“Run to Me”
Matthew 11.28-30
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
For those who do not know me well, I have a confession to make—I am an avid geek. Computers, video games, books, and the like are all my specialties. It is not surprising that I should find an idea for a devotion from a video game. I was playing a game online with one of my friend from work. He was, to say the least, much more experienced at this particular game. In the game you fight all sorts of monsters in a dungeon. When one of the monsters began attacking me, I ran away from my friend trying to escape from the monster. My friend informed me: “Run to me, not away.” You see, he was a much higher level in the game than I was, and if I had simply ran towards him, he could have killed the monster. I say all of this to make a connection. You see, beloved, just like that game, we all have our enemies that come chasing after us. We all know what sins or struggles arise in our lives that attempt to chase us away from Christ. Thankfully, however, we have Christ right there to fight our battles.
Jesus promises this in Matthew 11. One of the most comforting passages in all of scripture is when Jesus tells us to “come to [Him], all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” We must come to Him. Most of us run away from Him in times of trouble. We attempt to solve our problems with our own knowledge and effort. We end up only making the problem much worse and, worst of all, we alienate ourselves from Christ in the process. Jesus makes it very clear as to what we should do when we are “weary and burdened.” We should run to Him, not away from Him. We all have those monsters in life that appear large and as if they will eat us alive: Satan likes them to look and feel that way. Jesus doesn’t. Jesus says that we can “find rest for our souls” in Him. We need only to “[t]ake [His] yoke upon [us] and learn from [Him].”
What is it today that is frightening you? It may be a struggle at work or home, or a sin preventing you from living in the fullness and holiness of the Holy Spirit. It may be someone else to whom you need to minister in some way. There are thousands of monsters that can chase us away from Christ, but there is only ONE person who can save us from these monsters: Jesus. If you need to re-place your trust in Him, do not hesitate to run to Him. Run to Him in times of trouble, beloved; don’t run away. Running to Him places us safely in the arms of His abundance, power, grace, and love! Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
One Knee Bowed: Humbling Our Hearts
One Knee Bowed: Humbling Our Hearts
James 4.6-10
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
The problem with the fallen angels is pride; the problem with man is selfishness. The solution to both is humbleness. Why is that? Humbleness has a way of tearing down our defenses. What I mean to say is that when we humble ourselves, our hearts are open and receptive to God’s call whereas we would otherwise not be so keen on listening. Humbleness is the key ingredient on resisting temptation, drawing closer to God, and purifying our hearts. James 4 provides us with an excellent examination of humbleness.
James recalls that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” It is obvious, therefore, that our relationship with Christ depends on the state of humbleness in our hearts. A proud heart that thinks oneself always correct will discover difficulty growing in Christ. The issue here is selfishness. Selfishness turns us towards earthly desires and, consequently, to Satan. Jesus said that “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6.24). We cannot dwell in Christ and likewise dwell in sin; it is as impossible as the man who wishes himself in both New York and Rome at the same time because he rather likes the experience of both.
James says that we are to “therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from [us]. Draw near to God and He will draw near to [us].” The effect of humbleness, then, is the changing of masters. When we “submit to God” we are able to “resist the devil.” Resisting the devil means that “he will flee from [us].” When we are free from Satan, Christ is able to work on our hearts. We can then “draw near to God and He will draw near to [us].” The transformation often occurs slowly, but the effects are obvious. You may find yourself saying and doing things you know quite well you wouldn’t have said or done were it a week ago. This is the divine work of the Holy Spirit. Humbleness is the key that unlocks the work of the Holy Spirit in sinful man. Humbleness is the restorer of communion and a relationship with God. When we are humble, our hearts are open to the work of the Holy Spirit. We are able to “cleanse [our] hands” and “purify [our] hearts.”
But humbleness requires all of us. One cannot bow one knee to God—he must fall on his face before Him. This is rarely an easy task. One can take confidence to the level of pride so that it is difficult to deviate from it. We may find ourselves resisting God and drawing near to the devil. This is a sign of pride. The solution is to put the other knee to the floor. Give all of yourself to God; not 1/7th of your time(Sundays) or 99% of your time. It is imperative that God have all of our hearts. When He does, He can shape the clay of our hearts into the image He wants it to be—the image of Jesus.
Is your heart humble today? Carefully examine it; do not merely assume it is. Are you holding back from the Holy Spirit because of pride? You may not recognize it at first as pride. Man can create all sorts of excuses as to why he is not being obedient to the will of God. The ultimate answer, however, is pride and selfishness. Sin holds us back from God. If you need to put away that sin and come and humble yourself before the Father, do so right this moment. We cannot afford to wait; God wants to operate on our hearts right now. Won’t you allow Him to do so today? Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
James 4.6-10
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
The problem with the fallen angels is pride; the problem with man is selfishness. The solution to both is humbleness. Why is that? Humbleness has a way of tearing down our defenses. What I mean to say is that when we humble ourselves, our hearts are open and receptive to God’s call whereas we would otherwise not be so keen on listening. Humbleness is the key ingredient on resisting temptation, drawing closer to God, and purifying our hearts. James 4 provides us with an excellent examination of humbleness.
