Category: Satan’s Schemes

Three Root Causes of Bitter Roots-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you- Ephesians 4:30-32 NASB

Hebrews chapters twelve and thirteen are home to some of the most practical bits of wisdom in all the Bible. The writer encourages all sorts of smart behaviors including living at peace with others, practicing hospitality, cooperation with church leaders, sexual purity and obedience to God (Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:16, Hebrews 13:1-2, Hebrews 12:25). The writer also cautions against foolishness like getting caught up in weird doctrine, greed and sinful living (Hebrews 12:5, Hebrews 13:9, Hebrews 13:17). 

All good stuff. 

The writer also warns readers against allowing a “bitter root” (Hebrews 12:15) to develop in their lives. Some consequences of a “bitter root” include missing the grace of God (yikes) and responsibility for the “defilement” of others (double yikes). 

Anyone who has lived long enough to acquire a little wisdom understands exactly what the writer is saying when they warn against bitterness. If a Christian (or a heathen) chooses to make their home in the bitter barn, they cannot help but become spiteful, judgmental, negative, hard-hearted and a challenge to get along with. Bitter roots also cause us to become deeply disappointed with God (Ephesians 4:31). These are all simply the natural consequences of choosing bitterness (Acts 8:23, Job 10:1). 

If bitterness is not dealt with these mindsets become a permanent part of the bitter person’s heart. This creates hurt, pain and confusion in those in closest proximity to the bitter person. Family almost always gets the worst of it. Most what we think of as generational curses are caused by a bitter root that never got dealt with. It is critical we understand the roots of a bitter root so we can be healed emotionally and spiritually. Healing allows us to live in freedom and pass on a legacy of spiritual and emotional health to the next generation. Following are three roots of a root of bitterness: 

Unmet expectations-

Everyone has expectations. Most folks do not know enough about themselves to know what their expectations are. Knowing what we expect out of life is critical. When we know what we expect from God, our spouse, our adult kids, friends and church family we can easily figure out if expectations are reasonable and fair. Oftentimes we (subconsciously) expect God to bless us with wealth and comfort. We want our friends and spouses to be perfectly tuned in to our needs. We expect our adult children to express gratitude for all our effort and churches to understand and meet all our spiritual and relational needs. These expectations are wildly unrealistic in a fallen world. Other times our expectations are more realistic. We anticipate that our spouse and friends will be loyal, our adult kids will be kind, and our church leaders will behave in a way that is respectable. Although, these expectations are reasonable they are not always met in a fallen world (Romans 3:23). Whether our expectations are reasonable or crazy town, it is critical we learn to recognize when they are not being met so that we can guard against the bitterness that naturally occurs with unmet expectations. 

Trauma-

Trauma is the biggest and most understandable cause of a bitter root. That said, just because something makes sense doesn’t mean we should allow it to become a permanent part of our personality. God cautions against bitterness partly because it steals the joy of living. The last thing a hurting person needs is to have their ability to enjoy life stolen after they endured a trauma.  Traumatic events would include (but are not limited to) rape, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, physical abuse, being denied basic needs (food, water, shelter) and severe mental abuse. It is typically necessary for trauma victims to get help from a professional to move past the very real effects of trauma. Unfortunately, many in our generation have dumbed down the definition of trauma to include events that are disappointing and difficult but not truly traumatic. These events include (but are not limited to) being left out, feeling unheard and not having our expectations (reasonable or unreasonable) met. Those who have experienced disappointment or hurt made need help as well moving past their pain as well. All counseling should have the end-goal in mind of bringing the person to a place of inner peace and forgiveness (more on this later).  

Betrayal- 

Anytime we experience betrayal there is an opportunity for bitterness to take root. This is doubly true if the betrayal was at the hands of someone who should have cared about us, like a parent, spouse, child or close friend. Betrayal needs to be worked through with a wise friend, pastor or Christan counselor to prevent bitterness from becoming permanent.

Bitterness doesn’t happen in a vacuum. 

Bitterness is enticing precisely because there is oftentimes a real reason to be bitter. Only a few insanely sensitive people become bitter without cause. This reality makes it even more critical we fight to be free of bitterness.  

Ultimately, bitter roots are a result of unforgiveness and a lack of spiritual healing (Jeremiah 17:14, Colossians 3:13, Luke 6:37, Psalm 30:2). In order to forgive and get free of bitterness we must receive the truth that God is not the author of evil or sin (Matthew 18:6, Luke 17:1-2). God weeps with those who weep. He was not asleep at the wheel when that person hurt us. Additionally, God will not allow an unrepentant evil person to go unpunished (Isaiah 13:11, Psalm 81:15, Jeremiah 2:18, Luke 20:47, 2nd Thessalonians 1:8-10). When we understand deep in our hearts that God is not the author of our pain it becomes easier to trust Him and let Him exact punishment on those who have caused us pain.   

Five Satanic Schemes that Wear Down the Saints-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour- 1st Peter 5:8 NASB

The devil or Satan (his proper name) is an oddly divisive subject in some Christian circles. There are Christians who deny the existence of an actual being who is the enemy of God called Satan or the devil. Expectedly, these same folks are not sold on the whole notion of demons either. These folks tend to view the whole notion of Satan, demons and the spiritual realm as more of a symbol of evil rather than actual evil beings who hate God and create trouble and chaos for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). 

Here’s the thing.

