The Folly of the Forbidden

The Folly of the Forbidden 

Posted by Sarah

“And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph…”. - Genesis 39:7 (NKJV)

He’s your co-worker, one of the Dad’s at your child’s daycare, youth pastor, professor, guy you sit next to in class, someone in your inner circle, one that you see frequently at the gym, drummer in the band plastered on your wall, or the person that brews your coffee everyday. He’s attractive…He’s wonderful…he’s off limits. 

Instead of turning your eyes elsewhere when you hear those curse words fly out of his mouth, catch a glimpse of a wedding band, or get introduced to the girlfriend at his side, you begin your quiet pursuit. You convince yourself your fantasies are harmless. You take extra time primping to be in his presence and pick out just the right outfit to get his attention. You thrive on conversations here and there. And while he might be way older, taken, or completely contrary to what you believe, you settle for the cheap thrills from the bits and pieces of him. You silence the warnings inside and succumb to secrecy. The taste of forbidden fruit has held you captive and now it’s inescapable.

                                       ………………………………………………… 

Potiphar’s Wife is no stranger to many girls who catch a glimpse of beauty but go too far when they try to pursue someone who is clearly forbidden. Her affair began when twenty-something Joseph entered her world after being employed by her husband. Considered “handsome in form and appearance” (Genesis 39:6) and the son of the exceptional beauty Rachel, he was stunning to behold. Yet the line was crossed when this woman’s thoughts were cultivated into an unhealthy appetite and turned into action (Genesis 39:7). 

The two were completely different. Joseph, was a Hebrew who worshiped Yahweh (the one true God) while Potiphar’s Wife was a married Egyptian women who didn’t know Joseph’s God.  For Potiphar’s Wife, Joseph was clearly forbidden on the basis of adultery which was punishably by death in ancient times (Bad Girls of the Bible). Yet for Joseph, the relationship was forbidden not only because it was morally wrong but because it committed an even greater offense – disobeying God.

Although the story is centuries old, the temptation is still the same.

Over and over women have fallen into different forms of forbidden romantic relationships. These include:

• Those who are inappropriate for your age (John 16:13, NKJV)

• Men who are married or are in a relationship (Proverbs 5:22, 6:32; Matthew 5:28; NKJV; Hebrews 13:4, NIV)

• Someone who doesn’t believe what you do (2 Corinthians 6:14, NLV)

• Women (Leviticus 18:22, TLB)

Now why are these forbidden in this first place? Is God a “kill joy” or Someone that is constantly telling us do’s and don’ts. I say He is neither one of those. Think about the original woman known as Adam and Eve. God said they could eat and roam His beautiful garden freely but He warned them to not eat from the one tree that had the potential to seriously harm (destroy) them (Genesis 2:16). God wasn’t saying, “Don’t eat this because I just don’t want you to have it…MUH HAHA!” No! God said (paraphrase) “I love you enough to give you good options, to warn you of what’s not good for you because I don’t want to see you get hurt, and to let you make a choice.” God gives us better options that will bless us and pale in comparison to what we think is good.

Yet, like Eve we too take the bite of forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6). Why? Like a child who is told “No” for good reasons by their parents, the child insists on doing the wrong like eating five candy bars or sticking a finger in the electrical socket. In our twisted fallen nature, we want what isn’t good for us, we are curious, it excites us, and we enjoy a challenge. Yet, we cannot touch fire without getting burnt. Forbidden fruit, while shortly pleasurable (Hebrews 11:25, KJV), like sugar, will always leave us dissatisfied in a pile of disastrous possibilities like pregnancy, a broken heart, loss of virginity, tainted reputation, guilt, humiliation, addiction, STD’s, and the list goes on.

Before we are quick to judge Mrs. Potiphar, we need to check ourselves (Psalm 139:23-24) Have we ever fantasized or lusted over someone forbidden? Have we ever “conveniently” run into this person to chat? Have we dressed to get a head turn? Have we schemed to get their attention? Have we hid our actions?

