written by a very imperfect parent
I recently taught at a student retreat. The emphasis was on training young men and women to be biblical in their relationships and roles. For two of the sessions, my husband taught the boys and I taught the girls.
As I observed the young people at the retreat, an overwhelming theme repeated itself and it wasn't that of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. But rather, what caught my eye, great big letters across the forwards of most of the young people in attendance - N E E D Y.
But what could this generation need? They have Wii's and XBoxes and Nintendos and computers and plasma HDTVs with surrounded sound, cable or dish. They have iPods and cars and movies and all kinds of mass media. They have sports and concerts and fast food and clubbing. They have drugs and alcohol and sex. They have massive church youth groups if they want to be "good" and "safe" while be entertained. And, oh yeah, if all this weren't enought, they have money. What more could they need? Why was N E E D Y written across their forwardheads?
Perhaps it is because we older people keep throwing money at every problem and thereby give them more "things" that dissatisfy. So, we sit back and watch the letters, N E E D Y, grow bigger and bolder across their forwards. And the really sad thing is, as the letters get bigger and bolder, we can't see them because all we see are the Wii's and XBoxes andNintendos and iPods... and wonder why they need more.
Yes, they need more. They need more of our time, our talents, and our discipline poured into their lives. They need more than weekend retreats where teachers can touch the tip of the iceberg when teaching the Word and where counselors really don't have adequate opportunity to erase those letters, N E E D Y, that have become so intrusive in the lives of adults.
They need full time moms and dads who will love them, teach them to work, teach them to play, and give them proper discipline in their lives. But wait, far to many of these young people come from disfuntional homes where there is either a mom OR a dad. Or, they live in a home where there is a mom AND a dad but they work long hard hours to buy the Wii's and XBoxes and Nintendos, and iPods... not just for their children but for themselves as well. And mom and dad's list of toys is even bigger and even more expensive and often times not "appropriate" for the N E E D Y child.
The schools try to deal with the N E E D Y young people. They receive more grants and more stuff and different books (like 2 + 2 has really changed through the years) and better sports equipment and more clubs to join and societies to be a part of and their teachers have higher educations and can now use all these new assets to reason with the N E E D Y children. But when they leave school, it appears that not only are the letters still there, N E E D Y, but the lines of the letters are getting somewhat blurry as mixed messages fill the air.
So now the church steps in to help meet these needs. The church hires a student minister and places him or her in a room full of young people who all have the same words written across their forheads, N E E D Y. Surely this young man (or woman) who is close to their age will be able to erase those trashy letters from across the foreheads of our children. But he can't. So they increase the youth budget and guess what, they bring Wii's and XBoxes, and Nintendos, and TVs, and cable and pizza and concerts to the youth group. We'll bring it all in except for the drugs and alcohol and sex - we don't do that here.
But wait, now they leave their homes with N E E D Y written across their forwards, go to school with N E E D Y scrambled across their foreheads and then they come to church to have those nasty letters erased, only to have them even more emboldened as they leave. We've confirmed one thing, this N E E D Y thing is everywhere. It's like an irreversible tattoo.
WHERE IS THE GOSPEL!!! You know, the gospel that says, the N E E D Y need a savior, not entertainment. The N E E D Y need to be discipled in the Word by older people who may have once been N E E D Y themselves but see the need to rescue these young people from the materialist, entertainment saturated, me centered world and teach them to be confident in Christ so that they can reach out to the N E E D Y rather than be the N E E D Y.
They need order and discipline. N E E D Y should evaporate from their foreheads as the older men and women in their lives teach them to work and to play by participating with them. The N E E D Y dissipates because the need is fulfilled. The need for the community, the church and especially families to pour so much love, order and discipline into the kids that N E E D Y is wipe off their foreheads and their actions spell C O N F I D E N C E in C H R I S T because they are secure in the boundaries and the love of the Christians that God has placed in their lives.
Look for the N E E D Y, pray for the N E E D Y, invest in the N E E D Y.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Should We Spread the Wealth?
Romans 13
4for it [government] is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.
"Spreading the wealth around" is so very dangerous. It is not the biblical mandate of government to "spread the wealth" but to be a minister or servant to the people and to avenge evil. It is "because of this" [Romans 13:6] that we pay taxes, not so that the wealth can be spread.Acts 4
The wealth is to be shared voluntarily [2 Corinthians 9:7], especially by believers, to the glory of God.
When government is "spreading the wealth around", it is very dangerous because government is:
- Feeding the lie that economics is exempt from scripture.
