Battling Inadequacy with Spiritual Gifts

As a musician in a conservatory, I know what it's like to deal with inadequacy. My colleagues and I struggle with it almost daily. We are in the business of expected perfection with imperfect results. Sound familiar? The church is very similar. I do not mean to suggest that Christians inevitably sin; I am merely saying that Christians are not God. As faithful as we are to God, we do not possess all of His attributes. I think this is obvious. However, God did bless us with spiritual gifts, an evident manifestation of a part of himself. These gifts allow us to help others in a world of imperfection. Satan will always work to make Christians believe that they are not making a difference in the world, and many times he will attempt to make the Christian feel inadequate in the face of evil. This is far from the truth -- Christians have spiritual gifts, and they have a whole team of people who have different spiritual gifts to help them battle for souls.


What is the difference between a spiritual gift and a natural-born talent or skill?

Many times people are confused by spiritual gifts. They think that the things they are naturally good at are spiritual gifts, like playing the violin or teaching chemistry. While those types of things are certainly skills and talents that God has blessed us with, it does not necessarily mean that they are spiritual gifts. Just because a Christian is a virtuoso violin player does not make him or her an automatic worshiper. A spiritual gift is bestowed by the Holy Spirit after conversion to Christ; it's often something you did not realize you had the knack for, or it is an extreme enhancement of a born talent. Oftentimes it aids you in times of crisis, or in unexpected events. It always blesses people, and it is never used for self-interest. Some people who open up their home to friends in need or strangers do not even recognize they have the gift of hospitality; they assume all people do this because it is common courtesy. Others experience a blatant increase of wisdom by the Holy Spirit in times of crisis. It is typically very clear to those witnessing the gift in action that the person is spiritually endowed. This is one of many ways for God to show his glory on earth. He works through the weak to reveal His strength.


What are the different types of spiritual gifts?

I am not going to explain each individual spiritual gift. There are several excellent resources out there for further research. I read a fascinating book on spiritual gifts. It was one of those old and forgotten books in my parents' library, called Rediscovering our Spiritual Gifts: building up the Body of Christ through the Gifts of the Spirit by Charles V. Bryant. It reminded me of the Myers-Briggs personality test, as it was a deep analysis of spiritual gifts.


Here are some Bible verses concerning gifts your reference:

Romans 12:4-8 "4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

Ephesians 4:7-8, 11-13
"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:
“ When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."


Battling inadequacy on the personal level:

I firmly believe that Satan tries to use our spiritual gifts against us. I have the gift of wisdom, but I am lacking discernment. Sometimes I mourn this, as discernment would be very useful at times! I go to my brothers or sisters who have discernment and get their help, as I cannot do everything on my own. God created us to be in a community of believers, and He uses the analogy of a body to explain it to us in 1 Corinthians 12. I am only one part of the body of Christ, but my part is essential to my community. I stop mourning that I do not have certain gifts whenever God reminds me that I am not alone in my ministry, and I cannot expect myself to single-handedly save the world. That's ridiculous. But that is what Satan tries to get Christians to believe. He whispers lies of "you're not good enough, your gift is useless here, you failed this person because you weren't what they needed".


A friend once told me that her faith was saved by a mutual friend's unrelenting persistence. Our friend had been with her through thick and thin, and it seemed as though everyone else had abandoned her. I felt truly horrible that I could have done something more than I did, and I felt that I must have neglected my duties somehow. But God reminded me that I had my own situation do deal with -- I was pursuing somebody else with unrelenting persistence and saving their faith. God orchestrated it so that every person was taken care of during this time. We each have our own battles to fight, and God makes them clear to us through time and prayer. We cannot be everything to everybody; the only person who can fulfill that is Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 "27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."


Every gift looks different. Every combination of gifts is different and can be used in unique ways. We must remember that all gifts are relevant and important, no matter how small they seem. We are all an integral part of the body of Christ, and each gift was given for a reason. Prophesy might seem more flashy than Administration, but the prophet would never have been able to organize an event without the administrator, thus making his prophesy useless!

1 Corinthians 12:20-22 "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."


Battling perceived inadequacy in the church:

There will always be those upset with the church. You know the type. They feel like Christians aren't out-going enough, or they should be trying harder to save Africa because homeless kids in America aren't enough. Some Christians get tricked into believing their own church isn't working hard enough simply because they are not tackling every single major issue in the world.


