A Week Without Google: Reflections

Last week I did the unthinkable; I refused to use Google. Each day I posted a couple of reflections and a list of some of the things that I wanted to search for but could not. Here they are:

Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four and Five

Now that you’ve not clicked those links, here are my reflections on a week without Google.

Humility
I discovered last week that my greatest use for Google is to keep myself from looking like a moron.
There were a few classes that I failed to pay attention to in school. Like those kind of important ones like English and Grammar. I am still not the best at grammar. Because of this I forget basic punctuation rules and at times I have no clue what a certain word or phrase even means. Google does for me what I failed to allow my elementary school teachers to do for me; namely, teach grammar and help me not look quite as dumb.

I remember in grade school first learning language and at times totally butchering it. I can recall the embarrassment of singing a song with horribly wrong lyrics. Or arguing a fact for hours until we could find an Encyclopedia somewhere or ask someone’s grandpa. That was in the days before Google. Now we just search for it and don’t have to have egg on our face for singing, “Excuse me while I kiss this guy” instead of “excuse me while I kiss the sky”. By the way you can Google the worst misheard song lyrics and find this hilarious site.

There is a humility that comes from not knowing all of these facts. There is something refreshing with being able to say, “I have no idea if I should use a colon here”.

Information Addicts
I have become an information addict. I found myself desiring information and not being able to know the answer in only a few seconds. I don’t think I ever got to the point of twitching but there were some searches that I really wanted to make. Today I can barely remember those questions that had to be answered and I am sure that my life isn’t worse because of it.

Bare information is becoming more powerful in our day than actually knowing something. I can do a quick search about the 14th president and find out who that is. But I’ll probably have to do that same search six months from now because I never really knew who the 19th president was—I only pretended like I did. Searching for the 14th president is simply an information fix and the high wears off after about a day and we totally forget that information. But try actually doing a little research on that 14th President (whoever that dear chap might be—I’d guess Millard Fillmore but I think I’m wrong) and you’ll never forget him.

Time Wasting
My list of “searches I wanted to do” consisted of about 30 minutes each day of things that would have consumed my time. These were things that I did not need to know but because I am an information addict I thought I needed a fix. It was nice to not chase a rabbit trail and start thinking about The Shot Heard Round the World and baseball in the 1950’s.

These things are interesting. Occasionally an article might have spawned from one of these rabbit trails. More than likely I would have just filled my cranium with useless Jeopardy trivia.

Google and Bible Study
I was actually quite surprised that I did not use Google (or want to use Google) for Bible study as much. Perhaps that was the case because I was made privy to my shortcutting problem thanks to an article I wrote a few months ago.

I did find myself at times wanting to search for something before trying to figure it out on my own. By the end of the week I had already started thinking on my own more than instinctively turning to Google. I am convinced that there are times when we ought to be querying the text instead of doing a Google search.

The Benefit of Google
There are great benefits in Google. It helps with illustrations when I only have a partial thought in my head—Google helps fill it out with facts rather than my own assumptions about what happened in history. It also helps when I think of an article but totally forgot it’s location.

There are things that need to be researched that are not time wasters. There is information that legitimately is helpful to know. It is my desire in the future to start filtering these searches a little better. I want to ask myself, “Do I really need to know this?”

Finally, it does help to not make stupid punctuation and word choice errors. Though it is humbling to make dumb mistakes for all the world (or your 300+ followers) to read, it can also be counter-productive to not fix those mistakes. People stop reading whenever something looks really sloppy. It’s probably best not to get bogged down with too much grammar/punctuation type issues in a blog post, but you probably ought to be certain to get a title correct.

The Forthcoming Zombie Apocalypse

Yes, I will be able to survive. And not because I have done a Google search for how to survive a zombie apocalypse. But mostly because I spent the week watching the Discovery channel show The Colony and also because I have learned how to live without Google.
As a counterpoint, though, I believe my brain has gotten more lively and fruitful without just quickly Google searching. Therefore, it might be more tasty and appealing to zombies. I’m not sure. Maybe I should do a few Google searches to prepare myself just in case.

Trading Awesomeness for a Lawn Mowing Shoe

I’ve been working on writing a devotional through Colossians for my son. When I came to Colossians 2:1-5 I struggled with how to teach my five year old son about the reality of being deluded by plausible sounding arguments. Here is how I eventually decided to illustrate this.

First, I ask Isaiah what his favorite toy is. We talk about it for a little bit and then I’m going to offer him a trade. I’m going to hand him one of my old dilapidated shoes that I use for mowing the yard. I am pretty confident that he will reject my offer. We will then talk about how silly the Colossians were for doing such a silly trade.

Then I’ll inform him that I do have another trade for him. This time I will give him a big package that is neatly wrapped (I’ll have his mother wrap it). I will let him know that this present is a million times cooler than his favorite toy. I’ll use all of my powers of daddy persuasion to get him to make the trade.

I am pretty confident that he will accept the trade. How could he not? It will be far too enticing for a little boy to turn down. Then we will open it and be sorely disappointed that it is my other disgusting mowing shoe. At this point we will be able to talk about the difference between a plausible sounding argument and one that is obviously silly. I will inform him that Satan rarely just hands us an old ratty shoe and says, “Would you like to trade Jesus for this”. No, he always packages it up.

I will close the devotional by showing Isaiah the way to stay anchored in a world that will consistently try to offer him old lawn-mowing shoes in exchange for the beautiful Christ. The way that we do not make that trade is by being completely convinced that Jesus is the most valuable treasure ever. That way you know that no matter what is in the package it cannot beat what you already have in Jesus. Nothing will be able to lure us.

We will end by talking about how wonderful Jesus is and why there is nothing or nobody that is better than Him.

A Lesson For You And I

It is not only Isaiah that needs to hear this message. In Colossians 2:1-5 Paul also tells us another way to stay anchored in our deceptive world. Somewhere along the way we forget that we are like that little boy that is easily duped into trading something of infinite value for a shiny new box. But we are. And just as a little boy left to himself is going to get duped every time, so we too will be tossed to and fro by every flashy new thing. Unless…

Unless, we are knitted together with other believers. If we have a healthy relationship with a local church body we will not be so easily duped. In a congregation there are many that foolishly made those trades. They will not only remind us of the sufficiency of Christ but they will also be there to convince us that what’s in the pretty package is nothing that will satiate.

This is why we need the body. This is why Paul says, “being knit together in love” in Colossians 2:2. The reaching the “riches of full assurance” and the “encouragement of the heart” do not come through an individualistic experience. Those sweet and precious graces flow to us through being knitted together with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need one another to constantly be reminded of the infinite worth of Jesus. Otherwise we’ll end up like a little boy trading his favorite toy for an old lawn-mowing shoe.

Battling on Baal’s Court

As a Browns fan (and a Royals fan) I know the pain of losing. But some losses hurt more than others. As an example, the Browns lost to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers 18 times in the ten years from September of 2000-December of 2009. They only one three times. One of the worst punch to the gut losses came in 2005 when the Steelers won 41-0 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. There is something about a home loss that hurts worse than losing on the road. Even a drunken Browns fan was body-slammed by the Steelers. (see video below)

Beating someone—and so badly—communicates your absolute dominance. Or in the Browns case being beaten so badly on your home field shows the world exactly how inept you actually are. In the same way the Lord often does battle on the idols court just to show his dominance.

Consider Baal. Baal was the god of fertility. Not just the dude in charge of making babies but the one that was in charge of crops and all things agricultural. In an agrarian community Baal was a big deal. This is why the Lord says in Hosea 2:12, “I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, ‘These are my wages, which my lovers have given me’”.

The Israelites thought that their bounty came from the hand of Baal. Their enjoyment of the fruit of the land was a direct result of their faithful Baal worship. Or so they thought. The Lord was about to utterly strip the land of all agricultural success. They would be laid barren. And Baal was left powerless. The fertility god was shown exactly how infertile he is. As Ray Ortlund has said:

The power of life and death lies with YHWH alone, and he is able to blight her happiness and fertility and make the nation a virtual desert with no mitigation of the suffering entailed, even to the point of death. (From God’s Unfaithful Wife)

In order to win hearts Yahweh must utterly expose and shame the competing idols. Otherwise, the Israelites will bow a knee to Baal in all things fertility and add Yahweh to their affections for all else. He must show that He alone is God.

What this Means for Missions

I don’t know that Christians, myself included, are confident enough in the Lord’s beauty to do battle on the court of our culture’s idols. If we really believed the Lord’s sufficiency I’m not sure that we would engage in defensive apologetics as much as we do. I doubt we would apologize for the gospel. We wouldn’t be so afraid of hiding the sharpened edge of the gospel.

Awhile back I was out and about in the community trying to share the gospel with people. We were doing ministry in a poverty stricken area of town. Here we would try to meet people and ask if they had any prayer requests or if there was any way that we could serve them. We would keep coming back to this neighborhood week after week asking the same questions.

On one occasion we met a young man that informed us that he recently had become a Buddhist. After studying the claims of Buddha and that of Christianity and a few other religions he found that Buddhism seemed to be the most peaceful and the one that appealed to him the most. He thanked us for our time and wished us well. As we were leaving I felt compelled to ask him whether or not he had peace.

I didn’t know it at the time but I was doing battle on Buddha’s court. Buddhism is all about inner peace and tranquility. This man was pursuing that and I wondered how it was going for him. He was somewhat stopped in his tracks but nervously acknowledged that he did seem to have more peace. We went back to our cars and prayed that he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he received the peace that only Christ gives.

Three days later someone from our team received a phone call. This guy hadn’t been able to sleep for three days. He had found himself in the psych ward because he had attempted suicide. He couldn’t find peace. Apparently my off-handed question had rattled him more than he put on. He couldn’t get the question out of his mind. Thankfully, some people from our team came to visit him in the hospital and shared the gospel with him. He found true peace that day.

This is why I say we ought to do battle with the idols of our culture. I’m not saying that we present the Lord as if he’s a better Santa Claus. I’m not saying that we tell materialistic people that the way to get more prosperity is to bow a knee to the God that owns everything. Nor am I saying that we tell people that are hell bent on psychological comfort that the way to comfort is through Jesus Christ. What I am saying is that we confront the idol of comfort, prosperity, and everything else with the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. He really is better. If we truly believe that then we believe that He can take on any idol and win every time.

