August 2008
Week 1 Getting Back on Your Feet and Staying There
Week 2: Searching for the Truth, and Then, Walking in It
Week 3: Controlling the Controllable
Week 1 Getting Back on Your Feet and Staying There
Saturday morning, I had barely started on my 3 ½ miles of combination walking and jogging when I became distracted. I should have been looking straight ahead, but my gaze was fixed to the right as I carefully inspected the lawn I knew my youngest son had cut earlier in the week. While taking note of the beautiful landscaping in this yard, I was suddenly propelled forward at a high rate of speed, stumbling, and trying desperately to regain my balance.
I knew I was out of control and off balance, could not stop myself. I tried to move from the sidewalk toward the grass to soften my fall, but was unable to do so. I finally came skidding to a halt, with brush burns on my right arm, thigh, and face. My upper lip and was burning and slightly bleeding. I moved over to the grass and sat there stunned for a few minutes.
There was the sound of someone using a weed eater just a short distance away. He either didn’t notice or pretended not to notice what had happened, probably out of consideration for my embarrassment.
My lip was throbbing and I really didn’t feel like getting up, but I knew I couldn’t just sit in some unknown person’s yard all day. I called my husband who is accustomed to the various situations in which I find myself. He came and picked me up, checked to see if I had knocked any teeth out, put Neosporin on all my wounds, gave me some Advil and told me to rest. Four days later, scabs have formed, and the healing process is taking place.
Out of curiosity, I went back to the place I fell to determine the cause. It was easy to locate because the pavement is marked by skid marks which appear to have been made by either my cell phone or keys. I noticed that in the spot where I stumbled, the sidewalk is about an inch or two higher than the driveway to which it is adjoined.
Perhaps I could focus on giving the owner of the driveway grief, but the truth is that either the entire sidewalk would have to be lowered or the person’s driveway raised. I don’t see either happening and even if they offered, that is not the most logical way to prevent my misfortune from happening again.
It makes more sense for me to take responsibility for myself and simply watch where I am going!
Likewise, there are many inconsistencies and imperfections in this life which can cause us to stumble. We must accept that fact. No one has perfect circumstances. No one is surrounded by perfect people. People will not always respond to us the way we would like. How can we avoid unnecessary and excessive stumbling, and the pain it produces?
“Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. . . . When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you” (Proverbs 4:7,12,25 NKJV)
“Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established” (Proverbs 4:26 CSB).
According to the Bible, I must carefully consider the path which I am taking. 2 Peter 1 provides an incredibly helpful list of ways to avoid unnecessary stumbling and the pain it produces.
“. . . for if you do these things you will never stumble;” (2 Peter 1:10 NKJV).
What things? What must I do to keep from stumbling?
We will examine a different quality each week this month.
I encourage you to check back every week this month. It could permanently change the way you walk!
©2008 Lauren Fletcher all rights reserved
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Week 2: Searching for the Truth, and Then, Walking in It!
Yesterday, Fox News revealed that Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of an influential leader of the militant Hamas organization, has renounced his Muslim faith, converted to Christianity, and is now attending an evangelical Christian church in
San Diego, California. He left his family behind in Ramallah and is seeking asylum in the
United States.
Why did he do this? He told the Fox News interviewer …
“When I studied the Bible carefully, verse by verse, I made sure that it was the book of God, the word of God for sure, so I started to see things in a different way, which was difficult for me, to say Islam is wrong.”
Why did he announce this to the world via the Fox news interview yesterday?
“People are suffering every day because of wrong ideas. I can help them get out of this endless circle ... the track the devil (laid) for them.”
His testimony is that God’s Word did for him exactly what it claims to do!
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV).
In Yousef’s own words, … “When I studied the Bible carefully verse by verse . . . I started to see things in a different way…”
When asked, “Aren’t you terrified that somebody is going to try to kill you for saying these things. . . ?”, Yousef replied …
“They got to kill my ideas first, (and) that's it, they're already out.... They can kill my body, but they can't kill my soul.”
