Tag: Emotion

Living Sacrifice Day 22 – A Fresh Start

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading Hebrews 12:1-13

Being in the IT field, I’ve had people bring their PCs loaded with their problems to me for help. However, the problem I hate dealing with the most is a computer infected with a virus. Having similar experiences myself (before I converted to Mac), it can be the most annoying and difficult problem. Why? Well, depending on the virus, it can really affect the machine. It can cause it to do things involuntarily, keep it from connecting online to prevent you from solving the problem, it can slow down your computer to a crawl, and in general, it just makes your life miserable. Because viruses come out all the time, the anti-virus programs struggle to keep up with them. So, to solve the problem, you first have to find the virus and then hope the anti-virus is up-to-date enough to kill the problem. But depending on the virus, it can be tricky and could take hours to try to figure out if you’ve gotten everything. So, what’s the best solution? The best solution is to reinstall Windows and give your computer a fresh start. As annoying is it is to back up everything, reinstall the operating system, and reload all the programs, it’s amazing at how quickly the computer will run. I’ve had people tell me, “it’s like you gave me a brand new computer.”

This is a good analogy for our lives as Christians. Even in our redeemed state, we are always susceptible to the virus of sin. It can so easily creep into our hearts and cause our whole selves to malfunction. Once sin is in our hearts, our actions can follow suit. What’s inside eventually comes out. No matter how hard you try, sin just doesn’t stay bottled up.

In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us to be different, to renew our minds. Sometimes, we need a fresh start. If we’re really struggling with a particular sin, sometimes we need to get away. That getting away may be in the form of repentance; prayer, meditation, or fasting; encouragement from other believers; or perhaps counseling. We, in a sense, need to be rebooted. When God redeems us, He makes us a new creation. But until we reach heaven, we’re always going to be struggling with the temptations of sin.

In my job, I’m constantly telling people how viruses and spyware work and how to avoid them. “Be careful with what sites online you visit,” I explain. “And when something pops-up, don’t just click on it. In fact sometimes the button that says ‘close’ is a button that will deploy the spyware.” A lot of times, this helps the user from making the same mistake again.

Similarly, Paul tells us to rethink about ourselves. Because when we see ourselves as God’s redeemed, we begin to recognize the traps that Satan uses. We start seeing the places where we are susceptible to his snarls and start to avoid them. I think we will be shocked at what God can do through a creature who is committed to being a living sacrifice. When we’re not slowed down by the viruses of sin, we can run the race marked out for us.

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Living Sacrifice Day 21 – Free Your Mind

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading Philippians 2:1-16

The Matrix, one of my all-time favorite movies, is about a world within a world known as the Matrix. While the Matrix exists, few people know about it and are simply satisfied with living in the outer world in ignorance. The movie is about a man named Neo, who is invited to see and live inside the Matrix. The rules of the Matrix are different, but he struggles with being confined by the rules of the world he was so used to. Neo’s trainer Morpheus challenges him to stop thinking like a human being and instead tells him to “free your mind.” As the movie progresses, we are dazzled by Neo’s ability, combined with neat special effects, to defy laws of gravity, run up walls, and do all sorts of super-human moves that defy the limits of a human being.

The Matrix has a number of obvious parallels to Christianity, and Neo’s transformation into a new creature inside the Matrix is one of them. Paul tells us, Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Why does the transformation happen by the renewing of your mind?

Here’s why. We’re used to acting a certain way because we’re used to thinking a certain way. When we were an unbeliever we didn’t give credence to God, His divinity, and our place in the Kingdom. If you recall, the first challenge was on getting to know God, and the second challenge was to know our place in His Kingdom. Like Neo, we have to relearn how to act based on our new identity.

There’s a non-smoking commercial campaign airing that depicts people struggling with quitting to smoke. They are so used to lighting up when getting in the car or drinking a cup of coffee, that they struggle to do those activities without a smoke. The point of the commercial is to relearn how to do the other activities like driving and drinking coffee without the crutch of a cigarette.

Being a Believer is similar. We may be used to using bad language, losing our temper, or thinking lustful thoughts. These can be difficult habits to break. Paul is telling us that in order to break these habits we must renew our minds – rethink about who we are and why we exist. This is not easy. If we have lived years losing our temper when things don’t go our way, we have to stop and think about the Lord and who we are as soon as we’re faced with something troubling. If we’re used to thinking a lustful thought every time we see a coworker, then we need to retrain ourselves to honor God with our thoughts.

