Stop Grumbling Against Sin

      So, you could say it’s been quite a while since I’ve posted anything on here, and you’d be right. It’s been 7 months in fact. Long story short though, those past seven months I have been quite busy with school. All last semester I focused my efforts on getting into the education program at the university I attend. I got into the program for this semester, and needless to say, that is what I’ve spent all my energy and focus on doing this semester. This semester just came to a close, so I’ve finally had a chance to slow down and make time to write a blog post.

      I will hopefully give a more detailed post soon, but today I wanted to share with you something I wrote for a class. My husband, Daniel, and I have been attending classes every Tuesday night at a satellite campus for the Georgia School of Preaching for the past several months. One of the classes was on the Life of Christ, and I had to write a paper on one of Jesus’ parables. I decided to write on the parable of the prodigal son. Now, when most people study or talk about this parable, they usually focus on the story of the son considering the title is “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.” They talk about him being greedy and wanting his share of the inheritance in advance, leaving home, squandering all his money in reckless living, and him coming to his senses and returning to his father to ask for forgiveness. Today though, I want to point out something about this parable that I think is very easy for people to overlook. Luke 15:1-3 starts out this way:

“1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ 3 So he told them this parable:”

“So He told them this parable”

      Think about that for a second. Jesus’ whole purpose behind telling the parable about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son was to remind the Pharisees of their duties as the spiritual leaders of Israel and to remind the sinners that they did not have to continue in their lives of sin and could always come back to God through repentance. So many times within the church, we grumble and complain about “sinners” who we deem unworthy to come to services because they might only come on Sunday mornings, or we know that they take part in sin openly, but the problem with that is that Romans 3:23-25 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

That passage in Romans tells us we have all sinned and come short of God’s glory. We cannot put one sin above the other and say that partaking in one type of sin is worse than another type of sin. Sin is sin. All sins are equal in the eyes of God. We cannot condemn those who take part in open sin any more than those who forsake the assembly. James 2:1-4 says, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” The same is with those who the Pharisees and scribes referred to as “sinners and tax collectors.” They deemed these groups of people unworthy and thus made distinctions between people like themselves and people like the sinners.

Today, in the Lord’s church we unfortunately still make these distinctions, but if a “sinner” walks into the assembly, please do not turn your back on them and deem them “unworthy.” You have to look at every moment as an opportunity to share the love of Christ with others, and if you are focused on condemning and judging them, you won’t see them as a person to share the gospel with, but rather you will be more likely to turn them away from the faith through your actions. We have to stop puffing ourselves up and patting ourselves on the back for always attending worship services anytime the door is open and then shaking our heads and giving sideways glances at those who don’t. Maybe those people have not felt truly welcomed or encouraged in their faith to go more often than they do. It’s one thing for the preacher to get up in the pulpit and preach about faithful attendance, but it is a whole other thing for individual members of the church to go up to those people who are struggling or who have fallen away and personally invite them to services or encourage them to sit with them during the lessons.

We have to stop grumbling, and start doing something about it. The preacher and the elders have their duties, but we have to get out of the mindset that the duty of encouraging struggling Christians and those who have already fallen away relies strictly on the elders. We have a duty to show love to our neighbors, and honestly if we are not doing all we can to save those who are lost, we are not following God’s word. We need to adhere to the words in Jude verses 22-23 “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” We have to stop being like the pharisees by grumbling and instead start saving others by snatching them out of the fire.

 

source

 

Here is the paper I wrote for the class:

The Wise Woman Built Her House Upon…

So Daniel and I have been married for not quite two months yet, and I have to admit as much fun as it is having a (possibly the best and coolest ever) permanent roommate, there have been a few tough times. These “tough times” have nothing to do with my husband and everything to do with me comparing myself to the world.

WAIT. Stop right there! Did I just say I’ve been comparing myself to the world? Yup, and where has it gotten me? I’ve felt pressured to have the “Pinterest Perfect Dream Home” with cute decorations everywhere. You know the ones… spotless, picture-perfect, quaint houses with adorable furniture, color schemes, wall decor, and more. Yeah, I can tell ya right now that our house looks nothing like those overly pinned houses on Pinterest. I mean as quick as I get one load of dishes or clothes washed it seems like I turn around to see a never-ending and always overflowing sink full of dishes or hamper full of clothes. sigh 

I’ve also been worried that my home-cooked meals are not cooked with as much care and love as those who “eat clean” by growing their own food in backyard-gardens or those who make everything from scratch rather than using canned green beans and boxed mashed potatoes from time to time. Who am I kidding, I use canned green beans EVERY time I cook green beans. Who has the time to grow them and cook them from scratch?! Not this girl, that’s for sure! HA!

For the first month of marriage I was still trying to put forth the time-consuming effort of wearing make-up every day, not because I thought my husband thinks I’m prettier with make-up on, because he has taught me more than anyone else that I am beautiful with or without it, but because I felt this intense pressure from all forms of social media, movies, and even girls I see in Walmart or on campus to not only wear make-up, but to also be good at applying it. Sorry, but I just have no skills in the make-up department. I only started wearing it in the seventh grade because somehow I had it ingrained in me that all girls have to start wearing make-up as soon as they become teenagers. That make-up-wearing led to a world full of skin problems creating horrible acne and clogged pores. And yet I continued to cover up my blemishes with MORE and MORE make-up only continuing the horrible cycle of damaging and irritating my skin. Sure, if I had never worn make-up I might have still endured acne, because most people do once they hit puberty and experience raging hormones, but if I had never started wearing make-up I think I would have become more comfortable in my own skin.