In order to maintain that belief, we must ignore one-hundred thirty-nine references to Satan, the devil and demons found throughout Scripture. We must also choose to believe Jesus was tempted by a symbol in Matthew chapter four and casting symbols out of people in all the references to demon possession found in the four gospels. I just can’t buy into all that. The wiser option (in my opinion) is to understand that knowledge is power and learn what we need to learn about combating evil and living free of Satan’s schemes. One verse that gives a great deal of insight into Satan and his schemes is Daniel 7:25. It says:

He will speak against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One- Daniel 7:25

Contextually this verse is speaking of the last days or the time just prior to the return of Christ. It is also speaking about the man (possessed by Satan) who will be known as the anti-Christ (Matthew 24, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5, 2ndThessalonians 2:1-9, 2nd Peter 3:3). For the record, I do not know if we are in the last days or not (more on that later). However, I do know Satan has schemes he’s been using since the dawn of time to “wear down the saints” (Job 1:6-7, Ephesians 6:11, 2nd Corinthians 2:11). I also know the frequency and intensity of those schemes appears to be increasing. Some of Satan’s schemes are obviously evil, others are more of an attempt to keep God’s people busy with activities that are irrelevant from an eternal perspective but bring exhaustion in the here and now. If God’s people are aware of the following five schemes, they will be less likely to be worn out by them.

 The first is:

Trivial pursuits- 

This is one of Satan’s most successful schemes. This is one of those that is not obviously evil or bad. Most of the trivial things we spend time on (social media, sports, extra-curricular activities, online shopping, entertainment) are not in-and-of themselves bad or evil. They are just trivial and mostly irrelevant. If done to excess, they are exhausting and can become harmful. Entertainment and recreation are not sinful. They can be means of rest (Exodus 35:2). However, if these things are done to excess, they will also leave us without the time or energy for things and people that are essential to our mental and spiritual health.  Satan doesn’t want us involved in things that bring life, peace and flourishing, Things like Christian community, serving in church, Bible study and family time. To prevent burnout and getting worn out it’s critical we prioritize the essential rather than allow the trivial to take over. 

 Relentless drama- 

One of Satan’s preferred schemes is to bring constant and unending problems, difficulties and persecution into the lives of God’s people. The unending difficulties are meant to bring spiritual exhaustion, spiritual burnout and a desire for sin (James 1:13-15, Galatians 6:9). The remedy is to draw closer to God the harder life gets. Leaning into God in the midst of trials intensifies our faith, builds our character, expands our empathy and basically just turns Satan’s scheme back on him (Romans 5:3-4, 2nd Corinthians 4:17, James 1:2-3, James 1:12). It’s a beautiful thing when Satan’s schemes backfire on him. 

Prayerless spirituality- 

Prayer is meant to be the engine that powers every aspect of our Christian existence (Psalm 145:18, Matthew 26:4, 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:6-7). Satan loves it when a Christian neglects prayer because without prayer God’s people are forced to operate out of their own power, strength and wisdom. At our strongest we are weak and the best human wisdom is foolishness compared to what the Holy Spirit has to offer (1st Corinthians 1:25). When we make a regular practice of prayer Satan is at an immediate disadvantage because prayer gives us reservoirs of strength and wisdom that make us spiritually stronger, wiser and more discerning (2nd Corinthians 4:17, 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10, 2nd Timothy 1:7).  

Persecution-

Persecution is an obvious act of spiritual warfare. It’s also the easiest and most effective way for Satan to “wear down” God’s people. That being said, when Satan works God works harder. Persecution is also a means God uses to spread the gospel (Acts 8:1-3, Romans 8:28). The best thing Christians can do when is experiencing persecution is to pray for opportunities to share the gospel and trust God no matter what happens. 

Lack of belief in the spirit world- 

No one resists something they don’t in believe in. If we don’t resist the enemies schemes, we are guaranteed to become causalities in the war (James 4:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, 2nd Corinthians 10:4). 

Here’s the thing:

We don’t know if we are living in the end times (Matthew 24:36). The craziness we’ve experienced in recent years might be nothing more than a blip in God’s timeline. However, we do know for absolute certain we are closer to the end than any other generation. As we draw closer to the end it is critical believers trust God, practice spiritual discernment and keep their armor on (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

What does the Book of Exodus Teach us about Spiritual Warfare in Real Life?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed- 1st Peter 4:11-13 ESV

I recently started reading through the book of Exodus with a friend. It’s been a minute (as the kids say) since I read Exodus and whenever I reread a book I haven’t read in a while God reveals some new insights. So far, its chapters four and five that have captured my attention. 

In chapter three God introduces Himself to Moses by means of a bush that is on fire but does not burn up (weird). God then promised Moses that the Hebrew people would be liberated after four hundred years of slavery and suffering in Egypt. The whole chapter is (for the most part) pretty upbeat and positive. God does indicate there will a few hiccups along the way (Exodus 3:19-21). Even with those caveats God’s promises to Moses are awesome. The Hebrews will leave Egypt; God will give them a land flowing with “milk and honey “and they will collect great riches as they leave Egypt (Exodus 3:21-22).   

It’s all good.

In chapter four God begins to reveal His plan to Moses.  It all starts with requesting Pharaoh allow the Hebrews to go into the desert to worship God.  God does mention something (almost in passing) about hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Turns out this was a critical bit of information.  

In chapter five everything appears to go sideways. Moses goes to Pharoh. Who was not at all inclined to dismiss his workforce even for a church service (Exodus 5:1-5). Then Pharaoh fights dirty. He accused the Hebrews of laziness and having too much time on their hands. He increased his demands, now insisting the slaves provide their own straw for the bricks, adding more labor to an already labor-intensive process. The Hebrews did not handle this initial hardship well. They grumbled and complained and even accused poor Moses of deliberately trying to ruin their lives (Exodus 5:20-21).

It’s kind of an unpleasant read.