This forbidden person is not our property but someone else’s. We need to realize affairs begin in the mind and adultery is committed there. What we think is “harmless” or “hidden” is not only harmful for us, the person we pursue, but also others who are innocent.

So when someone catches our eye, we must be careful to guard it as both Potiphar’s Wife and Eve (Genesis 3:6) were lured by it. Like Joseph, we can honor God when we are faced with temptation and turn in a new direction with God’s help (Genesis 39:8, 10, 12). We can acknowledge the beauty God created and bounce our thoughts in a new direction by thanking God for who we have or the one we will have someday. In the safety of His boundaries, we can taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).

What makes love “Love”?

What makes love “Love”?

Posted by Renee

“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”- 1 Corinthians 13:3-8 (ESV)

  

February, in my family, is a month filled with celebrations: my mother’s birthday, my parents’ anniversary, my aunts’ birthdays, Valentine’s Day… and let’s not forget the ever important President’s Day weekend! I love the month of February, but then again, I love a lot of things. I love chocolate, and Pooh Bear, and Europe, and vintage furniture and—you get the picture. In reality, I probably use the word “love” a little too liberally at times. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and gush about the latest and greatest thing that I love, but in the process of doing that, I end up making the word “love” cheap, which takes away the value of whatever it is I am admiring. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of Valentine’s Day (although I do appreciate flowers and chocolates) but the holiday does make me reconsider what love really looks like. Is love really having someone to take you out to a nice dinner once a year? Is love really a deep affection for somebody else? Is it more? Is it less? Is it real? What does it look like? 

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a fabulous definition of what love is: Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud or rude… and the list goes on and on. Honestly, it puts me to shame. There are days when I think I’m doing a great job at all of this, and then I’ve ruined all my feeble attempts by the time the next day rolls around. 

In 1 John 4:8 the Scriptures say that “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Think about that for a moment. That tiny word “is” changes everything about the way we should view love. Love isn’t just a characteristic of God; aka—God isn’t just “loving;” God IS love. God defines what love is and what love should look like. Just look at 1 Corinthians 13 and you can see that God’s character matches up with the characteristics that describe and define love. The entire Bible proclaims this and points to the amazing reality that God IS love and God IS just… God IS. And because God IS—we can BE. We don’t have to prove ourselves. We don’t have to try and convince the world that we are worthy of being loved, because our identity should be founded in God who IS love. And He has already called us worthy—He has already demonstrated and proven His great love for us. Think about that—He PROVED that He loves you! 

Because of this, every day is an opportunity to fall deeper in love with who God is; every morning is an invitation to join an amazing adventure. In addition to all of this, every time you read the Scriptures, God is inviting you to join Him in an astounding love story—an unparalleled romance that reflects and reveals the deep, real, and intimate ways He thinks about you. 

So the next time you find yourself thinking about love, or Valentine’s day, or maybe just wishing that someone would show up at your door with a fresh bouquet of roses—remember that God loves you and He is continuously showing you how deep and high and wide is His love for you. So bask in His presence and let Him restore your soul and show you what true love really looks like, so that you in turn can go out and love others the way He has loved you. 

Till next time friends,  

~Renee

Words of Wisdom

    Sore or Soar?      

Posted by Selma 

“But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint”- Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

  

I love to go on the simulator ride in California Adventure amusement park called “Soaring over California.” It makes people feel the sensation of actually flying over the ocean, mountains, and Disneyland (my personal fav). At one point in the ride, you’re flying in the midst of the clouds and the feeling is exhilarating! This is the same feeling I have when I soar with God. 

The ability to rise above our difficulties reminds me of the imagery of soaring above the clouds. In the Bible, Isaiah paints this picture as a beautiful eagle gliding. But what does it mean to soar with God? 

To soar means to fly upward, glide in the air, and rise higher to a great height. 

In terms of our relationship with Jesus, to soar means to trust Him. 

To wait on the Lord means to trust Him. It’s actually putting faith into action and trusting and waiting for God to work by expecting an answer.

