Tag: Gospel-Centered

You might have riches but don’t trust in them

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” (1 Tim 6:17)

Don’t read the above and think of those in Hollywood or Silicon Valley. We, most Americans, are rich according to the worldly standards. According to Market Watch “the median net worth of the average U.S. household is $97,300.” That is the middle point. Half of US households earn more and half earn less. I understand poverty is an issue. I don’t want to make light of it. But when we compare ourselves to the world population by and large Americans are considered rich. So when you read “rich” in the above verse, don’t think someone else, think yourself.

Wealth, however, is not something in which we should put our trust. Many of us have lived through a recession. We have felt the sting of the stock market dropping. We are living through a pandemic. All of these events affect wealth / riches. What is here today can be gone tomorrow.

Instead of trusting in our riches, which are uncertain, we should trust in the Lord. He is our provider. The One who gives us all we have. You have the opportunities, position, intellect, abilities, and riches because of the Lord. We must, then, recognize God is the One who provides all. In turn, we must put our hope and trust in Him instead of the uncertainty of riches.

The Gospel is the Only Thing that Can Change Us, Not Self-Help

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PastoralLeave a comment

I don’t know about you but I love books. Over the years I have amassed quite a collection. Not near as many as some of my friends, but I’d say it is a healthy collection.

As most book lovers do, I love bookstores. I can spend hours in a bookstore just looking. My wife used to come along, but it’s gotten to the point now that she refuses to go to a bookstore with me because she knows I will be in there forever.

One of the things I like to do when I am at the bookstore is peruse the self-help and spirituality sections. Not because I am interested in buying any of those books, but because I want to know what others are buying. What they believe will make difference in their lives.

In these sections you will find all kinds of books. Books that promise to help you:

  • Win Friends and Influence People
  • To become a Highly Effective Person
  • Stop Worrying and Start Living
  • Gain Happiness
  • To lead people
  • To fulfill your dreams in life

The list can go on and on.

While all these books promise to help you in these areas, I don’t believe they can ultimately drive the change they promise. Nor can they fix the mess this nation is in. That’s because these books focus on the self. They attempt to pull the best you out of you.

What is inherently wrong with that idea is that we are all broken people. Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the garden, we have experienced corruption. Because we are corrupted to our core, we cannot rise above in and of ourselves. We can’t uncorrupt ourselves no matter how many books we read, seminars we attend, or life coaches we hire. Self-help is a falsity.

If these books and the ideas behind them can’t change people and fix our nation, what can? The gospel — the good news that God sent a Messiah, who is Jesus. Jesus not only pays the penalty for our rebellion, but He also creates a new humanity that can experience freedom from corruption. Jesus saves us and changes us. He gives us hope.

Jesus came to save sinners — that’s you and me.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:15)

Jesus did not come as a good example or to blaze a trail to the afterlife that we can now follow. No, Jesus came to save. He came to save because we are sinners who need saving. We don’t need good examples. We don’t need trails to follow. We need to be freed from our rebellion, freed from the grip of sin, freed from the blinding thoughts and desires that cause us to run from God instead of to Him.

It is fruitless for Jesus to blaze a trail to the afterlife because we don’t want to follow the trail. We run from the trail seeking to blaze our own. Sin causes us to believe we are capable of pleasing and reaching God in and of ourselves. We believe we somehow have the inside track and everyone else doesn’t. Sin causes us to think much better of ourselves

Instead of believing we are worth saving, we must see ourselves through God’s eyes — we are wretched sinners who don’t deserve salvation. Notice Paul ends the verse by admitting he is the chief of sinners. We must admit the same as well. When we are willing to admit we are the chief of sinners we can rest knowing Jesus is at work in our lives. We should praise Him for His work in saving us from an eternal life outside of the presence of God. As well as freeing us from the effects of sin on our life now.

Jesus came to save sinners — that’s you and me.

By the Grace of God, you are a gift for Jesus’ glory

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,” (2 Thess 1:11)

We need the prayers of the saints for our growth. As believers, we are to look after and encourage one another. We should desire to see the best for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. What could be better than their growth in Christlikeness.

Becoming more like Christ means we become more like the people God originally designed us to be. When we live according to God’s designed, life generally goes well for us. Even if we experience difficulties such as persecution or set back, we can have joy. Joy because we have hope. Hope for a future when we will see Jesus in all His glory. Joy because even in the difficulties we are able to accomplish our purpose in life, which is to glorify God. In verse 12, Paul reveals the end to which he prays,

“so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess 1:12)

The end is Jesus glory in us and us in Him. Jesus is ultimately glorified in us, not by our work, but by the grace of God. In this way, we are a gift to Jesus for His glory. What a privilege it is to be used by the Creator of the world, the King over all, the All Sovereign Lord as a gift to His Son for His glory and our own.

If you want to grow in Christ, you need others

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1 Thess 5:14)

It is our responsibility to care for one another. We are to admonish, encourage, and help one another with patience. We can’t and we won’t grow in our faith, hope, love, and holiness without another speaking into our lives.

There are no Lone Ranger Christians. We can’t grow into maturity by just getting alone with Jesus and our Bible. Of course, we need time in the Word and prayer, but we need more. We need one another.

As we move out into the world, we need to make sure we have other brothers and sisters who are willing to speak into our lives, holding us accountable and encouraging us in the faith. If we don’t, we will remain stagnant and even begin to regress. If you want to grow in Christ, you need others.

If we want our witness to be effective, we must live peaceable and orderly lives.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” (1 Thess 4:10-12)

As Christians, we should be people who strive to keep the peace, not just in our family and Christian community, but in the world at large. Paul urges the Thessalonians not only to continue in brotherly love, but to live quietly. In the Greek, “quietly” carries the idea of being peaceable or orderly. As Christians, should be free of any conduct that might be construed as disturbance of public order. We can live peaceable and orderly lives by minding our own affairs and doing honest work so that we do not have to depend on anyone else.

Our goal in living quiet lives is to witness for Christ. If we are known as people who consistently cause disturbances and are disorderly, we don’t distinguish ourselves from the surrounding community in which we live. But if we seek to keep the peace and live orderly lives, not only can no one can bring a credible charge against us, but they more than likely wonder why we are different, providing us an opportunity to witness to Christ’s power to change us, which is undergirded by our lives.

If we want our witness to be effective, we must live peaceable and orderly lives.