The emotional damage from this week's weigh-in and meeting my new trainer hit me with bruit force. All I have wanted to do is eat. And when I eat, I am in some euphoric state difficult to describe. It is like nothing in the world matters to me. So, with great regret I gave into my emotions and indulged Wednesday and Thursday. I ate at IHOP, Ponderosa, & had Chinese food in the course of two days. YIKES! Yes, at the time it felt & tasted so good to eat this high-calorie, fat laden food and to escape my emotional roller coaster momentarily but I have to admit I paid the price. The impact on my blood sugar was profound. I ended up not feeling well at all and regretting my decision. My normal thought process is to "beat" myself up over making such a poor decision and just give up. But rather than throwing in the towel and thinking I've just cost myself the competition, I've decided tomorrow is a new day. I understand my poor judgement may have consequences that will appear on the scale. In an effort to counter balance the extra calories I've eaten I will be adding another hour of cardio to my exercise routine each day for the next seven days and doing more lunges & squats than I ever thought possible.

     I have learned through this competition that eating the things you like in moderation, no matter how many calories they have, is key. Thinking back about what I have eaten in the last two weeks I now believe that I had deprived myself of too many favorite foods for too long. I believe this clouded my judgment and ultimately led to my inability to have self-control. This experience has forced me to reexamine my unhealthy relationship with food. I realize now how destructive this relationship can be to my self-confidence and my goals & dreams. I now have another item to add to my life list; develop a healthier relationship with food and learn to view it as fuel, not as a crutch to get me through the day. My relationship with food will not defeat me!

This video was inspired by James chapter 3:

James 3:2-12 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. (3) If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (4) Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (5) So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (7) For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (8) but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (9) With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (10) From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (11) Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? (12) Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

 Like verse 10 says, brothers this ought not be so. We ought to constantly meditate on our heart, our words, and how we use them. Are we blessing God and at the same time cursing men? The power of the Holy Spirit sanctifies our faith, including our words. A prayer to bridle our tongues and sanctify our hearts and our speech for the glory of God should constantly be on our lips.

Soli Deo Gloria

Make war!

A Heart to Heart Talk with My Mouth

-Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.

The last mentioned of the Fruit of the Spirit, self control is the one most people would probably prefer to leave out. It can often be the hardest to practice, and it encompasses all the preceding Fruit of the Spirit. Perhaps that is why it was mentioned last; to leave it afresh in your mind. We know that a lack of SELF-CONTROL has a detrimental effect on us, but it also affects our relationships; those we come into contact with.

~Proverbs 25:28- Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Without self-control in our lives, we become vulnerable to all kinds of problems. Anything out of CONTROL in your life can harm others and cause damage in relationships. Including (but not limited to):

-Uncontrolled anger

-Uncontrolled lust

-Uncontrolled spending (The #1 cause for divorce is financial stress & money problems)

-Uncontrolled drinking

-Uncontrolled ambition (The workaholic who’s never at home with the family)

-Uncontrolled tongue

~How do we obtain self-control? Here are 9 key ways that will help in maintaining your self-control:

1) Master your moods- Keep you attitude in check, do what’s right even when you don’t feel like it; live by commitment, not by emotions

2) Watch your words-Put your mind in gear before you talk.

-Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

3) Restrain your reaction- How much can you take before you lose your cool?

-Proverbs 19:11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

4) Stick to the plan- If you don’t determine how your time is spent, others will; Remember though, we are to follow God’s will & His plan 1^st. Have control enough to be in it.

-Ephesians 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

5) Manage your money- learn to live on less than you make; invest the rest. The value of a budget is that it tells your money where you want it to go, instead of wondering where it went.

-Proverbs 21:20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

6) Maintain your health- (to the best of your ability) Thus, you can accomplish more & enjoy your achievements.

-Psalm 38:3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

7) Avert your eyes- This one’s tough. You can’t control everything you see, but you can control how much you look at it

-Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (I’m pretty sure the same standard applies to ladies looking at men; sorry, you’re not off the hook)

8) Don’t allow anger to bring sin- like it plainly says in Ephesians 4:26, "In your anger do not sin" God let us know that we will get angry, but we must release the pressure before the top blows, no matter how we’ve been wronged.

-1 Thessalonians 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

9) Know when to “Cork the Bottle”- The Bible doesn’t specifically say that we can never drink, but it’s clear that we are not to get drunk.

-Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

~Now, where do you need self-control?

 Discipline today will help you determine success tomorrow. We must realize that we cannot accomplish this on our own, but we need Holy Help.

-2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

The key to self-control, is giving up control to God. With Him in the driver’s seat, you’re sure to get where you need to be. The more our progression, the further He’ll take us.