Today, we live in a high tech world of ipads, iphones ,microwaves, blue rays, fast food, drive thru Starbucks and nobody wants to wait.  People complain if their computer is not working fast enough. They demand something newer and faster and the new quickly becomes obsolete because people are always looking for the quick fix or answer. 

Although in reality, we have to still wait – doctor appointments, DMV, mail, market lines, gas stations, banks, mechanics/fixing repairs on cars, airports, the ER, and of course Disneyland rides. 

In turn, God also asks us to wait. Sometimes our first reaction is: “oh I can’t, it’s too hard,” “I prayed and nothing happened,” “I waited long enough and I need help now,” and “What am I waiting for? I gotta  figure out what to do next?” However when Jesus calls us to wait it doesn’t mean He has forgotten or He isn’t saying I don’t care. He wants to increase our faith and is working in the situation while we trust Him for the answer. 

Waiting on the lord is not an easy thing to do but the result of waiting produces fruits of patience and wisdom. Waiting on the Lord gives us the ability to run spiritually (persevere/endure) without tiring and to steadfastly move forward without fainting at Gods delays. 

So what are you waiting for? Whatever it is, know that Jesus will supply the needed strength to meet every test he permits us to face. When we have hope (trust) in Christ we can soar above our storms and be free just like an eagle! 

Here are some practical ways you can soar over the storms:

· Not focusing on our situations, circumstance, or difficulties 

· Choosing joy in the midst of testing

· Being thankful

· Being hopeful

· Choosing to have faith and trust in Jesus

· Embracing the wait

· Praising Jesus

· Prayer

It could also mean creating memorial stones and Ebenezers (i.e. reminders of Gods faithfulness) by commemorating significant events such as:

· A pic that captured the moment

· A bulletin from church that says when you were saved/baptized

· A CD with special songs of particular uplifting music 

· Pressed flower/pebble

· Ticket stub, certificate, or a wrist bracelet from a hospital 

· Shirt 

· A piece of jewelry

Overall,  we all need to make a choice! We can choose to fight against our circumstances or not. The story of the children of Israelites in the bible  wandering through the wilderness comes to mind. Now this trip was to originally be a short trip but because of their disobedience they wandered for forty years! So really we are still no different today. 

Opposite of “soar” is to be “sore” which means to stay sensitive, in pain, offended, and angry.

Additionally, it could mean:

· Feeling sorry for ourselves

· Blame

· Denial

· Isolation 

· Stuck in your past and not wanting to move forward

· Consumed 

· Unforgiving (changed from “not forgiving” to make it concise like the others)

· Anxious

· Critical  

· Bitter

· Sad

· Negative

· Discouraged

So will our distress drive us to despair and discouragement or to God? Discouragement is a tool of Satan. He is a stealer of the truth who primarily works in the mind. Yet discouragement turns to encouragement when we look away from our circumstances and focus our eyes on the lord.  2 Corinthians 10:4-5 states, “Bring our thoughts into submission to Christ.” We are to control our thoughts rather than have our thoughts control us because  if we let our imagination run away and steal our joy. Someone has once said to look around is to be distressed; to look within is to be depressed; to look up is to be blessed.

Mere natural and physical powers will not avail in the hour when one is called upon to face great mental and spiritual emergencies ..But they who have learned to refer everything to God and to wait quietly upon Him will be given all needed strength to rise above depressing circumstances thus enabling them to mount heavenward as eagles, facing the sun, to run their race with patience, and to walk with God with renewed confidence and courage, knowing that they are ever the objects of his love and care. It is one thing to wait on the lord. It is quite another to wait for him. As we wait on Him we are changed into his likeness. As we wait for him in patience, we are delivered from worry and fretfulness, knowing that God is never late, but that in his own time he will give the help we need – H.A. Ironside

“He giveth power to the faint…”   

- Isaiah 40:29           

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 
- Lamentations 3:25 (KJV)

“…and wait on thy God continually.”