This post is not to knock those who have picture-perfect homes, or who have the time and energy to grow and cook their own food from scratch, or even those who love to apply make-up, but rather it is to reach out to all of you who think you have to be something the world tells you to be. I’m reaching out to you who feel the pressure of the world to be like the world. No, these “issues” I’ve dealt with are not evil in and of themselves, but the negative seed of doubt that has been planted by my worries of the world’s expectations is. 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:6-11 English Standard Version

I’m not saying these issues I have struggled with amount to the suffering being suffered by MANY other Christians around the world, but I am saying that Satan’s influence over the world does create problems for me, just like he does for all Christians who are trying to faithfully live for God. But while I was so busy worrying about the appearance of our house, and of my face, and obsessing over my cooking methods, I was little by little giving Satan’s influence MORE and MORE room to consume my thoughts and to create anxieties I was not giving over to God. 

Then tonight amidst all my cares over this world, my sweet husband reminded me of the words found in Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Unless I allow God to truly be the builder of this house and home, my efforts for this home and my small family of my husband and I are in vain. Unless I allow God to take full control over my worries and cares, my attempts to flee from Satan’s influence are in vain. I unfortunately had been so consumed with the pressure to be the “perfect wife and housekeeper” that I forgot who divinely inspired the words that describe the perfect wife and housekeeper. It wasn’t any pin you save on Pinterest, it was the Lord through King Lemuel’s advice from his mother in Proverbs 31:

¹⁰ An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She dresses herself^[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.^[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

The woman described here has her husband’s best interests at heart. She works with willing hands, she provides meals for her family, she clothes herself with strength and dignity instead of fussing over her outward appearance. She helps those in need, and teaches others with kindness. She always tries her best to take care of the household chores. Her husband adores her and lets her know her worth. She knows that outward beauty will fade and that God looks on the heart. She prepares her heart by keeping God first.

Am I so different from this woman? No, in many ways I have tried my best to be like her, but in some ways I have forgotten who gives the strength and dignity I should be clothing myself with. I have been trying to do this on my own. Even though Daniel is a huge help around the house and is always more than willing to help me out, I have still been trying to be a good wife on my own. We cannot be good wives or husbands without allowing God to rule our lives completely. As much as I try to “do everything myself” I still need God to build this house, not me. Proverbs 14:1 “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” Proverbs 24:3 “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” You see, when I try to do it on my own through my own wisdom, even if I’m doing my utmost best, it is still in vain and all for nothing if I don’t seek after God’s wisdom and truly begin to understand His will for me and my household. 

So, if you’ve been struggling with this as much as I have, I hope this has maybe helped you realign your thoughts with God’s word instead of giving room for the Devil’s influence to plant seeds of doubt in your mind. We can’t build up our households through our own wisdom; we must let God be the builder. 

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll stick around!

-Laura

Newly Weds and Now What?

I realize this title might almost sound negative. It’s not. Really! My husband and I have been happily married just over a month now, and it has been incredible so far. We are both so excited to be on this journey of living life together. BUT, now what? So many posts and articles out there chalk up not just married life, but life in general to be one fantastic ride that never has any downs…but aren’t the “downs” part of what makes the ride fun? You honestly can’t have a very enjoyable ride if you’re always on a steady incline heading no where but up, or on a boring ride straight ahead with no twists, turns, or bumps along the way, amiright? Or at least that is what I’ve been told considering neither I or Daniel ride roller coasters.

So what if I got backed up on laundry for a week the day we got back from our honeymoon because our washer machine broke? So what if some nights we don’t get a good night’s sleep because all five of our cats insist on sleeping with us and neither of us has the heart to tell them no? So what if I go home to visit my parents almost two hours away and forget my purse at their house, and my loving husband has to drive me back the next day for us to get it? So what if we’re both college students and in debt up to our eyeballs? Married life is obviously not easy, and we both knew that going into this. I’m sure there will be much worse to come over the years, but I’m also sure there will be wonderful undeniable moments of joy, love, and laughter. For all the better or for worse days, the sick days or the poor years we may have to endure over the next few years of college, marriage was a commitment we were both ready and excited to make… and now what?

Now, we meet each new day the Lord gives us with open hearts and minds. We wake up each day with willing spirits to do God’s will and lean on each other for spiritual help when we need it. We pray, pray, pray, always keeping God first and foremost in this relationship. We take the good with the bad, and we just go with the flow resting always in the fact that God is in control. We take the opportunities God gives us, and we give them our all and try to live our lives as living sacrifices for Him.

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galations 6:10).

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

You see, no matter how nice and incredibly perfect someone’s life may appear to be on the outside, we’re all struggling in our own ways on the inside.  Listen, I didn’t start this blog to post perfect paragraphs about perfect life stories, but rather I started it to give someone else a glimpse of something real. I’m sure there are thousands of more eloquent writers who probably have much more interesting things to write about, but if you’ve found yourself here reading this, I hope you’ll stick around.

So now…