-Matthew 25:23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 There is tremendous potential to be used in positive ways that honor Christ. In reality, we are still subject to sin and death. Although we are not totally evil ourselves, we are still susceptible to weakness & fleshy desires. Our body can be used for good if the flesh is not in control.

-Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship..

~How can we be living sacrifices?

-Self-discipline isn’t in our nature. Spirit-Control, not self-control, makes the difference. The Holy Spirit can control the things I can’t. Ask God to help you, through the Holy Spirit, to help you do right in His eyes.

-Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

-Open the door to let the Holy Spirit fill you, and close the door of flesh to Satan by confessing sin & claiming Christ’s crucifixion.

-Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

-Renew your mind with God’s word

-Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-Allow the Holy Spirit to help you master your emotions (with the fruit of the Spirit); Present yourself as an instrument of righteousness.

  -Romans 6:12-13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

  -Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength.

 -Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

-The key to self-control is surrendering control. Surrender your control to God; allow Him to move in your life. Who better to run your life, than the One who made your life?

“Fruit of the Spirit- Self-Control” Bible Study prepared by Justin Lessard. Email: ferventservant1@hotmail.com

Web: http://justinlessard.wordpress.com & http://www.myspace.com/justinlessard

If you wish to use this study, all I ask is that you leave the credit info lines, including the name, email, & web address, above.

Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.

-------

Gentleness is described as: compassionate, delicate, sensitive, merciful.

Exhortations to be gentle-

~2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

~Titus 3:1-2 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men.

~James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity.

~Acts 24:4 But‑‑not to be tedious‑‑I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.

-Why do you think wisdom is 1^st pure, then peaceable, gentle,...(James 3:17)?

-Why might listening to the gospel be “tedious”?

-We are to be gentle toward unbelievers, not to force them into an uncomfortable obligation, not to be rude, or too forward, but with sensitivity of the Spirit, discern the need delicately, tactfully, and explain to them that Christ is the Answer.

~1 Thessalonians 2:6-8 ...nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

~2 Corinthians 10:1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ‑‑I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away!–

-Why is it important not to be self-seeking or a “glory-hound” in our evangelism?

-Why might Paul have been more timid in the presence of the Corinthians, and bold when away?

~Galations 6:1 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.

~1 Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

-We are also to be gentle toward other believers, as well; our brothers and sisters in Christ. As such we are called to greater peace. (Hebrews12:14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord; Romans 12: 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.) If an issue arises, talk about it, carefully, and not too hastily. We are permitted to anger, but it should be “known not shown”. ( Eph 4:26 Be angry but do not sin;..) If the issue is regarding them, how might Jesus Himself talk to the person, knowing the importance of the problem better than we would? (In short, W.W.J.D.?) If we shout “Repent or DIE!!” or “Stop screwing up all the time!”, we will get a poor response more often than not.

~Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don't leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

~1 Corinthians 4:20-21For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

-These verses show us that these are spiritual battles.

-What place should we not leave? (Eccl. 10:4)

-What power is there in the spirit of gentleness?

~James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

~Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Gentleness of the Lord

~2 Samuel 22:36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.

~Psalm 18:35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.

~Isaiah 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

-Is this verse literally talking about sheep? What does it mean by “carry them in his bosom”?

~Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

-What is an easy yolk to you?

-What can we learn from Christ about gentleness?

-How can gentleness give us rest?

-What can YOU be gentler with/ about?

“Fruit of the Spirit- Gentleness” Bible Study prepared by Justin Lessard. Email: ferventservant1@hotmail.com

Web: http://justinlessard.wordpress.com & http://www.myspace.com/justinlessard

If you wish to use this study, all I ask is that you leave the credit info lines, including the name, email, & web address, above.

They said there are three things:

• Fun
• Friendship
• Fast

This combination struck me; I haven't seen these three things put together before - and I like it - as it is important to have lots of fun with friends, and fast then adds the self-controlling aspect to it so that we don't just enjoy life, but we descend deeper, where we need to sacrifice something and realise the meaning of life and suffering.

