Category Archives: Christian Living

#bgbg2, Christian Living, Church and Ministry, Faith, Friendship, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Life Issues, Medical, Missions and Evangelism, Patti Greene, Testimonies, Uncategorized

“Your Mission, Should You Decide to Accept It . . .”

October 17, 2019 Patti Greene 1 Comment

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

Any child of the 1960s will recognize those words, intoned from a clandestinely placed tape recorder each week as Jim Phelps calmly accepted one dangerous and logistically challenging assignment after another on the ironically titled TV spy series “Mission: Impossible”.

Phelps always accepted the mission, and never failed in his efforts!

We as Christians are given the Great Commission by Jesus Christ, a “mission” He urges us to accept. Like on the TV show we have great latitude in determining where, when and how we undertake this objective, as well as who will help with bringing it about.

Our success rate will probably be less than 100%, at least in our estimation, but the important thing is that we, at some point, in some way, “accept the mission”. – Ed.

Off to Belize City, Belize

In 1989, I boarded a plane with my husband and off we went from Houston, Texas on our first mission trip to Belize City, Belize, Central America. Our sleeping arrangements involved single bunk beds on a cement floor in the dank basement of a missionary couple’s home. Roaches flew by as I tried to fall asleep, and I recall the exact words I said to my husband: “How in the world could you take me to this God-forsaken place?” Of course, as I look back, it was mostly the cockroaches that invoked this question, which was more a declaration of my mental state at the time.

As I think about my comment, I realize that missions and evangelism are all about bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to “God-forsaken places” like this one but with my first experience, I could not get beyond the “cockroach mentality” and my disdain for the creatures. Fortunately, in time, I was blessed by many of the lovely people I met on my subsequent trips to Belize. Praise God!

Bible Verse

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) implores us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

While some are called to give up money and their livelihood to follow the Great Commission, others will be called to a different mission, purpose, or place. What is important is to seek out God’s individual plan for our lives, and to obey His direction at every stage.

From a United States Citizen’s Perspective

As a resident of the United States, it is sometimes difficult to even imagine the poverty some people live in daily in other parts of the world. It is hard to conceive of worshipping in a run-down shack without air conditioning or sanitation. A.W. Tozer, a self-taught theologian, and a fearless preacher said, “Evangelical Christianity is now tragically below the New Testament standard. Worldliness is an accepted fact of our way of life. Our religious mood is social instead of spiritual.” ¹ We are now seeing churches sporting cafés, movie theaters, gymnasiums, and even local fashion shows.

For those reading this who are from an “advanced” country, have you ever considered that the reason we have been blessed with such relative abundance may be so that we can give generously to the cause of evangelism, rather than to our pleasures and wants? While many are trusting God in total dependency in living out their calling, so many others (even believers) have little regard for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have become so “ME-centered” that the Lord hardly even seems present in their lives other than an occasional church service or a cursory glance at the Bible.

Satan’s Perspective

It is important to remember that Satan does not want us to be involved in any missionary or evangelical endeavor. Period! His desire is for us to either stay neutral on the subject or to become more centered in our own lives so that they revolve around us, and what makes us happy, rather than around the lives of others.

Sometimes those in mission work get so discouraged seeing so few showing an interest in their Christian beliefs or evangelism. This is another way our enemy seeks to degrade work done for the Kingdom, by attacking not only the missionary (through discouragement) but the supporter as well (through apathy, sloth and other distracters).

God’s Purpose

Regardless, God’s purposes will always be fulfilled. Even today, we can see the Holy Spirit operating around the world in many different nations. Many are coming to accept Christ where the Gospel has never been preached before. Salvations are occurring despite witchcraft, demonic influences, and secular rites and rituals. People are accepting Jesus Christ despite the fear of imprisonment, the fear of beheading, and the fear of being ostracized.

It is happening because of the prayers of believers. Maybe you are praying for a missionary, a specific country, a mission trip, or donating to help others participate in the Great Commission. If so, you are part of a wonderful opportunity by allowing the Holy Spirit to use you in His work.

As we pray for souls to be saved, let us remember the profound words of South African writer, teacher, and Christian pastor Andrew Murray. In Pray for the World, Murray is quoted saying, “Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, above all that we ask or think.” ² God does work in mysterious ways!

Advancing the Cause of Jesus Christ

Below are some ideas on how we can advance the cause of Jesus Christ. They are listed in alphabetical order, but all are worthy of equal consideration to the same degree.

Adopt and pray for a country. Ask the Lord for the Holy Spirit to seek out the lost and lead them to Him;
Be obedient to whatever or wherever the Lord leads;
Befriend a person(s) from a different culture or country;
Have a “missions fair” at your church.
Participate in a mission trip – local or foreign;
Provide mission-centered training in your church or organization;
Research your country. Learn as much as you can about the culture, land, religion, livelihood, population, ethnic groups, economy, literacy, languages, education, and more. [This is a nice family activity to do.]
Seek out opportunities for involvement.

What Happened Because We “Accepted The Mission”

Because we accepted the Great Commission and journeyed to Belize, we were able to be witnesses for Jesus Christ to the Belizean people. My husband John, our three children (ages 8, 6 and 4 at the time) and I spent our time in the Central American nation becoming lifelong friends with our hosts, Pastor Tony of Punta Gorda Baptist Church and his family, as well as other members of the local community. Fortunately, we still communicate with Tony’s adult children to this day.

John preached his first sermon there. I helped design the layout for a bookstore. Most importantly, John worked with the Southern Baptist Mission Board and trained Tony in the process of him becoming a fully-ordained pastor.

We ministered to Tony and his family well beyond that trip to Belize. When Tony developed kidney disease due to his uncontrollable diabetes, we let him stay at our home in St. Louis. Later, John arranged for him to get into a program at a downtown Houston hospital. At the time, dialysis was unavailable in Punta Gorda, and as a result, he had to travel regularly the 167 miles to Belize City for treatment, so we brought Tony here to the United States for more focused medical care.

Remember what I said earlier about the reason for having abundance is to share it with others? Recall that Luke tells us, “everyone to whom much was given, of [Him] much will be required. (Luke 12:48 ESV). We gave Tony and his family cars. We paid for their youngest daughter’s high school education. Some people might call my telling you this “braggy”, but I simply say it’s the kind of thing our Lord expects of us.

In sustaining the pastor and his family, we, in fact, supported the spreading of the Word by removing obstacles and distractions which would otherwise have hindered its free flow. That, above all other blessings we have been able to provide, is the most enduring.

Sadly, diabetes ended up taking Tony’s life, but his desire and work to bring the Word of God to the people of Belize lives on.

What I Learned on Our Mission Trips to Belize

Going to Belize was my first mission trip. It was “eye-opening“—except when I closed my eyes to avoid those huge cockroaches at night. I learned I could do without my eyeliner and my eyelet bedspread.

But what I couldn’t avoid was the eyesore of poverty that confronted me every day. After urinating in a dirt hole in the ground, I was thankful for an outside toilet. After watching seven-and eight-year-old boys steal in order to purchase food, I was thankful we had enough to feed our own children. After seeing the native Belizeans shop at different grocery stores based on their political parties, I was thankful for our relatively stable public life in this country.

Secure in Their Faith

However, what amazed me the most was that the native Christians I met were solid and secure in their faith. They possessed a faith that I had never seen before. Their walk with the Lord was so evident by the fruits in their life, i.e. love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). I saw that they HAD TO depend on their relationship with God to sustain them for food, water, shelter, and more.

The churches we visited had pastors that cared that people accepted the gift of salvation. They preached with a firm voice as if it might be their last time to preach—and knowing the violence that surrounded them (at least in Belize City), any preaching experience very well could have been their last!

In all, my husband John has made ten trips to Belize. I myself have been along on three of those journeys. We keep “accepting the mission”, because, as long as there are unsaved people walking the Earth, it never ends…

Conclusion

Evil is abounding right now in every corner of the world. Let’s increase our faith, shape our Christian ministries, and pray sincerely for the Holy Spirit to be a mighty force in reaching the world for Christ. And let’s remind ourselves that God desires salvation for ALL people – even those in “God-forsaken” countries!

Bible Verses:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus. Thank you for my salvation through Jesus Christ. Lord, please soften my heart so I am more sensitive to the eternal and spiritual needs of others. Let me pray for the Holy Spirit to gently guide me to the purposes and callings You have already planned for me. Provide opportunities for me to see through Your eyes and give me the courage and willingness to respond. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member; BibleGateway Blogger, Member; SBC, Church Member

Edited by E. Johnson.

Works Cited

¹ Tozer, A.W. “The Swamps of Low-Grade Christianity.” Global Christian Center. Web. Accessed 7 Oct 2019. https://globalchristiancenter.com/devotions/morning-muse/33922-the-swamps-of-low-grade-christianity.

² Murray, Andrew. “Andrew Murray Quote about #Everything, #Beware, #Prayer, Unbelief.” All Christian Quotes. Web. Accessed 7 Oct 2019. https://www.allchristianquotes.org/quotes/Andrew_Murray/141/

New American Standard Bible. BibleGateway.com. Web. 16 Oct 2019.

All Bible verses are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

===============

Patti Greene is a fun-loving (but serious) coffee drinking wife, mom, and Grammi! She serves as a Bible teacher and Sunday School helper in her home church where her husband also teaches in Katy, Texas. She writes and speaks with the sole purpose of leading and maturing others in Jesus Christ and His everlasting love. To receive blogs from GreenePastures.org delivered straight to your email, please email her at [email protected] with your email address, and you will be added to the email listing. You will need to confirm your decision to be added to the blog by email. You can also catch up with her on her Twitter feed at (@PattiGreene13) or her Facebook Patti Greene-Pastures page at (https://www.facebook.com/author.greene).

Books by Patti Greene [Order today for Christmas]

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13 #PattiGreene13 #bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, People in the Bible, Testimonies, The Bible

Wanna Banana?

September 6, 2019 Patti Greene

Driving: A Common Life Experience

One day at a busy intersection in Houston, I geared myself up to hit the gas pedal—holding tightly to the steering wheel waiting. However, my deep desire to accelerate quickly was held back by the red traffic light staring right at me.

While sitting at this busy juncture, I was also trying to psyche myself into a spiritual high by listening (and fake singing) to the blaring voice of Andre Crouch singing My Tribute—a popular Christian song from the ’70s!

Immobilized by the traffic light, I was situated as a prime target for an aged homeless man who was only a few feet away from me, resting on an old overturned white paint bucket.

Experience: Provided by Our Culture and Beliefs

When we lived in Nigeria a few years ago during our temporary relocation to that country, I was trained not to open our car windows to the beggars and to only look straight ahead. My husband’s company security regulations drilled into us that, as expatriates, we should never have eye contact with the street people—the “down-and-outers”. I did understand the strict company policy was in place to keep us safe! But now I was here in the United States. Expatriates are people who live outside their native country, but now I was on my home turf!

My mind rewound to my pastor’s recent sermon about how valuable people are. While I can’t exactly quote what he said, I do remember the gist of his sermon that addressed how un-Christlike it is if we can’t even look a homeless person in the eye—which was exactly what I was doing!

Making the matter worse was I was trying to soak up His blessings while listening to such “Godly music”:

With His blood, He has saved me; with His power, He has raised me; to God be the glory for the things He has done . . . Just let me be, pleasing Lord to thee and if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.

A Banana: Provided by a Reluctant Believer

How could I not look this homeless man in the eye while listening to those Christian music lyrics and not give him something?

Just let me live my life; Let it pleasing, Lord to Thee

I had no cash—and if I did, it would take longer than the red light gave me to dig through the bottom of my purse to find some loose change.

Wait! I had a banana that I had just put in my purse for my lunch. Not just any banana. It was a beautiful, large yellow banana—perfectly shaped and ripe for a luscious eating experience!

I pulled that banana out of my purse, rolled down my window, and asked the man, “Wanna banana?” I gave him the only thing I had.

His blood-shot blue eyes sparkled, and he looked right into my eyes. On top of that, his “larger-than-life” smile contained more gratefulness and sincerity than I had experienced in a long time, even among my Christian acquaintances. If only his eyes could talk.

Conviction filled my heart as I thought that just a few seconds earlier I couldn’t – possibly wouldn’t – even turn my head to look at him.

Meat: Provided to the Israelites

After two decades of being captive in Egypt, Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt to enter the Promised Land that was given to the Israelites by God. Unfortunately, that generation did not make it to the Promised Land due to sin: rather, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Early on, the people complained about the lack of food. But God, in His goodness, provided water and food for them. He took care of His people.

This reminded me that God still takes care of people today—whoever they are. In this case, even the homeless man in Houston merited divine favor. Who was I to judge whether he was deserving or not?

⁸Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.”

⁹Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your grumblings.’” ¹⁰It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. ¹¹And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

¹³So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. ¹⁵When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. (Exodus 16:8-15)

Bread and Fish: Provided to Five Thousand

Our needs are known by God. In the gospels when 5,000 people were hungry, Jesus’ compassionate nature responded with action. He did not send people away hungry. He fed the entire multitude with a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish. Many commentaries propose that this miracle — which is recorded in all four of the gospels—suggests that our Lord really wants us to understand that we should be loving and benevolent to the hungry and hurting people we encounter.

¹³Now when Jesus heard about John [how John’s head was brought on a platter and given to the Herod’s daughter, and how she brought it to her mother], He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.¹⁵When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” ¹⁷They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, ²⁰and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. ²¹There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

Acknowledgment: Provided by God

As he took my banana and started to peel it, the homeless man said something. I know it was more than a “thank you.” But because of my blaring Christian music, I couldn’t hear him.

I wish I knew what he said, but within my soul, I heard, “Patti, you’re my good and faithful servant. You just practiced kindness. Thank you.”

Bible Verses

He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor. (Proverbs 22:9)

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21)

But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” (Acts 3:6)

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

Prayer

Heavenly Father, teach me Your ways. Let me never look down on anyone. You have made everybody in this world. Continually remind me that sharing Your love with others through my words and deeds is what You desire from me. As Titus 3:14 prompts us all, let me learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs so that my actions will be fruitful. Amen.

God Bless.

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member; BibleGateway Blogger, Member; SBC, Church Member

Edited by E. Johnson.

Works Cited

New American Standard Bible. BibleGateway.com. Web. 5 Sept 2019.

To receive blogs from GreenePastures.org delivered straight to your email, please email me at [email protected] with your email address, and I will add you to the email listing. Thank you.

