Christian Living Today

Do you have non-Christian friends? Friends who do not share your Christian beliefs, but with whom you share a friendship? If you are like everyone I know, the answer is ‘yes’. Maybe only a few, but most likely you could name dozens who are at least casual acquaintances. People with whom you can carry on a friendly conversation. People with whom you work or play or socialize. People who matter to you to some degree or another. And, I hope, people for whose salvation you are praying!

What about Christian friends of other denominations? Do you have friends and acquaintances who belong to other ‘Christian’ denominations? Are you good friends (as contrasted to mere acquaintances) with people from other denominations? If so, good. If not, why not?

You might say, ‘Doctrine divides.’ This catch phrase has taken the blame for many church splits. It has been given the responsibility for the parting of friendships. In fact, in many churches (particularly, possibly, in America) we have thrown off doctrine in order to keep unity. However, is this true? Does doctrine divide? Should we cast it aside?

While my intention is not to delve deeply into this subject, I was thinking about the irony revealed by our friendships (or lack of). I believe God has used my living in a remote location to begin to teach me an old but important and often overlooked truth. We should　and ought to have a variety of friends (or at least acquaintances). Furthermore, we should　and ought　to be speaking of the One who must be first and foremost in our thoughts.

I suspect your first response is: That is an oxymoron. If I talk to my non-Christian friends about God, it will end that　friendship! Worse yet, if I talk to my Christian friends from other denominations about God, that friendship will blow apart!

While we have all seen both of these scenarios played out numerous times, is this really the ultimate answer or is it merely an excuse? I would suggest it is often more of an excuse than the answer. Granted, charging into a conversation like a hellfire and brimstone preacher with a bee in our bonnet is sure to stir things up in a negative way.

What, then, does this reveal? Our first problem is our attitude. All too often we lack humility. We plow ahead, always assuming we are right, never giving the other person an audience. We are either silent or we ‘preach’ at our non-Christian friends. We either avoid Christianity altogether, or we head right for our differences. Why?

What is the purpose behind developing friendships with non-Christians and Christians from other denominations? Are we not to be a witness to the world? Furthermore, unless you are actually proud enough to believe only those who hold to your　doctrinal position will enter the pearly gates, we are going to spend eternity with a lot of people we considered ‘questionable’ here on earth.

My point: the devil has attacked the church (I am using this term to speak of the body of Christ, in general, not one specific denomination) for years by causing us to major on the minors. In other words, we focus on our differences, not what we have in common. I am not saying we should all unite - throwing off our differences for the sake of unity. I am saying we should be willing to sit down with open Bibles and talk about the One we both claim to serve. I am saying we should seek to find common ground, not focus on our differences.

Why? Because the world is watching. Think about it. What does the world see? Does it see Christians who are united by a common love for and commitment to their God? Or, do we too often look like a group of children on the playground squabbling over who gets to ‘go first’ instead of playing the game?

Has tossing doctrine out the window decreased church splits? No. Actually, according to some statistics (and I might add the liberal media’s delight), they have increased. In other words, it isn’t doctrine which divides. Truth be known, in many church splits it is probably pride which divides.

So, while doctrine can divide, it is not the villain we have made it out to be. Far too often we stumble over our pride, not the truths of Scripture. However, this does not mean we should toss out our Bibles. In fact, the friendships I cherish most (regardless of the friend’s denomination) are those in which I feel the most free to talk about God.

A few years back there was an attempt to unite the Catholic and Protestant churches. Many Protestants (and possibly a few Catholics, as well) watched in disbelief. How could two major ‘denominations’ throw aside their glaring differences and unite? What would such a unity do to the true faith? One problem with this proposed unification was its failure to recognize some major differences in essential doctrine.

Your friendship with non-Christians proves something. At the very least it proves you can be friends with people who do not hold to the same doctrinal truths to which you cling. However, if we are doing what we should be doing, we are also seeking to point our non-Christians friends to the truth.

I believe it is here the line is drawn in the sand. As Christians we must be very clear what makes up the essentials of our faith. What, then, must we, as Christians, hold to with both hands - refusing to compromise? Once we have answered this question, all other points become things which we can and should be willing to discuss with open Bibles. These are points which should be open for discussion amongst our friends of other denominations. If they aren’t, perhaps we are majoring on the minors?

What are the essentials of the faith? There are at least three areas which are essential to our faith.

Who is God?

Are the entire Scriptures the word of God - thus completely trustworthy and authoritative?

How is a man made right before God?

While I am willing to admit there may be other essentials which fall outside these three broad categories, these make it clear there are also many areas which are non-essentials. Things like immersion versus sprinkling (baptism), or the end times, or church government. These things do matter! That is why I am saying we should be sitting down with open Bibles and a desire to understand and know the truth, but they should NOT be things which divide us to the point of keeping us from developing friendships with Christians from outside our own ‘denomination’ - or cause us to keep these friendships always on the superficial level. After all, if we can maintain solid friendships with non-believers, why not with fellow believers - our ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ in Christ?

