Wisdom & Knowledge

 According to the Lord, a wise man builds the house of his life on the Rock foundation which is Christ. The foolish man builds his house upon a foundation of  'sand'  which is representative of the foundation of man and is not stable. When the storms of life come by troubles or temptation, the house which the foolish man built will come falling down. There is no doubt that both men had knowledge that built their houses. However, it is very evident the knowledge was not of equal value. In fact, it can be observed the information which the foolish man followed was actually harmful.

The gathering of knowledge that sees an individual through his or her earthly life begins at birth and ends at death. Some lives end very early, others span more than 100 years. In a lifetime, fools of all ages will be encountered. There will be those who are exposed as fools by their disobedience to God, their unbridled tongue, their fits of anger, and even those whose unstable knowledge betrays them. The relationship of concern with fools and their knowledge is not age-specific, nor is it in the volume of knowledge that they gather. There are some fools who have a vast amount of knowledge gathered in short or long lifetimes. The first concern regarding their knowledge is: Does the fool have the right knowledge?

Jeremiah 4:22 says, "For my people are foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children (stupid/foolish), and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge." Hosea 4:6 declares, "My people perish for a lack of knowledge." Many people believe they have knowledge when it comes to the Bible because they hear it preached in church, hear from a radio pastor, or parents quoted verses while the children were living at home. But have they really obtained knowledge? Look at this:

Back and neck pain is something a large number of people experience. When this occurs, a chiropractor may be utilized to correct the problem and relieve the pain. The individual does not go to a psychiatrist nor a foot doctor to relieve the back pain. The psychiatrist certainly has a great deal of knowledge about the mental processes of human beings and how to deal with them, however, in regard to issues regarding the skeletal and muscular system their knowledge will not be of use. Likewise, a computer can accomplish a great number of tasks, yet, it cannot accomplish those tasks until the knowledge to achieve them is programmed into it. Similarly, the fool may have lots of knowledge about the world; however, as pointed out in the passage from Jeremiah, they lack knowledge that would contribute to salvation and doing the good works which God desires of man (Ephesians 2:10). Fools need spiritual knowledge, the knowledge gained from God’s Word, the Bible. Knowledge at its basic level is being familiar with ideas, information, and truth. All healthy humans are capable of gathering knowledge, both for good and evil. They choose the types of knowledge with which they will fill their life (Philippians 4:8).

A second concern regarding the knowledge of fools relates to their use of the right knowledge when they encounter it. Fools do not engage the spiritual knowledge they have in their grasp. They lack wisdom. Wisdom is the understanding of knowledge and common sense to apply knowledge! For example, there are times furniture needing assembly is purchased. In the box in which the furniture is packed, there is often a paper with directions printed on it to aid the assembler. Such knowledge is very helpful. However, if the directions are only in Spanish and the assembler cannot read Spanish, there is a lack of understanding, a lack of wisdom. Proverbs 8:5 "O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart." Proverbs 10:21 – "The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom."

These passages make it clear that the fool lacks wisdom. However, our example of directions in Spanish doesn’t quite fit the situation of the fool. Why? Though the assembler has the knowledge in his grasp, he cannot understand and therefore cannot wisely apply it. This is not the case with Biblical knowledge. The apostle Paul established that man can understand the words given by God to direct his life (Ephesians 3:1-7). Despite the argument and beliefs that scriptures are too hard to understand, God proclaims you can understand His knowledge by obtaining His wisdom.

So why is it that fools lack understanding of the knowledge available to them to make them wise (outside of a lack of exposure)?

1 Corinthians 1:20 – "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1 Corinthians 3:19 – "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."

Proverbs 18:2 – "A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself."

2 Corinthians 11:19 – "For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise."

1 Corinthians 2:14 – "But the natural man doesn't receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

These verses above give reasons why the fool lacks wisdom. First, the fool relies on the wisdom of the world which steers men wrong in many ways because it is based on immature and corrupt knowledge (Proverbs 16:22). Man tries to follow his own theories, emotions, experiences, and desires. Second, fools may see themselves as wise. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians they put up with the foolish because they saw themselves as wise rather than the fools they were. Third, the fool sees God’s wisdom as foolishness. 

