Category: Discipleship

Are You Wholly Committed to God?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Discipleship1 Comment

My generation and even more so the generation coming after me has commitment issues.

Take marriage as an example. The Sacramento Bee, which is a newspaper in California, reported that nearly half of all Californians 18 and older are currently not married, and of those currently not married, nearly 35% have never been married. Comparing these numbers to 1960, we see that 26% of Californians were married and only 13% had never been married. These numbers are on the rise.  It has been estimated that in next 5-10 years, there will be more people who are unmarried than married in California [1].

While these are statistic for California, this trend is occurring all over the nation. People in my generation and the generation after me just aren’t getting married. One of the reasons for this trend, certainly not the only reason, but one of the reasons for this trend is our issue with commitment.

But it’s not just that we are afraid to get married. Nowadays it is difficult to find anyone who has worked for a company longer than 5 years, attended one church most of their life, or even someone who has lived in the same town. We not only lack relational commitment but job, church, and geographical commitment as well. We have commitment issues.

We aren’t to hold back with God

When it comes to our relationship with God, however, we aren’t to hold back. We are to commit ourselves wholly to Him. In verse 1 of Genesis 17, God comes to Abraham and asks him to do two things – (1) to “walk before him” and (2) to be “blameless.”

When God tells Abraham to “walk before him”, what He means is that every step, every action that Abraham undertakes would be done with God in mind. The second idea — that Abraham would be “blameless”— re-enforces the first. In order for him to be blameless before God, he must completely and without qualification, give himself over to God.

God, then, is essentially asking Abraham to be wholly committed to Him. To give all of himself over, not leaving any part back. God wants it all – His job, family, leisure time, money, and sex life.

God expects the same from us. He expects us to be wholly devoted and committed to Him. Which means we can’t section off or compartmentalize our life. We have to give God our whole self.

It is difficult to give God our whole lives

For a generation struggling with commitment issues and one that is accustomed to holding things back, giving it all to God is difficult. In reality, giving our whole self over to God is difficult for anyone, not just my generation. We don’t want to give up control over our lives. We want to be able to call the shots and have options. But God asks, and even requires us, to give up control and commit ourselves fully to Him, if we are going to have a relationship with Him and experience the blessings that come from that relationship.

How do you know that you are wholly committed to God?

To help you figure out where your commitment lies, I have listed three questions below for you to reflect on.

(1) What do I prioritize in my life?

To figure this out, all you have to do is look at the things you spend your time, money, and energy on.

When your time is crunched, what gets pushed to the side? Is it more likely to be your Bible or is Facebook, Netflix, Hulu, or some topic you are researching on the internet?

When you get your paycheck, what do you spend your money on first? Is it your tithe, missions, or something else kingdom related? Or is it something for your home, a trip to the movies, or a day at Six Flags? In other words, how do you plan your budget? Do you give God what’s leftover or does He get your firstfruits?

What do you devote most of your energy to throughout the week? Is it the advancement of God’s kingdom or your own kingdom?

All these are good questions to ask because your priorities are often revealed by what you spend your time, money, and energy on.

(2) Where do you turn when you are facing issues at home, work, or church?

Do you turn to the Bible or human wisdom? If you turn to the Bible, are you willing to allow it to direct and guide your decisions, even if it is unpopular or will require  sacrifice on your part? If you are wholly committed to God, He will be the first place you turn, and His wisdom will be the wisdom you follow.

(3) Do you just say you know God or do you obey Him?

John says in the second chapter of his first letter,

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:” (1 Jn 2:3–5)

Those who say they know God without obeying Him aren’t wholly committed to Him.

Question for Reflection

  1. Are you wholly committed to God or are you holding something back?

Resources

[1] http://www.sacbee.com/site-services/databases/article60699136.html

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Post adapted from my recent sermon: Are You Wholly Committed to God? which you can listen to by clicking here.

Do You Worship Out of a Sense of Duty or Thankfulness?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Church Life, Devotionals, Discipleship2 Comments

In Psalm 50, Asaph confronts Israel regarding their worship and living. What they were doing isn’t much different from what many do today. Their worship was formulaic. In other words, they were going through the motions. Sure, they brought the appropriate sacrifices, but it was done more out of a sense of duty instead of thanksgiving.

Many Do the Same Today

To our shame, many today view the Sunday worship service as nothing more than another box to check off on their spiritual checklist right alongside their morning prayer and devotion. Thinking that way, we drag ourselves to the Sunday Service, sing a few songs, bow for the pastoral prayer, greet our neighbors, place some money in the offering plate, listen to the sermon, and then we are on our way, patting ourselves on the back for a job well done. Why do we do this?

