A Foolproof Plan for Bitterness and Discouragement

We all want to be bitter and discouraged, don’t we?  But how do we get there? 

Well, don’t worry, I can help you with that!  Because I have put together a simple guide to help us succeed in becoming better bitter people.  It's for those of us who enjoy wallowing in misery but don't know how to get there.  (For those who don't like wallowing in misery and who are seriously struggling with depression and discouragement, don't read this.  Instead read "Is Depression a Sin?")  

But I can just about guarantee that if you carefully follow each of these steps, you too will be bitter in no time. 

So if you want to discover the delicious power, delightful self-abuse, and ultra-fun finger-pointing that come with bitterness, this is the guide you've been looking for:

Is Depression a Sin?

            This issue came up recently when I was talking with some other women.  Someone had read off a list of sins and it included depression.  And one of the women asked the rest of us what we thought about that.  As someone who struggles with depressed feelings a lot, it got me really wondering if it’s right to call it “sin.”

            Of course, the word depression doesn’t appear in the Bible, so this issue requires some conjecture, some outside-the-box thinking.  But my first reaction to this question was:  “Calling it a sin isn’t going to help anyone who is struggling with it.  You can’t just say, ‘You are sinning and you need to stop it,’ and expect that someone is going to be able to go, “Oh, you’re right.  I’ll stop being depressed and start feeling joyful.’” 

            It doesn’t happen that way.  And it may actually be more harmful to talk like that.  In some ways, I think calling depression a sin is irresponsible.  It will only add to the pain and self-loathing someone feels instead of helping at all.  And it will make them want to pull back and suffer in silence.

10 Signs You Might be a "Desert Israelite"

            I have probably learned more about my own humanness through the Israelites in Exodus and Numbers than through anything else.  I used to think that they were somehow “more fallen” than I was.  That I could never be that faithless and disobedient and grumbley.  But as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have come to realize that I am not that much different from them.  I struggle with the same things they do.  I am weak.  I falter in my faith easily.  And I complain way more than I wish I did.  Many times, I am just like an Israelite in the desert.

            Are you, too, like the Israelites in the desert?  If you aren’t sure, here are 10 signs that you might be one.  See if any fit.  And then read Exodus and Numbers (from chapter 10 and on) to see how God responds to them.  It is scary, humbling, and faith-changing.  (These are some of my favorite books in the whole Bible, along with Genesis, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges.)  So here we go . . .  

Self-Righteous, Self-Sufficient Scatterers

            “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”  Matthew 12:30

            “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”  Matthew 9:36-38

            “Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Mark 2:17

            I am afraid for America!  I am really afraid of the direction we are going.  We have so much truth here – so much knowledge of God’s Truth, so many Bibles and sermons and Christian books – and yet we are falling away from that truth in great numbers.  Not only is America growing apathetic toward God, but we are growing proud in our own “reasoning” and are growing hostile to Christians, persecuting those who live out their faith.  Whereas we once sang, “God shed His grace on thee,” now Christians are being punished for saying, “God bless America.”  I am afraid for us.  How much longer will God tolerate this kind of disrespect, self-worship, and rebellion?

            In America’s beginning, we were helpless and needy for God.  And we knew it!  We were a fledgling country that needed God’s providence and care and blessing.  And He has blessed us.  And now, we have grown so big and powerful and fat that we don’t need Him anymore. 

Innocent By-Standers?

            “Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them . . . every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.”  (Jeremiah 36:30-31)

            As I was reading this passage, one word stood out to me above all others: attendants.

            What could his attendants be so guilty of to get that kind of punishment?  Aren’t attendants just like slaves to the king, unable to really do anything other than what the king tells them to do?  Can they really be held accountable for their choices when they were forced to obey the king?  And just what horrible thing were they guilty of doing?

Denial

            “‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them . . .

            Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’

            ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’

            But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’  And all the others said the same.’  (Mark 14:27-31)

           

            Peter was so sure that he would stand by Jesus’ side through thick and thin.  He spent 24 hours a day with Jesus for several years.  He knew Him to be a supernatural being, capable of miracles and healings and casting out demons.  He knew Jesus was the Truth in a sea of lies.  There was no way Peter would deny the Lord.  Knowing Him that well and having a deep faith and personal, intimate relationship with Him, who could possibly deny Jesus?

