X-Ray Questions: Evaluating our pursuits

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical, X-Ray QuestionsLeave a comment

In an effort to help us root the idols out of our lives, I am doing a series entitled X-Ray Questions. You can view the other two posts by clicking here and here. In this post, we will focus on our aims and pursuits.

X-Ray Question

(3) What do you seek, aim for, and pursue? What are your goals and expectations?

This particularly captures that your life is active and moves in a direction. We are purposeful. Human motivation is not passive, as if hardwired needs, instincts, or drives were controlled from outside us by being “unmet,” “frustrated,” or “conditioned.” People are active verbs.

Understand

The things that we seek, aim for, and pursue, as well as the goals and expectations we set for ourselves reveal the true nature of our hearts. As humans, we are not controlled by external conditions or instincts. We are not animals. We have the ability to make decisions. Decisions that reveal the true nature of our heart.

For instance, if our life goal is to acquire a particular job or success in our career, then we will do everything and anything to make it happen. We may neglect our families, compromise our convictions, or defame a co-worker, in order to achieve the level of success we are seeking.

Our desire should be to glorify Christ, not ourselves. In glorifying Christ, we may miss a particular promotion at work, but our families will be better for it because we are able to spend more time teaching them and building them up in the Word of God. Our witness to others about Christ will be greater because our convictions are not compromised. Our relationships with our co-workers will not suffer, resulting in deeper more meaningful relationships that will hopefully allow us to either share the gospel, or build another believer up in the faith.

Repent

We repent by redirecting our pursuits towards Christ. We must value Him and His glory more than our glory. We must see Him as our provider, comforter, and from whom we gain affirmation. We must see His mission, to reach the world with gospel, as more important than our success.

As you reflect on your aims, pursuits, goals, and expectations, remember that climbing the corporate ladder is only one example. You may not struggle with that particular goal or you may be pursuing your career from a godly perspective, but that does not mean you do not struggle with something else. Other idols may include: acceptance, comfort, a new car, a perfect looking spouse, or a finely kept home. Since we cannot cover every idol, my prayer is that you will honestly reflect on your life this week to determine if any of your goals, expectations, or pursuits are taking the place of Christ.

Scripture

Reflect on these Scriptures as you seek to root this idol out of your life: Matt 6:32-33; 2 Tim 2:22

All X-Ray questions taken from David Powlison’s book Seeing with New Eyes.

Training Your Child In Righteousness

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Books, Family, PracticalLeave a comment

Recently, I did a photo shoot for my brother and sister-n-law’s new baby girl, Taylor. She is a newborn right now, but will soon grow up like her big brother. I remember when their son, Taylor’s brother, was born two years ago. As we looked back over his baby pictures it was hard to believe he has grown so much in the last two years. He has progressed from being fully dependent on mom and dad for everything to being able to walk, talk, and play. It is during these formable years that parents need to start actively teaching their children about their sinful hearts and need of a Savior. In order to help parents in the shepherding process, I am recommending a book. It is Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp.

Here is a brief summary of Tripp’s book:

Ted Tripp’s book is focused on the heart of the child, not just his behavior. He begins by explaining that children’s behavior stems from the condition of their heart. Using techniques only designed to modify behavior does not tackle the real problem (4). Non-believers will act like non-believers, and believers will act like believers, so simply modifying behavior does not turn an unbeliever into a believer (3). Since behavior modification does not change a child’s heart, Tripp explains that parents must not be satisfied to only get their children to obey; they must also “help [their] child ask the questions that will expose that attitude of the heart that has resulted in the wrong behavior” (5). By helping children see that their heart is the real problem, parents are able to show their children their need for a Savior (6), which is the main goal of parenting, not parental convenience (27). Parents must “not try to shape the lives of [their] children as pleases [them], but as please [H]im (28)