Books by Patti Greene [Order today for Christmas]

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13 #PattiGreene13 #bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Life Issues, Medical, Most Recent Post, People in the Bible, Sin, Testimonies, The Bible, Uncategorized

Targeting Sorrow

July 12, 2019 Patti Greene 4 Comments

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sorrow as “deep distress, sadness, or regret, especially for the loss of someone or something loved.” ¹

Admit it: we all face sorrow at one time or another.

Sorrow fills our hearts at different times and under different circumstances throughout our lives. We may be distressed over a divorce, disappointed we didn’t get accepted into the college we desired, or regretful because of a poor decision.

King David Faced Sorrow

Old Testament King David experienced both joy and sorrow.

Joy filled his heart when he dedicated and devoted his life to God. Furthermore, on the battlefield, David’s military power and strength exceeded that of all other leaders, earning him the admiration of his God-given abilities and gifts.

However, at other times, David resembled a godforsaken failure. As a child, David lived in obscurity compared to his older brothers. Later in life, though, he defeated Goliath! In his youth, he was constantly running away from King Saul because Saul became jealous of David’s success. As an adult, he lived with harsh consequences due to his sexual lust for (and relationship with) Bathsheba and then his subsequent murder of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah.

As to be expected, David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba caused him extreme grief and undue sorrow.

David’s Success Plummets

David, who once held a familial relationship with King Saul, escaped from Saul’s horrific wrath by reducing himself to hiding in a cave. David’s psychic characterized his enemies as snarling dogs waiting to attack. All the while knowing that his refuge was in the Lord. David acknowledges his disdain for his enemies in Psalm 59:13-15, where he writes:

¹³Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah.
¹⁴They return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And go around the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food
And growl if they are not satisfied.

We can glimpse more clearly the heart of David as he pleas for God’s help in Psalm 56.

¹ Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me;
Fighting all day long he oppresses me.

2 My foes have trampled upon me all day long,
For they are many who fight proudly against me.

3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.

4 In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can mere man do to me?

5 All day long they distort my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They attack, they lurk,
They watch my steps,
As they have waited to take my life.

7 Because of wickedness, cast them forth,
In anger put down the peoples, O God!

8 You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me . . .

13 For You have delivered my soul from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of the living. (Psalm 56:1-9;13)

David’s pure and unadulterated prayer to God exposed his dilemma, pleas and desires.

His dilemma: He tells God His foes were fighting him (Psalm 56:1-2);
His plea: He asks God to put his tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8) and;
His desire: He asks God to be gracious to him and to cast his enemies forth, so he may walk before God. Psalm 56:1, 7, 10.

David approached God in confidence—all the while knowing that God knew the true state of his circumstances and heart.

God knows the true state of our hearts as well. When the walls are closing in around us and when we cry out to the Lord, the prudent thing to do is to follow David’s example by sharing everything that is on our heart with Him. At many times, our thoughts and desires are meant only to be expressed to God. Some say, “Why should we tell God? He already knows everything.” But, when we share our inner thoughts with Him, He is pleased to see us entrusting our lives to Him in prayer and conversation.

Only God knows the true state of our hearts—not the person sitting next to you, your parents, or your spouse.

What Thoughts Should Fill Our Mind When We Are Sorrowful?

Deal With Sorrow

My sorrow is beyond healing. My heart is faint within me! (Jeremiah 8:18)

Tweet This

We all experience sorrow at some point in our lives: the death of a parent, a divorce, an unfulfilled desire, a jealous spirit. If you haven’t experienced sorrow yet, it will come.

The emotional pain from our circumstances can linger for years or decades. Some carry grief, regret or sorrow their entire lives by ignoring the pain and blocking their sorrow. Be that as it may, blocking our sorrow can cause serious problems, such as suicidal thoughts, hate and physical illnesses.

To illustrate this point, let’s look at the agonizing pain of a broken heart—medically called takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Broken hearts can affect men and women, and young and old. Doctors now say that having a broken heart is real: it mimics heart attack symptoms and can lead to heart failure. ²

I know it’s real. I experienced it as a young adult due to a boyfriend-girlfriend breakup—although at that time there was not a medical term for what one experiences with undue pressure, stress and sorrow. It took six months to finally release the severe heaviness stirring in my heart. Then decades to release the emotional pain!

Let’s take care not to dismiss the extreme pain many high school students and young adults feel when losing a relationship or any desire of the heart. God knows and cares about all these types of experiences.

We need Him to hold our sorrows and tears so we can move on and be useful to Him, and when we are being used by Him, we will flourish in our Christian walk.

Cry: Tears – Chasing a Rabbit

You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. (Psalm 56:8)

Tweet This

God loves us so much that He puts our tears in His bottle. Some Hebrew Bible scholars use the word wineskins or containers in place of the word bottle. The opening of a wineskin is so small that liquid can be poured in carefully resulting in very little evaporation. Either way, David asks God to look at his tears of fear and pain. David’s tears were so precious that He preserves each one. He does the same for us.

There are three types of tears: Basal tears, irritant tears, and emotional tears.

Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated. These tears are needed to prevent damage from the sun, air, or debris.

Irritant tears occur when we are hit by the wind, sand or even an onion.

Emotional tears show up in moments of intense feelings; sometimes joy, but more often sorrow. They contain stress hormones.

Our eyes generate tears under all these circumstances. This is one reason that crying is therapeutic when we are under a lot of stress. ³

In Here’s Scientific Evidence That Crying Can by Therapeutic, Anna Almendrala states, “new research shows that while shedding a few tears leads to a dip in mood immediately after the crying jag, about 90 minutes later people report feeling even better than they did before they had reason to cry.” ⁴

In Psalm 56, David was experiencing emotional tears. When we are going through an emotional crisis, our emotional tears pour out and are collected by our Heavenly Father as were David’s tears. Then when God has prepared us, trained us, and is ready to use us, He will use those tears. He will tilt that bottle or wineskin until the tears that you have shed can be used for His glory.

Jesus was not ashamed to shed tears. He wept at the raising of Lazarus. He wept over Jerusalem. And, He wept in agony at Gethsemane.

The Lord is aware of our suffering and sorrow. Crying is a gift from God, and He wants to bottle up our tears and record them in His book. (Psalm 56:8c)

Remember, Life Happens

Tweet This

Toilets break, dates are broken, jobs are lost, children have life-long illnesses, parents disown their children, young couples encounter infertility, spouses die, malignant tumors appear out of nowhere. I love what my pastor recently said when he said, “anything that can happen to anyone else can happen to us.” So true!

It is vitally important that we know what to do when “life happens”—this includes emotional, mental, physical or spiritual misfortunes. Often times, we see our trials as solely physical, but trials can be emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual in nature.

The problem is we insist on running our own lives when we really need to be still and set our sights on God. Sometimes our pain is so deep, we can’t even talk to others about it, but we must talk to God. When life happens and tears fill our eyes, we must remember that God is right there with us as we cry, mourn and seek peace.

Jesus guides believers through life. Unfortunately, sometimes we act like we are “La-Z-Boy believers”, i.e. too lazy to be still before God; too lazy to read our Bible; too lazy to pray; too lazy to make some Christian friends. Let’s change that today!

In Our Sorrow, God Always Has a Plan For Us

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Tweet This

Our Lord deeply desires to give us peace when we encounter sadness and sorrow. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could bank on the fact that God knows our future and the future of our family? Well, we can!

Most of us don’t want to go through any circumstances that would refine us to be all God wants us to be. We take our wounds and try to hide them, so the same wounds keep coming up time after time; marriage after marriage; job after job. Then, bitterness sneaks in.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Folks, life throws us curves. We need to anticipate the curves. We need to be” pre-prayed up” so we are ready when those curves come speeding toward us. We must learn to trust God always, even when we cannot understand what is happening. If you are anxious about the future, turn to God. When you are confused, take refuge in Him because He has a plan for our lives.

Look at your afflictions and sorrows as a means God has chosen to refine, purify and mold you into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.

“God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them.” — C. S. Lewis

God Uses Our Sorrow and Suffering for His Glory

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.(Hebrews 2:10)

Tweet This

God is doing a great work in us that can only come to fruition as we learn to trust Him, no matter how dark and dreary our life may seem. When we stop asking God why we are experiencing sorrow, and instead start applying our pain and sorrow for His glory, a milestone in our Christian life has been reached!

Pastor Tony Evans compares our sorrows to “The Temptations” hit song My Girl. When the song lyrics say, “When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May,” Evans says, [Look! My external circumstances are bad, but what can make me feel this way—My girl. He had a love relationship. You may be in a cloudy situation, but when it’s cold outside you can still have the month of May. My God can change your emotional strongholds]—when you have a relationship with God. ⁵

Every person must make the crucial choice to choose God or not choose God. By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, we develop trust in Him knowing He will control our lives way better than we can. Why? Because He knows the big picture, and we don’t!

Most often, those who have had the deepest spiritual impact in the world are those who have endured the most suffering because suffering produces holiness, strength and endurance.

Looking back over your life, where have you come from? What circumstances have happened in your life? Have you asked God what He wants you to do? He probably won’t show you the big picture of your life—even though He knows it! But we have the joy and privilege of asking Him to show us one step at a time.

Ask the Lord the following questions:

What needs to be refined in my life?
What areas do I need to improve upon? [My sins and logs]
Then repent, move on, and ask Him how He can use you.

When We Surrender Our Lives to Jesus Christ, He Will Give Us Peace

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Tweet This

Let God carry your earthly burdens and concerns.

In addition, one thing I have learned in life is that “surrendering all to God” can be the most painful task we can undertake. It is painful because we have to confess our sins, give up all our earthly desires and trust solely in Him. It may not come all in one sitting. It may come over time. But through the pain, God is refining us, maturing us and making us more Christ-like. And as believers, that should be our ultimate goal, even if it is a grueling task, because our job is to joyfully endure to the end of our earthly life.

As I have grown in my walk with the Lord, I know the more time I spend with God reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on His Word, and releasing my cares, sorrows, and trials to Him, the more I want to obey Him and His Word.

Conclusion

Moreover, as we each move through our earthly life, let’s not forget that, in that life, we all experience sorrow in the form of deep distress, sadness, or regret. We will all make mistakes and blow it—just like David did. But, let’s not dwell only on David’s failures. Let’s look at how He chose to sum up the lessons learned as he imparts his wisdom to his son Solomon.

“As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.” (1 Kings 2:1-3)

Bible Verses

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:3)

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer

Oh, my dear Jesus. When times of sorrow fill my heart, let me remember You foremost. Let me come to You and share my sorrows, concerns, and trials. Let me lay them at Your feet. You are my comforter. It is in You whom I want to always depend upon and trust. Help me to be all I can be for Your honor and glory. I love you. Amen.

God Bless.

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member

BibleGateway Blogger, Member

SBC, Church Member

Works Cited

¹ “sorrow.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2019. http://www.merriam-webster.com (1 July 2019).

² Q13 News Staff. “Doctors say having a broken heart is real: Here are the symptoms.” Web. 14 Feb 2018.

³ Roizen, Michael. “What are the three different types of tears found in our eyes.” Sharecare. Web. Accessed 1 July 2019.

⁴ Almendrala, Anna. “Here’s scientific evidence that crying can be therapeutic.” Web. 25 Aug 2015.

⁵ Evans, Tony. “Overcoming Emotional Strongholds.” Podcast. One Place. Web. Accessed 29 June 2019.

Edited by E. Johnson.

All verses are from the New American Standard Bible unless noted otherwise.

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, Doctrine, Faith, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Patti Greene, Prayer, Sin, Testimonies, The Bible

What Everybody Ought to Know About Spiritual Warfare

June 15, 2019 Patti Greene 1 Comment

Spiritual Warfare—An Introduction

What is Spiritual Warfare?

Spiritual warfare is the struggle between spiritual principalities and our human weakness—evil vs. good!

For our spiritual well-being, there are many lessons in the Bible which Christ-followers should be mindful. Lessons abound such as how to manage money, how to pray, how to grow from babes in Christ into mature Christians, and more.

In this article, we will be looking at one vital lesson: Combating sin before it begins! And that usually involves believers engaging in some level of SPIRITUAL WARFARE. We will learn how spiritual warfare operates in the lives of Christ-followers and how to face the battles when they come upon us. In understanding how to contend with the struggle between good and evil, knowledge of the following terms or phrases are requisites: spiritual warfare; the adversary—Satan and his demons; testing, trials, and temptation; and Jesus Christ—our mediator. This exposé will address spiritual warfare and how to overcome the temptation to sin.

Books, articles, and sermons have been written on the topic of spiritual warfare, and in many of these works, authoritative figures discuss the difficulty of sharing this topic. It is difficult because Satan does not want believers to be aware of his schemes and tactics.

This article is no different. There have been multiple roadblocks in preparing this article—time constraints, issues with unworthiness, and fighting spiritual warfare myself. I prayed extensively, read God’s Word for hours, and fought the fear of misspeaking. My notes and drafts for this article have been on the shelf, off the shelf, back on the shelf. If I misspeak, I apologize. I know many different opinions abound on the topic of “spiritual warfare.” But, now I am ready to “bite the bullet” and push the “publish” button. Happy reading.

My Dangriga Story

Back in 1992, my husband and I, along with our children—ages 2, 4, and 6—were traveling in an old dilapidated school bus through the country of Belize. Our eight-hour bus trip originated in Belize City and the final destination was to be Punta Gorda—a poor seacoast city in Southern Belize. Midway through our journey, about 20 miles outside of the city of Dangriga, an extremely evil presence fell upon me. The closer we came to the city, the stronger this presence felt.

Around nine o’clock in the evening, the bus stopped for a short break in Dangriga. My daughter and I had to use the restroom but to get there the family had to split up since the men’s facilities were behind where the bus stopped. Unfortunately, my daughter Jennifer and I had to cross a wide, pitch-black deserted street. Being frightened by the eeriness and evilness of the town, I tightly held six-year-old Jennifer’s hand. The atmosphere exuded danger and wickedness. Being weighed down by oppression I had never felt before, I feared an attack on our lives. I was terrified we would never make it back to the bus after our jaunt to the toilet. While in the dark stand-alone structure, I began to whisper the name of Jesus over and over in my mind. Notice I did not call on the name of Jesus verbally; I was too petrified to draw any attention to ourselves.

After crossing the street and making our way back to the bus, Jennifer and I mounted the bus steps, and the family proceeded to Punta Gorda. It was only after we traveled about 20 miles outside of the city that I felt the heavy burden leave me.

Satan is Real

Later, I learned that traditional witchcraft was prevalent in Dangriga. The Garifuna—an ethnic group of people living in Dangriga—were known for contacting the spirits of the dead and for their faith in shamanism, a spiritual practice that interacts with the spiritual world.

I share this story to tell you that Satan is real. He and his demons roam the earth looking for those they can devour. His presence comes in many ways, even today. We can feel his demons operating; maybe not so dramatically or even in the same way.

Satan Roams

The spiritual warfare I will be addressing here is the kind where temptation dominates in Christ-followers’ lives—the kind which impacts believers’ hearts to the point of deep agony, a piercing pain, or a tormenting temptation.

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it” (Job 2:2)

Satan approaches believers with the goal of destroying those who love Christ. But before I get too far in this article, I am going to give you a “spoiler alert” about who ultimately wins the battle. This alert will be your notice that I am giving away the plot—the ending of the story!

The winner of the battle is JESUS CHRIST! You can win the battle against Satan because victory is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:57–58).

Live in the Spiritual Realm

Spiritual warfare is the battle between our spiritual principalities and human vulnerabilities—the fight to resist evil. When we live in our humanness, we lean towards evil by sinning and turning away from God’s plan and commandments. The moment we live in God’s spiritual realm, we lean towards godly thinking and living a life possessing the Christlike fruits of the spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are in a struggle between the powers of good and evil; this is spiritual warfare. The temptation to sin comes in many ways. It can come upon you suddenly or it can gradually sneak up and catch you in an ambush. Satan knows where and how to personalize the struggle we may face now or in the future.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

Who Experiences Spiritual Warfare?

Only believers, those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, experience spiritual warfare.

Satan and his demons hate Jesus. He hates it when a new Christian receives salvation. Likewise, he hates it when a believer is living a Christ-like life serving Jesus full-force. Solid, sold-out believers may consciously experience the gut-wrenching fight between good and evil; some call this fight fighting strongholds—strongholds being areas in our mind or in our personality that cause us distress through our mind, spirit, or soul. Satan knows our weaknesses and he will use whatever he can to destroy us. Examples of spiritual warfare can be continual thoughts (thoughts you can’t get out of your mind) ranging from dwelling on success at work, struggling not to take the next hit of cocaine, or a temptation towards a sin, which if heeded, could destroy a reputation or livelihood.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:3–5 NIVUK).

**What Does The Book of James Say?**

So, what are Christ-followers to do when facing tests, trials, and temptations? The book of James gives us the answer:

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind . . . Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death (James 1:3–5, 12–15).

If we have been a Christ-follower for very long and are honestly trying to live for the Lord, we will encounter spiritual warfare—that deep pull that calls us to turn our back on what we know is right. Lukewarm believers are not as likely to encounter the deep pangs associated with Satan’s drag.

It is when we are involved in truly trying to live for the Lord that these deep struggles occur.

Satan knows there isn’t much benefit in trying to draw a person who isn’t totally committed to God’s way in this type of battle because they are already ineffective in their witness for God. But, those who are committed and love Jesus with all their heart and want to obey Him in truth and honesty will encounter the fight between good and evil on a much deeper level at one or more times in their Christian walk. Why? Because Satan does not want God’s kingdom to enlarge through salvation or discipleship. When strong believers are tested, and they succumb, Satan can thwart these believers’ faith and it can cause havoc in their lives.

Satan—The Adversary

The Father of Lies

We know that Jesus Christ wins the battle over Satan. But Satan still tries to get into the minds of Christ-followers through temptations and trials. He attempts to confuse us and sway us away from all Godly behavior and thoughts. The Scripture tells us that Jesus does not tempt anyone—thus leaving Satan as the cunning and crafty tempter (See James 1:13).

We must look at Satan as our adversary and Jesus Christ as our mediator. Girding us with His strength, Jesus fights our battles as we face Satan’s persuasive temptations and relentless trials.

The Bible calls Satan the Father of Lies (John 8:44), but he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Satan and his demons want us to fail as we go through testing and trials. Demons are fallen angels who follow Satan. Their plan is: to ruin God’s plan, obstruct people from working for the Lord, and deceive us into believing sin is acceptable.

Don’t be fooled by Satan—the master of lies and deception.

We may hear phrases, like those below, in our mind or from other people. Be alert and be aware that these types of statements are NOT to be believed.

“Dipping in the company fund one time won’t hurt you—God knows you need the money.”

“Pornography isn’t hurting anyone. You are in the room all by yourself.”

“So, what if she/he is married? She/he isn’t happily married.”

Satan wants us to sin. He wants us to be disobedient to the laws and mandates of God. He tempts us with the deeds of the flesh.

The Bible speaks of those encouraging sin as those disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13–14).

Sometimes we experience deep temptations from Satan. Other times we experience tests from God to prove our devotion to him. As in the case of Job, God allowed Satan to test Job. Job lost his family, his friends, his possessions, and his health. We must recognize that spiritual warfare attacks are from Satan—the deceiver—even though sometimes God has given permission for Satan to tempt us to test our faith and loyalty to Him.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,envying, 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 (Galatians 5:19–21).

Spiritual Warfare is Intense

Sometimes the spiritual warfare we face may be intense! It is often so deep that one might feel the only way to rid themselves of this battle is to succumb to it. But we must persevere through these times. We must stand firm and fight the temptation with every fiber of our being. The trial or struggle may seem strange. It may come out of nowhere. By the same token, it may be a terrifying internal struggle that no one knows you are going through or it can be out in the open and even be physically manifested in fatigue, depression, or an oppressed appearance. But the lure is real. Satan wants us to fall prey to his schemes because he wants to make us ineffective for Jesus Christ. But God will use these times to test our character to see if we can be shaken.

In Spiritual Warfare: How to Stand Firm in the Faith, Ray Stedman says,

Among Christians, the devil will often attack in the realm of the intellect to lead us to be overly obsessed with certain points of theology. There are many Christians who pride themselves on being intense students of the Bible and systematic theology . . . I believe that one of the greatest triumphs of Satan has been his strategy of pulling people away from a simple childlike faith and leading them into endless pointless disputes over doctrinal minutiae. ¹

I like Stedman’s word obsessed. While he is talking about being obsessed with theology, we can be obsessed with other things—our marriage, our reputation, our jobs. Satan will use what he needs to in our thought life to lead us away from fulfilling God’s will for our lives. We cannot fight the enemy’s strongholds in our own strength. Satan wants to make us a worthless witness for Christ. While Christ will forgive our sins, those trespasses can create havoc in individuals’ lives and cause all one has worked for in their lives to collapse and/or be destroyed.

Jesus Christ—Our Mediator

A few years ago, my husband and I were in downtown Belize City. When we left a fabric store, I noticed a group of young boys around 8 or 9 years old following my husband with their eyes fixed on the wallet in his back pocket. I knew what they were planning, so I fell back behind my husband and walked between my husband and the boys, preventing a pickpocketing incident from occurring. Acting as a mediator between my husband and the boys, I kept the crime from ever occurring.

That is exactly what Jesus—our mediator—wants us to do. He wants to step in and prevent sin from transpiring. He wants us to turn to Him and be our mediator. Just as I was being a mediator that one summer day, Jesus wants to be our mediator to prevent us from falling into sin. Leaning on Him for our strength is our source of power.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

Christ is Stronger Than the Devil

Christ is stronger than the devil. He defeated Satan on the cross. While Satan can afflict people, he cannot defeat God. Satan is intelligent and deceitful; he knows our weak points and he tempts us in those areas. We must remember that the demon’s goals are to impair and wreck lives. The Bible says we must know the schemes of the devil. By being aware of the devil’s schemes, God’s children can face current or future battles with understanding, discernment, and strength.

Through persistent prayer, immersion in God’s Word and possible fasting, this struggle can be won. This battle belongs to the Lord and Jesus is our mediator to help us through it. There is a form of darkness that comes to us when we experience this agonizing form of spiritual warfare, but the battle is still His. Satan presses in hard, but we should not be fearful. We should give the Lord glory and honor by relinquishing our lack of strength and power to Him, so He can fight the devil on our behalf.

Give the Lord glory and honor by relinquishing our lack of strength and power to Him, so He can fight the devil on our behalf. GreenePastures.org, @PattiGreene13

Tweet This

Complete Surrender

When a Christ-follower has finally made it safely through this excruciating period, they must still be diligent and on guard, in case the same temptation comes upon us later—maybe next month or maybe in the next decade. We must put on the armor of God and fight this severe temptation with complete surrender, trusting that God through our mediator Jesus Christ is the only one able to take our weaknesses and make us strong.

Finally, be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:10–16).

Testing, Trials, and Temptations

The Battlefield

Spiritual Warfare—All struggles on the battlefields of life come with various degrees of force and intensity. They are fought for different reasons. Our spiritual battles come with unique purposes, although all are under the umbrella of capturing the souls of God’s children rendering us useless for Him. The devil does not show up in a bright red suit with pointy ears waving his pitchfork. He comes as an angel of light. The sooner we realize this deception, the better off we will be.

Most intense testing, trials, and temptations come:

Before a big spiritual assignment
After a big spiritual victory
To those already working for the Kingdom of God
When we are weak, discouraged, and tired
As soon as ministry opportunities are not pursued or available
When we are frustrated, and more

Encountering and Persevering Under Trials

The Bible addresses the testing, trials, and temptations we face in the following verses. As you read through these verses, bear in mind that we grow spiritually through our suffering and adversity.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:2–8).

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures (James 1:12–18).

Understanding the Spiritual Battle

Deep spiritual warfare is an agonizing time! Our minds continually dwell on the sin Satan is working full-time to pull us into. We feel helpless at the time to avoid that tug in our hearts to stray, but we must. Understand that this struggle we experience is not just a natural battle, but a battle intended to disrupt our ministry, deceive us, and eliminate the promises God has given us throughout the entire Bible.

Just because Satan comes banging on our door, we are not defeated. Even when he messes with our mind—and he does—Jesus Christ is our refuge. At times, the spirit of evil can confuse our thoughts so powerfully creating: an inability to think clearly; hopelessness when ungodly thoughts become obsessions; and/or helplessness in overcoming our discontentment, gloominess, or sadness.

David was facing imminent danger when he wrote Psalm 57. He had been taken in by the Philistines when he fled from Saul. This psalm was written during this time of great uncertainty and trial, but he holds fast to God—exactly what we should do when Satan gets hold of our mind, soul, and/or spirit. David’s prayer pleads for relief from these kinds of tormentors BEFORE it leads to sin.

Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me;
Fighting all day long he oppresses me.
My foes have trampled upon me all day long,
For they are many who fight proudly against me.
When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.
In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
All day long they distort my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
They attack, they lurk,
They watch my steps,
As they have waited to take my life.
Because of wickedness, cast them forth,
In anger put down the peoples, O God! (Psalm 56:1–7)

Satan’s Banquet

On November 28, 1958, Charles Haddon Spurgeon—an English Particular Baptist preacher—preached a sermon titled “Satan’s Banquet.” In this sermon, he used the analogy of the four courses of a banquet to compare one’s temptation to sin to the miracle of Cana (John 2:1-12).

At the miracle of Cana, there was a wedding and Jesus’ mother was there along with Jesus. When the wine gave out, Jesus’ mother told the servants to do whatever Jesus said. Jesus told them to fill the water pots with water and they filled them to the brim. The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine and he told the bridegroom that, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then that which is poorer.”

Spurgeon’s analogy of wine to sin is:

1^st Course of Sin—Good wine – Satan makes sin look good. Spurgeon describes the cup of Satan as, “But O how sweet it is! How it makes his blood tingle within him.” At this point, one may have no intention [of] being enticed to sin, but he finally does.

2^nd Course of Sin—Wine is not so sparkling – Satan has lured a person to sin and now the person has had enough of pleasure. A person succumbed to sin, but it isn’t that enticing to him anymore. The fun he once had has gone flat and dull.

3^rd Course of Sin—Wine now comes in a black goblet – When he drinks the wine, he shrieks and says, “O God! That ever I must come to this!” The suffering is to come because of iniquity.

4^th Course of Sin—Horrors from the last cup – A persons’ hope and dreams have vanished. His sin haunts him. ²

Spiritual Attacks

It is critical to fight all spiritual attacks as soon as they appear. A spiritual attack unaddressed can oppress ones’ faith and future. Casual everyday prayers are not enough; we need to plead, cry, wail, knee, fast, or even lay prostrate before our Lord and beg Jesus Christ to sever all thoughts and desires from the devil to sin from our mind. As believers, demons cannot enter us, but they can disrupt our thinking, sway our beliefs, and make us doubt our sincerity to God.

We must fight against ungodly thoughts and behaviors with every fiber of our being. We must humble ourselves and pray and keep doing that until the urge or desires have left us. It may take months or years, but it is worth every ounce of fighting we must do to protect ourselves. We may have to desperately call out to the Lord to take our thoughts captive.

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Spiritual warfare may show up differently in different people. Since God knitted us together in our mothers’ wombs, we are all different—different personalities, different weakness, different tugs. Some common ways Christians experience spiritual warfare are when we possess revenge we can’t shake off, jealousy we can’t quench, all types of sexual temptations, or any desire which fills our minds with a longing and yearning to sin.

Is it Spiritual Warfare or Sin?

It is important to remember that the temptation is not sinning. It is better to be struggling in warfare than to step over the line into sin—disobedience to our heavenly Father and Lord.

It is when we cross the line that consciences are seared, reputations are ruined, souls are damaged, that our relationship with God is negatively affected, and our walk with Him might be permanently marred. Crossing over from spiritual warfare into sin has consequences. These consequences might not rear their ugly heads right away, but somewhere, somehow sin will interfere or sidetrack us and lead us away from God’s imminent plan.

How to Overcome Spiritual Warfare

When we are in the pangs of spiritual warfare, it means we have not yet succumbed to the treachery of sin. There is still hope for sin to be averted.

It is better to be amid spiritual warfare than to succumb to sin. #spiritualwarfare #bgbg2 #www.GreenePastures.org

Tweet This

We must actively be on the alert for Satan’s attempt to lead us to sin. Some tips for prevention are:

Ask God to take the object of our warfare away because it is not profitable for our soul
Ask God to replace our thoughts with godly thoughts and ministries
Keep busy and don’t allow boredom or idleness to abound during this period
Ask for prayers from mature Christians. (We do not need to tell them our specific vice if we don’t want to, but just ask for prayers.) God knows what we are dealing with and He wants to help us through it, so when it is over, we can say, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)
Watch the areas where you are the weakest and plead with God to keep us within the confines of our place and our calling

If We Succumb to Sin, Does God Forgive Us?

