There are some triplets living downstairs from me. I know they love their mom dearly but they will often run in three different directions from her. We are tri-part beings----body, soul and spirit…the body takes orders from whoever is in charge.  If soul is in control it will tell body to display on the outside every malfunction in the soul-anxiety, fear, anger et al (Shingles, asthma etc) --- The Spirit on the other hand will always point us to Jesus.  Jesus is the way, truth and the life.  We are just like those triplets when we fail to embrace all that Jesus is.  He is truth. Those momentary resistances to truth draw us away from Him and into all kinds of directions.

Jose asked: How do we face the truth?

The Encouragement:  Good question for a Monday morning, Jose.  The truth is not always easy to face but ever so important that we brace ourselves for it and make the choice to embrace it.  One of the special and glorious facts to consider in the face of truth is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6) For me that means that when truth comes marching in--- it’s a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting that we don’t want to miss.

Hindrances to Embracing the truth

Before I wow you with the spiritual benefits of embracing truth I want to talk for a moment about how so many of get messed up in this arena.  It’s actually pretty simple. Our past experiences of how the truth was delivered to us and how it impacted us initially often dictate the way we will receive or reject it now. Far too many of us have experienced receiving the truth without the very necessary accompaniments that are present at a come to Jesus meeting. Jesus is love and everyone that brings truth to us is not necessarily full of love.  That is why believers are commended in scripture to speak the truth in love. ( Ephesians 4:15 ) Instead of hearing truth coated with love as we were growing up (naturally and /or in Christ), most of us have listened to truth coated with bitter roots, jealousy, one-upsmanship and all sorts of wrong motives.  Ever heard the saying, don’t shoot the messenger? Some of those messengers who brought us truth in the past might well have benefitted from a little buckshot in a memorable body part.

Let me give a couple poignant examples here.  How many of you have memories of being bullied.  Anybody remember a schoolyard incident where you were taunted about a unique physical feature? Remember the names?  Fathead, lanky lulu, blackie…and don’t let the taunt be about our intellect---hey dummy, come here stupid.

If the words were true and spoken with the intent to hurt us and we were not properly insulated with self confidence, then Oh My God (OMG)--- it is highly likely that we buried that assault in our inward parts. The unfortunate result is that the next time we hear a truth about ourselves, we put the intent of the latter messenger in the same category as the former, (that playground bully, abusive parent, demeaning husband, wife, boss or anyone significant) and reject truth.

In another case, I often wonder how some of those American Idol contestants who can’t hold a note get so upset when the judges tell them the truth about their voices. My guess is that someone significant told them they could sing and said it often enough for them to believe it.  They thought they already heard the truth so when the real truth and nothing but the truth is spoken over them they freak out.

Believers often do the same thing when confronted with the truth from the written Word of God or truth from the mouth of a reliable and godly source. As a baby Christian, I had to hear the truth about my appearance a bunch of times before I could embrace it. I thought those wacko outfits I had been wearing for years were fabulous.  Noone told me anything to the contrary and most people told me I looked good.

Let me stop and paint a picture here for you. At the time I wore a cavotis hair cut with one patch of hair in the top braided in several braids (sort of Hari Krisna style). I wore red blush and never blended it in and I wore maxi length dresses with the tops of my knee hi stockings showing.

I didn’t know I looked like a clown until my beloved Pastor told me the truth. She didn’t just blurt it out. I asked her why people never took me seriously and she told me the truth. Thanks be to God I was able to embrace the truth and make the changes over the course of time. Be assured, it did not happen overnight but I eventually was able to ‘suck it up’ and walk it out.

Do you remember your first response to the truth in Philippians 4:13—I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?  What about Psalm 139 where the Psalmist says we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) or even Paul’s admission in Romans that when he tried to do good, he couldn’t? (Romans 7:19)  Did the truth of those scriptures jibe with what you believed about yourself, your ability, your making, your hits and misses as a believer?

Understand that those early life experiences that hinder our embracing the truth have to be nailed to the cross. Nailing it to the cross is a faith filled action that says that that thought that I used to let control me has to die just like Jesus died.  My old way of thinking has to go. All things must become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 I need a new view, a godly view of truth that will override the old view.

So, what is that godly view?

In God’s eyes truth in the inward parts is desirable.