            Each and every one of the disciples. 

            And each and every one of us, too - that’s who!

Sovereignty and Free-Will Working Together

            There is a fascinating story in the Bible which I think helps shed light on how God works out His Will in conjunction with mankind’s free-will, not overriding it (like would be the case with predestination).  I guess you could say that it’s a story of predestination (not in the eternal “heaven and hell” sense) working with free-will.  Read 1 Kings 22, and then we’ll talk about it.  Go ahead and do it now . . .  I’ll wait.

Does Ephesians Teach Predestination?

(Slightly updated August 2020)

I looked at Romans in the last post.  This time, I want to specifically consider Ephesians, the other book that is most used to support predestination.  Once again, while there is a lot in this book that can sound like predestination, I do not think it actually teaches that God decides who to send to heaven and who to send to hell.

The first chapter of Ephesians gives us what seems like the strongest support for predestination.

Ephesians 1:4,5, 11:  “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will ... In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will ...”

This is one of the key passages that makes it sound like we are predestined to choose Him or not, like He hand-picks who becomes His sons and who doesn’t, according to His pleasure and will.  (Some of this is review of what I wrote in the post, “Predestination does not mean ‘No Choice.”)

However, I see it this way (but see the August 2020 update below for a slight but necessary correction): 

Does Romans Teach Predestination?

            The book of Romans is often used to show that God pre-decides our eternal destinies, that He determines if we go to heaven or hell because it talks about God “hardening” hearts, predestining people.  So this could sound like we are predestined to go to heaven or hell.  However, I happen to believe that Romans actually teaches free-will and human responsibility.  And the more I read it, the more I believe this.  And the more it falls in line with the rest of the Bible.

            So in this post, I want to specifically look at how the book of Romans supports the idea that God lets us decide to choose or reject His offer of salvation, choose or reject eternal life.  The responsibility lies with us.  God does not pre-decide it for us.  (There are links to more "predestination" posts in "Links To Other Anti-Calvinism Posts.")

            But why should this issue matter to us?  To Christians who have already decided to put our faith in the Lord? 

            It might not matter much for those of us who already believe, but you can bet-your-bottom-dollar that it matters to unbelievers and to seekers, to those who are wondering what kind of God we believe in.  Is He really as loving and willing to forgive as we say He is, if He has pre-decided that certain people will go to hell?  Is forgiveness really available to all?  Did Jesus’ death cover everyone’s sins?  Is there really a need to evangelize and to make a decision about Him if we don’t even really have the right to decide or make a choice?

            This is why this issue has been so important to me to figure out.  What we believe about this places God, His love, His forgiveness, His grace, Jesus’ sacrificial death, our personal responsibility, etc. in a very different light.  And we cannot have real answers for the doubters and the seeker’s questions if we aren’t even sure what we believe about it.

Controversial "Predestination" Verse

(Reposted from August 2014)

            “. . . God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”  (Romans 8:28-30) 

            Of all the verses that are part of the “predestination debate,” this has got to be one of the most confusing, controversial ones.  At first reading, it seems like it could be saying that God “calls certain people to heaven according to His purpose,” that He predestines people to go to heaven or hell and we don’t really have a choice in the matter because it has been decided for us from the very beginning.   

            But after reading through it over and over again and cross-referencing it with other verses, I have come to read it differently.  Of course, I don’t claim to have this all figured out.  This issue has been debated for many years by great theologians, and I do not think I am the one to have sorted it all out.  These are just my thoughts on the matter.  (And there are links to more "predestination" posts in "Links To Other Anti-Calvinism Posts.")  And I really do think there is a lot of biblical support that salvation is a choice – a matter of free-will - as opposed to the idea that God pre-decides everyone’s eternal home or that He only offers some people salvation and not others. 

