples to call other towns to repentance (Mark 6:12). As He preached and taught Jesus healed and delivered and fed people who came to Him, but always with the same message. He told the woman caught in adultery to sin no more (John 8:11). He told the crippled man that He healed the same thing (John 5:14).

He helped many people but not everyone. He didn’t help the widow who gave her last coins (Mark 12:42-44). He didn’t help non-Jews (Luke 15:24). Even with the Jews, the Bible often used the word ‘many’ instead of ‘all’. When asked one time, He said He only did what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He also didn’t help/heal everyone the same way and He didn’t feed every crowd.

When Jesus returns, He will not be coming as a meek and mild baby. He will not be forgiving and calling us to repentance. He is coming back with fire in His eyes to judge the world. He is angry and will be exacting vengeance on those who have continued in their sinful choices (Rev 19:12a, 15).

So what would Jesus do in today’s society?

He would spend His time calling people to repentance and teaching about the kingdom of heaven.

He would value people but not accept and support every lifestyle and choice. He would point out the danger of sin and warn of its penalty while enjoying time with them as people created in God’s image.

He would spend time with most people, not avoid them. Most because religious hypocrisy and leading others to sin were exceptions. He wouldn’t spend time with them but would call them out on their behavior.

He would help people but only as the Father led Him. His first criteria would be to seek His Father’s will, and then treat each person as an individual.

He would pray. A lot. His relationship with the Father would come before everything else. And it was through of His relationship with His Father that He could do everything else.

Now the question becomes WWYD – What Will You Do?

Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Eph 1:20-21 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

John 14:9a Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were still enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Matt 18:8-9 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Mark 11:15-17 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

Luke 17:1-2 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.

Matt 5:30-32  And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 6:12 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

John 8:11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither to I condemn you; go, and from now on sin nor more.”

John 5:14  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Mark 12:42-44 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all  those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Luke 15:24  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

Rev 19:12a, 15 His eyes are like a flame of fire… From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Diamonds on the Beach

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parablesLeave a comment

As I strolled the beach the other morning, I was surprised to find what appeared to be large diamonds glittering on the sand. Upon closer examination, I discovered that they were not the treasures they appeared to be. Instead, they were jellyfish.

Jellyfish are beautiful. Their colors, shapes, and movement are quite enticing. But along with jellyfish come something not as readily seen, not as beautiful, and downright dangerous. Tentacles.

The first time I got stung, the welt was so painful I vowed never to go in any water that contained even the faintest hint that there may be a jellyfish floating around. But as time passed, I grew more careless. I saw other people enjoying the water amid jellyfish. It can’t be that bad, I reasoned. I must have just had bad luck with the one I had encountered.

Slowly I lost my caution with jellyfish as, time after time, I successfully swam without getting hurt. But then one day I had just entered the water when a sharp pain pierced my leg. I jumped back onto the beach and stared at the welt growing redder by the second. I hadn’t even seen the jellyfish. I decided that day that, regardless of what other people did, I wouldn’t take the chance anymore.

Sin is like jellyfish. It can appear to be beautiful and enticing. You might see others happily engaged in the midst of it. But the hidden tentacles will eventually sting you. That’s why Jesus says to stay away from it. He is protecting you and others from the pain and sometimes death that results from sin. He’s protecting your future life. And most of all, He’s protecting your relationship with Him.

And that’s worth avoiding wherever jellyfish lurk.

The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. Proverbs 5:22

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; Psalm 107:17

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” John 5:14

For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.   Psalm 38:4-8

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings death. James 1:14-15

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Isaiah 59:2

God is Bigger Than Me (Psalm 107)

On By LindaIn My Thoughts1 Comment
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When I try to find my own way, make my own decisions, claim my independence, I often find myself lost.

v. 4-5 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in, hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them

But when I cry out to God, He delivers me from my decisions and leads me by His way to a good place.

v. 6-7 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.

God is bigger than my independence.