- Promoting "class envy." "Do not covet" made the Top 10 when Moses went on the mountain to hear from God [Exodus 20]. This mandate includes the poor and middle class regarding their outlook upon the wealthy. Government should not santion envy by removing funds from one economic class to give hand outs to another in the name of "fairness".
- Redefining the scriptural ideas of justice and mercy to that of humanly defined fairness.
- Taking on a responsibility that is not scriptural [Romans 13:1-7].
- Wasting money by flushing it through an inefficient system of bureaucracy that eats away at every dollar before it gets to those who might need it. In effect, the value of the dollar is reduced. Local churches and accountable charities are far more capable of sharing the wealth than government is at spreading the wealth.
- Promoting laziness. Isn't this obvious? Yes, there are those in dire straights through no fault of their own. Most people who fall into this category have developed a network of friends and family who will make sure that they do not end up on the streets. But, social and economic history dictates that laziness is a natural biproduct of on-going handouts.
By the way, this includes health care!
Think about it.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Amy Elizabeth and Sarah Elizabeth
I finally got to see her live and in color! My new niece. Her pretty little pictures should be rotating on my blog. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Generations
This will be a quick blog. Once again, I am flabergasted by what the media can call news worthy. A certain presidential candidate (who will remain unnamed because this a general commentary not an anti-candidate commentary) has enlisted the public support of her (oops, hope that doesn't give it away) mother and her daughter. Isn't that precious.
What kind of person couldn't get the support of her mother and daughter? Why is this news?
I can only hope that if I ever run for president that I can get the support of my mother and daughter.
Mom and Stef and Kim, if you read this, please forgive the sarcasm and vote for me should I ever run for president!
What kind of person couldn't get the support of her mother and daughter? Why is this news?
I can only hope that if I ever run for president that I can get the support of my mother and daughter.
Mom and Stef and Kim, if you read this, please forgive the sarcasm and vote for me should I ever run for president!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
The United States of Oprah
America’s talk show queen has thrown in her support for a presidential candidate. She is admittedly “nervous” and feels that she had to step “out of my pew.” If I were Oprah, I probably would have done the same thing – a long time ago. I don’t blame her one bit for using her “position” of Queen of the United States to set forth her opinion on anything. Besides, I’m sure more Americans could identify her quicker than they could their own governors, mayors, or heck (pardon the strong language), even their own neighbors.
I don’t even watch Oprah. Every once in awhile an advertisement for one of her shows will catch my attention and I’ll tune in for a few minutes. She seems to be a nice lady and quite benevolent, for a queen. Then again, if I had amassed the millions (or is it billions) that she has, I’d be handing out cars and such on a regular basis too.
Oprah seems to be a woman of conviction. From ads for her show alone, I can tell that she feels deeply about every situation presented on her show. Heck (there it is again), she’s even willing to flip flop from day to day if that’s what it takes to empathize with her guest. She’s a wonderful queen.
So you see, my problem isn’t with the queen. She’s no different than the rest of us (except for the bank account). My problem is with the people of the kingdom, the people of the United States of America. Millions of voters will be persuaded by her opinion. Is this because she is an economist? Maybe it is because of her degree in history or law. Perhaps it is because has written so many good essays on foreign policy. When did Oprah begin googling “military strategy” so as to be up on the best approaches to establishing world peace? Or maybe, she is the one keeping us up to date on political issues in Wikapedia.
Get the picture? For crying out loud, Oprah is a feel good talk show host! Why should we be at all persuaded by her opinion on politics? America, where is your backbone? Is it in a Chicago studio?
The problem with America is Americans. It is our lack of conviction about anything and our willingness to follow the most persuasive opinion about everything. “Persuasive” is quite often translated “Hollywood”. Do you remember all the “stars” who were going to leave America if Bush were elected? Well, he was and they are still here and they are still giving their opinions based upon nothing other than what best suits their lifestyles – lifestyles that are in no way similar to those of the average American.
America, wake up! Do you have a world view? Do your politics follow this world view? Do you either keep up with the issues surrounding your daily life or at least seek the advice of someone with whom you are like-minded?
I am so tempted at this point to give my view on such things but I will not. My cry right now is for the people of the United States (or at least the few reading this) to know who they are and what they believe!
I don’t even watch Oprah. Every once in awhile an advertisement for one of her shows will catch my attention and I’ll tune in for a few minutes. She seems to be a nice lady and quite benevolent, for a queen. Then again, if I had amassed the millions (or is it billions) that she has, I’d be handing out cars and such on a regular basis too.
