Scott Attebery – Page 7 – Sharing my story as a life-long learner of Christ

God’s Purpose for Your Struggle With Sin

Struggling with indwelling sin? Feel like it is dragging you down? Consider the fact that God may have a purpose for your struggles. Here’s an example from Joshua.

We are familiar with Joshua’s conquests in the promised land. God had given Israel the land to inhabit. Additionally, God called them to drive out groups of people occupying the land at the time.

However, not all of the peoples were driven out. This is due to Israel’s disobedience in not completing the conquest (Judges 1:27-36, 2:1-5). But that’s not all there is to the story. At the same time Israel failed to complete the conquest, God turned Israel’s disobedience to discipline for their good.

In Judges 3:1-4, the Bible explains:

Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Did you notice that the Bible says “the LORD left” the nations in the promised land? Instead of saying “Israel failed to remove them,” the Bible highlights God’s total control and rule over the situation. The LORD could have removed the people even in the midst of Israel’s disobedience. However, he didn’t. Why? The Bible explains: “It was online in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war…. For the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD.”

In other words, God used Israel’s disobedience and turned it into a tool for sanctification. In leaving the nations in the midst of the promised land, God was giving Israel training opportunities in which they would be required to stay sharp and ready for battle. Even more, it would test, or stretch, them to pay attention to obedience.

I can’t begin to understand sovereignty of God. However, we can infer a few important principles from this episode in Israel’s history:

God disciplines his people for disobedience.
Discipline is not the same as punishment (ie. Israel was still God’s people).
God is not the author of nor responsible for sin.
God is powerful enough to use our sinful past and use it for a sanctified future.

The promised land belonged to Israel. God had promised it to them and given it to them. Yet, even though they owned the land, they didn’t completely possess all of it.

It reminds me of our life in Christ. Although we have total victory over sin, there are still pockets of indwelling sin that we struggle with. Make no mistake, God hates that sin and is not glorified in it. However, He has a design and purpose to use it for your good and His glory. Namely, God wants to use your struggles with sin to keep you ready for spiritual battle and draw you to a greater dependency and commitment upon Him. He could easily remove all of your struggles with sin and temptation. But He chooses not to for a reason.

What will you do? Will you turn to the sin or turn completely to Christ?

The Waffle House Spin

I love Waffle House. This morning, I sat at the counter and enjoyed scrambled eggs and coffee. As I was eating and listening to interesting conversations around me, I glanced up and noticed a sign that said, “T-Bone Steaks: World’s Leading Server.”

No doubt, someone in Waffle House’s marketing department stumbled upon this little-known fact and decided to broadcast it to the masses. I’m convinced the idea is genius. Why? Because the sign plainly states a fact with the fewest words possible. Yet, at the same time, it infers something that’s not necessarily true. The ordinary reader is led to believe that Waffle House has the best T-bone steak in the world.

I tested the theory by quizzing my waitress. “Ma’am, would you recommend the T-Bone?”

The lady laughed a little and said, “stick with your eggs.”

I followed up by pointing to the sign and asking, “Does it at least look like the picture?”

She responded with more laughter and then shared my question with the other employees as they all shared a laugh.

As I finished my eggs, I thought of all the other businesses who use the same marketing spin:

The nation’s leading supplier of ________.
The largest dealership in the state.
#1 selling brand of ________.

In all of these instances, we are led to believe that quantity equals quality. Tell that to the poor guy still trying to chew the T-bone at Waffle House!

In the church world, we hear plenty of the same spin, don’t we?

Best-selling author _______.
Fastest growing church in ________.
World renown evangelist _______.

While it is possible that a church is growing rapidly or a book is selling like wildfire for all the right reasons, marketable success is no guarantee for godliness.

Don’t forget Paul’s warning in I Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Be careful in the christian books you trust, the church you join, and the teaching you accept. Satan rarely issues his lies bluntly, but rather spins them with truth -sometimes sweetening them like syrup on a…. well, you know….

Rewards of Repetition

Bryce has been playing in a fall baseball league recently. Initially he was having trouble hitting the ball, so I scheduled a few batting lessons with a local coach.

During each lesson, the coach would explain ways I could practice with Bryce each day between lessons. Almost every day after school, Bryce and have been getting out in the yard and practicing.

If I could sum up our practice sessions in one word, it would be: repetition. Repetition is the key to improving at any sport. Golfers hit the same shot with the same club over and over. Quarterbacks throw the same route repeatedly to achieve perfect timing. And basketball players shoot free-throws for hours a day to achieve consistency.