When I rebel against what God tells me, I often end up fighting one affliction after another, bound to circumstances with no idea how to change them and finding no one who can help.

v. 10-12 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.

But when I cry out to God, He enlightens my heart and breaks the bonds that bind me.

v. 13-14 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.

God is bigger than my rebellion.

When I sin, choose to live with what God has said was evil, I often live with a growing unease, feel unfulfilled, and increasingly avoid reading the Bible or spending intimate time with Him.

v. 17-18 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and drew near to the gates of death.

But when I cry out to God, He heals me and delivers me from my own self-destruction.

v. 19-20  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

God is bigger than my sin.

When I compromise with the world, seeking what I need from it, I often find it is not reliable, and often backfires on me.

v. 23-27 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end.

But when I cry out to God, He calms the seas and brings me where my needs are met.

v. 28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.

God is bigger than my spiritual adultery.

Thank You, God, for Your steadfast love!

v. 8, 15, 21, 31  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

For God is bigger than everything, even me.

Little By Little: A Warning, Part 4 of 4 (Based on a Dream, June 25, 2021)

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Mallory sat at the kitchen table, chin resting on her hands. Glumly she thought about her house, or what her house had become. She no longer recognized it. Over the last six months, Jag had made his mark in every room, and was beginning to hint that he needed her bedroom to house the rest of his family when they arrived.  She knew she had to make Jag and his siblings leave. But there were too many of them to physically force them out.

Mallory had gone to the police only to be told there was nothing they could do. She was the one who had invited him to move in and to make himself at home without any sort of lease. Once his mailing address had been established at her house – done when his siblings had written to him – he was in effect a tenant. And tenants had to be evicted. That required a lengthy process involving formal notices and court hearings. In the meantime, as long as he didn’t damage the property, Jag had the right to privacy and the freedom to do what he wanted, including letting family members move in. When she had complained that he had sold her personal items and kept the money, she had not been able to prove it so the police could do nothing about that either.

Sighing, Mallory got up and looked around. How did she end up where she was? Living in a house that seemed like it was no longer hers, at the mercy of strangers and helpless to change it? Regrets filled her with cold despair. So many things she should have done.

She should have made Jag sign a lease when he first moved in.

She should have limited the rooms he had access to.

She should have stopped him the first time he overstepped his boundaries.

She should have involved the law as soon as he messed with her personal property.

She should have made his sister leave instead of leaving the door open for more siblings to join them.

She should have been more assertive and less understanding.

But how was she supposed to know how far he would go? She would never have done to anyone what he had to her. Now it was too late. All she could do was accept the reality of what her home had become, and hope someday, after a long, difficult battle, to get it back.

Matthew 7:15

 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Little By Little: A Warning, Part 3 of 4 (Based on a Dream, June 25, 2021)

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Mallory stood at the entrance to her living room, stunned. Her furniture was gone. All of it. From the softly padded recliner couch and elegant glass-topped coffee table to the six-foot wooden bookcase and large wall painting – everything had been replaced with cheap thrift store pieces. A long piece of driftwood stood where her grandfather clock had been. In place of her thick floral area rug lay a threadbare remnant. The walls were bare except for a curling poster of a band she had never heard of.

Anger built in her as the shock wore off. Jag! It had to be him. Who else had the lack of respect for her things as he did? Ever since he had tossed her boxes of memories into the dump a few months ago, she had been watching him closely but he had shown no signs of removing anything else. Other than giving her excuse after excuse for not moving out, and constantly forgetting to clean up behind himself, he had been a decent guest. Until today.

“Jag!”  she called down the hallway. “Jag! We need to talk!”

The door to the guest room opened and Jag stepped out, closing the door behind him. “You’re back?”

“Yes, I’m back.” Mallory motioned to the living room. “Did you do this?”

“You’re back early,” he said as he sauntered towards the kitchen. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

“Come back here. We need to talk.”

Jag continued walking. “Sure, but first I need a drink.”

“No! Now.” Mallory’s voice shook with tension. She didn’t like confrontations, and she had overlooked some of his behavior to avoid them, but this was too big to ignore. “What did you do to my living room?”

