The Painful Truth

We had the privilege of eating at a Brazilian steakhouse with family this week.  As nearly twenty of us spread out around the table, my husband and I found ourselves in the midst of children.  To my right and across the table sat at least four ten-year-oldish children.  Rounds and rounds of meat on a skewer travelled past our table.  Responding to hunger, curiosity, and physical appeal, the wait staff stopped and cut off generous portions of each new offering.
After a generous dessert, we realized our nephew was now reclining on his mother's lap, stomach distended, tears in his eyes.  She gently massaged his discomforted belly and whispered quietly in his ear.
"Why is everyone laughing?"  he asked. 
"Because we've all done exactly the same thing," she answered.
The next morning my parents and I were discussing spiritual matters and I was reminded of the book, "The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness," and Timothy Keller's comparison of our sensitive egos to an extended organ.  The more immediate and painful our reaction to criticism or assistance, the more over-extended our ego.  If my opinion of myself is too high, I will respond with anger and defensiveness.  If my opinion of myself is accurate, I will respond with humility and gratitude for another's investment in my life.
Even as I read from the book of Isaiah this morning, I was reminded of the importance of truth and honesty and the fact that it must start here, with myself.  Until I can openly and honestly own up to my own mistakes, shortcomings and failures, I am in no condition to regard the world around me.  This is why the Word of God is so important.  Apart from the anchor of God's unchangeable, timeless, life-giving Word and way, I will wander and swagger through life, lost.  But as I take time to listen, to reconsider, to submit myself to His Person and Way, my compass is reset and my feet fall on solid ground.

"Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,

And princes will rule with justice...
The foolish person will no longer be called generous,
Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the Lord,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Also the schemes of the schemer are evil;
He devises wicked plans
To destroy the poor with lying words,
Even when the needy speaks justice.

But a generous man devises generous things,
And by generosity he shall stand.
Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness remain in the fruitful field....
The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
Though hail comes down on the forest,
And the city is brought low in humiliation....

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey." (excerpts from Isaiah 32)

Who's in Control?

If you have done any living, you can guess that this past week was rife with failure after the post, "How Sin Makes Me Fat."  I should have known better--but the goal is for all of us, not just myself.  Once again, I am human.  I fail.  Life goes on.
The greatest encouragement and challenge of the week came through The Complete Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford.  Perhaps one of you is a pastor-person or Bible scholar who would leave a comment and fill in the blanks, because this is a new thought I haven't entirely studied out.  If you haven't read the book, you will appreciate the insight.  If you have read it, perhaps this will be a timely reminder.
Well into Part 4 of the 5-part book, Stanford expounds on Galatians 2:20:  I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (NASB).
In personal and group studies and teaching, I admit to getting caught up in the idea of "mortifying" the flesh (particularly in Jim Berg's book, Changed Into His Image). 
Here, Stanford explains that the old self, the sinful self, the unregenerate self, has been crucified; i.e. it is still hanging on that dreadful cross.  It is not dead.  I cannot bring about its death.  But it has been crucified.  It remains there, as I myself am "united with [Christ] in the likeness of His death"  (Romans 6:5).  My sinful self is rendered immovable, fixed, bound.
But, as he says at the end of the chapter, I am often ordered about by it, obeying its voice, desires and demands. 
"There is the allegory of the sea captain who, in mid-ocean, is charged with a capital offense, put in chains, and replaced by another.  As the ship sails on, the chained one seeks to assert his old authority over the crew.  Some of them might be foolish enough to respond, but there is no need to for he has been judicially deposed.  It is now simply a matter of acknowledging the new captain and refusing the threats and orders of the condemned one.  The death sentence is not yet carried out beyond his being held in the place of death, his power broken, but he will be executed when the ship reaches port.  In the meantime, he causes a lot of trouble.
"Is this not a picture of the Adamic source, held in the place of death, replaced by the new Source at the helm of the ship?  Our attitude toward the old man has to be this: 'I reckon on the crucifixion of the cross as your undoing, and therefore refuse your reign over me.  I count the Lord Jesus Christ as the Captain of my life.' When we reach the heavenly port, the conflict will be over; in the meantime, we rest in Him" (The Complete Green Letters, p. 222-223).
...it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  Galatians 2:20
It is not a matter of giving up as much as it is a matter of control.  This week, I've asked God to replace the old Sydney-self-control and with the new Christ-self-control.  God works it out by His grace, through faith, and it's a much better solution than me, myself, mortifying--myself.

How Sin Makes Me Fat

It happened again yesterday.  I was dwelling on a recent failure, a moment when I wigged out because I sensed someone stepping into my "territory," tenuous as it is, and suddenly, chocolate sounded like a good idea.  Not only was it a good idea, it was just up the stairs, beyond anyone's view--chocolate-covered peanut butter balls.  And I knew it would solve my problem.  And make me feel better. And the world would be a better place.  Yeah, right.

Sometimes I eat because of legitimate hunger.  Sometimes because of unabashed indulgence.  Sometimes because of guilt, or fear, or hurt or frustration or....  You've got it.  Perhaps you live it.  And that's the problem.  The problem isn't the food, its tastiness or abundance.  The problem isn't my appetite.  God created both.  The problem is my heart.  Surprise!

How deceived I am to think that more sin is going to counteract initial sin...or continuing sin.  Sure, that little voice says, pile it on.  It's too late to make a difference, but you'll feel better.  You'll be satisfied.  Distracted.  All the bad little thoughts will go away.  Oh, what lies!  Self-indulgence breeds self-indulgence.  If self-control is a practice of discipline, a lack of self-control is a practice in lack of discipline.  Practice becomes performance.  And sin breeds sin.  It grows, takes on the worst of our personality, and we become captive to its desires, and consequences, and guilt, and continued choices of loss.

So, what's the answer?  Bob Newhart says, "Stop it!"  God says much the same thing--but He's in it with us.  If we have repented, believing that Jesus took our sin upon Him and rose again, we have His Spirit and His Word as our help and guide.  Here is a reminder of how to take hold of those thoughts and choices that threaten to overwhelm us:

1) Take every thought captive.  If I'm not aware of my thought life, I cannot control my words or actions.  What I think is what I become. (2 Corinthians 10:5, Proverbs 23:7)
2) Confront lies and deceit with truth.  God's Word is true.  It is living and active.  When I become aware of lies in my thought life, I need to apply the Word of God to the falsehood and "preach reality" to myself.  This happens as I search out appropriate Scripture, read it, meditate on it and memorize it. (Romans 12:2, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 4:17-23)
3) Cast the fear, anger, guilt away.  Jesus died for that sin.  It's forgiven.  Seek forgiveness as needed and move on. (1 Peter 5:6-7, Hebrews 9:13-14)
4)  Make choices as a new creation.  Choose now to do what is right.  Choose now to live apart from sin.  Christ lives in and through you, so live as He would live.  You may suffer for doing right.  That's to be expected.  (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, 2 Timothy 3:12)

Finally, I'm not in it alone.  I have others to help. To pray.  To encourage.  We are called to help one another avoid the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).  But, oh, the smoke in the mirror seems so real.  And so does the chocolate!