Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.
What a day already. I must be onto this peace thing because that underling is trying to take it away. I spilled my coffee. That is not a wise way to start the day. However, he did not get it all, and the remainder is quite tasty.
Today I am going to share a few bullet points from the sermon yesterday that I felt important enough to write down. When I woke up this morning, I had a clear direction of what He wanted from me, and when I sat down with my coffee, I had a clear direction of what the topic would be. It is rare to have this concise direction for the day, but I am assuming that is why the enemy tried to take my coffee.
Sin is like a ‘whirlpool’. The outer edges are playful and entertaining. Smooth and silky as you ride around the outer rings, enjoying the feel of the merry-go-rounds of old. Not too fast. Not too risky. Nothing that really ‘feels’ like a sin. As time goes on, you slide a little further down in the whirlpool where the speed kicks up a notch or two. Exhilaration and adrenaline step up, and the playful and smooth ride is now a higher-stakes game with a high that you don’t want to lose. A feeling of carefree living and lack of control in a fun way. Your focus is solely on the feeling now, and the sin, you can see it, but you don’t care because of the rush. Slipping down even further … the speed cranks up. The rush is faster. The freedom feels unattainable, yet you are there. You never want to leave. The world around you does not matter. Only this feeling matters. This false peace of freedom and control, when in actuality you are not in control at all, but the enemy is. For now, he has you hooked on the ‘feeling’ and you will do whatever you have to get it, keep it, hold on to it, and never let it go. The sin cannot be seen as sin, but as pleasure. You are caught in the most dangerous part of the whirlpool … the middle. Harder than ever to climb back out of, very simple to sink into the black hole of death.
There are two areas in our lives right now that come to mind when I think about this whirlpool concept. Addiction. Self-preservation.
Some might not agree but stick with me today and see what God has laid on my heart. I am going to start with self-preservation.
Thanks to Covid and the quarantine era of life, we have become adept at taking care of ourselves. As though my generation did not have a great handle on that already, by our upbringing, Covid taught us to be even more resilient. More independent. More one-minded. More self-absorbed. More look out for me and mine. People hoarding groceries and basic necessities, or worse, buying them up and selling them at astronomical prices. Caring less, and less for the neighbors, and only for our own. It has been five years since Covid and I can see that the self-absorbed whirlpool is quickly picking up speed. Many are caught in the inner ring. They find it easier to maintain their course than to change direction. They have made their peace in that this is who they are and … some just do not care to change and help, some do not know how, but some … there is hope … some are fighting the current of the world and working their way back up to solid ground.
The other area is addiction. I use addiction because it covers a host of issues, from sexual addiction to drug addiction, to alcohol addiction, to nicotine addiction, to money addiction, etc. The list is infinite. Addictions are like candy. They are sweet. They are savory. They are quite tasty. Addictions are presented in a way that they are not hurting anyone. They are only for the person involved. They are an escape from past trauma. They are the peace that comes to chaos.
Cigarettes, for example. A smoker is generally one who has developed a habit more than anything, but the nicotine inside each roll provides a calming agent that settles their nerves. So, each time they feel anxious … they pull out a smoke and settle their nerves. A cigarette gives them the impression that they are in control of their anxiety. As long as they are not in a confined space, then the only ones affected are them. It is their body, their choice. Right?
Drugs. Recreational drugs, that is. Pills. Pot. Needles. Whatever. The specific drug is not the issue … the consequences of that whirlpool are. So, for clarity … I have never done drugs. I have no personal experience with myself. However, my witness from others who have is where I draw my thoughts. As I understand it, the ‘first’ time is always the best time. That is the high that you are chasing in the whirlpool of drugs. Just this once to settle my nerves because I am so stressed out, won't hurt anything … then a second … then a third … then … Starting with a simple joint, then a joint laced with something, then pills … seeking that level of calm that you felt in the first trip. So much so that it grabs you, holds you, and convinces you that you cannot live without it. Then you are into the needles and stealing to support your habit while chasing happiness. This whirlpool is probably one of the most dangerous because you completely lose yourself, and you will do WHATEVER to get your next fix. Sin does not exist.