David in Psalms 51:6 reminds us that God desires truth in the inward parts.  Agreeing with God’s view is always beneficial. If God sees truth as desirable then we ought to see it that way too. Those inward parts are the mind, will and emotions aka the soul or the heart.  That’s where the wounds  from childhood and failed relationships are and that is where our mindsets are set in stone. God knows that. God knew that I had issues with self worth. He knew that my inward parts needed to know that I was fearfully and wonderfully made and a marvelous work at that. (Psalm 139:14)  Thank God for being born again and the death and burial of the old man so the new creature can emerge.

 In the same Psalm David connects God’s desire for truth with a promise of God’s making us to know wisdom. What can be more beneficial than wisdom? And isn’t it just like God to attach a blessing to our simply agreeing with Him on the matter of what to do with truth? “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” (Psalm 51:6 KJV)

In God’s eyes embracing truth will produce a great result.

Another benefit of embracing truth is that it will produce a great result. If I had not begun to change as a result of embracing the truth about my appearance I would not be standing where I am standing today. I’d be stuck. (Selah) Instead I chose to take off the clownish look and put on clothes and makeup befitting a child of the King. That was a great result.

But let me share another example from the life of David that will make this final benefit all the more clear. In 2 Samuel 12, we see David confronted with the truth about his murdering Uriah. In the way of background, David was so smitten with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba that he got her pregnant and then tried to cover it up by pulling Uriah off the battlefield so Uriah could sleep with his wife. Needless to say, David’s plan was foiled and he had to resort to having Uriah killed in battle. When the prophet Nathan confronted him with a truth-seeking parable, David failed to admit to the truth of his guilt. Nathan then accused David directly and David immediately embraced the truth, confessed his sin and pleaded to the Lord for mercy. What is so instructive also here is that when David embraced the truth of his guilt he understood that he was at a life changing ‘come to Jesus’ meeting. David repented, pleaded for mercy from His God, fasted and when God did not respond as David would have liked, David worshipped. Now is that a great result or what?

“So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.” (2 Samuel 12:20 NKJV)

Just like David, we have to embrace the truth God brings to our lives and then respond with a change of heart and direction.

So Jose, I highly recommend that you get with the following program:

1. Nail to the cross any hindrances to your embracing truth

2. Agree with God and desire truth in your inward parts

3. Expect wisdom to be the blessing that comes with desiring truth

4. Embrace the truth and change

I pray you will never miss a ‘come to Jesus meeting’ as long as you live.

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Jose asks:    Why is there an abundance in ignorance? We are all human beings and all have faults, but why is it difficult for people to see what is promised?

The encouragement:

2 Corinthians 4:4   Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God

Great question Jose and the key to understanding this phenomenon is found in scriptures that reference varying views of responses to light and darkness.  The bottom line is that far too many of us love the darkness rather than the light.  (John 3:19-20) Also, the human in us is always thrown back by God’s insistence that we walk by faith and not by sight.  Let me take each one of these points separately and uncover some truths that will bless us all.

John 3:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

First, know that light is revelation and darkness is the lack of revelation or blatant refusal to acknowledge what you see.  You can’t help the lack of revelation, but when the revelation is in front of you and you ignore it, have mercy.  That is abundantly ignorant and sinful.

The true light of Christ and His Word exposes everything for what it is and especially exposes the thoughts and motives of our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12)  Exposure makes us uncomfortable and we generally put up defenses rather than allowing the truth of God’s Word to work us over and bring out the best in us.  One of the great things Jesus prayed for us in John 17:17 is that we would be sanctified (set aside, made clean and whole) thru God’s Word.  ‘Sanctify them with thy truth.  Your Word is truth.”

I love what Jesus said at this point in his time here on earth.  He said I am going to sanctify myself (John 17:19) so that we would be sanctified.  That blesses me because in effect and for our sakes Jesus was willing to stand out, stand up and stand in.  The standing out was living sin free and then dying to everything that was flesh.  The standing up was sticking to his guns regarding doing God’s will.  The standing in was getting up on that cross for you and me.  Does that bless anybody else besides me?

The second truth we must understand is that in spite of the tremendous sacrifice at the cross and the accompanying proof of God’s trustworthiness we still have great difficulty believing that God will do what He promises in His Word.  Walking by faith, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen, requires that we trust in the promise maker.  Far too often we rely on human logic and on what we see with the natural eye when God wants us to keep our eyes on Him. If my money is short and a vital bill is due, my thoughts will magnify the bill collector and my imagination will create all kinds of negative scenarios.

