Today was one of those days when everyone seemed to have something to say that hit home. David Jeremiah talked about the need to proclaim Christ. I've come to conclusion that America began another downhill slide when we stopped taking the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth and began trying to indoctrinate people about democracy. Democracy can be very good, but it's still man's idea of how to govern and there's not a person alive who's perfect. Hence, the ideas of governance will be imperfect and eventually fail. We also need to remember that our form of government is supposed to be a republic, not a democracy. We have representatives we vote for who are supposed to make laws on behalf of the people they represent. In a true democracy, everyone votes. How's that working out for us?
Michael Youseff spoke of giving. He wasn't talking about money, but about the heart. Where is our heart? What's most important to us? He mentioned the widow who gave her last 2 copper coins. She gave her all. Am I giving my all? As I listened, I was convicted that I don't give all my time.
Over the past 3 months, I've finally surrendered my food to the Lord. It's no longer the source of my comfort, my socializing, my happiness, my anything. In the months that I have been feasting on the Lord, I've learned that food doesn't taste that great anymore. Never did, as a matter of fact. It was the futile attempt to fill the space that only God can fill. Now that I realize I haven't surrendered my time, what's next? Whatever He wants me to do.
Andy Stanley was speaking primarily to singles this morning, but his words encouraged me, too. He was telling singles to 1. Get out of debt. 2. Get out of bed. 3. Clean out your closet. Since I have published The Color of Roses, it seems as though more and more pastors are speaking out about immorality in the church. It's about time! His message was an affirmation that I need to continue writing. If he's ignored, perhaps someone who reads my book(s) will get the message. In fact, I dreamed last night that many had. A very sweet dream, indeed. He used the I Corinthians passage that says immorality is the only sin against our own body. He explained that makes it different, not worse. He's right. All sin is against God. He went on to say it's the one sin that sticks with you. There's always the sense of failure (my word, not his.) Every woman I've ever talked to who's engaged in sex before marriage has regretted it.
In Lysa Terkeurst's book, Made to Crave, she had a powerful observation that "desperation breeds degradation." That hit home. Why do we over eat? Why do many engage in sex outside marriage, and why are so many in debt? Desperation. It leads to over indulging in whatever we think will take away those empty feelings. Instead, it leads to degrading our bodies with food, degrading our dignity with sex, or destroying our credit buying things that don't fill that empty space.
At first, I didn't know where Stanley was going to go with "Get out of bed." It could have been about working hard, but it wasn't. Cleaning out the closet was about dealing with past relationships in order to prepare for the future one. "Who wants a girl with Daddy issues?" "Who wants a mother hating guy?" were his questions for his listeners. I appreciated his advice for singles to deal with those issues rather than bring them into other relationships, particularly marriage.
If I have any disagreement with him, it's that he could have advised one more step. In order to get rid of a bad habit (debt, immorality, issues) there needs to be a good one in its place. That's the biggest reason diets don't work. They're behavior modification that only deals with getting rid of food that ruins health. No, replacing it with healthy food doesn't work, either. Why? It's a matter of the heart. Just like generosity is a matter of the heart. God wasn't number one in my life. Now that He is, food has taken its proper place. Stanley's recommendation for sex was to give it up for a year. For those who've been in multiple relationships, that won't be possible unless they replace it with Someone Who will fill the emptiness that started the whole mess in the first place.
Ravi Zacharias speaks to young people the world over, debating atheists on college campuses. This morning, he used David Livingstone as an example. When I hear of people who've devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord, I am humbled and I'm grateful. I have miles to go, but just because I could never be a David Livingstone doesn't mean I can't be the best Mary P. Nettles God wants me to be and that's my intent.
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