Category: Spiritual health

The Hidden Costs of the C-Word

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up- Daniel 3:18-19 NASB

Nobody likes to talk about the C-word in churchy circles anymore.  However, we live in a time and place that pretty much openly demands God’s people compromise on the things that matter most to God (Matthew 10:33, Romans 1:16, Hebrews 2:3).  We live in a world where simply having the “wrong” political views can get one canceled by family, friends and coworkers. This makes the temptation to keep one’s faith and views regarding hell, sexuality and the belief in one God and one way to that God on the downlow are greater than they have been since the days of the early church. No one outside of Christianity believes in absolute truth anymore. This means Christians are surrounded on all sides by those who believe in their heart of hearts it is perfectly okay to behave however they please, identify as whatever they please and believe anything they please (2nd Timothy 3:1-5).  None of these folks are okay being told they are wrong (2nd Timothy 4:3-4). This reality intensifies any desires we might have already had to keep unpopular religious perspectives quiet (1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-20, Ephesians 5:5).  Complicating things further, humans were created by a relational God to be relational beings (Genesis 1:26-27). Therefore, it is hard baked into human nature to want to be liked and accepted by others. Sadly, the enemy of our souls knows this about us. If we allow him to, he will use our desire for to be liked and accepted by others to his advantage by bringing social shame and sometimes even persecution for holding the “wrong views.

That being said.

The stakes are high when it comes to compromise.  There has not been a time since the days of the early church when it was more critical for Christians to be bold in their faith and live lives free from the sin of compromise (Revelation 2:26). We live in a world where the vast majority of people are literally dying from lack a lack of biblical understanding (Hosea 4:6). Those of us who know Jesus were put on this earth to spread truth to those living in ignorance (Matthew 5:15-16, Acts 13:47, 1st Peter 3:15).  Letting go of the desire to compromise to keep the peace or make life less messy is not easy.  It becomes easier when we clearly understand the hidden consequences of compromise.

Loss of spiritual credibility when prayers are answered and people turn to Jesus-

When non-believers finally get to the place where they choose to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, they do not turn to the Christians who worked hard to be inoffensive and milk-toasty about their faith. They tend to ignore those folks, sometimes even viewing them with derision. Instead, new believers run with a spirit of gratitude to the Christians who never failed to hold up a standard of righteousness and truth (2nd Timothy 2:4, Titus 2:1). This does not give anyone permission to be disrespectful, needlessly harsh or unloving in the way they present the gospel (1st Peter 3:15, Ephesians 4:15). The goal of Christianity is to be thoroughly loving in how we approach unbelievers with truth (1st Corinthians 16:14, 1st Peter 4:8, Colossians 3:14, 1st John 4:19). That said, we are also told to be thoroughly honest concerning the consequences of refusing Jesus’ gracious offer of salvation (John 3:18, Romans 1:20, Hebrews 3:12, Acts 16:31). When love and truth are combined with holy boldness we will eventually reap the rewards of a beautiful spiritual harvest  (Galatians 6:9).

We lose opportunities to influence others-

Jesus was crystal clear in his teachings: this life is not really about this life. This life is vapor that is really all about the next eternal life (James 4:14). How we choose to live, who we choose to help and how we choose to influence others with the gospel will all help determine what eternal life is going to look like for us (Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 10:29-31). When we choose to compromise on truth for the sake of safety or keeping the peace, we are really exchanging eternal pleasure and blessings for very limited short-term gain.

And finally,

We miss out on the blessings of doing God’s work on earth-

Eternal life is something every Christian should look forward to with joy and anticipation. However, it is not the only blessing we experience as Christians. One of the most profound blessings we experience as Christians is the blessing of knowing we have been a part of someone else’s salvation story. When we share our testimony and lead others to Jesus, we are literally doing God’s most important work here on earth. Leading another person to Jesus is the most satisfying thing a human being can experience in this life. Sadly, spiritual and moral compromise eliminates many opportunities we might have had to share the gospel with others. Even if we do get the opportunity to share the gospel moral and spiritual compromises make us less credible witnesses.

Standing up for what we know to be real and true can be difficult and even a little intimidating. It’s also a key to living a truly satisfying Christian life. Living for Jesus is what we were made for and when we do what we were made for there’s a joy and satisfaction we cannot get any other way.

How Personal Peace Changes Everything and the Steps to Getting it-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus- Philippians 4:6b-7 NIV

Wholeness. Peace. Harmony. 

All the above words have three things in common: 

The words all kind of mean the same thing.

They are concepts our culture is obsessed with. 

They all represent a biblical ideal even people who have zero interest in the Bible long for.  

There are at least three really great reasons Christians should aim to live a life of wholeness, peace and harmony. First, feeling a sense of wholeness and peace is a sign we are living our lives in alignment with Jesus. Second, it just feels good to live at peace with God, oneself and other people and feeling good is good. And finally, (and most significantly) when a Christian possesses personal peace, it is a powerful demonstration of the power of God in our personal lives. This makes having peace, wholeness and harmony a real gamechanger from an evangelistic standpoint.

The equivalent biblical word for peace, wholeness and/or harmony is the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom is defined as:  

Completeness, wholeness, well-being, and harmony. Shalom is not simply an absence of war or conflict. It is a holistic state of flourishing that impacts all of life: relational, physical, familial, and spiritual. In the original Hebrew, “shalom” is derived from a root that conveys the idea of being whole, finished, or made complete.

