Tag: faith

Biblical Counsel for Surviving “One of Those Days”-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. – Psalm 90:14 ESV

A couple of weeks back, I came across a verse that spoke so perfectly to my situation that day I literally laughed out loud, it said: 

Now on one of those days- Luke 8:22a NASB 

 Every human on earth has days when in spite of their best efforts and most fervent prayers nothing goes the way it’s supposed to go.  Other times one of those days is a day when everything is going along okay, then out of nowhere all hell breaks loose and nothing feels good or secure anymore. The details are different in different situations. However, the bottom line is always the same. One of those days is a day (or series of days) where everything goes bad and we find ourselves stuck in a trial and it feels like there is no way it could possibly end in anything but more pain and trouble (John 16:33).

For the disciples their “one of those days” involved a nasty storm that appeared without warning and a Jesus who seemed to be unaware and even indifferent to their panic. For the rest of us, one of those days can comprise almost any set of icky circumstances: a sick spouse, a wayward child, a difficult coworker, a financial disaster, a painful marriage or a loss that has left a hole in our heart. Those days almost always involve the sense that Jesus is oblivious and/or unfeeling towards our situation. In a world as fallen as this one, those days are an unfortunate and inevitable part of life. That said, how we choose to handle those days will define our life and impact how we live out our Christianity.  Following are five things we should do when we find ourselves in “one of those days”. The first is:

Go to Jesus-

To the disciples’ credit this appears to be the very first thing they did (Luke 8:24). It was also without a doubt the smartest thing they could have done. When our first response in a crisis or a trial is to go to our Savior and ask for His help, comfort and direction it helps prevent panic from setting in and enables us to think more clearly. Going to Jesus first reminds our frail, doubting hearts we have not been abandoned in the trial (Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5). Going to Jesus reminds us God is with us. That knowledge gives us the strength we need to make it to the other side of the storm.  

Embrace the reality that the day is no accident-

In 1st Thessalonians 3:3 the Apostle Paul reminds his readers not to become unsettled by trials because “we were destined for them”. No one really likes a trial. However, understanding the purpose of trials does help make them less painful to process.  God allows us to experience trials so that we can learn to lean on God and become more like Jesus in everything we do (Hebrews 2:9-10, Hebrews 2:18). Trials serve another purpose; trials give us the experience we need to help others suffering through similar circumstances (2nd Corinthians 1:1-6). When Christians choose to help the hurting and marginalized our love for one another shows the world just how real our God is (1st Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 4:12-13). 

Lean on those around you-

Human beings were never meant to do life solo (Genesis 2:18). We were literally made for relationship with God and with one another. In the earliest days of the Church, we see Christians embracing community and caring for one another (Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:24). Meaningful relationships make the Christian life both easier and more joyful. The best way to manage a difficult day or survive a tough season is with our brothers and sisters in Christ cheering us on (1st Peter 4:8). However, the time to cultivate Christian community is not on “one of those days”. The time to cultivate community is in the easy seasons when life is relatively calm. It’s never too early or too late to begin the process of building healthy relationships in the body of Christ. 

Be open to learning whatever needs to be learned- 

God is good even on one of those days. God demonstrates His goodness by working ALL things out for our eternal good and His eternal glory (Romans 8:28). One way He works things out for our good is by using the difficult circumstances of our lives to help us grow into the people He wants us to become for eternity (2nd Corinthians 4:18). This means trials have a purpose greater than just making us miserable or teaching us things we need to learn about ourselves. Trials refine us and make us better. They also make us better suited for life in heaven. However, in order for trials to work out for our good (James 1:2-4) we must be willing to cooperate with God through the trial. This means being open to learning whatever it is we need to learn. 

And finally, 

Look for someone else to bless- 

Those days are called “those days” because they aren’t easy. One counter-intuitive way to make a hard day better is to look for someone else in worse circumstances to help or bless. Blessing others is not magic. It will not make trial go away.  It will take our minds of ourselves and enable another hurting person to feel the love of Jesus.  

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. 

Six Ways People Grieve the Holy Spirit-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [c]by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption- Ephesians 4:30 NASB 

Contrary to popular belief the Holy Spirit is not a force, inspiration or an it. 

The Holy Spirit is a He. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead (the Trinity) along with the Father and Jesus Christ (the son). The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the heart of believers at the moment of their salvation (Acts 2:38, Acts 5:32, Acts 10:45, John 3:16, 1st Corinthians 6:19). He then acts as a seal or a promise of future eternal life (Romans 5:5, Ephesians 1:13). 

The Holy Spirit is more than just a seal or a promise. 

