True vs. Truth: They're Not Necessarily the Same

Hello again.  My brain nearly burst today from an overload of information, insight, and introspection.  Guess what that means?  Ten points for anyone who guessed "write a lengthy blog that will likely wander down a few rabbit trails." :)

[Here's your chance to escape.  Go on.  It's ok.  I'll never know.]

Ok, so if you're still here, I've been pondering this quote I read in a Bible study workbook today, and I've been trying to make it applicable/practical for some issues I'm personally dealing with these days.  This is the Bible study I'm going through with some great girls right now, by the way:

 



As the cover says, the study is about confronting our modern-day idols.  The author, Kelly Minter, begins with defining modern-day idols as anything or any person in our life (aside from the only true God) that functions or operates as a god in our lives.  Minter includes this definition by Ken Sande: 

...in biblical terms, it is something other than God that we set our hearts on (Luke 12:29; 1 Cor. 10:19), that motivates us (Ps. 119:133; Eph. 5:5), or that we trust, fear, or serve (Isa. 42:17; Matt. 6:24; Luke 12:4-5).

So, the girls and I came up with a list of modern-day idols that are the same in spirit, if not in shape, as the golden calf and carved statues that appeared in the pages of scripture.  Social media, technology, phones, comfort, relationships, pride, family, reputation, image, celebrity, sex, and FOOD are just a few of the ones we tossed around.  See that one in all capital letters?  Yeah, well, that's one of mine. 

Ok.  Let's be real here.  [I'm going to be brutally honest about the obvious, and you are going to be nice and not make comments where I can hear you, ok?]  Some drug users and alcoholics can successfully hide their addictions for months, years, or maybe for life, but honestly, how many food addicts can hide their issues for very long before the evidence makes itself known to the world in the form of pounds and inches?  So if you know me or have seen pictures of me over the last ten years, then you could safely assume that I have food issues.  And when I allow myself to be truthful about it, I can safely (and sadly) admit that I have idolatry issues.

Ok, speaking of "truthful," I mentioned that this rambling discourse started with a quote I read in my workbook.  Here it is:

Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the truth. 

Think about those words for a moment.... 
(That quote was from a man named Michael Wells, by the way.)

Minter writes that when the serpent (Satan) tempted Eve, he told her true things. 
1.  "You will not surely die."  (Neither she nor Adam immediately suffered from food poisoning or sudden death.)
2.  "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened."  (Yep.  The fig leaf garments they hastily fashioned are evidence of their new awareness of their nakedness.)
3. "And you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (After their disobedience, they hid from God because NOW they were aware that they'd done what was evil in His sight.)

Satan told them true things, but he didn't tell them the truth about the consequences of their disobedience.  He didn't tell them their perfect relationship with God would be wrecked, that they would suffer a spiritual death and an eventual physical death, that they would have a new knowledge and an awareness of evil that our minds and hearts were not intended to be burdened with, that they would lose their home in paradise, that generations of humans for thousands of years would suffer the consequences along with them.....

Yes, Satan told them true things, but he didn't tell the truth.  So maybe Eve didn't recognize an outright lie from Satan, but she sure fell for his deception, his shading and manipulation of the truth.

"What does that have to do with anything?" you may ask if you're still reading....

This is huge:  we can fall for his deception in areas where we are weakest or even wounded.  Minter gives some great examples of how the deception works its way into our thoughts:

If you're currently struggling with your finances, you might think....I don't have enough money to pay my bills this month; I'm going to lose everything.  It may be true that you don't have enough money to pay your bills, but the truth is that God will take care of your every need (see Matt. 6:25-30).

Or, here's another one... My boyfriend/husband has rejected me; I will never be loved.  It might be true that you have been rejected and abandoned by someone you loved, but it is not the truth that you will never be loved, for God will absolutely not forsake us or withdraw His love (see Deut. 31:6).

Can you see the difference between what is true and what is the truth?  Can anyone out there relate to similar deception?

