"I Can't Overcome This Sinful Habit!" (part four)

In part one of this series we were reminded that in order for lasting change to happen in your struggle against addictions, your entire being – mind, will, and emotions – must be affected by God's truth. In part two we considered the role of our minds. (Remember the truth of your identity - you don’t have to sin anymore!) In part three we focused on the role of our wills. (Act on the truth of your situation - you’re in a war!) Today we will consider the role of our emotions in the fight against sinful habits.

With your emotions you must delight in the truth of eternity - sin cannot give you ultimate joy. 

What is it that you really want?

You say, “I want to change” 

… really? Do you really want to change?

Do you really want to leave your sin behind, forever? Do you hate sin, or just the consequences of sin?

Perhaps you'd admit: I want change, but I want to have change without having to break a sweat.

I want change, but I can’t say goodbye to something I love.

I want change, but only because it will make my life a little easier or save me some money or maybe it will restore my relationship with my ex-wife.

I want change…but only sometimes.

I want change…but not until tomorrow.

You will not desire real, lasting change until you desire God more than anything. Until you delight in him over all the temporary pleasures of sin.

Isaiah 55:1-3: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live!     

Open your soul to hear this invitation to partake in the joys of God! You don’t need to keep drinking sewer water - you can quench your thirst at clear, cool streams! You don't need to keep eating that gross moldy bread – you can have the good stuff fresh out of the oven! Don’t you want this more than anything?

The most effective motivations are positive motivations, because ultimately people will do what they want to do. So, what is it that you want the most?

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:20-23)
“You have been set free from sin.” Addiction feels like slavery, doesn’t it? And sin is a cruel master. But sin is no longer our rightful master. “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin… [but] if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34, 36). God has redeemed us, and He is now our master. And he gives the gift of life and the fruit of holiness.
The choice between God and sin is a choice between life or death. Let the significance of that choice sink in. The stakes are incredibly high! Today you can experience distance from God by turning to sin. Or you can experience life by walking with God and focusing on the joy of eternity to come.

Titus 2:11-13: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age waiting for our blessed [happy] hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Grace teaches us to renounce sin in light of something infinitely better - our “happy hope” – the glory of Jesus!

One day Jesus will return in glory and His people will be with him forever. He will usher in his glorious kingdom and defeat all enemies of joy and righteousness. Everything evil will come untrue. The fight with temptation and sin will be over as you become perfect in holiness.

Isn’t this what you desire most? In those moments of fierce temptation, when it seems nothing else matters but gratifying your desires, grace reminds you to desire the best joys, to wait for your happy hope. Don’t sacrifice what you want most for what you want now! Sin cannot give you ultimate joy, only Jesus can. God doesn’t want to keep you from pleasure, He wants to give you the greatest pleasures!
Do you believe this?

Your ability to turn from sin and obey God is in direct proportion to your ability to believe God’s precious and very great promises of joy.

So get to know God’s promises. Get to know God. Worship Him. Sin is nothing other than misplaced worship! In order to leave your worship of sin, you must replace it with worship of the one and only true God.
It could be that you want sin more than you want God because you don’t really grasp just how good and glorious and gracious God is. Any plan to beat addiction must include a plan to know God better. Familiarize yourself with His beautiful, perfect character. He is great, He is glorious, He is delightful. Worship Him. You are not going to break free from your sinful habit without worship of the one true God.

__________
Maybe you read this series of posts hoping for a simple, easy solution for your addiction. One simple answer. One magic pill. I'm sorry to say that it doesn’t work that way. Sin is complex, and breaking a sinful habit is complex. Getting into your addiction took time, effort, and practice, and breaking your addiction will take much more of the same. But here’s the good news: Your gracious, loving Savior is the great physician. He gives us just the right combination of healing medicines and strengthening exercises in His Word. More than that, He gives us Himself. We don’t just get the prescription, we get the doctor. We don’t just get the life ring, we get the lifeguard. We don’t just get the salvation, we get the Savior. We get Christ.

So run to Christ!

While there’s life and while there’s Christ, there’s hope. Repent today! Return to the Lord. He loves you. Remember how horrendous sin is, then remember how good God is and go to Him. He invites you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.... Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10)

Run to Christ! Cling to Christ! Stay with Christ! Don’t shrink back from Him in shame. He loves you - He died on a cross to prove it. The cross has made a way! His arms are open to you.
Even when we’re faithless, He remains faithful – He cannot deny Himself.

Read more...