However, if we can at every moment say, “I exist to glorify God,” then when the temptation arises to revert back to sinful habits, we are more likely to fight it. This isn’t a self-help regiment. This is living up to a standard, up to an identity – we are emulating our Lord Jesus.

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Living Sacrifice Day 20 – I Don’t Fit In

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading John 15:18-27

Have you ever been around coworkers when the conversation turns raunchy? I can think of a time that happened to me not too long ago at a social get-together. It was awkward to say the least, and it didn’t take me long to realize that I didn’t fit in.

I think if we were all honest with ourselves, we fear that we won’t fit in. We hate being the odd ball standing out. We hate the feeling of standing in the cafeteria with a tray in our hand, looking for a place to sit. We want to be accepted. We don’t like it if people talk about us behind our backs.

There is always a balance between relevance and conformity. When Jesus told us that we would be in the world, He is challenging us to be relevant. I’ve heard it said that a good preacher preaches with the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. We don’t want to be so heavenly minded that we do no earthly good. However, the other extreme is worse. If all we want to do is be like everyone else, than we have no identity with Christ.

The temptation to conform to this world happens when we don’t know or we lose sight of our identity with Christ. When we forget about our heavenly citizenship, holding on to our earthly one becomes more prevalent. In John 15:18-19, Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

The truth is we should stand out. We may not need to tell anyone that we are a Christian, but the difference between us and everyone else should be obvious. Whereas the native tongue of the world may be sarcasm and criticism, our language should be encouragement and sincerity. If we are doing just that much, it won’t take long for people to notice a real difference. Consider it a great complement when someone says, “You seem a lot different than everyone else. What’s that about?”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that we are both the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We ought to stick out. We ought to feel like we don’t belong. Because if the world loves us and we love being a part of the world, well then it would seem like we belonged to the world.

You may be someone who is struggling with trying to fit in. You want to fit in so bad, that you have found yourself conforming. If that’s the case, let me challenge you to not be afraid of not fitting in. You fit in. It’s just that you don’t fit in to this world. You’re not supposed to, because you fit in to God’s Kingdom.

If you’re one who stands out and may feel lonely, let me encourage you. If you maintain a positive and encouraging attitude, people will flock to you. This world is so abrasive that people are constantly looking for something uplifting. You will quickly become trustworthy – not only on a personal level but on a professional level as well.

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Living Sacrifice Day 19 – Patterns of this World

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading Psalm 23

Throughout Scripture, us people are often referred to as sheep. Why? Well, sheep tend to follow. In fact, sheep have been known to follow other sheep around trees, creating a non-stopping cycling circle. Or sheep have also been known to follow another sheep right off the side of a cliff. Suddenly being referred to as sheep doesn’t seem very flattering.

The truth is we can be like sheep. The adage “monkey see, monkey do” can sometimes apply to our lives. However, in Romans 12:2, Paul tells us to break the pattern – to stop the endless, mindless cycle of following someone around the tree.

You’ve no doubt heard someone say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Well, we as Christians should not follow this motto. There are patterns in this world; we can see them. There’s patterns of greed, lust, gluttony, self-pity, and the list goes on and on. We see the person who overworks, doesn’t spend time with his family, goes into debt by buying more than he can afford. When that keeps happening around us, that’s called a pattern. That’s sheep following sheep, and Paul says, “don’t follow what they’re doing.”

Sometimes it can be difficult to identify patterns that happen right in our own culture. The other day someone shared with me that often times people drown their lives with all sorts of activities like soccer practice and so forth and neglect spending time with other believers. The difficult thing about this is that it seems so common in our culture to run kids from one practice to another and swamp our lives with all sorts of activities, that it’s difficult for us to identify this as a possible pattern to avoid.

This is why it’s so important to be focused on the Lord. When we live lives of worship, we quickly begin to see the mind of Christ. Having the Spirit give us that insight helps us to identify harmful patterns that we should avoid. It may mean that we aren’t like other people or families. That’s okay. We’re not supposed to be. Those sheep don’t know who their following or where that path will lead. Our eyes are on our shepherd, and He gives us abundant life.