- Hosea 12:6 (KJV) 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

- Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

Slaying The Giant

Slaying The Giant

Posted by Sarah

“Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head…” 

 - 1 Samuel 17:46 (NLT)

I have always loved watching epic warriors in battle. Whether it’s medieval knights, courageous patriots, WWII soldiers, hobbits, or Lucy, Edward, Susan, and Peter in The Chronicles of Narnia, my eyes tune into the battle scene to watch the warrior fight.  I guess I’m inclined to see what happens. Will the solider retreat? Will the warrior prevail? Will courage ultimately overcome fear? 

When it comes to warriors, David comes to mind. The Bible recounts his story as a young teen who saw the injustice of a Philistine giant publicly mocked God and responded. When everyone ran in the name of fear (including Israel’s king named Saul), David stepped up. In bravery, David went to battle dismissing every naysayer who said it couldn’t happen because he was a “youth.” 

Armed with rocks and a sling, David proclaimed to the giant that the battle was the Lord’s and that He would have victory! Aggressively, David ran toward his opponent and with one precise shot, took down the giant!

Like David, I too have faced giants: Giants of fear, condemnation, guilt, insecurity, unbelief, temptation, pride, and various forms of opposition. 

While some of my encounters with the giant ended in victory like David, 0thers ended in miserable defeat like Saul. 

According to the Bible, Goliath, the Philistine champion first came on the scene calling out all of Israel to fight him. Standing six cubits and a span (nine feet, nine inches tall according to according to Thomas Nelson’s bible commentary), he was also armed and dangerous. Possessing a bronze helmet, coat of mail (overlapping plates of bronze sewn on leather), bronze armor on his legs, a bronze javelin between his shoulders (strapped onto his back according to Nelson,) a spear (where the spearhead alone weighed six hundred sheckles equaling seventeen pounds according to Nelson), and a shield barrier who went before him into battle.

Additionally, the Bible tells us that Goliath hated Israel and screamed out taunts against the nation, terrorizing and harassing the people continually.

One look at Goliath sent Saul into shear panic and I too have done the same. I’ve become intimidated, plagued with guilt, had failures haunt me, allowed fear to encroach me, and was lured by temptation. In short, I have been like Saul.

But unlike Saul, I have chosen to not withdraw in fear and to allow Jesus to dust me off and use my fumbles as lessons. In short, I chose to be like David.

Our adversary known as Satan (the devil) schemes to destroy and seeks our demise. He uses giants that come in a variety of weaknesses and forms (such as family members, cute guys, and bad thoughts) to trip us. He will capitalize on vulnerabilities, pounce on unpleasant scenarios, and shoot darts when we lest expect it. The bible calls him a roaring lion who seeks to devour (1 Peter 5:8, NLT). He will do anything to thwart our relationship with Jesus and get us distracted, disillusioned, and ultimately, derailed. 

Yet we don’t have to be a victim. The bible warns us to let Satan take advantage us by being ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11, NKJV). We can study and train for battle. I learned from David’s example that we must know our opponent and his tactics to gain ground. With God’s help, we can become aware of our weaknesses and seek to make them strong. I studied how David stepped up in courage and how He won the battle by fighting with spiritual weapons such as prayer, faith, and walking in truth, and proclaiming Christ. Additionally, I learned that the battle is won when our minds are set on victory placing our complete confidence in God (not ourselves) to know the battle is the Lord’s. Furthermore, I learned that the battle is also won when we are willing to be obey God, step up, and fight for what is right. When we ignore the naysayer’s and think big as David did, we too can experience victory! 

Yet, we must always remember that giants can resurface and revisit. When Jesus Himself was faced with temptation by the devil it says that he departed until an opportune time. The devil didn’t stop opposing him. Instead, he waited for an opportune time to attack. If he did this with Jesus, he will do it with us. But if I know he attack’s my weak points we know like David that when he attacks, he must be finished.

David cuts off the head of Goliath after he is dead in 1 Samuel 17:51. It’s blunt and gory but it’s a great illustration of what we should do with our giant. We can’t flirt with its agenda or run away. Instead with God’s help, we must be aggressive and slay the giant so the giant cannot get back up. If we want to have victory, like any great warrior, we must slay the giant.