"I Can't Overcome This Sinful Habit!" (part three)

In part one of this series we were reminded that in order for lasting change to happen in your struggle against addictions, your entire being – mind, will, and emotions – must be affected by God's truth. In part two we considered the role of our minds. (Remember the truth of your identity - you don’t have to sin anymore!) Today we will consider the role of our wills in the fight against sinful habits.

With your will you must act on the truth of your situation - you’re in a war!

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (Romans 6:12)

As a believer, you’re no longer defined by your sin. But sin still wants to dominate your life. This verse pictures sin as an heartless, malignant, vicious overlord. (If you're a Star Wars fan, picture Darth Vader. If you're a Lord of the Rings fan, picture Sauron. If you're a Harry Potter fan, picture Voldemort. You get the idea....) Sin does not have any rights over you anymore, but sin still wants to control you and make you obey its commands and destroy your life. 

Don't let your guard down! Don't forget that sin is an evil tyrant. You see, sin wants to present itself to you in a far more charming manner. It will dress itself up as an jovial entertainer, or even as a hilarious comedian. It will dress itself up as a shrewd financial planner or career adviser, telling you how to successfully allocate your money and your time. It will dress itself up as an ice cream man, dishing out treats for all to enjoy. It will dress itself up as a wise philosopher, cunning you with fine words. This is why you must know the truth of your situation! Life is not a classroom, or an ice cream shop, or a career office, or a theater. Life is a battle. You’re in a war. Sin is not your friend or your ally or your commander. Sin is your enemy!

The good news is: the war against sin has already been decided, and we’re on the winning side! D-Day is already past! The cross marked the beginning of the end for sin. But there are still battles to be fought, and you can still get seriously wounded.

Do not present your members to sin as instruments [weapons] for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments [weapons] for righteousness. (Romans 6:13)

In the battlefield of life, you have a number of weapons at your disposal. Your mind, your time, your energy, your talents, your relationships. You can give these weapons to God for his cause of righteousness in opposing sin, or you can give these weapons to sin for its cause of unrighteousness in opposing God. My friend, you’ve been brought from death to life! Why would you present your weapons to the agent of death, sin? Present all you are and all you possess to God!

“Present yourselves to God” – this involves intention and action. Don’t just “let go and let God.” By the power of the Spirit within you, take up the armor of God and fight! The cross frees you and empowers you to fight! A passive approach to godliness won’t work – that is why the New Testament so often speaks of the Christian life as strenuous activity: warfare, long-distance running, physical combat. The battle is real, and the struggle is good!

In order to overcome sinful habits, you must develop a plan. There is nothing unspiritual about being intentional. Make a plan to break free from your addiction. You are not going to break free without a plan. Don't keep your options open. Destroy the sin once for all. Be brutal at killing the sin within you!

·         "I will sever all contact with my drug buddies. No excuses."

·         "Once a week I will have someone check the internet sites I visit."

·         "I will make my eating public by eating with family or a friend every night."

Your plan must be specific. The more specific, the better. Not “I’m going to ask Janet to keep me accountable” but “I’m going to call Janet this evening, speak with her honestly about my struggles, and request that she ask me about my struggles twice a week.”

Use wisdom. Discern the triggers that start you back down the road toward sin, and set up barriers right at the beginning of the road. Sometimes the road to pornography doesn’t begin with lust but with anxiety. Sometimes the road to overeating doesn’t begin with cravings but with self-pity. Sin is complex – face it honestly and aggresively.

Don’t expect permanent change overnight. Pack your bags for the long haul. But don’t let the length of the battle scare you. God gives you grace to fight the battle of today. Tomorrow He will give you grace to fight the battle of tomorrow.

 

Let me close with an encouraging truth: you’re not expected to fight this war alone. Cry out to God for help, even in the moment of temptation! He gives us the gift of prayer so we can call for aid in the midst of the war. Cry out to other believers as well. Fellow soldiers are all around you and are eager to help! One of the non-negotiable realities of fighting a sinful habit is this: you can’t beat it alone. Trying to beat an addiction cold turkey, all by yourself, is nearly impossible. Satan prowls like a lion – his strategy is to separate you from the herd when you are weak so he can have his way with you. Stay with the herd!

Maybe you've been been trying to beat your sinful habit alone because of shame, fear, or doubt that anyone would care. But you must reach out for help! Open up to a mature believer in your life. God sees your sin anyway – you may as well be honest about it to a faithful brother or sister in Christ. Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16). Seek accountability and prayer support. In a war, a solo mission is usually a suicide mission. Team up with other soldiers. Humble yourself – You are not going to break free from your sinful habit without help from others.