Church, let’s do battle on Baal’s court. Let’s body slam Baal on his home court...(how was that for a lame transition):

When The Man Hands You a Blackout…

I rely on electricity far too much. I never realize that truth until the power goes out because of a storm or a squirrel frying himself on a generator. No electricity is exciting for about 3 minutes. Then we all just blankly stare at one another wondering what to do with ourselves. No television. No video games. No lights. No radio. No computer. No internet. No power saws. Nothing.

That is until I remember that my iPad runs off of battery. Even though my internet connection is down I still have 3G. If I am lucky I will have a few precious hours before my battery dies. If I can just hold off until the power comes back on. This leads me to conclude that if the man hands you a blackout you kick him in the shin, laugh, and say, “Forgot about my iPad didn’t you?” The man can’t keep you down if you’ve got a stellar backup plan.

I wonder, though, if sometimes our backup plans might get in the way of repentance. That is what happened with the northern kingdom in Isaiah’s day. Disaster strikes them but its okay they have a backup plan.

“The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.” –Isaiah 9:10

God takes away their bricks and they say, “I’ve still got my stones”. When calamity strikes they never consider the need for repentance or “inquiring of the LORD of hosts.” (9:13) Instead they check their supply closet and pull out their backups. “Nice try, Lord, but you seem to have forgotten about our cedar collection.” Rather than considering repentance they run to another idol to find fulfillment.

Sadly, I am not that much different at times. There have been numerous times in my life when the Lord has brought profound sadness or disappointment. It’s a supremely loving thing for the Lord to do that, by the way. He will not allow me to find satisfaction in these lesser lovers. But my rebellion can run so deep that instead of repentance and returning to Yahweh I assume that what I really need is a shinier idol to appease me. One idol fails me and so I try to replace it with a different one.

Our rebellion goes so deep that the Lord has to shame every potential idol. He will have to not only take away brick and sycamore but he will also have to lay bare our stones and our cedars. This is why Israel was laid bare. And it is why so often our walk with Christ we have to be laid bare.

As I think through Israel’s rebellion, and my own, two things come to mind. First, I am very grateful that the Lord is relentless in His pursuit of my redemption. As Isaiah 9:7 proclaims, it is the “zeal of the LORD of hosts” that He will bring about rescue through His Messiah. I am grateful that He is more passionate about my sanctification than I am.

Secondly, when the Lord exposes idols and rips them from my hands I want to run to Him instead of on a shameful quest to find a new idol. When disappointment and suffering comes into my life I want my first response to be an inquiry of the LORD of hosts and not a plundering of my supply closet. I want to set all my affections upon the LORD without having any backup plan.

Climbing The Wrong Mountain

I always have a sick feeling in my stomach when little children come up to my wife or myself with those fundraising magazines filled with overpriced candles and summer sausages.  Part of my sick feeling is that I will inevitably have to disappoint a child.  I simply cannot order from one child and not another.  Nor can I afford to order $30 trinkets from every student at church.  So, I get none of them.  But that is not the real reason for my sick feeling.

History.  That is the real reason that my stomach turns every time I see a little kid coming to me to buy $80 popcorn kernels to help out their school.  It pains me to see because I remember when I was that excited little kid with a glimmer in my eye.  You see when I was in first grade we did one of these fundraisers.  I did not yet understand that I was merely a cute little pawn in the scheme of some desperate principal.  I thought that when I sold a candle I would get a chunk of that money.  As the dollars racked up so did my hopes and dreams.  I thought about buying that new bike or maybe even one of those sweet remote control cars. 

I still remember the day of heartbreak when someone explained to me that I did not get any of the money.  Of course, if I sold enough items I could get a keychain with ALF on it.  But that was a paltry prize when my dreams had been so high.  That’s why I get a little sad when I see a happy little kid selling four gummy bears for $12.  I figure that her selling career is matched with a dream that will soon be crushed.  It’s painful to labor for a misguided dream. 

Isaiah 2

As I read through Isaiah 2 this morning my mind went back to the heartache of all the times I’ve built an empire in my mind only to see it crushed.  There is an interesting contrast in this passage of Scripture.  In the first five verses Isaiah paints a vivid picture of worshippers going up to the mountain of the Lord.  It is a beautiful picture of a future day when peace and justice reign and worship of Yahweh thrives in the land.  The first section closes with a call to the people of Israel.  Looking to the climax of the story of Yahweh, Isaiah implores the people:

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Verses 6-22 chronicles the bringing low of all the proud and lofty.  Everything that is high and lifted up is brought low as “the LORD alone will be exalted in that day”.  The picture is of two different mountains.  On one mountain, the mountain of the LORD, all the humble worshippers of Yahweh are exalted with Him.  On the other mountain, the mountain of man, all those trekking up her will be brought low by the terror and splendor of God has he terrifies the earth.  As Isaiah paints the picture of human boasting being brought low he questions the people:

Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

Which Mountain Are You Climbing?

Isaiah 2 begs a very probing question to its readers.  Which mountain are you trekking up?  Are you laboring with all your energy up the mountain of human regard?  Are you giving all of your energies and staking your identity in a mountain that is going to be flattened by the terror of Yahweh?  Or are you plodding up the mountain of the LORD? 