Today, I started pondering the deceptions and lies that massage my mind to numbness so that I willingly accept Satan's bait and bow down again to my most daunting and provocative idol:  food.  I came up with my own version of true vs. the truth regarding my personal struggles.  Here's what I have so far.  (You're still being nice, right?  I wouldn't be intentionally rude about your issues....)

True:  Liquids keep me hydrated.  It's hot outside, and I need to avoid dehydration.
Truth:  My body would function better and I would not gain weight if I drank water instead of Dr. Pepper.

(I'm kind of pitiful, I know....)

True:  I need food to survive. If I don't eat, I won't have any energy, and I'll get a headache.
Truth:  I will survive longer if I make nutritious food choices and avoid defaulting to chocolate, cereal, honey buns, biscuits, donuts, etc.

True:  Just "one more" won't hurt or kill me...
Truth:  One more may not hurt immediately, but the pounds will continue to add up, my body will fall apart, and my heart will eventually stop.  Continuing in a lifestyle of over-eating is actually a slow form of suicide.

(That last one hurts....)

Ok, here's another that I don't consciously tell myself, but my actions reveal what I've believed to be true:

True:  It's my body, and I can decide what I do to it or with it.
Truth:  There are always consequences for the choices we make.  Some consequences can affect us physically and permanently, and some consequences can affect others as well.  I may bear the weight of my idolatry issues, but my husband, children, and loved ones could suffer pain as well if I become an invalid or die young.  (That right there is brutal honesty, folks.)  Also, I can't forget the truth that, as a Christian, my body DOES NOT belong to me.  Have you ever read 1 Cor. 6:19-20?  A born-again Christ follower's body is a temple of the Holy Spirit of God, and it was purchased at an extremely high price--the life of Jesus.  If I allow my addiction to food to rule my life, then I am interfering with the work of the Holy Spirit.  Is it fair to say that in some respects, the Holy Spirit in me can only go as far as this temple can take Him?  I think so. 

So now you know more about my issues whether you really wanted to or not.  But here's one reason I decided to share this particular "rant" in a public forum:  I don't for one second believe I'm the only one with issues.  Or more accurately, with idols.  I wanted to share these thoughts just in case one of you is struggling with something or someone that functions as a god in your own life.  What, other than God, do you have your heart set on?  What motivates you?  What inspires your trust, fear, or service? Jefferson Bethke, a gifted young poet, says this:  "Idols over promise and under deliver--EVERY TIME....If you don't crush your idols, your idols will crush you."  And here's my favorite:

The apple looks sweet, but then it turns sour.  How come every time we bite into an idol, we're the ones that get devoured?

 Maybe if you're weary and ready to finally get rid of your idols, then maybe you'll begin the process of dissecting the deceptive thoughts in your own mind so you can come to the truth about your own issues.  And you know what truth does, right? 

Yep.  It sets us free.  (John 8:32)

And you know Who the truth is, right?

Yep.  Truth is a Person.  His name is Jesus. (John 14:6)

When the idols are removed, what's left?  True freedom.  Freedom only found through the power of Christ.

Y'all, pray for me.  I'll gladly pray for you, too.

The One Where Someone Else Faces Her Fear

This blog has turned into a journal of sorts, so dearest readers, feel free to skim or completely ignore this and any other post that wears on your nerves.

I just read a "tweet" on twitter that linked to a blog written by a Canadian Jesus-loving girl. In her post, Sarah Bessey wrote of facing her biggest fear and how it didn't turn out as she expected. According to Bessey, speaking about certain issues in public or on camera causes her incredible fear and anxiety. Here's part of what she wrote:

....I lost it.

I did. I blubbered. I cried. I was sweating. I was red-faced. I kept stopping in the middle to compose myself. I felt like running away. I sobbed. I had to restart three times. I was shaking. It was horrible, ugly. And my voice shook and squeaked, and I barked out sobs a couple of times.
It was one-part true emotion for the work we were undertaking and my passion for the Legacy Project, but it was also the fear choking me at the same time.
But I did it. When I finished, I laid my head on the desk and cried.