I admit, I am still thinking through this. However, as I mentioned above, God has brought many people into my life - very few from my own denomination. And, while I feel a comradery and a deeper (perhaps quicker) union of heart as well as a freedom to speak with those with whom I have the most in common, I am learning to be ‘all things to all people.’ In other words, I am learning to swallow my pride and stretch my comfort zone to include conversations and relationships with those with whom I don’t see eye-to-eye - while maintaining (and, Lord willing, deepening) my understanding and commitment to those essential doctrines of Scripture.

I have known fear. For a season, it was my unwelcome friend. A companion to dog my steps and haunt my nights. Even now I occasionally feel the cold finger run down my spine and the hand clench around my gut. For some odd reason, in all this time, I have never connected fear and worry.

Call me thick headed. Call me dense. Call me a fool. I just never put the two together. Until recently.

Do you struggle with fear? Fear of the future? Fear of the past? Fear of someone or some event or some possibility or even a vague unknown ‘something’? Have you ever looked at the definition for fear?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, fear is:

1) a being afraid; feeling that danger or evil is near; dread

2) cause for fear; danger

3) an uneasy feeling; anxious thought

Did you catch that? Dread. Anxious thought. What is dread but an overdose of worry? What is an anxious thought but worry itself? Thus, according to my dictionary, fear is nothing more than worry on steroids!

Recently I listened to a sermon by Pastor Jim Osman. He was speaking on Phillipians 4:6. Remember that phrase - “Be anxious for nothing” (there’s that word from our ‘fear’ definition)? Did you know the word translated ‘anxious’ in this verse refers to a harassing concern or care. It refers to one’s state of mind.

It can also be defined as something which consumes you. Something which presses on you. Something which predominates your waking hours and robs you of sleep. It can even go so far as to send your heart and mind churning and tie your gut in knots. Sounds an awful lot like fear to me?

Unfortunately worry comes far too easily for us. When we realize worry (and fear) is sin, we should not be surprised. After all, sin is easy. Satan does not tempt us in areas which are ‘hard’ or ‘unnatural’ for us. We are tempted in the areas our flesh wants to go. In fact, some folks have made worrying an art form. They even manufacture concerns with which to plague their lives.

Of such folks, Pastor Jim said, “I think they enjoy worrying because, in a sense, it gives them the feeling they are in control of something. It is as if they can change their circumstances or alter their condition by worrying.” There truly is a kind of sick pleasure in focusing on our anxieties.

Spurgeon said, “You can always find a stick with which to beat a dog. And if you need a care, you can generally find a care with which to beat your own soul.”

While fear is worry on steroids and worry is sin (thus fear is sin), there is a level of ‘worry,’ if you will, which is appropriate. It might clarify things to call it ‘concern.’ While concern can certainly become worry, there is a level at which we are to ‘take a care’ for things in life. After all, God did not call us to be stoics, unfeeling, or unaffected by life.

Thus we find commands to ‘bear one another’s burden.’ This implies a level of concern. For example, if someone you care about is going through a heavy trial, it would be wrong not to be concerned, not to feel your heart heavy, not to have your thoughts return to them numerous times throughout your day. On the other hand, if we do not turn to God in prayer but, instead, begin trying to figure out how to ‘solve’ their problem, we may have stepped over the line into worry.

Furthermore, we need to ‘take a care’ for the details of daily living. While we are not to worry where our food comes from, we are to provide ourselves and our family with daily, nutritious meals. We are not to worry what we will wear, but we are to do the laundry and patch the holes and buy our children new shoes when they are needed. We are not to worry about where we will sleep, but we are wrong if we do not ‘take a care’ to patch the roof, sweep the floors, or fix the leaky faucet.

Paul is not talking about apathy. We are not to have an ‘I don’t care’ attitude. The worry Paul is commanding us to avoid is the vexing anxiety which stirs the heart and mind.

Charles Spurgeon said, “It is good for man to have a holy care and to pay due attention to every item of his life. But, alas, it is very easy to make it into an unholy care and to try to wrest from the hand of God that office of providence which belongs to Him and not to ourselves.”

Matthew Henry put it this way, “There is a care of diligence which is our duty and consists in a wise forecast [forethought] and a due concern. But there is also a care of diffidence and distrust which is our sin and our folly and which only perplexes and distracts the mind.”

What struck me most as I listened to Jim Osman’s message was what worry (or fear) reveals about me, about my relationship with God. Not only is worry foolish - after all, what good has worry every done anyone? Or, as Jesus put it, can you add even a fraction of an inch to your height by worrying?

Not only, then, is it foolish, it is sin. I have alluded to that already, but this is really a telling point. Sometimes we tend to think of sin as some vague ‘breaking of the law.’ Yet, at its root, all of our sin stems from a wrong view of God. In other words, when I worry (or allow myself to be consumed by fear), I am saying something (to myself and to those who are watching me) about God. I am saying He is not good. He is not powerful. He is not in control. He is not faithful. He is not true to His promises. He is not something or everything He has said He is.

I hope that pierces you to the heart as it does me. Of course I have never been proud of my worry, but I want　to hate worry, fear, and the anxiety which causes me to live a lie before the world.

