I have enjoyed using the ESV for my devotions.  I have my kids using it for their Bible lessons as well.  Yesterday morning, the power of the words of the Lord Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees reverberated loudly in my mind:

13″But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. Mt. 23:13-15)

He had no soft words for hypocritically religious people.  He never went easy on them, but exercised much more patience toward the ignorant and spiritually blind.  Wickedness and deceit in the hearts of those who ought to have known better was exceedingly repugnant to Him, while He was not surprised by sinful behavior manifested in the lives of those who still walked in darkness.

Oh, that we would learn from our Savior.  Why are we shocked when sinners behave as sinners?  Why do we try to change them on the outside before there is transformation within?  All we create through this process is a socially acceptable, perhaps politically correct – and no doubt eternally confused – rebel.

Further, why do we sugar coat and attempt to justify or excuse disobedience among ourselves?  Why are we afraid to biblically confront and exhort?  Why should we desire to encourage one another to mediocrity in our Christian walk?  By such omissions we become a delight to our adversary.

My husband loves muscle cars.  He loves classic cars.  He had a Fastback Barracuda in his single days, followed by a ‘67 Dodge Polara and a ‘68 Dodge Monaco.  Big cars.  Loud cars.  Cars with chrome.  If you are yearning for the long-gone days of chrome as well, you may be heartened to see that someone else feels your pain and has tried to feed your need in a big way.  A bit too much bling for me .  Bet you can see it from outer space.

If you want to see some really over-the-top glitz, look at this gem for nearly $5 million.  Wonder what car wash they go to?  At $1,000 a touch, no doubt a “touchless” one!  People’s excesses are amazing.

Just yesterday I was thinking what a wonderful gift it was to watch three deer basking in the sun – not 7 feet from my kitchen window – as I washed the dinner dishes.  Today this very cute footage of an elk calf was sent to me.  If you’ve never seen an elk, it’s fun to watch.  If you’ve ever been a kid, it’s fun to watch.  Enjoy.

Released just last month (presumably to target the Halloween crowd), the Focus on the Family Radio Theater has come out with a dramatic production of The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.  But the offerings, and the manner in which they are being offered disturbs my spirit.  I read this small book some years ago, and somewhere in a box we have a version on cassette.  For my part, it served to create a heightened sense of the spiritual warfare that occurs each day, in each of our lives.  Here is the description from the website:

“Featuring a top-notch cast, cinema-quality sound and more than four hours of delightfully disturbing (and often diabolically humorous) entertainment, The Screwtape Letters will open your eyes and ears to the devil’s schemes — and to the One who has overcome them.”

Was this really the author’s intent?  Delight?  And would he support the free downloads offered, such as wallpaper, ringtones (including “Screwtape’s Revenge,” and “Underworld March”), computer icons (featuring a demon with glowing eyes, flames, and flying pitchforks) and other “infernal devices”?  To look at the website, you begin to wonder who the “star” of this show really is.

Admittedly, I am an absolute Scrooge when it comes to Halloween, so my sensibilities are perhaps more offended than most.  Doesn’t this just play into the hand of the adversary’s agenda, to entice us to be entertained by (and even laugh at) Satan and his minions and devices?

Is this really all in the name of fun, or should believers be concerned?  What do you think?

Why do we lapse into retro-spirituality, thinking that our best days are behind us? I think the world’s model of Run > Reward > Retire > Rest has a lot to do with it.–Dr. David Jeremiah

We all hold dear a place in time (however brief) when things were, in our estimation, ideal.  It has not been improved upon since.  Whether it included real chrome on cars, “Leave It To Beaver” (on the first go-round) or a better economy; nothing can top that period in our lives.  Not so in the spiritual world.  We should not be living in the past (“glory days”) when it comes to spiritual things.  Paul wrote,

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13,14

We tend to think the things we ought to forget about are only those things which are negative–failures, disappointments, frustrations.  But part of what is also to be left “behind” are old accomplishments, accolades, and acquisitions.  If there was anyone who had accumulated an impressive resume’ of all of those, it was Paul!  What he is saying here in other words is, don’t “rest upon your laurels.”  Your spiritual self today should be state of the art…it should be “new and improved” every moment!  When we refer to growth and spiritual activity in our lives, we should not be referring much to what took place in the last year…or decade.  We should have current and fresh fruit and victories worth mentioning.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addressed with disapproval those who ought to have matured in Christ, but were not manifesting healthy growth.  We naturally expect our little ones to outgrow the baby talk, diapers, pacifiers and booster seats.  If we see someone in their teens who still takes nourishment from a bottle, we consider this abnormal.  The same is true of us spiritually. Growth is normal…the absence of it is abnormal.

How about you?  If you were asked about a significant thing you learned from the scriptures, how far back would you have to remember?  If someone inquired about the last time you offered a gospel witness to a lost person, how recent would that have been?

Here is an excellent devotional on the topic by Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Points magazine.  Call 1-800-947-1993 for a free complimentary copy.