Still, there is more:

Proverbs 1:7 – "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 1:22 – "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?"

Proverbs 15:5 – "A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent."

Proverbs 23:9 – "Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words."

Jeremiah 5:21 – Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not."

It is obvious from these verses that a fourth item that keeps a fool from wisdom is he does not want to hear it! He doesn’t have the common sense to hear it. He despises it. Do you know people like this? There are simply a great number of people in the world who get downright hostile when they are exposed to God, His son, or His Word. In some cases, it doesn’t matter if this is direct interaction with the fool (proselytizing, door knockers) or something they view indirectly (public prayer or posting of scripture). They don’t want anything to do with God. Their contempt is real. To attempt to share spiritual wisdom with them is like throwing pearls to swine (Matthew 7:6, Proverbs 26:9). Thus, from the furniture assembly example, it is as if the man received sound instructions he could read and understand, but he threw them out regardless of their wisdom.

While the Bible presents the shortcomings of fools, it does not leave those who would seek God’s wisdom without direction (Matthew 7:7). Consider these scriptures: 

Matthew 5:3 – "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

1 Corinthians 3:18 – "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise."

Proverbs 9:6 – "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding."

The first two passages deal with humility, ego. To avoid being deceived by his own “wisdom”, man is to put himself aside. He will become a fool in the eyes of the world (I Corinthians 4:10), but the wisdom of God he follows will see him to the kingdom of heaven. In the last passage, those who would accept true wisdom are told to stay away from the foolish. There can be no good which will come by choosing association with those who would be fools (I Corinthians 15:33). The knowledge of a fool is not Godly knowledge. The wisdom of a fool is not wisdom at all. Psalms 111:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth forever." We can be educated or intelligent, but without wisdom, our education or intelligence may only be in vain. ... God's wisdom can make one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city (see Ecclesiastes 7:19). It also preserves the life of its possessor (see Ecclesiastes 7:12)! Wisdom is the ability to discern what’s right from what’s wrong. It is a gift that gives us the capability to make the right choice or decision. If knowledge is power, then wisdom is using that power the right way.

Finally, do your best to get wisdom. Free yourself from foolishness, arrogance, pride, envy, hatred, selfishness, and all the things that hinder wisdom from entering your body, mind, heart, and soul. Read your Bible! Let the pure wisdom of God dwell in you.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

What Is Your Weakness?

 

Look at the picture above. What if you were the arm wrestler shown on the left side. What do you think your chances would be of taking down the guy to the right? I think the odds would be against you. In the spiritual world, we fight against much stronger forces whose aim is to defeat our own strengths and place us in danger of hellfire. But what if there were a way to defeat something much bigger and much stronger than you? What if you could win the battle over your flesh which is always at war with your spirit? Galatians 5:17 confirms, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

Look, we all know life is tough. Temptations are difficult. It goes without saying that Satan, the great tempter, knows our weaknesses, for he knows that “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet, just as he knew that Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights and immediately hit Him with his first temptation to attack Him there, he knows our greatest weaknesses and hits us there. We do not like to think about our weaknesses—we accentuate our strengths and diminish our weaknesses. In a certain sense, this is not a bad thing; it is only human of us to do so. However, the difference is whether we are diminishing our weaknesses publicly while striving to deal with them, overcome and solve them, or whether we are simply hiding them while privately reveling in them. 

Consider how the Bible describes our weaknesses. What is your forbidden fruit? The weakness for Eve was that fruit: “And when she (Eve) saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat…” (Genesis 3:6). For her, it became a tremendous temptation. What is your forbidden fruit? What temptation seems to have a stronghold over you?  Is it alcohol? Is it the love of money? Is it the opposite sex, the same sex? What is your forbidden fruit? Where is your Sodom and Gomorrah? When Lot and Abraham separated, Lot saw the well-watered plains of the Jordan River Valley and moved his family “in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12). Yet, the very next verse states, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13). Later, God told Abraham what He would do to the cities of Sodom. Knowing that his nephew lived there,  Abraham pleaded with God to spare them if he could find ten righteous souls. Yet, it was to no avail. As Genesis 19 describes, Lot and his family fled from their home before God destroyed those wicked cities with fire and brimstone. Peter commented, "For if God…spared not the old world… and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. (2 Peter 2:4-9)

