PC3 Devotions

There are some of you who might feel helpless when it comes to your propensity to freak out. A situation presents itself, and the next thing you know you are flying off the handle. In a split second, your mood and demeanor change. Reality eventually sets in, and you feel defeated. Once again you have given into your impulses, and you wonder if anything will ever change.

Others, instead, excuse their behavior by clamoring on about the way they are wired. Their family acted this way growing up, so it is only natural they would as well.  Regardless of the point of view, both possess the same mindset. It’s those that believe they are utterly helpless in their pursuit of self-control. This runs contradictory to what see in Scripture. Consider these words found in Romans:

Romans 8:9-11

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 
10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

According to this passage, what is the key to gaining victory over our impulses? It all hinges on who is in charge. Is your mind set on the flesh or the Spirit?  “If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”  This is simply an act of faith in the depths of our hearts.

Flesh is a condition in which man operates out of his own resources attempting to achieve his own acceptance and/or his own victory. For those that do not know God, the flesh is operating continuously. However, this does not mean that Christians are immune to the pull to walk in the flesh. In a Christian, the flesh is operating whenever the believer is not abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit.

What is it about the flesh that drives us towards it? If you have been coming to Port City for any length of time, you’ve heard the saying “every longing at its core is a longing for God.” God made each of us with three basic needs: (1) security, (2) significance, and (3) fulfillment/satisfaction. What often gets us is in trouble is how we attempt to obtain these goals and needs. There is part of us that doesn’t trust God can meet those needs, so we take over control and put everything in our hands. Too often we let our circumstances, needs, and feelings dictate our actions.

Most people, even Christians, rarely see the self-centeredness of their flesh. Yet until we understand the total depravity of our flesh, we will never fully appreciate the miracle of our new birth in Christ as God’s new creations and the supernatural life He wants to live through us. The flesh fights for security and to maintain control all while building its identity around temporal things.  We control others to keep them from controlling us.  We control our emotions and try to hide our weaknesses.  We even try to control God by keeping Him at a distance so He won’t mess up our lives, at least until we run out of any other options.

The tension Christians walk in every moment is choosing to walk in what God says about us or what our flesh says about us.  The flesh is what keeps a pure expression of Christ as our new life from coming through our unique personality. We don’t know what to do when we continue to struggle with sin, fail to see growth in our walk with God, or fight to give over control of areas of ours lives to God. This starts a cycle where we begin to not only doubt our identity but also the promises of God.

Many of us have been running on empty for far too long and are desperate to break this cycle. The good news is that Christ’s death and resurrection have defeated the Devil and broken the power of sin that seeks to control our flesh.  Paul says in Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” No longer are you obligated to do whatever your flesh desires. Anger, lust, worry, disdain for others, jealousy, and disappointment no longer have to be your master.

The battle to walk in the flesh or the Spirit is won or lost in the threshold of the mind.  We are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). We can be victorious in taking captive every thought because we have been given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) Victory comes only when we choose, moment by moment by a definite act of our will, to take every thought captive and walk in the Spirit.

Lord, help me to listen.  Allow me to identify the areas where my flesh wants something so badly that my initial reaction is to freak out. Help me to remember the truth that I have no obligation to those thoughts and feelings.  Instead, my body belongs to you, and my life is for you.  This is my obligation. I am obligated to your image, character, and truth.  Help me to live as your child.  Amen.

Galatians 5:22-25

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Things aren’t always as they appear. Most adults know this to be true. But children often learn the hard way. A few years back my wife and I were invited to a friend’s house for dinner. We brought our little one and she was fascinated by her new surroundings. Our friends have a coffee table with a bowl filled with a variety of fruits. Instantly, it caught our daughter’s eyes. She started smacking her lips saying “num nums” (her expression for food). We watched her as she reached for the fruit, grabbed an apple, and attempted to sink her front two teeth into it.  The taste of plastic left not only a bad taste in her mouth, but also left her confused and frustrated. What appeared to be a bowl of fresh fruit or, in our daughter’s world, “num nums” turned out to be just hollow pieces of plastic. Something that appeared to bring nourishment was empty on the inside.

If we are honest with ourselves, we know that many times we treat our relationship with God like a bowl of plastic fruit. In an age of instant information, microwave ovens and quick fixes, the idea of staying in a place for an extended period of time for inner working to begin is such a foreign concept.  We desire change in our timing and if it doesn’t come right away we move on to the next thing demanding our attention. This mindset encourages us to look for band-aid (behavior change and shortcuts) solutions to cure the deeper issues taking place inside our heart.

