Category: Practical

How Do We Deal with Recurring Sin in Our Lives? – Part 1

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical3 Comments

My calendar is full of reoccurring events. Every Friday at 6:30 am I meet with some guys at IHOP for our Men’s Breakfast, every Saturday is supposed to be Family Fun Day, and the first Tuesday of every month I attend a pastors network luncheon. Those are just a few of the reoccurring events on my calendar each month.

Just like me, I know you have things you do regularly. I am sure a lot of those are good things. But I know there are things in your life, just as there are in mine, that occur regularly that aren’t good. What I have in mind is that one sin that keeps coming back. The one you just can’t seem to shake. What do we do with that sin?  How do we deal with reoccurring sin in our lives?

Over the next five posts (Post 2, Post 3, Post 4), I intend to answer that question, while also providing encouragement for the battle ahead.

We Have to Discover Our Sin

In order to deal with our beloved sin — the one that occurs over and over again, we must know what it is. We can’t do battle with something that’s unknown, or we aren’t willing to admit.

How do we discover our beloved sin?

Thomas Watson, in his book, The Godly Man’s Picture, provides a few questions we can use to discover our beloved or recurring sin. I encourage you to spend some time with the following questions today. They not only serve to convict the soul, but they will also shed light on that which might be hidden.

(1) What is the one sin you don’t want others to point out? That one sore spot that if touched causes you to recoil or snap back in anger?

(2) What is the one sin that runs through your mind the most? The one you think about day in and day out?

(3) What is the one sin that has the most power over you? The one you can’t resist?

(4) What is the one sin that you defend often? The one you advocate and dispute for? The one whose arguments you have waiting in the wing for the moment when someone tries to call you out?

(5) What is the one sin that troubles your conscience the most? When you are distressed, hurting, sick, what sin comes to mind? What sin makes you most ashamed? [1]

What is the one sin you can’t seem to give up? What is your beloved sin? We all have one. It may change from time to time, but we all have one. If we are going to rid it from our lives, we not only have to know it but we have to admit it.

Question for Reflection

  1. What is that one sin that continues to play like a broken record in your life?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: How Do We Deal with Recurring Sin in Our Lives?

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[1]  Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture, 148-50.

How do we explain the stricter punishments of the nation of Israel?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment

If we are honest with ourselves, some of the punishments that took place in the nation of Israel give us pause. Not only were people regularly called out for their sin, often times death was the punishment. When we look at the church today, we don’t see folks being killed by the congregation for their sins. So why the change? How do we explain the stricter punishments in the nation of Israel?

Adultery Then and Now

For instance, in Deuteronomy 22 we read,

“Then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Dt 22:21–22)

The punishment for adultery in Old Testament Israel was stoning, but in the New Testament the punishment is different. Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” (1 Co 5:1–2)

While the sin was the same, the punishment was different. Instead of death, they were excommunicated. The differences, however, don’t stop there. Not only were their lives spared, but it was hoped that they would repent and enter back into the community.

Why the Change?

I believe the change can be explained in several ways.

(1) We no longer live in a Theocracy

We have to remember that Old Testament Israel lived with God as their ruler. He set the laws for the nation. God acting as the governing authority of a nation is generally referred to as a Theocracy. 

Now we live as the church in many different countries ruled by Kings, Governments, Dictators, etc. The rules of each country dictate how we are to live and what the punishment for certain sins will be, or if they will be punished.

(2) Our camp no longer has to be purged of evil

When the nation of Israel began, God tabernacled among the people. His presence was in the Holy of Holies, which is the innermost part of the Tabernacle. In order for God, who is holy, to live in the same camp with an unholy people, sacrifices had to be performed daily and yearly. As well as the evil unrighteous person had to be removed from the camp. One way they were removed was through death.

Death not only removed the unrighteous sinner from the camp, it also reminded the people that a holy God lived in their midst, and that He required them to be holy in order to continue to have a relationship with them.

In the church age, however, God no longer tabernacles in the holy of holies. His presence isn’t present in our churches like it was in the Tabernacle. Instead, God tabernacles among us, as He lives in our hearts. Each and every believer is indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We are, then, the Temple of God.

God is able to dwell in us because of Jesus’ death on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross the Temple and the sacrificial system associated with it, was made obsolete. His death served as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. His blood now covers us making us righteous and holy, which allows us to have a relationship with a holy God.