Why Do We Worship Out of Duty?

We worship out of duty because we think that is what God wants or needs. But that is far from the truth. God doesn’t need us, our provisions, or our worship. He owns everything, and He is satisfied in and of Himself. The truth is, we need God. We need His provisions and care.

The Gospel Changes Our Perspective

Instead of faking it, what we need to do is change our perspective. The way we do that is by meditating on the gospel.

The gospel tells us we are sinners, who have rebelled against and offended a holy God. As a result, we are destined to suffer His wrath. However, Jesus came, lived a perfect life, and, even though He didn’t deserve God’s wrath, He faced it on our behalf. He took the wrath we deserve on Himself. All those who repent of their sins and believe Jesus suffered the punishment we deserve, can experience a restored relationship with the Father free from the fear of judgment.

For Jesus’ sacrifice, we should be thankful. For God’s provision and care in our life, we should be thankful. Our thankfulness should drive us to worship God. So when we begin to go through the motions in worship, what we need to do is stop, meditate on the gospel, and remember God’s provisions.

We need to reset our heart, so we see that it’s not God who needs us, but we who need Him.

When we truly see our need for God and how He has provided for us, we should be driven to worship out of a sense of thankfulness instead of duty. When we worship from a right heart, we end up glorifying God. For He says in Psalm 50:23

“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (Ps. 50:23)

Question for Reflection

  1. Does thankfulness or duty drive your worship?

Resource

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A Call To Maturity: How the older generation can train the youth of today

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Church Life, Discipleship, Pastoral4 Comments

March 2013’s edition of Table Talk Magazine covers Youth Culture. In an article entitled A Call to Maturity, Robert Carver challenges the older generation to train up our youth in the way of the Lord.

While there is a cultural divide between the older generation and the up and coming youth, godly saints still have a lot of wisdom to offer. Walking with the Lord for 30, 40, or even 50 years bears a lot of fruit. Fruit that needs to be shared. Even though formal instruction exists in homes, schools, and churches, informal day-to-day opportunities are available. Carver offers three practical ways to take advantage of the everyday.

How to Take Advantage of the Everything

(1) Love Them Genuinely And Patiently

The younger generation needs to know that the older generation is not estranged from them. The church is a body made up of many members, young and old – all valuable to the functioning of the whole.

In Ephesians 4, Paul describes the saints as growing from spiritual immaturity “to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (v. 13). This process is accomplished “when each part is working properly, mak[ing] the body grow so that it builds itself up in love’ (v. 16).

If we are to have an impact on the young, we must love them, and they must know that we do.

“Love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22).

If you are a part of the older generation, don’t be hesitant to tell the up and coming youth you know that you love them (corporately and individually). To love them genuinely and patiently is to love them as God loves us.

(2) Share With Them What Is Most Important to You

One thing that should be important to you is God’s Word. Let the youth see your passionate love for God’s Word as it instructs you, guides you, encourages you, and convicts you. Let them see how vital of a component it is for your everyday life.

“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).

Share specific passages that have gripped your life recently.

Also, convey to them the essential nature of prayer. Help them to see that it is an activity Christians can’t live without. Do this as you pray with them and for them. Le’ts Paul’s testimony of Epaphras be yours. In Colossians 4:12, Paul testified that Epaphras was “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12).

Without fail urge them to fight the good fight, to battle tirelessly with sin, and to flee youthful passions (2 Tim. 2:22) that wage war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11).

Furthermore, challenge them to see God at work in all events, including the details of their lives. Encourage them to constantly thank God for all they have and for them to never forget to give Him all glory.

(3) Invest In Them

Buy them books that have made a spiritual impact on your life, and offer to study these books with them. Offer to take them to conferences and other Christian gatherings. The investments we make in their spiritual lives will pay everlasting dividends.

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days (Eccl. 11:1).

Conclusion

After offering three practical suggestions Carver closes by saying:

So, “to what shall I compare this generation?” Surely it is a generation like no other. But it is also a generation that needs to know Christ’s redeeming love, and needs to shine as lights in the world in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation (Phil. 2:15) – just as we of the older generation needed to do back in our day (and now). May God help us to be examples and loving instructors to them, and may they do likewise.”

I believe Carver’s call and suggestions are helpful and must be heeded. I can speak from personal experience in saying that the older generation has influenced me. I am thankful men have stepped up and spoke into my life. I am afraid though that is a rarity, but it doesn’t have to be.