What is your Sodom and Gomorrah? Is it uncontrollable gambling in casinos? Is it the bar where you meet singles for a one-night stand? Is it your girlfriend’s bedroom or the back of your car in a dimly lit area? Be brutally honest with yourself.  The prayer that ought to be on our lips is the one Jesus taught us: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God Himself, was tempted by Satan!  And He overcame those temptations!  He did not give in and sin!  Man, I can’t tell you how much that encourages me! Why?  Because I now know that Jesus understands what I or anyone else goes through. "Therefore He (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 17-18). And again, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Think about it! Jesus was tempted just like you and me!  He knows how it feels.  He understands the struggle.  He’s been there and done that.  BUT HE overcame those temptations by knowing and obeying God’s Word (Matthew 4:1-11), and so can we ... BY KNOWING AND OBEYING GOD'S WORD. Not only that, but when we fail and penitently cry out to God for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10; Acts 8:22), Jesus – our High Priest, our Mediator – is at the right hand of the throne of God saying, “Father, I know what [insert your name] is going through.  I’ve been there.  I was tempted in the same way. Be merciful.  Be gracious.”  Jesus pleads for mercy on our behalf and knows that we, as His followers, try to do better because we love Him.  What comfort!  What love!  What hope this gives us in the struggle we face! 

The Scriptures tell us that we all face temptations. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. ”God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." Satan will never be allowed to tempt you beyond what you can bear if you are in Christ Jesus according to the scripture above. Jesus has not left you defenseless! Did you hear that? Then why do we sometimes commit sin? James 1:14 tells us, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." GOD HIMSELF, NEVER TEMPTS US!  So what happens if a Christian gives in to any kind of temptation? God turns His back and kicks them out of His Kingdom, right? No. You must be sorry for what you've done, you must ask for forgiveness, and you must keep running the race set before you! Don't give up. The key here is, don't make a habit of your sin! Don't practice your sin with the attitude or belief God will not be displeased with you. He will. Never use your "salvation" as a free ticket, or as a "pass" to continue sinning willy nilly. None of us is conformed to the image of Christ overnight. Sanctification is a moment-by-moment challenge. It’s a process that won’t be complete until we leave this world and see the Lord face to face. Until then, our responsibility is to trust God and walk with His Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Every sin is “willful sin.” If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be responsible; and if we’re not responsible for our own actions, sin can’t be sin at all. As James says, “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is finished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).  If someone is determined to live an unchristian life even after “receiving the knowledge of the truth” (Hebrews 10:26), we might assume that they never really accepted Christ in the first place. If they willfully commit the same sin over and over again without remorse and without showing any evidence of genuine desire to change, we would have every reason to doubt the sincerity of their profession of faith.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Discerning Truth From Lies

 

Society tells us that we gain wisdom by study, accumulation of knowledge, and application of common sense. These are fine and even good pursuits, but they won't result in spiritual discernment. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and told them that man's wisdom was folly. His instruction on this can be found in 1 Corinthians 1, which includes this from verse 25: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I love that! Iyou you desire to gain spiritual discernment, that in itself shows a measure of spiritual discernment. Biblically, spiritual discernment, or wisdom, has to do with the capacity of knowing truth, and comes from saving relationship with Jesus Christ. To know Him better and grow in your relationship with Him, and you will also gain spiritual discernment—a growing ability to know the truth.

Jesus said it Himself: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). Paul relates wisdom directly with Jesus: "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Spiritual discernment is granted by God and grown by training in righteousness and prayer. In Hebrews, we read, "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14). Notice how Paul, who in the book of Philippians, identifies Jesus as the source of love, knowledge, discernment, and righteousness: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9–11). However, the description of Satan as the "father of lies" comes from a passage in the Gospel of John. Jesus was addressing a group of religious leaders in Israel, who were accusing him of being from Satan. He responded by telling them that they were liars, and that proved that they, not He, were of the Devil. Jesus said: "When he (Satan) lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44c). He also told the group of accusers that they were the children of the Devil because they were spreading lies about Him and refusing to see the truth. So, Satan is not only the father of lies but of those who suppress the truth!

