There Is No "Christian" Vote

I’m not afraid of prison.

Let me explain. I’m actually terrified of prison, but I would never let the threat of it keep me from taking a stand for the gospel.

I’m not afraid of the church losing tax exempt status, if it meant obeying God.

I’m not afraid of ridicule.

None of those are reasons why I don’t preach politics. None of those are reasons why I refuse to endorse a political party or a particular candidate. And every election cycle, I receive encouragement, challenges, and the occasional threat to speak for or against some candidate, issue, or political party. I am urged to guide my church so they do not vote for the “wrong” candidate. I am told it is cowardice for me not to do this; that I have failed to be a true pastor.

My perspective is different. I see my greater responsibility as understanding and applying what God has said. At the same time, I guard against the tendency to equate God’s will with a particular political party, adopt a political agenda for the church, or fail to be Christ-like toward those with whom I disagree. It might concern some of you when I say, “There is no Christian vote…no absolute choice for all Christians.”

It’s not that clear. It almost never is. No political party has God’s answers to every issue. Arguably, each party has ungodly aspects to their platforms. Every candidate comes with unbiblical baggage and flawed beliefs. Even Christian politicians with biblical views, are tied to ungodly stances by choosing to align with a major party. Whether abortion and homosexual marriage on one hand, or unrestrained greed and neglect of the poor on the other. To identify a political philosophy as the “Christian one” is dangerous. The Republican ideology of lower taxes, less government, and strong defense tends to be baptized as the biblical view. Or the Democratic ideology of individual freedoms, individual responsibility to society, and government working for the common good tends to be christened as Christian. 

The danger is that our faith can become distorted. We see one party as standing for all the right things, and the other party as completely wicked. We struggle to recognize that truth and error is thoroughly mixed into both sides. We start making “what’s best for America” our guiding principle, rather than the kingdom of God. We allow fear, distrust, and even hatred, to characterize our view of others. We fearfully cling to the kingdom of this world, rather than trusting Christ. We start thinking politically rather than biblically.

No candidate or party is the unquestioned right choice for all Christians, at least not until Jesus comes back. While some Christians might be able to tie their entire perspective to one issue, such as abortion, not all Christians can easily do the same. It would be much clearer if our choice in the voting booth was “Abortion: Yes or No.” Sadly, that’s not the way it works.

Even if we believed in an unquestioned right vote for all Christians, God might have other objectives in mind. God’s choices are sometimes the opposite of our understanding, for he is carrying out a greater purpose. The Bible has more than a few examples of “the wrong choice” being in power by God’s design. Cyrus was a pagan, foreign, enemy king whom God called his “anointed.” Nebuchadnezzar was a ruthless, idol worshiping Babylonian. God chose to put him in power, remove him from power, and restore him to power again. Pharaoh worshiped the gods of Egypt, enslaved the Hebrews, and yet was chosen to carry out God’s purpose. 

Some organizations have declared it wrong for Christians not to vote for one of the major parties for President. They say, “You might not like your choices, but you must pick one.” And they imply which one. The reason they give is that no one else has a chance of winning. I vigorously refute that humanistic reasoning. Our obedience to God is never based upon our chances of “winning.” Providentially, we live in a country where we have the freedom to vote. By God’s Spirit we are able to choose between major party candidates, and candidates with zero chance of winning, or to make no selection at all. Each of us must decide what God asks of him or her.

The fallacy of choosing the “lesser of two evils” can be shown if taken to an extreme. What if your vote was between the Third Reich and the Khmer Rouge? Most would agree those political parties were exponentially more evil than our choices today. But if in some absurd nightmare, you were a citizen faced with those two options on the ballot, what would you do? To argue “I must vote for the Khmer Rouge because it more aligns with my values,” is spiritually unsound. If you did have that free choice and you reasoned in that way, the right to vote has become your highest value.

I encourage God’s people to stay on mission. That mission is not to preserve a political philosophy, nor to rescue America from itself. Our mission is to “make disciples of all nations” and “declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Trayvon, Tebow, and True Worship

Two months ago, only a few knew the name Trayvon Martin. Now he is part of the national conversation. My referencing Trayvon is not about the justice, injustice, or politics of the case. Someone died at the hands of another, and that is tragic for those involved no matter what the circumstances. My point is about worship.