Strangely, I don't have the same fear. Thanks to a pushy caring pastor's wife, I was forced to get over that particular fear when I was but a wee middle school girl. (Who am I kidding? I have NEVER been a "wee" one.) However, I can completely relate to Bessey's gut-wrenching description of experiencing and facing fear. While reading it, I cried along with her, and then I cried when I realized how her words spoke to my own issues.

I'm not afraid of public speaking. Put me on stage--with or without a script--or put me in front of a classroom full of teenagers, and I'm (strangely) OK.

I'm afraid of private speaking.

You know what I mean. One-on-one. Especially when I don't know the person well or at all.

Alot of my fear stems from self-consciousness about my size. Now that I think about it, I find it very strange that I'm not afraid of being fat in public; apparently, I'm terrified of being fat in front of just a few people a time.... Weird.

When you want to get to the ugly truth, though, my self-consciousness is just a warped kind of sinful pride. I'm too preoccupied with myself and with how others perceive me. When it comes to genuine, Christ-centered living, this fear and preoccupation can destroy my effectiveness in His kingdom. It's time to take the focus away from myself and put it back where it's supposed to be: on Christ.

My weight is an issue. It IS a stumbling block for me and possibly for others, too. This weight thing MUST be dealt with.  More importantly, though, this fear--this sinful obsession with myself--must go.

And now that I've called this particular "spade" a "spade," God's gonna make me deal with it.

I'm going to be hammering out these issues of weight and fear for a while, I suppose.

Here's the rest of what Sarah Bessey wrote:

It was every bit as awful as I’d imagined, but I did it anyway.

I thought I would be rewarded for my efforts by a good experience.....But it doesn’t always work that way.

Sometimes the first step is just as awful as you imagined.

But you do it anyway.

And you keep doing it, over and over, until the root of that fear is dug out of the rocky hard soil, and you are free of it at last, and I believe God is making something beautiful out of it all.

Let's consider this post as a first step taken.

All I can do now is dry my tears and say, "Amen."

What about you?  What are you afraid of?

*************Here's the link to Sarah Bessey's original post. I've not read much else that she's written, so don't hold me responsible for her personal perspectives :) *************************

http://sarahbessey.com/in-which-i-confront-one-of-my-great-fear/

SSMT Verse Review Part 5

Well, I'm half-way finished with my verse review, and the SSMT Celebration (that's what they're calling it on Face Book) is rapidly approaching.  This attempt at reviewing my verses is actually helping me remember each passage, thank the Lord.  Here we go again.

SSMT Verse 13
I Corinthians 9:27 (NAS)-- I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

OUCH! This one (from July 1, 2011) HURTS!  I can't honestly say that my body is my slave; probably, the reverse is true.  This goes back to the previous entry about caving in to the desires of my taste buds while the my thighs, hips, rear, belly, and arms are pleading with me to resist.  Who is in control of whom?  OUCH! Dear Lord, LET THIS VERSE be TRUE of me!

 SSMT Verse 14
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NAS)--For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

This is the verse I chose to memorize for July 15, 2011.  I'm not sure what exactly was going on, but based on previous summers, I was probably experiencing a case of my usual summertime insanity.  I wasn't ready to go back to work, mind you, but I was probably dealing with some of the depression and loneliness that try to creep up on me during that time of year.  Phil is usually on the road quite a bit in June and July, the heat is usually unbearable, and I can usually invent several reasons why I should be feeling sorry for myself. 

If I'm not careful, the second half of my summer vacation can turn in to one big fear-infested pity party.  I can drive myself crazy with ideas that could possibly be true at some point in the future. I may imagine things that other people might say or do or think or plan to do, or I might even dwell on stories of situations that I heard other people went through that could become true for me and my family.  I can imagine arguments that have never taken place and then plan my own responses to those imaginary arguments.  I can work myself into a mental frenzy if I'm left alone for too long.  I don't desire to do this, but it happens.  (I'm starting to sound like I have multiple personalities or something.)