 I’ll call God’s name in prayer but His Word, His promises of provision will shrink and nearly disappear.  I will allow the darkness of doubt to nearly consume me and totally erode my faith. As an example, I am reminded of a young boy I met many years ago who desperately wanted to see and spend time with his dad. His dad had never really been in his life but had suddenly started calling and promising to pick the boy up. On several occasions the date and time was set and the young boy packed for the weekend visit and sat at the window waiting for the car to pull up and for his dad to come and get him. His dad failed to show up over and over again.  The boy was so excited at first but over the year I saw his faith diminish and eventually He would say ‘my dad said he’s coming to pick me up for the weekend, but I’m not packing’. 

Some of us have put God in the place that the boy put his dad.  The difference is that our Father cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), if He says He will do it, we can take that promise to the bank. All of us who are called by Christ’s name can recount at least ten times when God has demonstrated His great faithfulness. Instead of believing and waiting for the manifestation, we wait a short time and then refuse to pack, refuse to prepare, refuse to walk as if God will do what he says He will do— we refuse to walk by faith.  That kind of behavior should not be named among us.

Thanks be to God that He has provision even for our moments of faithlessness. Get out a marker and write Psalm 69:30 on your forehead. Glean from this scripture that our thanksgiving magnifies the Lord.  The darkness of doubt doesn’t stand a chance when the Light of the world is made bigger in our minds. At the end of the day, Jose, the choice is up to us—do we love the darkness more than the light?  If we choose to love the light, we will give God thanks in everything. That’s it, that’s all.

( See also 2 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 11:1)

Jose asks:  How can you separate making the right choice to move forward (letting go) and not feel like you are turning your back on the situation?

The Encouragement:  The best way to move forward is to turn our back on what’s behind.    Remember Lot’s wife.  She didn’t want to let go either and there was a consequence…Genesis 19:26  This walk is by faith and not by sight and we have to be ever ready to shift into total trust mode.  In God we trust; everything else is foolishness.  (Proverbs  28:26) The heart is the seat of our emotions and not very trustworthy.  Jeremiah called the heart deceitful above all things—who can know it. (Jeremiah 17:9)  Our feelings can trick us and trip us up.  The watch word is in Ephesians when Paul said ‘Be angry but sin not’.  (Ephesians 4:26) In other words, feelings will surely rise up in us but we cannot let them lead the way. The director and ruler of our lives is the Lord not our emotions.  Often when we know it is time to let go of a relationship, we fear that that person may not make it without us.  In some cases we may even keep that other person from leaning and depending on God because we are always there for them.  That happens a lot with believers and their unsaved family members.  We keep bearing them up and they put our number on speed dial rather than calling on the Lord.  As long as we are walking around in skin there will be a battle between what our flesh wants to do and what the Spirit of the Lord wants.  (Galatians 5:17) I can only encourage you to do what the Spirit of the Lord says do. Go  forth trusting the Lord to handle what is behind and what is ahead.

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Jose asks:   For a long time I've felt that unity is what will take us all to the next level, except that the concept is taken piece by piece and instead of giving our all for unity, we give what we can. My next question is...
 If we know that unity is the answer, why is it so hard to unite?

The Encouragement:   Let's go to John 17 first and recognize that unity was important enough for Jesus to pray that for the Body of Christ. He knew that unity would be a challenge.  In fact Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one in John 17:21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

 Consider also the Word in John 15:5.  ⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 The key is that oneness or unity comes by our being in Him. In a nutshell, unity comes when we are vitally united and in agreement with the Lord and His Word.  In Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28) We allow Him control.  We are motivated by Him.  He is our life, our strength, the source of all we are and do and think.  That is how connected we are to Him and it is only out of that relationship that we can connect and be genuinely united with others in the Body of Christ. The result of that kind of unity is fruitfulness and kingdom growth.  The more we agree with the Lord and His word the more we begin to manifest the fruit of the Spirit as expressed in Galatians 5:22-23.  As we become more fruit filled—more loving, more joyful, peaceful, gentle, faithful etc , we become more attractive and people are drawn to the kingdom.  They start to believe that Jesus is real and they begin to desire to have relationship with Him too. (John 12:32) The more we allow Him to occupy our thinking, our emotions, our choices the easier it becomes to allow Him to direct our interactions with one another.  That’s why the Word says 'how can two walk together unless they agree'. (Amos 3:3)  When we agree with the Word and govern ourselves accordingly then we will walk in unity with every other believer that walks in agreement with the Word too. (1 John 1:7)

  Back when I was youth pastor I would tell the children if there is a problem with your brother or sister in the Lord, then check your connection with the Lord first.  The awesome benefit  is that the Lord will enable you to see you and your shortcoming. My pastor used to tell us if God gets us right in a relationship, then the job is done.