The sad reality is that churches have limited resources. Churches must maintain the emotional, spiritual, physical health of all of their members, as well as reaching out to the lost, as well as spearheading some major issue God laid on their hearts. Churches would do well to remember that they cannot save the world single-handedly. It is okay for a church to focus on one major issue and do it well, as opposed to depleting resources by being spread too thin. There are other churches and organizations that are dedicated to solving world issues. If God makes it clear that He wants the church to have a team dedicated to solving starvation in African children as well as finding homes for homeless children in America, then God bless! There is nothing stopping you, as God will find you the resources you need. People with the gift of generosity will find their gift out soon enough if they haven't already!


Recognizing strengths

I encourage you to think about the gifts God has given you. How have you used them lately? Do you have a Christian friend or mentor who know you well enough to tell you which gifts they think you have? It is very encouraging to hear what your strengths are from someone you love and respect. Dwell on what God has accomplished or will accomplish through you. Spiritual gifts are extremely powerful tools, and they are given and driven by God himself. We can use them to fight evil, to fight the lies of Satan and spread Truth to those lost in the world. Praise be to God that He would trust us with such a precious gift!

Attitude Toward Sin: Flippant or Inevitable?

I can't tell you how many times I hear a speaker attest to the wonderful things God has done in his or her life. The speaker is very passionate, gets emotional when discussing previous sinful state, and joyfully announces the victory found in Christ. The audience feels a great sense of hope and encouragement from this talk, especially when it concludes with a crescendo of passion such as "God saved me from my life of sin so that I may live a life in freedom and serve Him! Praise God!" There is an appropriately animated response of Praise God indeed. But then -- as if this is an obligatory and mandatory addendum to the speaker's testimony, he or she will say (lest they are thought of as arrogant) -- "I'm still imperfect, that's a given -- I mean, we're all still sinners" to which the audience will reply with applause and hearty head bobs. Yet, I bury my head in sadness. Why do we prize sinfulness and assume it is a necessary part of the Christian life? What should the Christian attitude be toward sin?

You might be thinking, "What's the big deal? What the speaker said is absolutely true!" The reason I get so upset when people have this flippant attitude toward sin is because it's 1) confusing to unbelievers 2) misleading to believers and 3) blasphemous to God (therefore not true). I don't mean to offend those who have ascribed to this belief all their lives, so bear with me as I explain. Again, this is a good time for me to say that if you have any issues with my analysis, please feel free to email me or talk to me.

The modern Christian church teaches that sin is inevitable and it is likely a daily part of the Christian walk. Lately confession of sin has been mistaken for humility; saying that you are not a sinner is akin to saying you believe in works-based salvation (i.e. others find you blasphemous and proud and will quote 1 John 1:8 at you). No, they will say, the proper thing to do in the church is to admit that you sin, confess your sins, and try not to do it again (but you inevitably will – because you’re a sinner). The problem with this flippant attitude, upon closer examination, is that it is unbiblical and wildly hypocritical. There, I said it. Please don’t wag your finger at me and tell me I’m not saved. I am no proponent of the works-based salvation. I simply believe that Christ is serious when He says “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Don’t think this is possible? Think this was just something to aspire to? Please continue reading.

Somebody once compared this flippant church attitude to a vegetarian who still eats meat. "I only eat meat when I can't resist it, or when it's more convenient. I'm still a vegetarian, don't get me wrong." But how does this practice look to outsiders? Instead of unbelievers thinking it's great that Christians are not holy rollers, they get disgusted that church-goers call unbelievers out on their sin, deny them marriage rights, and speak out against evil, and yet these so-called Christians still commit the same acts! What's the difference, a few spoken words of commitment? Romans 2:21-24 “you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? ²²You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? ²⁴For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written.”

It's damaging to both the unbeliever and believer to have a flippant "oh we can't beat it" attitude about sin. It's a very negative and unbiblical view. Jesus is all about freedom! Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” He came to set us free from the bondage of slavery so that we would know the fresh air of righteousness and live to serve Him. Some of the first words of His public ministry were Isaiah 61:1-3 (as seen in Luke 4:18-19 below).

¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

To say that Christians are free from sin yet still live in it does not make any sense. Think about that statement for a second. How are you set free if you are still enslaved to sin?! It's absurd! It's the biggest lie of Satan. Jesus tells us we cannot serve two masters as shown in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth.” John reiterates it in 1 John 3: 6-9 “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. ⁷Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

It is NOT inevitable for Christians to sin! What flesh we had that hindered us is now crucified and removed; there is nothing barring us from following Jesus with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength!

Galatians 5:19-24
¹⁹Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,²¹envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

I've seen a popular quote from Blaise Pascal: "There are two kinds of men: the righteous, who believe themselves sinners; & sinners who believe themselves righteous." Yet the Bible says, "Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous." (1 John 3:7) A truly righteous man knows he is righteous. The Bible states it plainly. Pascal's intention was probably influenced by a bit of Truth. It's true that the only way Christians are righteous is because they've accepted Christ (therefore admitting they were unrighteous), allowed Him to purify them, and then walk in righteousness with the Holy Spirit's leading. You cannot be righteous by your own works. Those who have not accepted Christ, who believe they need no redemption, are the unrighteous who believe they are righteous. This is what is meant by 1 John 1:5-9 “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When you read this passage in context, it is a gospel message, but I frequently hear 1 John 1:8 used to say “see? Christians still sin!” In order to be redeemed, you have to be redeemed of something. All have sinned (Romans 3:23) but those who accept Christ are purified and do not keep on sinning. To say otherwise is to say you walk in light and yet you walk in darkness as shown in 1 John above. 1 John 2:3-6 ^“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; ⁵but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected By this we know that we are in Him: ⁶the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

I am so very passionate about this topic because I believe the current teachings and attitudes about sin are straight from Satan himself. It's a disturbing thought, that the blind are leading the blind. My friends, do not serve Satan, do not even say you serve him. Make your testimony "I have been redeemed and freed from sin" and keep it at that! God gives you a way out of every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and He fights the battles for us. For goodness' sake, Jesus has already won! Live in victory and freedom, please do not allow Satan to ensnare any part of your heart. If you are a child of God, you are free. You are no longer enslaved to sin. It is not inevitable! That is the real gospel message! Praise God for His unending grace, His promise of life and freedom, and His sacrifice on the cross that makes all of this possible.

Modesty = Selflessness

I just read this recently from a fellow blogger: Modesty is a virtue. She described modesty according to its definition and encouraged her readers to think of it as more than just the way we dress. I completely agree with her. Modesty, by its definition is: “freedom from conceit or vanity; propriety in dress, speech, or conduct” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary). So why is it only seen as an undesirable way of dressing rather than a state of being?

Many women have the unfortunate habit of basing their worth on their looks; consequently, they are enslaved by vanity and conceited behavior. While this has been a troublesome area for women for many centuries, it became externally apparent through their immodest dress during the sexual revolution. Men and women alike were embracing their sexual drives before their marriages; as a result, other women started to feel pressured to be more physically involved with their male counterparts, because “everyone was doing it”. This led to the idea of the sexually alluring woman, who dressed very skimpily in order to attract a male. Many women sought after this look because they believed men expected it; many men expected it after women lowered their standards and catered to their physical needs before marriage. Soon enough it became the new standard and the media played off of it. The desirable woman embraced her sexual side before marriage and let every willing man lust after her revealed body.

The sexual revolution of the 1960’s was also accompanied by the rebellious teenagers disillusioned with the Vietnam War and their parents’ archaic ways. Any sort of association with the past seems to have been cast aside for an immediate pleasure like sex, drugs, and rebellion. The standards of the proper 1950’s and the morality-preaching church were mocked and discarded. Over time propriety seems to have been thrown out the window, as was the idea of chivalry and modesty. These ideas have stayed and worsened until now and they must change before they get worse.

I will discuss how Christians, particularly women, should view the topic of modest clothing and the mindset accompanying it. This used to be a real struggle for me until Christ took over my life. I would always try to find loopholes based around my own insecurities and selfish desires. I am grateful to God for changing my mind and heart so that I am a blessing to my brothers in Christ rather than a temptation.

