Screwtape and I, Chapter Two

The second chapter of The Screwtape Letters brings to light our need for humility in regard to the church.  Mr. Lewis uses Screwtape’s guidance of Wormwood to call into question our thoughts about fellow Christians.  I know that my thoughts have been turned away from the Word being preached in the pulpit by each of these: What I think is inappropriate clothing to wear to church; voices singing out of tune; the breath of the person sitting next to me; that weak handshake; that lack of note-taking; the Starbucks cup of the attendee who walked in late…the list continues.  Oh, how easy it is to be of a raised mind!

But we’re called to “esteem others better” than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).  However, we know very well, because of our fallen thoughts toward our brothers and sisters, that Satan does not want us to consider others better.  Satan’s division starts in the minds of men.  Once he gains a foothold and is able to control our thoughts toward the people of the congregation, he can dictate our thoughts about the Church, which would, at its worst, determine our thoughts about the Lord (if we despise the Bride, how highly do we think of the Groom?).

As in “Letters,” a romantic notion of what the church body ought to look like can distract and discourage us.  The unnamed temptee finds himself subconsciously disappointed by the common garb of believers when he first goes to church.  I have found myself not only distracted by clothing I deem inappropriate to wear to church, but also by clothing I find exactly appropriate.  I have looked at an unknown member of the Body in admiration because of her pristine dress, and formed an ideal of a Christian woman based on that appearance.  How fleeting these wicked thoughts are, but they are present.

Reading this novel brought to my attention the countless lies that stream through my subconscious every day.  Because hatred and sin begin in the mind, we must bring all of our thoughts captive in the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Humility is defined as humbleness of mind (Greek: tapeinophrosune), a mind in which we cannot exalt ourselves above the Saints.  I pray that today we are able to see not the faults of the sinners whom we abide with, but that we see the sins of our flesh, praising God for His grace.  I pray that we ask God for humility of mind, taking each thought captive, growing in the ability to visualize the beauty of the Bride.  We are the Bride!  Praise the Lord for our journey toward glory and perfection. 

In His name,
adguglielmo

Screwtape and I, Chapter One

In the first chapter of the C.S. Lewis novel The Screwtape Letters, Uncle Screwtape, a seasoned tempter, begins his guidance of his novice demon nephew, Wormwood.  Wormwood’s mission is to keep his “patient” out of the Kingdom of Heaven by way of seducing him toward the destructive and away from the spiritually beneficial.  The first mention of this man being led astray amounts to Wormwood’s guidance of his reading.  

What can we say about our reading?  What about our TV consumption?  Are we under the influence of a Wormwood when we seek entertainment?  Before I dedicated my life to Christ, I had a great taste for teen and gossip magazines.  In fact, I had fantasies about moving to New York City and writing for one of them.  It all seemed so glamorous.  But now I think about how the material influenced me, and I look regretfully at the past before I knew Jesus.  Satan wants our minds to be full of the words of men and not the Word of God.  The enemy knows the truth of his inevitable defeat, but he doesn’t want us to know that we’re coming with him if we don’t accept the Truth.  So he distracts us with the shiny objects of entertainment.  

After I became a Christian, my grandma asked me how I could still watch horror movies.  I had always been a fan, and that didn’t change with my dedication to Christ.  Nearly five years later, I don’t even want to think about them.  If a commercial comes on advertising the latest thrasher, I have to turn it off.  I’ve even had to turn off my radio because of an ad.  While there were some things I was glad to throw off my old self, most of it was-is-a process.  And of course it is when Screwtape stands at the ready for an opportunity to consume us!  Very occasionally, I’ll suggest to my husband that we watch a scary movie.  That scares me most because I know that urge didn’t come from me.

The Word tells us to set our minds on the things above, not on the things on the earth (Colossians 3:1).  This is in order to avoid temptation (if we see the treasures of heaven, what heart remains on this earth?).  The Scripture continues to say “you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (3:3).  If our life is in Christ and not here, what value are the things of this world?  

The enemy tempts us with wicked forms of entertainment because it’s so available.  It’s common to want to see that box office hit rated R for strong sexuality and crude language because, well, everyone else saw it.  But be aware of Screwtape and his nephew behind that desire.  Remember that Jesus did instruct us to “pray, lest [we] enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41).  He knows that Satan prowls “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  So today, pray with me to avoid temptation.  Let’s acknowledge that we are not left alone with our thoughts, but that Satan’s minions await an opportunity to take our human desires and put them to work for his kingdom.  But be of good cheer!  Jesus has overcome the world.

In His name,

adguglielmo

About "The Screwtape Letters"

Dear Reader, 

I recently finished The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, and immediately wanted to start reading it again.  The Lord gave Mr. Lewis a wealth of insight regarding the extent of the enemy's influence on our lives.  I thought it would be beneficial for me to reread Letters while taking notes on how some Screwtape has personally lead me astray.  I want to publish this reflection with Scriptural commentary to offer anyone reading an opportunity to delve further into the specific temptations mentioned in the novel (if you haven't read it, find a copy and do so!).  

