Unshackled Life Ministries: June 2017

Friday, June 30, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 30, 2017 ~ Learning To Love Stupid People

My wife and I watched an excellent Independent Film last night, Hell And Mr. Fudge. On the surface this may appear to be a strange title, but once you learn that it is a biopic about a man named Edward Fudge who wrote a book about hell, it makes a lot more sense. Evidently, this man made a lot of people quite upset with his first book on grace, which made it to my list of books to read less than a half hour into the film. His other book, the one he wrote on hell and which inspired the film, also got added to the list and even bumped pretty close to the top. I'm curious to see what he really wrote and examine the research behind his view. Agree or disagree with his conclusions, this is a film that will make you think.

The thing that made me most interested in Fudge's writing is the approach he takes, according to the film, to questions of faith and doctrine, which is that what the Bible says is true, even if the whole world, including the organized church, thinks it's wrong. I agree. And I also agree that not everyone agrees on what it says, which is why it's important to go back to the original text, look at context and usage of words, and have some humility. What I mean by humility is understanding that disagreement on some controversial aspects of faith is not a reason to fight and break fellowship (if you believe in Jesus you're my brother or sister, even though we may not, probably don't, agree on everything else) and understanding that we could be wrong. That last one is important. We have to be willing to have the Spirit show us that we may have been wrong and change accordingly rather than stick to our guns out of pride no matter what. There are certain subjects that I used to be sure about and no longer am, so I don't address those issues and continue to search and pray on those subjects.

I also try hard to do any debating or discussing with love. I could be wrong, and why would I put someone down, make them feel disregarded or stupid simply because we disagree and I feel I am right? One such topic that I disagree with some, including my father (which always makes me pause and be quick to admit that I could be wrong because of my respect of him and his understanding, wisdom and experience) is whether or not Judas is in hell. The reason I bring that one up is that there are those, the majority, who believe that Judas is in hell because of his betrayal of Jesus and or his suicide. There is another camp that believes that Judas has been saved. I'm not going to debate that here, or even state my side. I use this example because it shows quickly and easily my point that regardless of which you believe, it doesn't matter. God knows, and so does Judas, and one day we'll know one way or the other. What matters is am I God's and are you? Why should we fall short of love toward each other, which would be sin, to argue about something that doesn't really pertain to either of us? It doesn't effect my life or yours, our eternity, but the way we treat each other is extremely important.

But there are areas that are clear and do pertain to us, effect our lives and the lives of those we encounter. We must not shrink from standing for what is right in those times and areas. Today one of these areas weighs heavily on my heart, so I will address it. Wednesday's Unshackled Moment, Fear Not, dealt with fearing God as having respect and awe and wonder at who He is as opposed to being afraid Daddy is going to hurt us. That would be one of those areas where we must stand strong for the truth as well. The theme of all scripture is God's great love for humanity. But since Wednesday I have been thinking a lot on one of the verses I looked at during the study before that writing, and that is I Peter 2:17.

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king (NASB).

Some translation say respect rather than honor. Some have treat with high regard. The Greek text literally says value, as in value all. And the thing is, this is not one of those questioned or disputed passages. Not in theory anyway. But in practice it is all too easy for us to live like we completely disagree and disregard the truth and instruction here. Just as whosoever means exactly that, whosoever, all means all. All, the totality of humanity, meaning every single person who has lived, is living and ever will live has value to God and therefore should be treated with value, respect, regard, honor....basically love, by us. That means everyone we encounter, regardless of how we encounter them.

Oh my, how we fall short of this. How heartbreaking to God when we choose to. Jesus died for every person I have ever hated, despised and disregarded as insignificant and worthless. Jesus said to love our enemies and pray for those who treat us wrong. He didn't say we should use their stance on religious issues, politics, social beliefs or anything to blast them with anything other than love. Sometimes we allow the buffer of the computer screen to embolden us to act as an antichrist. Seriously, I find your views offensive so I'm going to refuse to be your friend? How will you know Jesus loves you as you are, not as you should be, if those of us who love Jesus don't show you love? I'm going to try to make you feel stupid or foolish or flat out call you such because you believe that wrong way? Jesus never backed down from truth. He called wrong wrong and right right. I'm not saying we accept every viewpoint or idea, that we become so open minded that our brain leaks out, but I am saying, that like Jesus, we accept and love the person, from the most self-righteous religious jerk to the lowest, most vile sinner.

We sling our views and opinions, laced with the poison of mockery, disdain, disregard and even hate, all too quickly and easily. We get is so backward. We speak out against what we believe is wrong, sin. We want to control others. You should stop thinking this way, acting this way, living this way and come to God, we say. But that is the opposite of the good news we claim to have learned! We don't get cleaned up to take a bath, and shouldn't instruct others to do so. We don't get right to find God.

We have the cart before the horse. I can't stop sinning, can't correct all my wrongs, can't even know all my wrongs, in order to make myself right with God. Neither can you. Neither can anyone. So that means trying to tell people to change themselves and turn to God is so backwards. No wonder when we do that no one feels loved or valued! Jesus calls all to come, as we are. When we freely come to God and bring everything to Him, including all our wrongness and messed up ideas, He makes us His and begins the process of changing and transforming what is wrong into what is right, into His own image.

Value all. Value everyone. We are called to love people to the truth that they are loved and valued by Jesus. If we would simply worry more about the heart, about loving people as Jesus did, than trying to correct their wrong thinking or behavior, we might see the world burning with the fires of love instead of hate. If we can disagree and state our side of an issue or belief in such a way that the truth can be received and not seen as an attack or a statement of disregard for the people involved, then by all means, let us stand for the truth. But if not, let us stay silent on the issue, stop slinging words like poison darts, and only state the truth, by word and deed, that no matter what whoever may believe, may say, may think, whether they are the next Mother Theresa or are the clone of Hitler, Jesus loves them and values them and desperately desires to have relationship. Let that truth dictate our every action, reaction and response to those we interact with, both those we agree with and those we don't.

Jesus loves you as you are, not as you should be, but He loves you enough not to leave you as you are. This is truth. But it is God who has the power to change the hearts of humanity. I can't change my heart. You can't change yours. We shouldn't destroy one another trying to change thoughts and behavior. But we should die ourselves and to ourselves, let our right to be right go, kill our pride to show the wrong to be wrong, set aside our sensibilities of easily offended souls, to allow the life of the Spirit within us to love our enemy. That's the only way we have any hope of making our enemies our brothers and sisters and bringing them to the Jesus who loved them, valued them and died for them. And let us also remember we can't do this on our own, but loving like this is possible only by grace (the power of the Spirit of God living within us).

This site is free. If this blessed, helped and or informed you, the best thing you can do is pass it on via the social buttons below. And please subscribe or follow Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 29, 2017 ~ The Power Of Song

I didn't want to get up this morning. I don't feel well, and the longer I delayed rising and shining, the more overwhelmed I began to feel. This morning I relate all too well with some of the characters in the book I am sharing with Leah, We Are Legion (We Are Bob #1), as my To Do list gets longer and longer. Trying to prioritize what needs to be done and when is sometimes difficult as it becomes more and more apparent that there is no way to get it all done.