Mostly because these two chapters are more than just biblical history, they are also an example of what spiritual warfare often “looks like” in real life (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:10-18, James 4:7, 1st Peter 5:8, Daniel 10:12-14). There are at least two principals regarding spiritual warfare we can glean from these chapters:

When the spiritual stakes are high obedience doesn’t always mean immediate victory-  

In this narrative Moses obeys God to the letter: he goes to the people, and in the beginning, the people believed Moses and responded in a faithful fashion (Exodus 4:31). Then everything went south. Pharah was disrespectful, spiteful and just plain mean. The people’s faith fell apart in short order. Once their faith began to unravel, they turned on Moses and accused Him of intentionally causing them harm. Moses responded to this development the same way many people tend to respond to difficulty following an act of spiritual obedience. He doubted God and even accused Him of wrongdoing (Exodus 5:22-23). Moses forgot (just like we tend to) that we are playing a spiritual long game. The rewards for obedience in this life are seldom immediate and in some cases obedience to God results an even tougher time in the short run. When evil rages and the going gets tough we must cling to the promises of God and choose to live by faith rather than sight (Habakuk 2:3, Psalm 37:5-6, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Romans 8:28-39, Hebrews 11). 

When the spiritual stakes are high things get ugly fast- 

The people involved in this story (even Moses) did not really understand what was at stake in their situation. God wasn’t just keeping a promise He made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15:13-14). God was doing more than showing compassion to a group of people who were being oppressed. He was doing more than building a new nation. God had a bigger picture in mind than any of that. God was literally laying the foundation for the redemption of the human race (Genesis 3:15, Romans 8:2, Revelation 1:5). God had promised the Messiah would come through the nation of Israel (Genesis 18:17-19, Genesis 22:17-18, Genesis 49:10). No nation of Israel means no Jesus. No Jesus means no redemption. Therefore, the spiritual stakes could not have been ANY higher.  When the spiritual stakes are high the enemy of our souls (Satan) fights hard and dirty.  It was true then and it’s still true today. This means that if you are “going through it” right now there is probably more at stake from a spiritual perspective than you are capable of understanding. When Satan fights hard and dirty it simply means God has a bigger plan for everyone involved. 

 This matters because I believe that the number one reason people give up on God and the Christian life is disillusionment. We obey God, pray like crazy and trust God for big things and everything falls apart. Life gets tougher and our trials become more intense. Then the enemy swoops in and tells us God doesn’t love us (Zephaniah 3:17, John 3:16, Romans 8:37-39). Satan whispers in our ear that God is not on our side and the Christian life is just a pointless waste of time. All lies (John 8:44). Truth-be-told, the harder things get from a spiritual perspective the more likely we are to be in the will of God. Spiritual difficulty may also indicate we are closer to Jesus’ return and our redemption than any of us can imagine (Luke 21:1-28). 

How do we Survive the Unrelenting Ickiness of this Age?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”- Revelation 21:4-5a NASB

I’ve been a little down in the dumps lately and I haven’t been able to figure out for the life of me why. There have been no recent calamities in my life.  Like every human on earth, I have some personal stuff I’m dealing with but most it has been around for a while and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I’ve learned to manage those realities.  

I prayed about it, and I got my answer in record time. 

God showed me that it wasn’t one big, ugly thing that been responsible for my recent stay in Dumpsville. It’s a whole bunch of little things.  

I’ve spent more time than is wise scrolling on social media lately (I know, not smart).  This has caused me to become much more aware of a whole bunch of things I would love to know nothing about.  I have been assaulted by a whole lot of weird perversion that has not only been normalized but is also being celebrated with wild abandon (Romans 1:18-32). Thanks to the internet I know all about polyamorous relationships. I also know about some really sketchy uses for IVF (invitro fertilization) and what happens to all the unwanted leftover humans created in the process (Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 2:10). There are a lot of really mean, insanely intolerant people who are convinced behaving in a hateful manner is somehow the agreeable, kind, loving thing to do. Too many people appear to be entirely focused on themselves, their feelings, their needs and their rights (Philippians 2:3-4). Because people are so focused on their own feelings and rights petty revenge has become alarmingly common and celebrated (Luke 6:31, Romans 12:19). Apparently, forgiveness and turning the other cheek is for nincompoops and losers (Matthew 6:15). Don’t even get me started on the division and hate in the political realm. I will never shut up. 

 Thankfully, Jesus predicted all this. He also warned what the outcome could be.

Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold- Matthew 24:12 ESV

I used to think this verse meant that in the last days there would be a lot of law breaking and good, Godfearing people would be harmed by it. This would cause their love for and trust in God to just kind of dissolve. 

 I have rethought my original interpretation. 

Now I think Jesus foresaw that the day would come when people would no longer follow long-accepted rules of human decency. Jesus knew people would become merciless, vengeful, cruel and extraordinarily petty. He also foresaw the day when wicked people will believe they are morally superior to anyone who does not act just like them (1st Timothy 3:1-5). Living in a world with all those mean/lawless/self-righteous people will cause those who love God to become cold towards God and hardhearted towards other humans. This is kind of where we are living right now.

So, what do we do about it?

Do we scream and cry? Rail against the evils of our time? Grieve what we’ve lost as a society? Yes. Those responses are all thoroughly appropriate. However, we can’t stay there. I am convinced that getting stuck in repulsion, rage and/or despair over the ugliness of life is how we eventually end up with cold hearts towards God and people. 

Instead, we must commit to a couple of things. We must commit to learning and living out the word of God. Knowing the Bible helps in a couple of ways. It keeps our expectations about what life in this world is going to be like reasonable. The Bible is clear: THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO IMPROVE.  People will get eviler, and the moral climate will devolve (Matthew 24:37, 1st Tmothy 4:1, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5). That being said, the Bible does more than focus on the bad. The Bible also gives us the hope we need to endure to the end (Daniel 12:1-13, Matthew 24:13,1st Peter 2:19, 1st Corinthians 10:13). This world with all its unrelenting ickiness is not our home, nor is it forever. Someday God will make all the wrongs right, He will dry our tears and reward those who were resolutely faithful to Him in spite of the difficulties (Matthew 25:21, Proverbs 12:22, 2nd Corinthians 4:16-18). 

