Practical Ways for Practical Days
Blameshifting
August 29th
We have pulled up our sleeves this month and really got a close look at blameshifting. Learning how we can “put off” blameshifting and “put on” acknowledging our own sin.
Please know that these devotionals are geared to help you with specific sins. They are a tool to be used for those who know the Lord and not for an unbeliever. If you have someone that is struggling with a life dominating sin and they are not a Christian, then the first goal would be evangelism. If you claim to know Christ, then these devotionals will aid you in your sanctification process.
Change is necessary in a Christians life. God never expects us to stay like we are, but He expects us to grow more like Christ every day. It is a life-long process that He takes us through, and that process begins at our conversion. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, He will empower us during this process of change, but we must do our part. (Romans 8:13, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:12-13)
It is important that as Christians we understand that true change cannot take place simply by stopping a bad habit. True change takes place when we not only stop the bad habit, but replace the bad habit. This is a key biblical principle throughout the Bible. In Ephesians 4:22-24 this process is clearly defined.
My friend, I hope you are closely reading and learning from these devotionals. I pray that as you start this journey of “putting off” and “putting on” the very things that God wants us to be doing. That you will find with practice it becomes easier as we go along.
August 22nd
Let’s take a trip through Genesis 3:12-13. After Adam and Eve had sinned against God, they tried to turn it around and blame God for what had happened. Adam said; “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”(NASB) Here is the perfect example of how we always blame God. It is the first sin and the sin that we can always look at and learn from. Adam and Eve knew they had done wrong. As soon as they heard God in the Garden, immediately they; covered up, hid and blamed. Whenever we sin in our lives this is exactly what we tend to do. You will find behind every sin, cover up, hiding and blaming. But if you are a believer who knows that Christ died to save you from such sin, then you know in your heart there can be freedom! Sweet, sweet freedom!
My friend, I want you to know that blameshifting is just a type of cover up. A way to take the heat off yourself. You can confess this sin and ask God to forgive you and have the freedom that His word promises. This week, can you ask God to search your heart and give you freedom? Then “put off” that old ugly habit and “put on” acknowledgement of your own sin. God will bless you for it, but you have to work hard at it.
August 15th
James 1:13-15 says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
Isn’t that the way it goes? We want to blame God for tempting us. We want to blame God for everything that does not go the way we want it to. We blame God when there is no one else to blame. We blame God when we have prayed and prayed for something that we need or want desperately, when all along His answer was, no. His word tells us that He does not tempt anyone, for He is Holy and Just. We want to ask ourselves how and why has the world become so evil, so selfish, so mean. If we would stop and take a look inward we might just find the answer.
My friend the next time you are tempted please know that it is not the King of Kings that is doing the tempting, so please don’t blame Him. Look inside, ask God to “search your heart” (Psalms 139:23-24) and “lead you in the way everlasting.” He’s waiting for you to ask!
August 8th
In Matthew 7:1-5 (NASB) the Lord explains to us why it is important for us to “get the log out of our own eye” before we help someone get the “speck” out of theirs. He explains by doing so we will “see clearly” so that we can help another. We get ourselves into trouble by not doing what God expects us to do first. For if we are trying to get the speck out of some ones eye before we take care of ours, then all we have done is create a situation that has gotten us deeper in sin because we are clearly not dealing with our own sin first! When we deal with our own sin first, we create a situation that not only helps us, but helps those around us. Others will see a clear solution to the problem by watching you.
Too many times I have watched others trying to help another brother or sister before doing what God expects them to do in their own lives. I watch them stumble time and time again, give out advice they should not be giving out and just plain making matters worse. For both themselves and the other person they are trying to help. It is obvious they do not listen to what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach them. This is why we should always be preparing our hearts and listening to what God is trying to teach us. You see, we can always see someone else doing something wrong, but it can be difficult to look at ourselves and see the truth…we are ALL SINNERS! Blameshifting is a sin and we should not overlook it as just a personality trait. God says it is sinful and so it is.
Let’s take a look at Proverbs 19:3 in the New Living Translation. It says: “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then they are angry at the Lord.” How many of us know someone like this? Or maybe we can say, I use to be that way or that’s me! My friend, I truly believe we have all been there at one time or another, but have we put that old habit away? And can we say that we not only put it away, but now have put on acknowledging our own sin.
I pray that if you are following along this month that God will speak to you in such a way that you will spend it on your knees acknowledging your sin and giving praise to the only one who deserves it, Jesus our Lord! To Him be all praise and glory, forever!
August 1st
Isn’t it always strange how we always want to blame the next guy or someone else before we own up to what we’ve done? It seems at times we are almost geared that way, doesn’t it? Well, we are sinners and that is where it really stems from. We always want to de-throne God. Do our own thing, pat ourselves on the back and always take full credit for it. But if it doesn’t go the way we expect it to, we are ready to pounce and blame anyone who might be in close proximity. Proverbs 30:12 “There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his own filthiness.” (NASB) That sting’s doesn’t it?
But I had a good reason for doing it that way! If Archie hadn’t done that, it would have played out totally different! Well, Edith just doesn’t know what she’s doing! If Archie and Edith don’t get their act together, I won’t be able to finish this! Does any of this sound familiar? Just as Adam and Eve placed blame elsewhere, (Gen. 3:12-13) so do we. If that doesn’t do the trick then we go as far as blaming God! After all, He’s the one who’s in control, right? Oh my friend we are not worthy of God’s unfailing love. Proverbs 20:9 says: “who can say, I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin?”(NIV)
The good news is, we can confess this sin to God and ask for His forgiveness and then “put off” the sinful habit of blameshifting and “put on” the act of “acknowledging our own sin.” Sometimes we may have to work really hard at it, but don’t grow weary! The more we practice what God expects us to do, the easier righteous behavior becomes. Remember, the Lord weighs our hearts, (Proverbs 21:2) so let’s try to please Him and not our own desires.
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