A month after the shooting, many churches focused on the incident in their worship services. For some it was in protest, for others to raise awareness, or to cry for justice. According to the Miami Herald: “In religious centers from Florida to Atlanta, New York and Chicago, messages from pulpits addressed a seemingly avoidable killing that continues to be rife with more questions than answers. Many preachers and their congregations wore hooded sweatshirts in Trayvon’s memory.”

There are two reasons why I didn’t consider doing something like that at King Street’s worship services.
1. It was too soon. The facts were not clear and still are not. They may never be. There was enough unknown and ambiguity to keep me from taking a stand, other than, it is a tragic situation.
2. It puts the focus in the wrong place. I am a zealous guardian of the direction of corporate worship. I don’t want it aimed at a cause or our country or our church or a person or a problem.

Arguably the most definitive statement on worship in the Bible was spoken by Jesus himself in John 4:24, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
• Worshiping in spirit is not to be caught up in externals, human things. Genuine worship isn’t a matter of being in the right place, doing the right things. Because God is Spirit, he cannot be confined to a building, an image, a tradition, a style, a culture, or anything physical.
• Genuine worship involves truth. It must be in harmony with what God says is true. It must be based on who God has revealed himself to be, not as we think he ought to be. Scripture must then be our guide, our spell-checker, our rule-book, a centering point.

As much as I admire Tim Tebow, I was a little concerned about his Easter Sunday appearance at a Texas mega-church. Instead of their typical Easter crowd of 10,000, Celebration Church welcomed many more. As NFL.com put it, “New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow drew a crowd of about 15,000 to an outdoor Easter church service.” That was how most new agencies reported it. Tebow was responsible for the gathering, “a big lure for people who would otherwise not have come.” Introducing Tebow, the pastor said, “In Christianity, it’s the Pope and Tebow right now. We didn’t have enough room to handle the Pope.” That’s witty. But is it possible that the event could have been a distraction from true worship?

I would like to meet Tebow. It would be cool to have an event that gathered 15,000 people to hear about Jesus. But the commotion and diversion would threaten to overwhelm worship. Here is the test. Before, during, and after, who are we talking about most: Trayvon, Tebow, or the risen Jesus?

Inexhaustible

Every year I teach a class of prospective Leaders and Elders. We meet a couple of times a month from September to April. For some of the lessons, I teach a method of Bible study. This includes learning how to do word studies using an Exhaustive Concordance.

I don’t always do a good job of it, but my desire is to communicate my passion for studying Scripture. Recently, each of them did a homework assignment on a Bible passage, then shared their work with the rest of the class. They all did a good job.

When they were done, I gave examples of word studies I have used in sermons. One of those examples was from Proverbs 11:24-25. My discovery wasn’t obvious without a little digging, and what I learned challenged my view of generosity.

One of the guys commented that this was another example of how the Bible is inexhaustible. He said: “No matter how much you read it and study it, the Holy Spirit can always teach you something new.” He’s exactly right.

One of the other men said that it was amazing how much there was to discover just in those few words. At face value, that proverb isn’t very exciting or heart-warming. And yet, it contained powerful truths. All that is needed is willingness to invest some time, and openness to the teaching of the Spirit.

You can read about the insights I gained from that passage in Chapter Two of my recent book. [Insert shameless plug here] The book is available in digital format through Kindle. It’s called Soul Food: God’s Nourishment for the Real You.

Thinking back, I started studying the Bible seriously when I was 13 years old. Now after 40 years of study, my awe over the depths of God’s mercy and my delight in his written revelation have only increased. I would sum it up with one word: Inexhaustible.

Unattractive

Since being in Thailand in January, I’ve added a new dimension of communication with my wife. While I was away, our contact was limited to Skype calls at 4 am, or instant messaging. When I sent the messages, I also included a picture of me or my surroundings.

The messaging worked out so well that I have continued to do that at home. Occasionally, I do so even when we are sitting next to each other on the couch. I find the use of satellite technology to cover distances of a few feet to be hilarious.