Since we are the Temple and the ultimate sacrifice for our sins has been paid, we no longer have to purge the evil from us in order for God to remain in our lives. The evil has already been purged during Jesus’ death on the cross.

(3) Jesus has taken the punishment for sin

The punishment for willful sin in the Old Testament was death. In the New Testament, however, the punishment for sin, specifically unrepentant sin is excommunication from the church with the ability to repent and return to be a part of the community.

While our punishment for sin has changed, the ultimate punishment for sin has not changed. It is still death. Jesus has taken that punishment for us when He died on the cross.

So while there has been a change in practice – we are no longer killed for sin in the church age – the severity of sin is still the same. Sin equals death.

Return to the Question

To return to our question: How do we explain the stricter punishments of the nations of Israel? We explain it by saying that

  • The punishment wasn’t necessarily stricter. It was the same. Sin has always and will always equal death. We don’t experience that death now because Jesus has taken the punishment of sin for us.
  • As well as we don’t live in a Theocracy. We are governed by the state, who sets the laws and punishments.
  • Furthermore, God no longer tabernacles in the holy of holies in the midst of a camp, but in the hearts of individual believers, who have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you agree with the argument above? I would love your feedback.

Resources

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Why Should We Work to Learn Contentment?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical2 Comments

Our society breeds discontentment. Think about it. Every day we are bombarded with messages that tell us if we want to be happy we need more things, fewer wrinkles, better vacations, and fewer troubles. The result of being hit with these messages day in and day out is that we find ourselves discontent in our jobs, marriages, churches, homes, friendships, and with our possessions. Our continual discontentment shouldn’t shock us. Being content isn’t something that comes naturally. Instead, contentment is something that is learned. Paul says in Philippians 4:11,

“For I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content.” (Phil. 4:11)

According to Hebrews 13:5, it is a response that all Christians must learn, not just apostles, pastors, or super christians.

Learning contentment is not an easy process. Since we naturally gravitate towards discontentment, it takes work. Even so, we must put in the work. We must do that, first, because we are commanded to do so. I, however, know commands aren’t always the best motivators, so besides the fact that we are commanded to be content, what are some other reasons we should work to learn contentment?

Why Should We Work to Learn Contentment?

(1) When we aren’t content with what the Lord has given us, we may find ourselves enslaved

Think about the person who wants to be the head of the office, which in and of itself is not a bad thing. Yet, this person is seeking that position because of the prestige, power, and money it affords. What happens to that guy? Inevitably he is going to start working longer hours and taking on a heavier workload, in order to try and prove he is the man for the job.

The downside, however, to taking on more work and longer hours is that he ends up neglecting his family, his church, and his health. Even though his family is constantly after him for more attention. His church consistently tells him they miss him. And his doctor keeps telling him to cut back on his work and get some exercise, he keeps going.

Why does he keep pushing despite the drawbacks, consequences, and broken relationships? He does it because he is enslaved to the process of getting to the top; of acquiring a certain level of prestige, power, and money he believes will ultimately give him what he desires. His enslavement started because he wasn’t content with what the Lord had given him, nor was he content with waiting on the Lord’s timing.

So we see that when we aren’t content with what the Lord has given us we may find ourselves enslaved, which has the very real potential of ruining relationships, our health, and even our life.

(2) When we aren’t content with what the Lord has given us, we may find ourselves destroyed

Take Bernie Madoff for instance. In 2008, his world of fame and fortune came crashing down when he was arrested for running the biggest Ponzi Scheme in history.

Bernie’s scheme all started because he wasn’t content with what he had. Instead of putting in the time and effort like everyone else, he decided to make sure his investments provided the returns necessary to elevate his lifestyle. Through an elaborately calculated and meticulously controlled Ponzi scheme, he was able to create the life he desired.

Bernie’s scheme worked for almost 20 years. During that time, I am sure he thought he would never be caught, but the law finally caught up with him. When it did, the life and empire he had built through his elaborate deception were destroyed. His empire came crashing down so hard that even one of his own kids was driven to suicide because he couldn’t handle the shame, pressure, and media attention Bernie brought on his family.