By the grace of God, act on the truth of your situation - you’re in a war!

In our final post, we'll consider how our emotions must be affected by the truth of God's Word in order to overcome sinful habits... 

Read more...

"I Can't Overcome This Sinful Habit!" (part two)

In part one of this series we were reminded that in order for lasting change to happen in your struggle against addictions, your entire being – mind, will, and emotions – must be affected by God's truth. Today we will consider the role of our minds in the fight against sinful habits.

With your mind you must remember the truth of your identity - you don’t have to sin anymore!

Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 5:20-6:2)

Why shouldn’t we continue in sin? Because we don’t have to! We are no longer chained to sin.

Dogs are gonna bark. Cows are gonna moo. Birds are gonna fly. Rocks are gonna just lie there. Snowflakes are gonna fall. Rivers are gonna run. Sinners are gonna sin. But you don’t have to sin because you’re not a sinner! You may feel like you have to sin, but you don’t have to sin! Because Jesus died and rose, you died to sin and rose to life.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)

Christians often say, “Well, I’m just a sinner saved by grace.”  This is true, but it is not the whole truth! “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (II Cor. 5:17). It’s much more accurate to say: “I used to be just a sinner, but now that I have been saved by grace, I am free to be much more in Christ!”

You may object: “I still sin, so doesn’t that make me a sinner?” No more than rolling around in mud makes you a pig! “Sinner” is no longer your basic nature or your primary identity. You are not defined by your addiction. In Christ you are a “saint” – a holy one. That’s your new identity. But here’s the key – you need to remember that truth. It’s so easy for us to forget. We have to activate our minds to focus on the truth of our identity so that we can be who we are.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)
In Christ, we are "holy ones." We are alive to God. So let’s remember our identity and act on it!

The role of the mind is so important when battling addictions. When we are faced with sin’s temptation, our minds can be very clever at coming up with sinful rationale and excuses. (Often our minds are at their sharpest when trying to rationalize a sinful behavior!) In the moment of sinful desire you will be tempted to think, “I’ll go ahead and sin, God will forgive me.” My exhortation to you is to “embrace the grace of power before you sin as intensely as you do the grace of pardon after you sin” (John Piper). Actively remind yourself who you are. Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. A slide into sin usually begins in your mind. That’s a great place to stop it.

Remember the truth of your identity - you don’t have to sin anymore!

In our next post, we'll consider how our wills must be affected by the truth of God's Word in order to overcome sinful habits... 

Read more...

"I Can't Overcome This Sinful Habit!" (part one)

Humans are, by nature, creatures of habit.  In many cases, this is a good thing. I'm glad I don't have to re-learn how to brush my teeth every day. It would be a real pain to have to read a manual on driving every time I step into my car. Praise God for the gift of habit!

However, our habitual nature becomes a detriment when sin enters the picture. The human heart has a way of turning all kinds of activities - including activities that are not inherently wrong - into sinful habits that control us and enslave us and harm ourselves and others. Common sinful habits include alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual addictions (mainly pornography), gambling, compulsive lying, overeating, oversleeping, outbursts of anger, self-inflicted pain, sports obsession, video game obsession, long hours in front of the TV, social media obsession, an out-of-control imagination...the list could go on and on....

Most likely, at least one of the items in that list has been a particular struggle for you. Maybe you think you have your sinful habit under control, but the fact that it’s a habit means that you’re under its control. Call it what it is: Enslavement. Bondage to sin. And because most addictions are related to the body, the chains are strong and extremely tangled and can seem impossible to shake off.

Is it even possible to overcome this addiction? Absolutely - if you know Christ you’re a new creation! You’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit! Temptation will continue for the rest of your life, but you can stop the habit. “God is faithful…with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape” (I Cor. 10:13).

So how can I overcome my sinful habit? What should I do when I keep repeating the same sin? 

It won’t be simple, it won’t be easy – but here's some good news: the most significant work has already been done…by Jesus Christ, on the cross.

Nothing you have done is so bad that you can’t be forgiven by Christ. Some of the greatest heroes of our faith - Moses, David, and Paul – were former murderers! God can forgive you, too. But don't make the mistake of trying to earn God’s forgiveness. Don't think, “If I can just get this wicked activity out of my life and visit with God every Sunday morning…do a few good deeds here and there…maybe then God will accept me.” Being a Christian is much more than going to church and being a good person. It is becoming a child of God through the work of Jesus in your place on the cross. Receive Him, and you can be forgiven no matter what you’ve done.

