Category Archives: GreenePastures.org

#bgbg2, Christian Living, GreenePastures.org, Guest Bloggers, Life Issues, Medical, Testimonies

The Coumadin Confessional

From my lips, to God’s ear. He had His answer ready long before I even asked.

Guest Contributor Ellsworth Johnson

If you were raised Catholic, like I was, chances are you spent some time in a confessional.

When I was in the fifth grade, growing up deep in the boroughs of New York City, my mother put me in a program organized by our local church called “Release Time.” On Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. I, my brother and about 50 other kids from local elementary schools got to leave early, walk the half mile to Sacred Heart and spend the afternoon (and, often, into the evening) in classrooms being lectured by the nuns on various topics, attending services in the sanctuary and, occasionally, indulging in my least favorite part of the whole experience: going to confession.

Oh, how I hated the confessional! Not only did we have to wait in long lines, to visit one of what were essentially small closets built into the wood paneling which lined the sanctuary’s walls, but once there you closed the door behind you and, in the darkened space, had to bare your sins to the priest invisibly on the other side of the porous cloth partition.

I often found myself confused. Embarrassed. Fumbling for things to say to a perfect stranger about the bad stuff no one knew about but God and me (“should I mention THAT one?”).

I had forgotten that agonized feeling from my childhood — until last Tuesday, when it came back full-force.

The apostle Paul reminds us many times to trust that God already has things mapped out for us:

… for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Currently, I am under medical care at home. Jackie, my nurse (not her real name), comes by once a week to take my vital signs and do a procedure called an INR, where she pricks my finger to draw blood and uses a portable device to test how well and how quickly it clots.

One of the medications I take is called Coumadin®. It is used to control the blood’s clotting ability. I had been prescribed to take one pill a day, but twice a week I had been advised to take an additional half a pill to further inhibit blood clotting.

Well, that was the plan, but… cut a pill in half? How on earth was I supposed to do that? With a knife? Scissors? Chisel? How do you keep the pieces from flying to Kingdom Come when you split the tablet? It sounded like a huge hassle, with the possibility of making a mess and chasing pill fragments all over the room, so I decided to just take an extra whole pill (instead of half) on those days and be done with it.

(DISCLAIMER: Do NOT try this at home, or anywhere else! This was a VERY BAD thing to do, and I thank God that it didn’t result in any medical harm. Always take your medicines exactly as prescribed!)

There were consequences, though.

“Your numbers are way up. They are about as high as they should be. We should look at lowering your dose.”

Oh no! My blood was way thinner than expected. Jackie was considering making medical recommendations under false pretenses, and I was the source of the falsehood!

The numbers from the INR test were at the upper end of the acceptable range, probably because of the additional whole Coumadin® pill I was taking instead of cutting it in half as directed.

Jackie was sitting in the chair across from me in my office, busily entering information into the tablet computer she brought with her to manage all my patient-care data. Should I tell her? She might freak out and get mad. On the other hand, it would explain the result, and allow us to make decisions based on reality and, hopefully, get the expected outcome.

Contemplating Confession

I stared out the window, flipping the issue over and over in my mind, evaluating possible eventual reactions (in increasing order of severity):

#3: Jackie getting mad

#2: any medical consequences

#1: wife clubbing me senseless

I took a deep breath. “Here goes,” I thought to myself.

I told Jackie what I did and braced myself for her response.

She did not even look up from her tablet.

Experiencing Grace

“That’s OK,” she said in an even tone. “I have an extra pill cutter out in my car. You can have it.”

WHAT?

She continued.

“I bought it for another patient some time ago. It turned out he didn’t need it, so I’ve been carrying it around in my car ever since. Here… let me go get it for you.” I watched her as she put down the tablet and left the room.

Can you say “grace”? The way it was all once explained to me involved blatantly speeding and a cop car pulling you over. “Justice” is getting the hefty ticket you rightly deserve. “Mercy” is overlooking the infraction, though you were obviously very guilty. “Grace” is where the cop says, on top of letting you slide, “Oh, and here are ten courtside passes to the next Lakers home game for you and your friends.”