At Face Value

At Face Value

Posted by Michelle 

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

    -  Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Epiphanies arrive in all sorts of ways. Sometimes they arrive while we are in contemplative prayer, or sometimes while reading God’s Word. Sometimes that startling moment of clarity arrives while we are in nature, appreciating God’s creative power. This last week, an epiphany crashed over me from a different venue: a mentor.

My mentor is an older, wiser, Godly woman who I entrust my deepest struggles to. Before this week I thought mentors only listen, guide, and keep their mentees accountable. This week I learned that mentors also deliver epiphanies - and not always the warm and fuzzy ones. More like the mind blowing, “I never knew that about myself,” types of epiphanies. 

I had been telling my mentor about my week and how I had tried to help my brother with the task of buying a car. It had turned out to be a bit of a disaster, as things often do when my schedule loving ways clashes with his free spirit. My mentor stopped me mid-rant, though, and asked me why did I drop everything to help him, knowing that something frustrating like this situation usually happened. That little “why” question gave me pause. I think she wanted to remind me of reasons like, “he’s family and I love him,” or “because God told me to,” but those “right” answers didn’t ring true in my heart at that moment. I trusted my mentor enough to think hard and honestly about her question.

I looked down at my knees and realization dawned on me. 

“I wanted to be needed.”

After speaking the words, I looked up at her again, and could see in her eyes that this was going to be one of our more serious talks. She asked another power-packed question: Why do I find value in being needed?

KAHBLAM! The epiphany struck.

Ah. Here’s the thing about wise people in your life. They help you see the uncomfortable truths that you were blind to before. Here was my uncomfortable epiphany in that moment of clarity: I feel that I’m valuable when I’m needed. I’m loved, of course, but valuable, special, and irreplaceable?

Fortunately, my mentor didn’t just leave me to stew in that revelation and actually had some wisdom to speak into my life. We can’t base our value on other people, even through doing good things for them. Instead, we can only measure our value based on God’s standard. The good news is that whether we feel valuable or not, or can do some good in the world or not, God values us just the same. 

We are each His masterpiece.

I learned that I hadn’t always been doing good things for the right reasons. The right reasons are our of love and obedience to God, not out of a misguided sense of finding our value through helping other people. Now I’m reminded that I can have a secure sense of value in God, and set my focus where it belongs: on God and others. 

I hope you take away from this post a renewed confidence that you are valuable, special, and irreplaceable because God says so (He would know!). And also, that we need wise mentors in our lives. People who we can trust to listen and then speak God’s wisdom to us. Mentors can help us when walking God’s path gets tough, and keep us accountable. They also, as you saw today, deliver mind-blowing epiphanies that can change us for the better.

Peace on Earth…Throughout the Year

Peace on Earth…Throughout the Year 

Posted by Michelle 

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” -  John 14:27 (NASB)

The Christmas season is one of the loveliest times of the year. Pretty decorations, good food, and joyful music abounds. Nothing beats curling up on the couch for a Christmas movie with a mug of hot chocolate. It is a special time when we think about the many blessings we have and show others how much we love them. 

As much as I look forward to those wonderful things, I must admit that Christmas is also a stressful time for me. Christmas time brings with it a plethora or expectations. We have to run around to all the parties of our friends and neighbors, find the perfect gifts for everyone on our list, bring edible home made food dishes to the potluck gatherings, and somehow do all of this on a tight budget. Are you exhausted yet? 

On top of being busy during the Christmas season, this is also the time when I’m reminded of how turbulent family dynamics can be. Each year I stress about possible fights in the family, possible tension between relatives, and possible hurt feelings among loved ones. There is so much potential for strife that looking forward to Christmas is not easy.

Here’s the thing, though - Christmas has come and gone and none of those possible outcomes happened! Why, you might ask? Well, I can assure you that it wasn’t by my family’s strength alone! In all seriousness it was because of a really great sermon we heard the week of Christmas. I can’t do the sermon justice, but it was on the greatest gift that Jesus gave us by being born in a manger; Peace between God and man. Once we have His peace, we can have peace with ourselves and each other. In Philippians 4:7, Paul tells us, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (NASV).” We can have God’s peace within, even when faced with our live circumstances it wouldn’t make sense. There can be trials and hardships, but people would be able to see that you are “somehow” at peace in the midst of it all.