For Bryce’s baseball swing, we have been working on keeping his weight back and turning properly. Mastering these basics is not as easy as it may sound –especially with all of the other details he is trying to remember (watch the ball, don’t step out, keep your knees bent, etc). Thinking about all of these things at the same time is impossible. At some point, certain parts of the swing must become routine. That’s where repetition becomes valuable. Repetition moves information to transformation.

In sports, we expect a player to spend hour upon hour, day upon day to master one aspect of their game. Why then, do we not expect the same in Christian discipleship?

It seems silly to think that a Christian could develop a strong prayer life from one mere lesson in a discipleship workbook. Likewise, can we really expect a person to competently share their faith after a short lesson on the ABC’s of the gospel? And yet many of us repeatedly treat discipleship in this manner. However, the approach falls short as discipleship is reduced to increased information with little or no transformation. DiscipleMakers would do well to learn this lesson from sports –information is great, but repetition is key.

If you want to hear me get excited, just show up to one of Bryce’s baseball games. I am overwhelmed with emotion when I see him hit the ball. In that moment, all of the hard work of practice has paid off.

Want to knock it out of the park as a disciple maker? Find ways to practice regularly with your disciple!

A Stitch of Sobriety

It was a typical morning. After breakfast, I got ready for work and headed to the office.

I poured my coffee, settled into my chair, and began checking email. The third message in my inbox was from Amazon. The subject line read: Your Order Has Shipped.

I didn’t remember ordering anything from Amazon recently. So I clicked on the email and was shocked at what I saw. Apparently, the night before, I had sleepwalked to my computer, and placed an order. Oh, and did I mention that the order was for? Wait for it… I ordered a (dramatic pause) sewing machine!

I don’t sew. I don’t even replace buttons on shirts. To this day, I have no idea what got into my mind that night other than the fact that I take a pill to help me sleep.

Please don’t judge me. I know that sleeping pills have become controversial, especially with the recent news of people “sleep driving” and having accidents. Funny, though, I’ve never seen a nightly news story on “sleep ordering of sewing machines,” but I bet it would leave viewers in stitches (pun intended)!

Seriously, all the recent coverage of sleeping pill related accidents has caused me to consider alternative remedies. It has also reminded me of the apostle Peter’s strong admonition: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).

The call to be “sober-minded” is a call to be completely aware. The opposite of sober-mindedness would be to have awareness removed, altered, or impaired. That is why today’s usage of the word sober typically revolves around drugs or alcohol.

But Peter’s meaning is stronger. It is not just a warning to avoid intoxicants, but even more, it is an admonition to pursue clear awareness.

Why is this important? Because, Peter explains, Satan is prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Awareness is vital to the believer’s spiritual defense –especially for single adults.

Our adversary prowls around intoxicants such as:

Attention from the opposite sex.
Mind-numbing media.
Obsession over past mistakes.
Fear of being forever alone.

The Christian’s only hope for spiritual sobriety is to fix our eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-29). That means keeping our constant gaze upon Christ. Otherwise, an extra glance toward an admirer, another hour on social media, more self-guilt over forgiven sins, and less trust in Christ’s sufficiency are all capable of becoming the tipping point between sober-mindedness and spiritual delusion. That’s exactly what Satan is waiting for –and the consequences are far worse than having an extra sewing machine on your hands!

PS. No more sleeping pills for me!

Road Trip: Bald Knob, Arkansas

Recently, I was honored to visit Worden Baptist Church in Bald Knob, Arkansas. Bro. Paul Bearfield has a vision for the church to reach the community around them through small groups –and it’s working.

During my visit, I witnessed something uncommon for rural churches in the south. The congregation was incredibly diverse. They are multi-cultural, multi-generational, and multi-ethnic. Those are the traits typically expected in a larger urban church by default due to demographics. When these traits are found in a rural church, it means that something intentional is happening.

“Intentional” is a great word for Worden Baptist Church. The Sunday School class I visited was filled with young men from various backgrounds –a small business owner, a farmer, a college football player, a medieval sword-fighting enthusiast, and a pre-med student. While their interests were diverse, they all shared a common passion for God’s Word. The class was loaded with deep teaching and each participant displayed strong biblical knowledge –no doubt a result of being in the class.

The service reflected the same commitment to substantive worship centered on God’s Word. The music was well planned and prayer was offered as more than a ceremonial necessity.