In order to help parents shape their child’s life in a way that pleases God, Tripp offers a plethora of advice. He begins by helping parents understand the outside influences that shape their child’s life (10-16), while at the same time explaining to parents that changing these influences alone will not produce a more godly child (16-25). Before continuing with the child’s heart, Tripp turns toward the parent, helping them better understand their task by informing them of their God given authority (26-38), and by calling them to examine and rework their parenting goals (39-57). Tripp also takes the time to point out unbiblical parenting methods, such as pop psychology and emotionalism to name a few, and help parents evaluate the use of these methods from a biblical standpoint (58-69). Tripp then walks parents through biblical methods of parenting, explaining the importance and how to of communication, discipline, and appealing to the conscience (70-121). He shows parents how to shepherd through each stage of childhood by alternating between training objectives and procedures (127-210).

Conclusion

If you are looking for a book that seeks to address the condition of your child’s heart, then Tripp’s book is for you. His reasoning and methods are thoroughly grounded in Scripture. And he does a fantastic job teaching parents that behavior modification is not the ultimate goal. Rather, a changed heart through the saving and sanctifying power of the Gospel is the main goal parents should be working to achieve. I would recommend Tripp’s book to any parent seeking to learn how to shepherd their child from a biblical standpoint, which should be each and every parent.

Go Up The Mountain of the Lord

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

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“Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” — Isaiah 2:3

It is exceedingly beneficial to our souls to mount above this present evil world to something nobler and better.

The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches are apt to choke everything good within us, and we grow fretful, desponding, perhaps proud and carnal.

It is well for us to cut down these thorns and briers, for heavenly seed sown among them is not likely to yield a harvest; and where shall we find a better sickle with which to cut them down than communion with God and the things of the kingdom?

In the valleys of Switzerland many of the inhabitants are deformed, and all wear a sickly appearance, for the atmosphere is charged with miasma, and is close and stagnant; but up yonder, on the mountain, you find a hardy race, who breathe the clear fresh air as it blows from the virgin snows of the Alpine summits. It would be well if the dwellers in the valley could frequently leave their abodes among the marshes and the fever mists, and inhale the bracing element upon the hills.

It is to such an exploit of climbing that I invite you this evening.

May the Spirit of God assist us to leave the mists of fear and the fevers of anxiety, and all the ills which gather in this valley of earth, and to ascend the mountains of anticipated joy and blessedness.

May God the Holy Spirit cut the cords that keep us here below, and assist us to mount!

We sit too often like chained eagles fastened to the rock, only that, unlike the eagle, we begin to love our chain, and would, perhaps, if it came really to the test, be loath to have it snapped.

Spurgeon’s Prayer

May God now grant us grace, if we cannot escape from the chain as to our flesh, yet to do so as to our spirits; and leaving the body, like a servant, at the foot of the hill, may our soul, like Abraham, attain the top of the mountain, there to indulge in communion with the Most High.

Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening : Daily Readings, Complete and unabridged; New modern edition. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006), Evening, April 4.

Interestingness

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn InterestingnessLeave a comment
Here are some interesting articles and videos from my favorite blogs and emails over the last week. I hope you enjoy them.
How to Expound and Illustrate the Text

If you have been wondering how to expound and illustrate the text you are preaching, here are two great articles for you to check out. These were written by the Dean of the College at Southwestern. You can read Thoughts on explaining a text by clicking here and Thoughts on Illustrating a text by clicking here.

Propaganda and The G.O.S.P.E.L.

I received an email with a video by Propaganda last week. He is a Christian rapper, and in his video he walks through The G.O.S.P.E.L. The acronym stands for: God Our Sin Paying Everyone Life. It is a great video. You can check it out by clicking here.

Preaching Christ from Leviticus

The Gospel Coalition has been providing resources to help pastors preach Christ from the Old Testament. They just released another segment, which is on Leviticus. If you have been wondering how Leviticus fits into God’s story, and how it points to Christ, you can check out Collin Hansen’s interview of Jay Sklar by clicking here. If you are looking for more resources you can find interviews, book recommendations, sermon illustrations, and workshops by clicking here.