It’s also critical we stay faithful in prayer. We are in a spiritual battle and prayer is the most effective weapon we have at our disposal (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Prayer keeps us faithful in affliction and steadfast in times of testing (Matthew 26:14). When we make a regular practice of taking every hurt, every concern, every fear and every point of confusion to God in prayer it becomes the solution to all the ickiness around us. God may not take away the ickiness. However, if we ask Him to, He will give us the strength we need to withstand the evil and the wisdom we need to fight the darkness with His love and grace (John 13:35, 2nd Timothy 4:7). 

It is also critical we battle against the “if you can’t beat em join them” mentality that is so quick to take root in the human heart. We fight the temptation to become like the people around us by making a steadfast commitment to love God and people (Matthew 22:34-40). We fight it by choosing to become less like us and more like Jesus.  When that happens all of heaven rejoices and all of hell shudders. 

Satan’s Best Schemes-Updated for the Next Generation

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment


So that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes- 2nd Corinthians 2:11 NASB 

A scheme can be defined as:

An underhanded plot or a plan, program or policy that is officially adopted and followed. 

 Satan has schemes (Ephesians 6:11, 2nd Corinthians 2:10-11, 1st Peter 5:8) and it certainly feels like he has a lot of them.  However, in reality, Satan really only has a short list of policies, programs, plans and plots. All his schemes are clever (in a terrible kind of a way) and cleverly designed to discourage people from getting into right relationship with God and/or keeping them from becoming all they were created to be. 

Although Satan’s schemes are relatively few in number, he has been refining and honing his strategies since the dawn of humanity (Genesis 3). As a result, he’s a pro at what he does. Satan’s best schemes are (and always have been) unforgiveness, distraction, distortion of God’s plan for sexuality, self-pity, division and idolatry.  There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Nonetheless, in recent years Satan has updated how he presents his best schemes for the latest generation. Following are the newest twists on some of Satan’s old favorites:

Unforgiveness- 

Unforgiveness is a winner for Satan because unforgiveness is a spiritual poison that slowly destroys our souls and makes us unfit to do anything good or life-giving with our lives (Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 18:21-35). Choosing not to forgive keeps us inwardly focused and trapped in a prison of bitterness and hate that severely limits our potential and turns us into an ugly distortion of what God intended us to be (Hebrews 12:15).  In recent years Satan kicked all this up a notch by rebranding unforgiveness and hate as a weird kind of self-care. Satan (and the people he uses) want us to believe forgiveness is weakness and broken relationships are an indicator of “good boundaries” and “self-respect”.  This lie has led an entire generation into believing that refusing to forgive is somehow healthy and will bring them peace. It’s a brilliant but entirely devastating strategy. 

Distraction- 

There is nothing Satan loves more than a good distraction. Distraction is designed to take our minds off pleasing God and loving the people in our lives (Matthew 22:34-40). Distraction from those two things allows all kind of chaos and sin to take root in our own lives and the lives of the people we love most, especially our children. At one time Satan was limited to distracting us with basic things that still mattered to some degree, like work and recreation. Since the invention of the smartphone now we are frequently distracted from the things that matter most and the things that used to distract us from the things that matter most. The result is lives wasted on futility and meaninglessness.  

Distortion of God’s plan for sexuality-

God’s design for sexuality is not complicated and has not evolved over time. It’s one man with one woman for a lifetime (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Ephesians 5:30-31). Satan has never been a fan of this plan because life-long fidelity and devotion will always produce good mental health, strong families and stable societies, and he hates those things.  However, in recent years Satan has put a new and clever spin on sexual deviancy by convincing folks that their sexual choices are not really choices at all but rather genetic and therefore unchangeable. This has led to all sorts of insanity including laws that forbid discussion about sin and how to get free of it. It’s also led to a lot of despair with people feeling trapped by behaviors they could get free of through a relationship with Jesus and some in-depth discipleship training.

Self-pity-

Satan has always adored self-pity because, if it’s allowed to fester, it embitters and ultimately turns the individual against God. When someone allows self-pity to take root, they cease taking responsibility for their own choices and blame God for every problem they have. Instead of looking to God for comfort and help they turn God into the source of all their misery and pain. This in turn makes them feel justified in turning to sin and substances (bitterness, cynicism, drugs alcohol, pornography, etc.)  to make themselves feel better. Self-pity went mainstream a few years back when the powers that be began elevating victimhood into a virtue. People have been taught that there is nobility in being a victim which makes the self-pity that goes hand-in-hand with victimhood a badge of honor rather than a spiritually dangerous indulgence (Ephesians 4:31, Acts 8:23).

Division- 

Satan has always treasured hatred and division. Division destroys friendships, churches and families (Jude 18-19, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5) Now that politics has become a religion to so many, even some Christians feel justified in dividing over the stupidest, most worldly, most temporal thing imaginable: politics. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. 

Idolatry-  

Satan loves idolatry because whatever we worship quickly becomes our number one priority and we will do whatever that idol demands in order to please and appease it. Thanks to a clever crusade courtesy of Satan no one in the western world worships weird little statues anymore. Instead, people worship themselves. Which just happens to be the most dangerous form of idolatry of all. Mostly, because there is no end to the depravity, selfishness and evil that can dwell in the human heart. When a person is living entirely to please self, they can justify a lot of evil in the name of self-care, wellness, good mental health and self-actualization. 