So we see when we aren’t content with what the Lord has given us, we may find ourselves, like Madoff, with our world destroyed as it all comes crashing down around us.

(3) When we are content with what the Lord has given us, we are free to worship Him

In Genesis 14, after Abraham defeats King Chedorlaomer and his alliance. He brings back his nephew Lot and all that King Chedorlaomer took from Sodom. Before Abraham meets with the King of Sodom, he has an encounter with the King of Salem – Melchizedek.

When Abraham meets with Melchizedek, we see that…

“…he [Melchizedek] blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”” (Ge 14:19-20b)

Through Melchizedek’s blessing Abraham is reminded that God is the One who has given him the victory. God is the reason he won the battle and was able to bring Lot, his family, and all the people of Sodom back.

Realizing God’s hand in the matter, Abraham is driven to worship the Lord, which he does by giving a tenth of everything to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God (Ge. 14:20).

“Tithing” is a universal sign of worship. It is a way for us give thanks to God for all He has given us and all He has done for us. As well as it is a way for us to show our trust and dependence on God. When you tithe, then, you aren’t just giving money to the church, you are actually worshipping God.

Sadly, however, tithing is a neglected form of worship. The Barna Group, a research firm, estimates that only 5-20 percent of people tithe in a typical congregation. They found that among non-tithing Christians who struggle to give, 38 percent say it’s because they can’t afford it, 33 percent say they have too much debt [1].

Now, I know that there are a few who are in a season of life where they may want to tithe, but can’t. They are working towards it, but things have happened — maybe they recently lost their job — which has hindered their ability to tithe for a season. The majority of people, however, who don’t tithe aren’t in that season. Instead, the majority of people who don’t tithe fit into the categories the Barna group highlighted. They can’t afford it because they are living outside their means, or they have too much debt because they are trying to keep up with the Jones’. Living outside your means or in ever increasing debt is not only unwise, it also reveals something about your heart. You are discontent with what the Lord had given you, and your discontentment has hinder your ability to worship God.

One of the secrets, then, to being able to consistently worship God by tithing is to be content with what the Lord has given you. Abraham was content, which is why he was able to give a tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek as a tithe. He could have kept it back, but he didn’t. Instead, he used it to worship the Lord.

So we see that when we are content with what the Lord has given us, we are set free to worship God through giving, not only of our money but ourselves.

(4) When we are content with what the Lord has given us, we are free to glorify Him.

In 1924, Eric Liddell entered the Olympic games. He was the favorite to win the 100 meter since he broke the British record in 1923. A record that stood for 35 years.

Liddell’s dream, however, of winning Olympic Gold was shattered when it was revealed that the 100m heats would fall on a Sunday. He was a devout Christian, who observed the Sabbath on Sunday, which meant participating in sports, even the Olympic games, was out of the question. Instead of running in a race he was sure to win, he spent the morning preaching in the Scots Church in Paris.

Why was he able to preach instead of run? He was able to give up a chance at the Gold because he was content with what the Lord had given him. His contentment freed him to seek God’s glory instead of his own.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Are you content? If not, in what areas do you need to learn contentment?
  2. What are some other reasons we should work to learn to contentment?

Resources

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Post adapted from my sermon “Why Should We Seek Contentment?“, which you can listen to here.

[1] http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-christians-who-tithe-have-healthier-finances-than-those-who-dont-95959/

 

 

 

Do You Walk By Faith or Sight?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment

When I was a kid, pinatas were all the rave at birthday parties. You remember how it worked. You were blindfolded, turned around and around till you felt sick, handed a stick, and sent on a mission to free the candy from inside the pinata. Sounds easy, but in practice, it’s much harder. Being blindfolded and disoriented isn’t exactly a recipe for a crushing candy freeing blow, but it was an opportunity to walk by faith. Since you couldn’t see and had no idea where the pinata was at after the dizzying spin, you had to rely on your friends to tell you where to swing. You had to walk by faith, which is the exact opposite of what Lot did.