From the beginning, Satan has been a liar. He told his first lies to Eve, to deceive her and draw her away from God (Genesis 3:1, 4). He was the first liar, which makes him "the father of lies." God speaks the truth and Satan says the opposite, and man is confused. Ever since the garden of Eden, this has been happening. Satan uses the world system to disseminate his lies (1 John 5:19), and the lies are always growing in number and complexity.

We know that God speaks the only truth. John said, "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this, we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6). John was drawing a distinction between the teachings of Jesus' apostles and the contradictory teachings which were leading people astray. John and the other apostles suffered greatly, dedicating their lives to the truth. The majority of them died horrible deaths rather than deny the truth about Jesus—His life, His death, His return to life, and the way of salvation for all men through His resurrection (John 3:16). John was saying "We are speaking the truth. Anybody who says the opposite is a liar." Watch closely, this is how Satan operates: he takes God's truth and twists or contradicts it so that people are led away from Him. God is love (1 John 4:7–8). But Satan says "how can a loving God allow so much suffering?" God says Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). Satan says "a good person of any belief system can get there." Jesus spoke of everlasting torment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46). But Satan says "there's no hell." God claims to exist and to be a personal Being that interacts with us (Hebrews 11:6). But Satan says "God is dead." How many of Satan's lies listed here have ever reached your ears? Unfortunately, since we are finite and fallen, we are susceptible to these lies. So, Satan continues to use them, and rehash even the original lie he told in the garden ("Did God really say…?") in order to get us off track. The Bible is attacked often and viciously by false religions and worldly men who want us to think that the Bible is not literal, is not authoritative, is not reliable. Why do so many people put so much thought and effort into contradicting the Bible? Because Satan is working to convince us that God is the liar—and that is the ultimate lie.

To gain spiritual discernment, we must seek God. First, we are instructed to pray for wisdom. James 1:5–8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." And, we must look for wisdom in God's Word. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). As we seek to know Jesus more, ask God for discernment, study God's Word to learn truth, put truth into practice in our lives, and rely on the Holy Spirit within us, we will grow in spiritual discernment.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

 The Monarch butterflies are beginning their Fall migration – have you seen the photos being shared on Facebook?  Apparently, there is a lot that even biologists don’t know about butterflies.  Have you ever wondered how butterflies emerge from their cocoons to know to delay their reproductive processes and instead prepare for a long journey?  Who tells them how to find enough nectar to sustain them in this strenuous flight, flapping their tiny wings to travel 100 miles each day?  What calendar guides them, as cold-blooded creatures, so they are not caught in weather that is too cold for them to fly?  What map are they given to find their way to the high mountains of Mexico? When in the caterpillar stage, do they understand what is going to happen when it weaves a cocoon around itself?  Does it have to work up the courage to let go of life?  Or is it driven by a deep hope toward a new life ahead, life in which it will not be earthbound, but will be given wings to fly?  Does it take courage to change, to be transformed?

Change is something we all need. It is an ongoing part of life. With its constant flux, life demands adjustments for our schedules and plans. Essentially, change is the new norm. But people’s spiritual lives call for more than slight changes to the calendar. Their lives are in need of transformation. As you know, transformation is not about trying harder or having a better life. The change people need is not simply about being a better person; that would be a gross misunderstanding of change and transformation. The gospel is bigger than simple moral "ism" and people need to understand the very nature of transformation. Sometimes, what we need is a universal translator that helps us understand words like “change” and “transformation.” The church can, at times, communicate the need for change in peoples’ lives, and it ends up understood as some low-level therapeutic, moralistic belief where a faraway God makes life better and makes you a better person. But that is not the gospel. We don’t want to produce good religious people. We see what becomes of good religious people from the encounters Jesus had with the Pharisees. God wants—as should we—to see people transformed at a spiritual level rather than a behavioral level. It's as simple as that. Though often thought of in the same sense as a New Year’s resolution, transformation does not come from decisions made on January 1. Instead, it comes from re-creation, the re-creation that comes from new life in Christ. The change people need most is not in their circumstances but in themselves. It is not the ability to try harder, but it is a life entrusted to Jesus.

So, when you think of “change,” translate it to mean “gospel change.” It is not the same thing as trying harder; in fact, there is no trying involved. Transformation occurs not because we "DO," but because Christ has “done.” There are three principles about the change we all need. 

