The Slippery Slope

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19 (NIV)

    Snow skiing is loved by a large group of enthusiastic people. My daughter is not one of them. Her experience on the slopes of Colorado convinced her that almost any sport is preferable to one that requires the participant to freeze, despite layer upon layer of clothing, and depend on flimsy poles and two slick “boards” as she called them to get her from point A to point B safely.

    Having never snow skied before, she was initially excited to go on a winter vacation with her husband and her in-laws. Great care was taken to choose the right coordinated ski pants and jacket. Sunglasses were selected that would offer the best protection from the glare of the sun on the snow along with sunscreen and lip balm.

    She was ready. She thought. Until she took her first skiing lesson. And slipped. And fell. And stood up. And slipped again. And . . . you get the picture. For about 30 minutes she was up and down in the snow until, with a great deal of effort and support from her husband, she was able to get to the top of a small hill.

    During that time, her father-in-law was helping her mother-in-law stand upright after a hard fall. Successful at last, he turned to watch as my daughter began her descent down the slope, but his look of admiration quickly turned to one of panic as he realized that on her present path, she would make a direct hit on his wife. He was right.

    My daughter said that to this day the trip downhill is still a blur but what she will forever remember is the look on her father-in-law’s face as he frantically tried to push his now-standing wife away from the path of his daughter-in-law’s out-of-control skis, poles, and body. He was not successful.

    Can you picture the aftermath of the collision? Two women – in coordinated ski pants and jackets - laying in the snow, arms and legs wrapped around tangled-up skis and poles and accented with pieces of sunglasses. And two husbands standing over them, wondering how in the world they could have prevented the slipping, sliding accident from occurring. They could not.

    I think that life is a lot like that skiing experience. We try and try to get up the slope. And there are a few times when we can make it and stand upright and feel successful. But there are many many other times when we slip and fall, barely get up, and fall again. That’s where David was in Psalm 94:18-19.

    David probably never snow skied but he certainly knew what it was like to stand on the top of the hill as he was chosen by God to be the new king over Israel. He also knew the feeling of everything being out of control and sliding away as King Saul tried to kill him.

    What are you facing today that seems to knock you down and push and shove you as you try to get up? What is causing anxiety in your heart? What keeps you awake at night because there seems to be no clear answer? A cancer diagnosis? A prodigal child or children? A life-changing surgery that insurance won’t cover?

    Trust our Father who not only supports us when we start to fall but also keeps our feet from slipping. That was His promise to David. And that is His promise to us. Even on the ski slopes of life. 

 

    Father, I praise you for listening when I call and for holding on to me when I cannot stand on my own. I praise you for your love and mercy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Think about a time in your life when you felt everything slipping and sliding from underneath you.

• What was your first reaction? Turning to the Creator or bracing for the crash?

Apply

• Call a prayer warrior friend, share your concerns, and ask her to lift you up in prayer.

• Memorize power verses in Scripture and thank the Lord for keeping your feet from slipping as He watches over you.

Power

• Psalm 94:18-19 (NIV) “When I said, “My foot is slipping, “your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”

• Psalm 121:3 (NIV) “He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber.”

• Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV) “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

Do You Hear Him?

                                            “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. 

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come  in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

   The crowd coming out of the church auditorium was especially talkative one Sunday morning several years ago. Hundreds of voices with different pitches, tones and accents joined together in laughter and friendly chatter throughout the foyer and down the hallways.

    Suddenly, in the middle of all the commotion, one voice instantly caught my attention. It was a sweet little voice quietly calling over and over “Gaamaa! Gaamaa! I’s here. I’s coming!”

    I quickly knelt down among the sea of people and saw the source of that voice. My two-year old granddaughter Ella. She had seen me in the crowd and was calling my name, trying to get my attention.

   How did I recognize Ella’s voice out of all the others? After all, she wasn’t screaming or yelling. It’s simple. I spent time with her because I loved her. I listened to her tell me stories she had made up. I was familiar with her voice because I heard it almost daily.

   Let me ask you something: isn’t that the way we should be when it comes to the Lord? If we spend time with Him daily, it should not be hard to recognize His voice in this loud, screaming world that demands our attention.

   Scripture from Revelation 3:20 is very clear in what it says and what it doesn’t say. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

    It doesn’t say that Jesus is beating on the door of your heart. He isn’t demanding to be heard. He isn’t threatening you if you don’t answer. He doesn’t say three strikes and you’re out!

