Honeymoons Are Bad

Obviously honeymoons are bad.  Or at least, couples on their honeymoons have a very distorted impression of each other.  I mean, I remember going on my honeymoon.  It was such an exciting time.  Newlyweds in general tend to be quite taken with each other.  The emotions run high.  Like I said, it's all bad.

Why am I saying this?  I don't actually think honeymoons are bad.  However, I keep hearing certain Christian leaders (men I happen to respect on most matters) wage war against the place of emotions in the Christian life.  They seem to paint a picture that anything emotional is bad.

In one sense I can agree with them.  There are plenty of abuses of people conjuring up an emotional experience and labeling it something of God.  That more closely resembles the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.  As if God is roused to action because of our emotional displays.

However, we tend to respond to this by declaring all emotions as not of God.  But is it possible that emotions can be an appropriate response to an encounter with God?  I mean, honeymoons are nothing more than emotions springing up from a mutual love for one another.  The marriage isn't based on conjuring up emotions.  But the emotions are a fruit of an existing relationship.

We have a nasty habit of responding to abuse by running to neglect.  Neither option is healthy.  We are called to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength.  That includes emotions.  If it is OK to enjoy (an emotion) time with friends, why is it not OK to respond emotionally to time with God?  It is not trying to "work up" an experience with God, but a response to an experience with God.  And expressing emotions does not mean that the mind must be cast aside, either.

But isn't the kind of love experienced by newlyweds an immature love that needs to deepen over time?  Yes.  But why we conclude that a mature love means the elimination of emotions?  Loving God with nothing more than emotions is out of balance.  But loving God with nothing but the mind is also out of balance.  We are to love Him with heart, soul, mind and strength.  With everything.  Including our emotions.

Morning Wake Up

Welcome to the morning wake-up.  These will be short devotional thoughts geared to give you something to reflect on throughout your day.  Since I have recently undertaken the task of memorizing Colossians, I will go ahead and use that book as the basis for these devotions for a while.  So, grab your morning coffee and enjoy a moment with the Lord's Word.



"Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing - as it also does among you."   
     Colossians 1:5b-6a


Seems like a natural result, doesn't it?  When the Gospel is sown into a life, it ought to bear fruit and increase in that person's life.  More and more aspects of our lives should be transformed by the Gospel.  At home, at school, in the workplace, in our hearts.  The Word of God should be controlling more and more of us.  In what areas of your life can you point to as evidence that the Gospel is transforming more of you each and every day?  How are you different today than you were six months ago?  What has God most recently said to you in His Word?  How have you been applying that?  Maybe you need to start obeying that before He will give you something new.  

The Intentional Spiritual Life

The Intentional Spiritual Life by Paul Yanchek | Make Your Own Book

No Good Time

When it comes to exercise, it never seems like there is a good time.  I never really feel like doing it.  There are always other things that need to get done.  I can't say that I have this mass of time everyday where I find myself unsure of what to do.  However, if I am serious about getting in shape, I need to make time to do it.  In fact, it is now just after 11 PM my time and I have not done my workout yet.  My eyes feel like they want to close.  I don't really like like working up a sweat.  But, in a few minutes, I will shut down the computer and do it anyway.

Spiritually, we can fall into a trap of thinking that we have to "feel like" reading our Bibles before we do it.  Or, we want to get just a few things done first.  And we know what happens - time with God keeps getting shoved aside.  I know that we are afraid of legalism, so any hint of discipline makes our skin crawl.  But living life based on feelings isn't any healthier than living under legalism.

Have you prayed yet today?  Have you opened the Bible yet today?  Do it now.  Nothing else is more important.  Excuses are easy to come by.  But living with one excuse after another will get you nothing but disappointment.

Going a Little Further

I've started jogging recently.  If you know me, you know that is a big deal.  I'm not a runner.  I've never seen a runner look like they were having fun.  But, I know it can be good exercise.  I never thought jogging would ever be part of my routine.  However, I know that exercise works best when I am pushing myself.  If I keep doing the same exercise the same way for the same amount of time, I will eventually hit a wall in my fitness program.  So, in this aspect of my exercise program, I am trying to jog a little farther each time.