So let's start getting more of fun, friends and fast - and see where we get.

i spent this past weekend at a women's retreat hosted by my church. events like this invite reflection but there is so much that has been stirred up inside me- where do i begin? this theme verse of this weekend seems like a good place to start. one of the retreat speakers shared that every morning she sits on the edge of her bed and recites psalm 118:24 out loud. what would it be like if i greeted each new day with a call to worship? the theme of this weekend was "response: women who worship." i want to be included in that collective act of rejoicing.

in some of his sermons pastor darrin has challenged us to "suffer well." when things in my life go wrong and/or are not as i had planned what is my reaction? true joy is peace and hope in spite of circumstances. this differentiates it from happiness. upon reflection i think it's safe to say that my expectations of god usually lead to disappointment; i have misunderstood his assurance that "all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (romans 8:28) i tend to define "good" as what i want or think that i need. actually, blessings aren't always material things or even comfort and relief. if god's grace extends beyond the physical then i should expect blessings of a spiritual nature- the fruit of the spirit listed in galations 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

the most poignient verse of this weekend came from lamentations, which is fitting because the very name reflects suffering the consequences of living in a broken, fallen world 3:22-25 states, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." in this verse i observe two realities.  based on this passage i actually wrote out two columns- one for who god is and one for what i am to do. by applying commands such as "hope," "wait" and "seek" i realize several things:

1. the lord's love is steadfast (v22). trials and hardship are not signs of abandonment because he never ceases. he will see me through.
2. his mercies keep coming- his promises are renewed every single day (v23). though i may have to wait long-term for the fulfillment of a particular promise, the blessings of the short-term are hope and strength to wait each day.
3. he is enough (v24). looking to anything/anyone else for total comfort will provide only limited support and thus only temporary satisfaction.
4. if i don't find any blessings it's because i'm not looking (v25). too often i close my eyes in despair, which causes me to miss god's mercies that are all around me.

worship is born out of awe. it's the response of a surrendered heart, soul, strength and mind, whose values have shifted to reflect christ's. when i'm rooted in relationship- not performance- i am moved to rejoice in the redemption that's taking place each and every day. then, i experience transformation in every area of my life. i love how martin luther summarized it, "all of life is worship."

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit…" Jude 20 (NKJV).

It is often too easy to blame others when and if we get bad teaching, such as comes from apostate, heretical teachers. However, it is every Christians responsibility to stand guard on their own hearts and lives concerning what they put into their minds. If we go astray after hearing false teaching, there is really no one to blame but ourselves.

The apostate’s will give an accounting of what they have done, what they have taught, and then, they will be cast into eternal darkness, unless they have previously repented, received the true Jesus, and their is eternal fruit in their lives and living.

Jude is about to end his letter to the Christians to whom he is writing, and ends with words of encouragment, and exhortation. We Christians of today need these powerful words as well. They are for Christians of every culture, century, and millennium. With these words he encourages us to "build up yourselves in your most holy faith". It is individual’s responsibility to feed, tend, care, and grow in the faith. In the end there will be no one to blame for our slouchy, lazy, shoudy, and weak life; but ourselves.

It is our own personal responsibility to see that we sit under the teaching of teachers who will build up Jesus Christ, magnifiy the cross of Jesus, and when I say the "Cross of Jesus" I refer to His death, burial, and resurrection - The cross of Jesus speaks of His redemptive, imputational, work on that tree as He became sin for us. It is our own personal responsibility to see that we not depend on teachers, and their teaching, but that we discover for ourselves the revelation of God and His Word. Good teachers will teach you how to study the Word of God for yourself, and encourage and motivate you to do so. It is a bad and sad teacher who would tell you to depend on his/her teaching alone, and that you can have no understanding apart from them and their teaching.

Our own, individual study and reading of the Word of God is a necessity if we do not want to be led astray. There are ample living and dead examples of bad teachers; even heretical teachers who caused the death of many people, because they had been led astray. Each one of those people will give an individual accounting before God one day of why they listened and followed such a teacher and their teaching.

A better, and clearer understanding of Scriptures will come through study, and "Praying in the Holy Spirit…" This praying is a genuine, sincere, dedicated prayer that is the same as praying "In the name of Jesus". When you pray in the Spirit and the name of Jesus you pray for things which will bring honor and glory to His name. You ask for things that He would ask. You seek for those things that He is seeking. You keep on knocking at the door for the things He keeps knocking at the door. Praying in the Holy Spirit is God honoring, Christ glorifying, and never contrary to the will of God.

Along this same line of thought the apostle Peter wrote, "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV). It is our personal responsibility to grow in faith, and to become more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Grow in Jesus Christ.

-by Tim A. Blankenship

People talk about changing the world and making the difference, but are we able to change ourselves? Sure God changes us when he comes to live in our hearts, but there is a lot of work to be done in terms of being conformed to the image of Christ. Somewhere in the middle of all this need for change is this modern concept of grace which says we don't have to do anything. But as a Christian there is a lot to do and a lot that needs doing.