We cannot stop Satan from scheming, but we can resist his schemes (James 4:7, Ephesians 6:13). We resist the schemes of the enemy with holy, righteous, God-honoring behavior and love for all people (Hebrew 12:14, Romans 12:1, John 13:34, 1st Corinthians 13, Romans 13:8).  Resisting Satan’s schemes empowers us to become all God created us to be and, in the process, we show a dying world the way to life.  

It’s a win-win. 

Six Prayers Every Prodigal Desperately Needs Someone to Pray for Them-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord, “And they will return from the land of the enemy.  There is hope for your future,” declares the Lord, “And your children will return to their own territory- Jeremiah 31:16-17 NASB

Prodigal. 

In the Greek it means “wasteful”, “extravagant” or “reckless”. 

A prodigal is anyone who knows about God who has chosen to live their life apart from God. Spiritually speaking this type of living is extravagantly “reckless” and “wasteful”. Christians most commonly use the word prodigal to describe a child who grew up in a Christian home and has chosen to walk away from what they were taught (Luke 15:11-32). 

There are a lot of prodigals in this world (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). 

Some have chosen to ignore God and live their lives as if He doesn’t exist, others openly rebel against Him (Psalm 14:1). Sadly, a good number of prodigals have walked away from their families as well.  The reasons for the spiritual defection are varied. Some had negative experiences with church as children or young adults that soured them on Christianity. Some prodigals simply love sin more than they love God. Some had questions or concerns about Christianity that never got answered. Still others have been ensnared by a toxic therapy culture which encourages people to ditch anyone or anything (including God or the families that raised them) that does not make them feel great about every choice they make. 

To the people who love them a prodigal is a walking heartbreak. 

The most valuable thing anyone can do for a prodigal (child, sibling, friend or parent) is to pray for them. No one has ever been talked out of a life of sin, self-interest, or debauchery. Nonetheless many people have been prayed out of such things and into the kingdom of God (Romans 8:26, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11).  Sometimes family members find themselves at loss as to HOW to pray for their prodigal. The spiritual condition of a prodigal is precarious. They have willfully denied truth.  This choice will lead nowhere good without an intervention from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, hard prayers are very much in order. Following are five prayers every prodigal needs someone to pray for them daily. 

Pray they will weary of worldliness and sin-

When we choose not to follow God we always choose worldliness or sin of some sort. The thing about sin and worldliness is that they will never satisfy the soul, bring peace or deliver what they promised. Truth-be-told, worldliness and sin do the exact opposite, sin always leaves the sinner in turmoil and wanting more. Pray your prodigal will experience in their soul the emptiness of sin and weary of the life they have chosen. 

Pray their pride will be broken-

Anyone who looks around at the way this world was created and chooses to conclude there is no God is irrational and arrogant (Romans 1:18-20, Psalm 14:1).  Those who believe there is a God but also believe they do not need God or are above bowing their knee to God is bloated with pride (Proverbs 16:18). One or the other of these scenarios is a reality with all prodigals. Those who love a prodigal must pray that God will do what needs to be done to get their prodigal to a place where they set aside their pride and submit their life to the leadership of the God who made them (Luke 15:14-20).  

Pray they will be surrounded by people who know and love God-

Because of pride and/or shame few prodigals seek out their family members for advice or spiritual wisdom even when they want or need it. Therefore, it is critical every prodigal has at least one person in their life who loves Jesus. We must pray that God will surround our loved one with spirit-led Christians who will love them with the love of Jesus and speak truth to them. 

Pray deception will be lifted so they can see the truth- 

The goal of Satan is to blind people to the truth of God so that they will reject God (2nd Thessalonians 2:9-10, 1stPeter 5:8). Satan uses lies and deception to keep prodigals from seeing where their choices will eventually lead them. It is critical we pray that the any deception the enemy is using to divert or deceive our loved one will be lifted so that are capable of seeing spiritual and moral truth. 

Pray they will see the underbelly of whatever lifestyle they have chosen over God- 

Many prodigals leave what they have been taught about God to embrace a lifestyle that is contrary to biblical teaching. Those lifestyles are often centered around sexual immorality of one sort or another (promiscuity, adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism). All these lifestyles feel good (at least in the beginning) but they all have an ugly underbelly, a dark side that people need to see so they will want to break free of spiritual bondage that accompanies those choices.  Pray your loved one will have the eyes to see what’s wrong and icky with the life they have chosen.

And finally, 

Pray they will come to understand how deeply God loves them. I am convinced prodigals never really knew God or understood how much He loves them. If they did, they would never have walked away. Pray your prodigal will come to understand the depth of the love God has for them (Zephaniah 3:17, John 3:16, Romans 8:37-39, Ephesians 2:4-5) Knowledge and gut-level understanding of God’s love is total gamechanger in the life of a prodigal. 

Every. Single. Time. 

The Big Uglies that Lead to Bigger Trouble-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new- 1st Corinthians 5:16-17 NKJV

Most Christians get what sin is.  

The most basic definition of sin is disobedience to God’s commands. We sin when go our own way and do our own thing with no thought to God and His will for His creation (us). Because we are endlessly creative in our degeneracy it is nearly impossible to give an exhaustive list of ALL the possible sins. Some classifications of popular sins would include sexual immorality, deceit, murder, and idolatry. 

Here’s the thing though: 

Sin is much more complex than a simple act. There’s always a lead-up. No one just wakes up one day and out of the clear blue sky decides “today I will commit murder”. The book of James tells us that sin has roots. James calls these roots “desires”. Some translations use the word “lusts” (James 1:15, James 4:1). 

I call them the big uglies. 

The big uglies are the attitudes and aspirations that, if left untended eventually give birth to life destroying sins like adultery, bitterness, murder, greed, deceit and slander. If we allow ourselves to entertain these attitudes sin is without question knocking at our door (Genesis 4:7). 