Charles Spurgeon, the ‘prince of preachers’ (obviously, in part, because of his way with words) put it this way, “A doubting fretful spirit takes from us the joys we have. We have not all that we could wish, but you have still more than you deserve. Your circumstances are not what they might be, but still even now they are not as bad as the circumstances of some others. Of all the self- tortures, that of importing future trouble into the present account is perhaps the most insane. . .As we feel a thousand deaths in fearing one, so do we feel a thousand afflictions in the fear of sorrows which will never come. Probably the major part of our griefs are born, nourished, and perfected entirely in an anxious, imaginative brain. Many of our sorrows are not woven in the loom of providence, but are purely homespun, and the pattern of our own invention. Some minds are especially fertile in self-torture. They have the creative faculty for all that is melancholy, despondent and wretched.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

God help us not to walk this path. The valley of the shadow of death may come, but let’s make sure it is a ‘real’ valley, not one of our own creation!

The servant’s role is not a popular role. It was not in Jesus day. It is no more so today. While I doubt most of us consciously seek to be served, it underlies most of our thoughts and actions - whether we realize it or not.

Consider your relationships. How does it make you feel if someone does something for you? Something totally unexpected yet greatly appreciated? If you are like those I know (myself included), there is a sense of pleasure, a sense of well-being, a sense of comfort, even, in having someone think of you and your needs without being asked.

Is this not why we enjoy ‘surprises’? Why we like flattery? Why we want our spouse or parents or friends to ‘do’ things - especially unexpected nice things - for us? And, in all honesty, is it not often the motivating factor for doing for someone else? In other words, we hope by doing something special, something above and beyond, for a friend or co-worker or spouse they will reciprocate in turn.

Is this what Jesus was talking about when He called us to serve? Do you remember the story of James and John - of their attempt to climb the ‘ladder of success’? Mark 10:35-45 records it this way:

“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”"

Most of us have heard and read Jesus’ final words in this passage many times. Many strive, in some form or another, to respond as He directs in this passage. However, how many times have we headed out with good intentions and then been thrown off track by the challenges and trials which come with service - or possibly just the general events in life?

Everything and everyone around us tell us our ‘worth’ our ‘value’ our ‘identity’ is tied up in who we are - at least in who the world says we are. However, Jesus says just the opposite. Quite frankly, no matter how we say it, Jesus words run crosswise to what most of us truly believe.

Sadly enough, however, when we read this passage we are often quick to judge James and John. Hypocrites that we tend to be, we can see the arrogance in their words while failing to acknowledge the same attitude which dwells in our own hearts.

Too often we are blinded to God’s priorities as we focus on our own desires. We become self-serving. We even try to get others to join ‘our plan’ and ‘serve’ us. Ultimately we even seek to bring God around to our way of thinking.

Does that sound too radical? Look at your prayers. We have been digging into what God-centered prayer looks like. While we have just begun to scratch the surface, we have seen prayer begins with - ultimately is based upon - worship of God.

Nonetheless, do we not find most of our prayers focused upon ourselves? God give me this. God take this away. God do this. God provide that. In other words - God make me happy. God serve me! Does this not sound like James and John in the passage above?

Paul, in Phillipians 2:3-7 gives us the prescription for true service. He says:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.”

Easy to say - so very hard to do! In fact, without the grace of God, we will never attain this standard. Yes, our actions may sometimes, even often, look like this, but our heart attitude will often reflect a totally different motivating factor.

However, Jesus’ death on the cross purchased for us not only eternal life, not only freedom from our sin and the consequences of that sin, not only a righteousness which allows us to stand before God, but also the freedom to serve others as He has called us to do. Martin Luther put it this way, “Who then can comprehend the riches and the glory of the Christian life. It can do all things and has all things and lacks nothing. It is lord over sin, death, and hell and yet at the same time it serves, ministers to, and benefits all men.”

Where is your focus? Can you see the need? Can you lend a hand? Will you? As you do so, remember:

1) It is always easier to serve in a grand scheme or to serve ‘someone’ other than those closest to you. Why? Because of our sinful desire for recognition and praise, we realize our actions are more likely to merit positive attention in ‘outside’ service.

2) Our heart attitude is just as important as our hand actions. In other words, we can serve for many reasons, but if our service is not done purely and simply out of a desire to please our Lord, we are NOT serving for the right reason.

God grant me a heart which seeks to serve You, first and foremost, purely and simply because I love You and wish to honor You in what I do.

No, we are not reading through this ‘jewel’ of a book at the rate of one chapter per day. I am just playing catch up. So, if what you have read in my posts (or those on Tim’s site) has intrigued you at all, there is still time for you to join us in reading this Christian treasure. We are taking our time, reading only a chapter a week. Since chapter two is quite short, there is plenty of time for you to catch up and read along with us.

I agree with Tim’s comment on the book in his review of chapter two. He said, ‘It is undoubtedly a little too early to get too excited about the book, but through the first couple of chapters I feel like this book is going to be one of my favorites. Everything Burroughs writes seems to smack me right between the eyes. He so clearly has that ability so many of the Puritan writers had to probe into the deepest recesses of the heart and to bring truth to bear on it.’