I enjoyed preaching to the congregation. It was obvious that they were interested in listening to, studying, and contemplating the passage of Scripture presented.

Over lunch I was blessed to hear about the success of the church’s small group ministry which is reaching non-churched families in the community.

May God continue to bless the ministry of Worden Baptist Church –and may more small rural churches follow their lead in reaching their communities!

It’s Time To Change The Conversation

You can learn a lot about a person by their conversation. Listen long enough and you will discover what they value most.

The same could be said about churches. In the recent past, such issues as music style, facility design and sermon length have dominated discussions and debate. While all of those topics have their place, if we treat them as the most important issues in the church, we reveal that our values are immature.

In my opinion, the day is fast approaching when the church will no longer have the luxury of treating lesser things as though they were of greater importance. The decreasing elements of Christian influence in pop culture will force churches to re-evaluate their values. Here are four value shifts that I believe will soon take place in American evangelical churches. In many congregations, the conversations are already transitioning.

From Style to Substance. As church members are forced to contemplate whether they should attend their niece’s same-sex marriage, or provide insurance coverage for life-terminating drugs, they will care less about whether the pastor is “easy on the ears” and more about whether he is able to apply faithful Bible proclamation to relevant cultural issues.
From Remodels to Revivals. Believers in the United States are beginning to face the reality that following Christ will require discomfort, sacrifice, and deep faith. No longer will churches be concerned with attracting people with impressive buildings, but instead will be concerned with the spiritual reawakening of those within the congregation.
From Convenience to Commitment. Churches will no longer exist to provide a place to worship when convenient. Instead, congregations will, by necessity, become commitment communities that rely upon one another for support and encouragement. Corporate worship will be seen as a privilege worthy of sacrifice rather than a convenience to take for granted.
From Therapy to Truth. Sermons, classes, counseling, and group studies will no longer exist to make believers simply “feel better.” Instead, believers will insist upon truth to ground their lives upon and guide difficult decisions.

While it may seem that the current cultural shift is to be feared, the consequences for the American church may be extremely sanctifying. Expect the wheat to be separated from the chaff, the dead limbs to be pruned, and the church to blossom and flourish!

Ready to change the conversation in your church? It’s time!

styrofoam

I love Styrofoam (sorry ‘green’ friends).

Styrofoam was invented in 1941, and the world has never been the same.

I love to order a 44oz drink in a Styrofoam cup first thing in the morning. I refill the cup all day long and carry it everywhere I go. When it comes to taking coffee on-the-go, Styrofoam is the standard: durable, insulating, and disposable. (the best Styrofoam coffee cups are under the golden arches).

The best thing about Styrofoam, in my opinion, is the fact that it is cheap and disposable –which is great for a single guy who doesn’t like to wash dishes!

Recently, my pastor pointed out the fact that in biblical days, the equivalent of Styrofoam cups would have been “jars of clay” because they were cheap and inexpensive.

So when Paul states in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “we have this treasure in jars of clay,” to refer to our human bodies, he could have said, “cups of Styrofoam!”

You see, what makes Styrofoam so valuable is not the Styrofoam itself (did I mention its composed of 98% air?) Just like clay, the material is inconsequential. What gives jars of clay and cups of Styrofoam value are 1) the content they hold, and 2) the function they perform.

It’s rare that someone says, “hey, may I PLEEEEEASE hold your Styrofoam cup? I just love the way it feels in my hand?” No, instead people say, “May I have a sip of your tea?”

Paul says the contents of our jars of clay/Styrofoam cups (human body) is “this treasure.” What treasure? The preceding six verses give the answer –the treasure we hold in our jars of clay is the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Suddenly, this old jar of clay/Styrofoam cup has increased in value due to the treasure it holds.

Then, Paul goes on to point out the function our jars of clay perform –“To show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

Like the angels (1 Peter 1:12), when people see the contrast between the treasure inside of us and the Styrofoam nature of our human existence on earth, it is evident that all glory and honor belongs to God. The glory certainly couldn’t belong to a cup composed of 98% air (or a body composed of dust).

The danger is when we become dissatisfied with our role as a jar of clay/Styrofoam cup. Sometimes we want to be in a more glorious position. That’s when pride sets in.

Instead of being a servant, we want to be a ruler. Instead of loving the unlovable, we want to become the enviable. Instead of exalting Christ, we want to be exalted.