Being overwhelmed can be paralyzing, which only puts us further behind and under even more pressure. It is helpful to hang onto the idea of first things first. Don't worry about everything, just start doing what needs to be done first, now, and trust God that what must be accomplished will be as long as we work to do what we can. It is even more helpful to have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to do the prioritizing. Sometimes what I think simply must be done now can actually wait and isn't as critical as my feelings tell me.

Of course it isn't always the looming To Do lists that cause us to be overwhelmed. There are so many things, situations, emotions, and thoughts that can become weights that are too much for us to bear and slow or stop our progress. I felt this morning I should share a practical application of my experience, strength and hope. When I am overwhelmed, lacking motivation, afraid, confused, and even when the good in my life and the day becomes greater than my words can express adequate gratitude for, when my mind can't sync up with or express my heart easily, whether because of good or ill, music is the blessing that pushes and pulls me back onto the path and harmonizes every aspect of my mind, body, heart and soul.

Of course nothing works the same for everyone, and what helps me tremendously may not be what you, Dear Reader, can use. Still there is something universal about the power of song and the ability of music to effect us at the deepest levels. Music can be a translator for our hearts and souls when words alone fall short. Music can soothe, encourage, mollify, motivate, and bring us to a place where there is union and agreement between the heart and the mind.

When King Saul felt vexed and perplexed he would call for David to play for him, and as the shepherd boy played the king's soul was quieted. The gratitude to God for the miraculous protection and victories of the ancient Hebrews often came in the form of song, such as the Song of the Sea (I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously, the horse and the rider are thrown into the sea, sung after the parting of the Red Sea) and the song of Deborah after her victory in battle. The Psalms we turn to for wisdom, comfort and inspiration so often were all songs, and it should be noted that many are songs of lament.

We would do well to make the most of the gift of music. God made it possible for music to help us in so many ways, with memory of ideas and feelings, with passing through our walls and defenses to change and amplify and express our emotions and the thoughts that are just beyond the grasp of our mind. Music can lift us up and bring us low. Carry us through and keep us in the moment to process or help us let go and move on. Our spirit can even make its own music. We can express with words and a tune, or even with no words the groaning of our soul, our prayers, our praises and our reactions to the swirling tides of thoughts and feelings. We are told to sing to the Lord a new song, and God made each soul with a unique song to sing. Our lives can be a glorious symphony in the ears of our Creator.

Today, at this moment, as it usually is as I write the Unshackled Moments, prepare for sermons or spend time in prayer, there is music playing. Perhaps the power of song can help you today as well as you go about your day loving God and loving others and tackling the To Do list. The music that helps and effects and ministers to each of us may be totally different, and that's OK because there are so many different genres and styles that we can all find something to suit us. But I will close with a song that blessed me this morning, a classic from the band U2.

The Blessing Of Belonging

Dalyn Woodard returns to the book of Ephesians and the topic of our identity. Our identity determines our behavior, and it becomes easier to surrender and give all of our life to God when we remember that it is already His and that He is working to make us His heritage. The message, "The Blessing Of Belonging" is about 51 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

If you missed Part 1 of the Identity Crisis series, Who Are You, it can be found here, and Part 2, Living Free, can be found here.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 28, 2017 ~ Fear Not

The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.

- Oswald Chambers

Far too many people are afraid of God, and yet at the same time far too few people fear Him. I think this is because too many people preaching fire and brimstone, judgment of God, messages trying to scare the hell out of folks have succeeded only in driving people from the truth of God's amazing love for them. Jesus never tried to scare the hell out of anyone. He didn't threaten us with a God who is itching to get us the second that we step out of line. No, Jesus came to love the hell out of us and spoke frequently of Daddy's love and mercy, which ultimately led to the cross so that a loving God wouldn't have to give us what we deserve but could show mercy while remaining just. If you have become His adopted son or daughter, you have nothing to be afraid of, especially not Daddy, whose mercies are new every morning and whose love for us never fails or falls short.

There are reasons why pretty much every time a supernatural messenger of God shows up to talk to someone in the scriptures the first thing it has to convey is Fear not. First, it is a message from the heart of God. He doesn't want us to be afraid of Him. What good parent does? A good parent wants to be respected, listened to and obeyed, wants their children to understand that the parents have wisdom and understanding above that of the child and knows what's best, wants the child to trust that there is a reason they say not to do things that will bring negative consequences. A good parent wants their children to know they are loved and to be loved in return, wants to spare them the pain and misery and destruction of foolish and wrong choices and from the dangers of the world. I can remember my father on the edge of tears expressing to me how he wished he could take my place so that he could spare me the hell of prison. That's what our loving Daddy did. God took our place, took the judgment that we rightly deserved, so that we could be spared from having to endure it. We have a good God and do not have a reason to be afraid of Him. He desires nothing as much as to show us His love.

Yet, at the same time we should fear Him, and if we had even a slight glimpse of who He is, that is the only possible natural response. That is the second reason for the Fear not message from angels. This is not the fear that one has when we see a venomous snake at our feet or are facing a vicious and angry dog. This is not fear that is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. To fear the Lord is to have an overwhelming sense of wonder and awe and love for Him that leads to a dread of displeasing Him. We don't dread displeasing Him because we are afraid He will strike us in His wrath, but simply because the worse thing we can imagine is to hinder or harm that relationship which means more than anything and everything else.

I revere (respect, honor and highly value and esteem) my wife and my marriage. I serve my wife, and she serves me, not out of fear that the other will become angry or mean if we fail to do so, but out of love to show our great value placed on the relationship and each other. I do things that I know or hope will bless her, make her happy, and show her how important she is to me. I show my fear for her and what we have by not doing things that would cause her to be disappointed, hurt her or make her feel that she is devalued in my eyes and heart. I'm not afraid that she would hurt me if I failed, but I am afraid of hurting her. So I tread carefully with her heart, much as I would take care with something costly, precious and irreplaceable that I would be devastated to drop and break.

This is one of the signs of a good relationship, that it is cared for and treated as something precious and irreplaceable. We dread destroying it, and, therefore, treat it and the person with reverence and respect. How much more so should we fear damaging the relationship and hurting the heart of the One who created us, loves us and gave Himself for us? No human relationship is as important and as essential to our life as the one we have with God, not even the relationships with spouse, parent or child. And none of us when witnessing a marriage relationship where one partner ignores the needs, desires and feelings of the other and lives selfishly, causing pain repeatedly while counting on the other to always forgive and never forsake, no matter how little affection and care they are shown or how great the disregard, would call that love. In fact, we would call that a sick and abusive relationship and the very opposite of what a loving marriage should be. And yet all too often, we speak of the great mercy of God and His quickness to forgive as an excuse to claim love while living for self and treating our relationship with Him as though it is of little importance and value and treating His love and heart as an afterthought.