Of course, He does. God is a forgiving God and when we repent of our sins and turn from our “wicked” ways, He is there for us—with open arms—ready to forgive us and lead us back into a full relationship with Him. But there still may be consequences and scars. As soon as we recognize our sins and turn back to God, He accepts us back into His fold to love, cherish, and forgive us.

In the February 2018 issue of Decision magazine, Billy Graham said,

“Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful words in the human vocabulary.” ³

God goes on to say,

. . .and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

But, what if you are the tempter—a Christian that Satan is using—to tempt another person? With your allurement, you may lead someone else to follow in your footsteps. After a while, you may move on and repent, but what you have led the other person to do cannot be undone! When you are the perpetrator leading others to sin, you have sent them directly into Satan’s grasp and you don’t know how long they might remain there.

While you might confess your “mistakes” and move on in your relationship with the Lord, you can’t make the other person turn to God or back to God. At this point, their spiritual life is completely out of your hands. They may go the rest of their life being led astray by Satan or become so obsessed with your mutual sin that they are numb to the things of God—all because of your sin and its enticement upon them. Only God can rescue them at this point, but they may not choose Him because of the hurt, deceit, fraud, or distress you inflicted upon them.

Anglican clergyman William Gurnall says,

“Even after you’re dead and gone, your sins may be perpetuated in those who are alive, generation after generation.” ⁴

Now, that is serious business!

William Gurnall states, “Do not try to stave off the onslaughts of Satan in your own strength. Tell God you are afraid of what may happen if He does not intercept these wicked imaginations . . . Seal the windows of [your] heart in prayer to control your thoughts, ask Christ to control your heart.” ⁴

Be Alert

It used to scare me at first whenever a SECURITY ALERT came through on my email when we lived in Lagos, Nigeria. These alerts were sent out from either my husband’s company or the U.S. Consulate warning us of possible danger. But, the more alerts I received, the less scared I became. I got used to them as just part of life and didn’t put much weight into them.

Some of these security alerts consisted of the following warnings.

An increasing trend is hijackers trailing unsuspecting victims. Some are robbed and some are unfortunately held for ransom;
Criminals side brush unsuspecting vehicles or hit them from behind to force drivers to stop, after which they are robbed or kidnapped;
Be extremely vigilant and develop a situational awareness that may enable you to avoid victimization;
Avoid night time traveling;
Keep a low profile and dress unassumingly;
Be alert at all times – don’t ignore any suspicious circumstances.

The last alert is the most general alert and probably the most important alert as it involves how we were to live every day of our lives in the country we were living in at the time.

As I pondered these alerts, I thought about how similar these alerts are to a Biblical alert we read about in the Scriptures.

Paul, the author of Ephesians, urges us to put on the full spiritual armor of God. Paul wants us to understand that we can fight the fiery darts of Satan who is very active in trying to trip us up and lead us away from our trust and dependence on God.

We may not live in a country with evils such as ISIS, suicide bombers, extremists, and beheadings. However, we are all surrounded by the wiles of the devil. Satan might be attacking us in the form our idols, our fleshly desires, a false gospel, physical afflictions, selfishness, friendships with the world, addictions, media, or worldly wisdom – just to name a few. We need to recognize the methods Satan uses to attack us and stand firm against his schemes. No one has given us a more wise strategy for living than God.

The Armor of God

Put On the Whole Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-17

In Ephesians 6:10-17, the apostle Paul says to put on the whole armor of God:

^“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:10-17 ESV).

Understanding the Armor of God

Let’s take a look at the individual pieces of the armor of God. Below you will find a fact, an action, a verse from God’s Word, and a quote from The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall—a 1600 English Puritan and Anglican clergyman that believed in standing firm in Christ by using the graces listed in Ephesians 6. ⁵

1. Truth

Fact: God’s truth will keep us secure in Christ.

Action: Confess all known sins and get rid of all deceptions and commit yourself daily to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bible: “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth.”

Quote: Love for God makes the soul inquisitive to find out what is dear to God so it can express tenderness to truth and thereby give love to Him.

2. Breastplate of Righteousness

Fact: Satan is trying to attack us with lies or reminders of our past sins.

Action: We must guard our hearts against Satan and live for the righteousness of Christ by being obedient to God’s ways and will.

Bible: “and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”

Quote: Righteousness and holiness are God’s protection to defend the believer’s conscience from all wounds inflicted by sin.

3. Feet

Fact: Satan will put obstacles in our paths. He wants us to stumble.

Action: Prepare yourself through Bible study, prayer, meditation, confession and more, so you can confidently walk in Jesus’ ways wherever you go and wherever He may lead you.

Bible: “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

Quote: God does not want the saint to stand still and fret or to have to be coaxed to move but to follow Christ voluntarily, as a soldier follows his captain. Yet Christ is not like a general who drives his men into battle whether they want to go or not . . . A heart full of grace will follow Jesus into the wilderness of affliction as willingly as a lover goes with her beloved into a quiet garden to enjoy his presence. By His Word and by His Spirit Christ satisfied the Christian, making him want to be with Him anywhere.

Walk confidently in Jesus’ ways wherever you go and wherever He may lead you. GreenePastures.org

Tweet This

4. Shield of Faith

Fact: Satan will try to put doubts in our mind. Hold on to your faith.

Action: Trust that your faith will defend all the unholy darts that may be projected upon you.

Bible: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

Quote: Faith is the only messenger which can bring good news from heaven to the heart. It is faith that proclaims the promise, opens Christ’s riches, and pours out His name to increase love in believers. Whenever faith wins the character of Christ out of the Word and presents Him to us in all His loveliness, we are sweetly drawn to Him.

5. Helmet of Salvation

Fact: Our thinking needs to be protected because Satan loves to make us doubt our salvation and God.

Action: We must be sure that Jesus is our security through salvation in Christ. [If you are unsure about your relationship with Christ, understand that we are all born with a sinful nature, but when we repent of our sins and ask Jesus to be part of our life, we can have the assurance of salvation and eternal life.]

Bible: “and take the helmet of salvation,”

Quote: As a Christian soldier you must always stand in a defensive posture with your armor on, ready to defend the treasure God has given you to keep and to repel Satan’s assaults.

6. Sword of the Spirit

Fact: The Word of God is our weapon against the attacks of Satan.

Action: Read and study the Bible. It is God’s tool to prevent Satan’s strongholds and thoughts from infiltrating into our lives.

Bible: “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”

Quote: As the sword defends the soldier it offends his enemy. Thus God’s Word is a killing sword as well as a keeping sword. Not only does it keep the believer from surrendering to external temptation but it kills his inward lusts and completes the victory.

7. Prayer

If we are not in prayer, our reliance on God is diminished allowing spiritual warfare much easier access to our lives. We must pray for the mind of Christ. Set aside time every day to pray and listen to God’s Word. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

And as Paul concludes, he says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:18-20 ESV

Wrapping Up

In Nigeria, it didn’t take me long to learn how to conduct myself in Lagos—a city of 22 million people. For survival, I learned to be bold. I learned to walk with confidence. I learned how to talk to those who tried to intimidate me. I learned not to walk in the streets alone (if ever).

When I maneuvered through Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport all by myself one day, I found I was able to hold my head high, shuffle through the crowd, ward off swindlers, tow my baggage, and reach my destination. That day I knew I had accomplished a feat many foreigners fail to achieve—to feel confident in their walk!

It’s the same when Christ-followers trust in the God of the Armor. We soon feel confident in our walk with Christ. We can hold our head above inconsequential disagreements, controversial church strategies, and/or misinterpreted theology. We can move through the crowd with discernment. We can experience godly tranquility when Satan’s fiery darts come at us. We will have the knowledge needed to handle our past, present, and future experiences and attacks. But, most of all, we will have faith that our destination with Jesus Christ is secure and one day we will be living in glory with Him in Heaven.

Just as our Nigerian security alerts warned us how to proceed even before any unknown danger might occur, so does the Bible warn us how to be pre-prepared against the schemes of the devil, because we never know when he might attack. It is so easy to become ensnared in the devil’s traps, and the best way to be on guard is to put on THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD—even before the temptations and evils come upon us. This can be accomplished by following Ephesians 6:18-20 with a sincere and longing heart to please our Lord and Savior.

God Bless,

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member

BibleGateway Blogger, Member

SBC, Church Member

Bible Verses:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

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

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (Job 1:2–7)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

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)

Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. (Deuteronomy 20:1)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 ESV

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 ESV

Four Prayers To Choose From if Teaching From This Blog

Dear heavenly Father, most days I experience some low-level discomfort fighting between good and evil—right and wrong. However, at some point in my life, I may experience fierce intense spiritual warfare from Satan and his demons. Please prepare me ahead of time, so when the time comes I have the strength to overcome my human weaknesses. Let me be wholly sold out to You and to Your Word. Give me the strength to overcome the fiery darts of Satan. Let me never give up fighting against sin. Allow Your light to be a lamp unto my feet. Let me recognize these battles are not of flesh and blood, but they are spiritual battles “against powers and principalities beyond my physical being.” Hopefully, I won’t fail You, but if I do, please convict me to return to You by repenting and turning away from my sin as quickly as possible, so I can walk in Your ways again. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Dear Lord Jesus, I believe You are the source of protection. Protect me from my weaknesses and temptations. I want to draw closer and closer to You. I need Your power to overcome the fiery darts flung on me. I am choosing You today and every day, so You can use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Dear Lord, I love You, but lately, I have been tempted beyond control. I need You to help me face the severe trials I am going through. Let my faith be so strong that, in my weaknesses and temptations, I can avert any turning away from Your plan for my life. Use me Lord for Your service. I need Your power and love to pour down on me. I seek Your face daily and depend on Your Holy Scriptures to keep me strong and honorable. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for all You have given me. You have given me the means to escape the evilness of this world. Thank You for being so generous to me. Thank You for forgiving me for my failures. You always take my hand and bring me back to You even when I fall into Satan’s schemes. You are stronger than him and I am grateful for all the tools and love You have given me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Works Cited

¹ Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare: How to Stand Firm in the Faith. Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1999.

² Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon Sermons, vol. 5. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2013.

³ Graham, Billy. Decision Magazine. Feb 2018. Print.

⁴ Gurnall, William. The Christian in Complete Armour, Vol. 1. Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1996.

⁵ Ibid.

Bible verses are taken from the NASB if not noted otherwise.

Edited by E. Johnson

If you found this article helpful, please like/share or comment so others can grasp this important Christian lesson. Also, to be sure you don’t miss any GreenePastures.org blog, subscribe from this page. Once you submit your email address, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription.

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, Missions and Evangelism, Patti Greene, People in the Bible, Prayer, Testimonies, The Bible, Writing and Speaking

Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

June 3, 2019 Patti Greene 1 Comment

Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

Introduction:

For those of you who read my blog, you can tell that my life has been a journey. During my 48 years of being a believer, God has revealed things to me about my faith, about my love for Him, about my struggles and about my writing. From the beginning of my journey, the Lord has kept me in His Word—loving Him through thick and thin.

We all have beginnings. We have beginnings when we start to write; we have beginnings when we learn something new, and we have beginnings when we become a believer.

Today, I would like to reveal part of my journey by sharing a semi-UNEDITED* version of the first “sermon” I ever wrote. You might ask, “Why would you want to write a sermon?” And my best answer is, “Because I can.”

My Story

The other day I was at my house going through old things and I found a folder I had saved from 1993. In it were all my notes from a class I took at First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, Missouri. The leader of the church at the time was my wonderful pastor—Gary Taylor.

In case you are interested, I do believe in supporting ministries that my church offers, and at that time Pastor Gary (mostly known as Brother Gary) was offering a PREACHING class on Sunday evenings. While I am not a fan of women preachers, I wanted to learn. I love to write (although sometimes I debate my effectiveness), so I asked Brother Gary if, as a woman, it was okay if I took his class. He said, “Of course.” So, I took his class and as I recall, I was the only woman in the class!

During his lectures, I took notes—lots of them. One of the projects, at the end of the class, was to write a sermon. It was in my old dossier that I found the sermon I wrote on Jonah.

On a Journey

As believers in Christ, we are all on a journey. We are on a journey to learn more, to love Jesus more and to share our faith with others. I’ve been on this journey for a while, picking up various classes, listening to various preachers, doing individual studies, reading books, and reading different versions of the Bible.

In my young Christian walk, I attended seminary. At the time, my interests laid more in the theology classes than the education classes, and I guess this desire has followed me all throughout my life. So, this class was my cup of tea!

Today we are going to look at Jonah. Jonah refused to obey God. It was only after a time of trying to run away from God did Jonah pray and decide to do things God’s way, just like Helen.

================

MY FIRST SERMON: JONAH (ORIGINALLY TYPED ON A TYPEWRITER)

Jonah, son of Amittai, is the historical character and author of this book. Jonah was a prophet, but this book is not a book about prophecy—meaning there is no prophecy of the future recorded in it. The book of Jonah is about a personal account of a major event in the life of Jonah. Jonah probably ministered between 800-750 B.C. which during that time King Jeroboam II restored her traditional borders. This ended the conflict between Israel and Damascus which went on for almost a century. Most scholars say the book was written after the destruction of Nineveh in 612 B.C. The book of Jonah is often questioned on its credibility. It has been ridiculed by Christians and non-Christians. The book of Jonah is not a fish story. It is about God’s sovereignty and however God may plan his own life, it is God who is working all things out in such a way as to bring glory to His name.

I. God reveals His will to us; Bible – Jonah 1:1-3

God is calling Jonah to go someplace for him. He is asked to go to Nineveh. Nineveh is called “that great city.” It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was located on the Tigris city. It was the world power in that day. But it is a great city—great in wickedness. It was so wicked that God has decided He will judge the city if the city does not turn to him. Jonah is told to go to Nineveh, but he goes down to Joppa and buys a ticket for the 1^st boat to Tarshish on the S. coast of Spain. We may ask why Jonah did this—Some possibilities include:

Jonah hated the Ninevites and he did not want them to be saved. There was a basis for his hatred. The Assyrians were the most brutal people in the ancient world. They used very cruel methods of torture. One of the procedures the Assyrians used was to take a man out to the desert sands, bury him up to his neck, they would put a thong in his tongue and leave them there to die while the sun beat down on their heads. They’d go made before they died.
He knew God well enough that if he went to Nineveh with a message of judgment and the people accepted God through repentance, God would not judge them, and he would save the city. That was something he did not want to happen.
He was a disobedient prophet of God. He was out of God’s will. He didn’t want to live under the will of his father.
In Jonah’s day, the method of sending missionaries out was for people to come to the nation of Israel to hear about God. Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to Israel to hear about worship. During that period of history, Israel witnessed to the world not by going out as missionaries but by the world coming to them. It wasn’t the method of Jonah’s day to go to a foreign country as a missionary.