The top five spiritual uglies are:

Pride-  

Pride is perhaps the most pernicious of the uglies. Pride was the sin that transformed Lucifer into Satan (the deceiver) and got him thrown out of heaven (Ezekial 28:12-15, Isaiah 14:13-14).  Pride is easy to spot in others but difficult to see in ourselves. Prideful people see themselves as more important than others and therefore entitled to certain rights and privileges others are not allowed.  Prideful people are reluctant (to the point of unwillingness) to admit wrong even when it’s painfully obvious, they are wrong. Prideful people (sometimes called narcissists) refuse to humble themselves, or admit fault (Proverbs 29:23, 1st Peter 5:5-6). Prideful people believe in their heart-of-hearts they are better than others. This makes them unforgiving and unwilling to extend grace (Matthew 6:15, Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 18:4). A prideful person will do ANYTHING to save face and come out on top. Anything includes (but is not limited to) big sins such as lying, controlling others, slandering and boastfulness (Leviticus 19:16, Psalm 101:5, Romans 1:3, Revelation 21:8). God despises pride (Proverbs 6:16-19, Luke 14:11). 

Rebellion- 

Rebellion is the stubborn rejection of legitimate authority. Rebellion is the big ugly sin that led to the fall of mankind (Genesis 3). Rebellion is closely related to pride. Rebellion begins with a prideful belief that “I know what’s best” and usually ends with a determined unwillingness to take “no” for an answer. Rebellion eventually manifests itself in open defiance towards all authority including God. A rebellious person has an “it’s all about me” view of life. They have no respect for authority, rules or the needs of others.  God puts rebellion in the same category as witchcraft. Rebellion is ultimately a veneration of self and therefore a super icky form of idolatry (1stSamual 15:23). 

Selfish ambition-

Selfish ambition is the yearning to create a following for oneself.  It’s a longing to be a big deal. Selfish ambition hurts the church because the selfishly ambitious person is mainly interested in using Jesus to become well-known and well-thought of (Philippians 1:17, Galatians 5:19-20, Philippians 2:3). Selfish ambition sometimes looks like “spreading the gospel” or “growing the Kingdom”.  It’s not. Those things always lead to peace, flourishing and healthy community. Selfish ambition, on the other hand always leads to strife, envy and conflict in the church (James 3:14-16).  The whole point of Christian leadership is to point people to Jesus and help them grow into the image of Jesus (Ephesians 4:11-12). At the end of the day a selfishly ambitious leader is always more interested in elevating themselves than Jesus. 

Jealousy- 

These days most folks see jealousy as more of a character defect or a moral shortcoming rather than an actual sin. However, God sees human jealously as one of the foulest and most dangerous of sins. Jealousy or envy is deeply rooted in the sin of covetousness (Exodus 20:17). Jealousy is never content with what it has (1st Timothy 6:6, Hebrews 13:5). It wants what others have and will stop at nothing to get it. The pharisees were so profoundly jealous of Jesus authority and influence they murdered Him (Matthew 27:18). A truly jealous person cannot stand to share the stage with anyone. 

 Self-reliance-

Self-reliance is when we choose to do any part of life without consulting God through prayer and Bible study for direction.  Self-reliance is choosing to lean on our own flawed understanding of the world rather than seeking God’s wisdom and moral insight (Proverbs 3:6). A self-reliant person often sees God’s commands as cumbersome and difficult rather than God’s way of protecting His people from harm. This stupidity harms the self-reliant person and creates chaos in the lives of those they lead and influence. 

Here’s the thing about the big uglies: 

Literally, ANYONE can get entangled in a big ugly (Hebrews 12:1). Seriously. Some of God’s best and brightest drifted toward pride, rebellion, selfish ambition, jealousy and self-reliance (David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Peter). The key to avoiding the attitudes that lead to us (and those we love and serve) to hell is a gut-level commitment to sticking as close to Jesus as we can possibly get. No one can escape the appeal of sin without God’s help. Therefore, it is imperative we make God, prayer, God’s word and intimacy with God our number one priority. 

Some Practical Do’s and Don’ts for Making a Spiritual Impact in a Messy World-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.  Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person- Colossians 4:5-6 NASB

In a very real sense, the world has been a chaotic muddle since the day Adam and Eve chose to go their own way and do their own thing (Genesis 3). In that instant the world (and the people in it) fell under the dominion of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 6:10-12). Consequently, no one should be surprised by the debauchery and folly of humans. 

That said. 

Things are getting worse.  Don’t get me wrong, there’s still good in the world (more on this later). Nonetheless, we are still solidly located in the heart of Satan’s territory and righteousness has lost a lot of ground in recent years. This means good is thought to be evil, and evil is thought to be good by the majority (Isaiah 5:20). It also means leaders lack wisdom and many folks have gone entirely feral. Leaders are moving towards greater control, less personal freedom and a more self-serving view of leadership. Many are okay with domineering leaders simply because they don’t see another way to manage the lawlessness (Matthew 24:12). 

These facts make it more critical than ever for Christians to live like we were called to live and to be wise in how we behave towards others (Matthew 5:14-16, John 8:12, Philippians 2:14-16, 1st John 2:9-10).  Today I want to share a couple of dos and don’ts that will help make that happen.

First and foremost: 

Pray like crazy-

Things are looking up in the spiritual realm. There’s been an uptick in folks repenting and committing their lives to Jesus. There is movement towards a more common-sense view of gender even amongst some non-Christians. Church folks seem to be taking God a lot more seriously. The word sin is making a comeback (at long last). Every single one of those things is an answer to some frantic prayers prayed between 2020 and 2024. That said, this is NOT the time to be complacent where prayer is concerned. Complacency is what got us into this mess in the first place. The enemy despises a spiritual victory and he’s certainly not going to let up because people are getting saved and/or embracing common sense (1st Peter 5:8). The enemy will double down on his agenda. These means we must double down on our prayers (Matthew 26:41, Ephesians 6:10-19, Philippians 4:6). Spiritual wins are never a result of what people do. Spiritual wins are always a direct result of prayer and seeking God’s empowerment. 