This book probes deep. The author does not pull punches. In general, we are a very discontented people. There really is little distinction between Christians and non-Christians in this area. If there were, Christians would not be so easily swayed by ‘health and wealth’ teachings. We would not be so quick to complain when trials and challenges cross our path. We would not so willingly question God’s goodness when we think life is handing us lemons.

Instead of our churches being filled with a peculiar people, counting everything loss for the sake of Christ, we have bookshelves sagging with books with titles like, “If God is Good, Why Can’t I Get My Locker Open.” Instead of carrying our cross with real willingness, we wonder how people like Joni Erickson Tada can find joy, yes even true contentment, as a quadriplegic.

Jeremiah Burroughs, however, is not a Christian of our era. He is not looking at what we can ‘get’ to make us content. He is opening up the fountain of contentment which resides in a Christian’s heart. This doctrine is not only extremely timely, it is overwhelmingly relevant to Christians of all ages - but, perhaps, especially to modern day Christians.

In chapter two Burroughs begins to present “The Mystery Of Contentment.” While it will take him three chapters to cover the subject to his satisfaction, the second chapter lists seven graces which teach ‘us how to moderate and order an affliction.’

He begins the chapter thus: “It is possible [to attain contentment]. . .if you but understand the mystery of it. . .” The mystery of Christian contentment is that, for a Christian, it is possible to be content with “affliction, yet thoroughly sensible of . . .affliction too.” It is possible to “endeavor to remove it. . .yet to be content.” Grace teach us “how to make a mixture of sorrow and . . .joy together. . .”

The point which struck home most forcefully for me was the author’s second point. Here he says a Christian “comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction. . .by subtracting from his desires. . .It is fitting for me to bring my desires down to my circumstances. . .The world [thinks] contentment lies in having more, [however] the root of contentment consists in the suitableness and proportion of a man’s spirit to his possessions.”

Since I have been studying prayer with a recent focus upon worship, these words were very revealing. Obviously a person is NOT going to be content if their focus, their desire, that which they worship is anything other than God himself. I believe this is the focus behind most of Burroughs seven points in this chapter.

For example, in point number six, the author says a Christian is “. . .contented by the melting of his will and desires into God’s will and desires; by this means he gets contentment. . .He makes his will to be one with God’s will. This is a small degree higher than submitting to [God’s] . . .will.” It is, in fact, coming to see my goal as God, not something in myself or something which the world has to offer. The only way, however, we will ever attain this degree of ‘agreement’ with God’s will is if God is the sole recipient of our worship.

From this chapter, then, I took away the confirmation that unless and until God is the center of my life, I will never, can never enjoy true and lasting contentment. It really is all or nothing!

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, a group of people have joined together with Tim Challies to read Jeremiah Burrough’s book, “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.” First published in 1648, this book has become a Christian classic.

Burroughs was born in 1599. He graduated from Emmanuel College in Cambridge, England. Fleeing the Laudian persecution, he spent four years as the ‘teacher’ of an English congregation in Rotterdam.

Returning from exile in 1941 he became the ‘gospel preacher’ at both Stepney and Cripplegate (in London). These churches were considered ‘two of the greatest congregations in England.’ Through his work and teaching, Burroughs played a prominent role in the Westminster Abbey of Divines and earned a high ranking among English puritan preachers.

‘The Rare Jewel’ is not Burrough’s only published work, but it is one of his most valuable. Furthermore, it addresses a subject which was dear to the author’s heart. He believed, ‘There is an ark that you may come into, and no men in the world may live such comfortable, cheerful and contented lives as the saints of God.’

Thus, my goal over the next few weeks is to share with you tidbits from this timeless work. In so doing, I hope to encourage, admonish, and edify both my readers and myself. While my posts will normally provide a very brief overview and then zero in on some point which spoke to me personally, there are many others reading and reviewing the book. Thus, I will provide links to Tim’s review in each post (and in the comments you will usually find links to other people’s comments). I would encourage you to take a look. Better yet, get the book and read along. I have no doubt you will find it a worthy use of your time!

In the first chapter of ‘The Rare Jewel,’ the author gives us a brief look at the Scriptural foundation for contentment, defines the word ‘content’ as used in Phillipians, provides us a working definition for contentment, and then gives his readers a nine-point explanation of his definition. He says, ‘contentment in every condition. . .is to be learned. . . .as a mystery. . .and those who are thoroughly trained in this art, which is like Samson’s riddle to a natural man, have learned a deep mystery.’

In Chapter one, Burrough uses three proof texts. For the first he turns to Paul’s words in Phillipians 4:11-12. Here Paul says, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

Burroughs cracks opening the meaning of the passage. He says, ‘the word rendered ‘content’ here has great eloquence and fullness of meaning in the original. In the strict sense it is only attributed to God. . .in that He rests fully satisfied in and with Himself alone. But He is pleased freely to communicate His fullness to the creature. . .As a result, there is in them the same grace that is in Christ. . .In this sense, Paul says, ‘I have a self-sufficiency,’ which is what the word means. . .[Thus Paul’s] meaning [is]. . ‘I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me’.” Burroughs says, “. . .the doctrinal conclusion briefly is this: that to be well-skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian.”