James recalls that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” It is obvious, therefore, that our relationship with Christ depends on the state of humbleness in our hearts. A proud heart that thinks oneself always correct will discover difficulty growing in Christ. The issue here is selfishness. Selfishness turns us towards earthly desires and, consequently, to Satan. Jesus said that “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6.24). We cannot dwell in Christ and likewise dwell in sin; it is as impossible as the man who wishes himself in both New York and Rome at the same time because he rather likes the experience of both.
James says that we are to “therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from [us]. Draw near to God and He will draw near to [us].” The effect of humbleness, then, is the changing of masters. When we “submit to God” we are able to “resist the devil.” Resisting the devil means that “he will flee from [us].” When we are free from Satan, Christ is able to work on our hearts. We can then “draw near to God and He will draw near to [us].” The transformation often occurs slowly, but the effects are obvious. You may find yourself saying and doing things you know quite well you wouldn’t have said or done were it a week ago. This is the divine work of the Holy Spirit. Humbleness is the key that unlocks the work of the Holy Spirit in sinful man. Humbleness is the restorer of communion and a relationship with God. When we are humble, our hearts are open to the work of the Holy Spirit. We are able to “cleanse [our] hands” and “purify [our] hearts.”
But humbleness requires all of us. One cannot bow one knee to God—he must fall on his face before Him. This is rarely an easy task. One can take confidence to the level of pride so that it is difficult to deviate from it. We may find ourselves resisting God and drawing near to the devil. This is a sign of pride. The solution is to put the other knee to the floor. Give all of yourself to God; not 1/7th of your time(Sundays) or 99% of your time. It is imperative that God have all of our hearts. When He does, He can shape the clay of our hearts into the image He wants it to be—the image of Jesus.
Is your heart humble today? Carefully examine it; do not merely assume it is. Are you holding back from the Holy Spirit because of pride? You may not recognize it at first as pride. Man can create all sorts of excuses as to why he is not being obedient to the will of God. The ultimate answer, however, is pride and selfishness. Sin holds us back from God. If you need to put away that sin and come and humble yourself before the Father, do so right this moment. We cannot afford to wait; God wants to operate on our hearts right now. Won’t you allow Him to do so today? Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Enduring Temptation
Enduring Temptation
James 1.12-15
“12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
As Christians we must undergo two types of events that will change our lives forever: trials and temptations. Certainly no one rational enjoys trials or temptation; we like for things to be easy. The world we live in, however, offers us no such security. We live in a world where sin lies at every corner. Satan is just waiting to expose a weakness in us that will steal glory from God. Similarly, God is waiting at every corner. He, however, wishes for us to prevail. He wishes to mold us into the image of His Son, Jesus. So there is a great spiritual battle being waged of which humans are the target. This, beloved, is a battle for the souls of each individual. You and I have a decision to make: will we resist temptation and follow God into heaven, or will we give in and follow Satan and his angels to hell?
This is the most serious question we could ever ask. As such, Christ wants us to be prepared when the situation presents itself. The question comes whenever we are tempted: whenever that television show comes on which you know you should change the channel, when you neglect your neighbor even when you know he needs your help, when you choose to worship the world rather than worship God. These are the moments that define who we really are. These, beloved, are moments of temptation.
The book of James provides us with insight into temptation. He assures us of this: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” We are called by God to endure temptation. That is almost never a simple task, especially when Satan wishes us to question the Holy Spirit into believing something is not temptation when it obviously is. James explains how we guard against this by giving us a definition of temptation. He says that “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” So temptation occurs when our desires draw us away from holiness and into enticement. When we desire this thing, we begin the process of sin. Just a little thought and our brains have already executed the plan of action. We can already see the fleshly benefits. As James warns us, however, [conceived desire] gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Beloved, sin will destroy you if you allow it in your life. The next time you are tempted, remember James’ words—sin DESTROYS you. Satan will consume you forever and ever. There’s a saying worth mentioning: “God doesn’t send people to hell; people send themselves to hell.” We are the ones who choose whether or not to give into temptation, beloved. There’s no blaming God for our own actions. You are responsible for yourself.
Do not be afraid, however. Christ has promised us help. Jesus says in Matthew 28.20b: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” When temptation hits, know that you have a God who is bigger than temptation. He can satisfy you far more than anything that sin has to offer, beloved. Nothing Satan tempts you with is better than the plans God has for you. Are you tempted sexually? God probably has a future husband or wife in your life. Are you tempted with stealing? God says we can find our treasures eternally in Him (Matthew 6.19-20). Are you tempted with just leaving things the status quo? Jesus says for us to “Follow [Him]” (Matthew 4.19). You see, beloved, Christ will help you with your temptations. He may put trials in your life, but they are there to help you grow closer to Him and so that you can learn to resist sin. Do you need Him to help you do that today? He’s always there to help you. With Him you can resist temptation and give into the wonderful grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
James 1.12-15
“12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
As Christians we must undergo two types of events that will change our lives forever: trials and temptations. Certainly no one rational enjoys trials or temptation; we like for things to be easy. The world we live in, however, offers us no such security. We live in a world where sin lies at every corner. Satan is just waiting to expose a weakness in us that will steal glory from God. Similarly, God is waiting at every corner. He, however, wishes for us to prevail. He wishes to mold us into the image of His Son, Jesus. So there is a great spiritual battle being waged of which humans are the target. This, beloved, is a battle for the souls of each individual. You and I have a decision to make: will we resist temptation and follow God into heaven, or will we give in and follow Satan and his angels to hell?