Isaiah says that in the house of Jacob “there is no end to their treasures”.  It is a land filled with idolatrous riches.  Why do you think they have so many idols?  The flashy allure of the mountain of man has captivated their heart.  They are living to climb that mountain.  The “fortune-tellers like the Philistines” are present in Jacob because they regard the mountain of man as more valuable than the mountain of Yahweh.  These idols help them climb. 

The ESV Study Bible mentions that “Sennacherib, king of Assyria, boasted in terms of ‘the terror-inspiring splendor of my lordship’ in his writings.”  Yahweh laughs at such a foolish claim.  You want to see terror-inspiring splendor?  Sennacherib, you’ll be groveling in a bat cave and hanging out with moles.  When Yahweh wants to terrify there is none that can stand before him. 

That is the story that we are being asked to believe.  Will we be a people that believe Yahweh’s story of redemption or will we believe the Sennacherib’s of the world?  Will we be a people that regard man in whose nostrils is breath (Yahweh created breath)?  Or will we be a people that goes all-in on the story of Yahweh? 

As I ponder these questions for my own life I am also forced to ask them of my children, my wife, and the people God has called me to lead?  Am I a faithful Sherpa leading them up the mountain of Yahweh or am I leading them up inferior mountains that will be squashed before the terror of the Lord? 

May Jesus captivate my heart, so that my life is a trek up the mountain He rules instead of the mountain He squashes. 

You’ve Got to Pull Up the Roots, Man

On Monday I introduced a new series here at Borrowed Light.  It took off like a herd of turtles.  We received a whopping ZERO illustrations.  That’s okay.  Regardless of whether or not you join me in the comments I am going to trust that some people will privately do the exercise of trying to find gospel illustrations.  Today I’ll share my illustration from this video:

I am pretty confident that I have been like this dog before.  The problem that he is finding is that the thing on the surface is attached to a much stronger root system that is not easily visible.  I’ve done this with idols in my life.  I have been like this dog by foolishly thinking that a particular sin is merely an easily handled stick that I can just clamp my teeth into and move around where I want it. 

There are some surface idols that I might be able to do this with.  But whenever these things are attached to much deeper roots they do not move so easily.  If I really want to “move the stick” then it needs to be uprooted. 

Anger is a good example of this.  If I set about controlling my anger I will be just like that dog pulling at the stick.  It’s not going to easily move because it has much deeper roots.  Anger is a surface response to deeper inner turmoil.  Anger happens whenever something below the surface is on the throne of my heart.  If I want to control my anger then I’ve got to get out a shovel and start discovering and hacking at the root system. 

Don’t be like that dog and live your Christian life in frustration because you never get to the root issues.  Christ came not only to conquer the surface problems but to absolutely redeemed the root system.  I’ve written some in the past on idol destruction.  This video shows the need for it. 

Why We Must Dig a Little Deeper Than Norman Rockwell and Benjamin Franklin to Discover Idols

I’ve said it in sermons and probably even wrote it on this blog a few times: 

“Show me your wallet and your calendar and I’ll show you what you treasure”. 

I still believe that statement is true.  But I also believe that in practice it needs to go a little deeper than seeing what I’ve scribbled onto my Norman Rockwell calendar or where I’ve shelled out my Benjamin Franklin’s (or more precisely my Abe Lincoln’s). 

I say that it needs to go a little deeper because I know the things that are on my calendar and the things that are I spend my money on.  And I also know the idols that I battle in my life.  And the two don’t seem to match up and first glance.

As an example one item that I spend time and money on is the MLB.TV baseball package.  I love watching Kansas City Royals baseball (or whatever you call that thing they do while the opponent plays baseball).  This is one place where both money and time goes to.  Yet, for the most part it is not an idol in my life.  At least most of the time.  Sometimes I use it as an escape.  Occasionally when things around me seem to be spinning out of control I crave locking myself in the basement and just watching the Royals “play”. 

If I were to take the time and money test then I could put KC Royals baseball on the list of idols.  And if I were feeling uber-spiritual or something I would unplug the television, unsubscribe, stop watching Royals games, and pretend like I had conquered an idol.  But in reality its not baseball that is an idol.  In actuality, it is trying to find comfort and security outside of Jesus.  And those dirty siblings would just pop their little unconquered rebellious heads up in something else.   

That’s why I say that though we can begin identifying idols by analyzing where we spend our time and money, it would do us well to ask a few more probing questions once we get beyond the initial look at our time and money. 

The Gospel or Leprosy?

The Gospel hurts worse than having a leprous heart.  I know that in the end it hurts far worse to have a heart deadened to God.  But this side of redemption having a heart sensitive to the Spirit and fighting sin hurts.  It hurts when the gospel rips idols out of my heart.  It hurts when I am fully exposed.  It hurts when the gospel will not allow me to hide (from God or neighbor).  It hurts when the gospel makes me face things I would rather not.  The gospel hurts.

Leprosy on the other hand—you don’t feel a thing.  Of course this means that you are also deadened to beauty.  You cannot really feel kisses.  You cannot really feel a warm embrace.  Sunsets are ignored.  Food tastes bland.  Life feels dull.  But leprosy doesn’t hurt; or at least it doesn’t appear to at the moment.

So do I believe Jesus enough to let the gospel hurt?  Or will I try to put on a leprous heart?

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This one was from the archives.