The biggest hindrance to unity in the body of Christ is we want to be right rather than righteous.  We revert back to the days of the elementary school playground and refuse to back down no matter what the Holy Spirit might be saying. Our old nature will spring up and we will let it have its way.  It can be a theological difference of opinion, or a common’ 'he said, she said’ disagreement and we will stand and fight to the bitter end.  When it is all said and done, nothing good is accomplished, feathers are ruffled and nobody watching us wants to become a part of a team where the players can’t get along.  Wow.

The next big hindrance to unity is failure to appreciate diversity or differences. Instead of walking in unity, we kick one another to the curb or lust after one another’s gifts or callings or possessions. God made each body part different and the eye cannot say to the foot-- you don’t see, so you are useless.  Read 1 Corinthians 12: 1-31.  God divinely designed each of us to fulfill a specific purpose and to reach a specific group of people for Him.  No two preachers are going to preach alike.  No two ushers are going to usher alike.  No two intercessors are going to pray alike.We get into that 'I follow Paul versus I follow Apollos' debate and body parts go in diferent directions rather than working in unity with Christ as the head.  (1 Corinthians 3:4)

  Paul couldn’t say it enough in 1 Corinthians 12…there are differences in the way we do things but there is one God working in us and because of that there should be no division.

  I am hurting even now from an injury the other day when my body kept going but my leg and foot refused to move forward.  My knee is sprained now because my body parts disagreed.  That happens far too often in our churches and the word of encouragement is clearly that we must abide in the Lord Jesus and allow His word to abide in us.  If the Holy Spirit is not in charge of us individually and collectively, there will be division.

What the world needs now is love sweet love and that love is only manifest when we obey the Lord’s leading and His Word in our everyday interactions with the other parts of Christ’s body---all those who name the name of Jesus and are called according to His purpose.  That is what will win souls and convince the world that our God is real.  That is also the next level--- when we are dead to our own will and live to do the will of our true and living God.

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Jose asked:, “Why is it that even when you have chosen the righteous path, the enemy attacks even harder?”

The Encouragement:

Great  question, Jose.  My first response takes us to Ecclesiastes 3:11a where we learn that we are here to choose to where we will spend eternity. ¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds.

 Once we make that eternal choice and commit to follow Christ and his purpose for our lives the battle really begins.  Above all, the enemy wants us to renege on our commitment to Christ and follow him instead.  He wants us to take our decision back.  When I hear stories of persecuted Christians in other countries I marvel at the courage of people who choose Christ against all odds.  In many places as soon as you give your heart to the Lord there is a soldier at your front door pointing a gun at you threatening to shoot you if you don’t denounce that decision. (visit www.vom.com)

Here in America the enemy is a bit more subtle but the goal is the same—the enemy wants us to denounce the Lord, renege on our commitment and follow him.  He knows that a righteous walk is contagious.  He knows that if a believer chooses to follow Christ in everyday ordinary matters that somebody is going to see that light of Christ in him or her and want to follow Christ  too. 

The Lord, our shepherd leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3) When we choose to follow the Shepherd it brings glory to our God’s name and spells doom and gloom for the enemy.  Always keep in mind that the enemy’s fate has already been determined.  

 In Revelation 20:10 we learn that he will be cast in a lake of fire.¹⁰And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The enemy’s pending fate makes him all the more tenacious in his desire to kill, steal and destroy us. (John 10:10) Every time we choose to follow Christ in our daily walk we bring God glory and make the enemy furious. When we step up our walk and decide that  ‘for God and for the building of His kingdom I live’ -- when we make doing the will of God our meat and drink--- The Enemy Has No Choice But To Pull Out The Big Guns.  Believe me, his arsenal includes anything that will discourage, frighten, frustrate or cause us to get off that righteous path.