Fixing bad habits like swearing, overeating, and gossiping takes effort for sure, but isn’t that overtly challenging to do. Relying on pure will power, you can quit engaging in destructive behaviors for a period of time. To the outsider’s eyes, it might appear that growth has occurred and it has to a degree. But, you still leave yourself vulnerable to falling back to your old ways if you don’t search for the deeper struggles of the heart. You have to avoid taking shortcuts and devote the time necessary to ask what drives those bad habits.

If you are ever going to have the chance for real change to occur, you must see past the lie that a change in behavior is all you need. Going to the gym to get in shape will not answer the question of why you turn to food when you are depressed. You might solve your lusting problem by getting rid of your computer, but have you taken the time to fully understand your tendency to turn to pornography when you are lonely and craving intimacy?

Disciplines can become shortcuts if you don’t take the time to answer the question “why.” Finding the answers to those challenging questions requires brutal honesty. This is the reason many of us stop short of true spiritual transformation and exchange it for shortcuts and a false sense of outer change. As you begin to arrange your life around your one word, remember growth requires time and intention on your part. Fight the urge to be plastic fruit by relying on shortcuts.

God, examine my heart today. I want to be honest with where I am at: my doubts, my fears, my selfish desires, my insecurities. Help me to desire lasting change even when transformation is tough. Amen.

Having painted a picture of the person you want to be at the end of 2012, your natural tendency will be to haphazardly hang the still-wet canvas on the wall and start along the path of transformation. Yet, this reaction will have you running in a thousand different directions because numerous godly characteristics make up the person you desire to become. By attempting to instill each virtue all at once, the likelihood is you’ll quickly burnout and be frustrated when all of them do not take root.

Instead of letting the wet paint run and blur your vision for change, you must take the time to narrow your focus. When you invest time and energy into developing a certain aspect of yourself, it will positively effect and spill over to other areas of your character.

To help refine your search, today we want you to meditate on a few scriptures that speak of virtues that have the potential to become your One Word. Read the scripture passages found below.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away

Colossians 3:12-17

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Galatians 5:22-23

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

What are some words found in these passages that resonate with you? Why do you seem to be drawn to these words? Don’t rush to pick your One Word. It is critical you trust the process. Study Scripture, pray and seek counsel. Allow God to put your One Word upon your heart.

God, I’m so prone to rush the process. Instead of taking the time necessary to reflect on the work you are doing within me, I set off in a direction and hope I am going the right way. May I seek your face first and foremost. Allow me to quiet my heart in order to hear to your voice. Amen.

Ephesians 5:3

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Our struggles with purity boil down to a lack of trust in God. From the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humans have questioned whether God is holding out on them. We doubt His ways are best not only in the area of sex, but our entire lives as well. We hear that sex is intended for the covenant of marriage with the marriage bed being honored above all else (Hebrews 13:4) and consider God old fashion as well as out of touch with the reality of today’s culture.

Yet, we are confronted with Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Jesus knew that regardless of the culture, humanity’s tendency to wrestle with their eyes, hearts and thought life. God’s standard of not having a hint of sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3) appears unrealistic and unattainable so instead we settle on our own standard of purity.

This is why it is so easy for many of us to be lured away from God. Lust whispers in our ears why wait, a little look won’t hurt or what is the problem with indulging since you are no longer pure. It appears to offer us life and intimacy. However, lust is the king of false advertisement as it always seems to fall short of what its’ selling. The reason for this is that lust is a lie and is incapable of producing with it promises.

What have we received for giving in to the lure of lust? We sought intimacy, but instead received isolation.  No relationship is needed when it comes to a quick slip of the eye while strolling on the beach, clicking on a questionable website or thinking of what ‘could be’ with the neighbor who pays you a little bit of attention. However, each time we acted on our thoughts someone got hurt. Realizing all we have received in return for our actions is emptiness, we slip deeper into despair. Distance is created in our relationship with God when we continue to live in lust’s sinful cycle.

Having bought in to the lie that lust leads to life, we look at our lives and see only death and destruction. If we have been hurt time and time again by lust’s charm, the question we must ask ourselves is why do we continue to struggle with our eyes and thought life. As mentioned earlier, we think our way of living is the best. When you break down this train of thought one cannot help but notice how it reeks with pride.  Instead of using God’s view as the standard for purity, we create our own which allows us to act without guilt or remorse.