“Mercy” is overlooking the infraction, though you were obviously very guilty. Ellsworth Johnson
Tweet This

My mouth hung wide open. Jackie’s calm and grace-filled reaction was TOTALLY unexpected! I was completely flabbergasted at the astronomical coincidence which had just taken place.

Rationalizing God’s Provision

My rational mindset about putting together the sequence of events which must have taken place in the non-specific past to bring this all about:

  • One of Jackie’s patients needed a pill cutter.
  • Jackie bought the pill cutter.
  • The patient ended up not needing it.
  • Jackie left it in her car until now.

Just as important are all the things that did NOT happen, each of which is entirely plausible:

  • Jackie could have, at some point, for any reason (or no reason) taken the pill cutter out of her car.
  • Another patient could have needed it.
  • Jackie could have forgotten it was there or remembered yet not mention it.

This is hardly a complete list, but only the more obvious things. “Less obvious” is that the car could have been in an accident and been unavailable, or even a different nurse than Jackie showed up at my house that day.

Or… I could have chickened out and not said anything.

Appreciating God’s Care

 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Yet again, I am amazed in my humanness that God had it all under control, and that all the pieces fell together as He had obviously planned. And, yet again, I remind myself that I shouldn’t be surprised, considering who God is and where He sits in the scheme of things.

He has the whole universe under His dominion, yet He saw fit to make sure that I, Person #3,975,467,002 on this one obscure rock out of a trillion planets, with nothing special about him and much worthy of condemnation, still got what I needed.

Not only did I end up getting it, but He also arranged events (and non-events!) in other people’s lives to bring it all about.

I should indeed not be surprised. That’s who He is.

And I praise His name forever.

Thanks for the pill cutter.

Amen.

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

Blogger Badge - White background 100x100#bgbg2

#bgbg2, Christian Living, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, Prayer, Salvation

Change Happens. Period!

2 Comments

Whether we like it or not, change is a constant in our life!

Moving on . . .

Here’s a deep theological question for you today? Do blondes really have more fun?

The reason I ask is that I am about to find out. You see, I have very dark brown hair. I inherited my brown hair from my Italian mother and my Jewish father! But recently, I noticed that I was having to dye my hair much more frequently because of the OBVIOUS GRAY skunk-like stripe showing up on both sides of my part and in the front of my temples.

So since early 2018, I have been in the process of switching from a dark brown head of hair to a blonde head of hair. This change is a gradual change for me, but for others who see me infrequently, it is quite dramatic.

Some changes are not that important. This is probably one of them. Whether it will be a good decision on my part or not is yet to be known. I love my dark brown hair! By going blonde—no matter what the reason—I am losing part of me and part of my identity and past. And that is how change is!

The fact is that change happens. Period. 

We change clothes. We change jobs. We change positions. We change partners. We change our mood. We change the channel. We change our spiritual condition. We change our name. We change our minds. We change our homes. We change churches. We change our nail polish. We change our recipes. We change our weight. And most recently, King Mswati III, the leader of a small African nation, has changed the name of his country from “Swaziland” to the “Kingdom of eSwatini.”

Some changes are inconsequential. Some changes are easy. Some changes are hard. And, some changes are VERY hard.

One thing is certain—change is inevitable in our lives and how we handle it is just as important as the change is.

Change may be:

  • Necessary
  • Unexpected
  • Unavoidable
  • Negative
  • Positive
  • Well-thought-out
  • Totally absurd, or
  • Quite frankly, insignificant

There is a growing industry on how to plan for change—or as some might say—there are models to manipulate people for a transformation. NOT COOL! Most people do not like having change imposed upon them through manipulation or without their approval.

John Kotter’s 8-step model educates organizations on planning for change by looking at data, communicating that data, monitoring data, managing the process, managing the budget, managing the resistance to change, and more.

Change—Positive or Negative

What we experience in life can modify our way of thinking. Change can create a new ministry, a new outlook, even a new you! I have just finished reading a book in which the author gave me a new, deeper perspective about my Christian faith. I call it a “life-changing” book.

However, our experiences can be absolutely devastating as well. Losing one’s family through death or divorce, losing your job, or being convicted of a crime can wipe out one’s emotions, finances, or reputation.