I told Amy that my plan was to send her a picture of me every day. Each time I would make a different face. There have been some blank days without pictures, and some days with several pictures. The faces are different, and try to capture the essence of the message I send with it.

On Fat Tuesday, I just used my normal expression. Actually, I was trying to puff out my cheeks, but they were puffy already.

On Ash Wednesday, I displayed the ashes on my forehead from our noontime service.

Several times, I’ve sent a picture of me forming a kiss. It’s a hideous sight. The first time I did it I thought That’s horrible, I’d better take another. But it didn’t matter. The sight of me puckering my lips for a kiss is unpleasant. My message read: “I know it’s a little frightening, but this is me kissing you.”

Amy said she wasn’t repulsed. She tried to send me one back. Then, feeling her own picture of forming a kiss was unacceptable, she decided against it.

Isn’t it interesting that expressions of love may not always appear attractive? Some may even seem to be the opposite. But whatever it might look like at first, love always has the loved one’s best at heart. So when someone gently corrects you for a poor attitude, an unwise decision, or wrong word, it might not appear attractive. But it is love in action. When someone calls you out for failing to forgive or for rationalizing your sin, it might look ugly. But love is being expressed.

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Proverbs 27:5-6).

Compliments and flattering words are easy to receive. Yet they may not spring from love. In fact, some of the best expressions of love might look unattractive or even cause pain. Real love isn’t always pretty, but it never fails.

 

Dealing with Sinful Anger (part 6)

There are several decisive steps to take to get rid of sinful anger. Part 4 described the need to: Identify who you’re angry with and what they owe you. Part 5 said: Bring it to the Cross and confess. Here is the final step:

Cancel the Debt. Whether your list is one person and one wrong, or 100 people and 1,000 wrongs, cancel it. To get rid of anger you must decide they don’t owe you anymore.  Let me tell you how one man did that. Warren was husband and father in his 30s, with an anger problem. It spilled out against his wife and children, and sometimes at work. After some discussion, we were able to identify that the real anger Warren felt was against his father, who had died years before. As a Christian, Warren had tried to put this behind him. He readily admitted that his outbursts were wrong, and that he was holding on to bitterness. But clearly it was still impacting his life. I urged Warren to write his father a letter. In it, he expressed how his father had wounded him through neglect, affairs, and insulting words. Then he sat facing an empty chair and read that letter as if his dad was sitting there. Then he walked away, went out and burned the letter.

Does that mean all bad memories are erased, and no negative feelings will return? No. But when that crosses your mind again, know that the decision remains and the debt is cancelled through Christ. Remember what Jesus says about asking God to forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors? Canceling the debt we feel others owe us is the path to resolving anger. 

I meet with angry people every single week. Almost always I can agree they have reason to be angry. But storing that anger will destroy them. Scripture says be angry, but don’t sin. Be angry, but don’t let the sun keep going down on that anger. Be angry, but don’t give Satan space in your life.

Resolve anger today.

Dealing with Sinful Anger (part 5)

There are several decisive steps to take to get rid of sinful anger. Part 4 described the need to: Identify who you’re angry with and what they owe you. Obviously you must not stop there. Here is the crucial next step:

Bring it to the Cross and confess. You say, “What do I have to confess about? I didn’t deserve what they did. I’m the one that was hurt. They need to confess.” Whether you are right or wrong to be angry, you need to admit that you are. Your wrongs might be undeserved, but holding on to and storing that anger creates more problems. Ask God’s forgiveness through Christ for harboring anger, giving it space in your life, allowing Satan an advantage.

And when you take an honest look at the list of wrongs that made you mad, you might be able to admit that some of them are really about your own selfishness. You might recognize some of it was because you didn’t get what you wanted (see part 1). You realize that your ego, or greed, or cravings or expectations weren’t met and it left you angry. Bring it to the cross, where God poured out his wrath on sin, and the sacrifice of Jesus brought healing and life when you believed. Hebrews 9:14 says: “the blood of Christ…cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death.” Confess all your bitterness, rage and anger to the God who forgave you in Christ Jesus. Evaluate life by what was done for you on the cross, instead of what was done to you by others.