Money is the root of all evil … right? No. Money is not the root … the love of money is the root of all evil. When we love money more than God. When we love money more than helping. When we love money more than what is right. That is the root of all evil. Placing money as the priority over everything and everyone. Calling it taking care of ourselves first … sound familiar. Kind of runs in the same whirlpool as self-preservation. Holds true to some very nasty habits of trampling on others in order to gain the most. Lying. Cheating. Does not matter as long as the Benjamin lands in your hand … and lots of them.
Alcoholism ranks up there with cigarettes and drugs. I am the only one affected. It is my body. It is my choice. Alcohol is legal, so it should not be a problem. Like cigarettes. At least it is not drugs that are illegal. I am not hurting anyone. Who cares if I drink a little to settle my nerves? What is so bad if I have a drink after a long day? I deserve happiness and peace, too. It helps me sleep. All valid statements made by the enemy to create a logical space to consume alcohol … even in the extreme. It was a harder than usual day. I cannot sleep. The list goes on. Like cigarettes, alcohol is legal. You need only be a certain age to obtain it. But like drugs, alcohol takes away the ability to make choices that are better suited for the circumstance. Alcohol gives you the illusion that you are stronger than you are, smarter than you are, in control more than you are, and almost invincible … like drugs. It gives a certain high that first time, that you chase with harder and more liquor. This whirlpool is extremely difficult to overcome … especially since it is legal.
The thing with all these whirlpools is that they all provide an out. Two actually. One is death … which settles the never-ending cycle of the whirlpool, permanently, and causes stress for those left behind. The second is Jesus. He is there, reaching his hand to you to turn away from the whirlpool. He knows the dangers. He knows the pitfalls. He knows the struggle. He knows. He also knows that you are stronger than the addiction … when you put your trust in Him. The climb out will be hard, challenging, and almost with the feeling of hopelessness … however, if you keep your eyes on Him … you can overcome the enemy’s ploys to keep you down. You need only fix your eyes on the One who changes everything. No matter how far away you have strayed … He is but one step back.
Today I plead with anyone who is struggling with either of these two areas to sit in the presence of Him and ask for his help. I know too many people who refused to take that step backwards to the Father, repent, and climb out to show a testimony that the world cannot fathom. Today, go to him. He is waiting for you. His hand is reaching into your whirlpool to help you out.
Be blessed.
**Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. –Proverbs 3:13-14
What a day already. I must be onto this peace thing because that underling is trying to take it away. I spilled my coffee. That is not a wise way to start the day. However, he did not get it all, and the remainder is quite tasty.
Today I am going to share a few bullet points from the sermon yesterday that I felt important enough to write down. When I woke up this morning, I had a clear direction of what He wanted from me, and when I sat down with my coffee, I had a clear direction of what the topic would be. It is rare to have this concise direction for the day, but I am assuming that is why the enemy tried to take my coffee.
Sin is like a ‘whirlpool’. The outer edges are playful and entertaining. Smooth and silky as you ride around the outer rings, enjoying the feel of the merry-go-rounds of old. Not too fast. Not too risky. Nothing that really ‘feels’ like a sin. As time goes on, you slide a little further down in the whirlpool where the speed kicks up a notch or two. Exhilaration and adrenaline step up, and the playful and smooth ride is now a higher-stakes game with a high that you don’t want to lose. A feeling of carefree living and lack of control in a fun way. Your focus is solely on the feeling now, and the sin, you can see it, but you don’t care because of the rush. Slipping down even further … the speed cranks up. The rush is faster. The freedom feels unattainable, yet you are there. You never want to leave. The world around you does not matter. Only this feeling matters. This false peace of freedom and control, when in actuality you are not in control at all, but the enemy is. For now, he has you hooked on the ‘feeling’ and you will do whatever you have to get it, keep it, hold on to it, and never let it go. The sin cannot be seen as sin, but as pleasure. You are caught in the most dangerous part of the whirlpool … the middle. Harder than ever to climb back out of, very simple to sink into the black hole of death.