1. Real change starts with new life, not just a new leaf. The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, HCSB). The very heart of the Christian faith revolves around change, but it is not turning over a new leaf—it is living out a new life! Christian transformation always involves something old passing away and something new taking its place. Spiritual change is needed by everyone. We are constantly in need of this change, no matter who we are. But too many people misunderstand the words. They believe, “If I change, then God will like me more.” The bid to be better accompanies the hope for divine blessing. But this is the false change that comes from religious idealism. It is a misunderstanding of the teaching of the gospel. Some seek change through obedience. “Religion says, ’I obey; therefore I am accepted.’ Christianity says, ‘I’m accepted, therefore I obey.’” And isn't this the very description of a true Christian? Because Jesus has accepted us we now WANT to obey Him! Our acceptance and subsequent change is affected by the work of Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection. His work causes my acceptance before God. Everything else leads to exasperation. Trying to “turn over a new leaf” is a temporary fix to an eternal problem and it leads to the frustrating, exasperating cycle of always looking for a new fix to our lives. Rules can modify behavior, but only the gospel can impart new life. We should never be satisfied with merely a 'new way' of life. Only a new life will suffice.

2. Real change is a process, not a destination. Nobody ever gets to a place of being everything God has called them to be on this side of eternity. It is part of why we yearn for eternal life with Him. Our life is one of growth, constant growth. The transformation we encounter because of the gospel is how God is shaping our lives to mirror Jesus. Paul wrote, “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). God is starting and completing the work of transformation in us. Real change happens at the moment of our salvation. We are daily being changed to be like Christ in how we live. Day by day, God wants us to grow in our knowledge and connection with Him. Peter wrote, “By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4). It is an overwhelming thought that God would share his “divine nature” with us. Honestly, when I do a quick evaluation of my life, I think, what a waste because I fail Him at times. God gets nothing out of this deal. But He is the giving, sending, sacrificing God who desires to root out my sinful nature and replace it with His own character. This humbles me so. By removing our wrongful human desires and replacing them with the divine nature of sacrifice, God sets our lives in a new direction. It is a new process we partake in that causes life to have true significance—reflecting God’s glory. To the Corinthian church, Paul wrote, “We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). When a believer sets their eyes on God, then life will be in the process of transformation. Transformation happens in a moment to secure a person eternally, but it is consistently happening moment by moment to change that person daily!

3. Change is letting go and grabbing hold. God doesn’t force anyone to change, but He calls us TO change. He says things like, “Be holy as I am holy,” and it sounds like an impossible task. But its possibility comes from the work of God and not the work of man. The transformation that comes to us spiritually empowers us to move from religious behavior to spiritual acceptance of God’s work. Paul put it this way: “But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, assuming you heard Him and were taught by Him because the truth is in Jesus: you took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new man, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth" (Ephesians 4:20-24). We are called to put off the “old man” and take hold of the “new man.” But we all know that letting go of the familiar is difficult, even when the new that is offered is better. For some reason, it seems part of our psyche to resist change, even when it will help. We can choose whether to embrace it or resist it.” I believe it is critical to choose the kind of change that advances the work of God in us personally and in the world for the sake of his Kingdom.

Finally, the change we all need is the change offered by Christ and Christ alone. It is a transformation that we are privileged to serve as an ambassador for in this life. Though transformation is a process which works throughout our life, we will stumble and we will fall throughout the process, but if we keep our hearts dedicated to Jesus, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive our weaknesses and failures when we sin, I am confident of this very thing, that, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

The M Word

 

In this blog, I will attempt to address a question posed by a female believer. It is not a question I like to talk about, nonetheless, few will address it so here I am stepping forward outside my opinion, to share what the bible does or does not say about the subject. The question posed to me was, Is masturbation a sin." What a complicated issue. The bible does not mention the word masturbation but has clear warnings regarding adultery and fornication, even spelling out those two words we still use in our vocabulary today. But the M-word doesn't appear in scripture as these two words clearly do.  If the word masturbation isn't spoken of in the bible then it must be okay. Right? Many believe this to be true. Sometimes people will use the argument that masturbation is healthy to justify their inability to control themselves. Many doctors and psychologists will tell you, "Masturbation can actually be good for your health, both mentally and physically. And it's pretty much the safest sex out there — there's no risk of getting pregnant or getting an STD. When you have an orgasm, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that block pain and make you feel good." I concur. Neurochemicals released during sex and orgasm reduce stress, help you sleep, and make you feel at peace. However, having sex outside of marriage or habitually masturbating is an abuse of the body's natural response to sex. As Christian, do we listen to man for spiritual guidance and instructions, or do we refer to our Father in heaven? I believe the correct answer is, we search all the scriptures for our answers. I'll do that here, I'll refer you to appropriate scriptures, then you decide the direction for your own life. I am condemning no one. I'm simply making the attempt to give a civil answer through God's Word.

