Life Well Inspired

For you have said in your heart”
“I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.”
Isaiah 14:13-14

This section of scripture outlines five patterns of iniquity that take root in our lives and undermine our relationship with the Lord.  Julie Hiramine, founder of Generations of Virtue, uncovers these in her book Guardians of Virtue.  Although these are sinful patterns we need to be correcting in our kids as we guide them to a relationship with the Lord, these are also patterns that have often taken root in our own lives and manifested into sin.

Julie puts them in plain English and describes the 5 principles of iniquity as this:

The Chore Chart MVP

“I will ascend into heaven…”
Trying to climb into heaven by your own works rather than by the grace of God.
The lie: “What I do is more important than who I am,”

The Little Steam Engine

“I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…”
Stopping at nothing to be the best with no regard to others around you.
The lie: “I’m nothing if I’m not the best”

The Aspiring Hollywood Star

“I will also sit on the mount of the congregation…”
Striving to be at the center of everyone’s attention.
The lie: “I deserve all the attention”

The Never-Neverland Native

“I will ascend above the clouds…”
Finding another “world” to live in when this one gets too rough.
(ie media, books, movies)
The lie “This life is too hard, I need to escape it”

The Unelected Dictator

“I will be like the Most High”
Demanding to control everyone in their environment.
The lie: “I, not God, can and must control every situation and the people in my life.”

These verses and application has caused me to do some soul-searching and repentance.   I pray that you will do some serious soul-searching of your own.  The beauty of walking with the Lord is that he is always creating the new creature you are in Christ- forgiving past sin, healing past hurts and refining your character to be more like Him.

Embrace his correction and pruning in your life- the freedom of forgiveness, healing and change brings  unmatchable joy.

There is a promise that follows the soul-searching and repentance phase that I would like to leave you with.  God’s forgiveness and pardon is yours, my friend!

I will cleanse them from all thier iniquity
by which they have sinned against Me, and
I will pardon all thier iniquities by which
they have sinned and by which they
have transgressed against Me.
Jeremiah 33:8

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