There are two areas in our lives right now that come to mind when I think about this whirlpool concept. Addiction. Self-preservation.
Some might not agree but stick with me today and see what God has laid on my heart. I am going to start with self-preservation.
Thanks to Covid and the quarantine era of life, we have become adept at taking care of ourselves. As though my generation did not have a great handle on that already, by our upbringing, Covid taught us to be even more resilient. More independent. More one-minded. More self-absorbed. More look out for me and mine. People hoarding groceries and basic necessities, or worse, buying them up and selling them at astronomical prices. Caring less, and less for the neighbors, and only for our own. It has been five years since Covid and I can see that the self-absorbed whirlpool is quickly picking up speed. Many are caught in the inner ring. They find it easier to maintain their course than to change direction. They have made their peace in that this is who they are and … some just do not care to change and help, some do not know how, but some … there is hope … some are fighting the current of the world and working their way back up to solid ground.
The other area is addiction. I use addiction because it covers a host of issues, from sexual addiction to drug addiction, to alcohol addiction, to nicotine addiction, to money addiction, etc. The list is infinite. Addictions are like candy. They are sweet. They are savory. They are quite tasty. Addictions are presented in a way that they are not hurting anyone. They are only for the person involved. They are an escape from past trauma. They are the peace that comes to chaos.
Cigarettes, for example. A smoker is generally one who has developed a habit more than anything, but the nicotine inside each roll provides a calming agent that settles their nerves. So, each time they feel anxious … they pull out a smoke and settle their nerves. A cigarette gives them the impression that they are in control of their anxiety. As long as they are not in a confined space, then the only ones affected are them. It is their body, their choice. Right?
Drugs. Recreational drugs, that is. Pills. Pot. Needles. Whatever. The specific drug is not the issue … the consequences of that whirlpool are. So, for clarity … I have never done drugs. I have no personal experience with myself. However, my witness from others who have is where I draw my thoughts. As I understand it, the ‘first’ time is always the best time. That is the high that you are chasing in the whirlpool of drugs. Just this once to settle my nerves because I am so stressed out, won't hurt anything … then a second … then a third … then … Starting with a simple joint, then a joint laced with something, then pills … seeking that level of calm that you felt in the first trip. So much so that it grabs you, holds you, and convinces you that you cannot live without it. Then you are into the needles and stealing to support your habit while chasing happiness. This whirlpool is probably one of the most dangerous because you completely lose yourself, and you will do WHATEVER to get your next fix. Sin does not exist.
Money is the root of all evil … right? No. Money is not the root … the love of money is the root of all evil. When we love money more than God. When we love money more than helping. When we love money more than what is right. That is the root of all evil. Placing money as the priority over everything and everyone. Calling it taking care of ourselves first … sound familiar. Kind of runs in the same whirlpool as self-preservation. Holds true to some very nasty habits of trampling on others in order to gain the most. Lying. Cheating. Does not matter as long as the Benjamin lands in your hand … and lots of them.
Alcoholism ranks up there with cigarettes and drugs. I am the only one affected. It is my body. It is my choice. Alcohol is legal, so it should not be a problem. Like cigarettes. At least it is not drugs that are illegal. I am not hurting anyone. Who cares if I drink a little to settle my nerves? What is so bad if I have a drink after a long day? I deserve happiness and peace, too. It helps me sleep. All valid statements made by the enemy to create a logical space to consume alcohol … even in the extreme. It was a harder than usual day. I cannot sleep. The list goes on. Like cigarettes, alcohol is legal. You need only be a certain age to obtain it. But like drugs, alcohol takes away the ability to make choices that are better suited for the circumstance. Alcohol gives you the illusion that you are stronger than you are, smarter than you are, in control more than you are, and almost invincible … like drugs. It gives a certain high that first time, that you chase with harder and more liquor. This whirlpool is extremely difficult to overcome … especially since it is legal.
