Small Steps Toward Stupid

I was reading my blog subscriptions the other day in one of my free moments and came across some blog award nominees and I was looking through the list and thought this blog called Stuff Christians Like sounded interesting.  So I clicked it and was kind of skimming through (it really sounds like something my hubby would write) but anyways, I love the tongue in cheek way of looking at serious matters and so I continued reading.  Then I came across this post.  You should totally go read it.  Some of the best food for thought I’ve come across in awhile….

It also brought back to mind this devotion at Proverbs 31 Ministries the other day called Power to Overcome. 

…The first time I tasted this diet drink I didn't think it was all that yummy. BUT it promised to save me calories so I decided it was worth the slightly strange chemical taste.

In short time, as it grew familiar, I began to like the taste.
Wasn't long before I was flat out addicted – wanting, even needing to have my beloved drink daily or I grew headachy and irritable. Sad thing is, it didn't help me lose weight at all. But that didn't matter because now I loved the diet drink. Furthermore, I was convinced if I gave it up, I'd not only get headaches but I'd gain more weight. I was enslaved in a way…

…What helped me give up the diet cola? I found a different, healthier beverage I really liked and developed my taste for it. I was willing to give up that because I now had this. It's the same way with sin.

What can help us overcome the sins we love, but hate loving? A surpassing love. A greater love that carries with it no hate, no guilt, and no shame. A love that actually delivers the many, many benefits it promises…

…When we catch hold of that love - when we read of it regularly, drink it in, and see it at work in our lives and in its glory - we cannot help but love Him back with all our heart, soul and mind. And in that state of all encompassing love, sin pales in comparison. Its power grows feeble. It no longer tastes as good…

Small steps toward stupid.  Great thoughts.  I need to go back and re-read both posts again myself. 

Scripture that the devotional referenced is 2 Peter 1:3, but I think the verses all the way through ten are all right on point:

^{2 Peter 1:3-10}

³According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

⁴Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

¹⁰Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Verse 10 especially, if we give diligence, we will not fall, and then, we’ll find ourselves making small steps toward wisdom instead of stupid.  Easy to say.  Much harder to accomplish. 

Finally, Bro. P, at church, told us this little tale a few weeks ago, that really made an excellent point.  I’m not quoting verbatim, but here’s the general idea:

A man is stranded on a desert island and manages to survive alone there for fifteen years.  When he is finally rescued, and the plane is lifting off the island, the rescuers point to a little hut on the beach. 

“What’s that?” they ask. 

“Oh, that’s my church,” replied the man. 

As the helicopter went higher, they saw another little building over the hill. 

"And what’s that building?” they asked. 

“Well,” the man answered, “that’s where I USED to go to church,”

Moral of the story, well…I’m not going to say it…you can draw your own conclusions!  LOL!

And to end on a light note, here’s a church sign I passed the other day. 

He will bring you THREW it? 

Really?

Well. Okay.