Spiritually, we can hit a wall.  We pray the same way for the same amount of time every day for months and even years.  We read through one chapter of the Bible every day (and from the same few books of the Bible), and we've been doing that for years.  And we wonder why we have lost our passion.

In exercise, you are urged to push a little harder, go a little farther, and do just one more rep.  You are convinced that you can't do it.  Your body is screaming in pain (and maybe you are screaming, too).  You are exhausted.  But you dig deep and go beyond what you thought was possible.  And you are stronger as a result.

Spiritually, is it time to go a little farther?  Pray a little longer?  Read a little more?  Memorize a few more verses?  There will always be other things you'd rather be doing.  But for your spiritual fitness, will you push yourself and go deeper with the Lord than you've ever thought possible?

No Pain, No Gain?

I am trying it a different way this time.  I have done crash/fad diets before.  A couple of years ago, I lost over 40 lbs. in a very short period of time.  The problem was, the day I stopped, the pounds came back fast.  My biggest problem was that the weight came off so fast that I really did not have time to develop a true disciplined habit of this new lifestyle.  This time around, no fad diets.  Just good old fashioned burn more calories than I consume.  Smaller portions, less snacking, more exercising.  It's not fun.  The weight is not melting off at an exciting pace.  I have lost 15 lbs. so far.  What I like most is that I have had time to change habits.  While I am not losing weight as fast as before, I truly believe I will be able to keep it off at this rate.  My goal is to lose another 15 lbs. by mid-September at the latest.

What does this have to do with anything spiritual?  Well, have you ever noticed how often the New Testament uses fitness analogies to spiritual growth?  Does this one sound familiar:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"

-Hebrews 12:1

I have made my own observations recently about the similarities between spiritual growth and physical fitness that I will be sharing here on this site in the coming days.  I truly believe that they may be very helpful comparisons that can bring you great encouragement in your walk with the Lord.

The first comment I would like to make deals with getting started.  I'll admit - nothing in me looks forward to exercising.  Nothing in me is excited about turning down what tastes good for the sake of what is good for me.  I always have many other things I would rather be doing - like, oh, I don't know - ANYTHING.  In fact, I do not enjoy the process of exercising.  What I like is how I feel later.  I feel like a new man when I am exercising.  If I go a few days without being as disciplined (like on a recent vacation), I feel the difference.  The problem is, until I exercise, I don't know the difference.  I assume everything is fine.

You may find yourself right now feeling like you are doing perfectly fine without daily time in prayer and in God's Word.  The problem is, because you are not exercising your spiritual muscles, you do not know the difference.  Maybe you don't realize just how deep the apathy has set in.  I know, you are busy.  Aren't we all?  I really don't have time to exercise, but I make the time.  In the same way, I have to daily make the time to meet with God.

The old saying, "Just Do It" is actually pretty good.  When it comes to exercise, you just have to do it.  And once you do it, you are glad you did.  You may be feeling like you don't have time to pray or you just don't feel like doing it.  Maybe you can never seem to get your Bible open.  Just do it.  Start.  Go ahead.  You'll be glad you did.

Can I issue a challenge to you?  Take the next 7 days (I know, a holiday falls in there) and spend 1-hour a day with the Lord in worship, prayer and in His Word.  Do whatever you have to do to carve out the time.  Just do it.  Why 1-hour?  Why not start with 10 minutes?  Let me put it this way: if I take a 5-minute walk, that is certainly better than not walking at all.  However, the benefit I will yield will be so small that I will give it up long before I may see any benefit.  I have seen many do this with prayer and Bible reading.  They aim for 10-minutes a day and abandon the discipline out of frustration long before they see any fruit.

So, I will be back soon with another glimpse into spiritual fitness.  But anything else I may say to encourage you will be a waste if you don't actually get started.  So, yes, there will be some sacrifice involved, but isn't that why they say no pain, no gain?