There’s one more part in the process. Part 6 presents another decisive step in dealing with sinful anger.

Dealing with Sinful Anger (part 4)

Parts 1-3 identified sinful anger by motive and how it is expressed. The next question is, How do you get rid of sinful anger? There are several decisive steps to take.

Identify who you’re angry with and what they owe you. If you have unresolved anger, and you don’t identify who you are really mad at, you will continue to lash out at others who did nothing wrong. There might be stuff you feel is too far in the past, you’ve moved on, but is that really true? Then get specific about what they owe you. What exactly did they take? What would they need to give you to make things right? An apology? Your childhood? Your reputation? Money? You might say, “There is nothing they could give that would make things right.” But you must get specific about what they owe you, did to you, or didn’t do for you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 shows the need to get rid of anger with forgiveness. Identify who it is you need to forgive and what you need to forgive them for. One Bible teacher states: “General forgiveness does not heal specific hurts.” You might identify one person or situation, or a whole list. This alone can remove some of anger’s power in your life. It is the unspoken, secretness of your anger that is keeping it alive.

Part 5 will present the crucial next step in dealing with sinful anger.

Identifying Sinful Anger (part 3)

How do I know if my anger is right or wrong? It depends upon why I am angry and how I express it. Part 1 dealt with wrong motives for anger. Part 2 dealt with one wrong expression of anger, “blowing-up.” Now consider the opposite approach of “bottling-up” anger.

The “bottle-up” approach is also a sinful expression of anger. On the outside you seem to handle it well, but on the inside you are boiling mad. You might be proud of yourself for keeping it together because you really want to explode. So you hold it in, and anger simmers beneath the surface. While doing less immediate damage to those around you, keeping internalized anger alive in you is unhealthy. When you don’t deal with it, anger simply festers, decays, turns to bitterness, resentment, and eventually expresses itself elsewhere.

This is why Ephesians 4:26 says: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” Rather than blowing up or bottling it up, the principle is to deal with it as soon as possible. Dr. Todd Neller pointed me to some research about sleep and long-term memory. The research found that during sleep, memories get consolidated and stored for the longer haul in the neocortex. That transfer of memories from short to long-term storage takes place during slow-wave and REM sleep. Once there memories can last up to a lifetime. So there is some scientifically proven benefit to getting rid of anger before sleep. Letting anger smolder, nursing it along, harboring the hurt is deadly. As someone said: "You won't sleep anger off, you will sleep it in."

So if blowing-up and bottling up are wrong expressions of anger, what should you do with those emotions and hurt feelings? Part 4 will deal with getting rid of anger.

Identifying Sinful Anger (part 2)

How do I know if my anger is right or wrong? It depends upon why I am angry and how I express it. Part 1 dealt with wrong motives for anger. Now consider the wrong expressions of anger.

Sinful Anger Involves Blowing-up. A list of ways anger is wrongly expressed is found in Ephesians 4:31: bitterness, rage, vengeance, emotional outbursts, and harsh words. These are all reactions, damaging to others or ourselves. These reactions don’t provide what others need. When I express anger by exploding and I “blow-up,” that is sinful. Proverbs describes the “blow-up” reaction with words like “hotheaded” “reckless” “quick-tempered” “quarrelsome”. The “blow-up” is when you are furious and let it fly and don’t care who hears or gets hurt. Anger on the inside spills out, and shows on your face, in your words, or by your actions. 

You may have been advised to blow-up as a way to release anger, but that is not a biblical method. Prov. 29:11 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” Psychotherapist Richard Winter says research shows that venting anger by shouting or hitting a pillow “doesn’t defuse, but may “inflame” anger. 

If blowing up is not usually a biblical way of expressing anger, what about keeping it in? Part 3 will look at “bottling-up” anger.

Identifying Sinful Anger (part 1)

How do I know if my anger is right or wrong? It depends upon why I am angry and how I express it. What does sinful anger look like?

Sinful Anger Involves Not Getting What I Want. James 4 teaches that a big source of conflict in life is: “I want something, but don’t get it.” When I’m mad, it’s embarrassing to realize how many times this is the reason.