Jonah hears God’s call and heads in the opposite direction. He goes down to Joppa, finds a ship, buys a ticket, gets on board and goes to sleep.

A. Application

God may not show you his will like he did Jonah, but he will show you his will. It may be direct like Jonah’s, but many times it is more like a step by step, day by day obedience to God. Some steps to knowing God’s will are:

Read your Bible—It is our guidebook.
Pray—Communicate with God. Ask him what his will is. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 states, “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.” (Living Bible)
Depend on the Holy Spirit—An inward urge can be just as clear as an audible voice. John 16:13 states, “He will guide you into all truth.”
Normal circumstances—If you can’t sing a tune, you probably don’t need to sing the church solos.
Godly advice—Discussion with people of a wise and godly character

B. Illustration—Personal

[One day] when I worked in downtown Houston, I felt the Lord wanted me to walk in the downtown tunnel, which I rarely did, during the lunch hour. At the exact same time, a construction worker fell from a building they were working on 56 floors to his death. God spared me the horror of that tragic situation.

II. We cannot hide from God; Bible – Jonah 1:4-7

In verse 4, the Lord sent out a great storm. This storm is not a natural storm—it is a storm sent from God. God is using this storm for a good purpose. God wants to do 2 things with this storm: Save a city and turn around a prophet who was going in the wrong direction.

In verse 5-7, the Mariners knew this was not a natural storm. They are sailors accustomed to the Mediterranean sea. Some commentaries say Jonah was able to go down into the sides of the ship and fall fast asleep believing that he was confident everything was all right. Or could it be possible Jonah fell into a deep depression and fell fast asleep? Psychologists and psychiatrists say that deep sleep can be a sign of depression. He was sleeping although the pagan sailors are worshipping all kinds of gods.

The shipmaster asked Jonah to call upon his God, so they won’t perish. They then cast lots. It appears that God was in the casing of these lots, but it doesn’t mean that God approves of the practice. The men on board were superstitious. The lot fell on Jonah. J. Vernon McGee says, “that God will make the wrath of man to praise Him and God can also make the superstition of men to praise him.” ¹

A. Application

Jonah tried to escape from God. We cannot escape from God. In Psalm 139:1-8, David says, “Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise…Where can I go from your presence: If I go up to the heavens you are there, if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” We cannot escape from the presence of God. We must read our Bible and pray daily for the strength to follow God when he speaks.

B. Illustration

Escapism is the or order of the day. We escape by traveling, we go to another city or another country, we escape with drugs or alcohol, we escape with pre-marital or extramarital sex, we escape into our hobbies, work or television. When we try to escape from God’s will, our thinking and lives will be blurred.

III. God uses people to accomplish his purposes; Bible – Jonah 1:8-10

At this point, Jonah hasn’t revealed much about himself to the sailors. Jonah hasn’t told anybody he is a prophet. He hasn’t told them he is from the Northern kingdom of Israel. He hasn’t said he belongs to the Israelite people who know the true and living God. Why? He is a man out of God’s will and a man out of the will of God can never be an effective witness for God.

Finally, in v. 9, Jonah tells them he is a Hebrew. From that, the sailors knew he worshipped one God and never an idol. He says he “fears the Lord the God of heaven.” In v. 10, these sailors knew he had fled from the presence of God. They ask him what he has done. At this point, Jonah is presenting a bad witness to these pagan sailors.

A. Application

God will use our spouses, our friends, our children, or our parents to point us in the right direction. However, there are also people who lead us to live our lives unpleasing to God. We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes.

We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes. GreenePastures.org

Tweet This

B. Illustration

A friend gave John, my husband, an ad for a job in St. Louis. We moved there for that job! God does use other people to accomplish his purposes

IV. God provides a way of escape amid disobedience; – Jonah 1:11-17

v. 11—Jonah is asked “What shall we do to you so that the sea may be calm for us? They asked straightforward question and Jonah proceeds to give them a straight forth answers.
v. 12—Jonah decides his own fate. He recognizes the hand of God in all this. He knows the only way to stop the storm is to get off the ship going to Tarshish and go to where God wants him to be…Nineveh.
v. 13—These pagan sailors are seen in a good light here. They do not want to throw Jonah overboard. They try their best to get out of the storm by rowing to land, but they can’t do it.
v. 14—We can’t know for sure if the sailors accepted God as they cried out to him, but we can tell that their hearts responded to the mercy of God who delivered them from the storm.
v. 15—So they threw him into the sea and the seas calmed down. This reveals that it was truly a supernatural storm under God’s control.
v. 16—Did these men fear their gods? No. They feared the Creator of the sea and land and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord—that sacrifice points to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no alternative.
v. 17—What about Jonah? The Lord had prepared a great fish. That means a “huge fish—ketos in Greek. The importance is God prepared this fish for this special event. Jonah is in the belly of the fish 3 days and 3 nights—symbolic of Christ’s 3 days in the grace before his resurrection.

A. Application—Combined with an invitation

As you look at your life, are you wanting to run away from God as Jonah did? Is God trying to show you His will? Are there areas in your life, that He just can’t get through? Are you burdened by sin in your life?

A cartoon was once published in three parts. In the first scene, there was a young man seated at a desk at his shoulder stood Jesus Christ, inviting him to be saved. Politely he told the Lord that he was just launching his career and had no time for anything else.

The second scene showed a middle-aged man. He was heavier and well dressed, and his large desk was covered with papers and reports. Again, Christ stood at his elbow. But again, the man replied with the same answer—no time, busy, tomorrow.

The last picture showed an old and graying man at his desk. At his shoulder stood not the Savior, but the gaunt, bony specter of Death. Death, speaking in hollow tones, declared, “I have come for you.” The businessman, with frightened eyes, replied, “Go away, Death, I did not send for you.” But Death refused to be sent away, and the man was ushered into eternity without God. ²

B. Illustration

God does provide a way of escape. An old Scottish clergyman said the devil has two lies that he uses at two different stages. Before we commit a sin, he tells us that one little sin doesn’t matter— “no one will know.” The second lie is that after we’ve sinned, he tells us we’re hopeless. The good news is because Jesus Christ came and died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are not in a hopeless position.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and accept Him into your life, today is the day to get things right with God. Perhaps, God is calling you to a specific ministry or task? Perhaps you need to commit your life anew to God? Perhaps he is leading you to be a part of this church fellowship? As you come, God’s arms are open wide for you.

================

My Impression

My first impression is that I wrote a pretty good sermon way back when, but the errors, which you probably noticed, are astounding! Bad punctuation, wordiness, incomplete Works Cited, and more. However, I could teach from this sermon. Add some prayer, tone, possible repetition, and I could use this as a lesson today!

Recently I read a book titled Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines and Adam B. Dooley. I don’t read these types of book to learn how to be a preacher, but I was reminded when I found this folder that I have always been interested in learning more about preaching techniques and the best way to share my faith with others.

I’m not there yet at all, but when I read the book the other day, it reminded me, “Yes, we can read preacher books—even if we are a woman,” not because we want to be a preacher, but because we want to learn how to present our thoughts in a meaningful, theological and systematic way.

Unfortunately, many would wonder (maybe even criticize me) for picking up and/or buying a book about preaching. I don’t aspire to be a preacher, but I do aspire to be a better teacher. In this book, I learned about:

Genres;
Vocabulary;
Syntax;
Examining a word exegetically (meaning: “studying for a critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially the Bible”);
Gauging audience reactions;
Authenticity; and
Verbal, vocal and visual strategies.

Conclusion

It has been 26 years since I wrote my one and only sermon although many people have called some of my blogs sermons! I guess I have that “sermon-writing bug” in my DNA!

Furthermore, I hope I write a little better than I did 26 years ago, but if not, maybe my current pastor will teach a class on preaching someday! And, I hope when I ask him if I can take the class, he’ll say, “Of course.”

God Bless.

Bible Verses:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving me gifts and talents. Thank You that You can use me to work for You within my church and in my community. I may not do it correctly, but Lord, use whatever You need to further Your kingdom. I praise You for allowing me to be a part of Your eternal kingdom. Show me Your power and how my life progresses into a deeper maturity when I am following Your plan. I love You. Amen.

¹ McGee, J. Vernon. The Prophets: Jonah and Micah. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1991.

² Sweeting, George. Tomorrow May Be Too Late! Good News Publishers. Tract.

Partially Edited by E. Johnson

All verses come from the New American Standard Version.

* Okay, I did run my 1993 sermon through spellcheck. I just couldn’t stand to have misspellings in my article. But all else has been unedited.

———————————

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2

#bgbg2, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Patti Greene, Salvation, Testimonies, The Bible, Uncategorized

The Bible: The Best-Selling Book of All Time

April 11, 2019 Patti Greene

What is the Bible?

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time from many different ranking sources. Estimations state that over 2.5 billion copies of the Bible have been sold since the printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. Additionally, it is also the most compelling account available to us of all creation, from the beginning of time through the end of the ages. ¹

The Christian Bible consists of 66 different books—39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. Writers of GotQuestions.org claim that “While the Bible is a unified book, differences abound between the Old Testament and the New Testament. However, in many ways, they are also complimentary. While the Old Testament is foundational; the New Testament builds on that foundation with further revelation from God.”

Old Testament

The Old Testament delves into the beginning of the world and early historical empires.

Pentateuch – Includes 5 books about creation, the Flood, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It also follows the Israelites during their time in Egypt (captivity and exodus), through 40 years in the wilderness, and finally entering the Promised Land.

Historical Books – Includes 12 historical books which include the conquest of the Promised Land and continues with the disobedience of the Israelites through the Babylonian invasion.

Poetry and Wisdom – Includes 5 books that show how the people of God communicated with Him and with each other.

Major Prophets – Includes 5 books on prophets and their prophecies. These prophets warn of judgment for being disobedient and the hope of Jesus Christ.

Minor Prophets – Includes 12 books on prophets and their prophecies. These prophets warn of the same prophecies as the Major Prophets – judgment and future hope in their Messiah.

New Testament

The New Testament examines the age of Jesus.

Gospels and Acts – Includes the first 5 books of the NT which records the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, including His death, burial, and resurrection. Whereas the Book of Acts includes the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the early believers and the spread of the Gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles

Paul’s Epistles – Includes the 13 letters written to the early Church which follow Christ as He corrects and guides it on how to address specific problems it encountered.

General Epistles through Revelation – Includes 8 general epistles which follow along with the purpose of Paul’s letters. In contrast, Revelation concentrates on the seven churches in Asia Minor, imparting prophecy regarding future persecutions people will face and describing the new heaven and the new earth.

Some Bibles include additional books in a section between the Old and New Testament called the Biblical Apocrypha. Uniquely, the preface to the Apocrypha in the Geneva Bible explains that these books were written by godly men for their historical knowledge and godly instruction only. The Geneva Bible was a significant English Bible translation used in the 16^th century; it preceded the King James Version by 51 years.

Who Reads the Bible?

While the Bible is considered the “go-to” book for Christ-followers, it is also read by a multitude of Americans, both religious and otherwise. In Who Reads the Bible—and Why? David Briggs states that the top two reasons people surveyed said they read Scripture were for “personal prayer and devotion, and to learn more about their religion.” The third most popular reason was “to seek guidance in personal decisions and relationships with spouses, parents, children, and friends.”

Additionally, Briggs notes that “people no longer just open the pages of the Good Book. Thirty-one percent read it on the Internet and [twenty-two] percent used e-devices.” ³

Why Read the Bible?

When we read the Bible, we become aware of many other people—just like us—who have encountered the same circumstances that we experience. Through their example, we can gain insight into how to handle the good, bad, and the ugly in life. Moreover, the Bible is the only book that addresses every problem men and women will ever face.

Being devoted to Bible reading and listening to sermons is commendable, but you must be quickened by the Spirit for true godly understanding. Not only is the Bible the Word of God, but it is also the believer’s inspiration and God’s last word on authority. Reading the Bible increases and matures a person’s faith. Faith is defined as “our belief and actions regarding God’s truths.”

Jesus said, ‘It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life (John 6:63).

As mentioned above, many believers and unbelievers read the Bible. Believers are sanctified through their reading—meaning that through their reading, they learn how to live according to the purpose and design of God.

When unbelievers read the Word of God, God’s grace may touch their spirits and lead them to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the confession of their sin and a commitment to follow Jesus. This is known as a salvation or “born-again” experience.

When salvation occurs, the Bible takes on an entirely different meaning to the reader; it is only then can a person comprehend the things of God and His Word, experience God’s presence and trust in the power of the living Word.

Outcomes When Reading the Bible

The late pastor Adrian Rogers chronicles four outcomes Christ-followers can depend on when one asks the Lord to help them understand His Word.

Eyes will be opened. (Psalm 119:18)
Understanding will be increased. (Luke 24:45)
Hearts will be stirred. (Psalm 119:36)
Minds will be enlightened (Psalm 119:73) ⁴

Is the Bible Inspired?

To answer this question, some say it isn’t right to answer by using Scripture itself, but I disagree. Not only has the Bible said the words by God are inspired, but historically it has been deemed accurate by many early and late scholars. [See the verses below for verification.]

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Understanding God

The Bible consists of God’s words to us. It is how our heavenly Father communicates with us.

Through Scripture, we learn about God’s character, His goodness and His promises. In the same way that food nourishes our body, the Word of God strengthens our spirit to help us live an honorable lifestyle. We learn how to imitate Jesus Christ by understanding His intention for us to live a worthy life by serving and loving Him.

Furthermore, God provides stories about the heroes of faith: prophets, apostles, Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. These Biblical stories are understood by illustrations in multiple parables and real-life events.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, God calls us to read and study the Bible. Coupled with time, it takes planning. This discipline takes time. We must be committed to reading and studying the Word of God.

Applying Our Mind

When we apply our mind to understand the Bible, God will reveal His promises to us. When that occurs, we become enlightened to His ways, enabling us to obey Him, gain His strength, establish our faith, gain courage, increase wisdom, and direct us away from temptation and sin.

While the Bible can be read through casually, it is also for us to study deeply—maybe verse by verse, chapter by chapter, or topic by topic. As a matter of fact, when we dig in and truly study God’s word, lightning bolts of insight spark our mind and show us a deeper understanding of His ways that we may not gain from a quick read-through. By the same token, when we meditate on the Word of God, God’s presence, guidance, and love will speak to us about how to become the person God wants us to be.

