Author: Jon Wellman

I walked up to greet some friends at church this past Sunday. One of them, a doctor, asked, “Are you limping?” I explained to him that, when I was 12, I broke my leg badly in a moped collision with a pickup truck, and that my left leg is about an inch shorter than my right. They all agreed that they never noticed before.

I have learned to walk straight, more or less. But sometimes, when I’m tired or not paying attention (like when I was running around, trying to get things ready before church), I limp.

Sin works like that. When we don’t pay attention or feel weak, it creeps into our lives and we don’t even notice. We might have a handle on it when we are feeling strong in the Lord. But it’s during our down times when we need to be careful.

More reason than ever to heed Peter’s words: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (I Peter 5:8).” Also a good reason to recharge our spiritual batteries in Bible study and prayer daily.

‘Cause you never know when you’ll need it.

“Take my life; lead me, Lord… Make my life useful to Thee. ”

I believe the Lord is focusing my thoughts lately on the concept of being USEFUL.

A big part of being useful is knowing the ways that we LIMIT our usefulness, our effectiveness. One of the primary ways we limit our effectiveness is through a weak testimony. If others question our motives and motivations due to indiscretions, questionable decisions, unresolved moments of weakness, or out-and-out moral failure, we cripple ourselves spiritually and, in effect, take ourselves out of the game.

As much as we sometimes like to mock him, it is important to remember that SATAN IS NO DUMMY! He knows we win. He knows he has no chance. He’s read the end of the Book. And He knows that he can’t loosen God’s grip of grace from His children.

But if he can turn us into Christianity Lite, he preempts our potency.

If we cease to be the salt and light Jesus called us to be in Matthew 5, we cease to offer the world an alternative. THE alternative.

If we intend to remain steadfast soldiers for the cause of Christ, we MUST…

• Guard our testimonies.
• Confess our sins.
• Own up to our mistakes.
• Admit wrongdoing.
• Flee fleshly desires.
• Guard our hearts.
• Establish hedges of protection against weaknesses.
• Die to self.
• Get prayed up.

I desire and pray that God will use me in ways I can’t imagine or even see coming! I look forward to exploring how to prepare myself for whatever the God of the universe has in mind. I hope you’ll join me.