Mark it down - You are not going to break free from your sinful habit without the gospel.

Forgiven children of God will be tempted by sin and will give in at times. But they are always convicted and cannot remain comfortable in sin. The Spirit of God will reprove us until we are back on the right path. "The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives…. If you are left without discipline…then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Heb. 12:6-8). If you’re caught in an addiction, but you haven’t given up and you want to defeat your sin for God’s glory, my prayer is that you can find some real hope and some real help in the gospel.

Here's something you need to be aware of, right up front: You are not going to break free from your sinful habit without God’s Word. We are made holy by God’s truth – His Word is truth (John 17:17). In order for lasting change to happen, your entire being – mind, will, and emotions – must be affected by God's truth.

Sin, at its core, is deceptive. Satan is the “father of lies” – he’s very good at deceiving you in the moment of temptation. Every time you sin, it is because you have temporarily rejected a promise of God and believed a lie of Satan. Consider some of these common lies about your sinful habit:

·         Just one more time won’t hurt.

·         You’re in control – you can stop anytime you want to.

·         It’s not a big deal if you sin – God will forgive you, right?

·         It won’t really be that harmful if you’re careful.

·         How can something that feels so good be wrong?

·         God’s way is miserable. The way of sin is fun. Why should you miss out?

·         It’s too embarrassing to seek help from a fellow Christian.

·         You’re all alone – nobody else struggles with your sin.

·         You’ve blown it already – God won’t forgive you.

·         You’re in it too deep – it’s too late to change.

·         There is no way of escape – you will give in sooner or later.

·         It’s someone else’s fault that you struggle with this.

·         It’s God’s fault that you struggle with this.

·         God wouldn’t let you struggle with this so much if He really loved you.

My friend, don’t believe these lies! Believe the truth of God. He has given us very great and precious promises in Christ, so that we can escape the corruption of the world (2 Peter 1:4).

In our next post, we'll consider how our minds must be affected by the truth of God's Word in order to overcome sinful habits...

Read more...

Affliction Prepares You For Glory

II Cor. 4:17: For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

When is a bottle of Gatorade more satisfying? After you’ve spent 3 hours on the couch watching a movie? Or after an exhausting 3-mile run?

When does your pillow feel softer? After a day of vacation on a beach with your feet propped up? Or after a long Saturday spent raking the leaves and cleaning out the gutters?

Here’s a fact of life: Agony best prepares you for refreshment. Labor best prepares you for rest.

If you ever wonder why our loving Father would allow faithful believers to experience affliction and pain, never forget: affliction prepares you for glory.

Think of the afflictions Paul endured, despite being one of the most faithful believers we know. Here is Paul’s "resume of suffering”:

In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my concern for all the churches. (II Corinthians 11:23–27)

However, Paul says: this affliction is preparing me for glory. And the level of affliction I endure can’t even be compared to the level of glory I will experience. The pains of this life that we experience can feel like a heavy burden. But the perspective of eternity can make these burdens seem light in comparison. Notice the terms of measurement: “light affliction”… “weight of glory.” It brings to mind the image of a old fashioned scale: one side with a feather, the other side with a pile of bricks. 

But even this image doesn’t get us all the way to the reality. The weight of our future glory in heaven is “beyond all comparison.” To describe the weight of glory, Paul used the greek word huperbole which means “far surpassing” or “extreme,” then he wrote that word a second time to increase the emphasis. It’s not easy to translate the full force of this phrase into English, but I appreciate the way this phrase is rendered in the HCSB: “an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.” There is no scale in existence – no standard of comparison in our conception – that could accurately show how light our afflictions are compared to the eternal weight of future glory. It wouldn’t even be fair to say it’s a billion times weightier. It’s like comparing a 3-year-old’s craft project to the works of Rembrandt. It's like comparing a the skill of a first-grader learning the recorder to the skill of a master musician like Yo-Yo Ma. There is no comparison! Perhaps the most accurate thing I can say is that eternal glory is infinitely weightier than the worst affliction on earth.

And our future glory will last forever. It is “eternal.” It will never end. A million years from now we will look back on our 70-80 year time in these bodies and see that it was just a vapor in the wind. Filled with pain, yes. Filled with sorrow, yes. But “momentary.” Fleeting. And followed by joy with God in glory for never-ending eons of time!

Believe the very great and precious promises of God! Affliction prepares you for glory...when affliction is met by faith.

II Cor. 4:18: ...as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Read more...