   What it does say is that He is simply standing quietly and knocking as he waits for you to hear His voice and open your life up to Him.

   Something else occurred to me. Jesus doesn’t say that He only knocks at the door on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He doesn’t whisper your name on Sunday mornings and then leave you on Sunday evenings.

   He never ever stops calling your name! He stands, waiting for you to give Him permission to live in your heart.  And when you open the door, He never leaves. Ever.

   The only way we will recognize the voice of the One standing at the door and calling us is to be in His word – every day. And as we seek Him, His voice will become more clear in our lives and the distractions of the world will fade away. 

    Listen for the voice of Jesus – you can hear it!

   Father, I can get so distracted by the voices of this world. I want to know you and your voice over everything else. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like you could not hear the voice of the Lord in your heart

• Were the demanding voices of the world louder? If so, Why?

Apply

• Journal all the voices of the world that crave your attention. Make a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the quietest and 10 being the loudest voice. Rank each worldly voice along with the voice of the Lord.

• Determine which voice has the power to change your life for the better. Then throw out all the competition and focus on the Truth from the one who stands at the door and quietly knocks.

Power 

• Revelation 3:20 (NIV) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

• John 10:27 (NIV) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

• Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Her Nose in the Air

                                “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

John 7:24 (NIV)

A friend of mine remembers her first experiences as a licensed driver at age 16. Not because she had accidents or near-accidents (although I am sure there may have been some). But she remembers distinctly having to tilt her head up at an angle to see over the dashboard every time she drove. The reason? She was not very tall and their family car was huge. So the only way she could see clearly was to lean back at an angle, nose in the air, focused on where she was going.

  One day at her  high school there were class changes and she found herself in a room with girls she didn’t know. As they became acquainted, the girls chatted about clothes, music and getting their licenses and my friend shared her frustration at being so short that she had to constantly peek over the dashboard as she drove. 

  Only later did two of the girls tell her: “We always saw you driving with your nose up in the air and we thought you were a snob. You never looked at us or even waved. We want to apologize because we judged you on something silly without even knowing you or what was going on.”

I think we have all had that same thing happen at least once in our lives. Someone judged us unfairly and based their opinion on something totally wrong. But let’s take it one step further: have WE been the ones doing that judging? 

How about the time we saw two people together talking and we assumed and judged a relationship that was not there. Then we shared our assumption repeatedly until it became “fact.” Or the time we overheard one comment during a conversation and built a story in our minds that had no basis in fact at all. And we shared our opinions. And people were hurt.

  In John 7:24, Jesus speaks very clearly concerning making assumptions and judging. He doesn’t say “If someone judges you, judge them back.” or “Only judge when you have the facts.” No, He leaves no doubt in what we should do when He says “Stop judging by mere appearance.” Stop it. Don’t do it. Period. 

Why not simply lift up that person in prayer and say “Father, I am not sure if there is something going on in her life but I AM sure that you know. I am lifting them up to you.” There is only one outcome for judging and jumping to conclusions: missing the target and landing face down in a heap of embarrassment and regret. God’s job is to judge. Our job is to pray. Even when it comes to a nose in the air. 

Father, forgive me for those times when I have assumed and judged someone instead of praying. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever had a rumor told about you that was based on a completely wrong assumption?

• Have you ever judged someone because you made an incorrect assumption about a situation? 

Apply

• The next time you are tempted to assume and judge a situation by what you have seen, stop and put yourself in that person’s place immediately.

• Then lift them up to the Lord and thank Him for being in control of all things.

Power 

• John 7:24 (NIV) “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” 

• James 5:9 (NIV) “Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

• Luke 6:31 (NIV) “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” 

The Enabler

 “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead,  make up your mind not to put any stumbling block  or obstacle in your brother’s way.”  Romans 14:13 (NIV)

  “You are the exact person I have been warned about!” the woman said to me with a laugh. I confess I stared at her, first because she put her hands up in a defensive pose and second because, although she said it with a smile, I knew she meant it.

     We were at a meeting together along with several other people from around the state. I was helping get orders for coffee and a dessert for each one there. As the woman came up to me, I asked “Which ice cream do you want? Chocolate, strawberry or vanilla?” 

    She shook her head. “Oh thank you but I can’t. I am on a Weight Watchers diet and have to watch my intake. I’ll just have coffee.” I immediately commented “You look great! Can’t you just have a small bowl of ice cream? Surely that wouldn’t hurt your diet.” That is when she commented “You are the exact person I have been warned about! You are an enabler! Thank you but no thanks.”