This is the most serious question we could ever ask. As such, Christ wants us to be prepared when the situation presents itself. The question comes whenever we are tempted: whenever that television show comes on which you know you should change the channel, when you neglect your neighbor even when you know he needs your help, when you choose to worship the world rather than worship God. These are the moments that define who we really are. These, beloved, are moments of temptation.
The book of James provides us with insight into temptation. He assures us of this: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” We are called by God to endure temptation. That is almost never a simple task, especially when Satan wishes us to question the Holy Spirit into believing something is not temptation when it obviously is. James explains how we guard against this by giving us a definition of temptation. He says that “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” So temptation occurs when our desires draw us away from holiness and into enticement. When we desire this thing, we begin the process of sin. Just a little thought and our brains have already executed the plan of action. We can already see the fleshly benefits. As James warns us, however, [conceived desire] gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Beloved, sin will destroy you if you allow it in your life. The next time you are tempted, remember James’ words—sin DESTROYS you. Satan will consume you forever and ever. There’s a saying worth mentioning: “God doesn’t send people to hell; people send themselves to hell.” We are the ones who choose whether or not to give into temptation, beloved. There’s no blaming God for our own actions. You are responsible for yourself.
Do not be afraid, however. Christ has promised us help. Jesus says in Matthew 28.20b: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” When temptation hits, know that you have a God who is bigger than temptation. He can satisfy you far more than anything that sin has to offer, beloved. Nothing Satan tempts you with is better than the plans God has for you. Are you tempted sexually? God probably has a future husband or wife in your life. Are you tempted with stealing? God says we can find our treasures eternally in Him (Matthew 6.19-20). Are you tempted with just leaving things the status quo? Jesus says for us to “Follow [Him]” (Matthew 4.19). You see, beloved, Christ will help you with your temptations. He may put trials in your life, but they are there to help you grow closer to Him and so that you can learn to resist sin. Do you need Him to help you do that today? He’s always there to help you. With Him you can resist temptation and give into the wonderful grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Handling Turmoil
Handling Turmoil
Matthew 6.25-27; 33-34
“25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
As we hear of tropical storms and hurricane season, we are reminded of the massive turmoil and chaos present in our world today. Why, just yesterday I spent my first day navigating my way around a crowded campus built in the middle of a city with less than sufficient parking :) Hurricanes and cities are examples of natural turmoil, but today I want to talk about the kind of turmoil you and I face nearly every day of our lives: life turmoil. Almost all of us become stressed at one point or another in our day. It is easy for us to grow anxious, weary, and depressed. We imagine the next day with the same pattern repeating all over again.
But Jesus has not commanded us to worry. He wants us to overcome turmoil. How do we do that? He tells us the answer Himself! Jesus teaches us to “not worry about [our lives], what [we] will eat or drink or about [our] body, what we will wear.” Worry feeds turmoil, and it is the source of discomfort, frustration, and a sudden attraction to sin in some pleasurable form. That is why Jesus stresses that there's no reason to worry about life! Why? He's got it all taken care of! He says for us to “seek first [Christ's] kingdom and His righteousness, and all [our needs] will be given to [us] as well.” So Jesus says for us to substitute worry with faith in Him. When we “seek first [His] kingdom,” our focus shifts from all the clutter and turmoil spiraling through our lives and teaches us the peace that passes all understanding.
So seeking God's kingdom brings us peace. Paul says in Philippians 4.6 for us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known to God.” Again, Christ calls us away from our turmoil and into the focus of God. The bottom line is that when we focus on God through “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving” and when we “seek first [God's] kingdom and His righteousness,” all of our needs will be met. The old saying that God will never give us any more than we can bear holds true. When we stop, take a deep breath, let go of all our worries and schedules and appointments, and pray to God, drawing in His peace, then we will find relief from turmoil.
Do that today, beloved. What is it that is causing you turmoil in life? Follow Christ's model here in Matthew 6—replace worry with Jesus. I do not mean that in an abstract, feel-good way; I mean that in a very real, concrete sense. Pray to Jesus; pour your heart out to Him. Grow in His word. Love Him. Love others. Love yourself. Purge your heart of sin and replace it with the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When you do, all of life's worries will begin to seem much smaller, and our God will appear much bigger! Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Matthew 6.25-27; 33-34
“25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
As we hear of tropical storms and hurricane season, we are reminded of the massive turmoil and chaos present in our world today. Why, just yesterday I spent my first day navigating my way around a crowded campus built in the middle of a city with less than sufficient parking :) Hurricanes and cities are examples of natural turmoil, but today I want to talk about the kind of turmoil you and I face nearly every day of our lives: life turmoil. Almost all of us become stressed at one point or another in our day. It is easy for us to grow anxious, weary, and depressed. We imagine the next day with the same pattern repeating all over again.
