Living in Vanity Fair July 31, 2008

If I really think about it, it is rather silly to think my friends don’t see me sin. Of course they see me, don’t I see them? Yet I still try to hide or make it seem better than truth allows. I need to change my perspective and be vulnerable and transparent. We are, as Elyse stated, “living in Vanity Fair.” How foolish to think I can walk through untouched. What do I gain by hiding my sin?

She spoke about Jesus washing the feet of the disciples and how this is an example of Christ and the Church and an example for us today. We must wash each other’s feet to help us be clean. Because of the world in which I live, my sin and the Devil I need my brothers and sisters to be continually washing my feet. What could this washing look like? Elyse gave us a glimpse when she shared that we would wash each other with the Word by continually listening and hearing places in each other’s lives where we need to repent, help confront or encourage. How amazing this would be for us all!

Lord Jesus help me to lay aside my sin, my pride. Forgive me for thinking that I could hide from you first and then others. You have showed me the way and now, I ask that You would help me to walk in it.  Amen.

Posted by Elyse

Justification July 30, 2008

Elyse defined “justification” in a new way for me. I had always known that justification means that it is “just as if I had never sinned.” Which is true! Amazing! But Elyse took it to another level…because we have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness, not only am I presented before the Father as if I had never sinned, but as if I had lived a sinless life – the life only Jesus lived. I don’t just have a “clean slate,” I have a perfect record! Jesus gave me HIS record! That is good news! It is something that I definitely don’t deserve – but I am so grateful for it!

Thank You, Lord for this gift of salvation. For giving me Your record. Help us all to remember this and then be moved to worship You in response!

Posted by Stephanie

A Sin Magnet July 29, 2008

“I am a sin magnet!” I heard Elyse say this loud and clear! If sin sticks to me like a magnet, then I need the help of another to remove the magnet or make me to where it won’t stick. The Lord has provided both – I have my sister’s in Christ to help remove the obvious sins that I may not see, and Christ changes me from within so that sin no longer has a grip on me. What a Savior!

God’s Word is the water He uses to take away sin’s attraction to us. It sounds so simple. Yet if it’s so simple why do we struggle to have our regular time in God’s Word? It’s because our enemy knows that this is the most powerful way for us to resist sin and temptation. As we daily draw strength from the Bible, God equips us to fight back. Let’s commit to regularly be in God’s Word so that the sin that so easily entangles us will fall away.

Posted by Debi

Am I Willing? July 28, 2008

This week we will discuss the final session – session 4 -  from our ladies retreat with Elyse Fitzpatrick.  We realize that these sessions are hard hitting – we’re all feeling it.  Yet we also realize the importance of “getting it”.   How is it with you these many weeks since the retreat?  Is God still pursuing the one thing in which you desire change?  We’re praying for you!  Now let’s listen to our very own Elyse as she starts us off:

And the question is (according to Elyse Fitzpatrick), am I willing to be yoked together with others? Am I willing to help my sisters in their struggles against sin? Am I willing to wash their feet? Honestly, I want to say yes.  I want to do it, but am I really willing?

I don’t believe I have done a great job of this in the past. My fear of man, selfishness and lack of love, among other things, hindered me from speaking the truth so many times. Now though, through this retreat and other things the Lord is doing in my life I am seeing the absolute necessity of others doing this for me. I need someone to be willing to help me in my struggle with sin. I cannot do it alone. Therefore, how can I continue to be unwilling to help others?

I am not okay. I am more sinful and flawed than I ever imagined and so are you. I want to be encouraged and admonished, and I want to do the same for others. So, am I willing now? With God’s help, I think I am. And I pray that you are as well.

Posted by Elyse

Favorite Quote July 25, 2008

Today I offer you a quote from the book I’m currently reading – Humility, by Andrew Murray.  He says:

 “The power of a perfect love forgets itself and finds its blessedness in blessing others — in bearing with and honoring them, however feeble they may be.  The power of this love is given where the spirit of love is shed abroad in the heart, where the divine nature comes to a full birth, and where Christ, the meek and lowly Lamb of God, is truly formed within.  Where this love enters, there God enters.  And where God has entered in His power, and reveals Himself as all, there man becomes nothing.  And where man becomes nothing before God, he cannot be anything but humble toward his fellow-men.  The presence of God becomes not a thing of times and seasons, but the covering under which the soul always dwells.”

From Humility and Holiness, pg. 55

May you enjoy your weekend under the covering of God’s holy presence.  What a blessed place to be!

Posted by Debi

Am I Deceiving Myself? July 24, 2008

Deception is a dangerous and often undetected practice I allow myself to get away with. I may hear a message and based on my own evaluation think that I’m doing pretty well. However, Elyse’s final point in session three hit this right on the mark:

Don’t deceive yourself, Debi:

1. It is easy to think that I’m spiritual if I’m not confronting myself.
2. It is easy to think I’m spiritual if I’m not being discipled by others.
3. It is easy to think I’m spiritual if I’m not discipling others.
4. If I have no works to prove my spirituality, then I must question the truth of my evaluations.