If you are like me, I get frustrated with my styrofoam nature. I am weak and disposable. But, in light of the momentary afflictions of this world, why would I want to be a permanent fixture? In the context of a fallen world, being a temporary vessel is by far the most desirable of existences!

That’s when we need to remember that the greatest honor on earth is to be entrusted with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ –and only jars of clay/Styrofoam cups have been chosen for the job!

Batting Practice and Spiritual Growth

Bryce took a batting lesson last week. I listened carefully so that I could work with him in the days following. The coach was very clear in his instruction and patient in his approach.

I knew that one lesson wouldn’t suddenly turn my seven-year-old into a major league slugger. Everyone knows that even the most talented athlete has to practice regularly in order to hone their skills. So we have been repeating the coach’s drills every day at home.

The same kind of repeated practice is an ordinary part of the parent-child relationship.

“Don’t forget to cover your mouth.”

“You need to tie your shoe.”

“Did you wash your hands?”

I have repeated these phrases –and others- more times than I care to remember. In fact, I can’t think of anything I have taught my son that hasn’t required repetition. Teaching is not a one-time event. It requires patient repetition as the learner makes progress.

We all know this when it comes to working with our children. But, we tend to forget the principle when it comes to discipleship.

Most of us have a false assumption that just because we discussed a passage of scripture, exemplified a spiritual discipline, explained a biblical principle, or provided godly counsel to a problem one time, that our disciple has “got it.” We think that just because we finished another chapter in a workbook, they have automatically matured. Then, we get frustrated when they continue having the same problems, questions, or misunderstandings. After all, weren’t they listening the first time?

Go back and look at Christ’s discipleship of the apostles. Notice how many times he repeats truths, answers the same questions, and continues modeling behaviors. Notice the amount of times He spoke of His death and resurrection. Observe how many ways Jesus demonstrated the fact that He came to love and serve helpless sinners –not hobnob with self-righteous religious types. Consider His repeated words about the last becoming first and the blessings of suffering for his sake.

If Jesus, the master disciple-maker, used repetition to be effective, don’t you think we should expect to do the same?

Road Trip: Northwest Arkansas

Bryce and I headed to northwest Arkansas to enjoy our favorite football team over the weekend. While the game wasn’t that enjoyable, the weekend together was great. To cap it all off, we decided to visit Grace Hills Church in Rogers, Arkansas.

Grace Hills is led by my friend, Brandon Cox. Brandon’s humble spirit, visionary leadership, and clear communication skills are a blessing to the congregation as well as the community.

This congregation welcomes everyone. Meeting in a movie theater, they have friendly folks all over the lobby and at the doors helping welcome and direct guests. During the worship service, great care was given to help newcomers participate without feeling ignored or isolated. In particular, the message was clearly shared in a way that the most mature christian as well as the one yet to trust Christ could both see the impact of the cross on their life. Ministering and communicating in such a way requires great intention and thought. Grace Hills has accomplished such a ministry. In fact, meeting together, it felt as though there was no division between the mature/immature, wealthy/poor, educated/uneducated, etc. We were all worshipping Christ together as those who stand in awe of the Savior we all desperately adore.

If you are in the Northwest Arkansas area and do not have a church home, I highly recommend visiting Grace Hills Church.

Repentance is Never Out of Season

I recently read Thomas Watson’s, The Doctrine of Repentance. Like most puritan classics, it is a thoughtful, well-developed masterpiece, which leaves no stone unturned. Here are my fifteen favorite quotes from the book:

It is better to go with difficulty to heaven than with ease to hell.
We are to find as much bitterness in weeping for sin as ever we found sweetness sin committing it.
The more bitterness we taste in sin, the more sweetness we shall taste in Christ
By this self-accusing we prevent Satan’s accusing.
Many had rather have their sins covered than cured (Prov. 28:13).
Blushing is the color of virtue.
Christ is never loved till sin be loathed.
We are never more precious in God’s eyes than when we are lepers in our own.
As God has two places he dwells in, heaven and a humble heart, so the devil has two places he dwells in, hell and a hard heart.
Morality shoots short of heaven. It is only nature refined. A moral man is but old Adam dressed in fine clothes.
Indeed, if prayer does not make a man leave sin, sin will make a man leave prayer.
It is better to mortify one sin than to understand all mysteries.
Never do the flowers of grace grow more than after a shower of repentant tears.
Upon our turning to God we have more restored to us in Christ than ever was lost in Adam.
It is the Spirit’s smiting on the rock of our hearts that makes the waters gush out.