Don’t Become Careless in Guarding Your Soul

Recently several of us in our congregation met out in the church yard to cut down and remove a half-dead tree that had become something of an eye-sore in the landscape. In spite of chainsaws malfunctioning at times, we finally managed to accomplish our goal. However, a day or two later I noticed an itchy rash on my arm. I called up a couple of the others who had worked on that project and discovered they had it too, but even worse than I did. Apparently some of the leafless vines wrapped around the trunk of that tree had been poison oak. It was more difficult to identify since the leaves had fallen off, but I’ve since been informed of certain characteristics to watch out for even in a leafless vine that signal it might be poisonous. I guess we weren’t as careful as we should have been or didn’t take as many precautions as were warranted. I have no doubt that after suffering the irritating and uncomfortable consequences of our actions, we’ll all be more vigilant the next time we deal with any plant which even remotely looks suspicious.

 How much more should we be watchful and cautious when it comes to our having contact with things which can adversely affect our souls. Sometimes it’s not a matter of intentionally grabbing hold of something we know is sinful or spiritually harmful. It may just be that we get a little careless. We don’t take the time to pray, seek God’s guidance, or use wise discernment in identifying that this action or attitude could pose a threat. We don’t hold it up to the light of God’s Word to see what it has to say about the subject. We just jump right in without thinking. Then we have to face the consequences – guilt, a loss of fellowship with the Lord, or other uncomfortable outcroppings from that initial act. They may hit us immediately or they might not come into our lives until days or months later. But eventually we pay the price for our rash and unwise actions.

    The Bible commands us to “abstain from every form of evil” (I Thessalonians 5:22). Some of us are more familiar with the old King James version – “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” While I understand that translation may not be the best, the concept is still a good one. If you have any inkling that something may be spiritually harmful, keep away from it, at least until you can get further enlightenment or confirmation about it. Elsewhere the Bible tells us not to “give place to the devil”. Again, the King James version warns about not giving the devil a “foothold” in our lives. Don’t entertain anything in your heart, mind, or life that might crack open a door for sin or Satan. If you have doubts, don’t do it.

 The good news for us poison oak sufferers is that there are remedies which help relieve the itching and eventually the rash will run its course and go away. And the good news for us when we carelessly put ourselves in harm’s way spiritually is that God forgives and can help us move on from where we are. Sometimes He may deliver us from the consequences. Other times we might have to continue to “itch” for a while. If left untreated, it can become a serious matter. But when we confess our error and turn back to Him, the Lord is gracious to enable us to carry on from wherever we find ourselves now.

Let’s remember that there are many things around us today which can get inside us and poison our souls. So let’s be watchful and refuse to let down our guard.

 

Seek to Have a Contagious Spirit

Part of our family recently had to deal with the eye infection known as “pink eye.” One of our grandchildren initially contracted the condition. Within a week, it had been passed along to his sibling and eventually to both parents. This infection is described as being very contagious. It certainly lived up to that reputation as it spread rapidly throughout the family.

Being contagious should also be an apt description for a follower of Jesus. I remember a popular book from years past that touted such a concept. While many people, including the author from what I’ve heard, have disavowed certain principles and practices promoted in that writing, the idea of our being contagious is still a valid one. We should have a significant impact on the people and world around us. What we possess in Christ should be passed along to others. They don’t automatically catch it by being in close contact with us. And we need to do more than merely rub shoulders with people and let them see our character and conduct. We do need to verbally share our faith and point others to the truth of God’s Word. Nevertheless, the spirit and faith of a believer should be noticeable and impactful on those who come in contact with such a person.

Jesus described this contagious element of His followers as being light in the darkness and as being the salt of the earth. In one of His many parables about the kingdom of heaven, He describes it as being like leaven or yeast “which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened” (Matthew 13:33). That comparison shows how the faith of a Christian should spread and how it should influence its world. One study Bible suggests that this verse describes how God’s kingdom “does its work of permeating human society, penetrating evil, and transforming lives”. The Spirit of Christ, whether in His Church as a whole or in us as individual believers, should be contagious, spreading, and impactful.

How contagious is our faith? Do others see the kind of spirit in us that causes them to want to know our Savior? Are we having a positive, godly influence on the people we encounter every day? Is our faith like yeast permeating this world in which we live while making it a better place?

There are various qualities in connection with our faith that can be contagious. Having a loving spirit in the midst of a hate-filled world. Having hope when others are in despair. Having courage when others are giving in to fear. I believe another of those contagious characteristics can be thankfulness. As a number of us gather with others for times of fellowship and feasting this next week, no doubt there will be many conversations about higher prices, emptier shelves, and shipping challenges. As we share our mutual experiences, it will be easy to allow our holiday gathering to become a gripe session about the economic, political, and moral condition of our world today. However, let’s also make sure to remind one another of our blessings. May we possess a spirit of gratitude to God that will be contagious.

Yes, there is much to be concerned about today, but there is even more to be thankful for. Be the light in the midst of the darkness. Be the purifying salt around your Thanksgiving table. While others complain, let’s remind ourselves and our companions of how blessed we are. In spite of the condition of our society today, God is still good and faithful. May we go through this week and the days beyond with a contagious spirit of thanksgiving to God.