But Jesus has not commanded us to worry. He wants us to overcome turmoil. How do we do that? He tells us the answer Himself! Jesus teaches us to “not worry about [our lives], what [we] will eat or drink or about [our] body, what we will wear.” Worry feeds turmoil, and it is the source of discomfort, frustration, and a sudden attraction to sin in some pleasurable form. That is why Jesus stresses that there's no reason to worry about life! Why? He's got it all taken care of! He says for us to “seek first [Christ's] kingdom and His righteousness, and all [our needs] will be given to [us] as well.” So Jesus says for us to substitute worry with faith in Him. When we “seek first [His] kingdom,” our focus shifts from all the clutter and turmoil spiraling through our lives and teaches us the peace that passes all understanding.
So seeking God's kingdom brings us peace. Paul says in Philippians 4.6 for us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known to God.” Again, Christ calls us away from our turmoil and into the focus of God. The bottom line is that when we focus on God through “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving” and when we “seek first [God's] kingdom and His righteousness,” all of our needs will be met. The old saying that God will never give us any more than we can bear holds true. When we stop, take a deep breath, let go of all our worries and schedules and appointments, and pray to God, drawing in His peace, then we will find relief from turmoil.
Do that today, beloved. What is it that is causing you turmoil in life? Follow Christ's model here in Matthew 6—replace worry with Jesus. I do not mean that in an abstract, feel-good way; I mean that in a very real, concrete sense. Pray to Jesus; pour your heart out to Him. Grow in His word. Love Him. Love others. Love yourself. Purge your heart of sin and replace it with the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When you do, all of life's worries will begin to seem much smaller, and our God will appear much bigger! Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, August 16, 2009
How to Avoid Sexual Immorality
How to Avoid Sexual Immorality
Matthew 5.28-30
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Last week we spoke about the perversion of the human gift of sexuality through sin. This week, however, I want us to look very specifically as to how to avoid such things. Most of us are probably thinking to ourselves right now, “Oh, I know how to do that!” Beloved, the truth is that sexual immorality is one of the simplest of sins to fall into, especially among younger Christians. It is the most biological impulse we have, and thus it is quite simple for Satan to tempt us with it.
Christ teaches us how we can avoid sexual immorality. He first outlines what exactly sexual immorality is. He says that “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Beloved, this is revolutionary. This means that what we fill our minds with is the real root of sexual immorality. It is not merely the act of sexual immorality that is sinful, but the thought of it. This is why we do not indulge in pornography, why we steer away from crude sexual humor and why we refrain from indulging in our sex-crazed culture. Sin begins with a simple thought or a simple look. The story of David and Bathsheba reminds us all what damage just a little look can do. A man was killed, a child was miscarried, and David's kingdom faced turmoil all because of a simple look.
That, then, is our most effective way of dealing with sexual immorality. Our Lord says that “if your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” Of course, this is not literal. What Jesus means here is this: don't partake in that which will cause you to sin. If you are tempted with pornography, stay away from that aisle or the internet until you have self-control. If you are tempted with adultery, cling to your husband or wife. If you are tempted with fornication, remember your body is the temple dedicated to the Lord. In all these things we are practicing abstinence. We are casting out our eyes so that we may save our whole body from sin. Jesus says that “it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”
This is never easy, of course. The temptations are literally everywhere. One cannot even watch a prime time network show without sexual immorality either being committed or joked about. We can practice self-control by placing our focus on God during these times. We must place our faith in the spirit and not in the flesh. Romans 13.14 tells us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Beloved, put on Jesus and cast out what would lead you away from Him. If you are tempted sexually, cling to Christ. Purify your mind and your heart. Remember the blood Jesus shed on Calvalry so that you could be sanctified. Do not defile His temple that is in YOU!
If you are struggling with sexual immorality in any form, please come and make it right with the Lord. We need not be more ashamed of it than any other sin. We know that as Christians God forgives us. Hopefully we have not reached the point where we have damaged a relationship with someone else, be it spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, family, or especially our own Heavenly Father. Hopefully we have not damaged ourselves. But if we have, beloved, know that Christ can repair any situation. We must simply put our faith and trust in Him, and He will restore us into His will! Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Matthew 5.28-30
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Last week we spoke about the perversion of the human gift of sexuality through sin. This week, however, I want us to look very specifically as to how to avoid such things. Most of us are probably thinking to ourselves right now, “Oh, I know how to do that!” Beloved, the truth is that sexual immorality is one of the simplest of sins to fall into, especially among younger Christians. It is the most biological impulse we have, and thus it is quite simple for Satan to tempt us with it.
Christ teaches us how we can avoid sexual immorality. He first outlines what exactly sexual immorality is. He says that “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Beloved, this is revolutionary. This means that what we fill our minds with is the real root of sexual immorality. It is not merely the act of sexual immorality that is sinful, but the thought of it. This is why we do not indulge in pornography, why we steer away from crude sexual humor and why we refrain from indulging in our sex-crazed culture. Sin begins with a simple thought or a simple look. The story of David and Bathsheba reminds us all what damage just a little look can do. A man was killed, a child was miscarried, and David's kingdom faced turmoil all because of a simple look.