I must honestly review these points, and I invite you to join me. The purpose isn’t to condemn us, but to draw our attention to our need for the gospel; for the gospel alone provides the power we need to change. However, we must admit our need before the gospel can be applied. I need to be my sister’s keeper because if I refuse they may not see their sin! I see how much I lack compassion for others. Caring for and keeping our sisters takes time and effort, and it’s an effort I pray I will be willing to make. I also see how much I don’t pursue the input of others. All it takes is a simple question – have you made any observations about me lately that brings you concern? If you knew that I wouldn’t react sinfully to your observations what would you want to share with me?

I said this recently to my husband when we were on our way to have dinner with some friends. I mentioned that I felt I was missing out on growing in humility because he didn’t share with me observations I’m sure he makes on a regular basis. He said that he has grown used to me being the way I am, and honestly hadn’t paid attention. Ouch! I asked if he would pay more attention so that I could go deeper in pursuing repentance and change. He said he would. I felt really good having had that discussion with him – and I must admit quite “spiritual”.

Little did I know that I was setting myself up for some serious humility. It was during dinner that my sin was on display – loud and clear! In fact everyone at the table saw it but me! My kind and gracious husband was faithful to point it out to me once we got in the car. How did I react after asking for and then receiving his input? Sadly, I got angry at him! This showed me how much my evaluations of myself are not to be trusted. By God’s grace (the gospel) I was able to repent (although a couple of hours later) of reacting to my husband’s gentle rebuke.

I may say I’m ready to be spiritual and willing to embrace the correction of others, but I never know what’s in my heart until it’s tested. There’s an exam coming up for all of us, because God is faithful to complete the work He’s begun in us. Let’s study to show ourselves approved and practice biblical fellowship. The best place to start is in our own families!

Warning: this can be harmful to your pride, but that is the point isn’t it?

Posted by Debi

Our Children’s Struggle with Sin July 23, 2008

As with all the other sessions, so many things stood out to me. One thing though that Elyse shared, which I believe was a little sidetrack (but so much of the wonderful things were), that has continued to jump out at me; it was when she spoke about helping our children in their struggle with sin.

She was speaking about how we cannot really help someone else when we are essentially blinded by our own sin. If we do not first take ourselves to the cross our children are going to back off when we confront them. Elyse suggested that one of the reasons many kids in Christian homes struggle with sin is because they do not see their parents “struggling” with their own sin. They come to believe that their sin is unique and different than our sin and that Christianity doesn’t really work.

So, how can we help them. By approaching them humbly and letting them know before we confront them that we, not them, are the worst sinners. How often I go to my children accusing them and trying to get them to feel the weight of their sin. How infrequently I go to them in light of the cross, believing I am the worst sinner. When a friend shares with me their struggle with sin, doesn’t this encourage me in my own fight? If instead she came to me condemning me in my sin without offering the hope of the gospel, how helpful would that be? Yet many times I do this to my children. I pray now that I will begin to change and daily share the gospel with my children while I confront them in their sin.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the many opportunities you give me each day to share the gospel with my children. Please help me to take advantage of these times and free my children from their sin by leading them to you. Help me to always look first at the log in my own eye and remember that I am the worst sinner and to truly believe this. I want to correct and confront them not in pride and condemnation, but with humility and a heart of mercy. You have granted me freedom and shown me mercy beyond measure, please help me to extend this same grace to my children. Amen

Posted by Elyse

Ask Daily July 22, 2008

“Left to our own reasoning we think we are better than we are. God wants to strip us of our self-righteousness…” Elyse Fitzpatrick

This quote is one that I need to ponder often – ponder daily. Why? Because it is absolutely true! I do think that I am better than I am. With this being said, how can I ever hope to help my sister’s see their sin, when I’m unwilling to invest the time to see my own?

What does it look like to mortify self-righteousness? It’s daily asking God to show it to me. I can be sure that He will answer this prayer readily because in doing so He will be conforming me more into the image of His Son, Jesus, who was meek and lowly of heart. Although perfect He didn’t flaunt His perfection to everyone around Him. No, He laid His life down for us! How much more should I be willing to repent of self-righteousness (because I’m not!) and follow His lead.

If we can grasp this, not only will the quality of our friendships improve, but our relationship with our children will as well. I have often been tempted to expect or even demand that my children be like me: in how they act, how they clean, how they do what I want when I want it, and all the while displaying to them what a self-righteous mother looks like. The sad part is that as my children grew older they did start acting like me, and I realized what a poor example I had been to them. This is where the Gospel is what I need most!

Elyse said, “Look at what Christ has done for me! He was interested in my meaningless life and redeemed me! Don’t strip out what Christ has done – this is the power and foundation to do what I’m called to do.”

