Do You Panic When Tempted?

“If he felt any ungracious thought or any temptation generating, he would not panic or feel helpless to resist it. This was because his past experience of God’s faithful assistance allowed him to wait until just the right moment to call out. When the time came, he would address himself to God, an the evil thoughts would vanish right away.”

— Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

Brother Lawrence working in the monestary kitchen

There have been times in life when I have panicked or felt helpless in the face of temptation. I see now that this is simply a lack of faith in the victory and power over sin that we have in Christ. What freedom to be able to calmly face a desire and opportunity for sin and know that I do not have to be defeated! To know that I have all I need in Christ to walk in holiness.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

— 1 Corinthians 10:13

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

— 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

How to Have a Clear Conscience [Podcast #6]

One important way to be happy is to have a clear conscience. When we are carrying guilt or sin, we are not happy. We are not peaceful and free. That is why the forgiveness that Jesus extends to us through his death is so precious. Forgiveness! Are you enjoying forgiveness and a clear conscience? Learn how in episode 006 of the Truth to Freedom Podcast.

Do You Ever Feel Like a Fake? [Podcast #5]

I hate that horrible feeling I have when I am hiding something. I despise the tension in my spirit when I know I'm not living in integrity. Thank God I don't have to live that way! Having a peaceful, clear conscience is definitely one of the keys to being happy.

Podcast episode 5 continues the series on How to be Happy. If you have any questions or thoughts about this episode, please leave a comment on this post. You can also email me at matthew@truthtofreedom.org.

What You Need More Than Air [Podcast #4]

Podcast Episode 4 is the second half of last Sunday's teaching at Highland Christian Fellowship. It is another in the series, How to Be Happy. What is it that will make you happy? What is it that you need more than air?

Facing That One Thing You Hope God Doesn't Ask You to Do [Podcast #3]

This podcast is the first in a series called How to Be Happy. Through the series you will be guided through a sequence of steps to help you process all the desires and fears in your heart and understand how to find deep and lasting happiness in Jesus.

Here is the first step: make a list of answers to the following questions:

As we create our lists, we will ask ourselves if we trust God's plan for our lives. And we will face that one (or two or five) things we hope God won't ask us to do.

Do You Have Super-Human Strength?

Are you finding it hard to live the Christian life? You want to be loving and kind, you want to be obedient and pure. But being like Jesus isn’t easy. It is no life for mere human strength.

Amazingly, we often reduce following Jesus to a human endeavor. We feel that we must try harder, be more disciplined, turn over a new leave, set some goals. These are great ideas, and I certainly do them. But these strategies are perfectly insufficient to transform us into all that we can be and do in Christ.

So how do we do it? How does it happen? Carefully read these astounding passages (emphasis added):

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Cor 9:8 ESV

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”  (1 Cor 15:10 ESV)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  (Gal 2:20 ESV)

"For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (Col 1:29 ESV)

Here’s what you need to know and serve Christ: super-human strength.

Here is the good news: God stands ready to give you grace to make you able in all things at all times to love and serve him.

How to Train Your Mind for Constant Prayer [Podcast #1]

When you don't have to focus on what you are doing (like reading this post), to what does your mind wander the most? If we observe this over a day, or even a week, we can learn something about ourselves: what is really important to us.

That is why it is so disturbing to realize how often my mind does NOT wander back to God!

In Eph 6:8 Paul encourages us to pray at all times in the Spirit. This does not mean that I am constantly asking God for something. It means that I am maintaining an attitude of prayer and sensitivity to the Spirit throughout the day.

This podcast is a recording of my teaching from Eph 6:18, "Living a Life of Prayer." It is the first ever episode in my new podcast, Truth to Freedom!

Saying Hard Things to People You Love

“I just want her to be happy.” This was what one father said when my friend asked if he could marry his daughter. Our culture believes that loving others means making them happy.

Is being happy really what it’s all about? If I were to always do what my children thought would make them happy, would that be good for them? We cannot trust “happiness” as the standard for what is best or right. That is why we sometimes have to say hard things to people we love. Telling someone the truth is often necessary for his or her good. And that is love.

So far, here are the 9 Steps for Conflict resolution: 1) Give Space. 2) Check yourself. 3) Let Go of Anger. 4) Love. 5) Pray. 6) Talk and 7) Discern the Issue. 

By going through these steps, you may discover that many of your problems are not legitimate issues. However, if we make it to this point, then it is necessary to take step 8.

8.     Speak the truth 

Jesus has given us the responsibility of going to our brother in the Lord and confronting him for his sin (Matt 18:15). This is for their good, so they can repent and avoid the harm that comes from sin (James 1:15). How we handle this is important. Paul explains that we are to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15) and “restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal 6:1).

There is much more to discuss here. What if they won’t listen? What about the other steps in Matt 18? How long should this process take? For now the point is to accept the responsibility and have the courage to take this important step to lovingly and gently speak the truth. 

9.     Give space

Now we are back to the first step. Once you have spoken truth to them, give them time to process it. Unless you sense they are ready to immediately repent, you might want to end the conversation with this question, “Will you please pray about and consider what I have said?” 

How long does it take to go through all these steps?

Of course, there is no set amount of time these steps will require. You must walk through this depending on the Lord for wisdom and leadership. You should be willing for it to take much longer than you want it to. At the same time, do not assume that it must take a long time since there are so many steps. Many of these steps are basic issues of Christian maturity. It is possible that you have incorporated these behaviors into your everyday living and that you are able to process a conflict almost immediately. 

Questions for feedback: Which steps do you find most difficult? Which do you think are most important? Do you have any questions?