“Our living room.” Jag said as he disappeared around the corner.

Our living room? Mallory stood facing the kitchen, indecisive. Should she follow him and force the discussion? Wouldn’t that send the message that he was in charge? She didn’t want that, but waiting meekly for him could also send the same message. The sound of a hallway door opening interrupted her thoughts. With heart racing, she whirled around.  If Codee was at work, and Jag was in the kitchen, who was in the hallway?

She didn’t have to wait long to find out. A head covered with dark brown curls peeked out around the corner and called out softly, “Jag?” When she caught sight of Mallory, she gasped and withdrew back into the bedroom.

A woman? Jag had a woman in his bedroom?

Seething now, Mallory started for the kitchen but was met by Jag carrying two bottles of water.

“Jag –“ she started, but he cut her off.

“Just a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Mallory watched him walk to his room, hand one bottle through the doorway, and then walk back to her, all with a smug smile on his nonchalant face.

“Yes? Is something wrong?” he asked as he continued past her into the living room. Sitting on the worn out couch, he put his feet up on the battered coffee table, leaned back, and clasped his hands behind his head. “What do you need to talk about?”

“What… where… how…” Mallory sputtered, not knowing where to start. She raised her hands in an all-encompassing gesture. “This!”

“Do you like it? It was all free.” Jag continued smiling.

“But what did you do with the furniture that was already here?” Mallory stopped. No! He couldn’t have! Not wanting to know but having to, she asked “You didn’t dump it, did you?”

“Of course not. That stuff was worth some money.”

“So where is it?”

“I sold it.”

Mouth open, Mallory stared at him. He stared back, unfazed.

Closing her eyes, she tried to control her anger. “Why?” she finally managed to squeeze through clenched teeth.

“I needed the money.”

“But it wasn’t yours to sell.” Loss filled her as she opened her eyes and looked around.

“Sure it was. I live here, too. Besides, you have so much, I figured you wouldn’t miss a few pieces.”

“You’re wrong on both accounts. You may live here, but it’s my house. MY house. You’re just a guest. And I do miss my “few pieces”. It took me years to save up to buy that furniture. And for you just to sell it while I’m out of town for a few days, how dare you?”

“Calm down. It’s just furniture. It’s not like I sold your dog. If you’re not happy, you can just buy more.”

“That’s not the point. You sold what wasn’t yours. Where’s the money? That’s not yours either.”

“I gave it to my family. Things are really hard for them right now. I figured they needed it more than we do.”

“Didn’t you think you should have at least asked first? I might have been able to loan…” Mallory stopped as a crash came from Jag’s bedroom. Pointing towards the hallway, she demanded, “Who is in your room?”

“My sister. She lost her house and I told her she could live with me.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. I got her a separate bed.” Jag got up. “I’ll go see what happened. I told her not to try moving the TV by herself.”

Mallory sank on a nearby tattered armchair. She wished she had never invited Jag to stay with her. Even though he had had a good reason for what he had done, it didn’t justify his actions. She wanted him – and his sister – to leave. But with nowhere else to go, they would end up on the street, and she couldn’t force herself to do that. She had to find another way. Maybe his sister would be more cooperative, and then, in turn, influence him to show more respect.

Mallory got up and headed for Jag’s room. It was worth a shot.

Matthew 7:15

 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Little By Little, A Warning Part 2 of 4 (Based on a Dream, June 25, 2021)

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“You can’t do that. Those were my boxes.” Mallory stood facing Jag, hands on her waist.

Jag looked up from his lunch. “It’s my room, my things,” he answered smoothly. “If you wanted them, you should have moved them last month like you said you would.”

“I’ve been busy, and there’s really nowhere else. The attic already if already filled with Codee’s things.”

“That’s not my problem.” Jag took another bite of his sandwich.

“Not your problem? Of course it’s your problem. You got rid of something that wasn’t yours. What did you do with them?”

“I took them to the dump.”