He empowers believers to comprehend God’s word and hear the still-small voice of God (John 16:13-15). He enables Christians to live a holy life and provides Christians with the supernatural wisdom and insight necessary to do God’s will (Acts 1:8, Acts 4:31, Acts 15:28). The Holy Spirit also acts as a guide and helper for all God’s people (Luke 12:12, John 14:26, John 16:7-11). 

 At salvation all believers are on a level-playing field where the Holy Spirit is concerned (Acts 2:38). There aren’t some Christians who get blessed with more of the Holy Spirit’s power and some who get stuck with less. We are all equal, equally loved and equally empowered by the Holy Spirit.  That being said, the Bible commands Christians to be “filled’ with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8, Ephesians 5:18). This Scriptural command leads me to conclude that in order to access the power, wisdom and leading of the Holy Spirit we must choose daily to do the things that connect us with God (Acts 5:32). These would include (but are not limited to) prayer, acts of charity and kindness, Bible reading and obedience to God’s commands. If a Christian refuses to connect with God, they have less access to the Holy Spirit’s power and influence. Sadly, some Christians are apathetic about working out their salvation “with fear and trembling” as the Bible commands (Philippians 2:12). This explains why some Christians appear to have more of the Holy Spirit’s power than others. 

The Holy Spirit has feelings.

 He loves, feels joy and can even experience profound grief. Because the Holy Spirit lives in God’s people so Christians can grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30). Anytime a Christian chooses to do something that grieves the Holy Spirit, the power of the Spirit is diminished in their lives. Grieving the Holy Spirit is a big deal, it is something we should avoid at all costs. 

We grieve the Holy Spirit when we:  

Refuse to regulate our emotions and control ourselves- 

In Ephesians 4:30 believers told not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, all the verses surrounding verse thirty are about self-control and emotional regulation (Ephesians 4:29-32). This means when we give full vent to our rage, hold a grudge, hate, judge unfairly or pridefully elevate ourselves above other people we not only hurt others we also grieve God.  

Commit sexual sin- 

In a very real sense, Christians literally share their bodies with the God of the universe through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 6:19-20). Practically speaking this means anytime we view porn, commit adultery, have sex with someone of the same gender, lust or have sex outside of marriage, we drag the holy, flawless, sinless God of the universe into our immoral antics. God is categorically not a fan of adultery, promiscuity, homosexuality or any type of sexual impurity (Romans 1:18-35, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11) because sexual sin isn’t just about us. It’s also about who we hurt with our choices (1st Thessalonians 4:1-6). Sadly, when we sin sexually, we hurt others as well as the Holy Spirit. This knowledge should stop us cold if we really do have the Spirit of God living in us. 

Lie- 

God hates lying with such a passion He excludes habitual liars from the kingdom of heaven (1st Timothy 1:9-11, Revelation 21:8). Lying grieves the Holy Spirit because God is truth, there is no falsehood in Him (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2). When a Christian lies, they do not reflect God accurately to the world because they are doing something God would never do (2nd Corinthians 5:20).  It’s literally our mission to show the world who God really is (1stPeter 2:9, Ephesians 5:1-33). When we lie, we fail to do what were made for. 

Are guided by a desire to self-promote-  

Selfish ambition happens when a Christian uses a platform or gift (church, music, influence) that is upheld as Christian to promote themselves and gain a following. The Holy Spirit hates selfish ambition (Philippians 2:23, James 3:16), mostly because it’s a crafty form of pride. It causes the believer to think (and look like) they are serving God when they are really seeking to glorify themselves as they participate in a super foul form of idolatry (self-worship). 

Refuse to forgive-

Anytime a believer behaves in a way that is in conflict with God’s character they grieve the Holy Spirit. No where is this truer than in the area of forgiveness. God freely forgives the foulest sinner. All the sinner has to do is ask and mean it enough to repent (Psalm 103:2-4, Acts 13:38). Practically speaking, this means we are never more like God than when we choose to forgive someone who clearly does not deserve to be forgiven (Colossians 3:13). Conversely, we are never more out of step with the Holy Spirit than when we hold onto animosity, unforgiveness and resentment (Matthew 6:15). 

And finally:

We grieve the Holy Spirit when we say “no” to God’s agenda for our lives-

The fast track to grieving the Holy Spirit is to refuse God (Hebrews 11:25). We refuse God by saying “no” to His will for lives. There are two ways to refuse God. We refuse God when we willfully decline to do anything He tells us to do in the Bible (1st Samuel 15:22). We also refuse God when we ignore the still small voice urging us to do good and bless others. Conversely, we bring joy to the heart Holy Spirit when we love others well, forgive freely and embrace the calling to glorify God with our lives. 