Don’t deify politics-

There is a drift in both conservative and liberal spheres towards a form of politics that looks and feels a lot more like religion than old-fashioned politics. Christians simply cannot go there.  I am not suggesting politics are irrelevant. At some point every Christians politics should begin to align with the Bible, if they don’t something is terribly wrong. However.  Politics never once saved anyone from their sin and depravity. Only Jesus can do that. Politics are a social construct corrupted by wrong thinking, self-interest, greed and a desire to control others. This means that if we cling to our politics with the same or greater passion than we cling to our God (Joshua 22:5, Matthew 22:23) there is zero chance we will ever really learn to think biblically about anything. We will also be guilty of idolatry.  God will not bless idolatry. If you live in a country where you can vote, do so. Stay informed on political issues, it’s good stewardship. That said, Christians must be a hundred times more passionate about spreading the gospel than about spreading political ideology. 

Don’t squabble about politics publicly-

Seriously. Just don’t. I have nothing against a lively political debate, I’m even okay with a wee bit of occasional squabbling. It’s how humans work tough stuff out.  However, when Christians bicker amongst themselves about politics online it sends the message that Christians cannot agree on anything, even dumb worldly things (John 17:20-21). If you wish to disagree with a fellow Christian over politics, do it the old-fashioned way. Take the argument offline and debate the issues over a nice meal or a cup of coffee. This keeps things much more civil. It also keeps family business in the family. This policy will assure Christians don’t just look unified. It will actually make us unified.

Seek unceasing and deep transformation-  

When we make a commitment to Jesus our focus should become making Him known. Making Jesus known to the world is the mission of Christianity (Mark 16:15). However, if our desire to make Jesus known is not coupled with an equal (or greater) desire to be transformed into the image of Jesus we will spread an understanding of Jesus that will be more of a hinderance to the gospel than a help (Romans 12:2). Therefore, it is imperative we seek God daily for His help in this area and ruthlessly obey the commands given in Colossians 3, Romans 12 and 2nd Peter 1:5-11. 

And finally, don’t be content with how things are. We must make a daily practice of asking God for more in our lives, our churches and our families.  We cannot let ourselves be content with a little bit of revival, a smattering of Bible knowledge or a dash of righteousness. This is not the time for half-hearted attempts at seeking God or doing His will. This is the time to go after God’s presence, His righteousness and His will for our lives with everything we have in is. 

The New Idol Worship-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments


Little children, guard yourselves from idols– 1st John 5:21 NASB

I will not lie. 

I find many of the opinions expressed in public forums deeply troubling.  As a general rule, people from every walk of life have become meaner, more illogical, more merciless and more pigheaded in their opinions concerning pretty much every topic under the sun (Proverbs 29:22). 

No matter the topic. 

People have always gotten worked up the over “hot-button issues” like sex, politics and religion. However, now folks get just as worked up over trifling issues as well. An article entitled, “The Ten Ugliest Colors to Paint a Bathroom” is sure to create a hullabaloo when seemingly ordinary people become completely unfettered from reason and good manners because the writer judged their color choice “ugly” or “outdated”. If a young wife wants advice on getting her husband to help with household chores, many will simply advise her dump the bum and move on. If a person believes something to be true it becomes “their reality” or “their truth” regardless of contradictory evidence. No one is permitted to drag logic, science, God or the law into any discussion regarding an individual’s “reality”. If a person believes themselves to be a cat the world is obliged to provide them with a litter box and a drinking bowl. 

No questions asked. 

Even more alarming, there is zero mercy for parents (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:10). If the parents of an adult child politely choose not to affirm and/or celebrate their adult child’s choices the parents are swiftly declared toxic and given the old heave ho. Overnight society has devolved into a carnival of dysfunction and a cavalcade of vindictiveness. It certainly feels as if the Apostle Paul was on to something when he wrote these words: 

In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly- 2nd Timothy 3:1-5

A few short years ago it would have been a stretch to say this verse applies to a more than a few grumpy weirdos. Now it feels like the apostle Paul has been scrolling our social media feeds. The current state of affairs begs a couple of questions, including:

How did we get to a place where people are so opinionated and insistent their opinions are the only correct views? 

Why is rudeness and even cruelty suddenly okay with so many people? 

Why are so many adult children no longer speaking to their parents?

Why do. people believe everyone has their own little reality?

Trigger warning: 

I suspect that what follows will be offensive to some. So here goes: we are where we are because of idolatry. The idolatry our culture has embraced with wild abandon is not the run-of-the-mill kind of idolatry one reads about in the Old Testament. Modern humans actually invented a new idol (Romans 1:30a).

It’s our feelings.

Our tendency to make feelings into a god we worship is reflected in every aspect of modern life. Everything we do is centered around how ideas, situations and people make us feel. 

If a pastor “offends”, members of the church start looking for a new church where the pastor understands them. Few churches share the gospel anymore because effective evangelism always involves telling people the hard truth that they are filthy-rotten sinners who need to be saved from their filthy-rottenness (Numbers 34:14, Romans 3:23, 1stJohn 1:10).

God forbid anyone hear that little bit of bad news.