Next the author turns to 1 Timothy 6:6-8 which reads, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”

As Burroughs explains, these verses show contentment is our duty: “. . .having. . . .with these we shall be content.” It is also our glory and excellence: “. . .godliness with contentment is great gain.” He goes so far as to purport Paul is suggesting in these verse godliness is not gain except contentment accompany it. This, he says, is the underlying principle in Hebrews 13:5 as well. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”"

Thus we are given a working definition for contentment - a definition which the author will explain under nine different subheading through the rest of the chapter. Burroughs says, “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal of every condition.”

Less one think ‘contentment’ is a stoic or unfeeling frame of mind, Jeremiah Burroughs is quick to correct our thinking. Contentment IS resting in God. It IS trusting in His character and His care. It IS finding in Him everything needed for life and godliness. But, it is NOT “opposed to all lawful seeking for help in different circumstances, nor to endeavoring simply to be delivered out of present afflictions by the use of lawful means.”

At its most basic level, Christian contentment is “. . .a grace that spreads itself through the whole soul. It is in the judgment.” In other words, a Christian can say, “in my judgment I am satisfied, . . .This is the hand of God. Thus it is best for me.” It is also in the thoughts. The Christian endeavors to keep his thoughts in order. Furthermore, it spreads to the will. A Christian’s “will yields and submits to it.” Finally, it conquers the affections. Thus a Christian finds his “affections. . .kept in order, so that it goes through the whole soul.”

Dear friend, if this sounds like the unattainable, do not lose heart. This is the goal - not the expected starting point. Burroughs put it this way, “In some there is a partial contentment. . . Many a man may be satisfied in his judgment. . .who cannot. . .rule his affections, nor his thoughts, nor his will. . .” A Christian can say, “I see the hand of God. . .in my judgment I am satisfied that mine is a good condition. . .but. . .I feel my heart heavy and sad and more than it should be.”

This is nothing new. Read Psalm 42. “This is a very good psalm for those who feel a fretting, discontented sickness in their hearts. . .David had enough to quiet him, and what he had prevailed with his judgment. . .but after it had prevailed with his judgment, he could not get it any further.”

Contentment - ah what a highly desired state. I believe, if I could always direct my life in to the path of contentment, I would be able to face anything with a calm demeanor and a quiet heart. Nonetheless, while this is my goal (as it should be for all Christians), when truly tested I find myself far off the mark. Thus, I read on with eagerness - seeking to inform my mind and heart that my judgment might be strong enough to rule over my thoughts, will, and affections.

Listening to some, looking around at the condition of some churches, and certainly hearing the mainstream media’s viewpoint can leave one wondering at the future of the Christian church in America. Thus it was with interest I read World Magazine’s recent article, “Sixth Wind” by Marvin Olasky.

Noting the liberal media’s plethora of bad news like Newsweek’s recent article, “The Decline and Fall of Christian America,” Mr. Olasky points out the need to always take a second look. He says, “Whenever the conventional wisdom points in a particular direction it’s good practice to ask: What if the opposite is true? What if nominal Christian affiliation is declining but serious biblical belief is actually on the rise? What if Christianity in America is not dying, but instead getting its second wind - or maybe its sixth?”

Taking information from various polls and surveys and from various books by secular authors, Mr. Olasky sets to pointing to some interesting conclusions which suggest that while Christianity is taking a beating (so to speak) on the broad front, at its heart it may, in fact, be growing stronger, deepening its roots, and rebuilding its foundations.

One interesting resource Mr. Olasky used in his article was the book God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith is Changing the World by John Micklethwait (editor-in-chief of The Economist - a weekly (non-Christian) skeptic’s magazine) and Adrian Wooldridge (the magazine’s Washington bureau chief). These two self-proclaimed ‘non-involved outsiders’ admit the evident problems within the church. However they also noted, “Christians are the people looking after the homeless, the drug-addicted.” Then they asked a key question, “Where is the atheist homeless shelter?”

In fact, in both the United Kingdom and in America, Micklethwait and Wooldridge’s research has shown a strengthening Church. While some mega-churches continue to face growing difficulties, grass-roots Christianity is going deeper. Granted, many churches may see declining numbers, but is this a bad thing?

As Wooldridge pointed out, “Christianity. . .has survived the acids of modernity. It’s had its reformations, it’s had its competitions, it’s had all of that and it has been strengthened by it. . .” Thus, the generations to follow may look back at this time and see, ultimately, the growth of the Christian church. Certainly the New Testament bears this out. The real church, real Christianity, real faith actually grow and thrive under persecution.

And, lest we think Christianity’s impact is declining on the political or social front, Mr. Olasky’s article (and an interview with Wooldridge and Micklethwait in the same issue of World Magazine) suggest just the opposite. On the political front Wooldridge says, “I see the political influence of religion becoming actually greater in the United States, rather than less. This is true times 10 for the rest of the world.”

On the social front, Mr. Olasky asks a telling question. However, Mr. Micklethwait’s answer is even more enlightening. Mr. Olasky asked, “What do you make of the atheist bestsellers during the past several years?”