Personal change is difficult because it requires a change of the heart, mind and the will. To follow Christ you do have to change, it isn't about just saying a prayer and walking away. One of the biggest obstacles people struggle with is the concept that following Christ requires change. They don't want to change friends, stop getting drunk or having sex with their girlfriend. But the call to change is more than a list of negative things you're not supposed to do. It's a call to positive things such as true love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It's the call to love God and your neighbor as you love yourself.

But how do we follow Christ? What enables us to follow God and leave our past behind is not trying to not think about evil things or avoid sin. Have you ever heard of a double negative being a positive? If we focus on not doing what is wrong we will likely never stop doing what's wrong. The key is to focus on Christ and his plan for your life.

The secret to following Christ is the Holy Spirit; too many Christians live their lives without his presence in their lives. He is what empowers us to live a godly life and he is the one who gives us strength to resist sin. Sure there is human effort in following God no doubt, but following God shouldn't be a thing we strive for. Rather it should be something that we walk in and while walking is work, it is also a natural thing that we do every day.

But how are we filled with God's Spirit and what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It's something I don't do or grasp all the time. But I think it means to invite Christ into every moment of your day, to continually pray and ask the Spirit to guide you. The power of the Spirit is what Christians need to change along with the desire to be filled with the Spirit. How much it has to do with tongues I don't know. But I see a lot of Christians out there that oppose tongues and being filled with God's spirit. Many of them claim to be filled with the Spirit, but have not changed. The change in our lives is the biggest evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But if we are to ever change the world around us we must walk in the Spirit as Jesus did.

James 3:1-12 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (2) For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. (3) If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (4) Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (5) So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (6) And the tongue is a fire, a world  of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (7) For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (8) but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (9) With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (10) From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (11) Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? (12) Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water 

LESSONS AND CONVICTIONS FROM THIS MESSAGE 

1. The Difficulty in Taming the Tongue 

• To be a mature Christian you have to be able to bridle your tongue.
• The man who has bridled his tongue is not just a man who knows how to use his tongue, but who also knows when to remain silent.
• When James speaks about the mastery of the tongue, he isn't just speaking about the words we use, he is speaking about the sensitivity to use the words that are necessary, those that are sensitive and gracious, and then to remain silent when such silence is necessary.
• James' words are also intended for those who are prone to remain silent, so that they would be able to speak for the sake of the gospel.
• My inability to speak may be an expression of my inability to bridle my tongue, and vice versa.
• No one has mastered the tongue finally. It is a moment by moment battle in the heart for a sanctification that is so whole-person that even the grace of our Lord Jesus is manifested through our tongues.

2. The Disproportionate Power of The Tongue

• Just as the large and powerful horse is control by as small bit in the mouth, enormous ship are controlled by small rudders, and great forests are set ablaze by a small fire, so is the tongue. It is so small, yet it has the power to build up and destroy.
• The tongue carries the accent of our souls; when we speak we give ourselves away.
• There is such a disproportionate power to the tongue that it permeates everything we do.
• James' concern, in part, is to bring us a deep-seated conviction of sin, to get under our sense of inadequacy and show us our need of the grace and mercy of God

3. The Destruction Caused by the Tongue

• James says that the tongue is a fire, set on fire by hell itself.
• The tongue can ruin everything. The misuse of the tongue can apparently render every other grace in my life impotent. It only takes one single wrong word for everything we have ever done to crumble into hypocrisy.
• The misuse of the tongue is a poison, like the serpent in the Garden in Genesis 3 which sowed disobedience towards God and restlessness in the hearts of Adam and Eve.
• The tongue can cause endless destruction. You can destroy a person's reputation by your tongue more than you can destroy their life by assault.
• Sometimes it seems that the misuse of the tongue is a purely evangelical sin. How often, among Christian brothers, at the mention of someone's name, the first lash of the tongue is to destroy that brother? He may not be perfect, he may have many follies, but how dare I destroy with a word a brother for whom Christ has died within the context of fellowship with his people?
• God gave us our tongues, to praise Him, to worship, to love, to give grace, and to speak truth. Instead we use them to speak hate, flattery, lies, lust, and adultery, and instead of giving, we use them to take.

4. The Deadly Inconsistency that Plagues the Tongue

• We bless God but curse those made in His image.
• Our problem is that we are double-minded men, unstable in all our ways. We are like a spring giving out two kinds of water, a tree giving two kinds of fruit, etc.
• Man and woman were to have dominion over the way they spoke to one another, to speak words of grace to one another. We have lost that dominion because of sin and The Fall

 So how do we begin to tame this tongue of ours? Just as Job resolved to make a covenant with his eyes, we need to make a covenant with our tongue. Sinclair Ferguson illustrates this convenant in the form of Jonathan Edwards-like resolutions which are derived from the book of James. You can see these resolutions in my previous post.

