Green Like the Grinch – Envy’s Trap and Trauma - Purity 1525

Welcome to the MT for Christ 24/7 podcast. I am M.t. Clark, and this is today's photo. To see today's photo, go to mtforchrist.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter, or watch us on YouTube. Good morning. Today's photo of the Lord lighting the morning sky on fire comes to us from yours truly as I captured the scene on the last stretch of my morning commute back on November 2nd. 2023. Well, it's Tuesday, and while the hearts of some of us may be aglow with the anticipatory joy of the coming of Christmas, we have to be aware that is not the case for everyone. The difficulties of life or the pain of loss can make the contemplation of Christmas coming a burden, and we have to be aware that beyond those circumstances The spiritual forces of darkness are actively at work to sow seeds of discord and strife in our minds to steal, kill, and destroy our peace and joy. A picture of, uh, of loathing of the holiday season has been popularized in media by Dickens' character Scrooge and with Dr. Seuss's The Grinch, uh, who one-upped old Ebenezer's Bah Humbugs through his attempts to steal the Whos' holiday. While Ebenezer's, uh, journey through Christmas misses of the past shows us that he chose the security of money over love. The Grinch's motivations in some of the more modern versions of his story were revealed to be operating from a place of— from the pains of rejection, which rightfully understood falls within the realm of envy. The Grinch lashed out to steal the Whos' holiday because he was annoyed with them, sure, but the happy ending of his story reveals that as much he might not want to admit it, he wanted what the— he wanted what the Whos had. Uh, the Grinch was envious of what the Whos, uh, had. And when he was accepted and welcomed to join in their festivities, all was well. The bitterness of hatred and envy in the Grinch's shriveled-up heart was the problem. And when he realized that what he believed about the Whos' holiday was a lie, the truth, and I believe the Holy Spirit set him free. We see clearly how wrong Scrooge and the Grinch, you know, went, but we should take their stories as cautionary tales of what a heart full of bitterness or envy can do. Speaking of envy, the In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotional addresses that sinful emotion today. I am sharing it on the blog today to teach us how to deal with envy so we can avoid being green with envy like the Grinch. Uh, Dr. Charles Stanley writes, conquering envy. Comparison is a trap that keeps us from God's best for our life. Envy is like a snowball that grows larger and larger, and the consequences are often devastating. Confusion, anxiety, and bitterness can make it nearly impossible to keep God's plan in view. Instead, the focus becomes what we don't have. Making us resent those who do have the desired object or trait. Then fear of not measuring up can dominate our thinking. What's more, covetousness dishonors the Lord. Though he has a beautiful plan for each and every one of his children, envy says, "I don't trust that you truly give me your best." If you find any evidence of this attitude in your life, confess the comparison mindset. Recognize that you're focusing on what God is doing in another person's life rather than in your own. Thank him for how he is blessing the other person and ask him to place love in your heart for that individual. Then refocus your attention on what the, the Father is doing for you in your life. Finally, memorize and meditate on Psalm 37:4-6. If you're burdened with envy, then you're missing out on God's best. But don't wait to deal with this sin, which will fester and grow if left unattended. The one who created you and designed a good plan for your life is able to help you correct your mindset. That's from Dr. Charles Stanley. And I say amen. You know, while we are in the Christmas season, we can easily fall into the trap of envy as we compare what we have with others and that we have something— they have something we don't, or they are blessed with talents, skills, possessions, or opportunities we don't have. Dr. Marcus Warner identifies the third type of trauma to be the trauma of comparison. This is the hurt or the pain that we put ourselves through when we compare ourselves to others or try to compete with others. It is marked by negative emotion, emotions such as depression, anger, and jealousy. But the biggest problem with this trauma is the underlying belief that we we don't measure up to someone else. We aren't— we're not good enough like they are, and that there is something wrong with us. Warner calls it trauma for a reason, because it does untold harm to how we see ourselves and whether or not we experience peace and joy. If we're focused on meeting or beating someone else's standards, we will disparage the good things we do have and never be satisfied or be able to have peace. So that's why we focus