That, then, is our most effective way of dealing with sexual immorality. Our Lord says that “if your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” Of course, this is not literal. What Jesus means here is this: don't partake in that which will cause you to sin. If you are tempted with pornography, stay away from that aisle or the internet until you have self-control. If you are tempted with adultery, cling to your husband or wife. If you are tempted with fornication, remember your body is the temple dedicated to the Lord. In all these things we are practicing abstinence. We are casting out our eyes so that we may save our whole body from sin. Jesus says that “it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”
This is never easy, of course. The temptations are literally everywhere. One cannot even watch a prime time network show without sexual immorality either being committed or joked about. We can practice self-control by placing our focus on God during these times. We must place our faith in the spirit and not in the flesh. Romans 13.14 tells us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Beloved, put on Jesus and cast out what would lead you away from Him. If you are tempted sexually, cling to Christ. Purify your mind and your heart. Remember the blood Jesus shed on Calvalry so that you could be sanctified. Do not defile His temple that is in YOU!
If you are struggling with sexual immorality in any form, please come and make it right with the Lord. We need not be more ashamed of it than any other sin. We know that as Christians God forgives us. Hopefully we have not reached the point where we have damaged a relationship with someone else, be it spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, family, or especially our own Heavenly Father. Hopefully we have not damaged ourselves. But if we have, beloved, know that Christ can repair any situation. We must simply put our faith and trust in Him, and He will restore us into His will! Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Dealing with Sexual Immorality
Dealing with Sexual Immorality
1 Corinthians 6.18-20
18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Sexual immorality is a topic rarely discussed in and of itself. It is often lumped in with a general overview of morality, but it certainly deserves its own discourse. We live in a generation obsessed with sex. It is the most basic of our animal instincts and contains the highest connection to the flesh of all the sins. Perhaps that is why sexual immorality is so prevelant in our culture. We hear of pastors and presidents and polticians guilty of sexual immorality, and it leaves us with a rather unsettling discovery--sexual immorality is one of the easiest and most elusive sins of all.
The Bible is not silent on this topic. There are literally dozens of passages discussing sexual immorality in God's word. This leads us to a firm conclusion: God is not silent when it comes to the issue of sex. In order to understand exactly why sexual immorality is despicable in God's eyes, we must understand exactly what the perversion is. As with all other sins, sexual immorality is a mere twisted perversion of a beautiful creation of God.
Originally sex was designed and defined by God within these parameters: "a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Genesis 2.24). While sex is not explicitly mentioned here in this verse, the implications all throughout scripture intertwine the concepts of the joining of flesh with sexual relations (1 Corinthians 6.16). The picture here in Genesis denotes that sex is far more than a physical sensation--it is a means of communicating oneness with a man and woman bound together in marriage. In this sense, one could say that sex is a sort of ritual like the ritual of praising God when we see a sunset or singing/dancing when we are excited. From this we can conclude that sex is a manifestation or projection of earthly love. In this regard, there is something quite special about human sexuality. Unlike the animal world, sexual relations between a man and woman is but another way to praise God. It is an extension of God's love manifested in a physical form. This is called "eros"--the Greek word for physical, sensual love. The side effect of this love is the creation of yet another love. From the joining of a man and a wife is wrought a child, by whom both parents love and celebrate as another gift of life. Isn't sex a wonderful gift?
As we can see, God created a powerful and beautiful force among mankind. Unfortunately, sin wields this power and often uses it against us. What is such a beautiful and innocent gift can become a curse if perverted. That is exactly the picture that is painted in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 6. Paul lays out how sexual immorality negates the Holy Spirit's temple--our bodies. The 21st Century world has little or no concept of this. The body is but a tool for pleasure, not for the glorification of God. Therefore, sin is rampant in our culture. Any concept of holiness dies in cinema screens, television, billboards, and sexually enticing clothing stores. This is much easier for men to understand, but women too can get a sense of just how pervasive sexual immorality is in our culture. As Christians, however, we know that we must run away from these things. Paul says that " your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God." Beloved, your body is God's; it is His temple. When we defile it by partaking of forbidden pleasures, we defile God's temple.
I sometimes hear that sexual immorality is "not that big a deal." "After all," some say, "It won't make me love my spouse any less." And so men become engrossed in pornography and extramarital affairs that slowly chip away at their marriage. Why is this so? Why does lusting or having sex outside of marriage totally destroy marriages both present and future? It is because, beloved, that there is a commitment to sex. Verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 6 says that "he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body." Sex is more than a basic animal instinct. As we mentioned above, sex is a ritual of the love between to people so intense and passionate that they literally become joined together. Their thoughts, their actions, their prayers, their hopes and dreams are all connected. When such such commitment is placed somewhere else, how can we possibly maintain any concept of love with our partner?