The Five Lies Satan Most Wants us to Believe-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies- John 8:44b NASB 

Lies.

There are a million of them out there and for whatever reason human beings are more prone to believe lies than truth. Some lies are relatively innocuous in the grand scheme of life and eternity. All anyone is going to lose trusting an advertisement for a sketchy weight loss product is a little money and maybe some time that would have been better spent at the gym. 

Other lies are far more damaging. 

The lies Satan tells us are the worst (John 8:44). Satan’s lies are the deceptions that keep human beings (saved and unsaved) in bondage and far from God’s plan for their life. These lies cause people (saved and unsaved) to believe things that can derail their life and lead to misery and pain.  Anytime a Christian believes one of Satan’s lies they run the risk of derailing their relationship with God (1st Timothy 1:19-20, 1st Timothy 4:1, Hebrews 12:25). Following are four of the worst: 

God doesn’t care-

This is the lie Satan loves to whisper in our ear anytime life becomes weirdly challenging, or we find ourselves in the midst of some terrible trial that makes zero sense (James 1:1-3, 1st Peter 3:1-7). Even David, a man after God’s own heart wondered from time-to-time if God saw him or cared about his situation (Psalm 13:1-2, Psalm 22:1-2, Psalm 35:17). Anytime we are tempted to believe the lie God doesn’t care or He is uninterested in our pain it’s a good time to pray on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17). The niggling sense God no longer cares about us is ALWAYS a clear indicator the enemy is at work (Ephesians 6:10:17, Daniel 10:12-14). Once you’re prayed up begin looking around for all the ways God is moving because He will be. Satan will try to convince you He isn’t but trust me He is and He is paying careful attention to you and your situation

You’re powerless to change- 

No one who is in Christ is powerless to repent or change. It doesn’t matter how bad the sin or how long it’s been going on (2nd Corinthians 5:17). Freedom is possible. That said, Satan wants to convince Christians they are doomed to live in sinful, self-defeating strongholds that keep them from transformation (Colossians 3:12, Galatians 5:12). It benefits Satan greatly if he can get Christians to believe this particular lie. No one will ever reach their full potential in Christ if they give up on (or never begin) the process of transformation. Change is never easy, even when we are born again.  That said, change is what we were redeemed for (2nd Corinthians 3:18, Ephesians 2:1-10). It helps to understand that change doesn’t start with our behavior. It starts with how and what we think. The first step in creating real and lasting change is to bring our thinking into alignment with God’s word (Romans 12:2). Changing our thinking is not easy because it is more than simple mental agreement to an idea. Changing our thinking is a process that requires time spent in prayer and Bible study with mature Christians with whom we have shared our struggles. As we pray, learn and honestly share, the Holy Spirit works to bring our thinking in alignment with His. As our thinking begins to change so will our behavior. 

What you do in private doesn’t matter- 

It does, because the things we choose to do in secret are almost always wrong.  We know they’re wrong and that’s why we do them in secret. Sin hardens our hearts. A hard heart makes us more willing to sin. Sinning in private gives the enemy an opportunity is door to step into our private world and create sinful strongholds that can become very difficult to break (Mark 9:29, Ephesians 4:27). Therefore, the best policy is to simply be the same person in private as we are in public. Choosing to live a life of transparency and openness blocks Satan from devouring us (1st Peter 5:8). 

God can’t forgive that (whatever that is)-

Satan does not want anyone to actually believe God will forgive their ugliest sins. Believing our sin is unforgivable effectively kills any desire we might have to repent and move towards God and freedom that comes with moving towards God.  God can forgive anything and He will (Isaiah 1:18). All He asks in return is that we have heart willing to leave our life of sin and live in the freedom Jesus promises anyone who repents (Acts: 3:191st John 1:5-10).  

And finally, 

You’re disqualified- 

Satan longs to convince Christians that they are somehow too sinful, too stupid, too old, too young or too whatever to do what they know in their heart God has called them to do. This strategy has kept more Christians off the ministry field than any other lie in the history of lies. It is imperative we remember that if God gives us a desire to see a ministry happen, He wants that desire to grow it into something beautiful and life giving for the body of Christ. Our job is to seek Him for the wisdom, ability and opportunity to make it happen. 

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). 

The Best way to Pray for a Narcissistic Jerk-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

When he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense- 2nd Chronicles 26:15 NASB

Every once in a while, a concept comes along and takes popular culture by storm. The concept (whatever it may be) quickly becomes the thing everyone talks about. Inevitably, many individuals begin to believe they possess expert-level knowledge of the subject. One such concept is narcissism. An individual cannot scroll a social media feed, listen to a podcast, read a self-help book, turn on a television or read a newspaper without coming across an article or program referencing narcissists or narcissism.  