on the Lord and what he says about us and we apply his wisdom to our lives. If you are experiencing envy, this is where you, you get to obey the Lord and practice loving your enemies. Stanley gives us the process. One, we thank the Lord for how he has blessed the other person and pray for them. And two, we thank the Lord for what he has done for you, for me. Um, if we do this, we will rightly acknowledge that all that we, we or others receive comes from the Lord. And is worthy of praise. And it will renounce the lie that nothing good happens in our lives. And envy is a sin. You know, we find peace when we receive God's forgiveness for it and walk away from it. So take any bitterness or envy we have toward others and give it to God. Today's Bible verses come to us from the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Crewe. This morning's meditation verses come from the section on homosexuality. Morality. And today's verses are 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, where the word of God says, or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Today's verses fall under the 7th point of our Counseling Reference Guide's resource section on homosexuality, and that 7th point is: The wicked, including homosexuals, will not inherit the kingdom of God. Today's Bible verses are some of what Andy Stanley calls "clobber verses" in the Bible, but properly understood would draw the faithful to repentance. There are some well-intentioned, I guess, false teachings out there in Christendom that encourage Christians to love the and ignore the sin, as we are compelled by liberal theologians to ignore the provisions of church discipline, the definitions of sin, and the call to repent and sin no more. While we shouldn't beat up our brothers and sisters in Christ when they stumble, we should point out when they are living outside of God's will and encourage them to repent. As much as 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 is said to be unfairly used to clobber homosexuals, I have to object and state that this passage clobbers everybody and rightfully will cause Christians to question their behaviors and cause them to repent. For me, these verses weren't about homosexuality. They clobbered me for drunkenness, and they really caused me to question how I was living and pushed me to repent and get sober. I guess they also, you know, hit on other aspects of my sin as well. Basically, it wasn't just drunkenness. I wasn't You know, it was desperately wicked, um, needed repentance in several areas, the— and still do. Um, the word of God causes us to repent, and if it weren't for— weren't its ability to convict me of my sin, I'd still be a drunk today. But the truth set me free. And if any of the sins mentioned in this passage apply to you, you should let the Holy Spirit lead you to repent of them. So yeah, anyway, um, as always, we encourage everyone, uh, to go to mtforchrist.com where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Uh, today we continue sharing from Day by Day Along the Way by J.E. Adams, um, and, uh, that's a 365-day devotional, and we're on day 24 where Adams shares a portion of Proverbs 3:31. Which says, don't envy a violent person or choose any of his ways. And Jay Adams writes, our age has become a violent one. This happens in a society when respect for the law crumbles. This is sadly true even of the society that is called the Way. While fistfights may not be the order of the day, as they were in one congregation that made headlines, there are classic wars of other sorts. Envy of those who get their way by violent or semi-violent domineering methods draws believers into unnecessary conflicts. Conflicts cannot be avoided when standing for the truth, but conflicts over getting your way are unconscionable. James pictures those who envy and desire what they cannot get as going to war with one another. There is no excuse for church fights. You must love your fellow Christians and put their welfare before your own. Paul says that Jesus did so on the cross where he took your place. Though he was in the form of God, he stepped downward and became a man for you, Christian. Are you willing to step down a notch for another believer? Are you, like Christ, willing to suffer on his behalf? That is the only remedy to such unnecessary conflict. Amen. And yeah, here Adams talks to how envy, uh, people wanting to get their own way, has been caused to, you know, has been, has been the root and the problem of, you know, many church fights. And, uh, it shouldn't be that way with us. And while We can understand, you know, some disagreements. We're supposed to live it together in unity, and the thing that's supposed to unite us is the word of God, that we're supposed to agree with it and try to interpret it the same way. Obviously, that's a problem where we have some theologians saying, welcome, welcome in all kinds of sinful lifestyles into the church. May it never be. You know, as