The Dead of Winter and the Spirit's Fire

It's the dead of winter, the coldest time of the year. My back is aching. A pandemic is raging. Nerves are frayed. Patience has collapsed in a heap of ruin. And it's the best time to praise God. Yes, you read that correctly. It's the best time to lay aside our troubles and worries, and praise our Creator. Praising God in good times, for good times, is easy. Praising God in hard times requires more afore thought—more raw determination. Perhaps it's the best measure of our faith.

Stone arch bridge, Perth, ON

The apostle Paul challenges us with this admonition: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, NIV). My Bible breaks the statement above into four separate verses and then tosses "Do not quench the Spirit" into an entirely new paragraph. But in the original Greek, there are no verse numbers, or indented paragraphs. These four statements all flowed together as one.

The Spirit's fire is stoked or quenched by our rejoicing, our prayer and our thanksgiving. None of these responses—our rejoicing, prayer and thanksgiving—should be driven by the circumstances we find ourselves in. Our circumstances may vary, but God's love for us is constant.

Paul and Silas perfectly illustrated the presence of God's Spirit in their lives as they prayed and sang hymns after being severely flogged and imprisoned in Philippi. See Acts 16:16-40. Did their physical pain and circumstances inhibit their rejoicing? Apparently not. They refused to quench the Spirit's fire. Instead, they stoked it.

Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19).

Is your fire going out? Can you still find some glowing embers among the ashes? Then take some action. Add some fuel. Throw on a few splinters of rejoicing. Log on some prayer time. Top it all with some heartfelt thanksgiving. In the dead of winter, at the coldest time of year, in defiance of a pandemic, let's build the warmest fire.

David Kitz is the chair of The Word Guild. His most recent book series is Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer.

Getting too cozy with Poison Ivy-by Heidi McLaughlin

It’s been there for twenty-one years, trailing down the rock wall and slyly hiding behind the rose bushes.  Twice I got poisoned by that beautifully disguised three leaf plant.  I’ve been seriously bombarded with a hot, itchy rash that wouldn't let me find comfort or sleep.  Some rash turned into blisters that started bleeding and needed antibiotics. Now I know why it is called “poison” ivy.  

Knowledgeable people stay away from it, or do they?

A deeply desired temptation propels us to make stupid moves. For instance, a friend’s son is getting married and they need dried rose petals for the end of the ceremony. Perfect, I want to help! I know the ivy is behind the rose bushes but I’ll be careful not to touch anything with a dark green leaf. For several days I walk by the rose bushes with temptation luring me on.  If I wear long sleeves and gloves nothing will happen. But I’ve done that before and somehow some poison oil got on my skin and it spread throughout my body.  Nah, this time it will be different. Now I know better. And so I deadheaded the rose bushes and got poison on my left thumb.  That was on Monday. By Wednesday I was awake all night scratching my arms, neck and fingers. Friday morning I woke up, my face and neck were so swollen I could hardly see.  I took a picture and sent it to my friend with the message, “Look Ma, no wrinkles.” An hour later I was in the walk in clinic to get medicine for my infected body. 

Temptation has a way of deceiving us.

 

Giving in to temptation that is wrong for us will always hurt.  Many times it will not only hurt us, but  also friends and families.  When we give in to:

·      It’s just a little flirting, it won’t come amount to anything.

·      I’ll lie just this one time.

·      I’ll just “borrow” this money from the drawer and put it back when I have some of my own.

·      Pornography is free, easy and gives such pleasure. I can stop any time.

·      Just a few drinks after work, it won’t hurt me.

And on it goes.

Jesus the Son of God taught us to pray: “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13) Jesus told us to pray that because He knows if we “yield” we will hurt.

There is a deceiver Satan, who knows our vulnerability, our weak spots and blindsides us into wanting something that we should not have. Satan is out to separate us from our vibrant and love filled relationship with God.  Knowing this is the first step to STOPPING and PRAYING the way Jesus modeled for us to pray.

We live in a seductive world and it is easy to get caught.

We are in the middle of the most colourful time of the year.  The autumn landscape evokes deep reflection for me. What are some things I could have done differently?  (Don’t go near the poison ivy).  What tempts me? How did I honour God this past year? When I was hurt or offended, did I give in to temptation and respond with kindness or underlying anger?

Everything is too accessible for the younger generation and us. Almost daily I pray for my twelve grandchildren: “they would not be led into temptation but to deliver them from the evil one.”  Jesus taught us how to pray so that would be safe, healthy and live the abundant life He came to live.  May we learn from His life that He modeled for us when He walked this earth. 

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. Heidi has been widowed twice. She is a mom and step mom of a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 12 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her family and special friends.

Her latest book RESTLESS FOR MORE: Fulfillment in Unexpected Places (Including a FREE downloadable Study Guide) is now available at Amazon.ca; Amazon.com, Goodreads.com or her website: www.heartconnection.ca