This should not be! We rejoice in the truth of His mercy and forgiveness, not because it gives us the ability to live like it doesn't matter what we do, but because we know that no matter how great our love, we will fail and fall short. It's wonderful to know that making a mistake and hurting His heart does not cause us to be rejected. Just as when I say or do something without thinking that makes Leah feel devalued or hurt doesn't mean she will pack her bags. She loves me and forgives me when that happens, and unfortunately it does happen from time to time. But knowing she will show love, mercy and forgiveness is not a reason to act without caring or concern for her. It is just another reason to love her more and to be thankful for how wonderful she is. Once again,, even more so with God.

So, today, let us fear Him, as in let us understand how amazing and wonderful He is and how undeserving we truly are to have Him love us so much and be so quick and faithful to forgive our many shortcomings, and let us dread damaging and devaluing our relationship with Him and hurting His heart. Let us walk by the power of the Spirit, through grace, to return to Him the love and honor that He so greatly deserves. But let us, not for one minute, be afraid of Daddy. Let us be quick to turn to Him, to embrace Him and to include Him in all that we do. Because of who our Daddy is, who don't have to be afraid of Him or of anything else, because our Daddy is bigger than the danger of this world. We no longer have to be slaves to fear.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

, Unshackled Moments ~ June 27, 2017 ~ Why Bother?

The struggle against the bondage of self is not aided by our natural inclination toward self pity. Self pity robs us of our hope, our joy, and even our energy. My nickname for years was Tigger, as in the bouncy, trouncy, flouncy,, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun one, but the truth is that I often felt much more like Eeyore, thanks for noticing me and wishing me a good day, which I doubt it is, but I'm not sure why I should bother doing, well, anything, because it will just go wrong or won't last. Why bother?

And the interesting thing, to me at least, is that self examination, self review, is a part of spiritual growth. It's important. We review our day, our motives, our walk and relationship with God and others. We see where we were right and succeeded and thank God for the power to have done that, and we see where we have fallen short of perfection, or even progress, and slipped into selfishness and ask God for forgiveness and help to overcome those things and those areas. We see where things have gone wrong and we have been hurt or hurt others and pray for healing and help to forgive and be forgiven. In other words, to examine our progress and path and our growth in relationship we must look at ourselves, our motives, our actions, our reactions and our progress of change from who we were to who we are becoming (a reflection of God's love and light, the image of Christ). But when you add to that the root of our bondage, our addictions and our sin, being selfishness and self centeredness then it becomes a balancing act.

It really is quite a trick to be able to look at and examine self without slipping into self centeredness. Actually, it isn't a trick. It's a miracle of epic proportions. We were far more addicted to living for self than we ever were to any other thing. That addiction is the root of our other addictions. So it should come as no surprise to us when, upon reflection (here we go again) we realize we've relapsed more often in the area of bondage to self than we can count. I've gone over seven years without a relapse in the areas of drugs and drink, and yet in all that time, I don't think I've gone seven days without being ruled by self, without slipping into selfishness and self centeredness.

If this is true of you as well, Dear Reader, and if you are anything like me, when this revelation is the most clear, the Eeyore may come out. Why bother? Why do I keep trying? Why am I continuing to strive for perfection when I can't do it for even one day? John Piper has said that one of the greatest hope-killers is that you have tried for so long to change and have not succeeded. I think he is quite right. But perspective is important with that idea.

Christopher Robin tells Eeyore good morning. Eeyore's response is if it is a good morning, which I doubt. Eeyore receives a compliment on his tail or gets help finding and reattaching it after it falls off yet again, and his answer is always something self depreciating and hopeless. Tigger, on the other hand sees the storm brewing and thinks what fun it will be to play in the rain. When Tigger is being rude and selfish and is asked where his manners are, his response is I don't know,, but I bet they're having more fun than I am. Tigger's motto is if it feels good do it, because if it makes you happy it can't be bad. And the point is that when our focus is on us, our perspective is skewed regardless of whether we are leaning toward the hedonistic denial of reality of Tigger or the hopeless gloom of Eeyore.

We can look back and see a wasted life, blown potential and failure after failure, the scars of horrendous pain gray from the ashes of dead dreams and burnt bridges. What's the point? Why bother? I keep trying and failing and I'm not making progress and I'll never be what I should be or even what I could've been. But the ironic thing is that if you really have been letting the Spirit have control of your life and will, even if not all the time, that idea of having failed to change (or be changed) is bogus. And I bet those who know you and care for you would be the first to point out that you have changed and you are not who you used to be.

Once we lived totally and completely for self. Maybe as we began our journey into relationship with God we surrendered to God and then took our will and life back 100 times a day, never giving God complete control for more than an hour. We might look at that and see failure. But it's 100 times better than never giving control at all, and for that one hour we were not selfish and self centered, but walking in love toward God and others. And that is change, that is being like Jesus, that is success. As we walk with God and grow spiritually, we do make progress. The number of times and the length of those times that we slip into self and rebel against the reign of God in our lives become less and less frequent. But living selfishly for one hour today may bother me more today than it used to. The closer I get to God the more I see I'm a stranger to His holiness. My sin today bothers me a lot more than it did seven years ago. Most people would say that there is a lot less of it, and that what is there is not nearly as destructive or huge as it once was. But to me it seems worse.

We need to examine self, but we don't need to do it alone. As a matter of fact, I would say that we should never do it alone. Like the Psalmist prayed, we should ask the Spirit to search our hearts and see if there is any wickedness in us, and then to lead us to the rock that is higher than us. The best and safest way to practice self examination, is to ask the Spirit to do the examining, then ask Him to show us what we need to do to go deeper into relationship with God and further into the refuge against the sin and selfishness we walk in when we live on our strength, in our own will.

When feeling defeated and hopeless in the face of progress and sin, we should be quick to check our perspective and make sure that we are truly examining our hearts and lives through the Spirit and not simply swimming in self and self pity. Don't give up. Keep trying. Keep giving God control,as often as we take it back.

Today I can be grateful that the sins and shortcomings that once didn't even register on the radar of my awareness bother me. That isn't failure. That's great progress. If you walk in love for even one hour today, you have done something that you could not have done on your own, which means you have surrendered to the Spirit and lived by the grace of God. That, my friend is a spiritual victory. And when hopelessness overwhelms and says you'll never get it right, just remember that He who began a good work in you is faithful and able to complete it. One day, if you belong to God, you will indeed be a perfect and unique reflection of His beauty and holiness. You are not yet what you will be, but be of good cheer, you are not what you were without Jesus either.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Unshackled Moments ! June 26, 2017 ~ What's Best Doesn't Always Feel Good

Last night I heard a friend of mine in talk about the best thing that happened to him during his drinking days. He said he was glad that he was blessed enough to get caught and arrested driving drunk, and as they put the cuffs on him he felt so happy that now his life would miraculously change for the better. Then he admitted he was lying. He laughed and said that at the time he thought it was the worst possible thing that could happen to him. But, since it is the event that drove him to recovery that it was in fact the best thing that ever happened to him. He said it shows that he doesn't always know what is good for him and what is bad.