9In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 1 Timothy 2:9-10

The modest mindset. As stated in the above verses, the focal point of a woman’s life should not be material possessions and looks, but Godly things like good works. A woman should first seek the welfare of others before concentrating on her appearance. This includes taking care of her family and the less fortunate. I do not believe it is a sin for women to braid their hair or wear a wedding ring or buy jewelry. I do think money is often wasted on overly expensive jewelry and clothing, which instead could be used to sustain the family and give to various ministries. I believe modest apparel stands for both the quality of clothing and the cut of it. It all comes down to intentions and selflessness when deciding what is appropriate to wear.

Luke 12:23 “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” What is the point of having designer clothes? It is typically a status symbol for people to feel proud of. I have bought some designer clothes at a highly reduced price because they are better made and better fitting than others, but my intention is not for pride’s sake. What is the point of showing cleavage, midriff, or upper legs? Most women do this because they are insecure and want to be viewed as a sex object. I do not ever think it is appropriate to willingly show skin in those areas. Sometimes things will make our modest dress immodest for a moment, like the wind blowing our skirts up or our cami’s slipping down, but those situations are fleeting accidents.

But how can we discern what is appropriate without feeling like we must wear shapeless blobs to cover up our God-given beauty? This is where the selflessness comes in. Would you ever go up to a male friend in just your underwear? No? Why not? It would very likely cause them to stumble, or be tempted to think about you in an inappropriate manner, or even to sin. I don’t believe you want the sins of another on your head. Do not EVER cause a male to feel like you, as a Christian sister, are a temptation. You know what men find attractive about the female form. So don’t display it, any of it.

It’s not my fault men look at me! I don’t ask for it! Unfortunately, animalistic men do find something about every woman to lust about, whether you intended them to or not. But if you are using this excuse to wear mini-skirts (as I used to do) then you are living in ignorance. What is your intention if you are not trying to get men to lust after you? Are you just trying to fit in with society and fashion? That doesn’t work well if you plan to follow Jesus. James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” Ouch.

What about special events or bathing suits? Do not change your values based on a special event or pool party. If you would not walk up to a male friend in just your knickers, don’t walk up to him in a bikini or inappropriate bathing suit. Do you plan to be modest for every night except Prom Night? It is difficult to find dresses that cater to modesty, but that is no excuse. There are things to insert in a dress that shows cleavage, shawls to wear around strapless gowns, and the power to just say no to skimpy clothing. If you can’t fix it to make it modest, don’t buy it. It’s as simple as that.

What about other cultures and societies? Personally, I don’t know much about the dress codes of different societies. If you are going somewhere on a missions trip I would urge you to not change your values based on geography.

My family thinks it’s immodest for a woman to wear pants. I have heard different reasons for why a woman should wear pants. Some say it is unfeminine to wear pants and some say it is not good for a woman to reveal the shape of her legs. I just say treat your legs like any other part of your body; not too short, not too tight, and not too revealing. I love to wear skirts, but if a woman is wearing pants specifically meant for a woman I don’t see anything inappropriate about it. If she were wearing pants meant for a man then I would urge her against it. If you are still under your parents’ authority (or your husband’s) you should honor their rules. There’s nothing wrong with wearing only skirts and dresses.

How can men stay modest? Men should be examples of modesty to encourage the women in their lives to also be modest. Their mindsets as men of Christ should be selfless as well, and their dress should reflect that. Men should take care in displaying their body around women; women are just as attracted to the male figure as men are attracted to the female figure. If a man would not go shirtless to church, I would advise him not to go shirtless in a pool. There’s just no need for it. Men should also take care in not wearing another too short, too tight, or too revealing (especially of the arms and midriff). I do not believe men should wear clothing designated for a woman.

It is possible for women to feel beautiful and wear stylish clothing in complete modesty every day, as well as prom night. It takes a little bit of effort and a whole lot of resolve. The world will tell you “you’re unfashionable, weird, and repressed by ineffective church rules” – don’t listen! Always remember that modesty is a mindset and reflects itself in your Christ-like external appearance and good works.

The Problem of Sin

The Lord has laid this heavy on my heart to illustrate to you the problem of sin.