In John 14:6, Jesus described himself as being “the way, the truth and the life.”  We are left to wonder what is this life he is offering us and how it relates to how we handle or sexual desires.  When we don’t understand his ways it is impossible for us to comprehend why they are the best course of action to take. Sex inside of marriage brings unity, intimacy and fulfillment.  When both the husband and the wife take responsibility and put their spouses needs above their own, the wife feels captivated and beautiful while the husband feels honored and respected.  For both married and single people making God’s vision for sex a reality in your life requires discipline and self-control.  Working on God’s vision for sex means walking with Him (Galatians 5:16). We must learn to seek His face and respond to His voice in our lives.

God, may I trust you with my desires. Let me turn a deaf ear to the lure of lust. Help me to pursue purity above all else. Amen.

The desires of our heart are what motivate our behavior. The way we act and speak shines light on exactly where those desires reside: to please God or to please ourselves. Eventually, the desires of our heart become the focus of our inner and outer life. They drive both our actions and thoughts. Consider these words found in Galatians:

Galatians 5:16-17
¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

You can almost feel the tension in the verse. On one hand, we have these new desires which draw us towards God. But, at the same time we are confronted with the old desires. We’ve grown accustomed to these desires. We’re familiar with them.

They shaped how we responded to our circumstance. They influenced our relationships and what we demanded of others.

What is equally revealing is the fact that these opposing desires (old vs. new) have nothing in common. Tension should be expected. The desires of our new way are hostile to our old way of life. We shouldn’t be surprised by this tension or the fact that we cannot justify both our old way of life and our new passion for God. They simply cannot exist together.

This is far from bad news. When we neglect our walk we open ourselves to the lure of the old desires. But as we deepen our walk with God, the desires that once plagued us lose their pull. The key is to walk with God more intimately each day.

Lord help me to walk closely with you today. May I trust in the promise that the lust of my flesh no longer has power of me. I will look to you in order to win this war for my soul. I trust my heart and soul to you. Amen.

Yesterday we focused our attention on the emotional baggage we carry around with us. We learned that the longer we hold on to this weight the more likely our hope for change diminishes. It is devastating when an individual has lost heart and hope. By taking out our heart the enemy takes us out. But, there is hope. Consider the word of 2 Peter:

2 Peter 1:3-10

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

According to this passage, there are three main things we have become blind to in those moments where we believe all hope is lost: our identity, God’s provision and the transformation process. Verse 3 says everything we need for godliness has been given to us. The provision for a godly life is Christ himself (Galatians 2:20). Living within us is the Holy Spirit who guides us in truth. We have to remind ourselves of the great and precious promises (v.4) that come solely through the grace of Christ.

When we remain hopeless we decline the invitation to share in God’s divine nature and respond to His promises (v.4). What we have to understand is that even though we might be surprised with our struggles God is not. His agenda is making us holy and developing his character within us. God uses every experience for our growth.

How do we fight against this lack of hope and begin to gain traction towards forward momentum? The first, and most critical step is to cling to the truth that we are full in Christ, made alive in Christ and set free through Christ.  This changes everything, including how we approach being stuck. No longer will we depend on ourselves to produce change (Galatians 3:2-3).  Understanding that true change only occurs within, we will fight the urge to fix the external and allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts.  This is met with the most resistance internally. If we are honest we want character without failure, love without risk, and lessons without scars. In a weird way we often become far too satisfied with our current situation. There is something in our heart that avoids pain and having to admit that sometimes the biggest problem we face is ourselves and not our circumstances.

For this very reason Peter states in verse 5 that we must make every effort to add to our faith. What he is saying is that we need to position ourselves to believe the real challenge of Christian growth is the challenge of personal responsibility. We need to create a path out of our rut that has vision. We do this through protecting our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) and transforming our minds (Romans 12:2). The thoughts of our heart shape our words and actions. Only when God has your heart does he truly have you.

You have to become so aware of your flaws that they cannot hide anymore. Once you have identified them you surrender and submit them to God. This involves breaking patters of behavior that produce the opportunity to make a choice between something that will fill a short-sided desire and something that will produce the internal change you truly desire. Prayer keeps us focused on what we know needs to happen for change to occur rather than what is directly in front of us.

No matter the struggle, no matter situation, no matter how hopeless it might seem, if you know Christ then there is hope. We no longer have to accept that this is the way things are, must be or will be. While we grow in grace, God is changing our heart and the way we respond to life. God’s good work continues in your life, even when you don’t see it. The hope for those that are stuck is that what God has begun in you he will complete (Philippians 1:6).

God, thank you for the ability to have hope in whatever situation I may be facing. Help me to respond to my circumstances based off of the hope I have in you. Use what I am going through right now to shape me more into your character. Amen.