Soli Deo Gloria! 

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Have you come across a person who is so naturally friendly that when you put him inside a room of strangers, he'll be friends with almost everyone in no time? We call such a people-person, someone unbelievably nice and charismatic that he can charm anyone into doing anything.

A socially-empowered person achieves so much greatness, basically because of the people that catapult him to success. He earns the trust and all-out support of the people, whom he had helped before. He never runs out of help. He can do anything with the plethora of people behind him. All because he knows he maximizes his social potential!

See, if you know your social skills and you make use of them, you will reach self-empowerment. Self-empowerment is making a general overhaul in your life and turning yourself into a happier and more successful person.If you can be one of those people-persons, then I can't see any reason why you will not succeed. You just have to know how to start.

1. Be genuine.

Hypocrisy will just bring you all the way down. Be genuinely nice and interested to people. Once they perceive that you are Mr. Hypocrite with selfish intentions, you might as well say goodbye to self-empowerment.

2. Be the greatest listener that you can be.

To earn the love and trust of the people, listen to their problems and sympathize with them. Do not just hear them out, listen to them with your heart. Make eye contact when the person talks to you. Listen as if every word matters, and it does. Brownie points when they find out that there is a confidante in you.

3. Laugh out loud.

I do not mean that you force yourself to laugh for every joke cracked by someone, albeit you do not find it funny at all.This means finding humor in things and not being too darn serious. A person oozing with an awesome sense of humor attracts crowds and eventually, attracts success.

4. Don't forget yourself.

In the process of fluttering around like a social butterfly, you might forget yourself, allowing everyone to push you over. Remember, love and value yourself before anyone else. If you deem yourself respectable and worthy of affection, people will flock to you and not trample on you.

5. Do random acts of kindness.

You don't have to do a John Rockefeller and blow your savings to charity. Little acts of kindness matters the most, and this can be as simple as giving someone a surprise you-take-care card or helping an elderly cross the street. When we were kindergarten students, kindness was taught to us and greatly practiced. Now is the time to revive the good deeds and this time, let them stay for good.

6. Contact your old friends.

Sad how some friendships are destined to goodbye, but thanks to technology, you can do something about it. Relive the good old days by flipping your yearbook and look for the great people whom you want to communicate with again. Adding these old friends to your roster of support peers will surely make you feel good all over.

7. Develop your personality.

Are you grouchy, grumpy and generally morose? Whoa, you can't go through life with those. Get rid of the bad traits and habits that perpetually hamper your growth. And really, who wants a grouchy friend anyway?

8. Be confident.

Be able to stride to the other corner of the room and introduce yourself to people with that winning smile of yours. Just remember: be confident, not arrogant.

9. Practice control.

When angry, don't snap at anyone. Never throw a tantrum. Stay calm and collected. Be adult enough to take control of situation and transform your anger into something more productive and passive. As soon as people think your anger goes to volcanic proportions easily, they will find it hard to come to you.

10. Keep nurturing your relationships.

Your relationship with your family, friends and significant others is too precious that you must not neglect it whatever happens. Go out and have fun with them. Do things together. Happiness will never fly from your side as long as the people who matter the most are close to you.

In the end, using people for self-empowerment means becoming a better and more lovable person. It's a win-win situation: the people know they can turn to you anytime and vice versa.

I saw some pretty cool videos the other day and I think they may help you to further
your self-growth and ability to achieve more of your goals in life.

CLICK HERE

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I am, as I said, a bit of a maverick (If McCain and Palin can use that term, so can I). I read widely and study many different schools of thought when it comes to the faith. That's why you might see me refer to many odd bedfellows in my writings. I have learned a great deal from, say, a raging liberal like Marcus Borg and I have equally benefited from the writings of Chuck Colson. Politically and theologically, I am about as close to Colson as Tacoma is to Tierra del Fuego. Still, I find few writers who engage me as much as he does. Colson makes me think, just as Borg makes me think. So you see, if you are trying to find out a theological box to put me in, better get a shoe horn.

I'm a mutt!

With that said, let me share a bit about my views on several issues often discussed in Christian circles. I think you will see why I call myself a mongrel yet, hopefully, you will see that these positions are well thought out. None of my beliefs are of the knee-jerk variety and I am quite comfortable with what I believe. I see no reason to make any attempt to get others to view these things from my perspective. I say this not only because I believe each Christian has a fundamental right to establish and maintain a personal relationship with the Lord and his or her belief system is a big part of that relationship.