May those in the older generation feel God’s call to train up the youth of this generation to be the men and women of Christ that they have become.

Resource

Table Talk Magazine March 2013, A Call to Maturity, 23-25.

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Looking for the Perfect Church?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical2 Comments

There is one question all Christians ask, and you may even be asking it right now: What church should I be a part of? As you thought about this, or are thinking about it, I am sure many questions have run through your head. Questions like:

  • Should I be a part of the church that has a lot of activities and fun things for my kids and me?
  • How about the one that perfectly fits my theological niche?
  • Or should I go to the one with the dynamic worship service?
  • How about the one in which I always feel comfortable?
  • Or is it the popular one in town that I should attend?

These are all questions that have been asked by Christians at one time or another when looking for a church. So which is it? Which church should we attend?

What should you be looking for in a church?

I believe the perfect church, the one we should look to attend, is the one that is primarily focused on benefiting others. Now I know it may sound strange to say that we should look for a church that is primarily focused on benefiting others, but if you think about it for a minute, that is the church that will best benefit us too.

Here is what I mean. If we are all willing to focus on the benefit of others, then we will all benefit. On the other hand, if we only focus on what benefits us, then we limit not only others benefit but ours as well. 

You see, when we only focus on our own benefit, we aren’t using our God-given spiritual gifts as we ought, which means we aren’t helping others as God intended. When you have a whole community that’s not helping others as God has intended, then the whole community suffers. In the end, no one receives the degree of benefit that they could, if all focused on benefiting each other. I know, it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s true. A community focused on self, receives less benefit than a community focused on others. So the perfect church, the one we should look to attend, is one that is primarily focused on benefiting others.

Now, if we are honest, most of us struggle with pouring ourselves out for others. Why is that?

Why do we most often do what benefits us?

I believe we focus on our own benefit to the exclusion of others because we have a sinful desire to be at the center. A sinful desire that is spurred on by American individualism. We may not realize it, but, as Americans, we are very individualistic. I believe American Author, Adam Johnson, captures this sentiment well when he says,

“In America, the stories we tell ourselves and we tell each other in fiction have to do with individualism. Every person here is the center of his or her own story. And our job as people and as characters is to find our own motivations and desires, to overcome conflicts and obstacles toward defining ourselves so that we grow and change” [1].

Did you catch what he said? “Every person here is the center of his or her own story.” Most Americans have bought into that idea, so much so that we all believe everything revolves around us.

But consider what Jesus says about us in Matthew 5:14,

““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Mt 5:14)

Jesus tells us we are the light of the world. We are a city set on a hill. A city is not made up of one person. Rather, it’s made up of a gathering of people, who have banded together for a particular purpose. As Christians, we should be banded together for the purpose of following and glorifying Christ. When we accomplish that purpose, we shine as lights to the watching world for Christ.

We don’t, however, shine as lights to the world, if we are all centered on ourselves. Instead, a church, whose individual members are centered on themselves, produce discouraged, uncomforted, self-centered, immature believers, rather than a brightly shining light others want to join.

How do we change?

How do we make sure we are a city shining a bright light of gospel transformation to the world? By shifting our focus from self to others. In order to do that, we have to apply the biblical idea of love. Love is what allows us to sacrifice our own desires and benefits for others. It’s love, then, that allows us to be a growing, thriving, encouraging, and comforting community that’s piercing the darkness of this world.

What if we are having trouble loving?

If we are having trouble loving, we need to meditate on the gospel. The picture of love the gospel presents is beyond belief. The gospel tells us that Jesus loves us so much He left His heavenly home, became a man, faced the difficulties of this sinful world, was persecuted, and ultimately nailed to the cross. But things didn’t end there. While He hung on the cross in physical agony, dying, the Father’s wrath was poured out on Him, not because He deserved it, but because we deserve it. Jesus hung in our place, taking our punishment so that we could experience a relationship with the Father and eternal life. It is His love that drove Him to sacrifice Himself for us. 

If the love of Jesus expressed in the gospel doesn’t warm your heart, and make you want to sacrifice and do what benefits others, then you may not have experienced the effects of the gospel in your own life; you may not have experienced God’s love. When God’s love comes into your life, you want to share that love with others. So if you are having trouble loving and giving of yourself to others, then meditate on the gospel.

Question for Reflection

  1. Are you pouring yourself out for others, or just expecting them to pour themselves out for you?

Resources

Post developed from my sermon Christian Community is for the Benefit of Others, which you can listen to in full by clicking here.