Tim Challies and The Next Story

Here is a video of Tim Challies talking about his new book The Next Story. In the video, he explains some of the big take aways from the book. To watch click here.

Why is Hell Forever?

Lastly, Russell Moore answers the question: “Why is Hell Forever?” You can find out by clicking here.

God’s Glory in Salvation

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals4 Comments

Recently, I have been working to prepare a sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14. If you don’t have your Bible’s handy, you can read the text here. The main idea of the sermon is that God is glorified in His remarkable plan of redemption, by electing a people for Himself before the foundations of the world, saving them through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and sealing them through the work of the Holy Spirit.

God is Glorified in Election

God is glorified, firstly, because He chose and predestined a people for Himself before the foundations of the world. Election is not a popular topic; especially, in our consumer driven individualistic society. We are taught to make our own decisions, and we believe this right extends to our salvation as well. However, Ephesians 1 tells us that in God’s sovereign plan He has predestined those who would join His church before the foundations of the world.

Application

This means that we can rest assured that our work in evangelism is not in vain, nor do we have to depend on our own power to bring others to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. God has elected a people for Himself, and He will bring those people to salvation for His glory.

Our job is to be instruments in His sovereign plan by obeying His command to proclaim His gospel to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28)

God is Glorified in Redemption

God is glorified, secondly, in the redemption of the elect through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross, to provide a way for man to once again have a relationship with God. If we believe that Christ has the power to save us from eternal destruction through His death on the cross, then we experience a repaired and restored relationship with God. Here we see that salvation only comes through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Application

This means that we cannot work for our salvation. There is nothing we can do outside of having faith in Jesus Christ. And our last point makes it clear that God provides us with that faith through His electing grace for His glory.

God is Glorified in Sealing

God is glorified, thirdly, in the sealing of His church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those God has elected to salvation are saved through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, and are kept in Christ until their death by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Application

This means that we do not have to work to gain salvation, nor work to keep our salvation. We are secure in Christ because of the sealing power of the Holy Spirit.

However, this does not mean that walking the church aisle and praying a prayer with the pastor ten years ago precludes you from living a life pleasing to God. It is still necessary to reflect Christ in our thoughts and actions. What makes a Christlike life possible is the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and working to remove the idols of our hearts.

Come As You Are!

In order to attain salvation, we do not have to clean ourselves up. Salvation is not like trading in your old car for a new one. You don’t have to spend time fixing yourself up in order to gain a higher trade in value. We can come to God just as we are, and expect to get the highest price we would ever get for a beat up old car, eternal life and a relationship with the God of the universe.

Charge

If you are trying to get your life right before you approach God, don’t. Come just as you are. Accept the call of God on your life, believe in His Son for salvation, and you will be saved. To God be the Glory!

Defeating Materialism

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment


I want, I want, I want!! This is the mantra of our consumeristic society. We all want a shiny new car, celebrity status, designer clothes, and a brand new house. We disregard our families and sell our souls to attain these worldly possessions. But for what reason?  This life will end one day, and we will not be able to take these possessions with us.

If this is true, then how do we defeat the power of materialism?

Yesterday, I led a discussion over Luke 20:27-40, during which we talked about how to rid ourself of the power of materialism, while still having possessions.

Four ways were given, which I would like to share with you.

  1. View your material possessions as provisions God has given you, in order to complete your journey in this life.
  2. Find your significance in your relationship with Jesus, rather than in material possessions.
  3. Find your satisfaction in Jesus, rather than in your possessions.
  4. Be willing to give sacrificially because you don’t find your security in your wealth, but in Christ.

The trend in all four is to stay focused on God, not man. Find your significance, security, and satisfaction in Him alone. All your material possessions will disappoint you, but Christ will not.