For the record: narcissists are real. 

Narcissists have an unhealthy preoccupation with themselves and a grandiose sense of their own significance. Narcissistic people believe deep down in their inmost being they are better and more important than pretty much everyone else. As a result, they see others as insignificant in comparison to themselves. As a result, narcissists treat people very badly unless they want something from the other person. The most dangerous narcissists are proficient, unrepentant, shameless liars. A narcissist will gleefully distort truth, gaslight and fabricate stories out of whole cloth to make others look bad and paint themselves in a positive light (Psalm 40:4). 

Popular culture typically presents narcissism as an unpardonable sin. Many believe narcissists are so heartless, wicked, malevolent and lacking in self-awareness they are for all intents and purposes, irredeemable. Even many Christians present narcissists as so lost they can never be found. This is simply untrue, no one is beyond God’s reach or so far gone they cannot be saved (John 3:16, 2nd Timothy 2:3-5), not even a narcissist. 

The Bible talks about narcissism at length and warns against it in the strongest possible terms. However, the Bible never uses the word narcissist or narcissism. From a biblical perspective narcissists are just people with a pride problem. A very serious pride problem but a pride problem, nonetheless.  God despises pride because it causes people to become so braggy and self-willed they forget God or write Him off as unimportant and irrelevant (Deuteronomy 8:14, 2nd Chronicles 26:16, Proverbs 16:5). People who sideline God inevitably become manipulative, mean, self-focused and sometimes even violent (Psalm 17:9-11, Psalm 56:2, Psalm 140:5). 

Narcissism is a growing problem (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). 

The further our world drifts away from God the more people become bloated with the sin of pride. Because this is where we are living right now most of us know a narcissist and many love a narcissist (or two). If we want to see narcissists come to know Jesus and be transformed into the image of Jesus it is critical we love them well and pray the following four prayers for them: 

Pray you will love them how they need to be loved-

Loving a prideful, narcissistic jerk is no easy task (Luke 6:32-33, 1st Peter 4:8, Luke 17:3-4). All people need to be loved. Narcissists need to know they have people who love them and will be there for them. However, prideful people also need firm boundaries. Narcissists need people who will love them enough to call them out on their hurtful shenanigans. Narcissists do NOT need people who will make excuses for their behavior or minimize their sin. It is not loving, kind or Christian to excuse away sin, manage others sin or make it easy for people to sin. This is especially true with narcissists. God is the only one who can give someone the strength, wisdom and discernment to love a narcissist well. If you love a narcissist pray daily for the wisdom, discernment and moral strength to love like God loves. God’s love is the personification 1st Corinthians 13:1-7. God’s love always believes the best is possible in a person’s life, but it never devolves into people-pleasing (codependency) or cheap grace (Titus 2:11-12).

Pray they will see themselves as they really are-

All narcissists have a distorted view of themselves. They tend to see themselves as unflawed and the hero of their own story. It is our job to pray that they will begin to see themselves as they really are, warts and all. Seeing our own sin as sin is the first baby step towards salvation. It is also the only thing that makes true personal growth possible. Pray for a spirit of revelation and wisdom to invade the life of the narcissist you love (Ephesians 1:17). If necessary, pray God will bring enough pain into their lives to make them open to the truth about themselves (James 1:2-3). 

Pray they see God as He really is-

One key to a healthy (not overly grandiose) sense of self is to have a clear-eyed understanding of who God is and what He’s all about. God is eternal, perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing and completely free of sin and immorality (Matthew 5:48, Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 19:7). He is also the standard of what is good and bad. When we compare ourselves to other people it is easy to believe we are better than we really are (Ecclesiastes 7:20). When we understand God’s perfection, we automatically have a much clearer grasp of our own sin and moral frailty. 

And finally,

Pray your narcissist will experience godly conviction concerning their pride- 

Godly conviction is a gift (2nd Corinthians 7:10). Godly conviction is simply the voice of the Holy Spirit telling us the truth about ourselves (Romans 3:23, 1st John 1:9-10). If it is responded to properly, godly conviction has the power to make the vilest, most prideful sinner as white as snow and a beautiful trophy of God’s grace and mercy (Isaiah 1:18, 2nd Corinthians 7:11, 2nd Corinthians 5:17). Without godly conviction we would all be lost. 

Loving an Adult Child who has Rejected God-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them- Proverbs 17:25 NRSVUE 

There is a worldwide epidemic of adult children raised in Christian homes who have defected from the Christian faith their parents devotedly sowed into them. 

