Musings with PWC

How temptation and sin work in the believer. Here is the first thing to process:  you and I have ‘go-to’ sins—or signature sins.  These are the sins we will commit if we are going to sin.  For instance there is very little chance you might get drunk on Friday night, but highly likely you will express anger in an ungodly way to your kids.  This is because your signature sin is anger—not drunkenness.  Even more telling is that there is a strong possibility that your go-to sins are generational.  We’ve all heard this:  ‘that guy has a drinking problem just like his dad!’  Or, ‘she is a control freak just like her mother!’ We need to learn to defeat these go-to sins and crucify them.  Once we can list our go-to sins and learn what they are, we are ready to crucify them daily.  The longer we fight them, crucify them, and give them to Jesus—the weaker those sins become in us.  They gradually begin to lose their strangle hold o...

There are two ways to read the Bible. First, we read the Bible to gather information.  MOST of our Bible reading, studying, preaching emphasizes this.  A ‘mature’ person is generally thought of as one who ‘knows the Bible.’ Second, we read the Bible to be formed into the image of Christ.  This is formational reading.  This is very neglected in most of our lives.  However, this is a key need for spiritual growth.   You could look at the differences in this manner: Contemplation brings transformation Intellectual study brings wisdom We need both!  However, as I said, the majority of our efforts are given to the intellect! 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthi...

Are there people that you find particularly annoying?  People that—well—really bug you?  People that you wish you didn’t have to meet and see?  What are we supposed to do with these people? There are three things that we might consider:  1.  Annoying people are plants by God.  God is wanting to do something in you—and uses annoying people to do it.  God is not beyond making your life miserable through other people.  Yes, that is actually true!  God sees character flaws in you and uses an annoying boss to change you.  God wants to develop patience in you so he asks you to work with the youth in your church.     Prov 27:17. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. 2.   They are annoying because we let them be annoying.  I have often wondered why we let annoying people carry on the way they do.  You see everyone thinks they are annoying but no one tells them.  No one sits...

Zonky escaped—but Mr Grumpman caught him and brought him back.  Zonky was our pet turtle whom we found in the middle of the road —down the ‘Jordan Hollow’ on the way to granddad’s house.  We were actually in granddad’s car when we stopped, rescued this turtle, and took him home.  We made a pen for him around a tree in the back yard and got out some red paint and painted ‘Zonky’ on his shell. I’m telling you about Zonky because of the deep theological truths he represents.  Zonky represents why God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden when life as humans—as we know it began.   Simply put—if God had not put that tree in the garden, Adam should have been called Zonky.  Are you ready?  Follow me: God—rich in mercy, abundant in kindness, the true definition of love —creator and sustainer of all and everything—created man for one purpose—-LOVE.  More specifically, to be a recipient of love.   Now the ...