Mr. Micklethwait responds, “You do not suddenly wake up in a panic about God being bad or terrible if you think you’ve already won the argument. If you went back 10 or 15 years, the idea that Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens could write a bestseller on the subject would have seemed odd, because — certainly in Europe — most of the educated elites would have assumed that God was disappearing anyway, so what’s the worry?”

As Christians I believe we should take away at least three things from this ongoing discussion:

One - We must not believe everything we hear and read. The mainstream media has a goal in mind. They are no longer neutrally reporting ‘news’ as they find it. They are creating news. They are seeking to shape the future of America. Thus, as Mr. Olasky pointed out, we need to ask some direct questions and look in the opposite direction to avoid being blinded by their smoke-screen.

Two - Whose church is this? If the church is God’s church, the gates of hell will not prevail against it. In other words, if we see our churches being rocked by the winds of change, maybe we should be asking ourselves - what is our church founded upon? If we are founded upon Christ, the rock, we have no reason to fear. God is on our side. If we are not, then we never were part of the true church anyway.

Three - Persecution is not a bad thing, in and of itself. In fact, persecution is often the tool which God uses to purge our hearts and His church. Thus we should realize, there will be a separating of the wheat from the tares. This does not mean we do not pray for (and seeking to restore) those who walk away from the church in these trying times, but we also need to remember the Bible says there are those who will go out from us because they were never really attached to the vine!

As we wrap up this brief look into true worship, I want to share with you some implications which a correct understanding of worship should have on us. John Piper, in his sermon, “The Inner Essence of Worship” lists four important points. I encourage you to listen to this sermon which is available at the Desiring God website. However, because I believe these implications help us wrap up our study, I will share them with you, in part.

Implication #1 - The pursuit of God is not optional; it is our highest duty in our worship.

Our society has bought Immanuel Kant’s lie. Kant told us our highest motivation should be self-less. Applying this to worship, we have come to believe it is wrong to come to worship seeking to gain something. Yet, as we saw in our last post, Paul is seeking in life or death (in every possible area of worship) to ‘gain’ Christ.

The essence of true worship is a heart-driven desire to find joy and satisfaction in our God. Thus, if you buy the lie, where are you going to worship? If you do not desire to be filled, to enjoy, to find your contentment and happiness in God, what will motivate you to worship?

Worship is not about what we are bringing to God. It is not about how well we ‘perform,’ how harmoniously we sing, how beautifully we are garbed, how attentively we listen - it is about coming to God seeking from the very depths of our being the be filled with the Lord of the universe!

Pastor Piper put it like this, “You ought to come hungry for God. Come saying, “As a deer pants for the flowing springs, so my soul pants for thee, O God.” God is mightily honored when a people know that they will die of hunger and thirst unless they have God.”

Implication #2 - When we finally grasp the essence of true worship is finding our satisfaction in God, our worship becomes completely God-centered.

Do you want to worship God aright? Do you desire to truly worship? Get it into your heart, into your mind, become fully persuaded there is nothing in this life or the next which is going to satisfy you like your God. Once your heart beats in tune to this reality, God will become completely central and supreme in your life. Then, and only then, are you able to truly worship Him - in spirit and in truth. Now you know why　you go to church. Now you long to be in God’s house. Now you begin to understand what drove David to pen the many psalms which revel in the magnificence of God.

Implication #3 - Cherishing God and His supremacy as the highest, the most noble, the most desirable end protects worship from becoming a means to an end.

We are so easily fooled. We think we are worshiping when, in truth, we are using worship as a means to attain something else we want. We ‘worship’ so God will bless us financially, or numerically, or physically, or with family unity, or for myriad other ‘things’ which are what we really worship. This is NOT true, God-pleasing worship, but it is a far too common ingredient in our ‘worship.’

Implication #4 - If the essence of true worship is finding my satisfaction in God, Paul’s expression in Romans 12:1 (that all of life is an expression of worship) makes sense.

When I desire to know God to that degree and to that depth, it cannot help but impact me in every facet of my life. One of the reasons my ‘worship’ so often falls so far below real worship is because magnifying God, knowing God, drawing closer to God is not the underlying motivating factor in all of life.

God grant us the ability to not only say, but mean these words of David, “As a deer pants for the flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” Teach me, oh God, to pant after you - to long for you - to desire you above everything and every one else!

We have looked at worship from numerous angles in recent posts, seeking to understand what worship is and what it is not. In the final post on Prayer and Worship, I asked some questions which have been challenging me as we continue defining real worship:

1- Do we ‘study’ our God?

2- Do we invest significant time into learning from Him by reading and studying the Scriptures and sitting under biblical preaching and teaching?

3- Are we as concerned about knowing our God’s desires and wishes and demands as we are about knowing those of our boss or our spouse or our parent or our teacher or some other authority figure in our lives?