Anyway, these verses help me keep my head and heart clear of what is NOT true.  Most of the time, the flaming darts of Satan (Eph. 6:16) hit me in my thought life, so being able to recognize untrue thoughts that lead to anxiety, fear, anger, or depression has made SUCH a difference in my life.  Now when anxious thoughts begin to overwhelm me, I'm much quicker to run to my Abba Father for help, and I'm much quicker to open His Word to remind myself (and my enemy) of what is REALLY true. 

 SSMT Verse 15
Acts 26:18 (NAS) -- (I am sending you) to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

When I chose this verse for Aug. 1, 2011, we were prayerfully considering taking positions as youth workers at AGM.  I was also gearing up for another year at school, which meant new students and another year of preparing Bible lessons.  AND, Phil was preparing to travel to Hungary with Campus Crusade for Christ on his first international mission trip. When I read this verse, I made it our prayer that God would use us to do these things as we met our new youth, my new students, and the students Phil would meet in Hungary. 

The Bible tells us that the unsaved are blinded to the truth of the gospel and that men love the darknes rather than the light--that's why so many rejected and hated Jesus, the LIGHT of the world.  The truth of our own lostness and sinfulness and spiritual darkness isn't pleasant.  It's ugly and it's painful. Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, though, as John 3 tells us; He came so that the world--through HIM--might be saved.  As the Bible also says, the truth can make us free.  It will lead us from darkness into the glorious light of God's presence.  I still pray that God will use us to help others turn from darknes to light and from the dominion of Satan to God so they can know the joy of forgiveness and have a life-changing relationship with Him.

Even as I'm typing this, I'm thinking about an opportunity we will have in the next few days to share His life-giving light....use us, Lord, please....You be lifted high so others will be drawn to You.

SSMT Verse Review 4

At this time next week, mom and I will in Houston enjoying the SSMT extravaganza--OK, not so much an extravaganza as a gathering, but still fun :)  So, I had better keep going with my review....Lord, help!

SSMT Verse 8
1 Corinthians 6:12 (NAS)--All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable.  All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Another translation of this verse (which I chose for April 15, 2011) says that "not all things are beneficial."  This verse has been coming to mind lately as I'm trying to re-focus on my health / weight .... the Bible doesn't say I can't have a Dr. Pepper (or three), but really, how does it benefit me in any way other than by satisfying my taste buds?  I'm sad to say that I've been a slave to those stinkin' taste buds.  I'm ready to be free, though, and let only Jesus be my master.

Speaking of taste buds, I heard Lisa T., the author of Made to Crave, say something on Focus on the Family that reached through the radio and slapped me. She said that her taste buds are the only part of her body that craves junk food and that her hips, arms, belly, thighs, and rear certainly DON'T crave it.  I don't want to serve my taste buds by caving in to every little craving.  I've tried to think about that this week, and it has actually kept me from drinking a few real Dr. Peppers.  Yes, I could have "lawfully" consumed the D.P., but it wouldn't have been "profitable."

SSMT Verse 9
Jeremiah 15:16 (NAS)--Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart! For I have been called by Your name, O Lord of Hosts. 

From May 1, 2011--This is what I desire: to delight myself in God and in His Word and NOT in any substitute that can never even come close to satisfying my cravings.

SSMT Verse 10
Psalm 73:26 and 28 (NAS)--My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ..... But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. 

I can't remember what was going on last year when I chose to begin memorizing these verses on May 15--possibly final exams, graduation, and the usual end-of-the-year craziness.  This is a beautiful passage, though.  I remember wanting to memorize verse 26 and thinking that verse 28 just couldn't be left out.