Many of these adult children have deconstructed loudly and proudly. This group is openly critical of all things Christian and politically conservative. Many have adopted lifestyles and opinions completely antithetical to biblical Christianity. It is not unusual for young adults in this group to formally estrange from family members for voting the “wrong way” or attending the “wrong church”. Other young adult apostates have taken a less dramatic route and have quiet-quit Christianity. These adult children rarely discuss their decision to defect from Christianity; they just do it. They do not attend church, read their Bibles or pray. If a parent inquires, about their child’s beliefs or church attendance they just kind of shrug their shoulders and change the subject. 

Moms and Dads are understandably rattled by this turn of events. Most were loving and devoted Christian parents. None were perfect (no parent is) but most did their level-best to love their children well, teach them biblical truth and pass on their faith. 

In one sense this turn of events should surprise no one. The New Testament clearly predicts a mass apostasy (defection from the faith) just prior to the return of Jesus (1st Timothy 4:1-3, 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, 2nd Peter 3:3-4). Jesus also made it clear His teachings can bring deep division and conflict to families (Matthew 10:38, Luke 12:53). Moreover, we live in an anti-God, anti-family, throw away anything that “isn’t working for you” kind of a culture.  We are (in my opinion) very likely living in the days of a fulfillment of prophetic Scripture (2nd Timothy 3:1-5, Matthew 24:10-13).   Sadly, knowing these facts doesn’t make it any reality any easier to deal with. 

Thankfully, none of these realities mean all is lost. People change, God is powerful and if a person is breathing there is hope for their soul. Being the parent of a spiritually wayward adult child requires discernment and strategic thinking (Matthew 10:16). It is critical we remember we live in a world embroiled in brutal spiritual warfare (Ephesians 2:1-3, 1st Peter 5:8, James 4:7). Every parent in these situations must put on their armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) and do the following:  

Avoid manipulation and control-

There are a plethora of reasons attempting to manipulate or control an adult child is a terrible idea (Proverbs 28:26). Control and manipulation will not work (it might make things worse). It will breed resentment over time (Ephesians 6:4). It does not recognize or honor an adult child’s agency (Matthew 7:12). In some situations, a parent’s attempt to manipulate or control may even interfere with what God is attempting to do in the child’s life (Luke 15:11-32).  As parents of adult children, we must recognize adult children have the right to be wrong (John 12:48). They also have the right to reject God and His offer of salvation if that’s what they want to do. We must honor those rights. 

Own what you need to own but don’t take more blame than you deserve- 

We live in a culture where parents are expected to be perfect all the time. Many now-grown children have appointed themselves judge and jury of what was and was not perfect parenting. As a result, parents are often despised by their children for what most folks felt at the time was appropriate discipline and solid parenting. This can leave parents of adult kids with crippling guilt over a past they can’t change and choices that made sense at the time. It’s critical parents own what needs to be owned and leave the rest in God’s hands.  All parents make mistakes, many were too harsh, didn’t always listen well, disciplined in anger, took bad advice from experts and just generally acted like flawed human beings (Romans 3:23). If after some reflection and prayer you realize you made a mistake: own it and apologize. However, there is no reason to beat yourself up over things that cannot be changed. Instead, choose to honor God in the present by transforming into a better, healthier version of yourself now (Colossians 3, Romans 12, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). 

Pray for them-

In one sense adult children who have rejected God are no different than any other unbeliever. The number one thing Christians are commanded to do for the unbelieving is to pray for them. It is also important to note that as parents we have intimate understanding of our adult children.  This gives parents special insight into their child’s needs and makes their prayers all the more powerful. Our greatest responsibility is always to pray like a crazy person (1st Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:16, 1st Peter 4:7) and trust God to do what only He can do.

Earn the right to have conversations with them-

One oftentimes valid criticism adult kids have with their parents is that they did not always listen well to their children growing up (James 1:19). It’s never too late to change direction and become a good listener. Doing so will not only earn you the right to speak into their lives, it will also empower you to speak with true wisdom as you do (Psalm 37:30). 

Be faithful in your own spiritual life- 

Because our world is such a flaming-hot mess right now it has never been more important for God’s people to be faithful and do their best to live godly lives (Philippians 1:9-12, Philippians 2:12-15). This is even more true for parents who have adult children who have rejected God. A parents continued fidelity to Jesus stands as a powerful testimony that will speak long after the parent is gone. 