But sometimes our negative change can turn into a positive change. What if you lose your job only to get a job that is so much better and fits your job skills to the tee? Then, does what was perceived as detrimental become positive?

Sadly though, a positive change can turn into a negative change. What if the book I just read turns out to be authored by a false prophet and I lose my faith in God?

This is where leaders, authors, podcasters, and pastors must take care in how they are leading their flock or followers. Within Christian ministries, there is a fine line that requires leaders to carefully consider all matters that might affect their flock ranging from “seekers” to “babes in Christ” to the “spiritually mature.”

How Can Christ-Followers Evaluate Change in Their Life?

Many changes require deep, concentrated prayer—maybe even for years. Agonizing changes require some type of modification or a new direction. In secular life, we might change locations, change medical treatments, or change churches. In the Old Testament, Joseph changed from a shepherd boy to a mighty man of God in Egypt. In the New Testament, Saul changed from a Jewish persecutor to a dynamic believer.

Many changes require deep, concentrated prayer—maybe even for years. GreenePastures.org
Tweet This

Prayer, Bible Study, and Counsel

As a believer, important and controversial changes require much prayer and Bible seeking regarding one’s personal life, church life, or work life.

Crying out to God for His wisdom and direction is imperative because most changes reap benefits or consequences. When we immerse ourselves in the Bible for a special word from Him, we are opening ourselves up to hear how He wants us to handle a change. This goes for the ones making the changes and for the ones required to accept change.

Counseling may be advisable, but it should only occur from Christians who are spiritually mature and committed to God’s best possible plan.

Conclusion

All change creates a challenge. With the Lord’s guidance and wisdom, we can confront those challenges in a way that honors Him. I hope that is what you plan on doing next time you encounter an important change or decision.

Let’s conclude by looking at some Bible verses that voice the most important change we should consider in our lives.

Bible Verses:

1. We change. Things change. But, God does not change.

“For I, the LORD, does not change; therefore you, O Sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)

2. Let’s not sweat the small stuff, but consider the biggest change of all.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet with sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51)

3. Accepting Jesus is the biggest and most important change in our 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)

God Bless,

Member Inspirational Writers Alive #IWA; Bible Gateway Blogger Grid Member #bgbg2

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

If you like Greene Pastures blogs, click HERE to sign up for email notifications (Newsletters and Blog) to see articles already published or will be published.

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, Doctrine, GreenePastures.org, How to Guides, Jesus Christ, Patti Greene, Sin, The Bible

Spiritual Warfare: The Battle Between Good and Evil – Part 3 of 4

2 Comments

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.

Testing, Trials, and Temptations

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
  • When ministry opportunities are not pursued or available
  • When we are frustrated, and more

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

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; a hopelessness when ungodly thoughts become obsessions; and/or a 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)

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:

1st 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 being enticed to sin, but he finally does.

2nd 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.

3rd 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.

4th Course of Sin—Horrors from the last cup – A persons’ hope and dreams have vanished. His sin haunts him.1

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 a revenge we can’t shake off, a 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, relationship with God is negatively affected, and a 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.

Therefore, that is why the first sentence of SPIRITUAL WARFARE: An Introduction, Part 1 states,

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.”²

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.”³ Now, that is serious business!

Conclusion:

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.” William Gurnall

Bible Verses:

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)

Prayer:

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.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Member Inspirational Writers Alive #IWA; Bible Gateway Blogger Grid Member #bgbg2

1Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon Sermons, vol. 5. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2013.

²Graham, Billy. Decision Magazine. Feb 2018. Print.

³Gurnall, William. The Christian in Complete Armour, Vol. 1. Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1996.

Edited by E. Johnson

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

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: An Introduction, Part 1

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Satan, Jesus, and Trials, Part 2

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: The Battle Between Good and Evil, Part 3

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: The Armor of God, Part 4

COMING SOON:

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: The Armor of God, Part 4, Part 4 of 4

If you are hooked and you don’t want to miss out on the rest of this SPIRITUAL WARFARE series, click HERE to sign up for email notifications to receive news posts and monthly newsletters on this subject and more. To receive new post notification, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription.

Also, if you found this post helpful, please like/share it so others can get the benefit. Thanks.