From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Resisting Sin at Its Head The seven deadly sins remind us just how prone we are to sin. But we can stop the flow of sin when we recognize that every temptation is a life-shaping moment. As Philip Howard notes, “the lightest inclination toward an act which is not wholly clean may be the real pivot on which his whole being turns just then and for all time. As he chooses then, so he may come to be.” [1] Every choi

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross What Makes Sin Deadly First, these sins lurk under the radar screen, disguising themselves in forms that we deem acceptable. While none of us wants to call ourselves lustful or lazy, we nonetheless cover up these sins with other names that make them sound not so bad. For example, we may disguise our pride by calling it self-confidence. Greed cloaks itself in the “innocent” desires to improve our lot with a bette

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Seven “Deadlies” Temptation and sin are so destructive that the church has described seven particular sins as “deadly” or “capital” sins. The term “capital” comes from the Latin caput , which means “head,” and it indicates that these sins are particularly destructive because they lead to many other sins, as if they were the head of a sin stream. [1] In fact, all of the so-called “small” sins that we commit—

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross A Pervasive Pattern We gloss over all kinds of sins in our lives. Sometimes we put jobs, relationships, possessions, or hobbies between us and God, but instead of calling them idolatry, we call them priorities or needs. Sometimes we lie about why we’re late for work or why one of our children is staying home from school, but we call it PR spin or embellishing the truth. But all of these sins deteriorate our rel

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Sin Spin and Perverted Realities Sarah struggles with sloth. You and I (Mike) may struggle with something else. But we all face temptations, and at one point or another, we’ve all done what Sarah did—make our sin sound not so bad. We tell ourselves why our choices are okay, even if a voice inside tells us they’re wrong. Now of course, we do all need downtime, breaks, and help from our spouses. But we also do n

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross From “Fantasy Island” to the “Gossip Graveyard” Sarah piled the dinner dishes on the counter. Another load. Those two words were heavier than all the dishes combined. Just the thought of washing those grimy plates, cups, and pots again caused her heart to sink. I deserve a break , she told herself. Day in and day out, it’s the same old chores, and I need some downtime. I’ll get to these later . So she plopped

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Answer: Overcome Temptation Through Christ’s Power I’m thrilled about the second half of Romans 6:23—“but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We can stop sweating and start cheering. In fact, put down this book right now and break out into a loud cheer. It’s okay if people think you are crazy; this is a crazy, wonderful truth! While we do not have the strength to free ourselves, Jesus d

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Conception. Eventually our “relationship” with temptation becomes so strong that we are overwhelmed with our desire for it. Foreplay leads to full consummation. The Bible tells us that the joining of a man and woman is not just physical, it is deeply spiritual. And this unification of spirit and body can result in the formation of another being; another soul. In the case of temptation—a monster. But as we continue

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Birds and the Bees—and the Birth of Death Conception, birth, maturation—death? An initial read of Paul’s analogy seems a bit strange to the ears. He actually personifies sin, referring to it as a separate being with an existence of its own. Yet this is a Hebrew way of looking at sin. The ancient Jews thought that desires—even words—could have a life of its own. One example was their belief that after a word had

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross “How Can I Overcome Temptation?” The verses in the Bible that tell us to “overcome” are more frustrating than comforting. The thing I don’t understand is, how? I seriously “struggle” with my struggles. Will-power and good intentions just don’t make them go away.—Gina I’m a young man who is preparing for a career in Christian ministry, yet I still act like a kid and play around with sexual temptation: I look at por

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Four Stages of Temptation It was simply too much for John to bear. He feinted dead at Christ’s feet! But then Jesus placed his right hand on the apostle and said: “Don’t fear: I am First, I am Last, I’m Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock death’s doors, they open and lock Hell’s gates. Now write down everything you see: things that are, things

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Four Stages of Temptation John, now a seasoned “fisher of men”—wise in his years and a bit slower in his step—took a deep breath of sea air and surveyed the jagged coastline of Patmos. A cloudless sky blended perfectly with the intense blue of the Aegean, making it hard to tell where heaven ended and the sea began. And just off to the east he spotted some hills on the Asian mainland. John closed his eyes and groane

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross My Story, Your Story … There’s a tug-of-war going on in each of our hearts. As much as we want to be in control, we also yearn to get home—our true home with Jesus; the eternal garden where we will walk with Him “in the cool of the day” [1] and “be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” [2] It will be a place without fear or shame, a place without pain, suffering, hatred … or regret. Just perfect harmony. You

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Way of the Cross The hour had come. The Lamb of God was about to be slain before the eyes of the world, but first the Roman soldiers decided to have some gruesome “fun” with Him. [1] Jesus was flogged by a whip with multiple leather strips, each armed at the point with an angular bony hook, or a sharp sided cube. And after His captors had woven a crown from a thornbush, each thorn about an inch long and as shar

