What's Your Excuse?

We've all offered an excuse for something before, and I've heard my fair share of them as well.  Just recently, I was planning a visit to a neighboring town for my business.  I had planned to visit all my clients in that town on one day, delivering product and just visiting.  What started out as an entire day planned to visit about 20, ended up being an enjoyable visit with 2.  Excuses were varied and interesting.  One said "I excercise on Saturdays" and I wondered if she spent all 24 hours of each Saturday exercising?  Another said, "I'm taking down my Christmas decorations".  Now, this was already February when we spoke and I couldn't imagine what difference 30 minutes could make in a task that was already several weeks old!

As I thought about these strange excuses, I couldn't help but remember a song I had heard a gospel quartet sing.    "Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them everyday, and the devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away, when people come to know the Lord, the devil always loses, so to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses."  How many times do we offer up an excuse for something we just do not want to do?  Whether it be missing a gospel meeting, not teaching a Bible class or just not attending worship, what is our excuse really saying?

Matthew 5:37 says "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No' be 'No'.  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  I believe we offer excuses because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings, or maybe we don't want to share the real reason we are saying no.  However look at the second part of that verse - where is our excuse from?  Satan was giving excuses to us from the beginning (Genesis 3:10, 12, 13).  

Next time you're tempted to offer an excuse, think about what it is you really want to say and why and also, where that excuse is really from.  

Reaping What You Sew Part 1

Priscilla was a seamstress in the Bible.  Her story is found in Acts 18 and throughout the New Testament.  There isn’t a lot told of Priscilla, but we can see from the brief mentions of her throughout the epistles, that she was a Godly woman, who was a worker in the kingdom.  Priscilla was a tent-maker and worked alongside her husband Aquila.  She is never mentioned in the scriptures by herself, but always with her husband. 

Priscilla practiced hospitality.  Perhaps because of sharing the common occupation of tent making, or perhaps because of sharing the common faith, Paul stayed with them.  In Acts 18:11; we see that Paul lived there about 18 months.  That is hospitality!  The couple and Paul formed a working relationship and their love and service to God kept them together as they traveled.   Priscilla and Aquila also showed hospitality by having a church meet in their home, Romans 16:5.  This seemed to be a common practice for them, as they are mentioned doing this several times in the New Testament.

Priscilla and Aquila were also missionaries, spreading the gospel with Paul and on their own.  In Acts 18:24 we can read that they had influence over Apollos and helped him to understand the scriptures more plainly.  It’s interesting here to me that in many verses, Priscilla is mentioned first, but when it comes to teaching someone else; Aquila’s name comes first.  Priscilla was a submissive wife.  Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for Paul’s life (Romans 16:4) and this benefited not only Paul, but also the churches in that area.

I view Priscilla as a strong woman, willing to work and serve the Lord wherever she lived and in difficult circumstances.  We see in her faithfulness, kindness and longsuffering. 

Another Biblical seamstress was Dorcas.  Dorcas, was also called Tabitha and her story is found in Acts 9:36-42. Although there is not a great deal told about her, the little that is said is enough to show that she was a godly woman who was loved and respected in the Christian community of Joppa.

We know that she followed Christ because the Bible describes her as a disciple and we know too, that she was well known for doing good and for helping the poor. In the Acts account, she became sick and died. Her friends were devastated. They had lost someone they loved and who was an important part of the family of believers. But they had faith that God would do something. So much so, that they sent men to travel twelve miles to the town of Lydda, to find the apostle Peter and to ask him to come.

When Peter did come, they took him directly to the upstairs room where they had placed Dorcas’ body. All the widows were there mourning. They stood around Peter, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made.  Sending them out of the room, Peter got down on his knees and prayed. Then he said “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes and sat up. God had restored her life. Peter took her by the hand, helped her to her feet, and presented her to her friends.

Dorcas’ works of stitching clothes and helping the poor may sound simple in comparison to the more visible works of Priscilla, but they were enough to gain the love of her community and enough that God saw fit to restore her life.  She was described as being “full of good works and charitable deeds.”  She did not need a women’s liberation movement to make her feel like somebody, she knew what she was and who she was.  Dorcas was a servant and because of that attitude of the heart, she was truly loved.  Dorcas was a good woman who was so loved by the family of believers that they prayed for a miracle and God granted it.

Dorcas was a woman with a giving heart and we can see in her love, kindness and goodness.

These two Biblical women were stitching two totally different items – Dorcas sewing clothing, made probably of linen and cotton and Priscilla sewing tents, made of thick, twisted goat hair.  Their works were different as well – Dorcas probably served God in a quiet way, making garments for the widows and those in need while Priscilla was a teacher seen with her husband teaching others, providing a meeting place for the local church.  However, they were both serving God and were a great benefit to the church. 