Shalom is more than an Old Testament ideal. Shalom (peace) is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Shalom is a result of knowing God every Christian can experience. It kind of goes without saying in this blog (but I’m saying it anyway) that genuine peace always begins with a relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7, Acts 10:36). That said, it is possible to know Jesus without ever really experiencing the peace (shalom) He came to bring us (Romans 5:1). We acquire peace when we: 

Come to terms with our past- 

Everyone has a past. Few humans make it through this life without undergoing some sort of loss, trauma, disillusionment and/or hurt. It’s just how the cookie crumbles in a broken, sin-sick world (Genesis 3, Romans 8:20-23, Psalm 107:37). One way we find true peace is by taking a hard look at our past experiences and grieving the things that need to be grieved. We have all done things or had things done do us that are worthy of grief. We find closure from our pain when we ask God for the help we need to heal from those experiences. Refusing to examine our pain and heal from it ensures we will continue to hurt ourselves and others (Romans 7:21-25). This steals our personal peace and keeps us from experiencing the wholeness that leads to harmony with others. 

Let go of the notion of perfect external peace- 

Nowhere in the Bible is anyone promised a life without trouble from external sources (Matthew 6:34, John 16:33, 2nd Corinthians 1:3-5). It is possible in Christ to live a life free of INTERNAL conflict. However, the notion of a life without trouble or pain is a myth (John 14:27). This world is broken and bursting with sinners.  Regrettably, the secular world does not acknowledge this immutable reality.  The secular world tells us the secret to perfect peace is to shrink our world down by eliminating anyone or anything that jeopardizes our external peace. This lie is at the root of the estrangement movement. People think they can achieve perfect peace simply by eliminating the people and things they don’t like or feel are problematic (John 15:12, 1st John 4:20, James 2:13). That’s not how it works. God calls us to “live at peace with all people as much as it depends on us” (Romans 12:10, Romans 14:19, Hebrews 12:14). We are not told to ditch the people who threaten our peace but to LIVE with them in the healthiest way that can be managed. This means we work out our junk with people (Proverbs 10:12). It means we forgive and choose not to sweat the small stuff (Colossians 3:13). It means we ask God for the ability to love the unlovable (Luke 6:32-33). Encountering the tough stuff of life or difficult people is not an indication we’ve done anything wrong. Learning to love difficult people is how we become like Jesus (Matthew 11:19, Ephesians 4:32, 1st John 4:19).

Understand that Shalom does not come from violating biblical principles- 

Shalom is a beautiful byproduct of living our life in alignment with Jesus. This means a Christian cannot willfully violate God’s instruction in any area and experience the peace and wholeness that comes from living life God’s way (Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 16:24, Romans 12:1). God knows perfection is beyond our grasp and therefore He is gracious and merciful (Psalm 103:8, 2nd Chronicles 30:9b, Isaiah 30:18, Hebrews 4:16). He does not demand we get it right all the time.  Nonetheless, when we do our best to live like Jesus lived and obey like Jesus obeyed, we do get to experience a sense of peace and wholeness that surpasses all human understanding (Philippians 4:6-8). This reality makes obedience worth the cost. 

And finally, 

Forgive as you have been forgiven- 

We have been forgiven by God so that we can be transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 12:2, 2nd Corinthians 3:18). It’s what the whole Christian thing is all about.  Jesus forgave everyone, all the time (Luke 23:34). When we take our cues from Jesus and choose to forgive those who have done us wrong, we lose all the resentment, hostility, indignation and depression that comes from holding onto unforgiveness. In return we get wholeness, peace and harmony. t’s a beautiful trade. 

t’s the sweetest of deals. 

Five Signs of Good Spiritual Health-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment


A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart- Luke 6:43-45 NLT. 

Here’s the thing:

It is totally possible to be a Christian and be a flaming-hot-mess spiritually speaking (James 1:8).  Unfortunately, salvation does not automatically make one spiritually healthy, wise or able to walk out the commands of Scripture without some help and training. All that comes with sanctification (Romans 6:17-22, 1st Thessalonians 4:1-4). Unless someone is saved immediately prior to death (Luke 23:39-43) sanctification is a life-long process all Christians must go through in order to become holy in their actions and attitudes (Romans 12:1-21, Colossians 3:1-25, 1st Peter 1:13-16, 1st Thessalonians 4:1-8). Because sanctification is so critical most of the Apostle Paul’s letters were written to take unruly and spiritually unhealthy believers to a place of spiritual maturity and holiness (Hebrews 12:14, 1st Thessalonians 5:14). Paul understood that flaming-hot-spiritual messes do not glorify God, lead people to Jesus or become the salt and light they were created to be (Matthew 5:13-15, 1st Peter 1:13-16). 

So, what does spiritual health look like? 

Some would say the answer is found in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s difficult to argue against that logic. No Christian with an iota of biblical understanding would be opposed to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The apostle Paul was spot on when he said that “against such things there is no law”. However, every fruit is an outward behavior that can be faked. Therefore, unless the fruits are combined with deep spiritual work aimed at heart change those behaviors are just outward goodness absent any authentic heart change (Matthew 7:21-23, 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15). No one wants that. Following are five signs of good spiritual health:

We Understand the waywardness of the human heart-

Scripture teaches even the nicest people have hearts bent towards self-deception (Jeremiah 17:9, James 1:22-24).  This basically means the heart wants what it wants and will do a lot of shady maneuvering to get what it wants. All this can get done with very little (no) sorrow about the choices involved in getting what it wants. Even God-fearing Christian people are capable of an insane level of self-deception.  Self-awareness is key when it comes to our hearts. We must make a practice of ruthlessly examining our motives and thoughts (2nd Corinthians 13:5). When we learn to examine our motives and thoughts for self-deception, we automatically become less prone to sin and therefore more spiritually healthy. 