I realized as he said this that I am the same way, and I do not believe that this trait is unique to addicts and alcoholics. I am pretty sure that it is a human character defect. We believe comfortable and pleasurable is always good and discomfort and pain is always bad. But those definitions of good and evil don't always mesh with what is in our best interests.

Take the Israelites. When God spoke to Moses to reveal that the time had come to deliver the Jews from slavery in Egypt, God said he head their cries and was aware of their suffering. Yet, he had let them be slaves for nearly 400 years. How is that love? How was their misery and servitude what was best for them. Why didn't God get them out more quickly. Generations died never knowing the redemption promise. But it was love and what was best. God sent them to Egypt to save a large family He had chosen as His own from disaster, destruction and death. Then, He kept them there, to grow large in number under the protection of the greatest empire of the time. They were safe from enemies, fed and provided for. Was it fun? No, but the struggle to survive surrounded by enemies would have been worse, especially before the increase in their numbers. It was hard enough to stay safe and provided for after they were freed that many looked back and asked why they ever left Egypt. Their time in Egypt made it crystal clear that they needed God and could not rely on their own strength, riches or power.

I can relate. There are still days I curse the days of my incarceration. There are negative consequences associated with that time that still interfere with my life nearly nine years after being released. But when I get honest, I am quite sure that my arrest and imprisonment saved my life. It became one of the first steps on a journey that took me to what I most needed, relationship with my Heavenly Daddy. And the events of that time and the difficulties after have made it easier for me to see, understand and remember that I need God. I can't do this on my own. I can't provide for my needs or make myself free. And, like my friend, it becomes obvious in retrospect that I do not always know and understand what is best or good for me as it is happening.

As I began meditating on this idea, I couldn't help but think of one of the most popular verses in Scripture, and one of the verses most taken out of context. Jeremiah 29:11 -

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

We love that verse. We like to think God is saying this of us, and by the way, contrary to some who complain about this being taken out of context, I do feel it applies to all believers, because while it is about a specific group at a specific time, the Scriptures are both historical and allegorical at the same time. What I mean by that is that this happened to a specific group, but it also serves as an illustration of our relationship with God and the way He cares for us. And that brings us back to this meme, T-shirt slogan, bumper sticker, feel good verse. Do you really want this applied to your life? I know it sounds great. It's wonderful. God has thoughts of peace and not evil towards His people and plans to give us a future and a hope.

Before you say sign me up, ask yourself why He has to tell them this in the first place. He says this so that they'll know it's true.....because they won't be able to see it, feel it, or comprehend it for themselves from their experience. They are about to suffer 70 years in bondage as prisoners of war. They're going to be beaten in battle, whipped, taken captive and suffer for longer than many of them will live. They will think all hope is gone. They will believe that they are rejected by and hated of God, but then they will be told no, that God said He loved them and would return them to Him and the Land of Promise. Don't read verse 11 without reading verse 10: For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.

But in my experience getting caught, being whipped and coming to have my illusions of control and ability to manage my life shattered, the suffering and hell of seven and a half years in prison that caused me to cry out to God and made me, with the desperation of a drowning man, willing to try anything, even relationship with God to prevent my return to incarceration all came from God putting an end to my running and rebellion, not by choosing to punish me, but by, out of love, not getting in the way and allowing me to suffer the natural consequences to the choices and life I had been leading. It was love. It was the way that brought me peace. It was used for my good, though it felt like evil. It gave me a future and a present life worth living. And I would never have believed it at the time, never have been able to see it.

When I was a baby, my parents and I lived in a tiny little house. There simply was no room. The only option for placement of my high chair in the kitchen put me near the stove. I love fire. Evidently always have. I'm not a pyro, but I love to watch it. There's something beautiful and awesome and peaceful about the flames. Anyway, I would reach out for the burner of the stove. No mater how often my mom or dad would swat my hand or tell me no, I would stretch and strive to touch the pretty flame. My parents were not so much worried that I would get burned but rather that I would topple the high chair reaching out to the side the way I did. So my dad scooted me closer to the stove. Closer? Yep. I reached out and stuck my fingers in the fire....then I jerked them back. And that simple first degree, no blister burn, that made me scream and cry, also changed my behavior permanently. It was a good thing and did what hand swatting and saying no never did or could, it made me stop reaching for the fire.

God does have wonderful plans for us all, and He desires peace with us and for us. He does plan to give us life, and life so abundant that it can be shared with others, that would be a future worth hoping for and can be a present for today as well. But that doesn't mean life will be rosy or look or feel victorious. Sometimes what is best for us doesn't look or sound or feel good. It's God saying OK, if you're going to insist of living life your way, I love you enough to stop protecting you from the results of that. Sometimes the most loving thing God can do is to let us suffer a while so that we can have and appreciate freedom later. Sometimes what is good can only be seen as good in retrospect or when it is pointed out to us.

So, if life is hard and sucks, don't assume that means God doesn't care. It doesn't mean He doesn't love you, and it doesn't mean that God doesn't want what is good and best for you. Sometimes the suffering is exactly what will bring you hope. And it doesn't always mean that you've been out of line. The slavery of the Jews in Egypt wasn't like Babylon, it wasn't because they were out of line. It simply was the best way to cause their growth while keeping them relatively safe, while showing them they needed relationship with and help from Daddy, until the time was right for them to step out free and demonstrate through their lives the awesome power, glory and love of God. We have a future and a hope, and a life worth living that is a demonstration of His power, His glory, His love, and His way of life....and sometimes that life is so hard God has to tell us He loves us or we won't be able to see it. But it's true. God loves you as you are, not as you should be, but He loves you enough not to leave you the way that you are.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Unshackled Echo ~ June 24, 2017 ~ Defrosting The Heart

Today's Unshackled Echo was previously published on

January 3, 2014 as Defrosting The Heart

Yesterday's Unshackled Moment, Handling The Heat, dealt with summer temperatures as well as dealing with temptation and sin. It just happened as I worked my way through posts of the past that today's Echo comes from January and deals with the winter cold. But the cold of our hearts is something that must be dealt with, even in summer.

I drove Leah to work this morning, as I often do. I failed to warm up the truck before we left, as I also often do, so it took most of the trip before the heater began blowing warm air. I drove huddled in on myself against the cold. As I began to hurt from keeping my muscles tense too long, I pictured myself from the outside, looking smaller than I actually am, curled in on myself and shrunken from the cold.

The cold makes us small. This is also true when the winter is within. When our hearts grow cold, cold toward God, toward others,, towards life, our souls shrivel, and we shrink in on ourselves. A body bent against the cold wind bears the same form as a body carrying a heavy burden, as though the cold has weight. Unforgiveness tears through the heart like a savage north wind, pounding us in on ourselves, keeping us burdened down, huddled in the misery of our frozen heart. It isn't the subject of our unforgiveness that suffers. We who refuse to forgive and embrace the warmth of love and grace towards those that have wronged us, or those who we perceive have hurt us, are the ones who suffer from the cold, the ones who slowly freeze to death.