The Bible is the holiest of all books. In light of that, it should be cherished and regarded with the highest honor and esteem. Through it, God will give us wisdom and instruct us in righteousness.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is thinking deeply on the Word in our mind, soul and spirit. It takes time to meditate. But when we do, we will start desiring to apply God’s truths to our lives. Through our prayers of worship, praise, confession, requests and pondering on God’s righteousness, we are sanctifying our thinking and becoming more under submission to our Lord Jesus Christ. Henceforth, our minds are being guided to want what Jesus wants for us.

Personal Illustration

Reading the Bible is a virtuous goal and this practice is wholeheartedly encouraged by many churches, pastors and religious organizations.

In fact, I found when I first started reading the Bible seriously, it was because of what I would call an insurmountable need—the need to move closer to my parents in Houston or stay in seminary in Ft. Worth to pursue my calling into the ministry. In fact, my desperate yearning for an answer to this problem stimulated an unfathomable longing for more of God’s Word.

I can honestly say reading the Bible is one, if not the most, thrilling experiences of my life. Consequently, I wake up each morning looking forward to hearing from my God; I think of Him throughout the day; I approach my evenings looking over the day’s occurrences and how He moved or how I need to move closer to Him.

Practice Humility

If you are so inclined to read the Bible from cover to cover (Genesis to Revelation), I applaud and encourage you to do so. God’s word will convict and change lives—yes, even yours!

However, I must lovingly caution you. The Pharisees prayed and read God’s word only to be seen by men:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

Take care, my friend, that you do not read the Scriptures only to declare that you have read the Bible through—hoping to impress others with your “religiosity”. Be careful not to become big-headed, smug or boastful in declaring a numerical digit as to how many times you have read the Bible through, how often you read the Bible or how many hours you spend in the Word of God. God knows, but everyone else doesn’t need to know. But I bet they will see it in your attitudes, kindness, and countenance!

In the final analysis, practicing humility in this area is a good discipline to follow.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

Critics

The Bible has been criticized, degraded, and disgraced by many people. Satan has made sure of this. Moreover, most people who criticize the Bible are justifying their OWN choices and actions. While many “celebrities” have been condemned for their belief in God and the Bible, we are seeing many more being openly critical about the Bible and things of God. Unfortunately, many believe it is a psychological crutch to get us through a difficult time.

For example, Jesse Ventura, former governor of Minnesota, once said, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.” Agreeing with him is Larry Flynt, producer of magazines, such as Hustler and sexually graphic videos, who commented, “There’s nothing good I can say about it [religion]. People use it as a crutch.” Ted Turner once simply said, “Christianity is a religion for losers!” Ventura, Flynt, Turner, and others who think like them view Christians as being emotionally feeble and in need of imaginary support to get through life. Their insinuation is that they themselves are strong and in no need of a supposed God to help them with their lives. ⁵

Unfortunately, this is a heartbreaking indictment against their denial of Jesus Christ—the one and only true God.

The Bible—Loved by Millions

Baptist theologian and apologist Bernard Ramm stated, “the Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions.” ⁶ In conclusion, my deep desire is that you will make a commitment today to read and/or study the Bible. It’ll change your life—I promise!

Bible Verses

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:8-9)

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (James 1:14)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Oh, how I love Thy Word. Teach me to respect and obey all the words in Your love letter to me. May the Bible guide me and protect me all the days of my life. May I honor You through my love, obedience, and desire to know You more and more every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

Works Cited

¹ “Top Ten Best Selling Books of All-Time.” www.rankings.com/books-sales-worldwide.

² “What Happens after Death.” GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/what-happens-death.html. I used “Old Testament vs. New Testament – What are the differences?” https://www.gotquestions.org/difference-old-new-testaments.html

³ Briggs, David. “Who Reads the Bible—and Why.” Ahead of the Trend. 7 March 2014. Accessed 18 March 2019. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/who-reads-the-bible—and_b_4919444.html.

⁴ Rogers, Adrian. “How to Make the Bible Come Alive.” Love Worth Finding. OnePlace. Accessed 18-18-2019. https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/how-to-make-your-bible-come-alive-15522.html

⁵ “Is Faith in God a Crutch?” Accessed 8 March 2019. GotQuestions.org.

⁶ Ramm, Bernard. “Bernard Ramm.” Wikipedia. Accessed 17 March 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Ramm.

Bible verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2, Christian Living, Friendship, GreenePastures.org, Guest Bloggers, Holidays, Life Issues, Parenting and Family, Patti Greene, Testimonies

Good Without God?

March 23, 2019 Patti Greene

Good Without God?

Can you be “good” without needing a God? Think again.

by Ellsworth Johnson, Guest Blogger

1) Acts

It’s Christmas Day morning. A young boy bursts into the living room of his spacious suburban home, where a beautifully-decorated tree dominates its surroundings by the window. Under the tree are numerous presents bearing, among others, the child’s name. The parents who put up the tree and supplied the gifts are still comfortably asleep in bed, after spending all night preparing this wondrous setting.

The child runs to the tree and immediately begins opening his presents, ripping off wrapping paper and casting it aside. A race car! The latest video game! And finally… his own CELL PHONE!

They are good gifts. And he was a good boy all year, so of course he deserves them! After all, he wasn’t like Johnny Booker, shooting his neighbor’s dog with a BB gun and blinding it in one eye, or those older kids who regularly stole stuff from stores down at the mall.

He plays with the race car and begins to set up his phone. Nowhere in his thoughts of the moment are the parents who gave him the gifts, or that they chose to give them to him despite his ongoing tendencies to “talk back” to them, and not do his chores…

==============================

In the last decade there has been a push in the humanist/atheist community to establish a belief system where the value of morality is recognized and affirmed without having to attribute it, or anything else, to a divine Creator.

A manifesto for this way of thinking is a 2009 book by Greg Epstein, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. In the book, Epstein does not seek to destroy traditional religion, but instead supplant it, positing that what is “good” about humanity does not depend on faith in a divine being.

In fact, the author is a great proponent of secular humanism, the principle that humanity is capable of morality and self-fulfillment without belief in God. It specifically rejects religious dogma and supernaturalism as means of morality and decision making.

An entire ecosystem has been built to bolster this viewpoint. Like-minded authors have come alongside Epstein with supporting works of their own. A Web site, Kids Without God, seeks to steer the younger crowd away from the need to rely on anything outside of themselves.

There is even the Council for Secular Humanism, “North America’s leading organization for non-religious people” to “advocate and defend a nonreligious lifestance rooted in science, naturalistic philosophy, and humanist ethics and to serve and support adherents of that lifestance.”

The race car, given a good strong push, zips along its merry way along a flat surface. Soon, however, it comes to an incline and slows… and in fact rolls back down the way it came, almost back to where it started.

==============================

The attempt to claim life is “good without God” is similar to the above illustration with the toy car. You WILL occasionally and randomly get good pushes and zoom along for a while, but soon you’ll run out of your own power and stop, or hit a hill and roll back down. Worse, with no one all-seeing at the steering wheel, the car could easily hit a wall or go over a cliff.

Things may seem “good” for a while, in fits and starts, but that’s a pretty low standard compared to what’s available. How much better are the gifts that God gives — wisdom, discernment, comfort and guidance in times of trouble, and a peace which passes all understanding — than the perishable things we receive from this world?

Maybe it should be called “life has been OK so far, and doesn’t hurt too badly for me to complain, without God.” And if that’s good enough for you, enjoy that life for all it’s worth, because what comes afterward is guaranteed to be decidedly less pleasant.

The difference is that, with God, you are not limited to your own power, or the fickle vagaries of those in your sphere, but instead can depend on the inexhaustible resources of the Creator of the universe. Through Him, you keep getting pushed along by that mighty hand when you run low on momentum:

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

— Isaiah 40:31

Now, in your own travels through this world, you’ll have to trust Him to take the wheel of your car and drive where you need (but not always want) to go, often not an easy thing for many of us to do. You will encounter some rough roads, sometimes travel by night and occasionally take some long detours, but the ultimate end of the journey is guaranteed to make that leap of faith worthwhile.

How much better than the “OK without God” life, then, would it be, instead of rolling back downhill, or getting out and pushing the car yourself, to instead glide over the summit and down the other side with someone driving who knows where He is going, and move along as needed just fine without energy or effort from you?

2) Judges

Unbeknownst to the young boy, the parents in fact are awake in their bedroom, aroused by the playful noises emanating from the front of the house. Dad is angry because the boy did not wait until the entire family was up before opening the gifts, as has traditionally been done in their household.

“Not even a ‘thank you’ from that ungrateful little snot!” he mutters. He wants to get out his belt and “teach that boy some manners”, but the mother’s patience permits cooler heads to prevail.

“Let’s go talk to him,” she advises. “Give him the chance to realize the error of his ways. We’ll think of a suitable penalty later, like no playing with the new stuff for a week.”

Dad huffs, his momentary wrath subsided. He really wants to confront his son about the boy’s impatience and lack of appreciation for the gifts provided, but realizes that the message will be lost unless delivered when the time is right…

==============================

Justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin in God’s economy. The father would be justified in giving the boy a good tanning with the belt, but relents when the mother suggests a different approach, which could have more-desirable long-term effects.

In the first chapter of the book of Romans, Paul lays out God’s unimpeachable indictment against humanity in the starkest terms: man failed to acknowledge God for who He is and the good things He provided, earning us His divine wrath. He gave man over to a Godless existence, mired in his own lusts and devices, the first steps on the road to an eternity in Hell.

The only “off-ramp” from that road is found in Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross opened man’s only way back to God, by appropriating Christ’s righteousness for ourselves and, in the process, turning aside God’s well-deserved anger directed at us “while we were yet sinners”.

Just like the boy enjoying his presents, we are many times blissfully oblivious to the justifiable fury kindling elsewhere against us.

3) Lamentations

Finally, the last member of the family was awake.

“Dude!” the boy’s older sister exclaimed as she entered the living room. “You’re making enough noise to wake the dead!” Her protest landed on deaf ears as playtime continued unabated.

“I see that you couldn’t wait to open your presents,” she said sharply, rolling her eyes. She plopped down in a plush armchair near the Christmas tree and sat back, folding her legs underneath her body.

“Aren’t they incredible? I really hit the jackpot with Mom and Dad this year!”

“I’m sure they are nice, but I’m just as sure they would have loved to see your excitement as you opened your gifts.”

The comment registered for an instant, evidenced by a pause in pushing the race car around the floor, and a brief cessation of engine noises from the boy’s mouth.

“They’ll get over it,” shrugged the boy. He resumed pushing the car and making engine noises. The moment had passed.

Time to shift gears.

“You sure seem to take a lot for granted, especially on this day that we are to appreciate the things we have.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” He did not look up when asking the question.

“Well, what about the fact that we have a nice big house? We could have a smaller one, like the Carluccis next door…”

“… or have that mansion on the hill, like Scott Hendel’s family has,” countered her brother.

“Or be living in a cardboard box on the street.” The reversal itself had been reversed, and her brother’s naked covetousness irritated her, yet something in her heart spurred her on.

“My friend Jenny, she and her family decided to forego giving each other gifts this year, and instead use the money to get stuff for other people in their lives. She decided to buy presents for her teachers at school. Her parents got stuff for their co-workers, and I think her brother surprised his basketball team with … whatever it is that basketball players like.”

The boy pondered that thought for a moment. “That was pretty nice of them. I’ll bet all those people were pretty happy to get all that stuff.”

“They were. And it made Jenny and her family feel even better to give it.”

The girl sighed. Another attempt to take flight had been allowed to fall back to earth. She had been awoken that morning not by the noise in the living room, but the need to bring her brother’s ongoing selfish behavior under repentance. So far, all her efforts had failed.

Then, finally, enduring inspiration struck.

“Remember when you tried to steal that candy down at Walmart?”

The boy hesitated for a moment. He had stopped playing with the race car and had started to configure the phone. “Yeah. That was probably wrong…”

“‘Probably’? The store clerk who caught you was pretty sure when she told Mom.”

“I could not go outside and play after school for a week,” he recalled. Then he smiled. “But that was OK: I stayed inside and played Halo on my Xbox. Even got a high score!” The boy was proud of himself.

His triumph, however, was short-lived.

“What about the second time, with Dad?”

The boy was stunned, enough so that he put down the cell phone.

“Aha!” the sister declared triumphantly. “You didn’t know I KNEW about that one, did you??? Mom told me what happened, as well as what Dad did about it.”

This was a less-sanguine memory. The boy had been with his father at a hardware store when he decided on a whim to steal a box of Junior Mints at the checkout stand. The store manager happened to be on the floor at the time and confronted the boy, who, at the manager’s behest, led him to the father. Dad was clearly embarrassed, and, the boy could tell, more than a little angry. Dad apologized to the manager, and made the boy say that he, too, was sorry.

Memories of the ride home, and the later beating, gave the boy chills. Dad didn’t say much beyond muttered threats, letting the dread of anticipation build. When they got home, Mom wasn’t there to shield him from the punishment; out came the belt and the boy got a thorough whipping.

“I had to write a letter to the manager, and deliver it in person,” recalled the boy, decidedly downcast. “I had to say that stealing is wrong, and I was sorry. It was quite embarrassing.”

“Sorry that you did it? Or sorry you got caught?”

“That I did it.” And then, in a flash, the boy became quite defensive.

“Just because you are thirteen doesn’t make you somehow better than me!”

“True, ” the girl replied pensively. “It does not. But it DOES make me ask questions, and think about things nine-year-old boys don’t.”

Embarrassed, the boy went back to playing with his car, but now in silence and with a lot less joy.

==============================

It’s true: the deep dark sins we commit in secret will all eventually come out. In fact, Jesus Himself declared this much in Luke’s gospel:

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

— Luke 12:2-3

God, of course, already knows all about our transgressions: He knew about them before they took place, and had a front-row seat when they actually occurred. It is also possible that others, unbeknownst to you, already know about them as well, tainting those relationships and coloring the judgments they make toward you, all without your knowledge.

4) Revelation

The boy’s remorse over opening his presents early had become oppressive. What should have been a morning of delight and celebration had instead for him become burdensome and guilt-ridden. He continued tinkering with the cell phone, but his heart and mind were elsewhere.

There was no “un-ringing the bell” here: what’s done was done, and the only question worth addressing was what to do next.