I love that God is my "portion." This is a silly thought (and I don't mean to sound irreverent), but it's what comes to mind when I consider my Heavenly Father as my portion: He's like Baby Bear's porridge, chair, and bed in the story "Goldilocks"--He's not too hot or too cold, too hard or too soft, too big or too small...He's just right.  Whatever I need, He is. In fact, He's more than I can think or imagine--He's MORE than enough.  (Doesn't the word LORD in all caps mean that He is Jehovah--the I AM?)  I LOVE these verses!  Jehovah is my hiding place where I find strength when I need it.  It is a very good thing to be near to my God.

SSMT Verse 11
Psalm 86:11-12 (NIV)--Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.  I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all  my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.

 From June 1, 2011--I noticed this verse as I was reading through Made to Crave by Lisa T. (I can't spell her last name.)  Lisa wrote about making excuses for skipping exercise and for neglecting to properly care of her body; if I remember correctly, she was saying that not being committed is the same as having a divided heart.  I want a united heart that walks in all of God's ways and brings praise and glory to Him.

SSMT Verse 12
Psalm 16:11 (NAS)--You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever!

From June 12, 2011-- This was a verse I saw in a Philip Keller book--possibly in a chapter about idolatry.  Why should I seek satisfaction in any person, place, or thing when only GOD has pleasures at His right hand forever?!?!

Well, that was verse 12--I'm halfway though my review, but I'm done for now... falling asleep at the computer...

Seista Scripture Memory Team Verse Review Part I

So, for now, this attempt at blogging is purely for my benefit.  I haven't told anyone about my efforts, so I have no followers.  Actually, I did send an email to three people to let them know about it, but they all probably deleted it because my email account was hacked and they've been receiving indecent messages and advertisements from my old email address.... but that's a story for another time.

Anywho, I always remember things better if I write, rewrite, and write them often, so let's see if typing these verses will help my memory.

Without further ado (drum roll please....):
 Siesta Scripture Memory Team Verse 1
Psalm 90:12 NASB -- So teach us to number our days that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

I chose to memorize this verse on Jan. 1, 2011.  I had it memorized before I finished writing it in my handy dandy scripture notebook, actually.  Time management has always been a struggle for me, so this verse helps me to consider how I'm spending my time and what I'm pursuing... I want my Father to see me making wise use of the days He has given me.

 SSMT Verse 2
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB -- Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

This is my verse from Jan. 15, 2011.  I chose this one for O SO MANY reasons. Since I don't have time to discuss them all, here's one (rather lengthy) reason this verse speaks to me... 

 Jesus paid the ultimate price for my soul -- He gave His life on the cross that I may have life eternal.  I owe Him EVERYTHING.  I also have a responsibility to care for the temple / body He has given me; STILL this is a struggle.   

It's easy to point out the shortcomings and failures of others while overlooking your own. Labeling things like, say, murder or adultery or theft as sins doesn't make many people uncomfortable; the discomfort sets in when we dare to call weight and eating issues what they are--sins.  My weight issue isn't merely an issue: it's my failure to care for and maintain the temple that God's Spirit dwells in.  It's my choosing to seek satisfaction in food rather than in Him.  Jesus deserves much better from me.  Yes, this is still a struggle, and there is no quick fix.  I can, however, choose to glorify God in my body (no matter my size) by daily making choices to seek comfort in Him rather than in food and by daily making an effort to care for His "temple" in appropriate ways. Over time, a continuous pattern of right choices can and (God help me) WILL yield positive results both physically and spiritually.  Now, time for one more verse....

SSMT Verse 3
Ephesians 5:16-17 AMP-- Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately!  Not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

I chose Feb. 1, 2011's verse from the Amplified translation because I LOVE it!!!! I want to live with purpose, and I want to walk with Jesus in a worthy manner.  I don't want to miss the mark in choosing how I spend each day but rather I want to buy up each opportunity He presents and live and serve accurately--purposefully--worthily--I LOVE this!!