I wanted approval, and didn’t get it. I wanted what you have, and didn’t get it. I wanted some attention, and didn’t get it. I wanted the bigger piece, and didn’t get it. I wanted to come in first, and I didn’t get it. I wanted love, and didn’t get it. I wanted someone to say "thanks," or to say "I’m sorry," or to say "you’re right," and didn’t get it.

When I examine why I am angry, hurt, reacting, often the reason isn’t pretty. Deep down it is selfish ambition, jealousy, a sinful craving. When I can identify that as the reason for my anger, the anger is wrong.

Part 2 will discuss wrong expressions of anger.

Tolerating Bedbugs

In an informal survey of 2,000 people, I asked “Which household pests would cause you to pay for an exterminator?”  

“Mice?” Some hands.

“Roaches?” Many hands.

“Bedbugs?” All hands.

Much of that last response was due to peer pressure. If you don’t raise your hand, no one will sit near you.

A more formal survey, done by people who actually count the numbers, found these results.

• About 25% of adults will pay an exterminator to kill spiders or ants.
• When mice, rats, and cockroaches are involved, about half of all adults will pay to get rid of them.
• If termites are discovered, almost 9 out of 10 people will call for an exterminator.
• And then the bedbugs. Researchers found that only 56% will pay to banish bedbugs. That surprised me. Almost half of adults will tolerate bedbugs, rats, and roaches, rather than pay a professional to eradicate them.

There are some pests we tolerate more than others. That is true in my life. There are some sins I won’t tolerate, but others I just live with. Yet Ephesians 4:22 says to put off, get rid of those things that characterize the old self. That old self is made up of the attitudes and emotions and behaviors that are who I am without Jesus. Rom. 8:13 says to put those things to death by the power of the Spirit. There are sins I tolerate and indulge and allow to live on inside of me that God calls me to kill. My tolerance for personal “bedbugs” is alarming.

3 Signs of Unresolved Anger

1. When my response is disproportionate to the problem. Like the Ohio woman who was told she couldn’t get chicken nuggets because McDonald’s was still serving breakfast. She flipped out, threw punches, and broke the drive-thru window. That’s not about McNuggets. When normal inconveniences prompt rage, unresolved anger is spilling out. Eph. 4:31

2. When anger is my default emotion. Whatever your friend says, what the kids do, how your spouse responds, or what the boss requires, it makes you mad. You’re mad a lot. It shows on your face, it comes out in your speech. That’s a sign anger from the past is lurking. Prov. 22:24

3. When I cannot forgive those who wronged me. If you can think of someone who you don’t want to let off the hook, someone you wish the worst, someone whose past behavior dominates your thoughts, you have unresolved anger. Forgiveness is the only way forward. Eph. 4:32

Bread and Prostitutes

"The prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread," Proverbs 6:26. In other words, sexual sin is dehumanizing. How? To the sex industry: whether movies, magazines, chat lines, prostitutes, dancers, escorts, or dating sites, you are just a meal ticket. A way to put bread on the table. 


Men can fool themselves into thinking a stripper or hooker is attracted to them. They ignore the fact that her smile, her attention is really about money. And for those trapped in the sex industry, they are only there because someone else wants your money. How many of them have been pushed, forced, coerced into the role of satisfying the lust of strangers? You are a source of revenue. The money you pay for the movie, the online membership, the magazine, the pole dancer, the prostitute, the webcam session, reduces you to a business transaction. 


The NY Times bestseller, 50 Shades of Gray, is erotic fiction. It has been dubbed "Mommy porn," because millions of women of all types are buying it. Given its explicit content, those paying $9.95 have been reduced to a loaf of bread. 


You might think, “I don’t pay anything for porn. There is so much you can get for free online, so this dehumanizing idea does not apply.” Yes it does. Every click brings revenue to someone through advertisements. The increased web traffic alone helps promotes the exploitation of other human beings. Through sexual acts outside of marriage you become a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, a number in someone’s sexual history, it dehumanizes you and those you view, use, or obsess over. 


"God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body," 1 Corinthians 6:20. 

Are You a Delusional Pirate?