Peace That the World Just Can't Give

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. - Jesus (Jn. 14:27)

“My peace I give to you…not as the world gives.” This statement leads me to think… What kind of peace does the world give?

• The world can give a temporary feeling of calm. When the kids are quiet, the day’s work is over, the stresses of life are momentarily out of the way – we can brew a cup of Earl Gray, curl up with a good novel, and feel calm for a while. You don’t need a personal relationship with Jesus in order to enjoy a temporary feeling of calm.
• The world can give a form of insurance against the tragedies and changes of life: health insurance, accident insurance, life insurance, flood protection, bomb shelters, retirement accounts. These can give a surface-level assurance that you and your loved ones are protected no matter what. (There’s nothing wrong with insurance, but let’s be honest - it can only protect you to a limited extent.)
• The world can give a deception that all is well with your soul. The spirit of this age teaches that as long as you are a decent person and don’t murder anybody, you’ll be okay in eternity (if there is indeed any such thing as eternity). If there is a God, his standard isn’t all that high and nearly all of us will slip over his low bar of justice.

These are a few examples of the peace the world can give. But the peace Jesus gives is different. And it is far better because it is far deeper and far more lasting and far more real. It’s a peace that the world just can’t give.

Biblically speaking, peace is a steadfast wellness of the soul that results from reconciliation with God and leads to harmony with others.

Recently I cracked open a fortune cookie and read this advice: “Peace comes from within. Seek it from yourself.” Though this is fairly common advice, it is tragically horrible advice. You can have no lasting inner peace unless all is well between you and your Maker. And the Bible tells us that all is not well between us and our Maker because we have offended Him deeply, intentionally, and repeatedly. Our thoughts, our words, our actions, even our very nature is depraved. All the subjective inner peace you can conjure up will not change the objective reality that God’s wrath is on its way.

This is where the good news of Jesus Christ comes in. Romans 5:1 says we have “peace with God” if we have been “justified by faith.” Jesus, the sinless Son of God, hung on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God that was coming our way. Then God raised Jesus from the dead! If you place your faith in Jesus – if you receive his offer of forgiveness – God “justifies” you. This means that He considers you righteous because Jesus died and rose in your place. There is nothing I can do to please God on my own, but God is completely pleased with what Jesus did in my place. So I am no longer considered a rebellious enemy of God, but I am child of God – a member of his dearly loved family. I have been reconciled to God. I have peace with Him.

 

If you're seeking peace, let me assure you that you are on a worthy quest. And let me encourage you - you can find peace. You can find peace by finding God through Jesus Christ.

When you have peace with God, inner peace follows. Here's how it works: if I am in Christ, that means God is for me. And if God is for me, that means everything he allows into my life - even difficulty and sadness - is intended for my ultimate good. Peace with God also leads to peace with others. If God could forgive me despite my many offenses against Him, surely I can forgive others when they offend me!

Through Christ, I can have true peace no matter what situation I find myself in. Because peace is not absence of conflict or a feeling of calm. It is complete wellness of my inner being even in the midst of outward turmoil. This is why Jesus could say to His disciples - just hours before his torture and execution - “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (Jn. 16:33)

Read more...

I Know a Man...

I know a baby boy who was born in the most incredible circumstances. His birthplace was an animal barn, but men bowed down before him as if he were royalty. Angels announced his birth. Scholars traveled thousands of miles to bring him gifts. The king of that land was so jealous he attempted to put this baby to death. It was said of this boy that he had no human father.

I know a child who grew up humbly, sweating away in a carpenter’s shop. Yet at the age of twelve he amazed some of the brightest scholars around with his intelligence.

I know a man who was introduced by a voice from the sky that said: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am delighted.”

I know a man who could read people’s minds…see right into the depths of their soul…tell them all about their past as soon as he met them.

I know a man who turned water into wine. He healed a sick young boy from 18 miles away. He touched a man with a deadly skin disease, and the man was completely cleansed. He commanded a paralytic to get up and walk – and the man walked! He touched a coffin and a dead man immediately came to life. He scolded a storm and it stopped. He stood down a lunatic in a graveyard and cast out a multitude of demons. A woman touched the hem of his clothing and her 12-year sickness was healed. He took a twelve year old girl by the hand and raised her from the dead. He gave blind men sight and made a mute man speak and caused a deaf man to hear. He multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish so that they fed over 5,000 people. He walked on water. He shouted into a tomb and a dead man came to life and walked out.