    I continued serving the other people but I could not quiet my mind. I knew the definition of an enabler was one who either unintentionally or intentionally supports another's destructive behaviors. They do that by downplaying the negative consequences of those behaviors. Was that description really me?

    After I got home that evening, it suddenly hit me: I absolutely WAS an enabler. This woman was wisely following a diet plan to get healthy and I was trying to get her to step out of her diet to stop her overeating by offering the “just a little bit won’t hurt” solution. Why? I didn’t want her to miss out on the dessert. But that encouragement would come with a price:  unhealthy living.

   Then my thoughts went to my behavior as a Christian.  When I talk to someone about my walk with Jesus, and they don’t believe they can live without certain destructive behaviors,  do I hint that some sins aren’t as bad as others? For example, when they tell me that they know they shouldn’t be sharing rumors at work but it’s hard to stop. Do I have the enabler attitude of “just about everybody does that at one time or another so it’s not as bad as (fill in the blank) to Jesus.” 

   What about the woman who confesses to me that she is having an affair because her husband is not nice to her? Do I share what the Lord says about unfaithfulness in marriage and encourage counseling or do I become an enabler? “God wants you to be happy. Your husband shouldn’t treat you that way.” 

     God’s message is clear. You are not only responsible for your own actions but also for the ways you enable someone else to live a Godly life or walk on a destructive path. It’s time for all of us to gut-check our lives and see if we are enablers. And if we are, we need to confess it to the Lord and determine we will not bend a knee to the world’s view of “everything is okay if it makes you happy.”

   The comment the woman made was life-changing for me. It was an encouragement to me to examine every thought or comment before I shared it and to determine if it was within God’s will or from the world’s view. Oh, and the woman who made the comment to me? She got coffee that day. And I got a new determination to never be an enabler again.

    Father, help me to never cause someone to fall because I am not following your Word in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever tried to get someone to change their behavior “just a little bit”?

• Why do you think you did that?

Apply

• When someone shares a situation with you, stop and truly listen to what they are saying.

• Then ask the Lord to give you wisdom before you comment. Follow the Lord’s Words.

Power

• “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.” Romans 14:13 (NIV)

• “Therefore encourage one another and build each  other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

            I Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)  

• “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

The Smell of Sin

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” 

John 14:26 (NIV)

    There is an absolutely gorgeous, exotic plant that thrives in the rainforests of Indonesia. During its flowering phase, the bloom can reach more than 8 feet in height, 20 feet in width and the plant weigh as much as 170 pounds! Its giant leaves and flowers are displayed in breathtaking shades of lime green and dark burgundy. 

    As amazing as it sounds, this plant will only flower every 6-10 years, so with a lifespan of 40 years, it will only bloom 3-4 times before it dies. But there is something even more amazing about this plant – the reason for its nickname. It is called the corpse plant. 

   One only has to get within smelling distance to realize instantly that the amorphophallus titanium, or corpse plant, has a distinctive aroma that smells like rotting flesh. It is believed that the smell helps to attract carrion beetles and sweat bees which are instrumental for the plant’s pollination. Humans, however, are quick to cover their faces to keep them from breathing in the stench. 

   If only sin had the same “road kill” odor as the corpse plant! We wouldn’t be fooled by the outer “beauty” of the corpse plant (sin) because the foul stench would serve as an instant alarm. “Get away! Run! Don’t go there! That is not where you should be!” it would warn us. 

   But wait! We DO have an instant alarm to help us recognize sin, don’t we. That alarm is the Holy Spirit. As John 14:26 tells us, God placed him in the heart of all believers, to guide and direct in each situation every single day. 

   The solution is easy, my friends. Simply ask. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you when you are faced with temptations in your life.  He is faithful. He reminds you of God’s Word and he provides the answer. 

   No matter what you may be facing today, remember to trust the Holy Spirit to sound the alarm when you get near the corpse plant of sin. 

    Father, thank you for your gift of the Holy Spirit. Please help my spiritual ears to be open to his leading each and every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt an “urging” in your heart to not do or say something? 

• Do you think that it might have been the Holy Spirit speaking truth to you?

Apply

• Dig into God’s Word and journal Scriptures that explain why the Holy Spirit was given to believers.

• Listen with your heart to his prompting when you are facing decisions and are uncertain which way to turn. 

Power 

• John 14:26 (NIV) “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” 

• II Corinthians 2:15 (NIV) “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

• Ephesians 5:2 (NIV) “…and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”