In order to make the request found in the Lord's prayer that God forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us we have to first acknowledge our need to be forgiven. I don't need a one time wiping clean of the slate but a continual washing. As I walk in relationship with God, turning my will and life over to Him, and practicing the spiritual principles I have learned in every area of my life, selfishness and sin loosens its hold over me. But there is still sin, and areas of selfishness that have power in my life and need to be taken seriously.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But is anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

- I John 1:8-2:2

I must face this problem. I have to see the areas where I have lived as though there is no God, or if there is a God that He has no control or part in that area of my life. Where have I acted as though I am in control of my own will and life? Where have I attempted to gain what I want or to meet my own needs with my own power and without regarding God's will for my life or how my actions will effect others? Where have I been selfish and self-centered?

In parables Jesus made it clear that we can not be one who is forgiven so much and yet refuses to give mercy and forgive those who owe us. I have heard it said that as we pray the Lord's Prayer the word as is like an equals sign. We are praying to God and asking Him to forgive us in the same way and manner that we forgive others. If we are to acknowledge God's love for us and ask Him to forgive us where we have missed the mark and fallen short of the goal, we must extend this grace and forgiveness to everyone who may have injured us in any way regardless of intent, regardless of whether they did something or failed to do something, regardless of if they even acknowledge or accept that they have wronged us and need to be forgiven.

Jesus didn't teach us to say forgive me and I will try to forgive them, I will at some point forgive, I will pretend to forgive. He taught us to pray forgive me as I forgive them. I can not request or demand my release for guilt while holding onto my right to hold another accountable for his or her guilt. I have to rid myself of all resentment and condemnation of others and of myself. If God has forgiven me, what right do I have to continue to flog and punish myself for the past?

Forgiveness is not just something for me to receive. It must also be offered. Even so, going back to the equals idea of the clause, and this is important, there is no way that we can earn forgiveness by anything we do, not even by forgiving others. We can not earn forgiveness credits by forgiving any number of others, great, small or total. Forgiveness is by God's grace through Christ, not by any merit we have. But unforgiveness can block God's blessing in our lives.

There are actually two Greek words used here. Forgive us our sins uses the common Greek noun hamartia, meaning sin, miss the mark. In the next phrase, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us, the word sin translates the Greek verb opheilo, meaning owe, be indebted. We've all met people who feel that everyone owes them something; those who hold a grudge are something like that. I know that I am guilty of having lived with that attitude, and I highly suspect that all of us have felt this way. They nurse a hurt, a slight, a sin until it separates them from the person, and from God Himself.

I have seen many people who wonder why they aren't experiencing God's fullness. I have been one of those people. At the bottom of this feeling is often a root of bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness toward someone or something who has hurt them deeply. The key to freedom is forgiveness. Setting others free means setting myself free. Holding resentment against someone chains me to that person. It gives them power and control over areas of my life, and limits me. I am no longer free when I am unable to forgive. Why would I want to attach myself for life to the people who have done me the most harm? Why would I let them have power over how I feel and act? Instead of belonging to God, instead of turning my will and my life over to the God who loves and cares about me, I have now given part of my life, if not all of it, and my will, how I will act and react and feel, over to the care of people who have already proven themselves, at the least, unable to properly care for me at all times and, at worst, are actively trying to hurt me. It's like hiring a bodyguard that I know is either incompetent or has been paid way more to see me dead.

But how do I do it? How do I forgive the unforgivable? The pain and hurt and injustice that has shredded and nearly killed me and in which I have used the anger I have over it to fuel my very being for years until I am used up and shriveled in on myself unable to stay warm...how do I let that go? The key is willingness. I don't have to at first figure out how to break the glue that binds resentment to my heart, but I only have to be willing to have that glue broken. Willingness to forgive is actually the biggest part of what we have to do.

We can pray and declare to God that we fully and completely forgive the person who has harmed us. We declare the matter released and let go. The case against this person is closed forever, just as the case against me is closed because of the grace of God. We cast the burden of resentment upon Christ to carry it or let if go as He wills, but we will no longer carry it ourselves. We declare the person free of the debt to us and us free of the bondage of holding their debt against them. Then thank God for forgiveness and freedom and move on. >When the person or incident comes to mind and brings pain or anger once more, we simply remind ourselves that they are forgiven by us and by God, as we are. This is a closed case, and there is no need to reopen or reexamine it. Then we pray a prayer of blessing on the person. Pray everything for them that we want for ourselves. We show love. Wash, rinse repeat as necessary. How long will this take? Who knows. It varies. But if we do it faithfully, the resentment, the feeling again of hurt and anger, the unforgiveness trying to rise from the dead will occur less and less until the matter is gone from our heart and mind forever. The freedom and peace that will come to take the place of resentment is well worth the price of releasing our right to be mad. The warmth of loving as we are called to love will thaw our cold hearts, and we will find that not only can we walk tall, but the love of God will radiate from us and warm those around us who are still hunched and hurting from the cold.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 23, 2017 ~ Handling The Heat

Summer is here. Officially. I live in Texas, so summer came early and will stay late. That's just how it usually goes. It begins to get hot in April or early May and doesn't start cooling off until sometime in October. But Texas and the South aren't the only places where the heat can be unbearable. Even New York and Canada have heat waves, and there are plenty of places in the West and across the globe where people are far too aware that summer can be fun, but it can also kill you.

I've hear many a joke at the expense of the siesta, but the Mexicans had the right idea, especially in the pre-air conditioning era. The last job I had incorporated their wisdom so that my boss, who was in his 70s, could put in a full day's work without having a heat stroke. It helped survive too, although it made for long days, as we would start at just after sunrise when the day was somewhat cool, work until 11 or 12 when the temperature began to shoot higher, then knock off until around 4 or 5, and finally return to the fields until darkness approached. It took 12 or more hours a day to get eight hours of work done, but it was much safer and easier on the body.

Hundreds of people die every year because of the heat, and yet, we still love to run and play in the sun. Sure, you can forget selling a car that doesn't have a working air conditioner. No one wants that. But there is something about Summer that screams let's play to many, especially the young who are enjoying a break from school, and there are, of course, many who have to work outdoors. I myself have been doing some outdoor work, and I anticipate more days working outside this summer as I help clear some land for my parents and finish building the larger chicken coop for my wife. I will be careful though, because I simply can't physically take the heat the way I used to be able to.

Summer heat is kind of like those danger zones, those places and situations those of us in recovery tend to recoil from. Just as the same summer heat that I used to play sports in, lay in covered in oil and cooking myself, etc. now makes me want to stay inside and thank God for AC, there are places and situations, the heat of temptation I avoid and simply won't go without a good reason. But that doesn't mean I can't,

I remember when I first got sober not being able to go to a Mexican restaurant, because the temptation for a margarita felt overwhelming. Now, however I can eat where ever I want or need to, and don't have a problem with someone sitting at my table with a drink. But when other recovering alcoholics told me that there would be a time that I could, if I had a reason, go to any of those places that are so very dangerous and triggering to someone who has yet to be freed of the obsession, I couldn't even imagine it being safe or a possibility. Still though, they warned against just being there for the sake of being there and flirting with and romanticizing the old life. One common saying along those lines is if you hang out in the barber shop long enough, you'll get your hair cut.