 We are the light of the world.   People are supposed to look at us and want the Lord because they see the difference He makes in our lives. When they see us experience loss and suffering and still maintain our peace it makes them hungry to know the source of that peace. Our offices, factories, classrooms, laboratories or board rooms provide daily opportunities for us to shine.  When you think about it, Jose, doesn’t your light shine brighter when you’re experiencing your ‘darkest’ moments?

Yes, the enemy is going to attack us when we choose the righteous path but what an awesome opportunity for us to show him and the world around us that the He that is in us is greater than the he that is in the world. (1John 4:4)

Be encouraged and from this day on view every attack as an opportunity to shine, shine, shine. (Matthew 5:16)

Later that day Jose asked:

If we just enlisted as soldiers for Christ, how can we best prepare for spiritual warfare?

The Encouragement:

Wow, Jose I feel like putting on my combat boots.  You are so on track for what’s ahead for believers in 2010.

Let me start off by thanking God for you and for your understanding perfectly the equipping of the Lord for warfare.

Thanksgiving is an important starting place because your preparation begins with practicing the presence of the Lord.  If you want to be prepared for spiritual warfare you need to hang out with the Holy Spirit until you know that you know His voice.  Our success in warfare will be dependent on our obeying the commander in chief moment by moment.  To obey, we must hear.  To hear we have to spend quality time with Him so we will know how He communicates with us. Does this make sense?

We often recite the scripture ‘ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise’ but I wonder if we understand just how necessary thanksgiving and praise is to our victory in warfare. (Psalm 100:4)  How we enter into his gates and courts (His presence) is not a suggestion it is a command  and follow that command we must. Judah (which means praise) goes first.  Jehoshaphat came to understand that in 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 and we have to walk in that too.  Read that whole chapter when you get a chance.

 Cooperate with God in pulling down our strongholds is step two. 2 Corinthians 10:4 reads For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  We need God’s help to get rid of that way of thinking that has captured us, that mindset that we can’t shake.  Our only way of escape is to obey God and His Word. A lot of times He will point us to the scripture we need that will counter that negative thought that would otherwise lead to that negative behavior.  Other times he might bring a song to mind or lead us to do something we might have never done before—just to get us out of the way of temptation.

I learned from Pastor Jean Ferguson that the order of service for our lives generally begins with a thought, then a choice, then a habit and finally a stronghold.  You have to counter that thought over and over again to pull down the stronghold.  You have to choose to obey God rather than the old way of thinking.  You have to keep choosing to obey the Word or the God-thought until that becomes the habit. Habits are the behaviors we do repeatedly without thinking. We want to come to a place where we obey God without thinking or tripping.  The more obedient we are the more equipped we are to wage war against the enemy of our soul.

  Our third step is to exercise the measure of faith he gave us to get us saved. (1 Corinthians 12:9) We cannot be found being just hearers of the word.  We have to be doers. (James 1:22) It’s the doing that exercises the faith muscle.  If I tell you that I will be waiting on the corner of Clarke Street and Bay on Thursday  at noon with 100,000 dollars for you and you don’t come and get it then shame on you.  If you believe me you’ll do whatever it takes to get to that corner at the appointed time.  If I don’t give you a specific date or time but tell you I am going to give the money to you soon, you demonstrate your faith in what I said by thanking me, staying in touch, listening out and generally behaving like you have a big chunk of change coming. You’ll probably be on my porch or at my door or at my job often just so you won’t miss out.  That is how we have to do God with His promises and in the process we strengthen our faith muscles.  The stronger our faith muscles the better equipped we are for battle.  Success in warfare requires us to trust, rely and depend on our commanding officer.  We stay in His presence, cooperate with Him for pulling down the strong holds and take Him at His word.  Our faith doesn’t require explanation from Him or demand that we be logical.  We just by faith do whatever he instructs us to do believing that as we lean and trust that He will crown our efforts with success. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The final step in our preparation is to master waiting. Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. We have to be strong hearted in warfare and this psalmist tells us that the way to get there is to be of good courage and wait on the Lord.  Let me just share for a moment about the waiting.  Waiting on the Lord is mostly about serving, like a waiter or waitress, and doing it without complaint.  The good server totally attends to meeting the needs of the master or customer and specializes in even anticipating the need or want even before it is expressed.  The good server serves with love and does it without fretting or clock watching.  However long it takes to accomplish the job the good server occupies him or herself with the tasks at hand and rejoices in pleasing the customer or master.  As believers, we should become so preoccupied with serving and pleasing our blessed Lord that we take our eyes completely off the clock and put them on Him.  Mastering the waiting will strengthen our hearts and give us the spiritual stamina we need to be prepared for battle.