In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Two pirates, named Ragetti and Pintel, are in a longboat on the open sea. They have just escaped from jail. Ragetti appears to be "reading" a Bible. But it is clear he cannot be, because he is holding it upside-down. Ragetti claims to be taking care of his immortal soul.

Pintel says, "You know you can't read."

Ragetti answers, "It's the Bible. You get credit for trying."

Are you a delusional pirate? In other words, do you believe that there is some benefit from contact with the Bible? Do you imagine that it doesn’t matter if you pay attention to it, or understand it, or hold it upside down, but somehow, someway, you get credit for trying? Do you feel that because you attended church or had devotions or listened to Christian music, or memorized a few verses, there is automatic blessing?

James 1:22 says: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

The issue is not whether you hear it, read it, download it, podcast it, sing it, Tweet it, email it, text it, blog it, post it, cross stitch it or smoke it. The point is receiving the word is not enough, you must do it.

David Daniels “Listening alone does not necessarily lead to life transformation. The Bible is a powerful, but the Bible is not magical.”

No matter how well you understand Scripture, no matter how much it blesses you, it is not until you obey it that you “will be blessed” (v.25). Jesus defined the blessing of putting his words into practice. It is like founding your life on a rock that will survive the fiercest storms. It is catastrophe that reveals the difference between one who obeys and a delusional pirate.

Life Is Short, so...Bathe in Donkey's Milk?

Americans almost worship youthfulness. We want to look young, feel young, and live longer. This is not new. Throughout history people have hungered for youthfulness. Cleopatra bathed in donkey’s milk. Ponce d’Leon chased the fountain of youth. Joan Rivers has had a million plastic surgeries (a rough estimate).

Anti-aging products are big business. Americans spend billions every year. In 2009, Botox sales topped $1 billion. One anti-aging company president said, these types of products comprise "the perfect example of a service you're not going to give up in a bad economy." Men are targeted just like women. Old sports heroes tell you to “keep your edge” by getting rid of the gray, otherwise you have no shot with the ladies.

More and more, aging is being referred to as a disease. It is hard to think of anything positive about a disease. A disease is something you fight to defeat. It is this thinking that helps fuel our preoccupation with looking/staying younger. But this is a preoccupation that can detour us from what really matters. By calling “youth and vigor meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 11:10), King Solomon makes it clear that this pursuit is without ultimate value.

Instead, he gives this wisdom. “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

The advice for young people is to remember God. Focus on him while you are still young before age and death catch up to you. The day is coming when you won’t be able to enjoy life the same way, even if you bathe in donkey’s milk. And the older you get the harder it will be to seek him. Your heart will be harder. You will lose your ability to change. Live in relationship with God now.

You only have two options in life. Either you will die young or you will grow old. Every one of us is standing in the middle of the train tracks of life and death’s locomotive is bearing down on us. Enjoy life at every stage, but don’t neglect God. Live large, but live within his boundaries. Whatever you do in life should be guided by the fact that you will be accountable to God. Life is short, fear God. Remember your Creator before it’s too late. Enjoyment and satisfaction don’t flow from our youth, health, or strength, but from God. He gives meaning to every stage in life. Life is short, fear God. Apart from him life is meaningless.

Four Signs I Am Not God-Focused

"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will…” (Genesis 41:16)

Here are four indicators that warn me when I am not God-focused.

1. When my attitude is, ‘I can solve this.’ I’m trying to fix my marriage. I’m trying to figure out my future. I’m trying to make the right financial decisions. I’m trying to choose which way to go. I’m trying overcome temptation, or do the right thing, without first acknowledging that I can’t do it.
2. When my attitude is, ‘It’s hopeless.’ I have no problem admitting that I can’t, but I struggle to believe that God can. This dilemma is just too great. This issue is overwhelming. There is no escape, no way out. So I quit or hide or sin or despair.
3. When my issues are a secret. I’m struggling, but no one else knows. I’m not willing to admit that there is something I can’t do. I’m not willing to let the flaws show and be honest about failure. I won’t ask for help or accountability. So it’s all a secret until everything disintegrates. Victory is not possible until I come clean, and admit I can’t do it.
4. When my focus is me. When I become the problem-solver, the answer man, the listening ear, the counselor, the fixer, I must be careful. That is a short step to self-reliance, when I don’t bother to look beyond myself for help. If I use my abilities and talents and energies without constantly declaring my need of God, it becomes about me. Or the opposite is true. When people are always helping me. I’m always in need. I feel neglected because people aren’t helping me enough. I feel slighted because no one understands me, or has time for me. That is not how a God-focused person thinks. Alistair Begg says such self-attention “will obscure the grace of God.” Whether in helping others or in looking for help from others, I must constantly acknowledging my absolute need of God, or the focus shifts to me and blocks God’s grace.