We seek to align with God on every issue- 

The Greek word for repent (metanoia) does not mean what most of us think it means (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Acts 3:19). Most of us have been taught that “repent” means to change one’s behavior and go another direction. In reality, “repent” means “to change one’s mind”. Once our thinking is aligned with God’s heart on the issues then we are to go in the direction God’s word tells us to go in. The meaning of this one little word teaches us one can be truly obedient to God unless they are in alignment with His revealed truth. This means we should ask God daily to reveal areas of our thinking that are out of alignment with God’s revealed truth. Proper thinking on the issues of life is the foundation spiritual health. 

We love others deeply but know that love is more than friendliness or being “nice”- 

Christian love is difficult in a culture that has redefined love to mean “being nice” or “affirming” a person’s choices no matter how stupid or unbiblical those choices happen to be. Authentic Christian love believes the best of people, fights endlessly for the good of others and prays like a lunatic for those who are lost and hurting.  However, authentic Christian love never affirms or celebrates any behavior, or attitude Jesus did not affirm or celebrate (1stCorinthians 13:4-7). 

We have a moral compass informed by Christian truth- 

We live in an upside-down world that has redefined morality. There are many voices teaching abortion is a gift, greed is good, homosexuality is just another relationship option, and gender is a choice mortals get to make. These same people teach that hate is acceptable (even virtuous) so long as the hatred is aimed at those who disagree with the social standards of our time (2ndTimothy 4:3-4, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5). This makes it absolutely necessary followers of Jesus develop a moral compass independent of popular culture and fully informed by the Bible (Psalm 119:105, Matthew 7:24-26, Hebrews 4:12). 

And finally, healthy followers of Jesus must:

We seek to be filled with both grace and truth- 

Grace loves people unconditionally and truth tells them where their actions and attitudes will lead. It is no easy task to do both at the same time. Jesus is our guide when it comes to this issue. One of the first things the Apostle John tells us about Jesus is that He was filled with both grace and truth all at the same time (John 1:14). Our Lord was not filled to overflowing with grace some of the time and bursting with truth at other times. He was always gracious and He was always truthful. Spiritual health demands we strive to do the same. 

Three Game Changing Commitments for the New Year-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you- Exodus 12:2 NASB 

I tend to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the New Year, although this was not always the case.  As a child I was fascinated by the whole concept of the New Year.  The notion of getting of a brand-spanking-new-year complete with an opportunity to self-improve felt like a gift to my immature brain. Young Lisa would daydream endlessly about becoming a better person in the new year and swear off all of her bad habits.  These dreams tended to lack any real strategy. Young Lisa did not yet know hope is not a replacement for strategy and hard work.   As a result, young Lisa’s high hopes for a better version of herself would typically be dashed no later than mid-February, when her resolutions to eat less sugar and be nicer would fall to pieces in a frenzied fit of cookie eating after yelling at one of her brothers. 

As a young pre-Christian adult all the New Years hullabaloo felt like a societal construct designed to shame people into doing things they should do all the time, not just at the new year. New Years eve also felt like a weird excuse to overindulge one last time before dealing with the results of all the overindulging that was done in November and December. After becoming a Christian, I found myself frequently annoyed by those who I (secretly) felt over over-spiritualized the new year with “words from the Lord” and Christianized versions of New Year’s resolutions. I also felt a lot of shame over my judgmental spirit. 

Sigh.

All that to say New Years themed posts have never really been my thing. The few I have written I don’t like very much, and if the number of reads they received are any indication, neither does anyone else. Nevertheless, this year I feel inspired to set my curmudgeonly ways aside and try again.  My inspiration is taken from Exodus 12:1-12 where God gives His people parameters for the Passover feast. The instructions given (if followed) would save every first-born in the land from certain death. The Passover feast was more than just a set of instructions regarding a particular situation. Nor was it just a celebration of God’s power or commemoration of a miracle. Passover was also intended to be the start of the New Year for the Israelite people (Exodus 12:2). Imbedded in God’s commands for the Passover are some incredibly useful guidelines that if put into practice become a real gamechanger for any new year. Those guidelines include:

Making a daily commitment to doing life God’s way – 

God’s instructions in Exodus 12 are insanely specific. Nothing was left to chance, nor was there a lot of wiggle room for interpretation.  Everything from the choice of the entrée to what they were supposed to wear while eating the meal were commanded by God. This indicates to me that the life of faith is not meant to be a DIY affair (Leviticus 18:4, Deuteronomy 7:11-12, Matthew 16:24, John 14:23-24). There was only one way to observe the feast of Passover. There’s only one way to get right with God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1st Timothy 2:5) and there is only one way to live a life of faith (Matthew 7:13-14). One very practical way we can commit to doing life God’s way daily is taking passages such as Romans 12, Colossians 3 and 2nd Peter 1:3-11 and make them our blueprint for day-to-day living. 

Make Christian community a priority-

Exodus twelve teaches that the life of faith is meant to be done together, rather than solo. No one was allowed to celebrate the Passover alone. Every family was to check in on the other families around them to make sure that everyone was with someone during the Passover celebration. This is (in my opinion) an indicator into exactly how important community is to those who wish to follow Jesus.  When we have close relationships with other Christians we are protected from false teachings because most false teachers tend to do their most damaging work secretly one-on-one with newer and weaker believers (2nd Peter 2:1). Community also safeguards believers from discouragement (2nd Corinthians 13:11, 1st Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-26). It also ensures our views are challenged in a way that can only make us better and wiser (Proverbs 27:17). It is no surprise that the greatest growth in the early church occurred when the church made relationship and community a very high priority (Acts 2:42-47). 