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Fast Tracking Spiritual Growth and Golden Calves

“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1 ESV)

If this story was not so sad it would be wildly humorous.  The Israelites have been waiting at the bottom of the mountain to hear from the Lord.  They have already promised that “all the words that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Ex. 20:3).  Then Moses jaunts up the mountain to receive the word of the Lord. 

Hours turn into days.

Days turn into weeks.

Weeks turn into a month. 

Finally, the people at the foot of the mountain call together a meeting and say, “Let’s face it…this Moses chap…who really knows what has happened to him.  He’s not coming back down from that mountain.  We liked his vision, we liked his idea about being in covenant with this YHWH, but seriously guys this is taking a REALLY long time.  Can’t you just make us a god so that we can worship, we’re too tired of waiting on YHWH.” 

So Aaron follows the people and they take up a missions offering, throwing their gold into the offering plates.  When the ushers gather together they give all their prosperity to Aaron who then crafts it into a golden calf.  I assume they called this idol something similar to YHWH because they ascribe to this assemblage of metal the work that YHWH had previously accomplished.

They wanted the fruit that YHWH had promised but not the labor of trust and love that it took to see it. 

I would really like to laugh at them.  Then I realize that I’m probably somewhere amongst them--plotting out plans for church success, spiritual growth, and helping people to worship a convenient “YHWH”.  You see, I have my own little sacred cows that I have constructed under the pretext of worshipping the living God.  I have my own plans to fast track the spiritual growth of the flock that I am called to help shepherd. 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”. 

Day of Jesus Christ?!?  That’s might be take awhile.  “As for this return of Jesus, we aren’t sure when that’s going to happen”.  Let me help you out, Lord.  I think I can fast track their spiritual growth.  I’ve written these really helpful articles on my blog…

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Lord, Your people are in your hands.  You hold them with an immovable hand.  Your arm is not too short to save.  Mine is.  When I think that I know better, when I am tempted to construct my own sacred cows help me remember that the only thing that brings us to completion is the finished work of Jesus.  Yes, finished work of Jesus.  You don’t need my golden calves.  You don’t need anything from me.  Yet, you bid me come and die.  May I follow you even if at times it looks like I’ve been slaughtered on a scary mountain. 

Idol Destruction 101: Summary

There is a good amount of talk in many Christian circles about the necessity of rooting out and destroying idols and replacing them with Christ-exalting joy in Him.  This series aims at considering this task and how to go about destroying idols. 

Part One: The Question is Begged
Part Two: The Path of Introspection
Part Three: The Keswick Effect
Part Four: Who Destroys Idols?
Part Five: The Twofold Strategy
Part Six: Making it Practical
Part Seven: A Note From Mr. Spurgeon

I welcome any suggestions, kickback, or questions of things that I did not cover in this series that you wish that I would have.

Idol Destruction 101 Part 7

When in doubt just quote Spurgeon.  If you’ve gotten lost in anything I’ve said in the past 6 articles on idol destruction this quote by Spurgeon sums it up nicely:

It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that “Christ is all in all.” Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

Yep, that about sums it up. 

Idol destruction does not happen through a morbid introspection that tries to cast down idols and give them to the Lord.  Idol destruction happens because God is radically dedicated to your joy in Him.  This destruction happens because it is the work of Jesus to overthrow the works of the devil.  Idols are cast down because that is what God does through His gospel.  We work to expose their emptiness in light of His fullness. 

Though it sounds too simple and too passive the way to idol destruction (as has been shown in the previous articles) is to aggressively and believingly trust in what Christ has already accomplished.  Idols are empty but until they are seen in light of the gospel they look appealing and they look strong.  But once idols are viewed in light of the unblushing promises that we have been “blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing” they soon melt like wax.

Expose their Emptiness by Exalting His Fullness.  That’s the key.

Idol Destruction 101 Part 6

Idol destruction does not take place by slavishly and morbidly looking to yourself and your surrender of these idols.  Yet, it is fundamentally God that does battle with our idols.  He does destroy them.  One of the means that God uses to destroy our idols is a Spirit-directed exposing of our idols and a Spirit-inspired exaltation of all that is ours in Christ.  That sounds good but what does that look like practically?

A Couple Quotes Before the Practical

Thomas Chalmers once said, “The true way to facilitate self-examination is to look believingly outwardly.”  Robert Murray McCheyne picked this up and quipped his famous saying:

"Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely . . . . Live much in the smiles of God. Bask in his beams. Feel his all-seeing eye settled on you in love. And repose in his almighty arms."

For every look at self take 10 looks to Christ.  Yes, this is the way to destroy idols.  Yes, this is the way to captivate our affections and destroy our idols.  To believingly look outward makes idols melt like wax against the radiant beauty of the Lord Jesus.  What then does it look like to “take 10 looks to Christ”?  What does exposing idols look like?  What does it mean to exalt the fullness of Christ?

A Scenario

I had a somewhat rough day at the office.  It was one of those days when my list of “to-do’s” grew instead of shrunk.  Every time I would begin a project and try to complete something that I need to get done the phone would ring and another something was added to my list of things to do. 

Though my day seemed like I moved backwards, 5:00 still rolls around and my wife and kids are expecting me home for dinner.  All of the burdens of the day are still on my back but I know that I need to shake them off so that I am home when I’m at home.  I want to be emotionally and spiritually present whenever I am physically present.  That is something that I have been working on. 