Lot’s Walk – By Sight

In Genesis 13, due to a conflict between their shepherds, Abraham approached Lot and gave him the opportunity to choose what land he would want to inhabit. After Abraham gave Lot the choice of which land to take, we are told that:

“…Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Seeing this…

“…Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.” (Ge 13:10–13)

As I read through the commentaries, I discovered that when Abraham offered Lot the left or right, he was offering him a place in the land of Canaan. Lot, however, looked out and saw something he considered to be much better than the Promised Land. He saw that the land to the East was well watered, and had plenty of fertile soil for crops and cattle. As well as he saw cities, cultural centers that would prove useful for trade, entertainment, and other resources. Seeing all this, Lot decided that was the better land. So Lot left the Promised Land and settled near Sodom, a city of great sinners.

While Lot started out in a tent outside the city, he eventually traded in his tent for a townhouse in the city, and he eventually ended up sitting in the gate as a leader of these wicked people.

Lot paid for his choice. He was corrupted by the people he lived among.He lost his wife when she was turned into a pillar of salt. And his daughters eventually committed incest with him. All this started because of Lot’s choice to walk by sight and not faith.

Abraham’s Walk – By Faith

Abraham, on the other hand, chose to walk by faith. Starting in verse 14 we are privy to a conversation between he and God.

“The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”

With the Lord’s promise fresh off His lips, Abraham responded in faith.

So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.” (Ge 13:14–18)

Abraham’s actions show us that he trusted the Lord. He believed God would take care of him. We know he trusted God because he stayed in the land of Canaan, settling by the oaks of Mamre, as well as he built an altar to the Lord. When Abraham built the altar, he was essentially saying, “Lord, I don’t know how you are going to do it, but I trust that you can and will give me this land and a great nation to inhabit it.”

Abraham, then, walked by faith, trusting the Lord to provide, while Lot walked by sight, trusting himself to pick the best path forward. Unlike Lot, because Abraham walked by faith, he was continually blessed by the Lord.

The Take Away

  • Those who choose to walk by sight and not faith will more than likely end up like Lot, paying the price for their choices.
  • But those who choose to walk by faith and not sight will more than likely end up like Abraham, experiencing God’s leading and blessing.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you find that you trust in the Lord or self more?

Resources

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Post adapted from my sermon Do Our Choices Matter?

How Should Christians Handle Conflict?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical2 Comments

Christianity is unique in that it brings people together from all walks of life to live in community with one another. While our hearts have been changed, we are still sinners, which means we are bound to experience conflict with one another. How we handle that conflict is important because it often means the difference between ongoing fights that throw us off mission or increased unity that brings us together on mission for Christ.

How Should Christians Handle Conflict?

(1) We have to address conflict quickly.

In Genesis 13 a conflict arises between Abraham and Lot’s shepherds over the land allotted for their livestock.

“And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.” (Ge 13:5–8)

After realizing there was a conflict between his shepherds and Lot’s, Abraham goes to Lot right away. He doesn’t let it stew. He doesn’t start a family feud by telling his men to fight back. He doesn’t do any of those things. Instead, he addressed the conflict soon after he found out it was happening.

We are to do the same. In fact, the urgency with which we handle conflict should be of top priority. Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 5:23-24 when He says,

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt 5:23–24)

Jesus’ words tell us that God takes unresolved conflict seriously, so seriously that if you are at the altar about to sacrifice and you remember that your brother has something against you, you are to leave the altar, presumably your sacrifice as well, to go reconcile with him. Only once you have sought reconciliation, should you come back and move forward with your worship.

Conflict should not only be dealt with quickly because it hinders our worship, it should also be dealt with quickly because it hinders our witness to the community.  In verse 7 of Genesis 13, there is what seems like an unremarkable statement about the Canaanites and Perizzites living in the land. That statement, however, is important. Its inclusion reminds us that the world is watching. They see how we interact with one another. What they see may help or hurt our witness. Think about it, if all the world sees in our churches is conflict and disunity, our witness to them about the power of the gospel to change lives will fall on deaf ears. On the other hand, if the world sees people who are loving and forgiving one another in ways that they would never think of doing, if they see people dealing with conflict well and are, for the most part, unified, they may begin to think there is actually something about the message we are proclaiming.

So for the sake of the gospel and for the glory of God, we need to deal with conflict when it arises. We can’t wait until sometime in the distant future or just hope it will disappear. We must deal with it quickly if we want our worship and witness to be God honoring.

(2) We have to approach the other person in a tender, gracious, and loving manner.

