replacement

Sometimes we are taken up with something that might be harmful, or more likely for many of us is just not all that profitable. And we find ourselves wanting to get out of it, but it has become a habit, and even way of life nearly, with us. How do we get out of it?

One important way is replacement. We need to replace the one activity with another. Of course that should involve prayer to know what we should do.

This matter can come up in many ways, big and small. Just the same we need to better understand from God what we should do, and what is not really good for us to do, knowing where to draw the lines. Otherwise quite subtly the matter can become a sin issue to us, and can involve sin.

Part of what got David in trouble when he should have been doing, I would think, what kings did.

Anyone have anything you'd like to add to this?

letting go

To help others at times, we simply need to let them go in the seeming, or obvious folly of their own way. For me this is hard, especially at first. But when one sees they are intractable, it is actually to their benefit if we let go, in love, and let them experience something of the consequences of their behavior, while we pray.

Sometimes when witnessing another's folly, whether they are simply a person we have close contact with for whatever reason, or if they're a close relative, we are drawn in ourselves to have attitudes toward them which are not Christ-like. I'm thinking of anger, contempt, frustration, attitudes which easily amount to descending to their level. Letting go can then be for our benefit, as well as theirs. We need time to pray for them especially, and seek to be present for them in a way that can be helpful and truly for their good. Love is not to be mushy, because true love wants God's best for the other.

What would you like to share on this?

repentance that matters

According to Byard "repentance is a vanishing concept today, even in the church." We have mentioned something of this before, but what stood out to me yesterday, as we worked through some news paper articles for discussion on this is the truth that "the person repenting must have a firm purpose and a definitely expressed resolution immediately to break with this specific sin ('I have hated my iniquity')."

Byard talked at some length of how we can have deep emotions and sorrow over our sin, yet fall short of true, biblical repentance. And words spoken, or not spoken do matter. We looked at cases where the person made excuses, shifting the blame on someone else for the wrong they had done. Another expressed concern over the way their open sin was handled, while church leaders called on others not to judge.

So we're reminded that when we do sin against another we need to take full responsibility without excuses. And we need to express a resolve to not do the sin any longer, and to change. Of course grace is needed, but it's offered to all from God through Jesus Christ. And the church is called to hold sinners accountable for their sins.

This kind of teaching is needed. And as we hear it, it helps promote godliness in us all. While we examine our own lives and seek to prayerfully call those who have fallen into sin, to true repentance.

What would you like to share on this?