Mark Joneschiet Music
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I'm the President?
"I just can't help it! I can't stop using foul language!"
"I can't resist Butter Maple Raspberry Scones with my Latte."
"I see something advertised on T.V. and I just can't resist it. I have to get out my credit card and order it."
"I just can't pass a bar without going in and having too many beers. It's hopeless."
"I'm a slave to Internet porn. I can't resist cruising the Net for porn sites when I'm all by myself."
The statements above are from individuals who have addictive behavior. Most of us have weaknesses that we have difficulty overcoming.
In many of these cases, in order to break their addictions, these individuals will need help from outside of themselves. They may need the help of a caring professional and a number of friends and relatives praying for them. They will need to lean on God for strength.
The bottom line is, it's possible for them to lick these insidious dependencies.
It isn't easy to go head to head with a craving... a fixation... a habit. But they can be dealt with.
At the very root of what is going on in our lives when we are suffering from dependencies, is that we have lost the understanding that we have a will. Our wills have been corrupted and weakened by sin and they need to be resurrected and rebuilt through Christ.
A very wise pastor of mine from many years past made this statement one Sunday morning... and it changed my life - "You're the President of you."
Wow! That was a great phrase for me to grab on to. Ultimately, we will be judged for the choices we make in our lives, and what that means is that we have the power to make right choices. We may need to ask for help, but that in itself involves a choice.
We will never improve our situation, whatever it may be, without first making a choice in our lives. The initial choice may be to surrender our lives to Christ, but that is still a choice.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
Remember... you are the president of you.
"I can't resist Butter Maple Raspberry Scones with my Latte."
"I see something advertised on T.V. and I just can't resist it. I have to get out my credit card and order it."
"I just can't pass a bar without going in and having too many beers. It's hopeless."
"I'm a slave to Internet porn. I can't resist cruising the Net for porn sites when I'm all by myself."
The statements above are from individuals who have addictive behavior. Most of us have weaknesses that we have difficulty overcoming.
In many of these cases, in order to break their addictions, these individuals will need help from outside of themselves. They may need the help of a caring professional and a number of friends and relatives praying for them. They will need to lean on God for strength.
The bottom line is, it's possible for them to lick these insidious dependencies.
It isn't easy to go head to head with a craving... a fixation... a habit. But they can be dealt with.
At the very root of what is going on in our lives when we are suffering from dependencies, is that we have lost the understanding that we have a will. Our wills have been corrupted and weakened by sin and they need to be resurrected and rebuilt through Christ.
A very wise pastor of mine from many years past made this statement one Sunday morning... and it changed my life - "You're the President of you."
Wow! That was a great phrase for me to grab on to. Ultimately, we will be judged for the choices we make in our lives, and what that means is that we have the power to make right choices. We may need to ask for help, but that in itself involves a choice.
We will never improve our situation, whatever it may be, without first making a choice in our lives. The initial choice may be to surrender our lives to Christ, but that is still a choice.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
Remember... you are the president of you.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Reclaiming the Barracuda Fight in You
The story has been told, whether true or not, I'm not certain (I can't seem to find the source of this story but that doesn't take away from its impact), that a behavioral experiment was performed using a live Barracuda in a glass tank.
One of the favorite foods of Barracudas (known for being voracious predators) are Anchovies. And the big, mean behavioral scientists conducting this experiment designed the tank with a removable glass partition so that the Barracuda was on one side of the tank, and a small school of Anchovies were on the other.
Spotting the Anchovies, the Barracuda would move in for a hearty treat, only to bump its nose against an invisible barrier. Try as it could, it would only wind up with a sore proboscis when it tried to score a tasty snack.
After numerous attempts, the Barracuda quit trying to snag its prey.
Then, the big mean scientists decided to add insult to injury by removing the glass partition from between the Barracuda and the Anchovies. Having learned its impotence in being able to score an easy meal, the Barracuda would placidly swim past the Anchovies without so much as a meager attempt to score a mouthful. The Barracuda had been tricked out of its natural instinct by being deliberately thwarted over and over.
Often, humans are no different than this hapless fish. We get the message when we attempt to reach a particular goal and continue to be foiled. We give up trying. We start to build a shell around ourselves and begin to insulate ourselves from even the thought of achieving, in many instances.
It is in our human weakness that we collide with unattainable prospects. This was not intended from the beginning. God designed us to be princes and kings, but sin waylaid us and presented us with difficulties so insurmountable that many folks are paralyzed at the prospect of even making an attempt to conquer them.