“You WHAT?” Mallory roared. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice and said through gritted teeth, “Get them back.”

“Can’t.” Jag stood up. “There’s been several storms since I dumped them. They’re trash now.” Leaving his plate and glass on the table, he headed for his room. “You’re better off without them, anyway. Trust me.”

Mallory stared at the forgotten plate, trying to grasp the loss of her childhood memories. Among the contents of those boxes had been photographs, cherished toys, favorite books, her grandmother’s quilt, and yearbooks dating all the way back to elementary school. None of it could be replaced.

The tickle of tears on her cheeks woke her from her nostalgia. Wiping them away, she took a deep breath. Maybe it was all for the best. She hadn’t opened those boxes in years. If they had been as important to her as she thought, wouldn’t she have done something with them by now? Jag was probably right. She was better off without the clutter. All she really needed were her memories.

Matthew 7:15

 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Little By Little, A Warning Part 1 of 4 (Based on a Dream, June 25, 2021)

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“Are you sure you’re okay with me staying with you for a while?” the man asked as he shifted from foot to foot at the bottom of the steps.

“You are very welcome here. Where else are you going to go?” Mallory answered, holding open the front door. “Besides, there’s plenty of room here. Come on in.”

“Thank you.” He climbed the few steps and, tipping his head at Mallory as he passed her, took a step into the small foyer.

Mallory closed the door gently before moving around him. “While you’re here, feel free to make yourself at home. When Codee called telling me you need a place to stay for a few weeks, I was thrilled to help.” She led him into the living room. “What’s your name? Codee told me but I don’t think I heard it correctly.”

“It’s Jagjit.”

“Yup, that’s what she said. That’s an unusual name. Where –“

 “My father had a thing for odd names,” he interrupted. “Call me Jag.”

“Okay, Jag. Would you like something to eat or drink before I show you your room?”

“No, thanks. I ate at the shelter before coming here. Codee was very kind.”

“Yes, she is.” Mallory pointed through a doorway. “Your room is this way.”

As Mallory led Jag down a long hallway, she pointed to the first door on the left. “That’s the bathroom. I usually use the master bathroom so you and Codee will pretty much have this one to yourselves.” She stopped at the next door. “And this will be your room. I want to apologize ahead of time for its condition. I kind of used it for storage, but the bed is comfortable and I put fresh sheets on it this morning.”

“It sounds great.” Jag sighed. “Just being off the street is enough. I don’t need any fancy rooms.”

Mallory opened the door and motioned for Jag to enter first. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Jag’s eyes wandered around the room and he let out a soft whistle. “This is for me?”

Mallory nodded towards the side wall. “Yes. Sorry for the boxes. I tried to keep them to that one wall so you would have plenty of room to get around. As soon as I can, I’ll move them to another area although I’m not sure where yet. They contain-“

“It doesn’t matter,” Jag cut her off. “They don’t bother me. This bed is all I need.”

Mallory frowned, irritated at being interrupted again. “Well, maybe. But it bothers me. You shouldn’t have to deal with it.” She noticed he was still standing just inside the doorway. “Please, make yourself comfortable. There’s a table by the window where you can set your backpack. And there are towels in the bathroom for you to freshen up. I’ll be in the kitchen. You might not be hungry but I am. Join me whenever you’re ready. ” Mallory took one more look at the stacks of boxes, and then turned to go. But before she went through the doorway, she caught a glimpse of Jag dropping his dirty backpack on the freshly cleaned carpet as he headed for the bed.

“So much for following directions,” she mumbled.  “But maybe he’s just tired, poor guy.”