I know a man who said the most amazing things:

“Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God”

“Everyone who drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”

“Love your enemies”

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven”

“Do not be anxious for your life…but seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness”

“Do unto others and you would have them do unto you”

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”

“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother”

“Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

“The very hairs of your head are numbered, therefore do not fear”

“He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it”

 “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

“If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed”

“The last will be first, and the first will be last”

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”

“There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents”

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life”

“I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

“I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved”

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

“I am the resurrection and the life”

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me.”

“I am the true vine, and you are the branches”

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

I know a man who reached out to the outcasts of society: fishermen, foreigners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and notorious sinners.

I know a man who told people the truth about our condition:

“Men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil”

 “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty… Everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her in his heart”

“Whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.”

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”

 “Unless you repent, you will perish”

I know a man who wept with compassion for crowds of people, and spoke good news to them, and healed the sick.

I know a man who claimed to be the fulfillment of hundreds of centuries-old prophecies. Claimed to be the Son of God. Claimed to be the maker of the universe. Claimed to have authority to judge everyone. Claimed to be sent by God. Claimed to be one with God. Claimed to be the only way to God. Claimed that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

I know a man who was transfigured before three of his friends. His face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light. Again, a voice from the sky said, “This is my beloved Son, my chosen one – listen to him!”

I know a man who said he would be killed by government authorities, then rise from the dead after three days.

I know a man who rode into a city on a donkey and was hailed as king by crowds of people.

I know a man who talked down a mob of intellectuals looking to trap him in his words.

I know a man who got down on his knees and washed the dusty feet of his followers.

I know a man who claimed that he existed from eternity past.

I know a man who was forsaken by all. Rejected by his family. Feared by the government. Hated by religious leaders. Betrayed by a companion. Denied by his chief disciple. Abandoned by his closest friends in the hour of his greatest pain.

I know a man who sweated drops of blood out of agony for what awaited him.

I know a man who allowed himself to be arrested on false pretenses. He was tried by a biased court, testified against with lies. He was charged with blasphemy and troublemaking. He was found not guilty but sentenced to death anyway. The man who calmed wild storms allowed himself to be cruelly mocked. The man who healed the sick was viciously whipped. A large ring of long thorns was beaten into his skull. He was lifted up on a rough wooden frame. For hours he bled in plain view of the crowds. His power was questioned, his words were ridiculed, his claim to be God was scorned. Despite his agony, he offered forgiveness. Darkness fell over the land in the middle of the day, as this man endured the wrath of God. This sinless man took the punishment for my sins and your sins and the sins of men, women, and children from every age and every nation. Then this man shouted “It is finished” and gave up his life.

I know a man whose body lay in a common tomb for three days, but who could not be overcome by death. I know a man who was raised to life as proof that everything he said was true. He is God. He can forgive sins. He can grant eternal life.

I know a man who appeared to hundreds of people as proof of his resurrection.

I know a man who forgave those who abandoned him.

I know a man who promised his followers: “I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

I know a man who rose up into the clouds, but promised to return someday to rule over the earth and to be with his people. Today - this very moment - he is alive and well.

I don’t just know about this man… I know him. I’ve met him. He calls me his brother and his friend. He has forgiven my sins and given me life. And it’s my joy to announce that you can know him too! His name is Jesus.

Read more...

HBC Statement on Homosexuality and "Gay Marriage"

The creator God, to whom all are accountable, has revealed Himself and His will in His perfect Word, the Bible.

The Bible confines sexual relationships to marriage. The Bible defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman. These limitations are for our good and for God's glory. Biblically (and historically), there is no such thing as “gay marriage.”

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. (Heb. 13:4)

[Jesus] answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? (Matt. 19:4-5)

Because of the fall of man into sin (Gen. 3), all men and women struggle with various forms of perverse sexual orientation. An inclination toward these perversions (temptation) is not sin. However, acting upon any of these orientations is sin and offends a holy God.

• Sex before marriage
• Adultery
• Heterosexual relationships with multiple partners
• Sex with children and/or forced sex with an unwilling partner (these perversions are particularly egregious)
• Homosexual relationships

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Rom. 1:24-27)

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10)

Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7)

The essence of sin is idolatry – the worship of a false god. When I set up anything as a priority above the God of the Bible, including my own desires, sin results. As complex as perverse sexual orientations can be, at the root of each perversion is a worship disorder (Rom. 1:21-25).

Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him. (Rom. 1:21)

The gospel gives us hope. Jesus Christ offers Himself as the Savior for sinners, regardless of the nature and extent of our sin. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, I can be forgiven of any and every sin (1 Jn. 1:9). As I begin to worship the true God, he gives me strength to overcome sin by His Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25). And in Christ I have the hope of future perfection: an eternity with God completely removed from sin (1 Jn. 3:2).