And finally, and most crucially, we must learn to trust the Lord with our kids. It helps to remember that God loves them way more than we do. He also has far more knowledge about how to get them on the narrow path of righteousness than we do (Matthew 7:13-14, Isaiah 55:8-9). When we trust God to do what only He can do we give Him all the space He needs to work on the hearts of our wayward kids (Jeremiah 31:16-17). 

The Real Reasons Christians Don’t Grow-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven- Matthew 18:3 NASB

Transformation and growth are non-negotiables of the Christian life. Christians are saved by faith for the sole purpose of being transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 3:20, Ephesians 2:8-9). Passages like Romans 12:1-2, 2nd Peter 1:3-11, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, 2nd Corinthians 5:17 and Colossians 3:5 all drive home the notion that Christians are to relentlessly seek Christlikeness in their daily lives. 

Here’s the thing though:

According to Pew Research, sixty-three percent of self-identified Christians only attend Church once or twice a month. Only a third routinely read Scripture. More than half strongly support same-sex marriage. Nearly half (47%) believe there are no clear standards of right and wrong and over half (53%) believe abortion should be legal all or most of the time.  I do not believe Christians get the Christian life figured out and become perfectly obedient to Jesus instantaneously. I suspect many of the people interviewed by Pew are on a trajectory of growth that will eventually lead to greater obedience.  Nonetheless, the above statistics strongly suggest a large number of Christians do not grow or transform post salvation. 

The consequences of refusing to transform or neglecting to grow are spiritually catastrophic. Those who don’t grow are frequently led astray by false teachers and bad doctrine (1st Timothy 4:1). Declining to grow and change leaves believers with a feeble faith that is unlikely to go the distance or be passed on to others (Matthew 13:20-21, Hebrews 5:12, 1st Peter 3:15). Without intentional growth no one will ever reach a level of maturity that allows them to minister to others effectively because you can’t lead where you don’t go (Matthew 5:16). Perhaps the most alarming consequence of a lack of transformation is the reality that maturity and obedience in this life impacts what a person does or does not do in heaven (Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 8:17). The bottom line is without growth and transformation, Christians miss out on all the blessings we were redeemed for. 

Yikes. 

All the above realities are tragic. They are also one-hundred-percent preventable. However, in order to avoid those realities, it’s critical we un understand why Christians don’t grow and transform.  Once we understand the reasons, it’s easy to make changes that move us closer to God and fast-track our growth and transformation. 

The top four reasons we don’t grow are as follows: 

We don’t want to- 

Spiritual growth is tough. If we want to grow, we must submit every part of our life to the will of God. Unfortunately for us, God’s will always involves leaving behind our sin and selfishness (Genesis 4:7, Matthew 5:29-30, John 8:11, Acts 3:19). Sometimes people who claim to love Jesus also love their sin. A lot. If a Christian loves their sin more than they love Jesus, transformation becomes super problematic. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit was given to enable believers to overcome sin and fulfill their calling as Jesus followers (John 14:26, Acts 2:38). Growth begins with a gut level desire to please God. If that is lacking remember that praying fervently for a desire to please God is a prayer God is REALLY inclined to answer. 

We never get at the root or reason for our behavior- 

People rarely do what they do without a reason, this is especially true when it comes to sin. When an individual lies it’s not usually because they enjoy deceiving people. There’s almost always a deeper reason. Maybe, they don’t understand their value in Christ, and they feel bad about themselves. So, they present themselves as more significant or accomplished than they are. Or perhaps, they are caught up in another sin that demands they lie in order to keep the sin under the radar. The fact that there may be a deeper reason for sin doesn’t make the sin acceptable. Sin is sin. That said, understanding what’s going on inside us can help us to change our behavior. Knowledge really is power when it is coupled with a desire to transform. 

We only deal with the surface issue-

Sin is always a problem. However, the biggest problem with sin isn’t the sin it’s the heart that produces the sin (Matthew 12:34, Matthew 15:18-20, Acts 8:20-22). Outward behavior (sin) is just the expression of an inward (heart) problem. People don’t commit adultery because there are too many scantily clad people in the world. They commit adultery because they have never dealt with their lust issue or their need for attention from the opposite sex issue.  Adultery is a sin but it’s also a symptom of bigger issues. Unless the heart problem is dealt with the sin will continue to creep up anytime, we feel weak, stressed or threatened. The solution to the heart problem is taking every sinful feeling and desire we have to God in prayer (2nd Corinthians 10:5) then refusing to feed any and all sinful desires we have (1st Corinthians 9:7). In order to change our hearts deepest desires, we must examine ourselves often, feed ourselves biblical truth, surround ourselves with godly people and avoid godless entertainment that normalizes wrong behavior (Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 19:20, 1st Corinthians 15:33, 1st Timothy 4:11-16). 