Matthew 7:15

 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Kayla’s Story, an Allegory: Chapter 7 Appearances

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It was every bit as hard as she had thought it would be. As she stepped over empty soda cans and broken beer bottles, maneuvered around discarded electronics, furniture, and bags of trash, and avoided the holes that seemed to be all over, she realized there was a good reason people warned about crossing this vacant lot. It was not only full of dangerous traps, but it smelled as bad as it looked. The rancid odor of decaying food mixed with the musty odor of rotten wood filled the air. Kayla tried not to breath as, through sheer strength of will, she slowly limped her way through the maze of obstacles. Finally, reaching the halfway point without falling even once, Kayla rewarded herself with a rest stop. Spotting an abandoned armchair, she checked it over for signs of rodents, and seeing none, gratefully lowered herself into it. Exhausted, but proud of her achievement, Kayla sat back and looked at the sky. Gray clouds still swirled, blocking most of the sunlight, but every now and then a tiny sliver of light managed to break through. A longing rose in Kayla’s heart as she focused on those tiny beams of life. She knew, above the clouds, the light in all its fullness was still there, but that wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel the warm sunshine on her face again. She wanted to bask in the light as she had been doing before the phone call. She wanted those clouds that separated her from her beloved light to be gone.

“She’s here somewhere.” The man’s deep voice shattered her thoughts. Kayla froze as she listened. Maybe they weren’t talking about her. The voice had come from her right side, but as from a distance. Maybe they were talking about a stray cat. Please let it be about a stray cat.

“Are you sure it was her?” came another voice. This one sounded familiar. Too familiar. Chills rose along her spine as she realized it belonged to the man in the black hoodie who had glared at her earlier that day. Panic stricken that it might actually be her they were after, she looked around for a place to hide, but the only thing nearby bigger than her was the green armchair she was sitting in. Stuck where she was, hoping her green sweatshirt would blend in with the green of the armchair, she quickly pulled her knees up to her chest and tried to disappear into the chair’s soft, worn out back.

“Yeah, it was her. She had the same limp. Look, here’s a footprint.”

“There’s more. They look like they’re heading for that green chair.”

“Maybe we’ll find more footprints on the other side. Let’s go check it out.”

Kayla closed her eyes as heavy footsteps approached. “I’m invisible. I’m invisible.  I’m invisible,” Kayla thought as loud as she could. “Nothing to see here – just a green chair.”

“Hello again.” The voice came from directly in front of her. “So glad we found you.”

Kayla didn’t know what to do. Open her eyes and face what was coming? Or play possum and hope they lost interest and went away? Not ready to face anything, she slowed her breathing as much as she could.

“Is she dead?”

“I don’t think so. I think I saw her arm move. I’m going to try to wake her.”

“No, don’t touch her. She might be sick.”

“But we can’t leave her like this.”

“No, we can’t. I’m going to try something.”

Kayla’s heart raced and she almost lost control of her breathing. What were they going to try? Did it involve hurting her? She remembered the times she had used twigs to poke at insects to check if they were alive. Were they about to do the same with her?

There was the sound of things being moved around, and then a voice. “This should work.” Kayla forced her body to relax, anticipating a jab on her leg. She was not disappointed. The jab came, hard enough to be felt but not hard enough to hurt. Kayla was able to ignore it, as well as several more jabs in other parts of her body.

“Let me try. You’re not doing it hard enough.”

Suddenly a sharp jab to her side caused Kayla to gasp.

“See? I told you.”

“See what? I didn’t see anything. She’s still not moving. We need to call 911.”

Kayla remained still. Why hadn’t she thought about calling 911 herself as soon as she knew she had been spotted? And why on earth would they call 911 on themselves? Something wasn’t making sense.

 “Want me to jab her again?”

Not if she could help it. The first hard jab was bad enough; she did not want to experience it a second time. If ignoring them didn’t’ work, maybe acting tough would. She opened her eyes. “Leave me alone,” she told them through gritted teeth.

“We can’t do that.” The taller one answered.

“Yes, you can.” Kayla said. “Just walk away.”

“Naw, can’t do that. Wouldn’t be right,” the second man responded.

Kayla’s heart raced, but she covered it by demanding, “What do you want? I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t want your money.” Larry said. “Buster and I just want to help you, like we tried when we first saw you limping on the sidewalk. This lot is too dange-“

Kayla interrupted, “It didn’t look like you were trying to help, not with those daggers in your eyes.”