Next week we will look at exactly how we can avoid sexual immorality, but we NEED to understand exactly how serious the consequences are of commiting lust, fornication, and adultery and how they wreck the spiritual foundation that God has set. Beloved, I understand how strong our sinful nature can be at times. I firmly believe most of us have stumbled in one way or another sexually at one time or another. It may have been a simple look, or it may have been more than that. Regardless, we serve a God who overlooks ANY offense. Praise God that the Holy Spirit is here to help us overcome the temptations of sin. If you are struggling or have given into the temptations of sexual immorality or any other form of lust, please come to Jesus and make it right with Him. Beloved, please do not give in. Let us not defile God with our bodies, but "honor God with [our bodies]." Remember that "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." God bought you at a price so He can live inside of you. Therefore, let us clean out all the sexual immorality within us, and let us purify ourselves with the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit flowing within us each and every day. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
1 Corinthians 6.18-20
18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Sexual immorality is a topic rarely discussed in and of itself. It is often lumped in with a general overview of morality, but it certainly deserves its own discourse. We live in a generation obsessed with sex. It is the most basic of our animal instincts and contains the highest connection to the flesh of all the sins. Perhaps that is why sexual immorality is so prevelant in our culture. We hear of pastors and presidents and polticians guilty of sexual immorality, and it leaves us with a rather unsettling discovery--sexual immorality is one of the easiest and most elusive sins of all.
The Bible is not silent on this topic. There are literally dozens of passages discussing sexual immorality in God's word. This leads us to a firm conclusion: God is not silent when it comes to the issue of sex. In order to understand exactly why sexual immorality is despicable in God's eyes, we must understand exactly what the perversion is. As with all other sins, sexual immorality is a mere twisted perversion of a beautiful creation of God.
Originally sex was designed and defined by God within these parameters: "a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Genesis 2.24). While sex is not explicitly mentioned here in this verse, the implications all throughout scripture intertwine the concepts of the joining of flesh with sexual relations (1 Corinthians 6.16). The picture here in Genesis denotes that sex is far more than a physical sensation--it is a means of communicating oneness with a man and woman bound together in marriage. In this sense, one could say that sex is a sort of ritual like the ritual of praising God when we see a sunset or singing/dancing when we are excited. From this we can conclude that sex is a manifestation or projection of earthly love. In this regard, there is something quite special about human sexuality. Unlike the animal world, sexual relations between a man and woman is but another way to praise God. It is an extension of God's love manifested in a physical form. This is called "eros"--the Greek word for physical, sensual love. The side effect of this love is the creation of yet another love. From the joining of a man and a wife is wrought a child, by whom both parents love and celebrate as another gift of life. Isn't sex a wonderful gift?
As we can see, God created a powerful and beautiful force among mankind. Unfortunately, sin wields this power and often uses it against us. What is such a beautiful and innocent gift can become a curse if perverted. That is exactly the picture that is painted in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 6. Paul lays out how sexual immorality negates the Holy Spirit's temple--our bodies. The 21st Century world has little or no concept of this. The body is but a tool for pleasure, not for the glorification of God. Therefore, sin is rampant in our culture. Any concept of holiness dies in cinema screens, television, billboards, and sexually enticing clothing stores. This is much easier for men to understand, but women too can get a sense of just how pervasive sexual immorality is in our culture. As Christians, however, we know that we must run away from these things. Paul says that " your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God." Beloved, your body is God's; it is His temple. When we defile it by partaking of forbidden pleasures, we defile God's temple.
I sometimes hear that sexual immorality is "not that big a deal." "After all," some say, "It won't make me love my spouse any less." And so men become engrossed in pornography and extramarital affairs that slowly chip away at their marriage. Why is this so? Why does lusting or having sex outside of marriage totally destroy marriages both present and future? It is because, beloved, that there is a commitment to sex. Verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 6 says that "he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body." Sex is more than a basic animal instinct. As we mentioned above, sex is a ritual of the love between to people so intense and passionate that they literally become joined together. Their thoughts, their actions, their prayers, their hopes and dreams are all connected. When such such commitment is placed somewhere else, how can we possibly maintain any concept of love with our partner?
Next week we will look at exactly how we can avoid sexual immorality, but we NEED to understand exactly how serious the consequences are of commiting lust, fornication, and adultery and how they wreck the spiritual foundation that God has set. Beloved, I understand how strong our sinful nature can be at times. I firmly believe most of us have stumbled in one way or another sexually at one time or another. It may have been a simple look, or it may have been more than that. Regardless, we serve a God who overlooks ANY offense. Praise God that the Holy Spirit is here to help us overcome the temptations of sin. If you are struggling or have given into the temptations of sexual immorality or any other form of lust, please come to Jesus and make it right with Him. Beloved, please do not give in. Let us not defile God with our bodies, but "honor God with [our bodies]." Remember that "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." God bought you at a price so He can live inside of you. Therefore, let us clean out all the sexual immorality within us, and let us purify ourselves with the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit flowing within us each and every day. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Nature's Declaration
Psalm 19.1-3
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun...
The place where I am most awestruck with wonder and humbleness is in the beauty of nature. Everywhere we look God is present in nature. Someone once said that "God's fingerprints are in nature." Thus, the psalmist's proclamation that "the heavens declare the glory of God" is certainly true! One need only look in his back yard to see God's handiwork.