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Living Sacrifice Day 18 – A Lifestyle of Worship

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading John 4:1-26

Being involved in music and worship teams and in traditional and contemporary churches, I’ve heard every possible criticism about music that you could possibly hear. I can still picture the older gentleman, wearing a suit to church, making a serious face as he bellows the words from the hymnal he holds in his hand. He praises the old hymns as great doctrines of theology, while criticizing songs like “Holy is the Lord,” because he’s repeating the same thing over, and over, and over again.

In the other corner, I see the young person, hands raised, signing out the refrain of the contemporary praise song. He criticizes those who sing about the Lord without emotion and says that the hymns of old seem to lack emotion themselves. He rolls his eyes at “We are One in the Bond of Love,” as he mocks the song by singing with a dramatic southern twang.

These are often the arguments in churches that try to appease the traditional and contemporary crowds, and for the first twenty-something years of my life, this was something I constantly heard. But to be honest, arguments about worship styles are nothing new. In the passage we just read, we saw a Samaritan woman who tried to argue with Jesus about worship styles. We even see this earlier in the Bible, as David’s wife Michal rebuked him for being so expressive in public worship.

Yesterday, we redefined the common understanding of worship by analyzing Romans 12:1. We said that “worship is a voluntary activity in response to God’s goodness, predetermined to glorify God – a personal expression of gratitude at any time, at any day that is pleasing to the Lord.”

In the case of Michal and the Samaritan woman, the worship they were referring to were moments of worship, whether they be a physical expression of praise or a sacrifice at the Temple. However, Jesus explains what true worship is – a seeking of the Father in spirit and truth. This is similar to what Paul writes in Romans 12:1 when he uses the phrase – “a spiritual act of worship.”

What Paul is saying is that if we are committed to being living sacrifices, then every moment, of every day is an opportunity for worship. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, as long as its predetermined to glorify God and is something that actually pleases Him. In other words, what Paul and Jesus are saying is that becoming a living sacrifice doesn’t mean merely having moments of worship but rather adopting a lifestyle of worship.

We’re so used to thinking of worship as those moments involving music. That’s what’s been ingrained in our heads. But it’s time to grow out of that thinking and adopt a Romans 12:1 understanding of worship. So, let me challenge you today to make your activities worshipful. What are some things you’re going to do today with an attitude of worship? And how will you begin or continue adopting a lifestyle of worship that will permeate every corner of your life? Those practical things you offer to the Lord are indeed spiritual and acts of worship.

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Living Sacrifice Day 17 – The Definition of Worship

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by memorizing Romans 12:1

This is our 17th day of our 40 day challenge of being a living sacrifice. We have meticulously broken down Romans 12:1 in an attempt to understand what it is Paul is teaching us about worship. So, let’s recap.

The words “in light of God’s mercy,” tell us that we should worship God not because we feel like it but because of what He has done for us.

The word “offer” is a keyword that tells us that our attitude in worship should be to give freely rather than feel like it’s an obligation or requirement.

“Your bodies” explains that God wants all of us – not merely our money, our time, or our talent. He wants us to be personally, wholly invested in serving Him.

“Living” is a word that tells us that as long as we are alive, every moment of our life should be dedicated to worshipping the Lord.

“Sacrifice” means that it will cost us. The life of a Believer is a gift that is offered to the Lord – a gift of obedience.

“Holy” means set apart. The discipline of being a living sacrifice, means we set apart the activity and predetermine it to be an act of worship. It means putting God first and foremost in our lives instead of giving Him the leftovers.

“Pleasing to God” compels us that the activity that we are to give to the Lord must please Him, and if we are to offer every activity as worship, then every activity must be something that agrees with His standard of quality and with His taste.

When we put those thoughts together, we come up with this interpretation of Romans 12:1, which may serve as a definition of worship.

“Worship is a voluntary activity in response to God’s goodness, predetermined to glorify God – a personal expression of gratitude at any time, at any day that is pleasing to the Lord.”

Ask yourself – is this my understanding of worship? Is this something that’s incorporated in my life? If we begin to live out a Romans 12:1 understanding of worship, you can bet our lives will be more and more transformed as a living sacrifice to the Lord.

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Living Sacrifice Day 16 – What’s In It for Me?

Justin Hibbard


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Begin by reading Revelation 7:9-17

Have you ever been to a worship service and walked out with an amazing spiritual high? I can remember one worship service in particular where afterwards people were crying and hugging each other. It was so moving and profound.

When you think of mountain top experiences in the Bible, what events do you think about? Do you think about Moses’ encounter with God on Mt. Sinai, Elijah hearing the voice of the Lord, David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, the disciples at the transfiguration? The one I think about as the most profound encounter is the account from today’s reading in Revelation 7.

The other day as I was reading this, I got chills. I think for first time it dawned on me that what John is describing here in Revelation 7 is a worship service that I, a future inhabitant of heaven, am participating in. In a sense, I’m reading about myself in the future. For some reason, I never realized the profundity of it, as I did the other day.

But notice the focus of this passage. There’s a sea of people, all wearing white, all transformed, all bowing before the throne. But every one’s attention is on the Lord. I think if John were to have interviewed one of these redeemed souls, they would not have responded by saying, “this is such a spiritual high for me,” but rather, “worthy is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.” It says that day and night they don’t stop worshipping God. It’s like even after a million times of saying the same refrain, they can’t get over how Holy and Awesome God is.

Sometimes when we encounter God, there is an immediate profound effect on our life. However, at other times, we may not immediately sense some emotional or spiritual high. If we think about worship in the Old Testament, we think about those intense moments of worship, but how many times did people like Moses, Elijah, or David spend time worshiping the Lord that isn’t recorded in Scripture.

While we ought to be anxious for God to change us, the temptation can be that we worship God, only when we are looking for that mountaintop experience. And when that mountaintop experience doesn’t happen, we may feel like God didn’t show up. At that point, we are not looking at the Throne of God, we are looking inwardly at ourselves. And when we are focusing on ourselves, we will never be at the place God desires.

As Believers, we must not come to God with the attitude of “what will I get out of it?” we must put ourselves wholly into worshiping God, forgetting about what’s in it for us. Our only concern must be that God is getting all the glory. When we do that every day, every hour, every minute of our lives, we will not be anxious over emotional effects. God will have changed us little by little. We will have traveled baby steps down a long road, but at some point, we will look back and see that God has brought us a long way, and we will have no desire to go back.

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Living Sacrifice Day 4 – Fake It Until You Feel It

Justin Hibbard

I had a wonderful choir teacher in high school who is well-known and has a reputation for excellence. Part of that comes from the high demands she puts on her choirs. I can remember times in high school where we had three or four concerts in a given week (especially around Christmas time), and on top of that was homework and the emotional baggage that comes with being a teenager. Our director always wanted high energy in our concerts and wanted us to engage with the audience. But so often we were drained and exhausted, and that song that was once inspiring had lost its luster after the 100th time of singing it. Our director wasn’t interested in excuses or settling; she told us, “Fake it until you feel it!”

It seems like a funny expression, but clinical psychologists and behavioral counselors will tell you that it’s a phrase that is often employed. They know that our feelings can often have a negative effect on our behavior and we have to combat those emotions. A friend of mine who struggles with depression was told to discern his feelings. Sometimes they come from God, sometimes they come from the devil, sometimes they come from you. In the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis suggests that the devil plays on our emotions and feelings for his advantage.

Those who go into the military start off with boot camp, which includes hell week. The military has figured out that the first step to creating a disciplined soldier is not teaching him or her how to use a gun. It’s breaking down the way they’ve done things for the last 18+ years and teaching them how to do it differently. Of course it’s hell! Who wants to get up at 5 AM when they’re used to waking up at 7 AM? Who wants to run and march ten miles when they usually don’t walk one mile in a given day? What’s the military’s response? Do it anyway.

So, fake it until you feel it. I’m not suggesting “faking” worship. But what I am saying is this. Sometimes in my own life I don’t feel like praying or worshiping, but those are the moments I know I need to the most because my heart is far away from the Lord’s. If I were to just give up and say, “I don’t feel like it today,” and I used that excuse every time I didn’t feel like it, can you imagine the spiritual mess I would be?

Sometimes we worship because our feelings motivate us. We are overcome by the goodness of God, and we are inclined to worship. Sometimes, we have to worship in spite of our feelings. If you’re interested in being a living sacrifice, you have to learn to worship at all times. We are told to love the Lord our God. If we express that love only when things are good, then we are bound to have a very distorted view of God and remain childish in our faith.

Sometimes I find that when I don’t feel like worshiping, something as simple as lifting my hand can be a step of faith. I often find that my heart will tend to follow. Take that step today. Worship God in spite of your emotions, meditate on the mercy of God, and let your actions dictate your feelings – not the other way around.

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