If you have said yes to the call to deny self, pick up your cross and follow Jesus, you have left your old life behind for a new and better life worth living in relationship with Jesus. But that doesn't mean there aren't times you can't or don't have to go back to the areas you used to live in, and it doesn't mean that you won't sometimes be tempted to romanticize the days of fun in the sun. It isn't right, but it's human nature when things get tough, we can overlook the hardships and misery of the past and enhance the memories of pleasure and comfort. I know there are times when I can ignore the hell I went through, the misery, trouble and near death experiences and remember how great it felt to get high, and in the Bible we see the Israelites do the same thing as they look longingly back to Egypt and the days of their slavery.

But while looking back like that is foolish and dangerous, there are times when we need to be in the heat. Look at the disciples who were called to drop their nets, leave their boats and follow Jesus. They did it, and then they spent a lot of time over the next three years, walking through the same areas of Galilee doing a different kind of fishing. Every day the same seas were nearby. They even spent a lot of time in boats. But they didn't go back to their old life just because they were in the same areas.

So, here are some ways to help you stay safe in the summer heat, and in the world that you are now in but not of.

Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible. Of course that's the solution that makes the most sense and is the easiest way to cope with the heat. Stay out of it. And the same is true of the heat of temptation and paces and situations where there is much more evidence of the fall than the light of Jesus. I strongly doubt, for example, that I will ever return to New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
If you do go outside, stay in the shade as much as possible and avoid the hottest times of the day, if you can. Stay out of it if you can, but if you don't or can't... It may seem silly to tell people to avoid something and then continue with tips for those who don't follow that tip, but it's not foolish at all. When it comes to summer, just because you should take precaution doesn't mean you should hide away for three months (or six if you live in Texas) out of the year. There are also places you can go, if you're spiritually fit, that might seem unlikely otherwise. But the spiritual equivalent of shade and staying out of the hottest part of the day is also true when it comes to walking into areas of temptation. I can go to a bar to eat, if that's where someone wants to go. Some bar and grills have amazing food, but I'm not going to go hang out at the club late at night by myself just for fun and use good burgers as an excuse to be there. I have no problem with going to the beach with my wife and family and enjoying some time in the sun, but I am not going to go to a strip club. The amount of covering may even be similar, but the atmosphere is quite different. You get the idea. You don't have to run scared and hide from the world or the summer, but show some wisdom and understanding.
Wear sunscreen outside along with loose-fitting, light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible. This is the summer equivalent of being covered spiritually. Protect your skin and wear appropriate clothing for the summer, and when you leave the safety of your home cover and clothe yourself spiritually also. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 - see vs. 10-18 for entire list).
Drink water regularly even if you are not thirsty. Limit alcohol and sugary drinks which speeds dehydration. Jesus is the Living Water, and He is also the Living Word, the Word Made Flesh. We need to spend time with Jesus and in the Word of God regularly, regardless of whether or not we feel thirsty. Notice it didn't say never drink alcohol or sugary drinks. It said limit them. For you non-alcoholics anyway, there's nothing that says you can't partake, but limit those things that make you more susceptible to the heat and hinder the body's ability to cool itself properly. The same is true of the world. We don't have to eliminate everything that doesn't have a "Christian" label, whether that is books, movies and TV, music or whatever. It doesn't mean we can't enjoy anything that isn't straight up spiritually oriented. But we should limit those things that can cause dehydration and lower our resistance to temptation,
Never leave children or pets alone in the car. Keep an eye on those you may be an influence on and those you are responsible for. Don't put them in place of danger and vulnerability. Don't let your spiritual fitness and freedom kill your brothers and sisters. Just because you can go the bar to hear a band and do some two-stepping with your spouse doesn't mean that your friend who's been sober for two minutes can.
Avoid exertion during the hottest part of the day. Don't over do it. This is something to take to heart whether it's spending time working or playing in the summer sun or working and playing in the fallen world.
Take a cool shower or bath. If you get out there, whether because you have to or because you just didn't realize that you were playing in the sun too long, and get too hot, cool off. Bathe yourself in the coolness of the Living Water. Spend time with Jesus and let Him cool you down and restore you and cleanse you.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~~ June 22, 2017 ~ A Fly In The Coffee

This morning began like most weekdays for me. Soon after getting up and kissing my wife I poured a big glass of Magic Elixir Of Waketitude, turned on some music and began my morning prayers and reading while waiting for inspiration about what to write for today's Unshackled Moment. After a while I needed to step away from the table where I do my writing, and that's when I had to deal with a problem.

Recently our house has become infested by houseflies. I have used the fly swatter some, but there are still so many of them it's unreal. Leah and I are not sure how they got in or where they are keeping their little nursery, but there seem to be more each day. I know part of the problem is that I have ignore them as much as possible and haven't grabbed the swatter and taken a swing at every opportunity. I plan to try to kill as many as I can today, and we may have to break down and get one of those nasty traps. Something has to be done before we end up with so many of the little pests that our home begins to resemble the fly scene from the classic film, Amityville Horror. It may seem like I've gotten off track, but I haven't. The flies are the problem They get in everything and anything left out.

So, since I needed to step away from the table and didn't not want to take my coffee with me, I tried to keep it safe. I placed a bag over the top of the glass and the pot to keep the flies out and went on. About five minutes later, I returned to find the bag lying on the floor by the table. Sneaky little bugs bounced up and down on it until it fell from atop the coffee. OK, so that's how I imagine it happening. I understand the AC was likely the real bag moving culprit. Regardless, the bag was on the floor and, sure enough, a fly did the dead bug float in my precious elixir. My attempts to safeguard against the flies while putting off really dealing with the problem by killing them failed.

So what's the point? As I looked down at the suicidal cousin of Francois Delambre, it occurred to me that this situation is similar to the space between Steps 6 & 7. In step 5 we admit to God, ourselves and another person the exact nature of our wrongs, and we begin to see a pattern, areas of our life where we respond and react selfishly and in a manner that is different than the will of God for our lives, where we act unloving. In recovery speak we call these character defects. The Bible calls them sin. Call them what you will, the point is we are being controlled by something other than God's love and will for us in these areas. They are sources of bondage. And even if you, Dear Reader, are not in recovery and or do not apply the spiritual steps to freedom in your discipleship, we all have areas of bondage where we do not walk in the freedom that is found in relationship with Jesus. We all have areas where we remain slaves to self and sin. And it is good to examine our heart and motives to see what and where these areas are.

That's where Step 6 comes in. We look at what theses areas are and become ready to have God remove all the defects of character. That's recovery speak for we get ready to have God remove and transform every part of us that is not ruled by loving Him and loving others, that is not compatible with the new creation, that doesn't look and act like Jesus, where our will or selfishness or sin is running the program rather than the Spirit of God. And that's a tall order. That's where it gets serious, because if we're honest, there's a part of us that likes our sin. Maybe not the consequences, but it feels good to be selfish sometimes. Our self doesn't want to be denied or killed so that we can follow Jesus. But let's say we reach that point. We're entirely ready to have God burn away everything that is not love, that is not for Him or of Him, everything that gets in the way of our relationship with Him.