And finally:

We give up before we get to the good part- 

Becoming fully obedient to God is a life-long process. Sanctification (becoming obedient to God) can be challenging, especially in the beginning of our faith journey. That being said, choosing growth and transformation brings a level of joy, peace and personal happiness that is almost indescribable. We just have to let the process play out to get to the good part. 

Four Reasons Why our Prayers Aren’t Answered When and How we Want Them Answered-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Listen to my words, Lord, Consider my sighing.Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch-Psalm 5:1-3 NASB 

Christians are instructed to pray about everything all the time, whether we feel like it or not (Luke 6:38, Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, 1st Thessalonians 5:17, 1st Timothy 2:1, 1st Timothy 2:8, James 5:13-16). Jesus is our model for how, when and why to pray. Jesus prayed constantly. His devotion to prayer was so passionate He often wandered off to pray in seclusion for extended periods of time (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 11:11). 

All that being said: 

Prayer can be tough. Prayer requires self-control, self-denial and perseverance. Therefore, prayer rarely comes naturally to fallen humans, even when the fallen human is redeemed, prayer can be a struggle (Matthew 26:41).  Our desire to pray is often complicated by situations and seasons when our prayers appear to not be “working”. We pray fervently for something we know is God’s will (like spiritual awakening or salvation) and nothing happens; or worse, we pray and the reverse of what we hope will happen happens. The whole messy muddle begs an awkward question: if God is real and He wants us to pray why don’t more of our prayers get answered with a resounding “yes” and “amen”? 

I don’t pretend to know everything about everything. 

What I do know for absolute certain is woefully inadequate. However, one thing I do know for certain is prayer is powerful and it works. When it doesn’t there are reasons why. If we understand those reasons, it helps us to pray more effectively and stay faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). Following are four reasons for unanswered or slowly answered prayer: 

Freewill-

Nothing tempts us towards spiritual frustration more than praying and fasting for someone we love and then watching them do the exact opposite of what we have been praying they would do. It’s maddening.  Our frustration is often magnified by the fact that when we pray for people, we are most often praying for their salvation, maturity or moral transformation. We KNOW God wants people to be saved and come to a knowledge of truth (Romans 10:13, 1st Timothy 2:1-4, John 3:16). We also know God wants people to live wisely. Idiocy is not God’s will for anyone (Proverbs 8:33, Proverbs 19:20). The number one reason prayers don’t always get answered is because God will not normally overrule the freewill of a human being (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Ezekial 18: 30-32, Revelation 3:20, Galatians 5:13).  God will allow people to be stupid, refuse God and hurt themselves if that’s what they want to do (Proverbs 12:1, Ecclesiastes 10:3). Unanswered prayers related to salvation are often a clue we should change the direction of our prayers and ask God to bring situations into the person’s life that will cause them to want to seek the Lord. When someone seeks God, they find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) However, sometimes it takes a little hardship to get people there. Once we pray that hard prayer, we must choose to trust Jesus even if our loved one experiences pain or difficulty.

Demonic interference- 

One of the strangest and most enlightening passages concerning unanswered prayer and spiritual warfare is found in the book of Daniel (Daniel 10:1-15). Daniel had been given a series of visions concerning future events then all of a sudden there was radio silence, zero communication from God, so Daniel (in true Daniel fashion) prays harder and enlists some friends to pray with him. In chapter ten an angel (Gabriel) appears to Daniel. The angel tells Daniel in no uncertain terms he is “treasured” by God and that his prayer had been heard and answered immediately. He then explains that the answer was hindered by some sort of extreme demonic interference (verses 12—13). The whole passage is admittedly a bit weird but it along with Ephesians 6:10-18 does help us understand that there is unseen spiritual realm that impacts our world especially where prayer is concerned. 

It’s not time- 

A couple of years ago I had a conversation with a woman and her mother. The woman had severed ties with her parents (her dad was a pastor) as a young adult. For the next THIRTY years she lived as a lesbian, she proceeded to willfully disregard every truth she had been taught as a child. In 2020 she contracted Covid and believed she was going to die. She knew that if she died, she would go to hell. In that moment of realization, she cried out to Jesus and promised Him that if she lived, she would change. She did live and she changed everything. Within a week she divorced her “wife”, gave up some sinful habits, got back into church and reconnected with her parents. Her journey to wholeness and Jesus was a long one (admittedly due to her own stubbornness) but God was faithful in His timing to answer the prayers of her parents and their church community. Would her transformation have been as dramatic and decisive without those prayers? We will never know. But I do know that sometimes God’s immediate answer to prayer “is keep praying”. Then in due time He does things we never believed could happen (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

And finally, 

Sometimes the answer is “no”- 

God knows more than we can ever imagine knowing, as a result He sometimes says “no” to things we think He should He should say “yes”. to In those moments when it looks like the answer is “no” our job is to trust that God really does know more than we do. In those moments we must keep our hearts soft and continue to pray because we never know if the “no” is a “no” or God telling us to wait a little longer and pray a little harder (Luke 18:1-6). 