It is well noted by the world that the word "homosexuality" is not recorded in the bible. This is true! However, anyone without a degree of any kind can interpret these words from scripture addressed to the male population, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” and another verse: "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet" (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:27) And there is also a caveat for women regarding lesbianism, "for even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature" (Romans 1:26). So you see, even though words like homosexual, lesbian, gay, queer, etc. which we assign to these behaviors are not specifically used in the bible, it is clear scripture is addressing these actions. Likewise, the word "abortion" is not mentioned in the bible either, yet scripture points out one thing that God hates is the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17), so much so He labels it an abomination. How innocent is the unborn?

So, how do we know if masturbation is right or wrong if the word itself is absent from scriptures? The same way we looked at the above scriptures that clearly point to homosexuality and lesbianism. The truth is, masturbation becomes a moral issue because it involves sexuality. How so? What is a person thinking of while in the act? I'm sure it never involves unicorns, lollipops, and rainbows! No, for stimulation one must think of a person, a movie scene, what they viewed in a pornographic magazine, etc. Sexual fantasies about someone you are not married to are, as Jesus stated, "adultery of the heart." If you're fantasizing about a married man or woman WHILE MARRIED, that is the same as adultery of the heart. If you're single and fantasizing about a woman or man, even if it's fictional, that's fornication of the heart (look up Matthew 5:28). "So what do we do then? I'm not so naive to think those who are committed to purity in mind and body don't have sexual hormones, dreams, and thoughts that impact their body. 

Paul taught us that nothing should master us. In other words, we shouldn't be controlled or addicted to anything. The ONLY WAY to overcome any addictions or vice is by renewing your mind and the only way to ever accomplish that is THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD! You must wash your mind with the gospel! Ephesians 5:26 specifically teaches that the church (believers) are sanctified and made holy (John 1:14) by the "washing of the Word." This is why I so often stress that Christians need to READ THE BIBLE! That very word will cleanse and transform your thinking and when that happens by the power of the Holy Spirit, your actions and behaviors will follow suit.

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). This verse can bring conviction regarding a lot of choices we make with our bodies, but it was written in the context of sexuality. If there is a "gold standard" question to ask, this is it. In some situations, the answer to whether you're glorifying God in your body may be yes, and in other situations, the answer is clearly no. I believe masturbation is an issue that each woman has to ask the Lord about. When God wanted to be clear about something, He inspired clear teaching in Scripture. The Bible is silent regarding using the term masturbation. What God did state definitely is that He wants to give us His wisdom. "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking" (James 1:5). God is the High Priest who understands our questions and struggles. Even in this most intimate (and perhaps embarrassing) issue, don't be afraid to pour out your heart to Him and ask for His specific direction and wisdom. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD! He parted the Red Sea for goodness sake, prevented Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from burning in the fiery furnace, and He created heavens and earth. What? Do you think it is too difficult for Him to take away misguided sexual cravings or compulsions? You'd be wrong.

In closing, the hardest prayer for me to pray is a variation of “Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your Will.” (Psalm 40:8-9) When you feel those controlling tendencies creeping in, try to catch yourself and pray-- 'Jesus, give me the desire to know and accept Your will. Give me the desire to want Your will more than what I want. When I try to control things in my life, I am unable to truly receive from You. Help me get out of Your way so that You reign more in my life.' Be honest and direct with Him. He will provide what you are unable to do because as He said, "Fear not, in this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have OVERCOME the world" (John 16:3). Jesus will extend His power to you through the Holy Spirit if you'll only submit.

Until He comes,

-Pat-