Oprah seems to be a woman of conviction. From ads for her show alone, I can tell that she feels deeply about every situation presented on her show. Heck (there it is again), she’s even willing to flip flop from day to day if that’s what it takes to empathize with her guest. She’s a wonderful queen.
So you see, my problem isn’t with the queen. She’s no different than the rest of us (except for the bank account). My problem is with the people of the kingdom, the people of the United States of America. Millions of voters will be persuaded by her opinion. Is this because she is an economist? Maybe it is because of her degree in history or law. Perhaps it is because has written so many good essays on foreign policy. When did Oprah begin googling “military strategy” so as to be up on the best approaches to establishing world peace? Or maybe, she is the one keeping us up to date on political issues in Wikapedia.
Get the picture? For crying out loud, Oprah is a feel good talk show host! Why should we be at all persuaded by her opinion on politics? America, where is your backbone? Is it in a Chicago studio?
The problem with America is Americans. It is our lack of conviction about anything and our willingness to follow the most persuasive opinion about everything. “Persuasive” is quite often translated “Hollywood”. Do you remember all the “stars” who were going to leave America if Bush were elected? Well, he was and they are still here and they are still giving their opinions based upon nothing other than what best suits their lifestyles – lifestyles that are in no way similar to those of the average American.
America, wake up! Do you have a world view? Do your politics follow this world view? Do you either keep up with the issues surrounding your daily life or at least seek the advice of someone with whom you are like-minded?
I am so tempted at this point to give my view on such things but I will not. My cry right now is for the people of the United States (or at least the few reading this) to know who they are and what they believe!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Delight
It has been very hot in St. Louis over the past few days. This is the "duh" statement of the summer! Many have offered advice on staying cool when it's hot.
1) Stay home in the air condition. Order pizza, order Chinese, eat sub sandwiches, but do not turn on the oven!
2) Go join the rest of your community at the mall or the movie theatre.
3) Drink plenty of liquids. Milk shakes seem to be one of the best liquids you can drink. (I suggest Maggie Moo's.)
4) Go to Six Flags or go to Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals.
Has the heat gotten the best of me? Can you really keep cool at two of the hottest venues in town? Are we defining "cool" and "hot" in the same way? That depends on your perspective and your company! Over the past couple of weeks of 100+ temperatures and heat indices, it has been my privilege, and I do mean privilege, to accompany some children to these St. Louis attractions. Although Six Flags has only one real "draw" left for me (Scooby Doo's Ghostbuster Ride is great), the thrill of watching a child's excitement is absolutely delightful!
You should have seen Jonathan, my nephew, when he got off of Tony Hawk's Big Spin. He came running off with a big grin telling me how cool it was. Maybe that's why they call them "thrill rides." His sister, Anna, wasn't quite as excited about the ride but overall had fun. Or, at the risk of bragging, the smile across his face and the "yippee" he voiced when Aunt Amy made the basket that won the big black stuffed Spider Man. Then, there was the second smile and "yippee" when the second ball fell in and Woody got one too. I must confess, I prayed for those shots to go in because I wanted those boys to have the big black stuffed Spider Man. It could have been the fifty-eight degrees of Meramec Caverns at that moment. I didn't notice any heat at all. A ferry tale charm enters that moment as their delight brings sheer delight to my heart.
Have you ever watched the eyes of little boys and girls when they enter a major league baseball stadium for the first time? Did you know that their eyes can look as big as the baseball itself while they take in the awe of their surroundings? Anyone who knows me, knows I love baseball. But even I can find the anticipation of nine innings of heat to be somewhat dreadful. Even I can hope that this game will not go into extra innings. But not at the Tuesday and Thursday games this week. Neither the dread of the heat in the air, nor the thrill of the heat of a fastball can compare to the delight I received as delight swept across the face of my nephew and niece on Tuesday night, and of Woody and Eddie on Thursday night. And delight, well, it never seems to end when you're at the ball park. What a joy to explain to the next generation why something is happening or what something means during the ballgame. What a venture it is to get Jonathan across fifteen sections of stands in order to have his picture made with Fred Bird. What excitement to see the camera man take aim at Jonathan and then everyone in the stadium see my nephew on the jumbo tron! What fun it is to watch Anna finally get to eat some Dippin' Dots.(If you don't know what these are, by all means, get to a game or an amusement park!) And what a thrill to see Eddie and Woody grinning ear to ear as they enjoyed the game together.