God, help us to embrace these truths and change as Your Spirit leads us!

Toothpicks July 21, 2008

This week we are continuing to delve deeper into the rich truths shared by Elyse Fitzpatrick at our annual Ladies Retreat.  Session Three focused on what the Lord taught us in regards to being our sister’s keepers.  Each day we will open our lives to you honestly sharing the areas that affected us the most.  Our hope is that as you hear our testimony you will be encouraged to share with others what the Lord is showing you as well.  Our first post is from Stephanie:

During the 3rd session at the Ladies Retreat, Elyse used an illustration about our sin. She said it is like the game where you have a name on your back that everyone else can see, except for you. Because the nature of our sin is to deceive, we are often blinded to the fact that we are even sinning! (Even though it may be obvious to everyone around us!)

It reminds me of times when I go to dinner with friends. One might say, “Hey…you have a poppy seed stuck in your tooth!” Which then gives me the opportunity to deal with that and move on. But if she doesn’t say something, I can go on the rest of the evening smiling and completely clueless that something so ugly is there! In that same way, the kindest thing I can do for a friend (or that a friend can do for me), is to gently point out that “poppy seed” (aka SIN) in her life – and to assume that she doesn’t even realize that it is there. We need to love one another enough to offer a toothpick of sorts.

Lord, help me to be the kind of friend that is faithful to share observations with others, as well as one that graciously receives correction. I am becoming even more aware of the deception of my sin and how easily I can be blind to it. Thank for You for showing us how to love one another in this way so that we may grow and become more like You!  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

A Lengthy Testimony…(so hold off till you have time ) July 18, 2008

I grew up in a loving Christian home. Yet a home of sinners. Our family experienced substantial heartache, due in part to the pain of unforeseen circumstances including my 21-year-old brother being paralyzed after a swimming accident and his tragic death 6 years later. But some of the heartache we walked through as a family was due to the consequences of avoidable sin. In my teen years I wrestled with both sides of the issue of why life was so challenging. By God’s grace, He helped me to avoid crippling bitterness and anger toward those whose sins resulted in the trials I walked through. But I had regular bouts with sinful attitudes, unbelief, embarrassment, self-pity, anger and proud bouts with why this was all happening to and around me.

In my mid 20’s the Lord graciously exposed me to teaching about God’s providence. I learned wonderful truths from scripture about His meticulous control over all the details of my life. I began to understand His nature and character as being wise, good and loving in everything – and that even the sins of others would be used by Him for my growth and good.

I remember the season over 25 years ago when God began to open my eyes to all the good that had come from those painful experiences being raised by wonderful, loving parents who – like me and my three siblings – were sinful and flawed. The Lord pulled back the curtain of my self-pity and unbiblical thinking to show me the beautiful work He had been doing in my heart, and how the things I had walked through had been used to prepare me for the future I could not see back then.

My parents sin patterns. My brother’s tragic accident. Not having a “normal” adolescence because I needed to care for our home and my younger brother due to Mom’s necessary pre-occupation with a paralyzed son. The lonely times when I couldn’t talk to anyone but the Lord in prayer. All the sadness and regret and perplexity. God was not only there through it all, but was using it all for my good! He had silently and secretly been working in my life, preparing me to become a pastor’s wife and mother of many children (who I wasn’t supposed to have due to infertility). He had been skillfully using everything – even all the sins of others – to draw me close to Him. Most importantly, he was allowing me to see the sinfulness of my heart even though I had grown up in a Christian home and hadn’t participated in many of the worldly things my peers were doing. My pride; my self-pity; my hidden anger and bitterness…all this was just as responsible for the Savior’s death as the “really bad” things my friends were doing.

Fast forward to last month when my new friend helped me to see my self-protection (again!). Days later I remembered what God did in my life 25 years ago. The more recent things we discussed over dinner that night came into focus. Was I grateful for the fruit that had come from my painful upbringing? Yes! Was I deeply aware of the fruit that had come from the more recent things I had walked through? Absolutely!

Then why would I want to protect myself from such a gloriously fruitful outcome…from things I wished hadn’t happened??? And, further, why would I want to protect myself from more such fruit, should God see that future trials and pain would be the very means God would use to bring about that fruit in my life?

Once again I’ve been seeing my pride. My God-playing. My idols of control and ease. My life is in His hands. He paid dearly for my life and it belongs to Him. He holds rightful control over what happens to me and to those I love, even when sin that the sinner is fully responsible for is involved. Whatever He allows near me is because He loves me and wants to grant my desire to be made more and more like Him.

So when I protect myself (or at least try to!) I may be “protecting” myself from situations, people and circumstances for which I will someday thank Him.

What is happening in your life right now…today…over the past month…or even many years ago that you find yourself wanting to make sure stops happening or doesn’t happen again? Whatever God has permitted is for your good and His glory.

And anything that isn’t for your good and His glory will be handled firmly and wisely by your very strong Protector.

Posted by Sheree