 If someone is the least bit annoying on social media or in real life we are encouraged to “unfriend” them online and in-person (Ephesians 4:32). If a spouse disappoints in any way, the world tells us to dump them and find someone who gives us good feels and understands our needs.  If a historical fact makes a minority uncomfortable, society will cheerfully remove all evidence of said history from the public square. Parents and teachers have quit telling kids “words can never hurt them”. Instead schools have aided and abetted the madness by helping kids to hide from ideas and people that make them feel uncomfortable or bad about themselves. Parents have worked their tails off to make childhood as idyllic as possible. Then everyone wonders why the little nippers don’t feel like growing up and taking adult responsibility for anything (Proverbs 13:21, 1st Corinthians 13:11). 

Sigh.  

Fidelity to the god of our feelings comes at a high price. It has ended polite civil discourse. It has broken up families, made it impossible to effectively call out sin and left an entire generation of young people emotionally and even intellectually crippled. 

Yikes.

The only way to deal with an idol is to cast it down and reverse course before it’s too late. 

All the Why’s Behind Philippians 4:8-9

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking- 2nd Peter 3:1 NIV

It’s way above my paygrade.

Nevertheless, sometimes I wonder about the “why” of some of God’s commands. Most of the “why’s” are easy. Thou shalt not murder is self-explanatory (Exodus 20). 

But what about our thoughts? 

God takes a clear interest not just in what His people do, but also in what they think about.  The New Testament is jam-packed with instruction regarding our thought life. 1st Corinthians 13 tells us Christian love thinks the best (1st Corinthians 13:4-7). Jesus instructed His followers to be cautious about what thoughts they choose to entertain and regularly called out wrong thinking. (Matthew 5:28, Matthew 6:34, Luke 5:20-22, Luke 9:46-48). Romans 12:2 reveals the key to pleasing God and walking in His will, ultimately lies in what we think about. The apostle Paul straight-up commands followers of Jesus to think about things that are “pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy”. That command is followed by a promise of blessing for obedience (Philippians 4:8-9). Anytime God promises blessing for obedience we ought to pay special attention to that command. It’s critical we figure out why that issue matters so much to God. 

This one can be confusing because the inside of one’s head is a controlled and confined space no one has access to except the one doing the thinking.  No one is obviously harmed by a mean thought, so why do our thoughts matter so much to God? The answer essentially boils down to four issues. God cares about what we think because: 

Our thoughts are like the check engine light on a car-

Our thoughts can serve as a spiritual warning system. Optimistic, benevolent and compassionate thoughts reveal a healthy spirit and hearts that are probably mostly focused on God, God’s Kingdom and the well-being of others. Conversely, paranoid, lustful, suspicious and distrustful thoughts are often an indicator of a much bigger and more worrisome spiritual problem. At best these types of thoughts reveal a lack of connection to the Holy Spirit, at worst they reveal systemic sins that require deep repentance.

Our thoughts ultimately shape us- 

To ancient Jewish people the “heart” was much more than an organ that pumped blood. The heart embodied all that a person was. The heart was a person’s thoughts and the feelings that were produced by what they thought about. The heart was their inner-person (Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 4:23), it was the part of the person that determined all of their actions. Jesus said that it is out of our heart that we speak and do evil. In other words, our thoughts have a shaping influence not just on our actions but on who and what we become (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45) 

Satan can do a lot with just a little bit of wrong thinking- 

The psalmist begins Psalm 73 by acknowledging that God shows special favor towards those who are “pure in heart” or in the modern vernacular that means: “good on the inside as well as the outside”. His acknowledgment is swiftly followed by an awkward confession: the psalmist divulges he came dangerously close to losing his spiritual direction because he spent too much time thinking on the (seeming) success of the arrogant and wicked.  His observations regarding the apparent affluence of wicked people morphed into wrong thinking about God which nearly caused his “spirit to become embittered” towards God (Psalm 73:21-22). The whole messy spiritual mess started with some thoughts that should have been reined in and prayed over before they had a chance to run wild and give birth to bitterness and hate (Hebrews 12:15, Ephesians 4:30-32). 

Assuming the worst about others creates a spiral that ends in serious sin-

Choosing to think the worst about others without rock-solid proof of wrongdoing is not discernment. It is a choice that gives the devil a foothold. A choice that often leads to fear, paranoia and even evil behavior (Ephesians 4:26-28, 1st Peter 5:8). This is because anytime anyone allows fear and/or paranoia run wild they run the very real risk of losing touch with reality. Such was the fate of King Saul. He basically projected all of the evil of his own heart onto David. This caused him to think the worst of David, his wrong thinking initiated a spiritual death spiral that led to a bunch of murder attempts and ultimately Saul’s insanity. Anytime we find ourselves assuming ill-intent of others without rock-solid proof we run the risk of becoming a Saul. No wants to be a Saul. Saul was a hot mess.

The apostle Paul understood it is impossible to have a pure heart while thinking mean, lustful, anxious, paranoid or suspicious thoughts (Psalm 24:3-5, Matthew 5:8, Matthew 6:25-34). Therefore, a critical spiritual discipline is learning how to take our thoughts captive to Christ (2nd Corinthians 10:5). We take thoughts captive through a process of analyzing what comes into our minds and asking ourselves some questions about those thoughts:

Is this thought noble, pure admirable, kind or praiseworthy?

At the end of the day will this thought produce something wholesome and life-giving?

Am I assuming good intent?

Am I the worst motives in this situation? 

If this thought is permitted to run wild will it produce some sort of death in my life? Such as the death of a relationship, my character, my purity, or my reputation? 

If the answer to question 1-3 are “no” or the answers to 3 or 4 are “yes” the thought needs to be taken directly to Jesus. ASAP. We need to ask Him to cleanse us from our unrighteousness (Psalm 51) and ask Him to help see people and situations through His eyes. Learning to pray through what we think about produces a pure heart and ensures God’s favor in our lives (Proverbs 22:11).