A second reason I do not seek to convert others to my way of thinking is the salient and inescapable fact that I could be wrong!

Just because I believe something to be true, doesn’t necessarily make it so. Our world in general, and the Christian faith in particular, are both far too complex for me to assume I have a complete understanding of anything. Second, even if you do disagree on certain point, I hope you will not cast me into the mold of an unrepentant apostate and put this blog on your Black List. I do believe, in the final analysis, we may all be surprised about a few of our cherished opinions when we get to heaven.

As to God, I have a firm belief in God as a creator and sustainer of the universe. I am not nearly knowledgeable enough to debate Creationism versus Evolution. It would not surprise me in the least if God used certain evolutionary principles in moving the universe forward. The closest thing I have discovered in terms of my beliefs in this area is Intelligent Design, but, as I said, I am not an expert here.

As for Jesus, I part company with the liberal theologians who deny his divinity. I believe in Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity; that he was a pre-existent being who came down into this world for a reason; and that the miracles really did happen. Further, I believe firmly in the Resurrection and that Christ indeed is still alive. In my view, the central theme of Christ’s mission was to announce and inaugurate the coming of God’s kingdom on earth.

In addition, Christ accomplished the reconciliation of God and humanity. How he did this is a mystery to me, but I don’t believe it had much to do with appeasing the wrath of a despotic God who demanded justice. As I will explain later, I am not a strong advocate of the notion of the substitutionary atonement. I think this doctrine was ill conceived and belittles God. Perhaps Christ, through his death, resurrection, and ascension, introduced a new, sacred presence or energy into creation which allows each of us to once again walk in unity with God, his plan, and his purpose. To me, this makes more sense than the substitution explanation. If this part of my world view makes me a heretic, then so be it.

Along these lines, I think that the implications inherent in the wonderful prayer of Jesus recorded in the 17^th Chapter of John’s Gospel offer a far more cogent explanation of the results of Christ’s mission here on earth. Christ’s description of his unity with the Father and our unity with Him, is more understandable than any vicarious atonement explanation. Granted, the whole issue of dying on the cross as the perfect sacrifice would have made sense to a First Century Jew, steeped in Hebrew tradition. It is the same with the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. I am sure a Jew living in Palestine could easily make sense of what was being said in those pages. For the Gentiles of the day as well as the 21^st Century non-Christian, these ideas are as alien as visitor from Neptune.

 I also believe in the power and person of the Holy Spirit. I have never had the experience of speaking in tongues, but I do not question its validity. I am far from the view that the mighty gifts of the Spirit ceased with the Apostles. I think to hold the view that the gifts ceased with the advent of Scripture is a bit of a reach. I cannot fathom any reason God would choose to communicate his absolute truth through a book, or collection of books, when the vast majority of the world’s population was illiterate and further, there existed no means of mass producing the book. It just defies rational thought completely.

I know that God’s ways are higher than my ways, but that doesn’t mean God would do something that by any measure was just plain ignorant.

If I stopped right here, it would be reasonable to assume that I am a conservative or fundamentalist, but that would be a big mistake. Where I part company with my fundamentalist brothers and sisters probably start with the Bible. I do not see the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. I do not hold to a literal interpretation of Scripture, but instead tend to view it mostly as history and metaphor, revealing the grand story of God and the world.

The Bible is more about God than man and reveals his drama of creation, redemption, and restoration. I think the unique aspect of the Christian faith lies in the fact that it is the only religion where God chases humanity rather than humanity trying to work their way to God. As far as the “Jesus is the only way,” debate, I have my doubts. To believe this just on the basis of scripture alone (and only a few references at that) is an affront to both reason and common sense. Just because the Bible said something is so, don’t make it so. Scripture is of human origin, not divine, and subject to human fallibility.

For me, God is a being of grace and divine love who seeks our best. As far as original sin and the notion of atonement for sin, I find this to be a bit of a mystery.  As mentioned earlier, I cannot fathom why God would require such an act. My reaction to Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion” was not like most. I walked out of the theater wondering, “What kind of God would require such a hideous thing?” My conclusion was: God wouldn’t.

So, as you can see, I don’t fit squarely in either camp.

Please keep in mind that I didn’t post this to initiate argument or debate. No, my only purpose is doing so is to stress the importance of clarifying our worldviews and share a bit about my experience in doing so. Also, I ask that readers understand that what I have stated here is just my personal belief system as it stands today. With this in mind, I offer two caveats, which I think a very important to this discussion. First, just because this is how I see things doesn’t make what I have said true. I could be wrong on some of these things. Further, I have no intention of trying to persuade you to see things the same way I do. I only posted this because several readers asked that I do so.

