......But I'm Keeping the Black Leather Jacket.
18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their
glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21
who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his
control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his
glorious body. (Phillipians 3:18-21 NIV)
Like I have mentioned before I am doing the Made to Crave study at my church. Lysa Terkeurst, the author, mentions these verses in the book and the participant's guide. "Their god is their stomach." The words struck me. "Their glory is in their shame." Ouch! Sting. I have a weird habit of looking up to rock stars. I have even been proud of looking up to them as if some of their coolness might rub off on me. When I read these verses I couldn't help but think that's me, and these verses describe the epitome of a rock star. I have been living as though my god is my stomach. I have also been holding onto my shame. Whether it be the shame of past sins or current struggles, I am sort of attached to that shame. I wallow in it. I haven't been claiming victory through Jesus Christ. He says, "You are forgiven." Then I say, "Oh, I couldn't possibly be forgiven. I'm still so sinful." I hide behind that as some sort of excuse even though it is a wearisome burden.
I have watched countless stories of rock n' roll bands being torn apart by substance abuse issues. It almost seems like their glory is in their shame. Live hard and die young. You don't hear that much about the people who turn their lives around, because they became Christians. They seem to just disappear from the limelight. I may not be on drugs, but I do let my bad habits run me over. I hand over power to these habits. I let them consume me. The Made to Crave study has opened up my eyes to the fact that I am actually extremely self-indulgent. The book pointed out that self-indulgence and self-discipline are opposites. I have always thought, "I have no self-control." Then I would tell myself, "Oh, that's not true. I'm just not exercising my self-control." Not once did I ever think of myself as self-indulgent. That hasn't existed in my vocabulary.
The bitter truth sometimes smacks us right between the eyes. That is how reading this truth felt at first for me this week. I realized that some of my bad habits are smaller symptoms of a much bigger issue. At some point I adopted an attitude that allowed me to become complacent, lazy, helpless, hopeless, shameful, and entitled. I am not sure how it happened or even why it happened. It is tempting to blame society, but I would rather accept full accountability. I think the problem has really been that my heart was set on earthly things instead of heavenly things. Learning this spiritual truth has really changed my attitude towards several areas of my life. There is so much that I am missing or simply taking for granted. My bad habits don't really have any power over me. I'm handing that power over, willingly. Each day is a gift, but I am not embracing that gift.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will
he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more
than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is
also interceding for us. 35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or
hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 NIV)
Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ! There is a much greater peace in claiming victory through Jesus Christ. I am not a slave to my sin. It is time to stand in that victory and seek God's glory. There is more joy in being a humble servant for the Lord than for my glory to be my shame. My god does not have to be my stomach. My god is not reduced to bad habits and a miserable attitude.
3 His divine power has
given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of
him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so
that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will
keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.(2 Peter 1:3-9 NIV)
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life! I want to claim verse 3 for myself. What a victory! I have to think that Simon Peter really had good reasons for the order of the virtues listed in verses 5-7. It has only been a couple days, but I do feel like gaining the knowledge that I have been self-indulgent has led me to better self-control. I feel like the knowledge of the scriptures has led me to that epiphany. The next step is perseverance. I am guessing it won't be easy without remembering verse 3 so I am writing it on my heart and mind.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for bringing this study into my life that I might be fed by your Word. Thank you for opening the eyes of my heart to the truth. I'm sorry for hanging onto my guilt and shame. I am ready to surrender my bad habits up to you. I trust your forgiveness. I believe in your victory. Please continue to help me with self-control. I know your power is endless. I pray for perseverance through your power. I pray for your will to be done. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment