why, are there wheat thins dropping from your drawers?

John and I were in the kitchen, cooking dinner together.

I saw a little flash darting out of the pantry door, running toward his bedroom.

"Twain", I called. "Come here".

"What mommy?" he asked, sounding guilty.


"Twain, did you sneak a cracker?"(Twain had been sneaking crackers recently!)

"No mommy", he said, eyes wide with innocence.


Just then a lone wheat thin falls out of the pant leg of his green shorts.


And falls to the floor by his feet. Exposing his crime.


And, there is no way to cover it up.


"Twain", I said sternly, "Mommy just wants you to tell the truth. Mommy is not upset about the cracker...but that Twainy told a lie"

Twain looked solemnly at the ground. "Sorry mama."


And it struck me at that moment, how I'm not too different from Twain. There are so many times the Holy Spirit nudges me and I say, "No God, I'm not doing anything wrong. Everything is just fine here! No sins tonight!"

And he looks straight through to my heart and sees little wheat thins dropping out of my drawers too.

God just wants us to be truthful with Him. He knows all and sees all. We can't hide anything from Him.


Yet so many times I think we conceal little corners of our heart so He can't get in. Or sidle up next to our "pet" sins and get comfy cozy with them.


Your secret sin might have NOTHING to do with lying.
Or cheating.
Or stealing.

But.

We all have sin. And if we think we don't, we are lying...deceiving ourselves.

If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us- 1 John 1:8

This week in our Precepts study(Kay Arthur), we are doing a little section that our leader is calling "desert discipline". I'm a little scared. I'm 11 pages in and already getting WORKED. But it will be good for me.

It's basically 43 pages, asking all these nosy questions. It leaves NO STONE UNTURNED. "Why bother?", you might wonder: To have peace with God and man so He can use us in His service.

[Do you have confidence that comes from knowing you have carefully dealt with sin?
Do you have that peaceful quietness in your inner self because as much as you know, you are right with others?

Sin destroys and devastates your relationship with God and man. 

To admit our sin and then to confess sin is not easy. It's easier TO COVER IT UP, EXPLAIN IT, EXCUSE IT. However, to shrink back from calling your sin destructive is to live in denial of TRUTH.]

Precept Upon Precept,  1 John, Kay Arthur

In church yesterday we learned about how an "expert in the law" tried to justify himself before Jesus. In fact, I tried to justify myself just yesterday as well. "Well, so-and-so did this, so therefore it's ok if I think this."

False. 

It's better to just fall on our face before God and confess that we can't keep his law and that we need Jesus to help us. Then our story would have a much happier ending.

I know you are super jealous and want desert discipline too. Fine. Here is a little sampling of the questions.

Is your body God's temple?
Are you eating nutritiously or in a way that will harm your health?
Are you pushing yourself our putting yourself under stress which is not from God?
Are you casting all your cares upon God?
Are you getting the rest and exercise you feel God would have you to get?

Are you feeling convicted yet? I am. I bit off WAY more than I could chew in October and paid the price dearly in stress, getting run down and sick. I was too busy to even do one jumping jack or pushup. So lame.

But oh, we just started.

Here are just a few more.

How do you dress? Are your clothes designed to make you look sexy?
Are you depriving your mate?
Are you guilty of the lustful look, of hanging around to flirt with a man or woman who is not your mate? Do you give passing glances?
Do you know of anyone who has something against you? Have you sought reconciliation? If the other person won't reconcile, then you have done all that you can.
Do you criticize your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Do you judge? Do you make evaluations prematurely? Do you have all the facts right?
Do you have "bittery jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart" (James 3:14)
Do you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?
How fast do you drive? Do you obey the laws of the land? Do you text and drive?--my question:)
Do you seek to draw attention to yourself?
Do you have to have recognition for the things you do?
Do you want Jesus to increase while you decrease?(John 3:30) Or do you want to be the Christian superstar?
Do you think more highly of yourself than you ought to think(Romans 12:3)?
Are you proud?
Do you have to make sure others know of your accomplishments related to your service to God?

Precept Upon Precept, I John, Kay Arthur

In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Woe is me,  I am ruined!"-Isaiah 6:5

However,

But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1John 1:9

The point is, nobody is perfect and I'd just like to encourage you to look at your hearts honestly and see what little wheat thins{sins} are falling to the floor that you are trying to hide.

It's so worth it. According to Kay Arthur..."Whatever it takes, do it! You will never regret it! Weights will fall from your shoulders. You'll be able to look men in the eye, for you'll have confidence with God. Your guilt will be gone"