As I pondered these cool moments with these beautiful children, I began to realize who had the best time of all. You guessed right - me. And, as you have probably discerned simply through the blog title, delight is the word that painted my mind. Now, none of us are required to find a lesson in all that happens, but sometimes you can't help but go deeper when reflecting on the pleasures of life. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." I've heard Psalm 37:4 many times in my life. It is truly one of my life's ambitions to delight myself in the Lord. After a brief search, I found a couple of other verses that spell out the same message of delighting in the Lord.
Yet, something puzzled me. In the "Cool Adventures in the St. Louis Heat", it wasn't just the ones for whom the adventure was planned who received the delight. It was the planner as well. Other verses about delight began to ring a bell. Only this time, as I searched the scriptures, it was God taking delight in his people. Of the half a dozen verses that specifically enlighten us to this, Zephaniah 3:17 portrays this truth most vividly, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
A mutual delight! Why on earth would the God of all creation take delight in me? Perhaps Six Flags and baseball games can shed a little light on delight. As I wandered these parks with the children, my delight came from the fact that they were delighting in pleasures I was providing. Could it be, then, that God delights in his children when we are delighting in him and the pleasures that he provides? I think so!
So, what is my response to this truth? My response is a greater desire to understand and to know that which God calls, "pleasure." And, even more so, to know the God of all delight!
I do hope this blog somehow delights you!
1) Stay home in the air condition. Order pizza, order Chinese, eat sub sandwiches, but do not turn on the oven!
2) Go join the rest of your community at the mall or the movie theatre.
3) Drink plenty of liquids. Milk shakes seem to be one of the best liquids you can drink. (I suggest Maggie Moo's.)
4) Go to Six Flags or go to Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals.
Has the heat gotten the best of me? Can you really keep cool at two of the hottest venues in town? Are we defining "cool" and "hot" in the same way? That depends on your perspective and your company! Over the past couple of weeks of 100+ temperatures and heat indices, it has been my privilege, and I do mean privilege, to accompany some children to these St. Louis attractions. Although Six Flags has only one real "draw" left for me (Scooby Doo's Ghostbuster Ride is great), the thrill of watching a child's excitement is absolutely delightful!
You should have seen Jonathan, my nephew, when he got off of Tony Hawk's Big Spin. He came running off with a big grin telling me how cool it was. Maybe that's why they call them "thrill rides." His sister, Anna, wasn't quite as excited about the ride but overall had fun. Or, at the risk of bragging, the smile across his face and the "yippee" he voiced when Aunt Amy made the basket that won the big black stuffed Spider Man. Then, there was the second smile and "yippee" when the second ball fell in and Woody got one too. I must confess, I prayed for those shots to go in because I wanted those boys to have the big black stuffed Spider Man. It could have been the fifty-eight degrees of Meramec Caverns at that moment. I didn't notice any heat at all. A ferry tale charm enters that moment as their delight brings sheer delight to my heart.
Have you ever watched the eyes of little boys and girls when they enter a major league baseball stadium for the first time? Did you know that their eyes can look as big as the baseball itself while they take in the awe of their surroundings? Anyone who knows me, knows I love baseball. But even I can find the anticipation of nine innings of heat to be somewhat dreadful. Even I can hope that this game will not go into extra innings. But not at the Tuesday and Thursday games this week. Neither the dread of the heat in the air, nor the thrill of the heat of a fastball can compare to the delight I received as delight swept across the face of my nephew and niece on Tuesday night, and of Woody and Eddie on Thursday night. And delight, well, it never seems to end when you're at the ball park. What a joy to explain to the next generation why something is happening or what something means during the ballgame. What a venture it is to get Jonathan across fifteen sections of stands in order to have his picture made with Fred Bird. What excitement to see the camera man take aim at Jonathan and then everyone in the stadium see my nephew on the jumbo tron! What fun it is to watch Anna finally get to eat some Dippin' Dots.(If you don't know what these are, by all means, get to a game or an amusement park!) And what a thrill to see Eddie and Woody grinning ear to ear as they enjoyed the game together.
As I pondered these cool moments with these beautiful children, I began to realize who had the best time of all. You guessed right - me. And, as you have probably discerned simply through the blog title, delight is the word that painted my mind. Now, none of us are required to find a lesson in all that happens, but sometimes you can't help but go deeper when reflecting on the pleasures of life. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." I've heard Psalm 37:4 many times in my life. It is truly one of my life's ambitions to delight myself in the Lord. After a brief search, I found a couple of other verses that spell out the same message of delighting in the Lord.