I believe that has powerful implications for our worship. You see, because nature proclaims God, we cannot help but listen. That means that just as "the skies proclaim the work of [God's] hands," so too do we proclaim His work. Nature has a fascinating way of forcing man to drop whatever he is doing to stop and admire God's handiwork. It may be a rich, intricate sunset that no television screen or painter could ever truly reproduce. It may be the simple unfolding of a flower in the springtime. It may be the rain that feeds the plants or the dew which the clouds obtain. Beloved, all of God's creation screams out God's goodness and it forces us to listen. We see that "day after day [nature pours] forth speech," and "night after night "[it displays] knowledge." What speech does it proclaim, and what knowledge does it display? It proclaims God's majesty and goodness, His power and mercy, His mystery and creativity.
But these things do not have to be this way. There is nothing that says our planet must be beautiful or our universe so accessible--they are gifts from God. One scientist noted that our position in our galaxy is incredibly unique because we just happen to have an atmosphere transparent enough for us to view out into the heavens. Why is this so? Nature says it does not have to be so. Many planets do not have such a view. It is because space "serve[s] as signs to mark seasons and days and years," and "give[s] light on the earth." You see, beloved, God thinks things through. His creations are beautiful, but they also serve a greater purpose. The outer part of a human is beautiful and symmetric, but his inner parts need not be so--they need only to function. All the beauties of nature we can appreciate not only for their outward beauty, but for their inward stability and function that makes life possible for us.
Doesn't nature make us stop and praise our Father? It ought to do so! Beloved, take every opportunity you get to revel in God's playground. This earth and this universe are full of amazing, mysterious beauties. We ought to appreciate them because God has blessed us with them. How often do we stop and appreciate the oxygen we need for our lungs or the plants that make them? How often do we appreciate the moon for its allowance of our seasons and ocean tides? We can become so busy that we forget nature's declaration: "God rocks!" Remember that each day. Remember we have an awesome Creator who blesses us with all the beauties of the universe. Amen!
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun...
The place where I am most awestruck with wonder and humbleness is in the beauty of nature. Everywhere we look God is present in nature. Someone once said that "God's fingerprints are in nature." Thus, the psalmist's proclamation that "the heavens declare the glory of God" is certainly true! One need only look in his back yard to see God's handiwork.
I believe that has powerful implications for our worship. You see, because nature proclaims God, we cannot help but listen. That means that just as "the skies proclaim the work of [God's] hands," so too do we proclaim His work. Nature has a fascinating way of forcing man to drop whatever he is doing to stop and admire God's handiwork. It may be a rich, intricate sunset that no television screen or painter could ever truly reproduce. It may be the simple unfolding of a flower in the springtime. It may be the rain that feeds the plants or the dew which the clouds obtain. Beloved, all of God's creation screams out God's goodness and it forces us to listen. We see that "day after day [nature pours] forth speech," and "night after night "[it displays] knowledge." What speech does it proclaim, and what knowledge does it display? It proclaims God's majesty and goodness, His power and mercy, His mystery and creativity.
But these things do not have to be this way. There is nothing that says our planet must be beautiful or our universe so accessible--they are gifts from God. One scientist noted that our position in our galaxy is incredibly unique because we just happen to have an atmosphere transparent enough for us to view out into the heavens. Why is this so? Nature says it does not have to be so. Many planets do not have such a view. It is because space "serve[s] as signs to mark seasons and days and years," and "give[s] light on the earth." You see, beloved, God thinks things through. His creations are beautiful, but they also serve a greater purpose. The outer part of a human is beautiful and symmetric, but his inner parts need not be so--they need only to function. All the beauties of nature we can appreciate not only for their outward beauty, but for their inward stability and function that makes life possible for us.
Doesn't nature make us stop and praise our Father? It ought to do so! Beloved, take every opportunity you get to revel in God's playground. This earth and this universe are full of amazing, mysterious beauties. We ought to appreciate them because God has blessed us with them. How often do we stop and appreciate the oxygen we need for our lungs or the plants that make them? How often do we appreciate the moon for its allowance of our seasons and ocean tides? We can become so busy that we forget nature's declaration: "God rocks!" Remember that each day. Remember we have an awesome Creator who blesses us with all the beauties of the universe. Amen!
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Sunday, August 2, 2009
God Keeps His Promises
God Keeps His Promises
Genesis 17.15-19
"15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." 17 Abraham fell face down; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" 19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."
We can learn a great deal of God's promises even from the earliest points in man's history. Even in Genesis we see God blessing His chosen people. God promises Abraham that He will "bless [Sarah] so that she will be the mother of nations." He furthers this by saying that not only will Abraham and Sarah be the ancestors of many nations, but that "kings of people will come from [them]." This is a bold promise. It seems so illogical and silly that Abraham couldn't help but laugh. We see that he "[falls] face down, [laughing] and [saying] to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?'" Yet God's promises will be fulfilled. They are not only promises of the ancient past but promises for today! Beloved, God has laid out promises for your life and mine that will bless God, bless others, and bless ourselves.