And finally, 

Make a commitment to be ready for whatever God brings along- 

The Passover was to be eaten fully clothed and in a state of readiness (Exodus 12:11). No one was to be barefoot or beltless. The idea was that everyone should be ready to hit the road the second God commanded it. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jesus frequently warned His followers of the dangers of not being ready to do His will or for His return (Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:35). God promises blessing and favor for those who choose to be ready to do His will no matter the season (Psalm 119:173, 1st Peter 1:3-6, Revelation 19:7). Therefore, there is no better commitment we can make all year long than to be ready and willing to do whatever it is God is calling us to do at a moment’s notice.

The Biblical Definition of Humility-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you- 1st Peter 5:6 ESV

Humility, is not, nor has it ever been a particularly popular subject. Nobody really likes it. If humility were a person, it would be the really decent, down-to-earth guy or gal everyone respects but no one wants to talk to at a party because they are just a little too good and that makes everyone else feel bad.

It’s just not fun. 

Nevertheless, after a recent trip through 1st Peter where humility is a reoccurring theme.  I felt compelled to dig a little deeper into what God has to say about humility. 

The words “humble” and “humility” are used a total of eighty-three times in the Old and New Testament. Humility or the state of being humble is always linked to blessing when embraced (Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 15:33, Zephaniah 2:3, 2nd Chronicles 7:14, 2nd Chronicles 12:6-12, 2nd Chronicles 32:26, James 4:10).  It’s also linked to curses when snubbed (2nd Samuel 22:8, 2nd Chronicles 28:19, 2nd Chronicles 33;22-24). There is no way around it: God blesses and promotes the humble. No one with any sense at all wants to miss out on blessing and promotion.

So, what does it really mean to act with humility? 

The Greek word for humility is tapeinophrosýnē it means: “to have a deep sense of one’s own (moral) littleness”. 

 I confess I was seriously underwhelmed by that definition. 

I expected more. A lot more. I expected a more colorful description, more specifics, possibly even a bad example or two. I figured the definition would include things like having zero pride, being a giver of grace and mercy, possessing concern for the welfare of others, a subdued view of oneself and deep respect for God and His moral directives. Then it hit me pretty much outa nowhere that when we have a deep sense of our own moral littleness our pride evaporates, other people become a priority, we are suddenly far less judgy and our view of ourselves shrinks like a cheap cotton shirt washed in hot water. A gut level awareness of our own moral littleness also causes our respect for God and His commands grows exponentially.

Humility is potent (and beneficial) because when we become aware of our own moral littleness, we know exactly how weak and fallible we really are. We become deeply aware of what we don’t know and will likely never know. At that point, we understand deep down in our heart-of-hearts that we have no right to judge others because we deserve to be judged in the harshest way imaginable. As a result, we become gracious, merciful and kind even to people who don’t deserve mercy, grace or kindness. 

It’s deeply paradoxical that developing an acute awareness of our own moral littleness (evil) has the power to make us more like the most morally perfect creature in all the universe: God Himself. 

Okay, so how do we get a better handle on humility? 

There are only two ways to acquire humility. We can be humbled involuntarily by God, or we can choose to humble ourselves (Exodus 10:3, 2nd Kings 22:14-20, Matthew 23:12, James 4:10, 1st Peter 5:5-6).  I highly recommend option two. Option one works, but it’s a tough road because God is a pro at humbling the proud (Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 29:23). Option two requires more effort, but it is far less painful in the long run. 

We gain a better understanding of our own moral littleness by:

Knowing the limitations of our own goodness- 

No human being is morally perfect (Psalm 106:6, Romans 3:23). Even the best human decisions and choices are often influenced by shady motives and a desire to manipulate God and other people into doing what we want. An awareness of our moral limitations does not make us morally perfect, but it does make us more humble about our own virtuousness. This in turn keeps pride to a minimum. An absence of pride creates a fertile ground for humility to take root. 

Having a proper view of God- 

God is morally perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 145:17, John 3:16-17, 2nd Peter 3:9). When we allow ourselves to lose sight of this reality, we stop looking to Him for help and guidance. This causes us to develop an inflated view of our own ability to judge people and situations. An inflated view of our ability to judge right from wrong often leads to accusing God of sin and wrongdoing (Job 1:22). Not cool. 

Practicing ruthless self-examination-

The key to avoiding pride and developing real humility is to know ourselves. When we know ourselves, we develop a willingness to second guess our assessments of people and situations. When we understand exactly how flawed we are we become less likely to insist we are right about everything. This understanding is the cornerstone of humility and a critical steppingstone to true wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-22. 

And finally, we gain humility when we make a practice of: 

Asking for help-

God created us to be dependent on God and interdependent on others. Anytime we deny this reality and insist on doing life free of advice and help we inevitably become fools who think we are wise (Proverbs 1:25-33). Making a habit of asking for help, advice and wisdom sets us up for greatness in God’s eyes. Humility also creates space for wisdom to grow and God to bless our lives (1st Peter 5:5-6, James 4:6). We could all use a little more of that in our lives.

The Things (and People) that Cause Bitterness-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment


A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him- Proverbs 17:25 NASB 

In my last post I wrote about bitterness and the trouble it causes. Choosing to entertain a bitter spirit is the fast track to a life of misery, distance from God, loss of spiritual purpose and broken relationships.  

Bitterness is bad.  

Really bad. 

This is why God straight-up commands Christians to avoid bitterness at all costs (Hebrews 12:15, Ephesians 4:30-31). 