When the interviewer persisted with, “You're not afraid?”, he replied,
“… I feel that God is on my side. But if this will be the challenge, I ask God to give me enough strength.”
When asked, “What is your basic message to any Muslim listening to this right now?”, Yousef answered, “My message to them is, first of all, to open their minds. … Open their hearts. Read the Bible. They will find a good life on earth just by following God — and they're also going to guarantee the other life.”
This former Muslim who studied the Bible verse by verse while searching for truth, is now telling Muslims to read the Bible! That’s not bad advice for Christians either. In fact, I think that’s great advice with which to close, (backed up by a scripture, of course)!
“ . . . giving all diligence, add to your faith . . . knowledge,
. . . for if you do these things you will never stumble;” (2 Peter 1:5,10 NKJV).
©2008 Lauren Fletcher all rights reserved
To see Yousef’s Fox News interview in its entirety, go to:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,402483,00.html
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Week 3: Controlling the Controllable
Florida residents are aware that Tropical Storm Fay is out of our control! A number of residents along
Florida’s east coast have experienced flooding from more than twenty inches of rain, and some bridges have been shut down because of excessive wind speeds. The mayor of the city in which I live has cautioned that we must be vigilant and that the worst is yet to come for our area. All eyes are on Fay, with her every move being tracked. Those in her path are bracing for the possible destruction.
“Out of control” and “destruction” are often synonymous. Unfortunately, there are many things in this life that we cannot control. Even more unfortunate, however, are the things we can control and don’t, resulting in unnecessary damage. 2 Peter 1:5-6 reveals that we are to give “all diligence” to add self control to our faith.
Self control isn’t an automatic by product of entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will alert us when it isn’t there and His grace will encourage and strengthen us to follow through, but we must make the effort to add it.
Yes, but how?
When the Israelites were passing through the wilderness on the way to the land God had promised them, Numbers 11:4 tells us that many of the group “yielded to intense craving.” Consequently, only a few experienced the victory of receiving the blessing God had waiting for them in the “land flowing with milk and honey.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 explains that “with most of them God was not … pleased.” This passage goes on to say that “all these things happened to them as examples and … were written for our admonition” or instruction.
So ... what can we learn from their lack of self control?
1. Understand that self control is a personal responsibility. It is not something someone else can fix in your life. Regardless of your past or present circumstances, you alone are responsible.
These people had no control over their speech and began to reap the consequences.
“… when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1 NKJV).
When the consequences of their actions became painful, the people appealed to Moses for help.
“Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched” (Numbers 11:2 NKJV).
After receiving relief, the people responded with a lack of self control in a different area.
“Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of
Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat?” (Numbers 11:4 NKJV)
Moses’ intercession for them was helpful, but it did not produce self control in them and for them. Other people can pray for you, but they cannot exercise self control for you. Only you can do that.
2. Realize the imbalance that lack of self control causes in your life.
"We remember the fish which we ate freely in
Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:5-6 NKJV).
The soul consists of our desires, emotions, passions, and will.
When the food of their choice was removed, their desires, emotions, passions, and will power were dried up! Their entire being had digressed to revolving around their appetites.
When our soul is controlled by a spiritual passion for God, and His bigger plan for our lives is “before our eyes”, His plan takes precedence over our appetites. This is why Christians can be content whether in times of need or abundance.
Their habiltual focus only on immediate gratification resulted in many wasted lives in the wilderness. Because no attention was given to God’s greater purpose for their lives, most of the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, wandering aimlessly, and eventually dying there. That’s the futility and meaninglessness of a life without self control. It’s too bad they never “saw” beyond that which was "before their eyes." They would have realized and believed that a land flowing with milk and honey really was waiting for them.
For now, consider these questions.
1. What is out of control in my life?
2. Am I willing to take responsibility for my own self control?
3. Are there any areas where lack of self control is interfering with God’s bigger plan for your life?
This will be continued next week so check back … I will share more principles that have helped me with my addiction to chocolate!
©2008 Lauren Fletcher all rights reserved
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