Yet, something puzzled me. In the "Cool Adventures in the St. Louis Heat", it wasn't just the ones for whom the adventure was planned who received the delight. It was the planner as well. Other verses about delight began to ring a bell. Only this time, as I searched the scriptures, it was God taking delight in his people. Of the half a dozen verses that specifically enlighten us to this, Zephaniah 3:17 portrays this truth most vividly, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
A mutual delight! Why on earth would the God of all creation take delight in me? Perhaps Six Flags and baseball games can shed a little light on delight. As I wandered these parks with the children, my delight came from the fact that they were delighting in pleasures I was providing. Could it be, then, that God delights in his children when we are delighting in him and the pleasures that he provides? I think so!
So, what is my response to this truth? My response is a greater desire to understand and to know that which God calls, "pleasure." And, even more so, to know the God of all delight!
I do hope this blog somehow delights you!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Conflict of Fact and Feeling
In a recent response to "But I Can't Forgive Myself", someone asked, "What if what you know and what you feel are conflicting?"
As Christians, we should be in a constant state of "renewing our mind" (Romans 12:2). An examination of what Peter told his readers in I Peter 5:6-11 might help you understand the battle that is taking place. First, Peter reminds us to "be humble, under God's mighty hand..." Humility, under God, is never a false humility. It is always a genuine response to the majesty of God. I love how T.W. Hunt defined humility, "Humility is not thinking less of or badly of yourself, it is simply not thinking of yourself at all!" Hard words to live by apart from the Holy Spirit but none the less, it is to be our state of mind. So, in response to this "what you know" and "what you feel" conflict, ask the Lord to keep you humble by reminding you of his majesty. For those who have a proper perspective of humility, God has promised to "lift you up in due time." Let him be the one who establishes your position before others and yourself and then, give him the glory!
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." The finished work of Christ is all sufficient for every emotion we ever encounter. The finished work of Christ is also a picture of his care for you. When what you feel conflicts with what you know, a conscience decision to rely on his sufficiency and his care must be applied.
"Be self-controlled and alert." Peter is reminding us to be aware of the battle going on around us. If you and I were in Iraq right now, we would be constantly aware that the enemy could attack at any time from any where. Our spiritual war with the devil is far more real than any physical war ever fought. I intend absolutely no disrespect to our troops through this statement. On the contrary, I greatly appreciate each and every person willing to lay down their life for my freedom. We hear of the atrocities taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. They are real. They are sobering. The emphasis of the statement is meant to be an awakening of how real spiritual warfare is. We must be self-controlled (fruit of the Spirit) and we must be alert (or sober minded) to fight the war taking place in the heavenly realms. A war in the heavenlies must be fought on a different plane - that is why our weapons are different weapons and ultimately lead us to God's Word and prayer.
That old serpent, the devil, wants you to feel defeated by sin. God wants you to know that Christ defeated sin, death, and the devil through his life, death, burial, and resurrection. If ever there were a truth to "name and claim", it is this one! I am united with Christ, the Victor!
Peter was writing to Christians who were suffering terrible mistreatment. He reminds them that Christians all over the world are suffering (v. 9) and that God will "restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." This might sound somewhat strange when you are struggling with truth over feelings but receive suffering as a gift from God. Don't go looking for suffering - it will find you! But when it does come, know that God is using it to strengthen your inner man. The strengthening he provides, will indeed enable you to act more and more upon what you know is truth.
If you are struggling with what you feel concerning God's forgiveness, you are struggling with condemnation. For those who belong to him, "there is no condemnation" (Romans 8:1). Condemnation tends to be general, "You are not worthy of God's forgiveness." Conviction is straight forward, "You have sinned by ..." Condemnation lingers. Conviction last only until there is confession and repentance. I would encourage you to learn this verse and the verses that follow. I would encourage you to set forth to memorize Romans 8. Our battle is in the mind, no doubt. So, our minds must be renewed. Renewal comes through the word.
Pray. Pray God's Word. Pour your heart out to him. Let him know what the desire of your heart is. Let him know that you want to live in the victory that belongs to believers. Recruit someone to pray with you. Preferably, someone who is older in the Lord.
Remember the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Even as you pray, the Holy Spirit is interpreting your groanings (Romans 8:26). Do a study on the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. John, chapters 14-17, and Romans 8 are good places to begin.