Predestination Does Not Mean "No Choice"

(Reposted from August 2014)

            Imagine that I walk into your church and say, “I am taking a group of people on a mission trip with me.  We are leaving sometime soon, and you have to decide which group you’ll be part of: the one that goes or the rest that stay behind.  I have a destination picked out, a way to get there, I’ve already paid the price to take a group with me, and I’m now asking for those who want to go.  It’s up to you if you want to come or be left behind.  And if you do not deliberately choose to come with me, you will be left behind.”  This, in essence, is the way I view the whole “predestination or free-will” debate.  (For more on this, also see "Links To Other Anti-Calvinism Posts.")     

            This debate has to do with the idea of whether we have the ability to choose salvation or if God has already made this decision for us in the very beginning.  Are we simply puppets acting out pre-determined roles?  Or do we have a real choice in the matter?

            I think it falls somewhere in the middle, that we have free-will and that God has a predetermined plan already set up. 

Acts 13:48: Not As "Predestination" As It Sounds

Calvinists often point to Acts 13:48 as the ultimate predestination verse.  "... and all who were appointed (ordained) for eternal life believed".  They say, "See, God appointed them, predestined them, chose them to go to heaven.  And because He chose them, they were predestined to believe.  And those who weren't chosen can't believe."

But look it up online and you'll see that it's not that cut-and-dried.  It's not as "predestination" as it sounds.

First off, it's important to not take it out of context or separate it from the rest of Scripture.  If you do, then it could definitely sound like God predetermined that specific unbelievers would obtain eternal life.  But we need to look at it in context and in relation to the rest of Scripture.

The Anti-"Prosperity Gospel"

            Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  (Gen 6:8)  And this favor earned him 120 years of hard work building an ark by hand, most likely facing ridicule the whole time from those around him.  And then, he was closed up in a box for almost a year while everyone around him died off.  And then, he got to work the ground from scratch in order to keep his family alive. 

            Abraham was childless for 100 years, and he had to wait for 25 years before God fulfilled His promise to give him a son.

            Joseph was favored by God, but it sure seemed like God had a funny way of showing it at first.  When Joseph worked for Potiphar after being sold into slavery by his brothers, God poured out blessings on “the household of [Potiphar] because of Joseph.”  (Gen 39:5)  Someone else got the “blessings” because of Joseph’s faithfulness to God.  And Joseph got slavery.  And God showed favor to Joseph while he was unjustly imprisoned on false charges.  (Gen 39-40)  But even with this favor, he still spent at least two years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

            Daniel was taken into captivity as a young man and lived as a captive for decades.  And his faithfulness to the Lord could have cost him his life when the king threw him into the lion’s den for praying to God. 

            Samuel was raised not in the warmth and care of his home, by his godly mother, but in a temple by a priest who couldn’t even raise his own children up in a godly way.

            John was banished to the island of Patmos.  

            Paul asked three times to have a thorn removed from his side, and he was denied by the Lord.

            And many believers today have to live with chronic illness, fruitless job searches, and broken homes and hearts.  Many watch their children die of illness or starvation.  Many willingly face the horrors of Ebola in order to help those who are suffering and in need.  Many are losing their homes and lives and heads for their faith. 

            But, hey, forget all that! 

            Here in America, we have God’s promise that we will be rich and healthy and have an abundance of stuff, whatever we want. 

It's Time to be Horrified

            As our society seems to be going to “hell in a hand-basket,” do you ever wonder where God is in all of this? 

            The economy sucks. 

            Our religious rights are being trimmed away. 

            Schools are focusing less on academics and more on creating an anti-God worldview and the “morality” and social characteristics that they want. 

            Laws are being made which are having detrimental impacts on people, families, businesses, and economics. 

            Morality and modesty are “old-fashioned” concepts.  Flagrant sexuality is rampant, and society encourages it as being “open-minded, progressive, and free from oppressive restraints.” 

            You can’t say “Merry Christmas” or “God bless you” anymore without someone crying foul.  (Oh yeah, well, I’m going to say it . . . “Merry Christmas . . . Merry Christmas . . . Merry Christmas . . . God bless you . . . God bless you . . . God bless you.”) 

            Lobbyists have done a great job making sure that they protect their interests and the interests of big business and government, at the expense of the people. 