We can learn two crucial things from God's promises. The first is that God's promises defy the impossible. Again, God's promises defy the impossible. The laws of aging may tell us that a woman may not "bear a child at the age of ninety," but God says it is possible. Beloved, this is where faith comes into play. If we are to trust God's promises it is crucial that we place our faith in Him. This often means believing the impossible. It often means believing that God can change that heart of that stubborn family member, friend, or co-worker. It often means God can heal the incurable disease. It often means God can and does bring a barren woman a child in her womb. Yes, God promises some outrageous things, but we have confidence that He is telling us the truth. Abraham's story is a testament to how trustworthy God is. Beloved, if God can give Sarah a child at age 90, then He can give us what He knows we need. That is not necessarily money or fame, but God's promises are always used for the furtherance of His will and for our good.
The second thing we must understand about God's promises is that we must trust God with our promises. What does this mean? It means doing the exact opposite of Abraham's initial reaction. Genesis tells us that "Abraham [falls] face down" and "[laughs] and says to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?'" It is easy for us to doubt God's promises, especially when they seem illogical, but God has proven time and time again that He can turn the water into wine; He can part the waters; He can wither the fig tree; He can raise the sick from the dead." Doubting Jesus will only cause us to sink like Peter into the water. We must trust that Christ's provisions for us will be provided. God is patient with us on this matter. Notice God's reaction when Abraham doubted. It is not anger or bitterness; it is God expecting the irrational, over-emotional reactions of human beings. He says firmly and surely, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. Notice the verb tenses here: "[Sarah] WILL bear you a son, and you WILL call him Isaac. I WILL establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." Beloved, we live with a God who not only CAN fulfill His promises, but WILL fulfill them. He is in the very process of fulfilling His will for our lives. That is something to be excited about!
Are you trusting God to fulfill your promises today? Doubt will do us no good. We have the entire Bible as evidence of God's faithfulness to His children. He loves you and WILL fulfill His purposes for you. We need only to trust Him in the process. This often means we must do what He calls us to do, goes where He calls us to go, or speak what He wants us to speak. Remember, God works within human history, not merely in spite of it. He works in the hearts of men through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Beloved, trust God today. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
Genesis 17.15-19
"15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." 17 Abraham fell face down; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" 19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."
We can learn a great deal of God's promises even from the earliest points in man's history. Even in Genesis we see God blessing His chosen people. God promises Abraham that He will "bless [Sarah] so that she will be the mother of nations." He furthers this by saying that not only will Abraham and Sarah be the ancestors of many nations, but that "kings of people will come from [them]." This is a bold promise. It seems so illogical and silly that Abraham couldn't help but laugh. We see that he "[falls] face down, [laughing] and [saying] to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?'" Yet God's promises will be fulfilled. They are not only promises of the ancient past but promises for today! Beloved, God has laid out promises for your life and mine that will bless God, bless others, and bless ourselves.
We can learn two crucial things from God's promises. The first is that God's promises defy the impossible. Again, God's promises defy the impossible. The laws of aging may tell us that a woman may not "bear a child at the age of ninety," but God says it is possible. Beloved, this is where faith comes into play. If we are to trust God's promises it is crucial that we place our faith in Him. This often means believing the impossible. It often means believing that God can change that heart of that stubborn family member, friend, or co-worker. It often means God can heal the incurable disease. It often means God can and does bring a barren woman a child in her womb. Yes, God promises some outrageous things, but we have confidence that He is telling us the truth. Abraham's story is a testament to how trustworthy God is. Beloved, if God can give Sarah a child at age 90, then He can give us what He knows we need. That is not necessarily money or fame, but God's promises are always used for the furtherance of His will and for our good.
The second thing we must understand about God's promises is that we must trust God with our promises. What does this mean? It means doing the exact opposite of Abraham's initial reaction. Genesis tells us that "Abraham [falls] face down" and "[laughs] and says to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?'" It is easy for us to doubt God's promises, especially when they seem illogical, but God has proven time and time again that He can turn the water into wine; He can part the waters; He can wither the fig tree; He can raise the sick from the dead." Doubting Jesus will only cause us to sink like Peter into the water. We must trust that Christ's provisions for us will be provided. God is patient with us on this matter. Notice God's reaction when Abraham doubted. It is not anger or bitterness; it is God expecting the irrational, over-emotional reactions of human beings. He says firmly and surely, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. Notice the verb tenses here: "[Sarah] WILL bear you a son, and you WILL call him Isaac. I WILL establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." Beloved, we live with a God who not only CAN fulfill His promises, but WILL fulfill them. He is in the very process of fulfilling His will for our lives. That is something to be excited about!
Are you trusting God to fulfill your promises today? Doubt will do us no good. We have the entire Bible as evidence of God's faithfulness to His children. He loves you and WILL fulfill His purposes for you. We need only to trust Him in the process. This often means we must do what He calls us to do, goes where He calls us to go, or speak what He wants us to speak. Remember, God works within human history, not merely in spite of it. He works in the hearts of men through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Beloved, trust God today. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
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