Christian and Apollyon

I've heard of the book The Pilgrim's Progress multiple times in my life, but I've never taken the time to sit down and read it. This is no longer true, since it is on my syllabus for my Personal Spiritual Disciplines course I am taking in the fall. So, to get a head start I have begun the book, and am loving it so far. It's a blatant allegory about the life of a Christian and the trials he/she may face.

Image Credit

I just read a scene that made me want to pump my fist in the air and say, "Heck. Yes." So I thought I would share. :)

Christian (main character) has been on his journey to the City of Zion for quite some time. He has endured trials, climbed the mountain of Difficulty, has been shown truth, and is now descending into the Valley of Humiliation. While there he comes across a beast named Apollyon (Revelation 9:11 -- "the destroyer" or "satan"), who attempts to persuade him to return to his hometown, the City of Destruction, and return under his lordship. Christian refuses multiple times, until finally Apollyon falls into a rage against him, and begins pounding him with flaming darts (Ephesians 6:16).

Fortunately, Christian had been given armor at the top of the mountain of Difficulty (Ephesians 6:10-20), so he was able to shield himself from the darts. Apollyon was not dissuaded, and continually attacked him over and over, until Christian "grew weaker and weaker" (59). Then Apollyon "espying his opportunity, began to gather up close to Christian" and delivered such a blow as to knock Christian's sword from his hand and put him on the ground, so that Christian "began to despair of life" (59). ((Don't worry guys, the fist pump will come soon...)

Image Credit

Just as Apollyon was getting ready to make his final blow, Christian "nimbly reached out his hand for his Sword, and caught it, saying, 'Rejoice not against me, O mine Enemy! When I fall, I shall arise'" (59) and with that gave a deadly thrust which caused Apollyon to stumble backward. Christian seized this opportunity shouting, "Nay, in all these things we are more than Conquerors, through Him that loved us!" (60) and Apollyon spread his wings and quickly fled from Christian. (**insert fist pump and HECK. YES!**)

Image Credit

Favorite. Christian defeated Apollyon (satan) with the "Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). Here are the scriptures he quoted against Apollyon (the Micah verse is AWESOME).

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." -Micah 7:7-8

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." -Romans 8:35, 37

Praise God that He has equipped us with the means to resist and defeat our foe, the devil. We have the power through His Spirit and His Word to conquer daily that which has already been conquered through the death of Christ. This is why it is IMPERATIVE that we KNOW the truth that we claim to believe, why we have no excuse to not commit scripture to memory and have a relationship with His living and active Word (Hebrews 4:12). Otherwise, how do we expect to battle satan when he strikes? Note I said "when", not "if". What a great reminder for us all to daily arm ourselves with the Word of God.

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." --1 Peter 5:8-11 

Ephesians 2:1-10

I dwelt on this scripture today while being a part of the Lord's Supper at our church. What a sweet, sweet reminder of what the Lord saved us from, and how He went about doing it. 

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

The Purity Principle

I'm currently reading a book called The Purity Principle by Randy Alcorn for one of my classes in the fall. It is a great, brief book about fighting the temptation of sexual sin and how to go about that fight. It's a quick read, and though he has his cheesy one-liners at times, it has some SOLID points about ways to prevent falling into sexual temptation, or how to fight back if you're already in the midst of this sin. Two things have stood out to me so far from this book.

Image Credit

In one of the chapters he references Psalm 119:33-37 (specifically verse 37) as a way to battle any type of sexual temptation, and I love the verses so much that now I'm committing them to memory.

"33Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. 34Give me understanding that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart. 

35Lead me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. 36Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! 

37Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways." 

He suggests printing out verse 37 and putting in on the top of your TV and computer as a reminder to dwell on the truth and life that comes with the Lord, not the worthless images the world constantly throws at us. Alcorn states, "Lust is fed by whatever we've deposited in our brains that it can get its claws on. What's in our brains is what we've allowed in through our senses. The images and words in our minds must come either from specific things our eyes have seen and our ears have heard or an imaginative conglomerate of such input" (42). If we think the TV shows or movies we are watching, or the images we see on the Internet, are not having an effect on our minds, thoughts, and ability to fight sexual temptation--we are sadly mistaken.