When I discover myself in times of doubt, fear and uncertainty, I find the following passages to be of great comfort...
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 - NIV).
"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (John 19:26 - NIV)
From these passages, I glean that there is Someone bigger than my problems, standing and facing them with me. At the place where I end, God begins.
What frustrations have you faced in your life that make you feel unable to cope? What goals have you failed to meet that should be within your reach? God cares about your plight. Renew your covenant with Him today through Christ if you have found yourself in a place of barrenness and obstruction. Let God help you break through the formidable barriers in your life.
One of the favorite foods of Barracudas (known for being voracious predators) are Anchovies. And the big, mean behavioral scientists conducting this experiment designed the tank with a removable glass partition so that the Barracuda was on one side of the tank, and a small school of Anchovies were on the other.
Spotting the Anchovies, the Barracuda would move in for a hearty treat, only to bump its nose against an invisible barrier. Try as it could, it would only wind up with a sore proboscis when it tried to score a tasty snack.
After numerous attempts, the Barracuda quit trying to snag its prey.
Then, the big mean scientists decided to add insult to injury by removing the glass partition from between the Barracuda and the Anchovies. Having learned its impotence in being able to score an easy meal, the Barracuda would placidly swim past the Anchovies without so much as a meager attempt to score a mouthful. The Barracuda had been tricked out of its natural instinct by being deliberately thwarted over and over.
Often, humans are no different than this hapless fish. We get the message when we attempt to reach a particular goal and continue to be foiled. We give up trying. We start to build a shell around ourselves and begin to insulate ourselves from even the thought of achieving, in many instances.
It is in our human weakness that we collide with unattainable prospects. This was not intended from the beginning. God designed us to be princes and kings, but sin waylaid us and presented us with difficulties so insurmountable that many folks are paralyzed at the prospect of even making an attempt to conquer them.
When I discover myself in times of doubt, fear and uncertainty, I find the following passages to be of great comfort...
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 - NIV).
"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (John 19:26 - NIV)
From these passages, I glean that there is Someone bigger than my problems, standing and facing them with me. At the place where I end, God begins.
What frustrations have you faced in your life that make you feel unable to cope? What goals have you failed to meet that should be within your reach? God cares about your plight. Renew your covenant with Him today through Christ if you have found yourself in a place of barrenness and obstruction. Let God help you break through the formidable barriers in your life.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Slaves Going Back to Slavery?
The Fourth of July always makes me think a little beyond the physical and legal dimension we live in and more about the spiritual dimension of freedom that Christ has provided for us.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1 - NIV).
Paul is writing to Jews who were once under what he termed as 'slavery' here. The slavery was to the law of the Old Testament which was a predecessor to the freedom and grace that God provided to followers of Christ after his death and resurrection.
The law was only a forerunner, Paul says, to the freedom that grace has provided for Christians during the time of the New Testament (now).
The law was an unending litany of rules and regulations that one had to observe in order to be 'right with God.' However, the only thing the law could do in the end is to reveal to us that it's impossible to keep the law in all of it's completeness.
Therefore, God sent Christ to completely fulfill the law, thus making Him innocent... and then, to sacrifice Himself on our behalf. The way we are able to enjoy what Christ did for us is to simply believe in the work He has performed.
However, there are many individuals who cannot believe that faith is all they need in order to find cleansing for their sin and enjoy the benefits of Christ's work. So, they add works to their faith, which puts them in the position of DOING something in order to obtain salvation.
This would be almost the same as America winning its freedom from Great Britain and then, surrendering to them. Would that make any sense at all? Of course not.
Why do we feel that we need to do something in order to merit God's free gift of salvation? Give money to charity? Crawl on our knees? Grovel? Become a missionary to deepest, darkest Africa?
You see, none of these things are wrong, in and of themselves. It's just that you can't buy salvation from God. It's been provided.
So, what do we do with this freedom God has provided to us? We celebrate it. We thank Him for it. And most of all, we nurture and cherish the relationship He has provided for us through it.
But we don't go back to a system that does't work in providing salvation for us. We need to enjoy the freedom that Jesus has provided for us, in fulfilling ALL of the Law on our behalf.
Are there ways in which you try to add works to what Christ has provided for you? Is God speaking to you about needing to accept His 'Declaration of Independence' from the Law?
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1 - NIV).