Here is an extreme example: imagine a robber points at your head with a gun and says he'll let you live if you recant your faith in Christ. What is more important to you, choosing Christ and everlasting life or choosing a faithless life on earth? I assume many of you would be horrified and outraged at the thought of someone suggesting you to recant your faith in Christ. I doubt any of you would think, "Well, if I recant Christ now, He'll always take me back when I ask for forgiveness before I go to bed." or even "If I deny Christ now and live, then I can save more people for God's glory -- I won't be of any use up in Heaven anyway."

How absolutely absurd! The thought of such betrayal sickens me, and hopefully you.

But isn't that what Satan does on a small scale every day? Doesn't he point the threat of sin at your head and say "I'll satisfy your temptations if you disobey Christ"? Aren't you making a choice between sin and God every time (assuming as I do that sin is a willful disobedience against God's known Law, or the refusal to do what you know to be right)? If you choose to sin against God, it is normally accompanied with a twinge of guilt and an excuse such as "I can always ask for forgiveness" or "there's no point in looking weird -- no one will listen to me if I follow God on this one. Wouldn't He rather I bring souls to Him?" or worse yet, "the temptation is too great to bear."

You know what I say to this? How absolutely absurd. The modern Christian mindset is sickening. Many of us have been brought up to believe that sin is normal, and we try as we like, we will never be rid of it. Some are even encouraged to find disobedience necessary because it proves how very reliant we are on Christ, and portrays His grace. It is not some secret within Christianity that we, as children of a Holy God, are supposed to despise sin and love righteousness. Yet why is the modern message, "Don't judge me; I'm a sinner too!" The modern message promotes that Christians are no holier than the typical sinner in an attempt to neutralize their self-imposed inadequacy. Ironically, most non-Christians are turned off by the fact that the church preaches overcoming sin and then turns around and commits fraud or adultery. All of the failures of the modern church further prove to non-Christians that God is not worth following, because He can't even control His own people.

God is not weak! God does not say "I don't mind if you sin because I will just overlook it", or "it's okay if you sin because I can't completely cleanse you anyway". On the contrary, God commands us to be holy, to commit ourselves to Him and trust that He will perfect us in obedience, so that we may live our lives as holy and blameless children, walking in the righteousness of Him who makes us pure. We do not hide behind Christ and hope God overlooks our sin; we allow Christ to take a sledgehammer to our sin! Christ will not take a sledgehammer to it until you fully commit it to Him. There is no "return policy" on sin. You can't just say, "okay God, I will get rid of this sin for now, but I can't promise anything for later." You either commit it to God or you don't. You either genuinely repent of your sin, or you are just saying words in vain. God is not fooled by hypocrisy, and He does not accept evil. Christians cannot be both darkness and light; we cannot serve both God and sin. It is a horrible injustice and blasphemy to God's name to suggest that we are allowed to sin against Him.

Jeremiah 7:8-11
⁸ “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. ⁹ Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, ¹⁰ and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? ¹¹ Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD.

1 John 3:4-10
⁴ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ⁵ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. ⁶ Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. ⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ^{9 10} In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Hebrews 10:26-27
²⁶ For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

James 3:10-12
¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh

Romans 6:15-18
¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin instruments of righteousness to God. leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. ¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.


Just as surely as God hates sin, He keeps His promises. Jesus does not leave us to deal with Satan all by ourselves; on the contrary, the power to defeat sin is made in Christ alone. By recognizing our complete reliance on Jesus to make us pure, we are empowered to withstand temptation and choose God over sin every time. The only time it is ever hard to choose Jesus over Satan is if you love Satan more than God.

1 Corinthians 10:13
¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

James 4:7-8
⁷Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

John 14:21
²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

1 John 2:3-6
³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Romans 6:5-7
⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:11-14
¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.


If you consider sin to be unacceptable, but unavoidable, I urge you to study the above passages. God's Word says we are freed from sin when we accept and obey Him. It says that we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. There is none of this "you're still holy if you sin" or even "Christians aren't holy" that the modern church is spewing. There is a way out for every temptation, there is a choice to be made every time between sin and God. Which will you choose when the gun is pointed at your head? Do you love God enough to allow Him to completely free you from sin, or do you love your sin so much you cannot imagine a life without it?

The gun will always be pointing, so choose wisely.

