Ellen

Are You A Sissie?

October 28, 2021 by Ellen Leave a Comment

“Gittin’ Old Ain’t fer Sissies!”

The bumper sticker made me laugh out loud (or LOL, depending on your age). I had just celebrated my sixty-third birthday, and the aches and pains of mild arthritis, and a pinched nerve at C8, made me realize how true this statement is!

To combat the symptoms of aging, I’ve had to change my lifestyle, incorporating things that haven’t been regular habits:

Massage. For the overall aches, as well as arthritis, massage therapy has helped loosen my stiff and aching joints and muscles. I have loved incorporating this into my life! Love it! I can rationalize the expense, because it is a medical necessity!

Exercise. There. I said it. The “E” word. Did I mention I hate exercise? Especially in the heat of South Louisiana? I am currently using my Fitbit. I have fallen in love with this little encourager! It helps me track my exercise, and cheers for me when I reach my goals! It also reminds me to move each hour, which is huge for someone that sits and writes, or sits and reads, or well honestly, just loves to sit! With exercise, I have felt a difference in my energy level, and a lessening of the aches and pains. But did I mention I hate exercise? It’s HARD!

Chiropractor. Indeed, the chiropractic adjustments have helped my pinched nerve. But when the doctor takes my head and cranks it all the way around my neck, I feel like a possessed woman in a horror film. Not to mention wanting to scream. In the long run, my pain is relieved. The adjustment is terrifying and uncomfortable, but worth it.

By incorporating these practices into my life, I am seeing a decrease in my pain and an increase in endurance and flexibility. There is an overall improvement in my health. And, I just plain feel better!

In the same way, we need to discipline our spiritual lives.

“…discipline (train) yourself for the purpose of godliness.” 1 Timothy 4:7

Disciplining ourselves for godliness ain’t fer sissies either! Here are two spiritual disciplines that will start you on your journey:

READING THE BIBLE. One foundational practice is reading scripture. When you make it a habit to daily read God’s Word, you will be surprised to find new nuggets of truth jumping out at you like never before.

Believe it or not, there are many ways to read the scripture. You can use your own personal Bible, or a Bible app. You can choose one translation, or compare many translations. How about writing the passage you are reading? This will help commit it to memory. I also find it very helpful to read aloud, especially if I can’t seem to focus (or am half asleep!). By reading aloud I am better able to comprehend what the passage is saying.

Will you discipline yourself to make time for reading the Bible? We need Jesus every day, and the best way to find Him is through God’s Word. It may mean getting up earlier than normal. That’s hard for many people, and definitely not fer sissies! But God is faithful, and He will gently wake you each day, until it becomes second nature. Just ask Him and see!

FASTING. Then there’s the “chiropractic” of all spiritual disciplines: Fasting. I love food. All kinds. That’s why I fast a half day from time to time. Fasting is uncomfortable but it takes my mind off my food idol. It breaks the hold food has over me (hello, sugar! I’m kissing you goodbye today!). Praying for others while we fast stops our self focus in its tracks. Focusing on Christ puts our priorities in order. It reminds us of this: Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Let’s ponder this anew and dwell on it. Let’s hunger and thirst after Jesus.

Will you discipline yourself to fast? Will you fill your heart and mind with Christ, instead of filling your stomach?

Just as physical exercise strengthens our bodies, spiritual exercise strengthens our souls. We can run with endurance, rather than get tripped up by sin and self focus.

How’s your exercise program going?

Will you discipline yourself for godliness? Or are you a sissie?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

Grace be with you,

This post was originally published on 9-20-14.

Whose Voice Do You Follow?

October 21, 2021 by Ellen 2 Comments

“What’s going on? The map is showing a right turn, but she’s saying ’Turn left!’ What on earth do I do?”

“It looks like Waze may be talking, and your Apple Car Play maps may be showing a different direction.” My trusted sidekick and traveling companion Carmen – Thelma to my Louise, Lucy to my Ethyl – had discovered the problem. Two GPS programs giving me conflicting directions!

I stopped in the middle of the road. I needed a moment to figure things out.

“Ellen! You can’t just stop in the middle of the road!”

“Watch me!”

And in that instant, I decided to make a U turn, hoping and praying I was going in the right direction. Disclaimer: there was no traffic on the road, and no humans or animals were harmed during this maneuver. Unless you count the mental anguish that I caused Carmen in that moment!

As Christians, we also have dual GPS systems working in our lives. It’s our flesh versus the Holy Spirit of Jesus. I’m sure you’ve fought this battle a time or two. We all have.

We have dual GPS systems working in our lives: Flesh vs Spirit

“For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.” Galatians 5:17 CSB

Imagine those two little people (the ones we always see in the movies), one on each shoulder, arguing against each other all the time. They fight constantly and are polar opposites. There is always conflict and tension.

“Do this!”

“Why are you telling her to do that? This is easier and more fun. Do this instead!”

I don’t know about y’all, but often times I tend toward the path of least resistance. I mean, what’s easier: grabbing a hand full of chips or prepping some veggies for a snack?

(Eat the chips! No, grab the carrots and broccoli!)

How about vegging out on the couch to another episode of Home Town (my favorite people!), versus going for a walk?

(Home Town, Home Town, Home Town)

And what about praying for that politician we don’t agree with and don’t like?

(Ok, we know the right answer, but we don’t always do it!)

Which voice is screaming loudest? Probably the one we want to hear, right?

But which voice should we listen to? The one that will take us in the right direction, the direction we know we need to go? Or the one that will lead us the wrong way, where eventually we must make a U turn?

It’s a battle, for sure. Warren Wiersbe says “If the Holy Spirit controls the body, then we walk in the Spirit; but if the flesh controls the body, then we walk in the lusts (desires) of the flesh. The Spirit and the flesh have different appetites, and this is what creates the conflict.”^⁠1

Scripture tells us how to win this battle in the verses before and after Galatians 5:17.

“…walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 CSB

“…if you are led by the Spirit…” Galatians 5:18 CSB

The verb “walk” in verse sixteen is an imperative, which means it is a command. God commands us to walk in and be led by the Spirit.

Yep, I get it. A command of God, which means I gotta do this to be obedient. And I want to be obedient!!

But HOW?

With practice. We need to habitually listen for and walk in the power of Holy Spirit. Be in God’s Word. Pray and pray some more.

By yielding. To yield means to surrender or relinquish to the control of another; to surrender or submit (oneself) to another. When we yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and His guidance in our lives, we have resurrection power that will enable us to defeat the battle of our flesh.

You know all those marvelous traffic circles popping up everywhere? Many people down here in south Louisiana need to practice yielding. When we yield in the correct way, traffic flows smoothly. We we don’t, what a mess!

To walk in Holy Spirit power, we need to practice being responsive to and guided by the Spirit. We need to make the choice to daily feed His Spirit more than we do our flesh. Our flesh will pull us toward things that will drain the life right out of us.

What this means is, every time we hear that pesky little voice leading us in the wrong direction, we need to make a U turn and follow Holy Spirit’s leading. Plus, we need to continue doing this each and every day, until His voice becomes the only GPS we hear.

Is there too much noise in your life right now? How many voices are screaming for your attention?
How can you practice being sensitive to Holy Spirit leading in your life?

Grace be with you,

Ellen

Do you know Jesus?

¹Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 718). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.