Guess what? Nothing happens. Being ready to have God remove our sin doesn't really do anything about our sin any more than me being entirely ready to have all these flies removed from my home made a single fly vanish. Its necessary, because without being ready for them to be gone we won't take action, but we can't stop with being ready to have them removed or wishing for them to be removed. We must do something about them. We must take action.

We are told in Romans to put to death the deeds of the body. Those would be those character defects and habits that are natural to us without the transformation that comes from being made new in Christ. Our old nature, our selfish, carnal mind must be swatted down like a fly. We take action. Step 7 says that we humbly ask God to remove these defects of character, these areas of sin. But let us not forget that God uses us to accomplish His will. He wants us to work with Him.

I can sit here and listen to my music and pray for God to remove the flies from my house, and most likely I will be distracted by the sound of their buzzing around me until I take more action. The same is true of the sin in my life and the bad habits, patterns of behavior, areas of bondage, and selfishness. I can't defeat the sin in my life any more than I can run around and kill all these flies bare handed. I need God's help and His grace (the power given by and through Jesus to do what I can't do on my own). God gives us the ability to see what needs to be put down so that our new nature in Jesus can rise up in its place. The Spirit provides the spiritual fly swatter and gives us the ability to swing it swiftly, accurately and with enough strength to kill the target. But we have to get up off our knees and go to work.

We can be ready. We can be downright tired of the buzzing of sin around us. We can want it all gone. We can pray and ask God to do something. We can use half measures and stop gaps to try to protect what is precious to us from the sin that we haven't dealt with. But none of that will work until we move out in the power and wisdom that God gives us to take action against everything within us that is contrary to our new nature in Jesus. So pray, then grab that spiritual sin swatter and get to swinging and soon you will see your life become free of that which is not God and your precious treasures will remain unspoiled.

Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

- Ecclesiastes 10:1

Living Free

Dalyn Woodard returns to the book of Ephesians and the topic of our identity. Our identity determines our behavior and our ability walk in freedom. The message, "Living Free" is about 58 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, June 21, 2017. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

If you missed the first message in the Identity Crisis series, Who Are You, it can be found here.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 21, 2017 ~ Curing Itchy Hell

Hell is an itch that can't be scratched.

- Bryan Gardine

My wife would agree with the above quote, and I'm getting there. It hasn't quite been hell, but it's getting miserably close to maddening. I have been itching for about three days now, and it's only getting worse. I had a little bit of heat rash and a small patch of poison oak after working outside all day Saturday, making for an itchy Father's Day. It wasn't that bad though.

But over the rest of the week I have done a lot more work outside, and as of yesterday, much more of my body is covered in scratches, bug bites, heat rash, and, oh yeah, more poison oak. And now I feel like one big itch. My poor wife, who can not stand to itch, would be screaming and in tears about now, I think. And perhaps my current situation is a reminder to be more empathetic and sympathetic. I usually scratch her back for her when it itches, but here lately, because what itched her was a wound that shouldn't be scratched, not only have I refused to scratch the particular spot but tried to keep her from doing so. Now, I find myself covered in itchiness and having to practice my preaching and fight the natural tendency to claw away. Still, I have been able, so far and for the most part, to keep from scratching. I'm not bragging. It is still distracting and frustrating. My constant fight to refuse to scratch the itch is not natural, It is a learned response.

Of course, I learned it because of another kind of itch that overpowered me and drove me as nuts as physical itching does my wife. I found the itch of changing reality and selfish hedonism unresistable. If it seemed like it might feel good try it, and if it felt good do it again, even if it hurt after was a cycle I lived by for far too long. I did so many things that I knew would hurt and do damage later because I couldn't resist the urge to scratch my spiritual itchy skin. The desire to sin and satisfy self drove me crazy if I even attempted to ignore it or refuse to give in, and most of the time I didn't bother fighting. When impulse itched I scratched.

The problem with scratching an itch is that it works, temporarily. Then the itch comes back, worse than before. Demanding more scratching, which leads to worse itching, which demands more vigorous scratching, which...this cycle can go on and on until it drives us insane and causes some serious damage. Scratching actually damages our skin. It causes delays in healing whatever is causing the itch in the first place. It can lead to open sores and infection. And it confuses our brain by making pain pleasurable. What would make us whence and recoil in the absence of an itch is what makes us deliriously happy, for a moment, when the itch is present.

The itch of sin is no different. Giving in is temporarily satisfying, but it also makes things worse, does damage and the itch is more intense when it returns. Scratching my itchy spirit finally wound me up in prison, and that is where I learned not to scratch the physical itch. I know people who don't know better often think prisons are vacation resorts where you lay around enjoying three meals a day in climate controlled ease. Not in Texas. Ignore for a moment the violence and abuse that fills the prison system, they are nasty places. You simply can't get or keep the truly clean, no matter what you do to try. Antibiotic resistant staph is a common occurrence among inmates, and at least one man died of staph in the Texas system in 2004.

An open wound could kill you. Infections come easy while good and timely medical attention is hard to come by. So you learn. Don't scratch. Don't take the chance. A mosquito bite today could be staph tomorrow if you can't resist the urge to claw at it. Over time I learned that my itching didn't increase, my wounds healed more quickly and that a constant low-grade itch was better than the intense itch that returned after the temporary relief of scratching. So I don't scratch....usually. It still sometimes makes me want to scream. But if I ignore that initial moment, I find the intensity fades.

Though there are times when, even after all the learning and experience I find myself reaching to rub and scratch that itch. I can't resist all the time. Sometimes it happens before I can even stop the reaction long enough to think about what would be the best thing to do. And so it is with living for self. No matter how much we know that the relief that comes from pleasing self rather than loving God and loving others just makes things worse, sometimes we can't resist the urge to scratch. Other times we react without thought of what we are doing and the consequences. Instantly we react to some stimulus and the next thing we know, we are nails deep in sin wondering how that happened. Even when we can resits it may feel like a constant battle, a distraction that never goes away and begins to drive us mad.

But the balm of the presence of God soothes our itchy spirit. When we seek Him rather than scratching, the itch fades. And the more we do that, our spirit changes and grows more and more immune to the bites and poisons that used to have us jumping to scratch. We come to the place where they simply do not effect us as before. It's more than knowledge. More than a learned response not to scratch or understanding the truth that scratching makes things worse. That will only work for so long and so often. There will also be plenty of failure. But turning to Daddy and covering ourselves in the Calamine lotion of the Spirit soothes our itchy spirit. And time spent in the truth of who God is and His love for us, as well as basking in the rays of the light of His presence builds up our immunity to the allergies that used to make us rush to scratch.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 20, 2017 ~ Chasing Dead Snakes

Sometimes I get distracted as I look up things online, and sometimes it turns out to be a good thing. Like this morning. At this point,I can't even say for sure how I got there, but I found myself reading a discussion on exactly what was the serpent in the garden. Was it a snake like a rattlesnake or a python that could speak? Was it a spirit that took the form of a snake? Was it a dinosaur or dragon? Was it.... Sorry, I don't know the answer, and neither did either of the two gentleman debating. It did however send me chasing rabbits....or maybe I should say snakes.