Effects of the Media: Part 4 -- The Great Escape

After witnessing so much evil promoted via the media, I have to wonder why it is so alluring to people. Why do people abandon the path of the Lord and willingly follow a cheap imitation of life? I believe most of it has to do with wanting to escape the pressures of life itself, especially a life of righteousness. Since the rise of the hand-held media, humans have been escaping the need to self-reflect and sit quietly for a while. I rarely witness a person sitting quietly without earplugs or an iPod or a video game. The thought of sitting still and not doing anything but thinking or praying is terrifying to a great number of people. Why is this? Well, why should they when they can be amused and avoiding the nagging suspicion that something is missing in their life? They can attempt the fill the gaping hole in their heart with what the media claims will "complete" them, like sex or materialism.

These are the results of a culture saturated by godless media, who eagerly promote sin and a "freeing" escape from righteousness:

• Instead of focusing on God, people focus on how to get away with breaking rules.

• Instead of focusing on what makes a Godly relationship, people focus on how to improve the pleasure for self.

• Instead of self-reflecting, people distract themselves with media and consumerism.

• Instead of living life, people live it vicariously through a godless character.

Where does it lead these people? To a life of bondage, sin, and oppression and eventually -- Hell, the final and ultimate separation from God. This seems really dramatic, but it is the sad truth of our culture. We must be passionate about setting people free just as Jesus was.

Luke 4:17-21 "And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
²⁰And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Discussing the effects of the media has been a horrifying and eye-opening experience. Not wanting to sound redundant, I will shy away from replacing "Lust" with every other sin the media shamelessly promotes and leave you with the gist of my findings: Proverbs 5:1-9 (imagine the 'adulteress' as the media -- who abandon the ideals of God and all the good they could do and leap willingly into bed with Satan)

^"1My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;
²That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.
³For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
⁴But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
⁶She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
⁷Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
⁸Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,
⁹Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;"

Hopefully if you've read my previous blogs on the Effects of the Media you will see how the media twists the Truth to ensnare souls. I do not suggest that as Christians, we should permanently avoid the media; however, take great discretion and care when allowing doses of potential poison to enter your mind. The eye does not readily forget what it has seen and the lasting impressions of an alluring sinful life may tempt a soul to the point of sin.

May it never be! May we never encourage this evil to continue.

If you currently find yourself ensnared by the media -- whether with an un-Biblical mindset, relationship, or means of entertainment -- and want to escape it, there is a way out. While the media offers a cheap imitation of life as an escape, Jesus Christ is the Great Escape from all evil and unrighteousness. Call upon Him in all humility and grace to rid your life of sin. There is no sin too big to be forgiven, and there is no sin too great to escape immediately. Even if you have been addicted to porn for years, you can be set free by committing your whole heart and mind to the path of the Lord. Take heart in knowing that "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 Confess your sin to God and tell of your struggles to a trusted Christian. You are never alone; Jesus was given to set us free. John 8:36: "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

Amen.

Change of Heart: Part 2 -- Battling the Lies

Yesterday I pointed out one of many flaws in the world's thinking. I proceeded to identify the problem, divulge the Truth, recognize the stumbling blocks, and show the result of Christians defeating the lies. This is a common 4-step process the Lord reveals to me, summarized succinctly below for you to refresh your mind.

Problem: Humans have been scorned so often they tend to believe people cannot permanently change for the better; as a result, most expect and model failure and distrust for future generations.
Truth: Humans can change by the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Read Romans 6 for one example of Biblical proof, and I encourage you to look for more verses.
Stumbling Blocks: Temptation keeps us from believing the truth and has the potential to weaken our resolve. When sin is not admitted because blame is applied, it keeps us from enjoying fellowship with Jesus, who is the Truth.
Result of Applied Truth: When believers obediently follow Christ and flee temptation, they are transformed into the image of Christ. Non-believers are then inspired by our transformation and start to wonder why we are more trustworthy than everyone else.

Today I will attempt to take a more in-depth look at the Stumbling Blocks and how we can take steps to overcome them. The Bible says we can defeat temptation and requires us to flee from it. Tomorrow I hope to address a question that naturally arises with the Result: "If you can only be truly trustworthy with Jesus, is it wise to trust non-Christians?"
Very well then, let's begin.

Temptation is nasty. The world was without sin in the beginning, but temptation came before sin. Temptation stems from the ability to obey or disobey the Law. "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, 'You Shall Not Covet.' But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." Romans 7:7-12

Satan presented Eve with temptation by asking her to question the only rule God had given her. What else was there for her to question? She and Adam had everything they could ever need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There was nothing to covet, nothing to steal, nobody to commit adultery with. Adam and Eve walked with God in the Gardens. The only thing they did not have, as Satan put it, was the ability to "be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5 There was recognition of the Law, there was the temptation. And sin entered this world.

The following italicized questions are an example of every kind of frustrated excuse or complaint I had when I was in the midst of extreme temptation. The answers to my questions are an example (obviously not verbatim) of the inevitable Holy Spirit smack-down I received.

Rules, rules, rules! Why does life and Christianity have to be about following rules?! Hey, don't blame God. He tried to save humans from death by keeping them from the tree of knowledge, remember? The whole Bible is about Him planning ways to get humans back to fellowship with Him in life! Sin only causes destruction and hurt. Why do you think God hates it? These rules are for a good reason, even if you cannot comprehend it.

Well, God does not know what it is like to be faced with temptation. He's never had raging hormones and a girl/boyfriend! Actually, that is one of the reasons why God came to earth as fully man and fully God. He experienced every kind of temptation for 40 straight days with no accountability partner and no food. Jesus models for us that if you are following the Lord, it is possible to resist sin and temptation. He was even sinless through childhood and adolescence. "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." Hebrews 2:17-18

Yeah, but Jesus was God. Yeah, well Job was not! He followed hard after God and did not sin!

God won't care if I commit a tiny sin. He's got bigger things to worry about, like world hunger. Anyway, I've been saved, so it's okay if I still sin. What exactly separates a little sin from a big sin? Romans 1:18-19 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them." (bold mine) Chew on this for a while: "The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, graced abounded all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 5:20,21 - 6:1,2

It's too hard to resist! Better to sin and ask for forgiveness than be faced with unavoidable and constant temptation. Boy was I stupid. "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 No excuses there. And that whole concept of blasé "God will forgive me anyway" mentality is met with some extreme smack-down in Hebrews 10:26-27: "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries." Fear the Lord your God indeed!

I always feel guilty when I am being tempted. I feel like I ought to be above temptation, especially when I've overcome this sin. Remember that Jesus, the sinless one, was still tempted by Satan. Temptation itself is not a sin; it is when someone entertains the temptation or acts on it that it becomes a sin. Keep in mind my dorky mantra: "Once a sinner, always tempted."

The Lord was patient over these many years and combated my ignorant lies with His Truth. Can you see the progression of my thoughts? They changed from anger to shifting blame to denial to flat out disobedience until I allowed Jesus to free me from my chains of bondage. Never once did the Lord throw up His hands in disgust and smite me (though I would not have blamed Him if He did)!

So how is it that we can overcome sin and temptation, especially in the moment? How do we successfully battle the lies? Here are some practical tips I can give you from my own walk with Christ:
1) Pray -- go to God when you are being tempted, no matter how often. This is a battle of the mind, and if you can distract your mind by talking to God, Satan's got no hold over you.
2) Read Scripture -- Battle lies with Truth. You must get rid of the faulty thinking by training yourself to recite Scripture. Carry around a Bible or flashcards if you must. Find verses that encourage you and discuss your particular temptation.
3) If you're alone, go be near people; if you're being tempted by people, get alone -- in either case, it is preferable to find a safe group of Christians to take shelter in. If it's the "Christians" who are tempting you, then you need a new group!
4) Sing and listen to worship songs and hymns -- sometimes all I have to do is sing a doxology and I can feel Satan fleeing my presence like I would flee nuclear material.
5) Avoid the place or person of temptation -- go sleep on a trusted friend's couch if you must, or block that person on facebook.
6) Find an accountability partner -- get someone who is NOT struggling with the same sin to pray with you and guide you during your difficult period. Preferably find someone of the same sex if it is a sexual temptation and get somebody more mature in their walk with Christ, somebody who will not be afraid to call you out on your sin.
7) Set up appropriate boundaries and tell your small group -- whether it's a curfew, a ban on TV, or only getting on the internet when your Christian friends are around, it's necessary.
8) Get counseling from a pastor or leader -- they will be able to help you with words of encouragement
9) Be HONEST -- seriously, stop trying to make yourself look good. Do you want to get over this sin or not?
10) Flee, flee, flee! -- if you know you are being tempted, drop what you are doing and GET OUT. God does not care how stupid you look to your friends, He cares whether you are obeying Him or not.