Image Credit

This truth goes hand in hand with the next part of the book that put a pretty heavy conviction on me. ((Disclaimer-the next sentence is a little provocative, but has a good point!))

Alcorn-- "Suppose I said, 'There's a great-looking girl down the street. Let's go look through her window and watch her undress, then pose for us naked, from the waist up. Then this girl and her boyfriend will get in a car and have sex--let's listen and watch the windows steam up!' 

You'd be shocked. You'd think, What a pervert!

But suppose instead I said, 'Hey, come on over. Let's watch Titanic.'

Christians recommend this movie, church youth groups view it together, and many have shown it in their homes. Yet the movie contains precisely the scenes I described" (61).

Image Credit

He continues, "How does something shocking and shameful somehow become acceptable because we watch it through a television instead of a window? In terms of the lasting effects on our minds and morals, what's the difference?...Every day Christians across the country, including many church leaders, watch people undress through the window of television. We peek on people committing fornication and adultery, which our God calls an abomination. We've become voyeurs, Peeping Toms, entertained by sin" (62). 

Whew. Like I said, convicting. Mitchell's response to this when I read it aloud was, "Okay, so what does this do to our movie collection?" A grand question. Thus begins my process of weeding out some of the movies we have allowed into our home that aren't necessarily edifying for our minds. We have both been cautious of the type of media we allow to enter our minds, but this was a quick wake up call that we've still been compromising on things with the justification of "it's not that bad". I believe wholeheartedly that our minds are satan's number one target in regard to sin. We are called to wage war against the flesh using the divine power of His Word (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) and resisting satan, who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:6-10).

And ladies, this goes for you just as much as it does the men reading this blog. For too long we have believed the lie that sexual temptation is just a "man's sin". Bull. We need to fight for purity just as much as they do--we need to turn our eyes when a provocative scene comes on the TV just as much as they do. We may not be as visually stimulated as men are, but we are still just as susceptible to sexual sin. So, do not read this as something your husband or boyfriend or brother needs to read. YOU read it. Ask the Lord where you need His sanctifying hand to intervene in your life. Fight for purity, sisters, in every area of your life. 

  

I hope this serves you the way it has served me. Ask yourself, "What TV shows, movies, books, internet sites, do I need to cut from my life? Am I dwelling on the ways of the Lord, or the worthless things of this world?" Perhaps these questions will spark a needed change in certain areas of your life.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." -Philippians 4:8

For more reading on this topic:

1. "Finding Freedom In a Sex Obsessed World" - Neil Anderson

2. "Who I am in Christ" - Neil Anderson

3. "Radical Womanhood" - Carolyn McCulley

4. "Girls Gone Wise" - Mary Kassian

5. "Lies Women Believe" - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Just a few scriptures as references as well (I encourage you to look up others on your own, this is the number one way we can fight the lies of satan...the Word of God!):

Jonah 2:8

Deuteronomy 30: 19-20

Proverbs 5:20-23, 5:15-19

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

1 Thessalonians 4: 3-8

Galatians 6:7-9

Psalm 119:9-11, 15-16

A great reminder of the importance of memorizing scripture as a way to battle the temptations of this world...thankful for the reminder this morning!

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments! I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You...I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word."

South Dakota w/the Fam Fam!

We just got home last night from a wonderful 5 day trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota! Oh goodness--talk about beautiful. It was such a blessing to spend time with family in the middle of such an awesome display of creation. Mitchell met quite a few new cousins from my Mom's side, and we loved every minute of the time spent with them!

One of our favorite adventures was in the Badlands of South Dakota. It was along the way as we drove from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills, and Mitchell and I stayed behind for a few hours to explore and go for a hike.

We had many other adventures throughout our stay. We went 4-wheeling through the Black Hills with my sister Jamie and her husband Justin (IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!), visited Mount Rushmore and a neat town called Keystone nearby, and stopped at a beautiful lake that we passed by on a scenic route through the Hills! 

We stopped at a place called The Cosmos that was pretty 

trippy--it looked like we were all standing at an angle!

See the tennis ball at the top of the slant? It should have been 

rolling downhill but instead it just sat there! 