The theme connecting these questions is the centrality of God in our lives - thus in our worship. Everyone worships. This much is clear. Furthermore, our worries reveal what and who we worship. However, pinning a clear, working definition on worship has proven a bit illusive. Thus I am thankful for John Piper’s sermon on the “Inner Essence of Worship”.While in the Old Testament we see many forms and symbols used in worship, in the New Testament worship is NOT about the position of the body or the words on the lips. Jesus warned against this specifically in Matthew 15:8. “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”

Words, alone, do not constitute worship. True worship flows from a heart attitude. A worshiping heart is a heart which has seen God, a heart which hungers for God, a heart which treasures God above all else. As Pastor Piper pointed out, we can sing the words, “Oh Lord, You’re beautiful. Your face is all I seek. . .” We can look like we mean it. We can sound　like we mean it. But, if, in our hearts, God is not the one we seek, above everything else, we are not worshiping, we are lying!

Worship is all about magnifying God. It is all about putting Him first and foremost. It is all about focusing on His ‘worth-ship.’ From Phillipians 1:20-21, Pastor Piper showed Paul’s working definition of worship. In these verses Paul says, “. . .that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

John Piper pointed out Paul is actually saying, his earnest hope and passion, whether in life or in death, is that Christ is always worshiped. Do you see it? Paul is saying, in his life and his death he wants to magnify Christ - put Him first and foremost - reveal His ‘worth-ship.’

As Pastor Piper unpacked these verses He revealed what Paul was saying. First off he showed the connection between the two verses. In both verses Paul uses a ‘life’ and ‘death’ illustration. If we look at the ‘death’ illustration we see Paul is saying death is gain.

Theoretically a lot of Christians would agree. However, there are few (myself, I fear, included) who long for death because it means they will be with Christ - which to them is the highest most desirable place they can imagine being.

Do you long for death? If so, why? I suspect, like me, if you have longed for death, that longing was most prevalent when life was hard. In other words, what we long for is escape, ease, eternal pleasure. This is NOT the attitude Paul is talking about. This is NOT seeing death as gain because you so desire to be with your Lord and Savior.

Paul sees gaining Christ - in life or death - as the highest thing he can attain. To him, knowing and experiencing and being with Christ us far better than family or friends or wealth or possessions or reputation or career or anything　this life has to offer. So, worship, at its very core, is a savoring, a treasuring, and magnifying of Christ! Is this your heart attitude? Is this your goal?

The second aspect of worship Paul reveals in this passage is living worship. He says ‘for me, to live is Christ’. What does he mean? Phillipians 3:8 gives us the answer. Here Paul says, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value [gain] of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.”

Do you see it? Paul does not just long for death as a way to magnify Christ - a way to make Him central and primary in his life. Even in his life, Paul treasurers God above all else. It might be easy to make ourselves believe that in our death we will treasure seeing God, being with God, glorifying God as our highest end, however, as we evaluate our lives - is this the position God holds now?

Pastor Piper says until we arrive at this point, there is no worship in our lives. Worship is, at its essence, an inward cherishing or prizing of Christ in our daily lives as well as in our coming death. It is finding our complete satisfaction in Him.

This does NOT mean the only person who worships God is the monk in the abbey, the nun in the cloister, or the hermit in a mountain hut. Paul is just one example of a saint who, in everyday life, worshiped by prizing God above all else. Prizing God above all else does NOT mean we stop living and loving and interacting in the world in which we live. Paul did not. We should not.

Jesus put it this way in Luke 14:25 - 27. “And there went great multitudes with him: and He turned, and said unto them, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.”

This passage coincides with what we have been discovering. We see multitudes following Christ. In today’s vernacular we see people at church going through the motions - most likely thinking they are worshiping God.

We would probably expect Jesus to turn around, raise His hands and bless these faithful followers. But He doesn’t! He turns around and says some very unexpected words. He tells this ‘adoring’ crowd they must hate their family members, even their own life, if they want to be one of His followers.

This verse has raised many questions. What is Jesus saying? Are we to literally hate our family? Our life? Jesus is saying, in comparison to your love for me, your love for your family, for your very life, must be hatred. We see this attitude played out in real life in Genesis.

Remember Abraham? Remember how long he longed for and sought to possess a true heir? Remember the delight Abraham and Sarah felt upon the birth of Isaac? Remember how this son was treasured as the fulfillment of all their dreams and hopes and plans?

Then, in Genesis 22 verse 2 we read these HORRID words, “Then He [God] said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

No parent can really contemplate this command without shuddering. How terrible! How mind-boggling! How hard to understand! This is another verse which has caused many who do not understand worship to question God’s goodness. How dare He? What was God’s point?

Think of it this way. Can you even put into words the love you feel for your children? Your spouse? Your family? If you have ever experienced real　love, you know exactly what I mean. Thus it is not hard to imagine this child, Isaac, was the center of Abraham’s world. Yet, God required, of Abraham (and of us), that HE be the center of our world.

Thus God tested Abraham. Not because He didn’t know Abraham’s heart, but because Abraham needed to be reminded Who was first and foremost. He needed to ‘hate’ his own son in comparison to his love for his God.

The thing I find painful is, as I hold my own precious son in my arms, I cannot fathom passing this test. Could I? Would I be willing to make that journey to Mt. Moriah? Would I bind my son? Would I lift the knife? Would I take the downward plunge?

If Christ is everything to me, if I cherish Him above all else, if pleasing Him is really my highest goal in life - then, if He commanded me to do the unfathomable, I could. If I could not, because He is not, I have never really worshiped Him!

