In love with a Stripper!

Sound absurd?

I'm thinking about a different type of stripper. When you think about a paint stripper, its job is to penetrate the paint film, causing it to swell; this volume increase causes internal strains, which, together with the weakening of the layer's adhesion to the underlying surface, leads to sepearation of the layer of the paint from the substrate.

In lamens terms, when you need to seperate the paint from the object which its been applied, the stripper goes inside the film of the paint, causing it strain and creating a swelling effect. This tension weakens the  adhesive power of the paint to the object and leads to a seperation between the two.

In our lives, due to our void that needs to be filled, we seek for temporary things that cause momentary satisfaction and pleasure. Watching, participating, listening, hanging around, inhaling and spending time with these things cause an adhesion of sorts between us and the substance or person that we get addicted to.

Jesus Christ is the great STRIPPER! No, not the kind you find on a pole, but the One who goes inside the believer, through the power in the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit and He causes strain. He creates a dissatisfaction with that very thing which seems to bring pleasure to us. As we are led to spend more time with Him, or hear (through song) His words of encouragment; or speak to people who share their testimonies with us, our desire for that temporary pleasure begins to weaken. Over time through prayer (whether that of our own, or that of others), seperation occurs and we find ourselves able to say "no" and resist the urges of our flesh.

Yes, Jesus is the one we should be in love with. Why? Because He loves us so much that he desires and has the power to seperate us from the things (and people) we foolishly adhere ourselves to!

#WhoIsTheMole?

If you're like me...you have become attached to the Scandal sitcom and its racey plot. Or maybe the characters and their twisted personalities yet smooth speech and suave outfits catch your eye. For whatever reason, Scandal has been the hot topic of Thursday nights. I'm sure most of you "Gladiators", like myself, want to go looking for Shonda Rimes when you hear that we have to wait another 3 weeks before another new episode rears its head! Like ugh!!! We LIVE for Thursday evenings and I even forfeit my early bedtime of 9pm to hold my eyelids open just 1 more hour...but its worth every 60 of those minutes!

Getting on Twitter (@Lady_JAG) and tweeting with my other fellow gladiators makes it all the more exciting! There is one thing that disturbs me though...seeing other believers take the plot and meaning behind the series, a little too close to heart. Often times, it is dangerously unwise to take issues and quotes from a secular sitcom and apply them to life. As true as things may seem and as good at it may feel to us, as believers we MUST seperate sitcom from reality. (sidebar: There are times we must even seperate Reality TV from reality)

Simply because our world is an organized system that has composed views, thoughts and values that oppose our Savior's, its all the more imperative that we adopt the mind and heart of God so that when we DO watch these "juicy" evening soap operas, we can still view them from a godly worldview.

Last night's episode was great...heart racing & I'm curious like all you gladiators-- Who IS the mole? But in that, watching the President (Fitz) choose his mistress over his wife and running the country-- well simply put-- wrong is wrong. WE are the mole if WE are guilty of treachery enough to deny the righteousness Jesus died for us to obtain and instead choose the desires/lusts that still dwell within our flesh. Many Christians desire the affair between Olivia and Fitz to "work". But in real life, if YOU were Mellie and made a commitment to YOUR husband (relationship gone sour or not)...would YOU want the mistress to "win"? Of course not...no woman I know would!

Anyways that's my soap box. God's word is still truth and although we have the freedom to watch what pleases us, its pertinent that we use our freedom wisely. Christians in particular need to watch from a different viewpoint and remember not to connect our personal lives nor live by what we see. Though I was disgusted at the Presidents' behavior, I am still very much in tuned to what might happen in the final episodes! See the difference? Enjoy the Finale!!

Goodie Two Shoes

The persecution of Christians dates back to the time of Jesus but its not uncommon to see just as much persecution of Christians today! In other cultures, Christianity is the "underdog" of religions, if there were such a thing. Think about it, no one wants to believe, let alone claim, that Jesus is THE ONLY way to (a relationship with) God. But that's only one of many truths people are afraid, or too prideful in their thinking to believe/admit.

Persecution, however, doesn't only emanate from unbelievers! Shocking? Well, understand that when Jesus guaranteed that believers WILL face persecution, he didn't exactly specify where it would come from. I find it ironic that even believers who have boundaries and standards get persecuted by other believers who choose to live life THEIR way.

Talking to some fellow believers about a job that was offered me some months after graduating from college, I relayed that the company offered me the position as long as I was willing to lie on the results that I would report. I declined the job based on integrity and you would be amazed how many people respond opposed to that decision with comments such as "girl, if the pay was good I'd lie my tail off!" Though I understand the sentiment and would so desire the same, my desire to please Christ would compel me otherwise.

As a believer, (one who grows in their love and respect for their Lord, understanding who He is and what He desires of them and trusting in that)... should your morals reflect the truths in scripture, you can expect that even your fellow brothers and sisters in the faith might throw persecution your way. You might be looked at as "goodie two shoes" or "holier than thou" rather than just a believer who loves the Lord. Sure execution or imprisonment might not be the result, but expect to be shunned, talked about, and find yourself with fewer and fewer associates/friends. Its' a hard reality to face, but it comes with the territory!