I pull into the driveway and I am immediately hit with crying children and a frazzled wife.  Apparently I am not the only one that has had a difficult day.  It becomes obvious to me fairly early on that my hopes of a fun-filled and stress-free evening is dashed.  My angelic children have been overtaken by what appears to be a legion of demons—or at least that is what it seems like to a discouraged daddy. 

What do I do?  I’m empty.  I’m burned out.  I need to re-energize.  I really NEED a stress-free evening.  That isn’t happening.  Relaxing will not be an option on this evening.  Perhaps around 11:30 I can catch a few relaxing moments before I enter into restless sleep and then begin to play catch-up again tomorrow. 

Truth be told I’m angry.  I’m angry that things are so busy, I’m angry that I can’t relax like I want to.  I’m angry that my imaginary night has been hi-jacked by reality.  I try to hide my anger.  I try to play the role of super dad and super husband but I just hit a wall.  My anger shows.  I’m sharp with the kids.  I’m distant from my wife.  All I’m really thinking about are those 15 minutes of relaxation at sometime around 11:30. 

A Solution

Of course that is an imaginary situation.  I hear that some husbands and fathers can struggle with those types of things.  Not me.  I’m a pastor, seminary student, writer, and all around super Christian.  But for your sake I’ll imagine that I actually do struggle with the above scenario and that it has played out more than once in my life. 

The above scenario is an idolatry problem.  It’s a worship problem.  If I want to see my anger repented of, healed, corrected, and ultimately changed then I need to get real with what is causing the anger.  It is suicidal idolatry.  A false god has sold me a lie and I bought it.  Hook.  Line.  Sinker.  I swallowed the whole stupid thing.  

What happened that night?  What was really going on in my heart?  I had an idol of comfort and control.  I wanted to be in charge of my day.  I want things easy.  I want to be a good parent and a good husband.  But mostly I want those things to be easy. 

Remember our task in idol destruction is to expose the emptiness of idols and to exalt His fullness at their expense.  So I do that by getting real with what this idol is promising.  I write down it’s marketing pitch.

Comfort: You work hard, Mike.  You are tired and you are exhausted.  You have a right to relax when you come home.  You need to be re-energized and we know that the best way for you do that is to disengage and just chill out.  If people cannot understand that they are working against you and the plan of God for your life.  You have every right to be righteously angry and indignant that circumstances are ruining the awesome plans that God has for you.

The Gospel: Jesus has already accomplished everything that you need.  Your to-do list doesn’t matter as much to God as His DONE list.  You have been given the Holy Spirit.  You have everything you need for life and godliness.  He will re-energize you.  Yes, God has given you the gift of sleep.  But He is also Lord of your circumstances.  There is not one square inch of your life that does not belong to Him.  And there is not one square inch of your life that He is not in the process of redeeming and transforming for your joy and His glory.  Those things that you think are “ruining” God’s plan for you actually ARE God’s plan for you.  Trust Him—He is radically dedicated to your joy in Him. 

Suddenly the fleeting pleasures of a comfortable night of disengaging in front of a television screen do not seem as appealing.  Christ is calling me to more deep and lasting joy than a “comfortable night”.  Not only this but He has promised and provided for me the power to be “re-energized” by the very things that I thought were standing in my way of joy.  My grouchy kids (and this grouchy dad) aren’t hurdles to be leapt over on the path to my couch.  These are opportunities to see grace shine and to delight in the Savior. 

All I did in the above scenario is take a look at myself and discover that I do fall short, I am prone to anger, I do believe stupid promises of false comfort, and I mess up as a husband and daddy.  But I feast upon and camp out under the promises of Christ on my behalf.  I take one look at my sin—I’m not surprised by it—and I abhor it.  But rather than trying to get rid of it for the sake of having a relationship with Jesus I preach the gospel to myself; I expose the emptiness of the idol next to the unblushing promises that are mine in Christ Jesus. 

There is still one amazing Spurgeon quote and a little summary…

Idol Destruction 101 Part 5

So far we have noted that you do not destroy idol’s by a selfishly morbid introspection that attempts to search out idols, surrender everything to God, and then passively sit by and watch him destroy idols.  Yet, we did note that God is the one that fundamentally destroys idols.  This all begs the question—what then do I do in destroying idols? 

For this series I conducted a brief jaunt through the Bible and analyzed every passage that I found on idolatry.  I noticed that in the Torah the Israelites were commanded to cast out any idol and any person trying to entice others towards idolatry that was found in their midst.  By the time of the Prophets the Israelites for the most part have fallen headlong into idolatry.  At this point while the Lord tells them to cast down their idols—he is more direct in His strategy. 

The twofold strategy of idol destruction

There are two things that I see the Lord consistently doing through His prophets:

1. Exposing the emptiness of idols
2. Exalting His fullness at their expense

This seems to me to be the most prominent strategy the Lord employs in conquering idols in the hearts of his people.  Psalm 115 is a beautiful picture of the convergence of both of these strategies.  In the first section of Psalm 115 the Lord exposes the emptiness and nothingness of idols and those that follow them.  In the second section of Psalm 115 he reminds the Israelites of the work and blessing that He has accomplished on their behalf.  Whereas the idols are empty to prosper, YHWH is powerful to abundantly bless. 