 

Followers of Jesus Have a Tough Race to Run

While searching for something to watch on TV, my wife and I discovered a ten-episode series documenting what was billed as “The World’s Toughest Race.” It involved teams of “adventure racers” from various countries trekking over hundreds of miles through the rugged terrain of Fiji by means of hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, and paddling. Success was measured not just by finishing in first place, but by surviving and completing the course within the required timeframe. It was definitely a challenging and grueling competition.

We’re probably all familiar with the fact that the Bible sometimes compares the journey through life of a follower of Jesus as being like a race. However, I’m afraid we sometimes picture it as more like a leisurely walk in the park rather than a difficult endurance race. John Bunyan pictured the life of a believer so well in his classic tale of “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. He shows that if we’re truly serious about following Jesus and faithfully completing our course, it will involve having to deal with all kinds of challenges. Along our path we’ll face attractive temptations, deceptive distractions, various traps designed to ensnare us, and even full-blown attacks from our enemy. There will be rugged hills to climb and dangerous waters to traverse. And it’s a long journey that continues throughout the course of our lives.

Granted, it’s possible to avoid many of the hardships by settling for merely being religious, a churchgoer, a Christian in name only, or being half-hearted in one’s allegiance to Jesus. Yet those type of runners either aren’t really in the race or tend to stall out far short of the finish line. If we’re intent on fully following Jesus and living our lives to please Him, it’s going to be a tough journey at times. It will be worth it. And there will be many joys and blessings along the way in the midst of the hardships. Many of the participants in that “World’s Toughest Race”, even as they were bruised, bleeding, and suffering, talked about how much they loved doing it and that it was the best experience of their lives. As believers, we’ll face severe challenges, but we’ll also experience the best kind of life a person could possibly live, as well as have a glorious future with our Lord for eternity.

I don’t know that the Christian life is the world’s toughest race. I believe Jesus can take the credit for enduring that challenge. He faced not only the rigors of being crucified but also the burden of carrying the sins of the world on His shoulders as He did so. Our suffering doesn’t compare to His. Yet as His followers we are called upon to take up our crosses, to deny ourselves, to be willing to follow in His footsteps of being hated, rejected, and persecuted. If we’re running as we should be, our journey will not be a bed of roses. It will be tough at times.

If you’re committed to following Jesus in a world that continues to reject Him, it’s going to be challenging. If you’re determined to stand up for His Word in a society that has turned its back on what God says, you’re going to have enemies. If you’re seeking to live a holy life in the midst of an ungodly world, you’re going to encounter all kinds of obstacles.

If you’re dedicated to running this race, you’re going to have a tough journey. However, Jesus, the One who has already run and won this race, is right there with you to help you through it. Trust Him. Lean on Him. He’ll help you run well and finish the course.

 

Don’t Let Yourself Become a Spiritual Defeatist

As I’m writing this, the World Series is still in progress, moving back to Houston for Game Six. Hopefully by the time you’re reading this, Atlanta fans will be celebrating a rare championship and not mourning over another disappointment from one of our sports teams. Over the years it has become easy for the fans in our area to develop a somewhat defeatist attitude. We have had our hopes dashed far too many times. Even when one of our teams has done well and seemed to be on its way to a big win, all too often there has been the inability to finish the job. We have become accustomed to our teams finding a way to fulfill the reverse of a familiar idiom and “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.”

If we’re not careful, we can develop a similar attitude about our spirituality and our walk with Christ. We can find ourselves becoming defeatists when it comes to the battles we face both in our own personal lives and in relation to our culture and the world in which we live. We have been disappointed so often that we almost expect to lose. Unfortunately, such a spirit can result in our losing hope, as well as in a lack of faith and effort as we deal with those conflicts.

Concerning our own spiritual journey, we can easily become discouraged by focusing on the numerous times we’ve let ourselves down and let God down by giving in to temptation, acting in a way that we knew wasn’t pleasing to the Lord, or failing to do what we knew God wanted us to do. We’ve been guilty of not being able to stay on course when obstacles arose. We’ve stumbled more times than we care to remember. There have been occasions when we were on the verge of victory, only to blow it.

However, the Lord provides both forgiveness for those past miscues and strength to face our new challenges. The Bible doesn’t depict believers as those who are constantly suffering defeat, but rather as “more than conquerors” through Christ (Romans 8:37). We don’t have to be losing those spiritual battles all the time. And we shouldn’t be. We don’t have to falter before we get to the finish line. We can trust that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it” (Philippians 1:6). We’re also assured that God “is able to keep you from stumbling” (Jude 24). We can’t win in our own strength, but as we trust the Lord, rely on His power, and keep faithfully pressing forward, He can enable us to experience more victories than defeats.

But what about the “culture wars” and other conflicts we face with our world today? Evil and ungodliness seem to be growing while believers and Biblical values are being increasingly marginalized. We’re being told that our views are outdated and on the wrong side of history. Have we lost? Should we just cloister ourselves in our churches while licking our wounds and waiting for this life to be over. No! The Church may be suppressed by society at times, it’s numbers may dwindle to a faithful remnant, and it may face persecution, but it is still the victorious Bride of Christ. No matter how dark the world gets, we can still be an effective light for Christ. We can still have a significant impact on the lives of individuals by warning about evil and proclaiming the good news of Christ whether society as a whole listens to us or not.

We may lose some battles, but we know who wins the war. We will reign victoriously with Christ for eternity and through Him we are conquerors even now.