Your OWN Understanding . . .

Coffee -- Tim Horton's at the Camp

Wayne and I love to go for coffee at various drive through windows. Our favorite is Dunkin Donuts. It's just one of those luxuries that we allow ourselves (all too often). That wouldn't be so bad, but Wayne has an AARP card. If he shows that at the double D's window, it entitles us to a free donut of our choice with the purchase of a large coffee. It is usually chocolate glazed. Mmmm!

This ritual of ours is a good starting place to talk about our responsibility to rely on the Lord in every aspect of our lives. The Bible says in Proverbs 3 that we should trust in the LORD with all of our heart and that we should not lean on our own understanding. If we are honest, we can easily look at our lives, our decisions, and the consequences and see that we can and should profit from wisdom outside ourselves. When we take an objective look around, we have to realize that we can and do make a major mess of things. That often happens when we trust our own opinions and decisions and fail to adequately consider and heed the clear teaching of the Bible and the good advice of people who love us.

Well, what does that have to do with drive-through coffee and a free donut? It is a matter of human nature and our propensity as sinners to turn in the wrong direction. This becomes confession time:

-- At first, Wayne ate his donut and I refrained.
-- After a few trips, I wanted a bite. Mmmm.
-- Over time we began to split the donut. Mmmm and Mmmm some more.
-- Here and there, we began to take one free donut and buy the second (not every time).

Now, a donut isn't wrong for most people but it is for me. I am a Type II Diabetic who opted to go without medications and control it by diet. That has worked very well for about eight years. My tests have always been good, but the good test results emboldened me to modify my regimen even more. Where will that end if I continue that path? I know. Things are on track now. Please pray for me if you think of it.

I don't know how a daughter becomes a mentor to her mother, but with her Biblical knowledge and nursing degree, I have gleaned much wisdom from Valerie and I appreciate it. We like to swap advice and do so seriously. Recently she wrote this and I think it fits into tonight's topic since it tells us three things that constitute good reasons for seeking godly counsel (among other things):

1. Satan hates those who are in Christ. He despises us with a white-hot hatred, a murderous passion. Nothing pleases Him more than to see Christ and His Word blasphemed in our lives.

2. Satan is a liar. Not only is He a liar, but He is an exceedingly good and very effective liar. If you think you cannot be deceived, you underestimate him and overestimate yourself.

3. If we have sense, we will be absolutely certain that we are not better or stronger than the millions who've been struck and hurt before us.

Friends and loved ones, we need each other. When we have big decisions to make -- especially those that impact our Christian lives -- we ought to quickly seek the counsel of someone who is willing to search the Scriptures with us and pray with us so that we will not fall for any of the myriad of lies waiting to overcome us. Remember that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking anyone he may devour -- not literally eat up, but destroy. He wants to destroy our faith, our confidence, our reputation, our peace, our future. Don't rely totally on your own smarts.

Need someplace to lean? Lean on God. Lean on His Word. Lean on godly friends and family.