Time to Destroy Bad Habits

 

By Andrea Merrell

You shall conquer them and utterly destroy them.

Deuteronomy 7:2 NKJK

The man’s addiction threatened to destroy his marriage. “I’m sorry,” he told his wife. “It’s become such a habit, I can’t break it.”

Bad habits can dictate our lives and cause harm, not only to us but to all those around us. They produce a cycle of negative thoughts, words, and behaviors. The Word for You Today (TWFYT) says, “Habits are like machines; they consistently turn out the same product.”

When God’s people entered the Promised Land, He told them to utterly destroy their enemies. Sounds gruesome, but God knew if the enemies remained, they would eventually rise up and destroy His chosen people.

That’s the way it is with bad habits. Negative behaviors can become an idol, taking our focus away from the Lord. When we give in to them, we end up in a prison of our own making instead of enjoying the freedom Christ died to give us.

TWFYT also says, “Anytime you keep falling into the same traps, making the same mistakes, jumping into the same relationships, getting hooked on the same habits, it’s time to take your problems to Jesus.”

The man finally did just that, and Jesus set him free.

If you’re struggling with bad habits of any kind that are keeping you bound, maybe it’s time to wage war on them and utterly destroy them by giving them to the Lord.

 

 Photo by Manan Chhabra on Unsplash

Who Has the Final Say?

 

By Andrea Merrell

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Psalm 18:30 NLT

 

“My marriage is in trouble,” the woman told her friend. “We’ve reached a stalemate. We tried to agree to disagree, but we can’t even agree on that.”

This couple had reached a point of no return. Neither willing to compromise. No going forward or finding a resolution. They were stuck. And both wanted to have the final say. 

Pride can get us in a lot of trouble, especially when we’re unwilling to admit we’re wrong or even consider another person’s feelings or opinion. The Bible says, “Pride leads to conflict” (Proverbs 13:10 NLT). When we always think we’re right and have the attitude that it’s “my way or the highway,” we’ve already lost the battle.

But we really get in trouble when we carry this attitude into our relationship with the Lord. With Him there is no stalemate. No negotiation. He doesn’t agree to disagree.

Psalm 119 tells us, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (vs. 89 NKJV). That means it's etched in stone. Unchangeable.

God will patiently listen to our complaints, but in every situation, He has the final say. Case closed.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Sira Anamwong.

The Problem with Cliques

 

By Andrea Merrell

You are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28 NKJV

 

Have you ever tried to be part of a tight-knit group that refused to let you in?

There are a lot of different names for these folks: Clubs. Gangs. Packs. Clans. Factions. In-crowd. But whatever you call them, they fall under the definition of clique: a small group of people who share interests, spend time together, and don’t allow others to join them.

I’ve experienced these exclusive groups in social settings, the workplace, conferences, and large families. But the sad news is we find them even in the church.

To feel exclusive is to exclude others, and being excluded can hurt deeply and leave lasting emotional scars. Cliques can create dissension, confusion, and resentment. They perpetuate  the idea of conforming to the group while losing individuality. And heaven help those who go against the rest of the group.

I once heard someone say, “Oh, you Christians are nothing but a clique. You think you’re better than everyone else.”

Paul states in Galatians that we are all “one in Christ Jesus.” In Romans he says as Christians we are many but all part of one body—the Body of Christ (12:4-5). He also tells us that God does not show favoritism (2:11 NLT).

The Body of Christ, therefore, is not a clique. It is a group of like-minded individuals who love the Lord and embrace others, inviting them to enter God’s kingdom and become part of His family.

Are you inviting others in?

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Are You Enough?

 

By Andrea Merrell

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves 

to think of anything as being 

from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV

“I don’t need God,” the man said. “I don’t need anyone. I am enough.”

How sad that so many people have the same mindset, thinking they are up to the task of handling whatever life throws at them.

One morning during my quiet time, I realized that without God I am nothing, I have nothing, and I can do nothing. To some that might sound like a sad way to live, but for me, it’s the best and only way. Here’s why.

Without God: I am nothing, just a sinner, lost and struggling to find my way in this world. I have no identity, no purpose, and no destiny.

With God: I am a child of the King. Loved. Redeemed. Full of purpose and headed toward eternity in His holy presence. That’s my identity. That’s who I am.

Without God: I have nothing. I can attain nothing of lasting value on my own. Everything I acquire is simply wood, hay, and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:12).

With God: I have everything I need. He is my source. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17). He has given me all things needed to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).

Without God: I can do nothing. Jesus said that Himself in John 15:5. My thoughts, strength, and wisdom are insufficient on this journey through life without Him.

With God: I can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13) because His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The Message translation of Philippians 4:13 sums it up like this: “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” 

Some view God as a crutch. They believe that if they lean heavily on Him, it exposes their weakness. The truth is we are all weak. But when we bring our weakness to Him, He pours His strength into every area of our life. He gives us our true identity (in Him), provides whatever we need, and empowers us to do anything and everything He calls us to do.

Are you enough? In Him you are—because He is more than enough.

Photo by whitney sause on Unsplash

A Servant’s Heart

 

By Andrea Merrell

Do the will of God with all your heart.  

Work with enthusiasm, as though

you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Ephesians 6:6-7 NLT

 

She was already doing so much—teaching Sunday school, leading a Bible study, greeting, and working in the nursery—then they asked her to clean the church building.

The woman was exhausted and heading for burnout. Going to church felt like going to work, but she had a servant’s heart and couldn’t bring herself to say no. 

Sometimes we need to stop and ask ourselves, Why do I do what I do? Is it because I truly love my  place of service and feel called by the Lord, or have I been guilted into something I really don’t want to do?

Paul tells us that when we serve, it’s not to be as “men-pleasers” but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. He goes on to say that whatever we do should be done “as unto the Lord and not to men.”

Let your heart—and your service—be motivated by grace, not guilt, knowing that “the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do” (Ephesians 6:8 NLT).

That’s God’s way.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.