As I reflected on the turmoil bitterness inevitably produces, I found myself making a mental list of the multitude of things that cause folks to become bitter. It occurred to me (kind of out of nowhere) that I have written a lot on what bitterness does, but precious little about what causes bitterness. Then it occurred to me (kind of out of nowhere) that if someone understood the causes of bitterness it could go a long way in preventing bitterness in the lives of a lot of people. 

I would call that a major spiritual win and there is nothing I love more than a major spiritual win.

Contrary to popular belief, the things that make people bitter do not always fly out of nowhere and smack us around. Sometimes they do (more on that later). However, there are also situations where bitterness is caused by our own choices and/or events that might have been avoided with a bit of foresight and a smidge of wisdom. The four things most likely to make a person bitter are:

Sin- 

Sin makes folks bitter. It just does. It does not matter if we are the ones sinning or we are the ones being sinned against. It doesn’t even matter if it the whole messy muddle was a mutual agreement to sin. Sin is the number one cause of human bitterness (Ecclesiastes 7:26). Sometimes, we are sinned against and there is little we can do to prevent feelings of bitterness. When this happens, we must ask God for the strength and power to forgive so fully that our bitterness dissolves. Forgiveness is hard, but it’s also essential because it is the only way to get free from the bondage of bitterness (Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 6:15). That being said, anytime we knowingly place ourselves in a sinful situation, we run a high risk of making ourselves bitter.  Bitterness is just the natural consequence of sin.  All sin has the potential to produce bitterness. However, the sins most likely to create bitterness are sexual in nature. This is because these sins have far-reaching, sometimes even generational consequences (Ecclesiastes 7:26, Proverbs 5:3-5, Isaiah 5:20). The best way to avoid bitterness is to make a commitment to stay away from all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, promiscuity and pornography. Nothing good will come from any of it. 

Totally foreseeable circumstances- 

 The best-known biblical admonition against bitterness begins with a “see to it” (Hebrews 12:15).  Anytime the New Testament begins some bit of instruction with a “see to it”, we are being told we have at least some agency in the situation (Luke 21:8, Colossians 2:8, Hebrews 12:25). Hebrews 12:15 is teaching that at least to some degree, some of the time, bitterness is avoidable. One critical aspect of preventing a bitter root is to avoid situations where we can look into the future and see there is a decent chance that we will become bitter towards the person or people involved if we don’t put an end to their antics quickly.  An example of this might be a woman offers to babysit her best friend’s child on Tuesday morning so her friend can run errands and get some “me time”.  In turn, the friend just assumes it’s okay to bring the child by EVERY Tuesday morning so she can run errands and get some “me time”. The woman who is taking advantage of the situation is obviously a source of bitterness. However, the kind-hearted woman who offered to babysit has an obligation to end the madness so that she does not become bitter towards her friend. Modern people call this “putting up boundaries”. It’s also bitterness prevention 101. 

Lack of wisdom and foresight- 

Wisdom is an undervalued commodity. Few people care about acquiring wisdom,  although everyone ought to. Wisdom is a protective force (Ecclesiastes 7:12, Proverbs 2:11-12, Proverbs 3:13-18). Wisdom provides safety, protection and it increases our odds of success in every arena. Wisdom also prevents bitterness. When a person is wise, they have foresight or prudence (Proverbs 1:3-5, Proverbs 8:12). Foresight gives people the ability to see around the corners of life (metaphorically speaking). This allows them to predict which situations or people will cause us them to become bitter. Anyone can get wisdom, all we have to do is ask for it (Proverbs 4:7, Proverbs 19:8, James 1:5-6).

And finally:

Evil people cause bitterness- 

Ultimately, evil people are also selfish people. Selfish people simply do not care about the hurt or turmoil they create. Consequently, evil people spread bitterness everywhere they go. Sadly, we live in a fallen world (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12), therefore avoiding evil people is not always a viable option (Matthew 18:7). However, we can choose to put evil people in the hands of God and trust Him to deal with them in His own way and time (Proverbs 3:5-6, 1st Peter 2:6). Choosing to trust God and believing in His goodness is the number one way to prevent bitterness.

The Trouble with the Grumblies-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life- Philippians 2:14-15 NIV

I recently began reading a fictional story about the Exodus. 

The story is written from the point of view of Aaron (Moses’ older brother and the first High Priest). The writer (Francine Rivers) focuses on what Aaron may have felt or thought. It (almost) goes without saying that no one could actually know what Aaron (or any other dead person) thought or felt.  Therefore, like all fictional stories about the Bible, it should be read with a healthy measure of discernment and not be given the same credibility or authority as the biblical account.  

That little disclaimer out of the way.

I am enjoying the story. It’s made me think more deeply about a biblical account that truth-be-told has never been one of my favorites. 

The story itself is a great story. After generations of brutal slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-13). God chose Moses to liberate the decedents of Abaraham, Isaac and Jacob. God sent a series of plagues to mock the Egyptian gods and punish the daylights out of Pharaoh for his sin and stubborn refusal free God’s people (Exodus 5-12). God worked things out in such a way that when the Hebrews departed Egypt their oppressors gave them gifts that more-or-less set them up to begin their new life. As they were leaving God parted the Red Sea to allow the Hebrews pass through while the Egyptians who reneged on their promise to let the Hebrews go were drowned (Exodus 14). Then God miraculously provided for the Hebrews physical needs by sending them honey-flavored wafers each morning (Exodus 16). God also sent a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to guide them exactly where they needed to go (Exodus 13:21-22). 

It’s good stuff. Until its not. 