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross And So We Wander Through the Desert … One morning during devotions, I opened my Bible to Leviticus. Do I dare read this book? I asked myself. Is there anything in here that actually applies to my life? Surprisingly— yes. Even though you and I—and every human—yearn for the garden, our sin has left us in a hostile desert. Cleansing the earth with a flood was a shocking way to get our attention: mankind’s inner corrup

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross We Ache for Control Deep in our heart of hearts, we all want to call the shots for ourselves. I’m going to live my life my way—carve out my place in this world, find meaning, and get the things that satisfy me. Sometimes we even mouth the lies that Satan whispered in the garden: I’m just not ready to fully trust God. I mean, how can I be sure that He really cares about me and my problems? If He does, then where is H

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross We Are Free to Choose God didn’t create us to be human automatons. Instead, the One who uttered neutrons into existence had given His greatest masterpieces the freedom to dream, to use their imaginations, and to think on their own. They were free to work with their hands and to create. They were free to make their own decisions and to govern the world on God’s behalf. But in doing so, the Lord exposed Himself to the

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Our Age-Old Battle with a Deadly Menace God speaks. Darkness hides. A soup of nothingness suddenly bursts with light and color and warmth. God creates —water, air, sky, earth. And living beings! Creatures spring forth in every size and shape, splashing through the seas and thundering across the plains. Chirping. Flapping. Swarming. Bleating. Gnawing. Clawing. Digging. “It is good.” God gives. His essence. His heart

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18–19 NIV Worry to Wonder Instead of withdrawing, substituting, retreating, or letting our fears harm our relationships, we can let these struggles drive us to the cross. For as Larson says, “

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18–19 NIV Fear Hinders Relationships Because of the over 50 percent divorce rate, many women were raised without fathers. Some feel they can’t depend on a man or commit to a relationship. But “

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18–19 NIV God Intervenes I don’t know where we’d have ended up if God hadn’t intervened in our marriage, because my fears plus all our other emotional baggage were putting a big strain on the r

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:18–19 NIV When you can’t trust God, it’s very hard to trust anyone else, especially your husband. And that lack of trust can damage relationships. I found this out by personal experience. In fa

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere." Anonymous Worry to Wonder Maybe you experienced a little worry when you signed the contract for your first home and within minutes began to fear that you wouldn’t have enough to make the monthly payments. Perhaps you never gave finances a thought until your husband was laid off along

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere." Anonymous God, Our Provider How could Denise, a mother of five children, cope when their family business abruptly halted? The fifteen-year-old business provided stage technicians, lighting, and labor for concerts in the city’s main entertainment arena. Winters had always been a time of

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere." Anonymous God Is Enough Single moms have even greater financial pressures and often no one to share them with. When Susan’s husband left her and her two young girls, she had no extended family around to help or offer assistance in any way. While some single mothers have parents, aunts,

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere." Anonymous As we rode up the Maine highway, I felt like a fifty-pound weight was on my shoulders. My friend Linda sang along with a Christmas tape as she drove the car, but I was preoccupied with my own worried thoughts. Just then a car passed, loaded with laughing kids and brightly wrapp

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Prayer, even prayer for what God desires, releases power by the operation of a deep spiritual law; and to offer up what one loves may release still more." Sheldon Vanauken Worry to Wonder As mothers, we have a desire to protect and care for our children that seems to come with the job description. But sometimes that caring can turn to clinging. A crisis occurs. Your child is ho

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Prayer, even prayer for what God desires, releases power by the operation of a deep spiritual law; and to offer up what one loves may release still more." Sheldon Vanauken Losing Control Oh, how we wish we could control things so everything would go smoothly for us and our kids, so they wouldn’t have problems and neither would we if we could just manage it all! For years, my fri

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Prayer, even prayer for what God desires, releases power by the operation of a deep spiritual law; and to offer up what one loves may release still more." Sheldon Vanauken Dashed Hopes My spirits fell like the rain pelting the window beside me. Swallowing a huge lump in my throat, I thought about the yellow Snoopy lunch box our son had picked out, the new jeans and red plaid

From: Replacing Worry for Wonder: A Woman’s Secret to Letting Faith Flourish By: Cheri Fuller "Prayer, even prayer for what God desires, releases power by the operation of a deep spiritual law; and to offer up what one loves may release still more." Sheldon Vanauken Dread tied my stomach in knots before I ever opened my eyes that September Sunday morning. Even in deep sleep I listened for the sound that sparked fear in me. The rattling sound was all the scarier because