Growing the Heart of a Spiritual Hero-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield- Psalm 5:12 NKJV

The book of Matthew is getting a lot of read time in my life right now. It is the gospel I chose to read in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Lent). It is also the book my small group is studying together. 

That’s a lot of Matthew. 

 Reading through Matthew repeatedly and studying it with friends has allowed me to see some things I had never paid much attention to before, like the incredibly diverse list of men and women in the genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17). There are Jews and gentiles, some good guys (and gals), bad guys (and gals), some people no one has ever heard of and some people everyone has heard of.  Matthew’s genealogy proves Jesus came for everyone and everyone needs Jesus (Romans 3:23-24, John 3:16). 

This most recent trip through Matthew has also caused me to think deeply about some parts of the story I have never really thought much about, like Joseph. He’s kind of the unsung hero of the New Testament. Joseph was everything we should all hope to be. He did some truly hard things without complaining and sacrificed more than almost anyone for the cause of Christ. He was also willing to obey God even when it made little (no) sense to do so. Even so, there is not a single song written about Joseph, nor are there (to my knowledge) any books written about him. He was an ordinary guy, with little social standing or formal theological training but he’s the primary reason Jesus survived infancy. Joseph was just an ordinary guy who did a bunch of extraordinary things with little recognition or hoop-la. His story teaches us that any of us can do extraordinary things if we cultivate the right heart. His right heart included the following:   

Joseph showed love and care for someone who (appeared to have) wronged him badly-

In a world where virtually all unbelievers and even many Christians feel it’s justified to retaliate against someone who has done them wrong (Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 12:19), Joseph stands out for choosing the high road when he (mistakenly) thought Mary had cheated on him. No one in his world would have thought less of him for publicly disgracing Mary for sleeping with another man. In fact, many people would have cheered him on and thought more of him for calling out her “sin” in a public manner.  However, the God of the universe deemed Joseph “a righteous man” for wishing to protect a woman he had every reason to believe had wronged him.  It says a lot about God’s heart towards those those who choose discretion and kindness over truth practiced with a hard edge.  

Joseph knew God enough to know when He was speaking- 

One of the most extraordinary things about Joseph is he knew when God was speaking (Hebrews 12:25, John 10:27). He never got confused.  He never wondered if a dream was really from God or the result of too much food the night before. He just knew. That kind of understanding only comes from proximity. Joseph spent enough time with God to know when God was communicating a message. Anyone can do the same. 

Joseph obeyed-  

Obedience is probably Joseph’s number one claim to fame and the source of his greatness. When God told Joseph to take Mary as his wife, he did it. When God told Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt, he did it. When God told Joseph to go back to Isreal, he did it. He obeyed every time, no questions asked, no arguments and no foot dragging. God is clear: He loves obedience more than He loves sacrifice and great works done in His name (Acts 5:22, 1st Samuel 15:22, 1st John 5:1-3). Cultivating a heart of obedience is relatively simple but far from easy. The key is to obey all the time. If we obey when it’s easy (small things) when the hard stuff (big things) comes up, obedience will feel more like muscle memory than a big painful production.  (Romans 2:13). A life obedience is not easy this side of heaven, but it does bring all sorts of blessing in the next life (James 1:12, Matthew 16:27, Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

Joseph was willing to take on shame that was not his to protect another- 

Joseph was a righteous man not just by God’s standards but also by the standards of man in his time (Micah 6:8, Matthew 1:19). Mary was not. As a young woman pregnant before her marriage become official, she was an object of shame and likely even ridicule in her community.  By choosing to take Mary as his wife Joseph took on her shame as his own. He chose to stand with someone who did nothing but dimmish his reputation and standing in the community. It’s a reminder that God’s people are called to stand with the weak, poor, unpopular and unlovely even when there is no obvious benefit in doing so (Proverbs 14:31, Luke 14:13, James 2:1-6).  

Joseph shows us how to be a spiritual hero. 

His life teaches us God sees the things that no one else sees and rewards righteousness done in secret. In this life Joseph was the furthest thing from a big deal a person can get, although I have a feeling that he will be the biggest of deals in the next (Matthew 19:29-30). May we all be so forward thinking in our actions and attitudes.