Deep biblical issues do not have easy 1, 2, 3 or a, b, c, kinds of answers. Battle is work. Spiritual battle is work. Paul told the Philippians to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling". If you are looking for a quick, "magical" solution to overcoming feelings that deny truth, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a life long quest in the pleasures of God, you will be rewarded!
In writing this blog, I am very aware of how human I am. It is with inner trembling that I pen an answer to such an age old subject such as this. Please know that none of what is written is considered easy. Please know that in no way do I feel that I have arrived. I just hope some of what the Lord is teaching me, helps you.
As Christians, we should be in a constant state of "renewing our mind" (Romans 12:2). An examination of what Peter told his readers in I Peter 5:6-11 might help you understand the battle that is taking place. First, Peter reminds us to "be humble, under God's mighty hand..." Humility, under God, is never a false humility. It is always a genuine response to the majesty of God. I love how T.W. Hunt defined humility, "Humility is not thinking less of or badly of yourself, it is simply not thinking of yourself at all!" Hard words to live by apart from the Holy Spirit but none the less, it is to be our state of mind. So, in response to this "what you know" and "what you feel" conflict, ask the Lord to keep you humble by reminding you of his majesty. For those who have a proper perspective of humility, God has promised to "lift you up in due time." Let him be the one who establishes your position before others and yourself and then, give him the glory!
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." The finished work of Christ is all sufficient for every emotion we ever encounter. The finished work of Christ is also a picture of his care for you. When what you feel conflicts with what you know, a conscience decision to rely on his sufficiency and his care must be applied.
"Be self-controlled and alert." Peter is reminding us to be aware of the battle going on around us. If you and I were in Iraq right now, we would be constantly aware that the enemy could attack at any time from any where. Our spiritual war with the devil is far more real than any physical war ever fought. I intend absolutely no disrespect to our troops through this statement. On the contrary, I greatly appreciate each and every person willing to lay down their life for my freedom. We hear of the atrocities taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. They are real. They are sobering. The emphasis of the statement is meant to be an awakening of how real spiritual warfare is. We must be self-controlled (fruit of the Spirit) and we must be alert (or sober minded) to fight the war taking place in the heavenly realms. A war in the heavenlies must be fought on a different plane - that is why our weapons are different weapons and ultimately lead us to God's Word and prayer.
That old serpent, the devil, wants you to feel defeated by sin. God wants you to know that Christ defeated sin, death, and the devil through his life, death, burial, and resurrection. If ever there were a truth to "name and claim", it is this one! I am united with Christ, the Victor!
Peter was writing to Christians who were suffering terrible mistreatment. He reminds them that Christians all over the world are suffering (v. 9) and that God will "restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." This might sound somewhat strange when you are struggling with truth over feelings but receive suffering as a gift from God. Don't go looking for suffering - it will find you! But when it does come, know that God is using it to strengthen your inner man. The strengthening he provides, will indeed enable you to act more and more upon what you know is truth.
If you are struggling with what you feel concerning God's forgiveness, you are struggling with condemnation. For those who belong to him, "there is no condemnation" (Romans 8:1). Condemnation tends to be general, "You are not worthy of God's forgiveness." Conviction is straight forward, "You have sinned by ..." Condemnation lingers. Conviction last only until there is confession and repentance. I would encourage you to learn this verse and the verses that follow. I would encourage you to set forth to memorize Romans 8. Our battle is in the mind, no doubt. So, our minds must be renewed. Renewal comes through the word.
Pray. Pray God's Word. Pour your heart out to him. Let him know what the desire of your heart is. Let him know that you want to live in the victory that belongs to believers. Recruit someone to pray with you. Preferably, someone who is older in the Lord.
Remember the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Even as you pray, the Holy Spirit is interpreting your groanings (Romans 8:26). Do a study on the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. John, chapters 14-17, and Romans 8 are good places to begin.
Deep biblical issues do not have easy 1, 2, 3 or a, b, c, kinds of answers. Battle is work. Spiritual battle is work. Paul told the Philippians to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling". If you are looking for a quick, "magical" solution to overcoming feelings that deny truth, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a life long quest in the pleasures of God, you will be rewarded!
In writing this blog, I am very aware of how human I am. It is with inner trembling that I pen an answer to such an age old subject such as this. Please know that none of what is written is considered easy. Please know that in no way do I feel that I have arrived. I just hope some of what the Lord is teaching me, helps you.
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