Notice how Abraham approaches Lot in verse 8. He says,

“Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.” (Ge 13:8)

I quoted verse 8 out of the ESV, but if you read it in the NASB or NKJV verse 8 begins with the word “Please”, so that Abraham says, “Please let there be…”. I believe the translators chose to include “please” to emphasize the manner in which Abraham approached Lot. He didn’t go at him in a harsh, domineering, or aggressive way. Instead, he appeals to him in a tender, gracious, and loving manner.

Like Abraham, we have to approach others in a tender, gracious, and loving manner if we want to de-escalate the situation and work towards a resolution.

So while we should handle conflict quickly, we must also choose our approach and words carefully. If we don’t, things can quickly escalate or get worse, even if that wasn’t our intention.

(3) We have to be willing to stand down, even taking a loss for the sake of our relationship.

After Abraham approaches Lot, he says in verse 9,

“Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.”” (Ge 13:9)

Of course, this means that Abraham is giving Lot the opportunity to pick the best land for himself. Certainly, Abraham knew this could result in a loss. A loss that he didn’t have to take. God had given him the land, not Lot. He could have told his nephew where to go, but he didn’t. Instead, he was willing to stand down, even willing to take a loss for the sake of their relationship.

Taking a loss for the sake of our relationship might seem radical, but in doing so, we are modeling the gospel. Starting in Philippians 2:4 we read,

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Php 2:4–8)

You see, Jesus took a loss for us. He died a death He didn’t have to die. He did so to pay the penalty for our sins so that we might have a restored relationship with the Father and everlasting life.

We must, as Paul tells us, have the mind of Christ. We must not only look out for our own interests but for the interests of others as well. So following in the footsteps of Jesus, we should be willing to stand down, even to take a loss for the sake of another and our relationship with them.

Of course, doing so goes against all that is natural to us. As one commentator says,

“The world’s way of getting ahead is to look out for number one, but God’s way is to look up to number one and to be a blessing to others.” [1]

As Christians, we not only have the example but the power to be a blessing to others by taking a loss because we have been changed by the gospel. As well as we have God’s promise to provide for all our needs. The latter half of Matthew 6 comes to minds. In verse 31, Jesus says,

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mt 6:31–33)

When we believe God’s promise to care for our needs, we are freed to be generous even to take a loss because we know that God is in control and He will provide for us.

Questions for Reflection

  1. How do you handle conflict?
  2. Are you willing to take a loss for the sake of resolving conflict?
  3. Are God’s glory and your witness foremost when you consider dealing with conflict in your relationships?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: Do Our Choices Matter?

[1] https://bible.org/seriespage/17-tale-two-men-genesis-135-18 

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You Must Forsake Your Old Way of Life to be a Christian

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment

“Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.” (Ps 45:10–11)

The Psalmist tells us that those who desire to be the Lord’s should forsake their past life. They shouldn’t hold on to it, instead, they should let it go, turning to live as God’s people in His kingdom.

Something We Must Do

Forsaking our past life not only pleases God but it is something we must do in order to be Christian. We cannot worship two Masters. Nor can we live a divided life. We must give of ourselves fully to the Lord, allowing Him to lead and guide us. He must be both our Savior and Lord.

The Mistake We Make

Mistakenly, many believe coming to Christ doesn’t involve forsaking their past way of living. This error is partly the product of our sinful nature wanting to hold on to control, and it’s partly the product of a decisionism culture that tells us all we need to do it accept Christ and everything will be alright. While we must believe/accept/profess the gospel message about Jesus – that God saves repentant sinners through the death and resurrection of Jesus – we must also give our life fully over to Him.

Repent – What Does it Mean?

Repentance is a key component of becoming a Christian. When we repent, we are essentially doing a 180. We are turning from a life lived for ourselves to a life lived for God. We are forsaking our desire to be our own god, and we are recognizing God’s right to be the God of our lives. When we repent, we not only tell God we are sorry for sinning against Him, but we also tell Him that we want Him to lead and guide us. We tell Him that we recognize His rightful place as our King and that we are willing to submit to His lordship over our lives.

Repentance, then, is a necessary part of becoming a Christian. If we haven’t repented, we haven’t forsaken our old way of life, and we aren’t citizens in God’s kingdom.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Have you forsaken your old way of life?
  2. Have you repented?
  3. Do you recognize that God is the King of your life?

Resource

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