On our way back from the Hills to the airport we made a small detour. My mom and I went with my great-aunt Carol to see the town of Philip, South Dakota where her and my grandmother both lived as children. I was so excited to see the town, especially when I was able to go inside the church where my Papa and Gran Jo were married and see where my great-grandparents are buried. I loved seeing where my family came from :) 

The house where they all grew up...right in the middle of downtown Philip!

 They lived next door to the theater, which was still there.

Well, there you have it! I'll end with a few other random photos from the week--it was absolutely wonderful. I can't wait until next year! (Fam--we HAVE to do this again next summer!!)

 Random stop at 1880's town on the way back!

 Roughlock Falls! (Notice how we're all in long-sleeves. It averaged 60 degrees the whole time we were there! Unreal. 

 Our way of honoring Aunt Carol as the matriarch of the family!

 My precious niece Paisley.

 See ya later, South Dakota! 

His Ways are Not Our Ways

"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake His way, and the unrighteous man His thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." --Isaiah 55:6-9

I love these verses for a multitude of reasons.

• They bring attention to the compassionate and loving nature of the Lord toward His people.
• They highlight the opportunity we have right now to return to the Lord, and His willingness to not just forgive, but abundantly forgive.
• My favorite: He reminds us that His ways and thoughts are not the same as ours. 

I think that is the most interesting part. He says this directly after He calls those who have fallen away to return to Him and be forgiven. I think the Lord is highlighting the fact that for our sinful hearts it is hard for us to comprehend why He would forgive us--sinners, blasphemers, opponents to the Gospel (1 Timothy 1:13). I know this is something I have struggled with a multitude of times, and satan has used it as a tool of manipulation to convince me to doubt the Lord's abundant and complete forgiveness. But the Lord graciously reminds us here that His thoughts are not the same as ours--it is in His nature to forgive those who scorn Him.....just look at the cross.

It is also difficult for our default toward others to be compassionate and forgiving--yet, again, His ways and thoughts are not the same as ours. On our own we are selfish, prideful and self-centered, but the Lord graciously enables us to have qualities that go against our basic human nature. As we become more and more like Him, and less and less like ourselves, we experience the gracious gift of compassion, love, and forgiveness toward our brothers and sisters. 

What a wonderful truth to praise Him for today: His thoughts and ways are higher than our own, just as the heavens are higher than the earth! Praise Jesus. 

Mitchell's Birthday Week!

We are slowly but surely settling into a weekly routine here in Kentucky. We're finally getting on a schedule with our night shifts, typically leaving around the same time and getting home within an hour or two of one another. Quite the blessing if you ask me!

Off to work we go!

It really is a huge adjustment for us to work nights, especially since it is summer time and we don't have a lot that we're involved in just yet throughout the day. So, our days have typically been filled with a whole lot of reading and conversations mixed in with a little bit of exploring. At first I felt like I was wasting time sitting around the apartment reading for hours at a time, but as I was reading this book about a hero of mine, William Wilberforce, I came across a fact about him that made me feel okay about it. :)

Reading at the campus library!

Wilberforce had a resolve to read as much as he could. "For the next twelve summers, until his marriage, he would spend one or two months at some country home, assiduously studying nine or ten hours alone each day. He became renowned for reading everything...and for the rest of his life, his pockets were literally stuffed with literature on every subject" (Metaxas, 65).

All this being said, I'm grateful for the time the Lord has given us to have together this summer, as well as the time to read and learn anything and everything we can get our hands on! I'll keep you guys updated on what we read!

Leisurely morning breakfast with this hunk--blessed.

Other than that, we have had the opportunity to try out a few of the local restaurants around here as well! On Monday night Mitchell and I went to a well known Cuban restaurant called Havana Rumba for an early birthday celebration for him! (He's an Independence Day baby!) The food was delicious and Mitchell was beside himself with joy.

This was our appetizer: Fried plantains and guacamole. YUM!

 Such a wonderful evening together!

Well, that's all I have for now! I truly am enjoying getting to know this new place we now call home. Tomorrow we are going to a get-together with a few new friends of ours to celebrate the 4th, and next week we leave for South Dakota for my family's reunion! BIG things ahead!

Isaiah 55:1-3

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David."