[1]http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/adamjohnso442716.html#7bMkReDEe6fZru22.99

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Why Jesus is Enough

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Discipleship1 Comment

In Colossians, Paul is dealing with false teachers. Focusing on the big picture, what we see is that these false teachers were adding something to the gospel. They required the Colossians to do more than believe in Jesus in order to be saved.

Here is the thing, however, when we add something to the gospel, we are really subtracting from it. Christ plus something = nothing. In other words, Christ plus something = no salvation.

Why does Christ plus something = nothing?

The salvation God provides through Jesus is by grace alone. No works are required. Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8–9)

Grace by definition excludes works, so much so that if you add one work to grace, then it’s no longer grace that you are saved by but works. Paul makes this clear in Romans 11:6 when he says,

“But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” (Ro 11:6)

It is crucial that we get this point because our eternal destiny hangs on it. If you add just one work to grace, it means you aren’t being saved by grace, but by your works. Our own works can’t provide us with salvation (Gal. 2:16). Only the work of Jesus can provide salvation. Only the pure gospel saves.

You can think about like this. If you were to add one drop of poison to a glass of pure water, you could no longer say that that was a glass of pure water. Instead, you would have to say it is a glass of poisoned water. One that might look like it would save you from thirst and dehydration, but in reality, would kill you.

It is the same way with grace. When we add just one human work to salvation, the gospel of grace becomes poisoned, so that when you drink of it, it no longer saves, but kills. Sure it might look like it provides salvation, just like the glass of poisoned water looks like it will refresh, but it won’t. That’s because Jesus plus something = nothing, but Jesus plus nothing = everything.

I know the idea that we are saved by grace alone baffles us at times and I know it is hard for us to get past the idea that we don’t have to perform any works to be saved. Paul, however, couldn’t be clearer. Jesus’ work alone is sufficient for life and godliness. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Jesus is enough!

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you believe Jesus’ work is enough for salvation?
  2. Even though you heard the idea that you are saved by grace alone a thousand times, do you still find yourself practically acting as if you have to do something in order to be saved?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon Jesus is enough

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How Can We Continue to Walk in Jesus? – Part 3

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, PracticalLeave a comment

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” (Col 2:6a)

Continually walking with Jesus is easier said than done. Maybe we have gotten out of the habit, found another walking partner or we are just not feeling it. Whatever it may be, Paul knows it can happen, which is why he, like the good spiritual trainer he is, provides us with motivation for why we should keep walking with Jesus. (see Part 1, Part 2)

(3) We must remember God’s work and allow it to drive us to thanksgiving (vs. 7d)

Paul ends verse 7 by telling us that the Colossians were, “abounding in thanksgiving” (2:7d). Commenting on this verse, John Calvin says,

“When he adds, with thanksgiving, he would have them always keep in mind from what source faith itself proceeds, that they may not be puffed up with presumption, but may rather with fear repose [or keep] themselves in the gift of God.”

Calvin is hitting on an important point because continually thanking God for the work He is doing in our lives causes us to remember that it is God, not ourselves or something else in this world, that saves us and continues to grow us. Thankfulness, then, guards us against thinking too much of ourselves, or too much of the things of this world. It keeps us centered on that which provides all we need for life and godliness — Jesus.

Along these same lines, John Piper in his sermon, Guard Yourself with Gratitude, says,

“Thankfulness is an essential guardian of the soul, and therefore we should guard ourselves with gratitude. Evidently we are fair game for the devil when we don’t abound with thanksgiving. Unless the song of thanksgiving is being sung in our hearts the enemy outside will deceive his way into the city of our soul, and the enemy sympathizers within will make his job easy. So for the sake of your own safety, strive to fill your heart with thanksgiving! Guard yourselves with gratitude!”

If we truly focus on what God has done for us, then abounding in thanksgiving shouldn’t be a problem. He gave His only Son to suffer a punishment that we deserve in order to repair our relationship with the Him, so we could live in His kingdom for all eternity. He delivered us from the domain of darkness, freeing us from the bondage of sin so that we can walk in Jesus. He sustains our life each and every day by providing for our physical, spiritual, and psychological needs. God does all this, and more, for those who don’t deserve it. When we think about all of what God has done and is doing for us, we should abound in thanksgiving. As we abound in thanksgiving, our gratitude should keep us walking with Jesus.

Question for Reflection

  1. Are you thankful for the work God has and is doing in your life?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon How can we continue to walk with Jesus?

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