            Lawsuits are shaping our country for the worse because no one can bear to be offended or have someone raise their eyebrows at them. 

My Favorite Verse: Joshua 24:15

            Joshua 24:15:  “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 

            This has got to be one of my all-time favorite verses.  And one of the most timely verses for our country today.  Our country is getting more and more polarized when it comes to the Bible, God, morals, etc.  Our entertainment has gotten shockingly ungodly and immoral.  Our schools have become more than just educational centers; they have become battlegrounds for the minds and souls of children.  Laws are being created to weed God out of everything.  Atheism, New Age, “tolerance,” homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion, and other such issues are causing sharp contrasts and divisions among people, even among various Christian denominations.  It seems as though today – more so than any other generation – we are being challenged to “choose whom we will serve.”

Why Would Anyone Choose Jesus?

            As I was listening to a Christian radio station, they interviewed a random woman on the street who said, “I think the writers of the Bible just made it up to get people to follow them.”

            And I laughed out loud at the thought of that.  I wanted to ask her if she ever read the Bible, if she knew what it teaches.  Because if she did, she would have to wonder why anyone would make up some of the things we find in the Bible, thinking it would make people go, "Oh yeah, that sounds great to me!" 

ISI 20: Atheism and World Religions

[This Bible study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question: 

            How is life different than you thought it would be?  How is it the same?  Has anything surprised you so far, in good ways or not-so-good ways?  

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            In this lesson, I combined parts of several posts from https://myimpressionisticlife.blogspot.com.  This lesson is not really an academic “study” of atheism and world religions, but it’s a very personal account of why I could never give up my faith in Jesus, why those other options are not for me, and how I would explain salvation and faith in Jesus to a non-believer. 

ISI 19: Modern-Day Pharisee

[This Bible study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

            What are three little things that always make you smile?  What are three things you are a little bit afraid of or phobic about?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Matthew 12:7

            “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:20

            There’s an older couple in our area.  They are a nice enough couple, but the wife is the kind of person who likes to comment on everyone else’s business.  On which plants you should get out of your yard, on how you should keep your outside lights on for safety, on which neighbors voted and which didn’t, and on how you shouldn’t be up that high on a ladder. 

            But her favorite past-time is noticing every time someone else’s lawn gets too high.  That’s pretty much what they do all summer . . . mow their lawn every three days and watch everyone else’s grass grow.  Lawn height seems to be one of their biggest concerns. 

ISI 16: Righteous Living and Idolatry/Temptation

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

Do you have any recurring dreams or nightmares?  Any powerful ones or ones that you remember well, even after years?  What do you normally daydream about?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson and Bible Verses:

            Matthew 6:33:  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

            We all know that we are supposed to be seeking righteousness and God’s Kingdom.  But are we actually doing it?  And do we really even know what that means? 

            The reason I ask is because our country is getting so lukewarm and relativistic about spiritual things.  Whole denominations are drifting away from biblical Christianity and becoming social clubs where the speakers tickle the ears of the congregation and make them feel warm and cozy and comfortable.  But that is so not what Jesus did and what the Bible is about! 

ISI 15: Supernatural Stuff and the Armor of God

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

Is there ever a time that you think you encountered an angel or an angel in disguise, strongly felt the presence of evil or of the Lord, or experienced a miracle?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson and Bible Verses:

Light as a Feather

            I don’t expect anyone to believe me, but I’m going to share my story.  It’s my story about how I came to fully trust in Jesus’ name and to passionately cling to Him, to never be able to doubt the existence of a spirit world, to place such a high priority on prayer and God’s Word, and to always remember my need for spiritual armor.  And once again, you don’t have to believe me.  (But don’t say I never warned you.  And if you are a skeptic and get nothing from this whole section, just remember this: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave.”  In case you ever need it.)

            My first real experience with the unseen world was when I was a pre-teen.  I was at my ex-step-dad’s house for the weekend.  My younger half-brother, his step-sister, and I were bored and wanted something to do.  So we decided to play the classic game “Light as a feather, stiff as a board.” 

            Silly stuff . . . right?!?