The thing with all these whirlpools is that they all provide an out. Two actually. One is death … which settles the never-ending cycle of the whirlpool, permanently, and causes stress for those left behind. The second is Jesus. He is there, reaching his hand to you to turn away from the whirlpool. He knows the dangers. He knows the pitfalls. He knows the struggle. He knows. He also knows that you are stronger than the addiction … when you put your trust in Him. The climb out will be hard, challenging, and almost with the feeling of hopelessness … however, if you keep your eyes on Him … you can overcome the enemy’s ploys to keep you down. You need only fix your eyes on the One who changes everything. No matter how far away you have strayed … He is but one step back.
Today I plead with anyone who is struggling with either of these two areas to sit in the presence of Him and ask for his help. I know too many people who refused to take that step backwards to the Father, repent, and climb out to show a testimony that the world cannot fathom. Today, go to him. He is waiting for you. His hand is reaching into your whirlpool to help you out.
Be blessed.
**Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. –Proverbs 3:13-14
Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.
What a day already. I must be onto this peace thing because that underling is trying to take it away. I spilled my coffee. That is not a wise way to start the day. However, he did not get it all, and the remainder is quite tasty.
Today I am going to share a few bullet points from the sermon yesterday that I felt important enough to write down. When I woke up this morning, I had a clear direction of what He wanted from me, and when I sat down with my coffee, I had a clear direction of what the topic would be. It is rare to have this concise direction for the day, but I am assuming that is why the enemy tried to take my coffee.
Sin is like a ‘whirlpool’. The outer edges are playful and entertaining. Smooth and silky as you ride around the outer rings, enjoying the feel of the merry-go-rounds of old. Not too fast. Not too risky. Nothing that really ‘feels’ like a sin. As time goes on, you slide a little further down in the whirlpool where the speed kicks up a notch or two. Exhilaration and adrenaline step up, and the playful and smooth ride is now a higher-stakes game with a high that you don’t want to lose. A feeling of carefree living and lack of control in a fun way. Your focus is solely on the feeling now, and the sin, you can see it, but you don’t care because of the rush. Slipping down even further … the speed cranks up. The rush is faster. The freedom feels unattainable, yet you are there. You never want to leave. The world around you does not matter. Only this feeling matters. This false peace of freedom and control, when in actuality you are not in control at all, but the enemy is. For now, he has you hooked on the ‘feeling’ and you will do whatever you have to get it, keep it, hold on to it, and never let it go. The sin cannot be seen as sin, but as pleasure. You are caught in the most dangerous part of the whirlpool … the middle. Harder than ever to climb back out of, very simple to sink into the black hole of death.
There are two areas in our lives right now that come to mind when I think about this whirlpool concept. Addiction. Self-preservation.
Some might not agree but stick with me today and see what God has laid on my heart. I am going to start with self-preservation.
Thanks to Covid and the quarantine era of life, we have become adept at taking care of ourselves. As though my generation did not have a great handle on that already, by our upbringing, Covid taught us to be even more resilient. More independent. More one-minded. More self-absorbed. More look out for me and mine. People hoarding groceries and basic necessities, or worse, buying them up and selling them at astronomical prices. Caring less, and less for the neighbors, and only for our own. It has been five years since Covid and I can see that the self-absorbed whirlpool is quickly picking up speed. Many are caught in the inner ring. They find it easier to maintain their course than to change direction. They have made their peace in that this is who they are and … some just do not care to change and help, some do not know how, but some … there is hope … some are fighting the current of the world and working their way back up to solid ground.