“If it were me,” the sister offered, “I’d go in and throw myself on Dad’s mercy.” By now she had settled into the armchair and slung her legs over one arm, sitting sideways. “That always worked for me: admit you made a mistake, promise that you won’t do it again and that you’ll do better in the future.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, yeah, but there’s one catch.”

“I KNEW it!” he declared triumphantly. “I knew there’d be one. That sounds WAY too easy! So, what is it?” A smirk had appeared on his face, as if he had uncovered a secret hidden truth.

“You have to mean it.”

The boy snorted his disbelief.

“It’s true,” his sister continued. “He knows when you’re just saying the words. Believe me, I tried just going through the motions a couple times. I still got lashed with the belt.”

“YOU? Miss Goody-Goody got a beating?” He found this even more incredible, that his apparently angelic sister had ever done anything meriting punishment.

“Yep. That was a long time ago, before I learned that is was good to be honest when you mess up, but even better to not do bad things in the first place. Believe me, I am not perfect, by any stretch, but I do try to be better every day.”

Now the boy contemplated his own situation: if he waited for Dad to come out of the bedroom into the living room, chances were he’d be carrying a strap of leather, and not for decoration, either. On the other hand, a heartfelt pre-emptive apology just might turn aside his father’s wrath.

“Maybe I should try that. It sounds a lot less painful that Dad’s belt.”

“Yes, it does work out better most of the time. But remember, you can’t just mouth the words. When I did that, it didn’t just make him a little angrier, but also very sad. The belt hurt, to be sure, but what I remember most is the look of disappointment on his face. That stung more than the belt did.”

Tears started to well up in the boy’s eyes. “I don’t want Daddy and Mommy to be disappointed in me!”

“I’m sure they don’t want that, either. But you need to tell them the truth about what happened, that you got too excited and forgot to wait for everyone else to get up before opening your presents. They deserve a sincere apology — remember, you gotta mean it. Think you can do that?”

The boy nodded in silence.

“Come on. Let’s go wish Mom and Dad a Merry Christmas.”

With that, they set out for the master bedroom. With a knock on the closed door met by a shouted “Come in!” the children burst into the room and leaped on the bed, squeezing and snuggling in the space between their parents, just as they used to do long ago. Their bodies may now be bigger, but, inside, a part of each was still the small child who felt safe, loved and secure when curling up with Mommy and Daddy.

The business of opening the gifts without the family present was handled gracefully. Heartfelt phrases were exchanged: “Thank you.” “I’m sorry.” “We forgive you.” The parents decided upon a fair nonphysical punishment.

With that out of the way, there was nothing left to do but to enjoy the moment on the bed, together, as a family.

==============================

What It All Means

The story is an allegory developed around the situation we as Christians face when confronted with an adherent of the “Good Without God” philosophy.

The brother is the obvious (and oblivious!) sinner who thinks he’s already pretty good, at least compared to other people, and does not need additional boundaries on his behavior. The parents represent the dual nature of God, with the father holding honest indignation over his wayward child’s “me first” rush to playtime, along with the desire to inflict punishment, and the mother tempering that judgment with patience.

Stuck in the middle of all this is the sister, who is clearly somehow enlightened to there being more to life than the self-centered focus her brother has, and is trying to get him to put their situation into a larger context. Twice she fails, but does not give up, finally finding an “in” when confronting him about how his actions probably made his parents feel. In the end, she leads him into the parents’ bedroom, where he honestly confess his “sin” and asks for forgiveness, which is immediately and lovingly granted.

In short… she evangelizes him!

In the ideal, our earthly parents mirror and model God’s love for us, but also His judgment and righteous anger when warranted. In the end, it is far more preferable to “come clean” and admit our transgressions to a God who made us, already knows our weaknesses and mistakes, and stands ready to forgive us in His Son’s name.

Have you given your life over to Jesus Christ? If you have, were you genuinely sorry for the sins you committed, or did you simply make a vain confession devoid of feeling? If you have not, there is still an opportunity to turn aside the eminently justifiable anger a holy God has against you, and exchange it for forgiveness and a place in His kingdom forever.

The Rest of the Story

At that moment, in a realm far away, the Creator was, in fact, looking in on this family. He smiled, as things were progressing exactly how He had intended.

“This is how I roll!” He smiled to Himself, in ways far beyond our understanding.

Two more miracles were needed to tear the lid off this family’s godless paradigm once and for all, in a way which none of them could deny. The groundwork for each had already been laid, here and elsewhere, and in the fullness of time those happenings will point to the Source of All Things.

The Creator already knew whether and how each member of the family would eventually respond, for it had been ordained since the beginning of time.

The only thing left to do… was wait.

==============================

What is God waiting for each of us to do? Reach out to someone? Respond to Him in some way? Are there people around us who believe they are “good without God?”

Whatever it may be, we should be honored that we have been appointed to be part of His eternal plan to bring rightful glory to Himself, and share His love for His beloved children the world over.

Prayer:

Father, let those who believe life is “good” without You be awakened from their slumber to all which is possible with You. Open their eyes, Lord, and their hearts to You and Your endless grace, and show them unmistakably that life is indeed “better WITH God”. You have a storehouse for each of us, filled with Your gifts and mercies, only a small fraction of which is ever claimed during our lifetimes. Help us receive what You have already set aside for us. I ask in the holy and precious name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

Bible Verses:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

— Genesis 1:26

” The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

— Psalm 14:1

“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”

— Genesis 6:5

“Without Me, you can do nothing.”

— John 15:5

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

— James 1:17 (NLT)

“I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’”

— Psalm 16:2

Bible verses are from the New International Version (NIV) unless stated otherwise.

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, Devotionals, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Patti Greene, Prayer, Sin, Testimonies, The Bible, Writing and Speaking

Dear God Letters: Communicating with God

March 7, 2019 Patti Greene

I have been writing Dear God letters for many decades. A few letters are penmanship perfect, but most of the time they are a jumbled long-hand script of thoughts to God.

Communicating with God

What a privilege it is to be able to look back and see how my prayers and communications with my heavenly Father are so raw and honest!

As I’ve learned more about God and His ways, I know it’s not popular to say, “God told me . . .” so I rarely say that. I am human and I know that, in my humanness, I can easily be mistaken in messages I perceive to be from God. Therefore, I prefer to say, “I feel impressed that. . .” We are imperfect beings and prone to interpret things incorrectly. I can accept that.

But what I can’t accept is that some people say God does not have the power to reveal Himself to us. With me, God most often uses the Bible to show me His will, His desires, and His love. I love spending time studying and meditating upon words, phrases, or chapters in the Bible seeking His wisdom and direction. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. Through His Word, He shares Himself with us.

Equally important, there are the special times when His sweet words calmly enter my mind and the holy presence of God is impressed upon me. The joy and peace I feel foreshadow a breath-taking encounter between God and me. Just sitting and spending time with my Lord—reveling in His love towards me—is sweeter than a cool glass of water on a hot summer day!

When we bask in His love and get into His presence, we are placing ourselves in a position where God can “speak to us” or shall I say “impress Himself on us”. The beauty of wallowing in His rest and glory will astound us every time. Moreover, we leave that place of sweet and satisfying fellowship with a spark in our eyes, a love in our heart, and a desire to give Him all of ourselves. It is in these moments the Holy Spirit may impart and reveal His thoughts to us. Interconnecting with our Lord and Savior at these times fosters our faith and develops our spiritual growth.

The Challenge

I challenge you this week to ask God to let you see EVERYTHING through the eyes of His precious son Jesus.

I challenge you this week to ask God to let you see EVERYTHING through the eyes of His precious son Jesus. GreenePastures.org

Tweet This

When we let God be God and listen to Him through prayer or the Bible, the peace which passes all understanding falls upon us (see Philippians 4:7). It’s like what I imagine Heaven on Earth to be like.

Find What Works for You

Below is just a sampling of a “Letter to God.” You may not like to express yourself in words and writing as I do, but the Lord wants to communicate with you. By the same token, there is no right or wrong way to communicate with the Lord. Find out what works for you and just love being loved by Him.

Dear God Letter and God’s Reply

Dear God,

We’ve been together for a long time. Over the years, we have been learning more and more about each other—or should I say, I’ve been learning so much about You! As the years have gone by, my love for You is getting stronger and stronger. You are my everything. Sometimes, I don’t know why You love me so much. All those times I have left You behind You have stayed alongside of me. I want to love You as much as You love me. You listen to me—even answering me even when I don’t want an answer. Open my ears to hear Your wisdom. Let me have an increasing understand of Your ways every day. Thank you, Lord.

=====================================

My Dear Loved One,

Oh, how I cherish My time with you, but today I want you to listen to Me.

I know your thoughts and I am right here with you. All healing comes from My sovereignty. I keep secrets and I don’t share my thoughts about you with others—just as I don’t share other people’s thoughts with you unless I need to. I am God. Therefore, I can do with you and others as I please, but it’s all for your protection and growth.

The waiting—the being patient—is so you will trust in My will more and more. Whenever I am ready to share with you, I will. And, I do the same for others. I hold on to what you aren’t ready to accept until My perfect timing is complete.

Be strong; be enlightened; confess sins. Ask and continue to ask for My help. I know you are confused about your thoughts and your future. Again, I say, “Be strong,” Follow my commandments. Love Me. I want you “to want to want what I want.” ¹ That’s the goal. I love you. My hand and My Spirit are upon you. I know what you are going through, and I am with you every step of the way—safeguarding you and others until the day where you can rejoice either in heaven or on Earth. Let My will be done in My timing.

God

Different and Unique

It’s so simple to converse with God. Use your words, your colloquialisms, and your expressions. Be yourself. Also, be honest. Don’t be concerned if you don’t pray as others pray. God created us—we are different and unique. We pray differently. Furthermore, we write, listen and read differently. Our uniqueness is what makes us who we are. Embrace it. Just be yourself.

The important thing is to just start communicating with your heavenly Father and let Him communicate with you. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines communication as:

A personal rapport
Information transmitted or conveyed [through] a verbal or written message, or
A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. ²

Whether you are talking to God in prayer or writing to God, He desires our hearts to be open to Him.

Whenever I write my Dear God letters, I am cognizant of the fact that writing a letter to God is a very personal experience. Sometimes I write to praise Him; other times I write to thank Him; and even other times, I write to address an issue. No matter why one writes a letter to the Lord, we should approach our communication with an honest and sincere heart. God desires all our communication to be more than eloquent words, a penmanship-perfect letter, a jumbled note, or a conglomerate of misplaced typing errors on a piece of computer paper! He wants us to come as we are, with all the honesty and sincerity we can muster.

God Bless,

Bible Gateway Blogger Member – Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List; Inspirational Writers Alive Member (IWA) – Central Houston Location; Baylor University, B.A.

Bible Verses:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:8)

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:34)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. (1 John 5:1)

Prayer:

God, thank You for all the love You have bestowed upon me. In addition, I thank You with my whole heart that You have made known to me Christ’s love and for filling me with the fullness of You. May my prayers, meditations and reading always guide me into the spirit of truth. Likewise, challenge me to be dwell in Your presence every single day. I love You.

Works Cited

¹ In a recent sermon, my pastor used the expression, “I want to want what God wants.” I added one more want here.

² “Communication.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2019. Web. 5 Feb 2019.

Bible verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, Devotionals, GreenePastures.org, Holidays, Patti Greene, Testimonies, The Bible

Plan Your Bible Studies For 2019

December 31, 2018 Patti Greene

Over the past 47 years, participation in various Bible studies was a no-brainer. Reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible has been one of the most rewarding adventures of my life. Whether the studies were from pastors, discipleship leaders or workbooks, the effect they have had on my life has been profound.

Ever since I accepted Jesus Christ, I have participated in various Bible studies

Being a reader, and one who enjoys any kind of paper-pen-pencil combination, Bible study workbooks became my favorite method of reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God. Through them, I have grown in my faith, learned Biblical principles and wrestled with spiritual issues. These studies grew me from a “baby believer”, who knew nothing about the Bible, Bible doctrine or theology, into a “baby believer” who became armed with the Word of God—ready to tackle whatever was in store for me in my faith journey.

Along with these Bible study workbooks, I have partaken in topical Bible studies, Bible-based book studies and personal Bible studies (those done solely on my own). Choosing which Bible study I utilize depends on my interests, the authors, what studies are going on at my church, and/or what the Lord leads me to study for purposes such as teaching me, teaching others, or pursuing ministries He has for me.

Shortly after becoming a believer, some profound Bible studies helped me in my early walk with the Lord. They were:

The Ten Basic Steps to Christian Maturity by Campus Crusade
The Be Series by Warren Wiersbe
The Joy of Living Bible study
David Wilkerson’s Jesus Person Maturity Manual, and later
Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

Searching for Good Bible Studies

While it is not popular to say this, I have been involved in Bible studies that I later realized contained false doctrine and flat-out false teaching. [And yes, they are in Christian bookstores.]

As I grew, the Lord began to give me His discernment into which studies honored Him and which studies did not. It has become a challenge for me to find studies when I browse through Amazon or bookstores. I am diligent to read the author’s background, what they believe, and what their ministry stands for. If it makes you feel better, I am a “certified Texas librarian” so this kind of research and analysis comes easy—even expected—for me!

In January 2018, I walked into a Christian bookstore intending to find a Bible study to pursue at home. I looked and looked, but I couldn’t find one among the extensive shelves containing books from various authors from A-Z! I even looked at the $4.00 and under book carts. I’ve learned that some of the deeper books I enjoy end up on those carts. I’m not sure if it is because people like different studies than I do or if God is giving this retired gal a monetary break!

My Personal Journey

Because I own so many books, studies, literature, and Bibles, I periodically do some spring cleaning of my bookshelves—not so much to discard older ones but to make room for new selections. Since my books cover so many topics and authors, I even have a framed sign on my downstairs bookcases that say,

“Just because I own it and have read it, it doesn’t mean I believe it!”

Plan Your Bible Studies For 2019 by Patti Greene — Just because I own it and read it, does not mean I believe it!

You see, I keep some of my questionable books for comparison purposes for writing or speaking in ministry.

As I’ve grown in the Lord, I realize that reading the Bible semi-exclusively has become my forte (at least for now). While I enjoy other studies, I get more satisfaction out of studying God’s Word for myself than out of reading other people’s thoughts and their personal stories. Interestingly enough, the Bible resonates more with me now than when I first started my faith journey.

A Place for Bible Studies

Don’t get me wrong there is a place for Bible studies, but in all honesty, some stories or illustrations seem as if the author has stretched his imagination to make them fit a given verse and/or topic.