Taking some time to digest the concept of God’s peace, I realized how absent it was from my Christmas preparations. I was constantly aware that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” but my anxiety about how to fulfill all the Christmas expectations (invented by myself and other people) and prevent World War III from brewing was overwhelming me every year. But that is not what God wants for me! His peace is that calm surety that He has everything under control, that nothing surprises Him, and that He is at work in and around us. What a relief! What an amazing anchor! 

The Christmas season has passed, so what now? As desperately as I needed God’s peace during the crazy times of the holidays, I realize that I need that every day of the year too. This year I really want to keep asking God for His peace within me each day. I’ve lived for years under the terrible misconception that if I’m not stressed or anxious about something or another, I must be forgetting something. But, I don’t want to live that way anymore, and, because of God’s peace, I don’t have to. 

What about you? As I continue to cherish my Christmas memories this year, I hope that you will also carry Christmas’s “peace on earth” into the new year.

Light In The Darkness

Light In The Darkness

Posted by Sarah

I love light. Whether it’s the warm glow of a candle, blinking stars in all their moonlit wonder, or a string of Christmas lights on a house, there is something about light that attracts me and leaves me awestruck. Awestruck not only for it’s beauty but also because it is a constant reminder of the Light I encountered almost two years ago – the Light that shined in my darkness. 

Two years ago I was left in the dark. It was Christmas-time and I heard carols playing, saw people shopping, and sat through holiday festivities filled with the pain of anxiety and depression. In darkest season of my life, I was without hope in a time I knew it was suppose to abound. While many stirred in anticipation for the hope found in a Savior, I was looking for one. 

While light radiated into my life on several occasions, one that had a significant impact was shown through a family named the Luskos. I watched them in the darkest time of their lives shine brightly like a lighthouse in a dark storm. I watched as the young pastor and his wife vulnerably shed tears but also watched as they stood and proclaimed hope only a few days after their little girl was ushered into heaven. They spoke with such confidence, such passion, and such hope that there was a quiet presence of Someone holding them up, a power that gave them to do what they did. Illuminating before me, I stood back in admiration and wonder examining my own life and heart. My own darkness. Could there be hope like that for me?

I heard the story of their little girl. I watched her celebration of life via live stream and heard countless testimonies of Lenya Lusko’s hope-filled life. Gaining vision, I saw her joy and her vibrancy in all she did and with tear-filled eyes longed for what she had. Like many in the dark, I saw a flicker of light that sparked in my heart and yearned for the Light of Jesus Christ. 

The light of the Lusko family was just a reflection of an inward light they projected. Like a candle, star, or string of Christmas lights, I was captivated by what I saw. You see, the holidays for many bring out the pain inside where there is no hope to be found. Sorrow, grief, anxiety, despair, and pain are often the realities of those in the dark blinded from truth. A life that apart from Jesus Christ is void of peace, joy, and hope – the reason Jesus came! 

Named “The Light of the World,” Jesus Christ has come into our dark world and shined His light bringing hope to the hopeless. His light expels all darkness and is so powerful that the darkness cannot even comprehend it! (John NKJV). The awesomeness about Christmas is that God came to our world for us (His name means Emmanuel, “God With Us). He came as a baby to live so we could have the Light of life and hope of Himself as Savior to shine through the darkness of our lives. 

When I surrendered my life to Jesus almost two years ago, Jesus’ light was able to dispel the darkness of sin, depression, and anxiety and give me a deep sense of peace, joy, and hope. Now, I’ve experienced what I saw in the Lusko family and desire to shine the hope that I have received. 

When hope is lost and when we are left in the dark, it’s time to turn on the Light. A Light that shined through to a dark world millions of years ago as a Savior came on the scene and a Light that still shines brightly for you and me.