The difference between a Christian and everyone else on the planet is the fundamental understanding that “You cannot do it.” Otherwise, you are always trying to be your own savior. God has done it for you in Christ. At its very core, Christianity is about recognizing your inability. That must be how I live after salvation too. Jesus said: “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Cheeseburgers and Hypocrisy

Years ago at the annual meeting of The American Heart Association, 300,000 doctors, nurses, and researchers met in Atlanta. One topic they discussed was the importance a low fat diet plays in keeping our hearts healthy. Yet during meal times, these doctors and nurses at just as many bacon cheeseburgers and fries as people from other conventions. One cardiologist was asked whether his Quarter-pounder with cheese and super.-sized fries set a bad example, he said, "Not me, because I took my name tag off."

It is possible to claim the name of Christ, but wear that name only at certain times and places. Hypocrisy can cover up my identity.

Here are four signs of hypocrisy that come from Genesis 38:

1.       I put myself in situations that make obedience more difficult. That means I go places I know I shouldn’t go. I hang out with people who influence me the wrong way. I do things that only lead closer to temptation instead of away from it.

2.       I make promises I don’t intend to keep. The promise might be as simple as “I’ll pray for you” and “I won’t share this with anyone else” or commitments as important as “For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.”

3.       I minimize my sinful choices. I do that with excuses such as: “God knows I’m weak,” “I can’t help myself,” “The devil made me do it,” “Everybody’s doing it,” “There are way worse things,” “No one will ever know.”

4.       I condemn others without a trial. I do that by reacting with anger, accusations, judgment, without hearing all the facts. I making myself the judge; feel superior; refuse to show grace; and not consider my own sin.

When I see these any of these things in my life, I’m a hypocrite. I need to confess and find mercy. When I admit my hypocrisy and turn from it, the beautiful thing is that God works through people who confess their messed-up-ness to him

Seeing the Buttons

We can’t read the buttons on our oven. None of them. The buttons are little gray squares and the words inside the gray squares are written in another shade of gray. So “Bake” is indistinguishable from “Broil” or “Timer” or “Upper Oven” or any of the 15 buttons.

There is plenty of light in our kitchen. But when my wife or I want to use the oven, we have to grab a flashlight to see or ask our daughter. She can still decipher the gray on gray print, so we use her when we can. But she’s headed off to college in the fall. Ours is probably the only house in America where the following sentence has been uttered. “Where’s the flashlight, I’ve got to make dinner.”

That is what the prophetic Word does for us. It guides us like a light. We can’t see what to do, where to go, how to interpret a situation, and the Word shows us. 2 Peter 1:19 calls the word of prophecy a “light shining in a dark place.” Psalm 119 says: “The unfolding of your word gives light…” and “Your word is a light for my path.”

The text is the guide for those who belong to Christ. It gives light, guidance for any and every situation and circumstance we face. There are reasons why we don’t find guidance from Scripture. We don’t care enough to look, we don’t want to put in the energy to know, we misapply what we do know, or we simply don’t want to do it.

So many people I counsel are simply unwilling to do what Scripture says. Responses they give are: “It’s too hard.” “That won’t work.” “There must be a better way.” So no light enters their darkness and they continue to stumble and fall. Like the pastor friend who called me with a huge dilemma about his church. He wanted my wisdom. When he told me the problem I said: “You don’t need my wisdom. The Bible specifically addresses this exact problem.” Then I read the text to him. He acted like he didn’t know that already. I’m sure he did, he just didn’t want to do it.

If you don’t pay attention to the Word, you won’t know which buttons to press in life. Peter says “pay attention,” Scripture gives the light of guidance.