The bad news is that it took the Hebrews approximately fifteen minutes to totally forget every good thing God had ever done for them. Rather than expressing gratitude, wonder and awe at God’s miraculous provision and care the people got a nasty case of the grumblies and found fault with everything God did and provided.

It’s super gross.

 In its most basic form grumbling is complaining. However, grumbling never ends with a bit of belly aching. It always includes ungratefulness and finding fault with God and others (especially leaders) (Romans 1:21). 

Grumbling is bad.  

Grumbling and the nasty things that go along with it (fault finding and ingratitude) were the reasons God let the Hebrews wander in the desert like a bunch of fools until the entire generation died (Numbers 14:28-34). Grumbling was at the root of every unpleasant consequence the Hebrews experienced throughout Exodus and Numbers. Unfortunately, grumbling is not strictly an Old Testament problem (John 6:43-66, Jude 1:16, 1st Peter 4:9). Sometimes people see grumbling as “discernment” or “an awareness of issues”. The difference is that discernment always sees a solution whereas grumbling faithlessly focuses on the negative.  Grumbling and fault finding are sins anyone can fall into, sometimes without knowing it. Following are just a few reasons to be on the lookout for the sin of grumbling in our lives:

Grumbling transforms our hearts-

Grumbling inevitably transforms people into an awful version of themselves. Once a person starts down the path of grumbling and faultfinding their heart undergoes a profound and ugly change. They become blind to the good and their complaints (even if they are groundless) begin to feel reasonable and even wise. Grumbling always leads to a profound lack of self-awareness in ourselves.

Grumbling is indicative of bigger problems-

Grumbling is typically the fruit of a heart that has either lost connection with God or never had it (Matthew 7:17-19, Matthew 12:33). Consequently, grumbling is always a sign of underlying sins like pride, bitterness, jealousy, selfish ambition and thanklessness (Psalm 31:18, James 3:14-16)

Grumbling destroys families, churches and friendships – 

Unhappy families, dysfunctional churches and fractured friendships always have one thing in common: at least one grumbler. Grumblers never keep their feelings or opinions to themselves. Nor do they work out the problems they have with people in a healthy way. Instead, they gossip, backbite and nurture their anger until it hardens into bitterness (Hebrews 12:15). This inevitably produces division and strife. Division and strife lead to broken relationships, fractured families and split churches (Acts 8:23, Galatians 5:15, 2nd Corinthains 12:20, Ephesians 4:31, Proverbs 16:28). 

Grumblers have issues with authority-

One way to know if you (or someone else) is a grumbler is to take a hard look at how you/they respond to authority. A grumbler almost always develops an issue with the authority if not right away, over time. Grumblers long for control, therefore, they struggle with authority. They want the final word, and they struggle to submit to anyone—even God. 

Yikes. 

Here’s the thing:

Grumbling is bad. Really bad. Nonetheless, it’s not hard to prevent grumbling or even to stop it once it starts. Loving God through a daily practice of worship, praise and thankfulness is the antidote to grumbling, fault finding and lack of appreciation for our blessings. If we combine praise and gratitude with a commitment to dealing with issues quickly and forgiving others from the heart, we are guaranteed to keep the grumblies at bay. 

The Spiritual Lies that Keep Christians from Experiencing “the Abundant Life” Jesus Promised-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.  And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it- John 1:4-5 NASB

In John chapter ten Jesus makes a truly incredible statement about Himself, salvation and how the Christian life is intended to work itself out in the lives of His followers. Jesus calls Himself the door to life and says that if anyone comes to Him that person “will have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:9-10). 

It’s an astonishing declaration.

Seriously.  There’s a reason there are so many tee-shirts, throw pillows and refrigerator magnets emblazoned with John 10:10.  However, current reality begs a critical question: if Christianity is all about an abundant life why are so many Christians so dang miserable and obviously not experiencing this “abundant life”?

 It’s because we’re doing it wrong. 

Really, we are. My goal here is not to be offensive just honest. It is true there are some Christians are doing the Christian life right but most just aren’t. This demonstrated by the fact that many Christians (by my estimation eighty percent or more) live double lives. They struggle with a big giant ugly sin or problem they don’t want anyone to know about. It might be a cruddy marriage, a drug or alcohol problem, a porn addiction or some other issue with sexual immorality. Some secretly battle debilitating spiritual doubt. These and other issues prevent believers from enjoying the benefits of the abundant life Jesus promises. 

There are all sorts of reasons Christian’s struggle. Usually, at the root of the problem there is a lack of proper discipleship training coupled with belief in one or more common spiritual lies. 

Starting with:

I can do what I want-

Christians have been taught for decades that it doesn’t really matter what we do because God is going to love us no matter what. Like most spiritual lies this one has a seed of truth at its center. God’s love is immutable (unchanging, unalterable, permanent). This means there is nothing anyone can do to make God stop loving them. Period. However, the aim of the Christian life is not to simply to be loved and adored by God (being loved by God is a byproduct of the Christian life not the goal). The aim of the Christian life is to be transformed into God’s image (Romans 8:29, Romans 12:1-2, 2nd Corinthians 3:18). Here’s the thing: ultimately, we are the sum of our choices. We become what we do (Psalm 125:4-5, Jeremiah 4:22, Jeremiah 13:23, 1st Timothy 6:17-19). If we want to live an abundant life, we need to do our best to live the life God calls us to live in Scripture (Colossians 3, Romans 12, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). Choosing to ignore scriptural teaching is direct disobedience that keeps us from becoming like Jesus. Disobedience is also the fast-track route to becoming an ineffective and profoundly miserable Christian (1st Samual 15:22, Psalm 51). 