The other area is addiction. I use addiction because it covers a host of issues, from sexual addiction to drug addiction, to alcohol addiction, to nicotine addiction, to money addiction, etc. The list is infinite. Addictions are like candy. They are sweet. They are savory. They are quite tasty. Addictions are presented in a way that they are not hurting anyone. They are only for the person involved. They are an escape from past trauma. They are the peace that comes to chaos.
Cigarettes, for example. A smoker is generally one who has developed a habit more than anything, but the nicotine inside each roll provides a calming agent that settles their nerves. So, each time they feel anxious … they pull out a smoke and settle their nerves. A cigarette gives them the impression that they are in control of their anxiety. As long as they are not in a confined space, then the only ones affected are them. It is their body, their choice. Right?
Drugs. Recreational drugs, that is. Pills. Pot. Needles. Whatever. The specific drug is not the issue … the consequences of that whirlpool are. So, for clarity … I have never done drugs. I have no personal experience with myself. However, my witness from others who have is where I draw my thoughts. As I understand it, the ‘first’ time is always the best time. That is the high that you are chasing in the whirlpool of drugs. Just this once to settle my nerves because I am so stressed out, won't hurt anything … then a second … then a third … then … Starting with a simple joint, then a joint laced with something, then pills … seeking that level of calm that you felt in the first trip. So much so that it grabs you, holds you, and convinces you that you cannot live without it. Then you are into the needles and stealing to support your habit while chasing happiness. This whirlpool is probably one of the most dangerous because you completely lose yourself, and you will do WHATEVER to get your next fix. Sin does not exist.
Money is the root of all evil … right? No. Money is not the root … the love of money is the root of all evil. When we love money more than God. When we love money more than helping. When we love money more than what is right. That is the root of all evil. Placing money as the priority over everything and everyone. Calling it taking care of ourselves first … sound familiar. Kind of runs in the same whirlpool as self-preservation. Holds true to some very nasty habits of trampling on others in order to gain the most. Lying. Cheating. Does not matter as long as the Benjamin lands in your hand … and lots of them.
Alcoholism ranks up there with cigarettes and drugs. I am the only one affected. It is my body. It is my choice. Alcohol is legal, so it should not be a problem. Like cigarettes. At least it is not drugs that are illegal. I am not hurting anyone. Who cares if I drink a little to settle my nerves? What is so bad if I have a drink after a long day? I deserve happiness and peace, too. It helps me sleep. All valid statements made by the enemy to create a logical space to consume alcohol … even in the extreme. It was a harder than usual day. I cannot sleep. The list goes on. Like cigarettes, alcohol is legal. You need only be a certain age to obtain it. But like drugs, alcohol takes away the ability to make choices that are better suited for the circumstance. Alcohol gives you the illusion that you are stronger than you are, smarter than you are, in control more than you are, and almost invincible … like drugs. It gives a certain high that first time, that you chase with harder and more liquor. This whirlpool is extremely difficult to overcome … especially since it is legal.
The thing with all these whirlpools is that they all provide an out. Two actually. One is death … which settles the never-ending cycle of the whirlpool, permanently, and causes stress for those left behind. The second is Jesus. He is there, reaching his hand to you to turn away from the whirlpool. He knows the dangers. He knows the pitfalls. He knows the struggle. He knows. He also knows that you are stronger than the addiction … when you put your trust in Him. The climb out will be hard, challenging, and almost with the feeling of hopelessness … however, if you keep your eyes on Him … you can overcome the enemy’s ploys to keep you down. You need only fix your eyes on the One who changes everything. No matter how far away you have strayed … He is but one step back.
Today I plead with anyone who is struggling with either of these two areas to sit in the presence of Him and ask for his help. I know too many people who refused to take that step backwards to the Father, repent, and climb out to show a testimony that the world cannot fathom. Today, go to him. He is waiting for you. His hand is reaching into your whirlpool to help you out.
Be blessed.
**Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. –Proverbs 3:13-14
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