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)

In a culture that increasingly affirms homosexual practice and advocates “gay marriage,” here are a few necessary Christian responses:

1. A wholehearted love for God. This includes submission to his Word and a sincere renouncing and turning from our own sin.
2. A humble love for our neighbors. This doesn’t always involve affirming and advocating what they want, but affirming and advocating what is best for them and best for society. (By the way, this doesn’t just apply to the issue of homosexuality.)
3. A broken-hearted gospel invitation to all who will hear. Our God is still mighty to save!

 The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God…. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11)

Read more...

Mr. By-Ends and the American "Christian"

It's comforting to know that weaknesses currently plaguing American "Christianity" are not unique to our age. Over 300 years ago, in his classic tale The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan described a character eerily similar to many modern evangelicals. Note carefully the words of Mr. By-Ends, his interaction with the faithful men Christian and Hopeful, and the twisted reasoning of his friends Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Money-Love, and Mr. Save-All. I've italicized portions which seem to me most typical of American "Christianity."

___________________________

So I saw that, quickly after they were got out of the fair, they overtook one that was going before them, whose name was BY-ENDS; So they said to him, "What countryman, sir? and how far go you this way?" He told them that he came from the town of Fairspeech; and he was going to the Celestial City (but told them not his name).

Chr. "From Fairspeech!" said CHRISTIAN; "is there any that be good live there?"

By-ends. "Yes," said BY-ENDS, "I hope."

Chr. "Pray, sir, what may I call you?" said CHRISTIAN.

By-ends. I am a stranger to you, and you to me: if you be going this way, I shall be glad of your company: if not, I must be content.

Chr. "This town of Fairspeech," said CHRISTIAN, "I have heard of; and, as I remember, they say it is a wealthy place."

By-ends. Yes, I will assure you that it is; and I have very many rich kindred there.

Chr. Pray who are your kindred there, if a man may be so bold?

By-ends. Almost the whole town: and in particular, my Lord TURN-ABOUT; my Lord TIME-SERVER; my Lord FAIRSPEECH (from whose ancestors that town first took its name); also Mr. SMOOTH-MAN; Mr. FACING-BOTH-WAYS; Mr. ANY-THING; and the parson of our parish, Mr. TWO-TONGUES, was my mother's own brother by father's side. And to tell you the truth, I am become a gentleman of good quality; yet my great-grandfather was but a waterman, looking one way and rowing another-- and I got most of my estate by the same occupation.

Chr. Are you a married man?

By-ends. Yes; and my wife is a very virtuous woman--the daughter of a virtuous woman. She is my Lady FEIGNING'S daughter; therefore she came of a very honourable family, and is arrived to such a pitch of breeding, that she knows how to carry it to all, even to prince and peasant. 'Tis true, we somewhat differ in religion from those of the stricter sort; yet but in two small points: First, we never strive against wind and tide; secondly, we are always most zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers--we love much to walk with him in the street if the sun shines, and the people applaud it.

Then CHRISTIAN stepped a little aside to his fellow HOPEFUL, saying, "It runs in my mind that this is one BY-ENDS, of Fairspeech and if it be he, we have as very a knave in our company as dwells in all these parts." Then said HOPEFUL, "Ask him; methinks he should not be ashamed of his name." So CHRISTIAN came up with him again, and said, "Sir, you talk as if you knew something more than all the world doth; and if I take not my mark amiss, I deem I have half a guess of you: Is not your name Mr. BY-ENDS, of Fairspeech?"

By-ends. That is not my name: but indeed it is a nickname that is given me by some that cannot abide me: and I must be content to bear it as a reproach, as other good men have borne theirs before me.

Chr. But did you never give an occasion to men to call you by this name?

By-ends. Never, never! the worst that ever I did to give them an occasion to give me this name was, that I had always the luck to jump in my judgment with the present way of the times, whatever it was, and my chance was to gain thereby; but if things are thus cast upon me, let me count them a blessing, but let not the malicious load me therefore with reproach.

Chr. I thought indeed that you were the man that I had heard of; and to tell you what I think, I fear this name belongs to you more properly than you are willing we should think it doth.

By-ends. Well, if you will thus imagine, I cannot help it. You shall find me a fair company-keeper, if you will still admit me your associate.

Chr. If you will go with us, you must go against wind and tide, the which, I perceive, is against your opinion; you must also own religion in his rags as well as when in his silver slippers; and stand by him too when bound in irons, as well as when he walks the streets with applause.

