Confession and Revolution – Purity 1373
Purity 1373 06/12/2024 Purity 1373 Podcast
Purity 1373 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of a sailboat on the open seas at sunset comes to us from Tara McKeever O’Sullivan who shared this scene from a family vacation on social media back on March 6th, earlier this year.
Well, It’s Wednesday, and I thought the sailboat masts in this photo were enough of a peak to visually represent our arrival of another midweek summit, so Happy Hump Day. Anyway, I am happy to report having a day of food plan success on Tuesday after unexpectedly going off the rails into a candy andc arb laden food binge on my commute home on Monday evening. I tend to learn things the hard way and have to do so repeatedly before a conviction to “not do that again” kicks in and I am hopeful that I added another lesson to my extensive course of studies in the school of hard knocks. I am not the person I used to be, but I am still a work in progress, but I am increasingly learning that my old comfort-eating ways of the past are no longer a part of my “true self”.
My body and mind have been changed and those old habits seem to cause increased levels of pain that I wasn’t as aware of or sensitive to in the past. Yesterday, the morning after I ate several candy bars, a few slices of cake, some cookies, an ice cream cookie sandwich, and some crackers and cheese dip (full confession can be a long list – yikes), I felt physically ill. As I was trying to mentally soothe myself and not beat myself up for the previous day’s failure, I reminded myself of the victory I had over other addictions of the past and tried to comfort myself by pointing out that I was at least not suffering from a drinking binge hangover like I used to in days gone by. But as I suffered from my body readjusting to life and meeting the demands of the workday, I realized that I was hung over! I was suffering from a food binge hangover! My feelings of sickness that almost caused me to call it a day and go running home for rest was the response of my body shaking off the effects of infusing it with the junk food-nutritious equivalent of an all-night bender. I had the “sugar shakes”! It was only after I drank copious amounts of water, had some wholesome vegetables, and went through most of the day, did I feel like I was okay again.
Just like the alcoholic who realizes that the booze he continues to drink is killing him, I realized in a new way how these sugar/carb-rich food binges are not good for my body and really need to stop. So, I confess my fall, suffering, and victory as I did not add insult to injury by making similar mistakes nutritionally last night. On the contrary, I was positively comforted by the vegetables and protein that I had last night that are “on plan” reminding me that I know the truth that can set me free for good, if I just make the revolutionary choice to choose it.
Speaking of revolutions, The Chosen’s “Get Used to Different Student Guide” that I’m reading had some great points about following Jesus that I want to share with you today: In addressing how Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount wasn’t the message people may have expected, The Chosen Team writes (quoting the shows dialog):
“… Jesus clarified: “I said revolution, not revolt. I’m talking about a radical shift.”
Indeed, Jesus came to establish the new kingdom the nation of Israel was waiting for.
But not the one they were expecting.
People do indeed sometimes reduce Jesus’ message to a nice, manageable checklist that goes something like this: pray a prayer, get saved, go to church, go to heaven.
But life in Jesus’ kingdom is so much more. So. Much. More.
Following Jesus cannot be reduced to a simple checklist. In fact, it includes being willing to do things that are new, even contrary to what you were expecting-like loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you. And Jesus never said to just pray a prayer, get saved, and then keep living the way you had been before you met Him.
Instead, He says, “Follow Me.”
Follow Me and you’ll experience a life worth living. Follow Me and I’ll show you the beauty of turning the other cheek. Follow Me and you’ll see the power of forgiving those who’ve wronged you. Follow Me and you ‘ll know the peace of giving and receiving unconditional love. Follow Me and you’ll gain strength that comes from surrender. Follow Me and you’ll have joy in the midst of suffering.
That is what life is like in Jesus’ kingdom.
And it’s revolutionary.” (Get Used to Different Student Guide, The Chosen Team: Covington, Bennett, Hershberger, Claypool, Mallerna, Campbell, & Murdock, 2024).
Yes, it is! It’s revolutionary to see the error of your ways – to see the sins of your former ways of life and to choose to turn from them – to find a new way – that may not be easy but that will lead to peace and joy and to you becoming the person you always wanted to be-the person that God made you to be – your true self.
But it is not easy- we need God’s help – and the Chosen team even offered this prayer to help us to ask God for his help – so let’s pray it together:
“Jesus,
I desperately want to follow you and be part of your Kingdom. Help me join your revolution, here and now. I admit that change is scary and is sometimes really hard. But, deep down, I know living in your Kingdom is the life I’ve always wanted. Help me live it today.” (Get Used to Different Student Guide, The Chosen Team: Covington, Bennett, Hershberger, Claypool, Mallerna, Campbell, & Murdock, 2024).
Amen
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse come from the section on Divorce.
Malachi 2:16 (NASB)
16 “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
Today’s verse falls under the third point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Divorce.
3. God hates divorce.
Today’s verse spells it out pretty clearly – God hates divorce. So if you are in a contentious marriage, try not to deal treacherously with one another and instead choose to love and serve one another. I recommend Gary Thomas’ Sacred Marriage to those who need wisdom in this area – It’s a Christian book on marriage that helps us to understand that marriage may have been intended by God to help make us holy rather than happy and it just may help couples in trouble to see the value of what they have in each other and in their marriage and it just may help save what seems lost and that can help heal what is broken.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
MORNING READING: ROMANS 16
“For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and
flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”
– Romans 16:18
O, to be faithful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! O, to be so acquainted with the Word of God that I shall never be deceived by smooth words and flattering speech. Lord, hear my prayer to You.
“Such … serve … their own belly.” This applies to anyone who takes the name of Christian for ulterior motives, base interests, or sensual indulgence.
“Smooth words and flattering speech.” Is it any wonder that the apostle declares, “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4-5).
“The hearts of the simple.” The unsuspecting – those who do not test the spirits to see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).
Lord, help me to be always alert to the wiles of the Devil.[1]
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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