Paul is writing to Jews who were once under what he termed as 'slavery' here. The slavery was to the law of the Old Testament which was a predecessor to the freedom and grace that God provided to followers of Christ after his death and resurrection.
The law was only a forerunner, Paul says, to the freedom that grace has provided for Christians during the time of the New Testament (now).
The law was an unending litany of rules and regulations that one had to observe in order to be 'right with God.' However, the only thing the law could do in the end is to reveal to us that it's impossible to keep the law in all of it's completeness.
Therefore, God sent Christ to completely fulfill the law, thus making Him innocent... and then, to sacrifice Himself on our behalf. The way we are able to enjoy what Christ did for us is to simply believe in the work He has performed.
However, there are many individuals who cannot believe that faith is all they need in order to find cleansing for their sin and enjoy the benefits of Christ's work. So, they add works to their faith, which puts them in the position of DOING something in order to obtain salvation.
This would be almost the same as America winning its freedom from Great Britain and then, surrendering to them. Would that make any sense at all? Of course not.
Why do we feel that we need to do something in order to merit God's free gift of salvation? Give money to charity? Crawl on our knees? Grovel? Become a missionary to deepest, darkest Africa?
You see, none of these things are wrong, in and of themselves. It's just that you can't buy salvation from God. It's been provided.
So, what do we do with this freedom God has provided to us? We celebrate it. We thank Him for it. And most of all, we nurture and cherish the relationship He has provided for us through it.
But we don't go back to a system that does't work in providing salvation for us. We need to enjoy the freedom that Jesus has provided for us, in fulfilling ALL of the Law on our behalf.
Are there ways in which you try to add works to what Christ has provided for you? Is God speaking to you about needing to accept His 'Declaration of Independence' from the Law?
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
No Sheepishness About Being a Sheep.
I read an incredible article in an animal rescue magazine recently. It was
talking about animal’s personalities.
The author was talking about how animals have distinctive personalities.
For example, if you look at a flock of Sheep, you just see a flock of
sheep. But if you spend time with them, you will begin to notice that each
Sheep has a distinctive personality. In other words, they are not all the
same.
This caused me to think about Jesus’ words in John 10:14 and 15 –
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father…”
Of course, the analogy has to do with the fact that Jesus shepherds (leads
and takes care of) His followers.
Have you ever felt like you were just another number in a long line of
individuals with numbers? Waiting in a grocery line… waiting in a filling
station line… waiting in a doctor’s office… waiting at the DMV, etc.
“Next?” “Next?” “Next?” “Next?”
If so, here’s some good news. Jesus says He knows His sheep! You aren’t
just a number to him… another face… another body… another name. He knows
everything about you. He knows your current state of health, what you are
doing, what your likes and dislikes are, what your hobbies and interests
are, your quirks, strengths, weaknesses… and on and on.
In fact, He says in Luke 12:6 and 7, “Are not five sparrows sold for two
pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of
your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many
sparrows.”
Press into God! Realize that you are not a stranger to Him! He cares
about all your victories, all your defeats and all your anxieties. He
cares about all your dreams, all your aspirations and all your hopes.
Always remember to keep pressing in - for you are a unique and special creation of
God's!
talking about animal’s personalities.
The author was talking about how animals have distinctive personalities.
For example, if you look at a flock of Sheep, you just see a flock of
sheep. But if you spend time with them, you will begin to notice that each
Sheep has a distinctive personality. In other words, they are not all the
same.
This caused me to think about Jesus’ words in John 10:14 and 15 –
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father…”
Of course, the analogy has to do with the fact that Jesus shepherds (leads
and takes care of) His followers.
Have you ever felt like you were just another number in a long line of
individuals with numbers? Waiting in a grocery line… waiting in a filling
station line… waiting in a doctor’s office… waiting at the DMV, etc.
“Next?” “Next?” “Next?” “Next?”
If so, here’s some good news. Jesus says He knows His sheep! You aren’t
just a number to him… another face… another body… another name. He knows
everything about you. He knows your current state of health, what you are
doing, what your likes and dislikes are, what your hobbies and interests
are, your quirks, strengths, weaknesses… and on and on.
In fact, He says in Luke 12:6 and 7, “Are not five sparrows sold for two
pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of
your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many
sparrows.”
Press into God! Realize that you are not a stranger to Him! He cares
about all your victories, all your defeats and all your anxieties. He
cares about all your dreams, all your aspirations and all your hopes.
Always remember to keep pressing in - for you are a unique and special creation of
God's!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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