“Daggers in my eyes?” Buster asked, sounding confused.

“You do look pretty mean when you get frustrated,” laughed Larry.

“Sorry,” Buster said. “Those ‘daggers’ were not meant for you. I was just frustrated to see that Rory guy grab you. He’s bad news.” Buster said.

“Pastor Rory’s not bad news. He tried to help me.” Kayla declared, crossing her arms.

“He tries to help lots of people – only not for their sake. Rory only does what’s good for Rory,” Buster said.

Larry added, “Many people are fooled by Rory’s false promises. That is no place for you, and neither is this place. If you’ll let us help, we know the safe way through this mess.

Kayla looked at the rest of the vacant lot that she still had to cross. There were even more pitfalls and obstacles on the second half, and with everything placed haphazardly, she couldn’t see a straight path. In fact, she couldn’t see any path. She sighed inwardly at the difficult journey ahead. She had made this far by herself, but she was tired and wasn’t sure if she could make it to the other side. At least not without falling. Turning back to the men, she looked from one. With their faces hidden by their black hoods, they looked every bit as dangerous as the trip across the lot. Maybe they were members of some gang, looking for a target in which to prove themselves. Well, she didn’t want to be a victim. Not if she could help it. She’d rather face the possible injuries of walking by herself than the probable attack by these two, if not their whole gang.

“It’s okay. I can find my own way,” she finally told them.

“Look, we’re not going to hurt you. We just want to give you what we have – our knowledge, experience, and strength – to get you to a safer place,” Larry said. “We really want what’s best for you.”

Buster nodded. “It’s not about us. If you insist, we can go away like you want and let you make your own way. It’s not like we need to help you. We just know what could happen and want to save you from it.”

 Kayla wished she could believe them. It would be so nice to have their help. But their black hoodies…

Suddenly Kayla realized if she looked past those hoodies, if she took her eyes off the obvious outerwear and focused on what lay underneath, she could see their eyes which seemed to glow as if reflecting a light. Excited, she looked up at the sky. Had the sun broken through the clouds? No, the clouds still covered the sky so the light wasn’t coming from the sun above. Looking back into their eyes, Kayla felt drawn to the peace that radiated out from them. It was a peace that went beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Evil could not possibly exist in a peace like this. Allowing the peace to seep into her, Kayla sighed as she relaxed. “I could use some help.”

Within minutes, Kayla was once again on her way home, this time supported on each side by strong arms. Navigating around the larger debris, and lifting her over the smaller ones, they made short work of what would have taken Kayla three times longer if she had had to do it herself. When they made it to the sidewalk, they stopped to celebrate. The men high fived each other while Kayla tried to pull out her wallet from her backpack. But they refused any payment, saying they were just happy to help.

“Where do you need to go from here?” Buster asked.

“Oh, just a couple of blocks. I’ll be fine now that I’m out of that hazard trap.”

“Here’s my number,” Buster said, handing her a card. “Call me if you need more help.”

Kayla took it. “I will. Thanks again.”

With a smile on her face, she watched them head back across the not-so-empty lot, amazed at what had just happened. Then she turned and headed towards her home. As she limped along, she thought about how those men were not at all what she had feared. And how the two well-dressed men in the florist shop were not what they appeared either. She sure had misjudged all four of them. And if she had misjudged them, then maybe she had also misjudged Lisa. The only way to tell was to actually get to know her. Kayla made a mental note to call Lisa once her ankle healed. Maybe they could go out to lunch or something.

Suddenly the light broke through the clouds and beamed down on Kayla. She looked up with delight as most of the clouds scattered and disappeared, leaving just a few behind. She took a deep breath, face upturned, and let the warmth of the sun fill her. This was more like it. She wouldn’t have any trouble getting home now that she was strengthened. Not even that pile of dirt was going to stop her.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. (Prov 4:14-15)

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. (Rom 16:17)

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” (Proverbs 3:27)

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24)