You can see this same thing throughout both the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets.  YHWH is powerful, full, complete, awesome, and sufficient for all of our needs.  Idols are empty, futile, nothing, and impotent.  Therefore, the prophets consistently preach to the people the fullness of God and the utter stupidity and impotence of idols. 

Our strategy

This leads me to believe that the way to join with God in his work of idol destruction is to actively preach the gospel to ourselves.  As we preach the gospel to ourselves and to our idols we are reminded first that we are in His hands and no idol is powerful enough to pluck us from those mighty hands.  Secondly, we shame our idols.  We mock them.  We load them down with weight that only the Lord can bear.  Then they topple.  Thirdly (perhaps simultaneously) we remind ourselves of the sufficiency of God.  In Jesus we have everything we need for life and godliness.  In Him dwells the fullness of God and we are hidden in that fullness. 

Rather than focusing on my inadequacy or my shameful lust after idols I instead preach the fullness of the gospel to myself and my tantalizing idol.  I expose the idol and I exalt the Lord.  Somewhere along the way the magnificence of the Lord wins the day and Dagon has no hope but to topple before the Mighty King Jesus. 

I want to make this even more practical.  I hope to do that in Part 6…

Idol Destruction 101 Part 3

There is a way of “[delving] into secret, shadowy regions of the heart” that is helpful.  But there is also a way of “idol mining” that is dangerous and deadly to your soul.  It is this deadly digging that we will look at today.

The Keswick Effect

Keswick (pronounced KEH-zick) theology is a very popular view of Christian sanctification.  If J.I. Packer is correct (and he probably is), unless you belong to a Lutheran or confessionally Reformed fellowship chances are you have been heavily influenced by Keswick theology*. 

Fundamental to Keswick theology is the belief that most believers live their Christian life in defeat.  Keswick desires to turn defeat into victory.  Believers can (indeed should) live Christian lives marked by victory—consecration to the Lord and Spirit-filling.  As a result of this teaching there are two classes of believers: those that are living victoriously and those that are living in defeat. 

What separates victorious believers from defeated believers?  Those who are victorious have surrendered in faith.  They have “Let go, and let God”.  This is what happens when a believer allows Jesus to become Lord in their life.  Previously, he had been Savior but not Lord.  Because the flesh is sinful the only thing for us to do is surrender everything to God.  Our only “effort” is the effort of letting go of our feeble attempts to live the Christian life.  Simultaneous to “giving up” we then trust in the Lord to accomplish our holiness for us. 

Usually all of this takes place at a moment of crisis.  After this moment of crisis (which usually takes place at a weekend or week long renewal) when the believer surrenders and believes then he/she is now has taken a spiritual leap.  He/she now lives the Higher Life (hence the name Higher Life Movement). 

The problem, though, is that we have a tendency to “leak” the Spirit.  And so the Christian life is a constant process of surrendering and believing (letting go and letting God).  Most who adhere to Keswick theology do not believe that you can lose your salvation, but you certainly can slip back into being a carnal Christian.  And as such you surrender your fellowship with God.  If you are not surrendering and believing then you are doing things in the flesh.  As such, you are not living the victorious Christian life in fellowship with God, because as Paul said, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God”. 

When Keswick Meets Idol Mining

What happens, then, when a person who has bought into the Keswick view of sanctification begins idol mining?  Consider these wise words from M. James Sawyer:

Another great problem with Keswick teaching in its various forms is the tendency to morbid introspection. If one’s spiritual relationship to God is dependent upon confession of known sin, and absolute yieldedness, how can one be sure that he has actually confessed all sin. If a sin has been missed somewhere, the individual is still out of fellowship with God and devoid of spiritual power. Thus instead of a relationship with God producing holiness, Keswick demands holiness before communion.

J.I. Packer was rescued out of this muddy mysticism at a young age.  But, according to Packer it almost destroyed him.  Listen to his experience of Keswick theology meeting idol mining:

It didn’t work and that was a deeply frustrating and depressing thing. It made me feel like a pariah, an outsider, and at the age of eighteen that was pretty burdensome. In fact, it was driving me crazy. [p. 169] The reality of its [i.e., Keswick theology’s] passivity program and its announced expectations, plus its insistence that any failure to find complete victory is entirely your fault, makes it very destructive…So all [I] could do was repeatedly reconsecrate [myself], scraping the inside of [my] psyche till it was bruised and sore in order to track down still unyielded things by which the blessing was perhaps being blocked.

Dan Phillips shares a similar experience:

The effect of all this was that I was constantly taking my spiritual pulse, constantly checking within, freezing up, paralyzed, spiraling down into deeper and deeper morbid introspection and depression.  In the name of “looking to Jesus” (revealed in His Word) I was constantly looking to myself, within myself.  (Phillips, The World-Tilting Gospel, 251-52)

The problems with this view of sanctification are multiple and its effects are devastating—especially to believers that may be prone to morbid introspection in the first place.  Another problem is that it hi-jacks an actual helpful and biblical view of sanctification.  What happens when Keswick hijacks idol mining is that the believer is looking for idols to destroy because while they still exist he cannot be in right fellowship with the Lord, he cannot have communion, he cannot have victory.  Idol destruction then becomes a means to a more intimate fellowship with the Lord.  It’s a way to fill in the gaps of our spiritual development.