Next time, we'll see what we can apply to our own lives through these Biblical women's examples.   

Lessons from Mrs. Potiphar

Scriptures to consider: Genesis 39:1-23

Mrs. Potiphar is known as a bad girl of the Bible. She was tempted to sin with a good-looking man. She was not only tempted by that good-looking man, but she lusted after him and attempted to seduce him. Matthew 5:28 - "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

 

Mrs. Potiphar had already sinned at that point and she was trying to get Joseph to sin right along with her! When that didn't work, she lied about it to try and cover her tracks.

 “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

Most of us have learned that when we tell one lie, it most often leads to another and another and another. Mrs. Potiphar should have put the brakes on a lot earlier in the story. Like so many of the women of the Bible, we never hear from her again, but I wonder how her husband looked at her from that point on. We see that his anger was aroused, but at who? Joseph, or his wife? Was Mrs. Potiphar known previously for messing around with the hired help? Did her husband question her integrity? Did he believe her accusations, or was he angry that he had lost the best employee of his career? We don’t know these answers.

 

I think we need to be reminded sometimes that the sin is not in being tempted. The sin is in succumbing to the temptation.

 James 1:12 – 15 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Life holds many temptations for each of us. Something that tempts me may not tempt you. Something that tempted me when I was a new Christian may not be a problem anymore.

 I Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

 Let’s make a list of some things that might be temptations to any of us.

·        Sometimes for myself, I let my own personal relationship with God suffer while meeting the needs of my family or even the church – this can be a temptation for any of us.

·        Like Mrs. Potiphar, sometimes a good-looking guy can tempt us.

·        Lying

·        Gossip

·        Cheating on income taxes

·        “Stealing” from the office

·        Using foul language or unnecessary “euphemisms”

·        Jealousy

·        Hating our brother

·        Holding grudges

·        Alcohol

·        Smoking

·        Complaining

·        Not complying with copyright laws on music and computer software

·        Speeding

·        Being lazy

·        Forsaking services

·        Desiring riches or a name

 

The list can go on and on. Satan throws many things in our way and just hopes that one of them will ensnare us. Not just trip us, he likes that too, but he wants to ensnare us. Can you visually see the difference in those two words? Trip and ensnare?

What’s a woman to do? How can we avoid these things?

How about trying the 15 minute rule?

1. IDENTIFIVE the problem. Isolate the issue. In the first 5 minutes, assess what it is you want! Why do you want that? What will be the consequences? Is it worth it?

The Bible tells us to be on guard for temptations - So we should identify what tempts us, which we’ve just done, and be watchful. We may each want to spend some time prayerfully considering this at home too.

Ephesians 5:15-16 – “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Christ understands the temptations of this life. He lived on this earth and dealt with everything possible. He is our example. 

So, take 5 minutes. Step aside from the temptation. Once you see what it is and consider why you are even considering it, perhaps you’ll stop.

2. Pay ATTENTION! Concentrate on a solution for yourself. Distract yourself if necessary. What could you do for 10 minutes to stop yourself from indulging? 

List things …journal, drink a glass of water, pray, take a walk, read your Bible, phone a friend, brush your teeth, clean your bathroom, do some housework, exercise, surround ourselves with support.

Mrs. Potiphar sent her servants away – big mistake for her - leave the office door open when meeting with a male coworker, take the kids with us when we chat with the handyman, carry along a photo of husband when we travel without him, keep a photo of our family on our desk or at workspace, be appropriately dressed at all times! Spend time with other Christians; consider your companions and surroundings.  Seek our husbands out before, not after.

If our minds are full of steamy romance novels or sexy movie or soap opera stars - #1, we should consider what we are filling our minds with and #2, channel our desires towards our husband.  Genesis 3:16 – “To the woman He said: … Your desire shall be for your husband.”  Perhaps Mrs. Potiphar wouldn’t have been so forward with tempting Joseph if she and her husband had met each other’s needs. 

3.  REEVALUATE!
In 15 minutes, reassess the behavior. Is it worth the consequences?

When we stumble, confess don’t cover-up.  Don’t fall into playing the “blame game” – his fault, her fault, God’s fault. Take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Seek forgiveness from God and whoever we’ve hurt in the process of our sins. 

Psalm 120:2 – “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.”

Proverbs 6:16-19 – “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

Do you think some of these techniques will be able to help stop you from indulging in that sin? Will you be able to distract yourself so you will not partake the next time? Congratulations! You’ve just practiced self-control! Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit and something that we should all strive to have. When we are tempted, we get a chance to exercise that self-control, and like most things, the more they’re exercised the stronger they become. The more self-control we practice, the better at it we become.
 

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

 

2 Peter 1:5-7 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, love.
 

James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

James 4:7 – “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”