First, I went to the Hebrew to see exactly what the word for serpent in Genesis 3 is. Then I did a little research on that word, how it was used and how often. Somehow that led me to a YouTube video where I wasted five minutes of morning study, devotion and meditation time watching a decapitated rattlesnake head try to bite. It was a long but informative video. Following that was a much less educational freak out video that lasted 21 seconds of a snake attempting to strike without a body. Of course, I had heard old tales of snakes biting after having their heads chopped off. I did grow up in Texas after all, and even had Old Timers tell me you should always bury a venomous snake head after killing one. Personally, I tended to not worry about it.

I don't like to kill snakes, so I didn't have many snakes to dispose of and worry about. I pretty much won't kill a non-venomous snake, and won't kill a venomous one unless it's in the yard or something like that, although even then I prefer to relocate. I cringe when I see people post photos of king snakes they killed in their yard while at the same time complaining of the overabundance of copperheads (which king snakes eat) in the area. But, I am getting off track, distracted, and chasing another topic once again. Back to the point....

Yes, there is one, and it has a spiritual application and everything. The second video looked possibly faked. I now think the resolution just sucked. So, I followed the trail to a few snake sites to get some scientific, factual answers to the question of are snakes dangerous and can they strike after being decapitated? The answer is yes. Yes, they are.

Snakeeducation.com had this to say on the subject of dead snakes and dead snake bites: You may have heard someone say that a dead snake can still bite and this is Very True. The nerves in a snake have been recorded to still be active up to 9 hours after a snake was killed. The length of time had much to do with the snake type, and situation in which the snake was killed. In Old-School it was a common practice to cut the head off of a venomous snake but to understand that snake's head can still bite and still inject Venom into it's victim. Just because a snake looks dead doesn't mean the nerves are too.

And all that, led me to where I needed to go. Sometimes those snake,,,,er, rabbit trails of distraction take us to where God needs us to be or where we can hear the Spirit teaching us and showing us something that can help us and or take us deeper into relationship with God. Or maybe when that happens it's just another example of God working all things, including my attention shortcomings and distractions, to good for me. But the trail intersected with a scripture I read before the snake hunt began, I Peter 5:8-9 -

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

Now, in these verses the lion is used to illustrate the enemy, which in no way is saying he's like Jesus, who is called the Lion of Judah. In Revelation Satan is called a dragon, and we started with the serpent in the garden. The point is not what creature is being used as a metaphor for the devil. Even if you are someone who believes the devil is himself a metaphor for hate, sin,, evil and things contrary to God and not a literal being, the point is that we need to be vigilant, wary, on guard, clear minded about the matter. There is a danger.

There is a danger. That's what connected all of this for me this morning. When I first read the I Peter verses, my thought was it seems silly to stay on guard against a defeated foe. Since Jesus defeated death and the devil on the cross, crushed the head of the serpent, it seems counter-productive to be concerned about the wiles of the enemy, of those things that Jesus has defeated and overcome, We have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and should simply walk in that power, surrendered and submitted to that power. And that last sentence is truth, but it does not mean we can ignore the enemy.

No, we don't need to be afraid, and we don't need to be looking for the devil behind everything bad as if he is an all-powerful, all-knowing danger to the children of God. I'm sorry, but most times the devil not only didn't make you do it, he had nothing to do with it. That was all you and all me, choosing the old nature over the new and living for self rather than following Jesus.

But while Jesus defeated the serpent for us, and no, I do not think normal snake when I read that, but the analogy works, so....the spiritual time when the nerve endings are no longer active hasn't ended yet. Satan is dead and defeated, as is sin. They just don't know it yet. And while that means that it can't crawl up and get you anymore because of what Jesus did, it also means that if you reach out and grab it, perhaps pick it up and put it in your pocket, it can still strike you, and the venom will still bring death and destruction to your life. We don't become immune to the consequence of sin. We do not become powerful enough to play safely with the enemy. We are safer, because the serpent is dead. He hasn't the power any longer to do you harm by sneaking up on you or crawling into your refuge,. But he hasn't yet been rendered totally harmless and won't be until Jesus returns.

We all have areas where we've been in the vicinity of the enemy so much that we can't seem to stop getting bit, maybe it's when we're afraid, or hurting, or angry or confused, or something else, but we have situations where we naturally walk off the path through the danger zone instead of running to Jesus for our answer, pleasure, comfort, security, relationship, etc. And then we step on the snake head with our unprotected foot, feel the pain of the fangs and the sickness spreads as the toxic effects of sin our carried to every area of our life. If we will be wary of those areas and keep our eyes on Jesus, He will direct our paths and show us where to step to avoid the danger of dead but deadly fangs.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Unshackled Moments ~ June 19, 2017 ~ Monday Moans Or Weeklong Worship?

So, we've made it to another Monday. So the question is how are we reacting to Monday? Do we have the Monday Moans? Are we Looking for Monday Motivation to endure and cope with and conquer the responsibilities of the week? Or are we setting ourselves to enter in to worship?

Perhaps that last sentence seems off? For one thing, there's no catchy alliteration. And Sunday is worship day, not Monday. Monday is time to get back to the grind. It's time to leave the courts we entered into with praise yesterday and return to the fields and the stores and the to-do lists and the things of earth. Right? Wrong.

We tend to treat worship like a weekly chore that gets checked off once, maybe twice, a week. I do my worship on Sunday, and Wednesdays if I'm not too tired, too busy, or something else doesn't come up. Well, I think anyone who thought something similar to that meant they go to church on Sunday. And I hope if you go to church on Sundays, and maybe even Wednesday, that you are worshiping while you are there. If not, there's not a lot of point in going.

But I said worship. I didn't say going to church, and I would add that if we're not worshiping on Monday, that we might want to question the depth and sincerity of our worship on Sunday. Worship is more than the music before the preacher gets going. Worship may or may not have anything to do with music. It is our loving response of adoration and wonder and reverence upon meditation and a glimpse of understanding of who God is, His nature and how much He loves us. It is remembering Him and that we are His and the how and why of that relationship. It's giving Him all of us, especially our love and our will. We worship with our lives, and it's not a once or twice a week occurrence.

I know it can be easy to get distracted by the responsibilities and cares of this life, but let us remember that this life is not the end all or be all. There is more to life than this, and it's found in our relationship with the Creator and Sustainer of life. There are things we need to do, but as we go about our day, as we work, go grocery shopping, clean house or play in the park whatever we have going on, we can do it and go through it with an awareness of His presence and love for us. We can worship as we work and as we play. Our heart remembers that we are His and He is with us, it responds to His presence and love with our surrender and love, and we go through the day in communication with and being guided and powered by the Spirit, so that we can act and react as we should in a way that loves God and gives Him glory and that loves others and lays down our life. Love is worship.

So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.

-Romans 12:1 GNT

ULM