Worry and Worship

Shame is a strong motivating factor. Even if your shame is known only to you and God. Such was the position I found myself in recently. Worried. Ashamed.

I know worry is sin. While our culture calls it ‘normal’, the Bible calls it sin. However, it was not the worry which brought me the most shame. It was a revelation, an insight, an eye-opening. Lately I have been studying prayer - in particular, the worship aspect of prayer. I suppose that is why I finally made a connection which had never hit me before.

Whatever makes me worry reveals something I worship! Like I said, this is nothing new. However, it hit me hard this time. I finally realized that when I worry I am not only sinning because worry itself is sin, I am sinning because I am worrying about something which means WAY TOO MUCH to me.

In other words, if I analyze what causes me stress, I realize what I matters most to me. What matters most to me is what, in essence, I worship. It is where I have placed my treasure - consciously or unconsciously.

Look at it this way - if I have an accident and wreck my car, this is bad. I am tempted to worry - worry about what effect it will have on my insurance rates, worry about how I will get to and from my job, and so on. If there is someone else involved in my accident, and, worse yet, if I am in some way to blame (or could be blamed) for the accident, my worry increases substantially. Now I worry about if they will sue - if they will require major medical care I will have to pay for - and so on.

On the other hand, say I pass an accident along the road. I can see more than one person is involved, the car is obviously totaled, and possibly I see someone who is quite distraught. What is my reaction then? Assuming rescue personnel are already on the scene: certainly concern - empathy - sympathy. Without a doubt I offer up a prayer for their safety, healing, and comfort.

Nonetheless, do I go home worrying about them? No. Why? Because their accident does not effect me personally. If I learned someone I cared for deeply was involved in that accident, then, again, my reaction would change. In other words, the more personally I am involved, the more likely I am to worry about some aspect.

What does my worry reveal? Well, take the scenario above. If I worry about my insurance rates or being sued or medical bills or my job, I reveal I worship material things. For, ultimately what am I worrying about except that I will potentially have less ‘money’ in my pocket?

So far, in every scenario I have played through in my mind (or in real life), what I would worry about (or do worry about) reveals something I ‘treasure’ - in other words, something I worship.

This led me to ponder the verse “where your treasure is. . .”. As I pondered this, I found myself wondering about the context in which it was placed. Sure enough, my suspicions were verified. Did you realize, this verse which speaks directly to ‘what’ we treasure - in other words, what we worship - lies smack dab between the Lord’s prayer (our Lord’s example of proper prayer, thus proper priorities) and His admonition on worry? (see Matt 6)

If my heart fully and truly worships God, I know　I cannot lose Him because He has promised He will not lose me. Now that (if I could just get it implanted into my heart) is a sure cure for worry! Next time you find yourself worrying, ask yourself - ‘what am I worshiping?’ That’s something I am going to ask myself.

The law is more than just a list of do’s and don’ts. It is works in the believer’s life in at least three ways. The law serves as a mirror, a restrainer, and a revealer.

When we look into the law with an honest heart, we see where we fall short. At its most basic, the law requires us to love God and love our neighbor. As Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31, “‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Can anyone honestly say they love God to this degree. Maybe, for a fleeting moment one might attain to this ideal. Maybe. But longer than this our sinful flesh just will not.

Furthermore, can we say we loved our neighbor as much as we love ourselves? Remember the definition of neighbor? Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan? Occasionally in those fleeting moments we truly care for one we love as we ought, but for our enemies? That is a whole new diminsion.

The law’s second purpose is as a restrainer. John Calvin said God revealed His moral will (the law) “to check the raging and otherwise limitlessly ranging lust of the flesh.” (John Calvin from “The Institutes”).

If properly used the law produces a fear of punishment. This fear restrains our acts and causes us to respond in a kinder, more humane way than we would otherwise. However, we must keep in mind that obeying because we fear punishment makes us “neither better nor more righteous before God.” (ibid)

The law’s third purpose is to reveal what pleases God. Psalms 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” John Calvin enlightens us further. He says, “the thrid and principle use [of the law]. . .pertains more closely to the proper purpose of the law.” (ibid)

Even if we were born without our sinful hearts, in other words, even if our hearts were inclined to obey, the law would still serve the purpose of revealing to us what actions and thoughts are pleasing to God. This is because the law:

– defines a holy life

– pleases God

But we must not swing too far in the other direction. Keeping the law does not:

– make God love us

– earn His acceptance

– merit anything toward our standing before God (our justification)

This work was performed by Christ. However, as those redeemed by His blood, our natural response should be to desire to please Him by doing what He has told us pleases Him.

One final thought: the law is elliptical. In other words, it enjoins the opposite of what it forbids and it forbids the opposite of what it enjoins. We see this most clearly in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus told us we should not just restrain from the physical act of murder, we should also not even think evil thoughts - in other words, our thoughts toward others should be kind and generous.

Obviously the law plays an important role in our Christian walk. While keeping the law merits us nothing in our legal standing before Christ, the law still reveals the true condition of our hearts, restrains us from committing sins we might otherwise commit, and reveals to us the actions we should  do in honor and service to our King.