The right thing can wait-

 Oftentimes we (me included) are fully aware there is something specific God wants us to do (forgive, pray, connect with someone, help someone). Because God almost never asks us to do anything that’s easy or convenient, we will put the thing off until “later”. Too often “later” means never. When we don’t follow through on God’s instruction, we never experience the elation of having God work through us. Experiencing God’s power working through us is the most satisfying thing in all the world. It always leads to a desire for more (Psalm 119:60). 

It’s okay to do the Christian life alone-

One of my routine spiritual practices is to say the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) every day. It reminds me who’s in charge and what life is really all about. One surprising feature of the Lord’s Prayer is that there are no singular pronouns such as “I”, “my” or “me” in it. Instead, Jesus uses the plural pronouns “us” and “our”. This is not an accident, poor translation or crummy grammar.  It’s a clue we should pick up on.  Christianity (if it’s done right) is not just a private thing we do with God, it’s a corporate thing we do with God and the “the body of Christ” in community (Romans 12:5, 2nd Corinthians 12:12-27). On a practical level this means all of us should have a church we routinely attend, at least one close friend with whom we can be honest about our sins (James 5:16) and a group of Christians we love and feel accountable to. 

I don’t have to apply all the truth I know-

You do.  At least if you want to hang on to that truth. Jesus makes it clear that wisdom and truth are “use it or lose it” propositions (Luke 18:18).  Furthermore, the more willingly we apply the truth we know the more truth we will be given. Unfortunately, many Christians (me included sometimes) believe they can hear a truth and ignore it until obedience becomes expedient. The problem is that obedience is NEVER expedient and so we will never obey if we wait until it works for us. 

And finally,

Holiness is legalism.  

It’s not.

Holiness is a powerful state of existence we get invited into by the most powerful creature in all of existence (Ephesians 1:4,1st Peter 1:15). Holiness is choosing to be like God: set apart, unique and different in the very best sense. Holiness is partnering with God to fulfill His purposes in this world. Holiness is living out what we were made for and it’s the secret to doing Christianity right. 

The Very Worst Thing a Christian can Settle for-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day- 2nd Corinthians 4:16 NASB

Settling.

It’s a notion most modern people are a bit uncomfortable with. 

The whole concept of settling smacks uncomfortably of losing— or at the very least not trying hard enough. We teach our kids from the time they are capable of conscience thought not to settle for a single thing. Humans learn early on to continuously strive for more stuff, to work our tails off, to do our very best and by golly to win—no matter the cost.

Okay, so the Bible is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the issue of settling. Contrary, to what most of us were taught growing up, the Bible is clear: settling can be good and healthy as long as we are settling for the right stuff. God loves it when we make the choice to settle for being content with what we have (1st Timothy 6:6) Living a quiet life without a lot of self-aggrandizement or ballyhoo is a good and God-ordained thing to settle for (1stThessalonians 4:11, 2nd Timothy 2:2).  God rejoices when His people settle for doing good with the time they’ve been given (Psalm 37:3, Ecclesiastes 3:12). It’s always good to settle in and sit in the presence of God (Luke 10:38-42). In fact, that kind of simplicity is what we were made for. 

However. 

It occurred to be recently that most people (me included) are quick to settle for the one thing we should never settle for.  All the while shunning the very stuff we ought to eagerly settle for, because all the things God wants us to settle for are guaranteed to bring us joy, peace and contentment. This painful realization came as I was making my way through Romans. The verse that got me thinking about all this appears to be unrelated to the whole notion of settling, but it’s not. It said: 

Love must be free of hypocrisy- Romans 12:9a

It hit me pretty much out of nowhere that I have settled for exhibiting a surfacy (hypocritical) kind of love that looks and says all the right things but is not really heartfelt or sincere. Then it hit me, again pretty much out of nowhere that I tend to settle for all sorts of surfacy things. Not all the time, but often enough, it ought to shake me up. 

Yikes. 

I have been known to settle for surfacy goodness, all the while the gunk inhabiting my heart is far from honorable. I have settled for going through the surfacy motions of worship while my mind was on my to-do list. I have settled for surfacy courtesy while I harbored a less than gracious spirit. I have settled for surfacy joy that lacked any kind of depth and never really reached my soul. I have settled for looking good rather than being good, in myself as well as in my children while they were growing up.

Yikes. 

It would be tempting (and easy) for everyone (including me) to write me off as an insincere buttheaded jerk. However, I don’t think I’m alone. If I were a betting woman, I would bet good money I have lots of company. It’s one of those ugly characteristics of the human condition no one likes to talk about: we all have this tendency to settle for surfacy goodness instead of doing the spiritual work needed to actually be good. Human beings naturally gravitate towards fake goodness rather than fulfilling our God-given purpose to be like Jesus. 

At the root of the problem is our nature (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:23, Romans 7:18, 1stCorinthians 2:18). We are sinners and because we are sinners true, heartfelt, gut level goodness does not come naturally to humans, even redeemed humans (Matthew 10:18, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:12). That said, nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26) nor is the problem with God. The problem is always with us. We are reluctant to do the work because the work always involves a personal honesty, self-examination and willingness to allow our hearts and minds to be changed on issues. 

However.

If we are in Christ and really want to be more than surfacy good. It can happen. God never commands anyone to do anything they are unable to accomplish (Colossians 3, Romans 12, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). The key to inner transformation is self-analysis or looking beneath our behavior. Behavior is important, God cares a great deal about what we do.  However, behavior is rarely the best measure of inner goodness. Feelings are (oddly enough) often a better barometer of our inner goodness than behavior is. If we self-examine and recognize we have the right behavior but a terrible attitude we need to take our negative feelings to the Lord in prayer and ask God to give us the right heart. Then we need to keep praying and repenting and asking for heart change until we get to the point when our feelings begin to match our behavior. It will happen. It may not happen overnight but if it’s what we really want it will happen. 