the word, you know, says that, you know, we're— there are provisions for church government. If you find a brother in sin, you're supposed to go to him, talk to him about it, and, you know, bring a couple other, uh, people with you, other witnesses to their sin with them to convict them. And if, if they don't listen, you go to the— you go to the leader of the church, and if they don't listen, you throw them out of the church., you know, if they don't repent. That's church discipline. And, you know, ironically, J.E. Adams was, you know, big on, on, you know, writing about that in his books on Christian counseling, that that was a provision of the church to keep the church in line. And on many of the issues, mental issues that we have, we're feeling depressed, fearful, or angry, was a matter of disobeying the word of God. And we would, you know, J.E. Adams uses an authentic biblical counseling that would confront us with the word. Like, oh, you feel depressed? Why? Probably because you're not living according to what the word says. And, you know, or you have a wrong understanding, or you're focusing on the wrong things. When we know the truth, the truth does set us free, but we have to know it and apply it to our lives and live according to it to understand the freedom that comes from, you know, being in Christ. And that's why we always ask the question, have fully surrendered to God? If so, your life might not be instantly fixed, but it'll put you on the right pathway to understand God's love, peace, and joy, and the purity of a new life in Christ. And we, we have been walking in that way since God called us in 2010, and it's been a long, a long journey. But on that journey, there's been heartache and tears, sure, but there has been victory and freedom and joy and peace that hasn't ceased. So we encourage people to follow the Lord, and when you do, he'll change your life and he'll give you a purpose. For me, part of my purpose is to celebrate Freedom Support Group. I, I lead that group on Wednesday nights at Starpoint Church. Praise the Lord! And that's a Christian recovery and a discipleship group We encourage anyone in Upstate New York who can get to Clifton Park on a Wednesday night to come and join our fellowship, where we teach you how to walk in the Spirit and encourage you to, you know, follow the Lord into the new life he has for you. So we invite you to come out. Yeah, beyond that, we're doing a— we're currently doing a support group for men online Monday nights, 6:30. That'll lead us right up to the the Christmas holiday. Uh, we got 2 more installments left, and if any men out there needed some support, some good Christian teaching, um, you can still join us, um, basically for the last 2 meetings, and you'd be able to access all the teachings that we've done previously, um, to, to build you up in your faith and get you ready for, uh, for Christmas and, uh, teach about God's grace. Uh, beyond that, we encourage anyone and everyone to go to our playlist page on YouTube, where we have teachings for The Bondage Breaker, Victory Over the Darkness, Freedom in Christ, and our very own Celebrate Freedom discipleship, um, of course, among many other things. But we believe that you can find or increase your freedom in Christ by getting that teaching and applying it to your life. So we encourage you to check that out. Um, beyond that, we always say go to mtforchrist.com, check out all our messages and studies and our playlist page. That we can do. And, uh, we encourage you to be encouraged by what we offer every day. And we always ask the question, are you empty for Christ too? All that means is, are you walking and talking with God? Are you making yourself available to the Holy Spirit and following his will for your life? We hope you say yes, but if you say no, we encourage you to pray, to ask the Lord to reveal himself to you. And to, uh, make Jesus your Lord and Savior. Um, we know prayer works, and that's why we pray every day, like right now. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. We thank you so much for all you've done for us, Lord. Um, thank you for showing us how we can do damage to ourselves when we compare ourselves to others and we forget about what you've done for us. Um, and we forget that you provide all the blessings of this life, and if it's come to someone else, we give you praise for it and, uh, thank you for what you've done in their lives and not forget all you've done in ours. Lord, we, uh, we pray for you to go before us today, open our eyes to the things you want us to see, lead us in the way we should go, because, uh, we just want to represent you in your kingdom, Lord, and we definitely need your help with that. We also pray for, um, you to bless anyone who's reading or listening or watching today's message, Lord, that you come alongside them and their prayer request, their walk of faith, and to give them help. Um, Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.