The second caveat is this: These are my views today. I have discovered that my views tend to evolve over time. That doesn’t mean that, like political candidates, I am often flip-flopping on the issues. Instead, it means that I do have an open mind and I am committed to growth and the discovery of truth. This necessarily means that God can, and often does, open my eyes to new realities that I failed to see before. Emerson once said that “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” By this he meant that often times people do not change their minds on issues, even when evidence clearly indicates that they should, because they believe to do so would be inconsistent.

This post, taken together with Part One, hopefully communicates the importance of clarifying one’s worldview, especially in the culture we find ourselves living in. These days, with the shifting sands of post-modern culture and the general acceptance of moral relativity, deciding what one firmly holds to be true is more essential than ever before. For these reason, I encourage anyone reading this to set aside some time for prayer and reflection on this issue.

It will be time well spent.

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

1. I resolve to ask God for wisdom to speak out of a single-minded devotion to him. (1:5)

2. I resolve to boast only in the exultation I receive in Jesus Christ and also in the humiliation I receive for Jesus Christ. (1:9-10)

3. I resolve to set a watch over my mouth. (1:13)

4. I resolve to be constantly quick to hear and slow to speak. (1:19)

5. I resolve to learn the gospel way of speaking to both rich and poor. (2:1-4)

6. I resolve to speak in the present consciousness of my final judgment. (2:12)

7. I resolve never to stand on anyone’s face with the words I employ. (2:16)

8. I resolve never to claim as reality in my life what I do not truly experience. (3:14)

9. I resolve to resist quarrelsome words as evidence of a bad heart that needs to be mortified. (4:1)

10. I resolve never to speak decided evil against another out of a heart of antagonism. (4:11)

11. I resolve never to boast in anything but what I will accomplish. (4:13)

12. I resolve to speak as one subject to the providences of God. (4:15)

13. I resolve never to grumble. The judge is at the door. (5:9)

14. I resolve never to allow anything but total integrity in everything I say. (5:12)

15. I resolve to speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer. (5:13)

16. I resolve to sing praises to God whenever I’m cheerful. (5:14)

17. I resolve to ask for the prayers of others when I’m in need. (5:14)

18. I resolve to confess it whenever I have failed. (5:15)

19. I resolve to pray with others for one another whenever I am together with them. (5:15)

20. I resolve to speak words of restoration when I see another wander. (5:19)

My mind had an evil plan not to talk to them anymore and thinking I've said that before, I will not be successful. I can feel that they don't  like me because I'm hot headed and I always make lil misunderstanding into a big one. I'm totally lack of self control.

I want to run away everytime this is happening. I want to run away everytime I feel that no one likes me in this house. I've been good to them. I was so good to them to take me for granted. Maybe what we can only share together are jokes and funny insults. Maybe we're just lack of feelings being communicated together. I want to run everytime somebody in this house says rude things to me.

I was sitting on one corner of the bed still crying. My sister picked up all the mess I've made as I was thinking what she had in mind while doing that. I will not talk to them until tomorrow or even until this hurt feeling subsides.

I want to run away but the battle is here and I should not run, hide or cover. I want to run away but I always knew this will pass by..

The maker of Trojan® Condoms is taking its show on the road - and stopping into campuses around the country - with the Trojan® Evolve Bus Tour.

In essence, it's a call for Americans to "evolve" about their attitudes towards sex and condoms.

Students will have the opportunity to laugh along with some of today's hottest comedians on the Trojan Campus Comedy tour which is going to be zooming onto campuses around the Nation in November.

As proud sponsors of the Vans Warped Tour, the makers of Trojan® brand condoms will also team up with a handful of your favorite bands, too.

Both tours will criss-cross America - inviting people to evolve - by personally pledging to use a condom every time and advocating for comprehensive sexual education in schools by signing the Trojan Evolve Petition.

Along the bus tour route, participants can also encourage friends to continue or change sexual health behaviors by recording video testimonials, which will be posted on the Trojan Evolve web site.

Info: www.trojancondoms.com.

"Trojan Evolve is a call to action," says Jim Daniels, Vice President of Marketing for Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

"We’re quite literally going city to city asking Americans to pledge to use a condom every time, sign a petition for change and help turn the tide on the unhealthy state of sexual health in this country."

All Americans will be able to follow the tour’s progress and become a part of the movement by taking the personal pledge and signing the Trojan Evolve Petition virtually at the Trojan Web site (which also includes important links to third-party sexual health resources).

The Trojan Evolve Tour launches in the wake of newly released CDC statistics indicating that one-in-four teen girls has a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia continue to rise in the general public.