At the heart of surfacy goodness is hypocrisy and there is nothing Jesus hates more than hypocrisy (Matthew 6:2-16, Matthew 23).  Further complicating the matter is for Christians surfacy goodness can lead to a religious spirit. When we have a religious spirit looking good is all we care about. 

I’m not a big believer in New Years resolutions. That said, there is value in setting spiritual goals and doing what it takes to meet them. The goal of genuine, heartfelt goodness is a goal every Christian ought to set. 

Three Crazy-Town Beliefs that are Taking Root in the Church-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long- Psalm 25:5

Our world is awash with crazy-town beliefs and deceptive philosophies. I could give a million examples (okay, well maybe not a million, but a lot). 

Here’s one example: 

A majority of folks today (especially those under forty) literally think there is no such thing as absolute, fixed, immutable truth. These folks (most of them very nice people) are persuaded that every individual on earth has their own unique little “truth”. No one can dispute their truth even if their “truth” flies in the face of all sorts of hard evidence to the contrary or contradicts someone else’s “truth”. Thanks to this crazy-town worldview we are now at a place where a significant minority now “identifies” as something they clearly are not (an animal, a different gender, a different race, etc.). These folks are convinced their “truth” is the TRUTH. So much so, they demand the rest of the world enter into their delusion and celebrate their “truth”.  Normal folks can even get “cancelled” if they refuse to enter into these delusions. 

Sigh.

It’s easy to get really judgy regarding this stuff.   

However, it is critical we remember, that at this writing planet earth is very much under the control of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2, Job 1:7, 2nd Corinthians 4:4, Revelation 2:13). This generation is also (in my opinion) living in an age of powerful deception (Matthew 24:3-4, 2nd Thessalonians 2:11, Psalm 4:2).  Therefore, Christians are not exempt from getting caught up in deceptive philosophies or wrong thinking (Colossians 2:8). Some of those philosophies and deceptions are the same the ones our non-Christian friends and neighbors have fallen prey to, others are unique to Christianity.  There are at least three worldly and wildly dangerous beliefs that have infiltrated Christian thinking. These beliefs are taking the church captive and hamstringing the churches effectiveness. They are:

Your authentic self is your best self-

We live in a time and place where individualism is valued above all else. Everyone is encouraged to discover and celebrate their “authentic self”. This sounds great on the surface. It even sounds kind of Christian, after all, God made us all unique individuals, right? Well… sort of. It is true we are all unique creations made in God’s image (Psalm 139:14). It’s also true that it is a beautiful act of worship to discover our giftedness and use it for God’s glory and the good of the church (1st Corinthians 7:7, Hebrews 2:4, Ephesians 4:8-16). However, all humans are—at the core of who we are— fallen, sinful and super messy. This means that when we celebrate someone’s “authentic self” what we are really celebrating is their sin nature run amok.  Oftentimes, we are applauding the very things (chaos and sin) that keep people from finding genuine peace, spiritual transformation and moral virtue (2nd Corinthians 5:17, 2nd Corinthians 3:18). Our aim as believers should not be to become our “authentic” or “true” self or to applaud anyone else’s “authentic self”. Instead, our aim ought to be to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification (becoming like Jesus) and to help others to do the same (Matthew 28:18-20).  Romans 12, Colossians 3, 2nd Peter 1:3-11 give us the blueprint for the sanctification process. If we follow the instruction in those passages we will be successful Christians and our best self. 

Results matter more than character-

Unfortunately, it has become disturbingly common for churches and Christians to disregard the bad behavior of Christian leaders because “good things are happening in the organization/church” or “people are getting saved” (1st Timothy 5:24-25). This whole notion disregards Scripture that tells us that God is deeply concerned with more than results (Proverbs 16:2, James 4:2-4). Anything (even a good thing) done with a wrong heart or bad motives will have little to no eternal value (1st Corinthians 3:10-15, Hebrews 4:12-14). Furthermore, it’s simply a fact that when people “get saved” under a bad leader quite often they end up falling away from the faith when the leader’s behavior is revealed. All this to say, character matters. When character is sacrificed on an altar of “results” the results we get will ultimately be less than what could have been and displeasing to the Lord. Yikes. 

Prayer is irrelevant- 

God commands Christians to pray (Matthew 5:44 James 5:16, Philippians 4:6, 1st Thessalonians 5:17). However, there are a lot of Christians who believe God has already decided and/or already knows how everything is going to work out so there is no reason to pray. These folks literally believe God has commanded them to do something totally pointless that makes no sense. I believe prayer is critical because God speaks to people through situations and in a still small voice every time we ask Him to. Seriously. He does. Every. Single. Time. The more we ask the more He prompts people. Humans have freewill so sometimes they ignore God’s promptings. That’s on them. It’s on us to keep asking for the Fathers will (Matthew 18:1-6). 

What we believe matters. 

A lot. 

Wrong thinking always leads to wrong actions. Wrong actions inevitably yield terrible outcomes. Conversely, right thinking provides spiritual protection and ensures a better outcome. In our age of deception, it is imperative we hold every idea and belief up to the light of Scripture, even the ideas we hear in church or from Christian influencers. If the idea or belief lines up with Scripture we ought to live by it, if it doesn’t it needs to go. 

Seriously.