Please pray that the Lord will provide me with insight so that I may encourage you.

Have a blessed day, 

adguglielmo

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

We All Need The Seed Of Truth

Dear Reader,

I don’t want anything more than what anyone else has, so it saddens me to see such great deprivation in my neighbor, in my peer, in my kin.  What’s lacking is the presence of Christ. 

We each have a heart that will either be filled or remain unfilled by the presence of the Holy Spirit at the time we perish.  As Christians, we are called to evangelize so that unbelievers will become filled with the Spirit, leading to eternal life with God in heaven.  Not every man will be saved, as Scripture indicates.  So I wonder:  Do unsaved people feel empty?  Do they know that something (Someone) is missing?  

When I am in the Spirit, communing with my Father, I am full.  But in myself, I am incomplete. I feel unfulfilled.   This is not an indication that Christ does not fill me, but rather a revelation that I am not enough.  Christ is enough.  He is Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

How can anyone outside of this hope and fulfillment live?  The answer is distraction.  Satan uses it as a powerful tool of persuasion for those who don’t yet know the Lord. Unbelievers live in a constant state of ignorance about the spiritual battle that is continually won against them.  It’s hard to see our friends and families turn to substances and ill-suited people as a means to satisfy the longing they unknowingly have for Christ.

Our Christian duty is to plant the seed of truth, that is, Jesus’ death and resurrection and His resulting Spirit which is to dwell in us, guiding our actions toward that which will glorify God.  Without this knowledge and without the care of we who walk in Christ, and mostly, without the salvation that God grants those who believe in His Son, there is no hope for an unbelieving soul.

It is painful to look at an unbeliever and know the riches he misses out on every day when I wake up to the presence and fulfillment of Christ each morning.  So I pray that the Lord will teach me how to represent Him on earth, so that others will long for eternity.  And that is also my prayer for you: That God will give you the desire to plant that seed of truth.  

In His name,

adguglielmo

Truth

Dear Reader,

Below is an edited excerpt of something I wrote in 2008, early in my Christianity.  I had forgotten about it until my grandma drew my attention to it this morning.  I went back and reread, editing for clarity and the truths that I’ve since found.  I hope this blesses you. 

 

"My Papa has told me countless times that as a journalist, I have a duty to mankind. That duty is to teach truth. Truth is not always the tip of the iceberg, but it is always present, with a little seeking. At times it is completely submerged underneath the waves of false truth and imitation, and it takes more than a little seeking to find; it requires the complete will ("Come near to God and He will come near to you"-James 4:8). Some find this difficult to comprehend. Many times I’ve heard, "I'm trying to find God but I don't know where He is." My answer? It's hard to see the sun through the clouds. Sin darkens our beings and shades our sight of the Lord. In other words, one cannot continuously sin without a repentant heart and expect to be close to the sinless One. Our Spirit is strong inside of us and will send a pang in our hearts when we sin.  But after repeatedly ignoring instruction from the Lord, His voice starts to seem quieter. In no time, it can even appear that God is no longer present. But He is; He’s there waiting for us to heed His instruction on how to live. (He lived perfectly, remember?  The One who lived a sinless life is the One who truly knows how to live.)

 When I came to Christ, I experienced something so unbelievable that I wish I could feel again.  It was an incredible humbling. I kept thinking, how could He die for me? How could Christ love me so much that He would die for ME, sin-soaked and confused and imperfect as I am? That was when I really grasped for the first time the love that God has for me. 

My most passionate love for God unveiled itself when I had to let go of someone I loved. I experienced heartache that could have overpowered me and carried me away. Instead, the Lord’s presence became intoxicating, and Jesus was my best friend.  I would ask Him why He took away the one thing I thought I had a right to.  He showed me that I don't have a right to anything but to worship my Father and glorify Him in everything that I do because of all that He has done for me. Life’s unfair.  I don't deserve unconditional love, and yet, God continually fulfills His promise to love me. Thank you, Lord.

 Having an intimate relationship with God makes me certain that His Word is true. He wrote the Bible through man and blessed us with His guidance through this life toward the next.  He is a lawgiver, but He is also a friend, a lover and a ceaseless forgiver (oh, He is so full of grace!).

 I have seen so many things in the mere year that I've known the Lord. I am not capable of loving without God, because God is love. When I read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, I realize that there is no way that anyone can ever love in the flesh; God’s standards are unmet in our humanity.  But Jesus embodied love as He lay dying on the cross. He thought of us who were to be saved, and He gave up His body to be broken.  For love!

Because of this perfect love, we are able to love through Him, and because we love, we will live."

  

-adguglielmo 

 

Life in Christ

Dear Reader, 

This blog is devoted to recording life in Christ.  I have lived long enough to graduate high school, marry my husband and, most importantly, realize that there is no life outside of Christ.  Because this rich blessing has been bestowed on me (that is, an intimate relationship with Jesus, our Savior), I am inclined to share my walk with you as a source of encouragement and fellowship.  

I will close with Scripture that made my heart long for eternity this morning.  Have a blessed day.

-adguglielmo

"The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words"-1Thessalonians 4:16-18.