By-ends. You must not impose nor lord it over my faith; leave me to my liberty, and let me go with you.

Chr. Not a step farther, unless you will do, in what I propound, as we.

By-ends. Then said BY-ENDS, "I shall never desert my old principles, since they are harmless and profitable. If I may not go with you, I must do as I did before you overtook me: even go by myself, until some overtake me that will be glad of my company."

Now I saw in my dream that CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL forsook him, and kept their distance before him; but one of them looking back, saw three men following Mr. BY-ENDS; and behold, as they came up with him, he made them a very low bow, and they also gave him a compliment. The men's names were, Mr. HOLD-THE-WORLD, Mr. MONEY-LOVE, and Mr. SAVE-ALL--men that Mr. BY-ENDS had formerly been acquainted with; for in their minority they were schoolfellows, and were taught by one Mr. GRIPEMAN, a schoolmaster in Love-gain, which is a market town in the county of Coveting, in the north. This schoolmaster taught them the art of getting, either by violence, fraud, flattery, lying, or by putting on a guise of religion; and these four gentlemen had attained much of the art of their master, so that they could each of them have kept such a school themselves.

Well, when they had, as I said, thus saluted each other, Mr. MONEY-LOVE said to Mr. BY-ENDS, "Who are they upon the road before us?" For CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL were yet within view.

By-ends. They are a couple of far countrymen, that, their mode, are going on pilgrimage.

Money-love. Alas! why did they not stay, that we might have had their good company; for they, and we, and you, sir, I hope, are all going on a pilgrimage?

By-ends. We are so, indeed; but the men before us are so rigid, and love so much their own notions, and do also so lightly esteem the opinions of others, that even if a man be never so godly, yet, if he jumps not with them in all things, they thrust him quite out of their company.

Mr. Save-all. That's bad; but we read of some that are righteous overmuch, and such men's rigidness prevails with them to judge and condemn all but themselves. But, I pray, what and how many were the things wherein you differed?

By-ends. Why, they, after their headstrong manner, conclude that it is their duty to rush on their journey all weathers; and I am for waiting for wind and tide. They are for hazarding all for God at a clap; and I am for taking all advantages to secure my life and estate. They are for holding their notions, though all other men be against them; but I am for religion in and so far as the times and my safety will bear it. They are for religion when in rags and contempt; but I am for him when he walks in his golden slippers in the sunshine, and with applause.

Mr. Hold-the-World. Aye, and hold you there still, good Mr. BY-ENDS; for, for my part, I can count him but a fool, that, having the liberty to keep what he has, shall be so unwise as to lose it. Let us be wise as serpents; 'tis best to make hay when the sun shines: you see how the bee lies still all winter, and bestirs her only when she can have profit with pleasure. God sends sometimes rain, and sometimes sunshine; if they be such fools to go through the first, yet let us be content to take fair weather along with us. For my part, I like that religion best that will stand with the security of God's good blessings unto us; for who can imagine, that is ruled by his reason, since God has bestowed upon us the good things of this life, but that he would have us keep them for his sake? Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion. And Job says, "That a good man shall lay up gold as dust." But he must not be such as the men before us, if they be as you have described them.

Mr. Save-all. I think that we are all agreed in this matter; and therefore there need be no more words about it.

Mr. Money-love. No, there need be no more words about this matter indeed; for he that believes neither Scripture nor reason (and you see we have both on our side), neither knows his own liberty nor seeks his own safety.

___________________________

Friends, don't be surprised or shaken by modern compromises; truly there is nothing new under the sun. Let us guard our hearts against anything that would steal our love for Christ. And let us hope anew in the gospel, which was the answer for 1678 England and is still the answer for 2012 America.

Read more...

Life is Long, Life is Short

So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

Encouragement for disciplers in God's church:

Life is long - so be patient as you minister to people. Don't put yourself under pressure to teach everything there is to know in a single sermon, or fix all of someone's problems overnight. You are likely just one factor among many in an individual's spiritual life and growth. In most cases God began His work in someone before bringing them your way, and in most cases God will continue His work in someone after moving them on from your influence. One plants, another waters, but God causes the growth. 

At the same time...

Life is short - so maintain a sense of urgency as you prepare people for eternity. You never know how long someone will be in your life. God in His grace can use your momentary influence to change an individual for eternity! Life is a vapor. Your speaking God's truth to someone today may be vital.

May the Lord give us wisdom and grace as we minister in light of these two realities.

Read more...