This is in addition to the 65 million Americans already living with an incurable STI.

And for the first time in fourteen years, rates of unintended teenage pregnancy are growing, contributing to over three million unplanned pregnancies occurring each year.

Yet, only about one-in-four sex acts among singles involves a condom, resulting in over a billion acts of unprotected sex each year.

"The Trojan Evolve tour is critical and timely," said Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders.

Elders is a former U.S. Surgeon General and is currently advisor to the Trojan brand.

"The problem is clearly not due to a lack of resources. Ninety percent of American households want comprehensive sex education, yet the government has spent over a billion dollars on only abstinence education, which according to its own studies is ineffective."

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Joy

*Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

*Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

-Joy is defined as “A very glad Feeling; happiness; delight”

*Joel 1:12 “The vine is dried up
       and the fig tree is withered;
       the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—
       all the trees of the field—are dried up.
       Surely the joy of mankind
       is withered away..”

*Matthew 13:20-21 “The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.”

*Lamentations 5:15-16 “Joy is gone from our hearts;
       our dancing has turned to mourning.

 16 The crown has fallen from our head.
       Woe to us, for we have sinned!”

-What are some of the ways we can acquire an absence of joy?

*Nehemiah 8:10 “...This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

*Psalm 116:3-5 “The cords of death entangle me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, save me!’ The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”

-What happens to our trouble when we call on the Lord?

*Psalm 6:6-9 “I am worn out from groaning;
       all night long I flood my bed with weeping
       and drench my couch with tears.

 7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
       they fail because of all my foes.

 8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
       for the LORD has heard my weeping.

 9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
       the LORD accepts my prayer.”

-What are some effects that lack of joy has on us?

*Isaiah 60:20 “Your sun will never set again,
       and your moon will wane no more;
       the LORD will be your everlasting light,
       and your days of sorrow will end.”

*Jeremiah 31:12 “They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
       they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD—
       the grain, the new wine and the oil,
       the young of the flocks and herds.
       They will be like a well-watered garden,
       and they will sorrow no more.”

-What happens when we give the Lord control, and He takes over?

*2 Corinthians 7:7-10 “and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

-When does God want us to have sorrow?

-What is the difference between godly and worldly sorrow?

*Luke 10:21 “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’”

*John 3:29 “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”

*3 John 3-4 “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

*Acts 14:17 “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

-Where does joy come from?

*1 Thessalonians 1:6 “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”

*1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

*John 15:9-11 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

-How do we acquire this joy from the Lord?

*Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree does not bud
       and there are no grapes on the vines,
       though the olive crop fails
       and the fields produce no food,
       though there are no sheep in the pen
       and no cattle in the stalls,

    18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
       I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

-Can we have joy in the midst of our drama?

*Luke 1:14 “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth”

*Luke 6:23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”

-How should we react to joy/ What do we do with it?

-What do you have joy in?

-Testimony time!!! Tell of a sorrowful, sad or depressing time that was washed away by the joy of the Lord.

“Fruit of the Spirit- Joy” Bible Study prepared by Justin Lessard. Email: ferventservant1@hotmail.com Web: http://justinlessard.wordpress.com & http://www.myspace.com/justinlessard

If you wish to use this study, all I ask is that you leave the credit info line, including the name, email, & web address, above.

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Read:

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

-1 John 4:11

-1 John 3:18

-What are some examples of how we can love one another with action and in truth?

Read:

-1 John 4:16-19

-Do we deserve God's love?

-Why do think He still loves us?

Read:

-John 3:16

-Psalm 145:20

God loves us. We love God. God loves others. We love others. All is well in this big circle of love.

-What does it mean to have God watch over us?

Read:

-Mark 12 :28-34

-Deuteronomy 6:5-6

-Why do you think this commandment is greater than "Thou shalt not steal" or "...kill"

-How can this verse (Mk.12:31) relate to 1 Peter 4:8 (Love covers a multitude of sins)?

-Let us compare for discussion-

   -How is physical love (from "sex" to "significant others" love) different from spiritual love (brotherly/sisterly; as Christ loved; as God loved)?

-How can we obtain stronger ability to love others as Christ loves?

Read:

-Luke 23:32-43

 (After reading) His love was patient, kind, not envious, boastful, or proud. He was not rude and certainly not self-seeking; nor was He angered and He kept no record of wrongs; He, in fact, erased them. Christ did not delight in evil, yet He rejoiced in truth. He protects us; He's trustworthy, He is our hope and He perseveres. Jesus Christ never fails.

-1 Cor. 13:13 Says, "These three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."