Friends, I know you can overcome your sin. God promises you that you will not be faced with anything you cannot handle. In all honesty, it boils down to this: Do you love sin, or do you love God?

Change of Heart: Part 1 -- Identifying the Problem

God's allowed me to notice that there is a common misconception in the circles of the wounded or abandoned (so basically all of us). Wronged people have a hard time believing that humans can permanently change for the better. Why should they believe any different? Time and time again their failed relationships have proven that humans are untrustworthy creatures. The older they get, the more scorned they become as our spouses leave them and our business partners betray them. It is only natural to take the cynical approach so that they may guard their hearts and protect their loved ones from the same pain.

Unfortunately, this falsified protection they feebly use as resistance becomes the source of power for The Liar (aka Satan) and his cronies. Automatically they find themselves becoming more and more cynical of human behavior -- and rightly so, if they dare to turn on the news. Trusting humans becomes dangerous, almost laughable, and will most certainly lead to destruction. The intentions of any kind-hearted individual are tainted by the sins of those who came before him or her. The bold pronouncement of a newly inspired teenager to say "This is wrong; I will change!" is greeted by rolled eyes and an illegal promotion of "safe" underage drinking by those who "know better". Those who attempt to change from their negative ways are seen as doomed to repeat their actions; worse still are those who believe that such a person could change -- how naive! It is better to expect failure and guard against making it worse than trying to stop it. After all, it's just their personality type -- it's in their blood, their hormones! We can't change who we are.

Hopefully you're starting to see the lie in this.

Our society places the expectation of failure on our heads before we even attempt to change for the better. A common phrase I hear is, "Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic". I believe the original purpose of that phrase was to keep alcoholics out of temptation -- if they believe they are "fixed" and able to drink and control the urge, they will inevitably fall back into their old ways and destroy what they have worked so hard to achieve. It is smart for alcoholics to recognize their weakness and avoid it. I have no issues with this phrase. The issues I have are the lies that have latched themselves onto an idea like this. Let me replace "alcoholic" with something generic, like "sin" itself.

What would you say if I said "Once a sinner, always a sinner"? There is something fundamentally wrong about that statement! The Bible completely contradicts that statement over and over. Just read Romans 6 and you will know what I'm talking about. Romans 6:6-7 "our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin." or Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." and the wonderful Romans 6:22-23 "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NASB translation) Praise be to God, once we accept Him as our Savior we are cleansed from our life of sin!

Now, since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), it is definitely required to flee from temptation the way alcoholics do. The Bible says to "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18) We are even told that we can "resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). What amazing grace God shows us! He changes what was once rotten flesh and replaces it with His purity and light. God patiently teaches us how to change for the better in His Image, and when we pursue Him with all of our hearts, that change is permanent.

Remember: just because God has delivered you from sin does not mean you can flirt with that area of temptation. My mantra might turn into "Once a sinner, forever tempted". Perhaps you are finding it difficult to change and resist temptation in the first place, even when seeking Christ. Take heart, for "no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (italics mine) There is no temptation that you cannot overcome if you are truly seeking God's righteousness. You must rely completely on God and flee temptation; you must believe that God can change your heart! The Lord will not turn away from you or give up on you, so you can trust Him even when you cannot trust humans.

Sometimes, however, the problem lies with the admission of sin in the first place. My friend, do not fall into the trap of believing that God's commandments do not apply simply because He created you to be a sexual being, or because you're young, or because He has "bigger" things to worry about. There is no society too civilized to be convicted of sin.

God can and will change your heart, your personality flaws, your mind -- if you let Him! Allow the most trusted and faithful Lord of the universe to heal your wounds and lavish you in His love. Come into His presence on bended knee and ask Him to reveal to you how you can change permanently, so that you can properly reflect the character of Christ. Then Satan's lies can be destroyed by Truth and non-Christians will be inspired to know why we, as recipients of God's grace and transforming power, are more trustworthy than the average joe.

When God's people earnestly seek Him, only then can we transform the world. This is change I can believe in. It is God-driven, and God-inspired.

This is my prayer; will you join me in it?