But hey, count me in that group! I am guilty of that myself. Many times, I have looked up topics in illustration books (usually ones written by well-known religious leaders or celebrities) when I am trying to write or speak to groups. Sometimes they work well—other times not.

But now in my journey, I love finding little nuggets about the lives of Biblical characters. I enjoy using them as my illustrations when writing or teaching. I have come to a point in my journey where I love God speaking to me directly from His Word.

13 Reasons to Read, Study and Meditate on the Bible

God’s Word . . .

Convicts us of sin.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. (John 16:8)

Gives us His promises to depend on.

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (2 Peter 1:4)

Gives us strength and peace.

The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

Guides us in the moral and ethical decisions we face.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Guides us into wise thinking and behavior.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Is powerful and true.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Keeps us from being swayed by false teachings, teachers and incorrect doctrinal errors.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)

Keeps us from temptations.

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)

Leads us and others to salvation and eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Leads us to consistency in our walk with God.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you? But, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Remains close to our heart to guide and influence us.

Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; (Psalm 23:3)

Shows us how Christ lives so we can emulate His lifestyle as we grow and minister to others.

The 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;but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:4-6)

Shows us how to minister to others.

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:31)

In all love I can give you, I want to encourage you to block out time for reading, studying and meditating on God’s Word, to commit to reading more of the Bible (as opposed to the writings of others), to spend more time reading the unadulterated, pure Word of God, and find a plan that works for you.

Bible Study Plans

Bible study plans are a great way to keep your Bible study consistent. Plans will vary in . . .

Length;
Time duration;
The number of days per week; [I love the plans that give me the weekend off to pursue other things of importance to me.]
Topic;
Money; [For example, if you choose to read the Bible through chronologically, you might need to purchase a chronological Bible.]
Ease, and more.

While I could link you to various plans, I have decided to let you do your own search for a plan that will work for you. Many plans provide you will a scheduled list you can print out, download digitally or have emailed to you daily. Some plans want you to sign up for their emails before providing a plan. My suggestion is for you to make those kinds of decisions yourself and follow through. However, please take special caution to make sure your source comes from true Bible-centered organizations!

13 Types of Bible-Reading Plans Available for Studying, Reading and Meditating

A read-through-the entire Bible plan (reading straight through from Genesis to Revelation);
An Old Testament plan;
A New Testament plan;
A Bible chronological plan;
A Bible historical plan;
A Gospel plan;
A 90-day challenge plan; a 180-day reading plan; a 365-day reading plan;
A thematic Bible plan;
A “Bible book at a time” plan;
A blended plan—reading some Old Testament and some New Testament simultaneously;
A Jesus’ Words plan;
A short-term commitment plan;
A personalized plan, and more.

As for me, my Bible study plan for 2019, so far, looks like this. It’s a personalized plan written down on plain old notebook paper!*

Finish the Bible study plan I am currently doing; [Okay—it’s the read-through-the-Bible plan I intended to finish in 2018 but didn’t quite finish!]
Read all the Words of Jesus in the KJV;
Read, study and meditate on the Old Testament Book of Habakkuk;
Read, study and meditate on the New Testament Book of John through the Joy of Living series;
Read, study and meditate on the New Testament Book of Mark;
Read, study and meditate on the Old Testament during my quiet time;
Read, study and meditate on the New Testament during my quiet time; then
Pursue whatever the Lord leads me to – Maybe a quick study on the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah.

Conclusion

I’d love to hear from you to see how you decide to hear from God this year—be it a programmed study, scheduled Bible study plan, or a personal plan.

Back in January, as I left that Christian bookstore empty-handed after a vain search for a Bible study, I heard a voice within me saying, “Patti, don’t be discouraged.” I smiled, started my car, and drove home pondering what was my yearly plan to be. It came to me in a still, small voice. “Patti, read through the Bible in 2018.” And while I didn’t quite reach that goal, I’m almost there!

The important thing is to MAKE A PLAN AND GET STARTED!

Bible Verses:

Old Testament prophet Joshua said, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it . . . “ (Joshua 1:8)

New Testament prophet John said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

Prayer:

My gracious heavenly Father. I come to You as I start 2019 looking for ways to please You. I need You in my life for so many reasons. I am committing myself right now to be more immersed Your Word this year. I need Your Holy Spirit to guide me into a study that I can finish—one that I won’t give up on by the end of January. Being in Your presence is my desire for this new year. Thank You for always being by my side even when my faith is weak and my heart is faint. I truly love You.

In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

God Bless,

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson

*Commentaries are often used when studying the Bible.

Bible Links are from the NASB.

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

#bgbg2, Christian Living, Church and Ministry, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Most Recent Post, Patti Greene, Politics and Current Events, Salvation, Uncategorized

I am not a None—One of the Religious Unaffiliated

September 27, 2018 Patti Greene

I am NOT a none. I have never desired to be a none! And with God’s grace, I will never become a none. So, what is a none? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines nones as “the ninth day before the ides according to ancient Roman reckoning” or “the fifth of the canonical hours”.

However, those are not the nones being spoken about in this article. I am talking about the nones as defined in the Oxford University Press website in an article titled “3 Things You Might Not Know About Nones” by Elizabeth Drescher. Drescher defines nones as “a name for people who answer ‘none’ when asked what religious group they most identify or to which they belong.”

It is based on this definition, I will be providing informational quotes from various writers and researchers that will provide enough information for you to understand and intelligently discuss nones with others. In addition, I have included links for easy location of the entire articles.

Currently, nones or my personally made-up word noneship are not within my everyday vernacular or even official words yet, but I daresay that in the next few years, they will join the Merriam Webster’s New Dictionary Word List along with their most recent newest words such as cryptocurrency, wordie, Chiweenie, Schnoodle, ooh, mm-hmm, and welp.

**Who is a None?**

Becka Alper from Pew Research says, “a growing share of Americans are religiously unaffiliated. [They] recently asked a representative sample of more than 1,300 of these “nones” why they choose not to identify with a [particular] religion.

Out of several options included in the survey, the most common reason they give is that they question a lot of religious teachings. Six-in-ten religiously unaffiliated Americans – adults who describe their religious identity as an atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – say the questioning of religious teachings is a very important reason for their lack of affiliation.

The second-most-common reason is opposition to the positions taken by churches on social and political issues, cited by 49% of respondents (the survey asked about each of the six options separately). Smaller, but still substantial, shares say they dislike religious organizations (41%), don’t believe in God (37%), consider religion irrelevant to them (36%) or dislike religious leaders (34%).”

Alper, Becka. “Why America’s ‘nones’ don’t identify with a religion.” Pew Research Center. 8 Aug 2018.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/08/why-americas-nones-dont-identify-with-a-religion.

******************************

“The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing, according to an extensive new survey by the Pew Research Center. Moreover, these changes are taking place across the religious landscape, affecting all regions of the country and many demographic groups. While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages.”

“America’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Pew Research Center. 5 May 2015.

http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/

******************************

“Curiously, the religiously unaffiliated are “about twice as likely to describe themselves as political liberals than as conservatives.”

63 are either registered Democrats (39%) or lean toward the Democratic Party (24%)
72% support legal abortion
73% support same-sex marriage

Hess, Andrew. “The rise of the nones.” Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/focus-findings/family-formation-trends/rise-of-the-nones

**What is Interesting about the Nones?**

“Look at any survey about the state of religion and you will find the same story of decline. Fewer Americans today than in past decades identify with a religion, attend church, engage in religious practices, and view faith as an important part of their lives. Those who advocate the secularization of society applaud such cultural change because they see it as evidence that people are turning away from all things supernatural. However, these trends may be less about our abandoning the supernatural and more about our abandoning each other.”

Routledge, Clay. “Americans quit church but still search for meaning, now as loners.” Nation Review. 14 July 2018.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/07/traditional-religion-has-social-value-individual-quests-leave-people-isolated/

******************************

This seems like a circular argument: “The nones are growing because the nones are growing! But sociologically, it makes a kind of sense. Some nonbelievers might have stayed in organized religion in previous generations just because it was socially expected, and there were consequences for not joining the religious crowd. The numeric growth of the nones has removed some of those barriers so that other closeted nones feel more comfortable leaving religion too. There is an infrastructure and support system for them.”

Riess, Jana. “Why millennials are really leaving religion (it’s not just politics, folks). Religion News Service. 26 June 2018.

https://religionnews.com/2018/06/26/why-millennials-are-really-leaving-religion-its-not-just-politics-folks/

******************************

“In 2014, 23% of adult Americans identified as what media and academics have come to refer to as religious “nones.” Although the term covers a lot of territory—atheist, agnostic, unaffiliated, “nothing in particular,” and “spiritual but not religious”—it does not include anyone who identified with a particular faith tradition.”

Winston, Diane. “Millennials and the ‘none’: Why 40 years of religion in US Elections may change in 2015. Vice News. 30 June 2015.

https://news.vice.com/article/millennials-and-the-nones-why-40-years-of-religion-in-us-elections-may-change-in-2015

******************************

“Nones are building communities in myriad ways, some of them more organized than others. From meditation groups to the very church-like Sunday Assemblies, the religiously unaffiliated are finding ways to connect with one another.”

Blumberg, Antonia. “How the ‘Nones’ can find a sense of community outside of religion.” Huffington Post. 22 July 2015.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/religiously-unaffiliated-nones-community_us_55afe508e4b0a9b948535f3a

**Why Do the Nones Believe Like They Do?**

“Today’s young nones, immersed in their online lives, may feel as though they are very connected. But as many are collectively realizing, online connections are weaker than advertised. We may have many [acquaintances] within digital reach, but numerous online relationships are no substitute for deep, real-life friendships. Similarly, a wave of spirituality apps promises to supercharge your mindfulness and positive thinking. Although beneficial, app spirituality, too, leads to a solitary practice.”

Asma, Stephen. “Religiously unaffiliated ‘none’ are pursuing spirituality, but not community.” L.A. Times. 6 June 2018.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-asma-nones-spirituality-20180607-story.html

******************************

“As a pastor, as a researcher, as an educator, as just a Christian who cares, the single greatest contributor to the attrition rate [of the Christian faith] has been the breakdown of the family,” McFarland said in an interview with the Christian Post.

Blair, Leonardo. “Parent Failure to Transmit Faith to Kids Helping Fuel Growth of Religious ‘Nones,’ Study Suggests.” Christian Post. 20 Sept 2018.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/parent-failure-transmit-faith-kids-helping-fuel-growth-religious-nones-study-227489/

**How Can the Nones Come to Know Christ?**

An important new survey by Pew Research asks, “why people who were raised in religious homes but who now identify as religious “nones” — having no religious affiliation — decided to leave the faith of their childhood. The results were varied, but according to the survey, “Half of ‘nones’ left childhood faith over lack of belief, one-in-five cite dislike of organized religion.

So today, America needs another great awakening, one which will convert the unconverted, restore the backslidden, and set the complacent on fire. Whether they know it or not, the “nones” are crying out for this very thing.”

“God’s solution to the ‘Nones’ who have left the faith.” The Stream. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

https://stream.org/gods-solution-nones-left-faith

******************************

Conclusion

So how can you know God? It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:10)

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, [A]men.

“How do I accept Jesus as my savior.” In Touch. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

https://www.intouch.org/read/content/how-do-I-accept-Jesus-as-my-savior

While some people have no idea what is their purpose in life, some are convinced their life journey is to seek knowledge, to pursue status, to become wealthy, to promote tolerance, to reproduce or a host of other purposes.

The bottom-line is, what do we believe is the meaning of life?

As believers in Jesus Christ, we should believe that our purpose is to fulfill what God has appointed us to accomplish on this earth. When the spiritual dimension of life is void of the Trinity—God, the Father; Jesus, the Son; and the Holy Spirit, we become part of the none community. Let’s not let that happen!

******************************

Bible Verses:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to believe in You. Help me to see You with new eyes. If You are real, let me know that. I’m tired of the life I am living. I want to know that beyond what I can see, there is a God that loves me and wants what is best for me. Help me to leave my proud behavior and unbelieving thoughts at Your feet. I want to know if You are real. Amen.

God Bless.

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson

******************************

Please share, forward, retweet, and/or comment if you liked this article or find it might help someone you know. Thanks.

In addition, I would love for you to join either my blog or newsletter. Just go to GreenePastures.org and look on the upper right-hand side of the blog to join!

Books by Patti Greene: Available on Amazon

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

Off to Belize City, Belize

Bible Verse

From a United States Citizen’s Perspective

Satan’s Perspective

God’s Purpose

Advancing the Cause of Jesus Christ

What Happened Because We “Accepted The Mission”

What I Learned on Our Mission Trips to Belize

Secure in Their Faith

Conclusion

Bible Verses:

Prayer:

Works Cited

Share this:

Like this:

Driving: A Common Life Experience

Experience: Provided by Our Culture and Beliefs

A Banana: Provided by a Reluctant Believer

Meat: Provided to the Israelites

Bread and Fish: Provided to Five Thousand

Acknowledgment: Provided by God

Bible Verses

Prayer

Share this:

Like this:

King David Faced Sorrow

David’s Success Plummets

What Thoughts Should Fill Our Mind When We Are Sorrowful?

Deal With Sorrow

Cry: Tears – Chasing a Rabbit

Remember, Life Happens

In Our Sorrow, God Always Has a Plan For Us

God Uses Our Sorrow and Suffering for His Glory

When We Surrender Our Lives to Jesus Christ, He Will Give Us Peace

Conclusion

Bible Verses

Prayer

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Devotional Prayer Journals

Share this:

Like this:

Spiritual Warfare—An Introduction

What is Spiritual Warfare?

My Dangriga Story

Satan is Real

Satan Roams

Live in the Spiritual Realm

Who Experiences Spiritual Warfare?

What Does The Book of James Say?

Satan—The Adversary

The Father of Lies

Spiritual Warfare is Intense

Christ is Stronger Than the Devil

Complete Surrender

Testing, Trials, and Temptations

The Battlefield

Encountering and Persevering Under Trials

Understanding the Spiritual Battle

Satan’s Banquet

Spiritual Attacks

Is it Spiritual Warfare or Sin?

How to Overcome Spiritual Warfare

If We Succumb to Sin, Does God Forgive Us?

Be Alert

The Armor of God

Put On the Whole Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-17

Understanding the Armor of God

1. Truth

2. Breastplate of Righteousness

3. Feet

4. Shield of Faith

5. Helmet of Salvation

6. Sword of the Spirit

7. Prayer

Wrapping Up

Bible Verses:

Four Prayers To Choose From if Teaching From This Blog

Works Cited

**What Does The Book of James Say?**