During the week of October 15th Jose asked the following question.

Jose:  Why does pride always get in the way?

The Encouragement:  This is such a great question, Jose and I believe that you, I and a whole bunch of folks will be blessed as we look to God for the inside scoop on pride. Scripture reveals that pride goes before destruction, (Proverbs 16:18) so I want to go to the Word where folks were destroyed because of pride and grab some insight there.

In my own life, first, though, what comes to mind is those times I have been driving and got lost and refused to stop and get directions.  I also can remember some times when I kept talking knowing full well that I did not know the answer nor what I was talking about.  Sometimes I marvel at how many years it took me to be comfortable saying I don’t know.  Even now that I have been walking with the Lord for years, pride still comes a-knocking.

Pride is that layer of flesh on the pallet of our heart that the Holy Spirit most wants to relieve us of.  It’s like a stubborn stain on a porcelain tub that is seemingly impossible to get rid of.  God wants to help us remove it and the enemy of our soul wants to keep us chained to it because pride is his mark.  Pride destroyed him and he wants us to go out the same way. (Isaiah 14:12-15)  You see, the enemy knows that it’s the little foxes that destroy the vines (Song of Solomon 2:15) and he just keeps working on us a little bit here, a little bit there. We can never forget that his purpose is to kill, steal and destroy. (John 10:10)

Jose, go with me to Genesis 3 now and think about the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.  Adam disobeyed God and when God called him on it, Adam said in verse 10, ‘I heard your voice and I was scared because I was naked, so I hid.’

Let me bring this passage home for you right quick----A whole lot of times in life, we hear God but in our humanness we fear being exposed, so we hide.  Just think about the last time you clearly heard God tell you to do or say something and you didn’t do or say it because you were scared.  Where did you go in your mind? Were you worried about who was looking or what they might say? Did you repent?  Did you justify it? Did you fake like you didn’t hear God and keep on stepping.   Did you point the finger at somebody else and say he or she made me not do it?

The uncanny truth about Adam is that he had a serious relationship with God.  God had given him dominion; they had walked and talked and hung out.  God saw Adam’s need for a helpmeet and delivered right there on the spot. Adam knew God’s voice and knew what God expected of Him, yet he boldly disobeyed.  In effect, Adam exalted his thought (one little bite won’t matter) above the knowledge of God.  For believers it doesn’t matter what lofty thing we exalt above the knowledge of God….what matters is that we understand that we are literally reducing what God thinks and blowing up and bowing to what someone (including our own mind) else thinks.  That’s what we do and shame on me and you. We may not say with our lips ‘I know better than God’, but our actions speak louder than our words and they say, ‘I know best’.   (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)

Pride gets in the way because we need a covering for our nakedness when we mess up.  Most of us are free, grown and twenty one and would like to believe that we are sufficient and capable and generally all that,---as much as humanly possible until the rubber meets the road. Anybody been in a storm lately?  Anybody felt helpless? Anybody ever felt like you had to prove that you could handle ‘thangs’ on your own.  Pride also gets in the way because we need a covering for our insufficiency. 

Pride puffs us up and for a fleeting moment  that puffiness soothes the soul and hides the real deal going on on the inside. It feels like a pretty good covering.

The problem here is that the covering we need at any time of the day or night has already been provided.  Jesus shed a whole lot of blood for such a time as this.  When we are new to the faith His blood covers us as we learn how to consistently walk uprightly.  His blood protects us from the onslaught of the enemy who wants badly to make us trip, give up and take back our confession of faith.  As we mature the blood covering is all the more important as the Holy Spirit begins that deep work on our hearts that enables us to become more and more like Jesus.  Just like in surgery, God has to open us up and clean us out.  The blood covering keeps infection from creeping in while our loving Great Physician makes us pure and whole. Those everyday, ordinary circumstances that irritate us are opportunities for the Lord to complete the work He started in us.  All we have to do is cooperate with our obedience. Why not adopt the Nike slogan, Just do it.  Refuse to fall for the counterfeit covering. Instead rest in knowing that our God never slumbers nor sleeps, but is always working out things for our good---just obey.

I’ll close with a short passage from Phillipians 2:5-8  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Thanks for the question.  I’ve got one more point to make but I’ll touch on it later.