Are you infectious?  Hopefully not with one of the latest viruses or flu bugs!  This is an installment from the “Strength for Today” emails (Feb. 2002) I sent out until I began blogging.  Hope it helps to keep you healthy!

Dear Ladies:

This is what is known in most parts as “cold and flu season”–that coughing, sneezing, sniffling, wheezing time of year when we all share germs, viruses, flu bugs etc. with one another.

Some of these maladies are transmitted by direct contact. My little boy gave me one of his trademark bit, fat, slurpy smooches before bedtime a week or so ago, and voila’–I had a cold. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:10 to be “kindly affectioned one toward another”. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could fulfill this directive as easily as we share our kindly infections? I believe this is possible, if we set our minds to it. By “direct contact” we can give a hug, which can truly change someone’s day.

Continuing with this infectious train of thought, some germs are caught just by being in someone’s presence; or at least, by the lingering effect (infect?)of their presence. Here is a typical scenario from my archives: I carefully guard my kids from the latest nasty flu that is going around. Then, I make one teensy trip to the grocery store. There, lurking on the handle of the shopping cart are lots of tiny greeblies eagerly waiting for me to literally lay a hand on them. The next three weeks is history. [I make good use of those free alcohol wipes now!]

I became a helper to that flu bug when I neglected to wash my hands (as I routinely do) upon returning from the grocery store. I “helped” to spread it to my kids, perhaps when I hurriedly prepared their lunch without remembering that ritual trip to the sink.

I find myself thinking, “When was the last time I left a lingering positive spiritual effect that influenced others for good?” Paul talks about individuals being “helpers of joy” in II Cor. 1:24. How can we be helpers of the joy of others by our presence or the lingering effects of being with other believers? Here are some ideas:

Infectious praise: Ps. 34:3

Infectious laughter: Prov. 17:22

Infectious concern: Gal. 6:2

Infectious speech: Eph. 4:29

Infectious love Jn. 13:35

Infectious kindness Eph. 4:32

Infectious exhortation Heb. 10:24

Infectious hospitality I Pet. 4:9

My plan of attack for being more of a “Contagious Christian” is this: (1)Wash my heart routinely, so I am usable to spread kindly affection. Then, (2) Be sure I have washed my hands to keep from spreading nasty infection! Wouldn’t it be a blessing if we could all have a germ-free but affection-laden week, month, or even year??? Think of the money saved on doctor bills and medications! Better still, think of the heavenly and lasting reward that will be ours as we are a blessing to our spouse, children, friends and others! May this vision from the Word infect us all!

From the folks at Old Schoolhouse, this 175-page Digital Holiday Magazine is not your typical E-Book. Created with the same high-quality format that’s used in the digital version of the print magazine, you can even “turn” the lavishly illustrated, full-color pages. Includes ideas for planning, crafts, recipes, gifts and more!  Learn how to plan your own 1621 Thanksgiving Feast, and read “Eight Steps for a Peaceful Christmas” (don’t we all need that?)

Click here for details!

We recently acquired a kitty.  Her name is Cutie Pie (click here for a stunningly accurate virtual replica of her here–markings and all–it purrs, meows, chases the cursor–really fun).  She was the runt of the litter, and she fit into my palm when she first came to our home.  My oldest daughter is the primary caretaker, and funds all of her needs; but my son adores her.  Carries her around everywhere, far too much (I told him its a wonder she knows how to use her legs!)…and he has the scars to show for it.  Our 3 yr old likes to pick up Cutie by the tail (or ears), and has not won many feline brownie points.

It is just fun to me to think how God brings us delight in so many small ways each day.  Sometimes we are too busy or worried to see.

=^..^=

O Light of light, by love inclined,
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind,
with loving-kindness deign to hear
from suppliant voices praise and prayer.

Thou who to raise our souls from hell
didst deign in fleshly form to dwell,
vouchsafe us, when our race is run,
in thy fair body to be one.

More bright than day thy face did show,
thy raiment whiter than the snow,
when on the mount to mortals blest
man’s maker thou was manifest.

Two prophets, that had faith tosee,
with thine elect found company,
where unto each, divinely shown,
the Godhead veiled in form was known.

The heavens above his glory named,
the Father’s voice his Son proclaimed;
to whom, the King of glory now,
all faithful hearts adoring bow.

May all who seek thy praise aright
through purer lives show forth thy light;
so to the brightness of the skies
by holy deeds our hearts shall rise.

Eternal God, to thee we raise,
the King of kings, our hymn of praise,
who Three in One and One in Three
doth live and reign eternally.

Bro Luke Gilkerson from Covenant Eyes commented on one of my purity posts, and tipped me off to this “Covenant Eyes” testimonial on YouTube.  “Covenant Eyes” is an accountability software program  which monitors Internet use and emails reports to people you select.  A mere 27 cents a day is a very small cost for this invaluable tool.