Idol mining then becomes about me and my quest to surrender more for God, to let God have more control of me, and inevitably to be a better Christian and more acceptable to God.  In essence it hijacks the gospel and the work of Christ.

But who destroys idols in the first place???  That is where we will turn next time.

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*There is more to Keswick than will be dealt with in this brief article.  If you are interested in the topic you are encouraged to check out two helpful articles.  The first is on Wesleyan/Holiness Movement and Keswick Theology from Bible.org.  The next place to look is the work of Andy Naselli.  Andy did his doctoral work on the Keswick movement and he has a good amount of free resources available here: Keswick-Theology, Let Go and Let God?

Idol Destruction 101 Part 2

Idol worship is a form of suicide. 

It is knowingly* drinking from a contaminated spring that only promises fleeting pleasures but can never ultimately satiate.  Not only is it drinking from a well of poison, idolatry drinks from that contaminated stream at the expense of the only well that flows with living water.  Idolatry, neglects the only Fountain that can give us life. 

Those that have been made alive by the all-powerful Lord of the universe have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.  We no longer desire to drink from a contaminated stream.  We want the Lord and all His fullness.  Yet, old ways of living die hard.  Some days we crave the putrid.  Yet even while our lips are still wet from a drink of the forbidden our hearts ache for healing and rescue:   namely, rescue from the foolish desire of the murky, stale, and deadly waters. 

Our hearts grow discontent.  This is good.  We know the emptiness of idols and we want them gone. 

Mostly. 

Truth be told something in our heart still likes to cling to them.  Or create them.  Even while we smash one idol down our remaining rebellion draws up a blueprint for its next life-altering invention. 

Calvin said the heart is an idol-factory.  I want to know how to shut down it’s production.  Or at least change it.  Rather than producing idols I want my heart to produce righteousness and God-honoring fruit.  So, how does that happen? 

The path of introspection

In his book Jesus + Nothing = Everything, Tullian Tchividjian encourages the reader to “delve into secret, shadowy regions of the heart” and to “risk a plunge into soul depths”.  While I will fundamentally agree with Pastor Tchividjian such statements consumed by those reading with the wrong lens will find such counsel deadly. 

Tchividjian is not alone in his counsel.  Others, such as Tim Keller, advise believers that the “secret to change is to identify and dismantle the counterfeit gods of your heart”. 

When some hear this advice they immediately go on an idol searching quest.  They do as Martyn Lloyd-Jones warned against and “cross the line from self-examination to introspection” because now “they do nothing but examine [themselves]”.  Lloyd-Jones notes that what happens in this case is that “self-examination becomes the main and chief end in our life”. 

Inevitably this often leads to despair, morbidity, and depression.  The eyes were never meant to be fixated on self.  Worse yet, the heart was never meant to do battle with idolatry by continuing to pay it homage.  When we continue to make the issue the idol we are still bowing a knee to its power.  It is still defining our identity and relationship with the Lord. 

“I am an idolater”.  No, you are not. 

“Such were some of you”…

You are bought with the blood of Jesus Christ, you are His.  You are a Jesus-follower who happens to be involved in the battle against idolatry and suicidal self-worship.  But your fundamental identity is not as an idolater.  You’ve been changed.

You don’t do battle with idolatry by morbidly bowing a knee to its power over your life.  The self-examination and idol searching that Tchividjian, Keller, and Lloyd-Jones are referring to is different than morbid introspection.  Their advice has been hi-jacked by a deadly philosophy. 

And it is to this deadly philosophy that we turn next time…

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*see Romans 1

Quotes from
Jesus + Nothing = Everything
Counterfeit Gods
Spiritual Depression

Idol Destruction 101 (Part 1)

Why do we lie, or fail to love, or break our promises, or live selfishly? Of course, the general answer is “Because we are weak and sinful,” but the specific answer is that there is something besides Jesus Christ that we feel we must have to be happy, something that is more important to our heart than God, something that is enslaving our heart through inordinate desires. The key to change (and even to self-understanding) is therefore to identify the idols of the heart.” 

-Tim Keller

In other words, the root of your rebellion, brokenness, and failures is idolatry.  If we want to push back against our rebellion, be healed of brokenness, and grow in holiness the answer is to identify and then destroy idols of the heart.  But this begs a question.  How?  How do I identify idols, how do I go about uprooting them, and how do I replace them with a deeper love and affection for Christ?

Do I place on my idol miner’s hat, fully equipped with a my idol exposing flash light?  Do I gather my gospel gear, complete with my idol smashing pick axe?  And when I’ve uprooted this dastardly idol what tools and weapons do I use to supplant the idol with deeper affections for Christ?  Or do I simply put down my mining equipment and do something entirely different to see idols of the heart destroyed and supplanted? 

I hope to provide an answer to these questions in the upcoming days…

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Turning “Helps” Into Idolatry

Does God wound thy spirit, does he make it sick, and dost thou seek to unlawful means for help?  Dost thou go to thy company, to music, to good cheer, to relieve thee?  Oh this provokes God against thee!…those that in trouble of conscience seek for carnal helps, by their vain tampering only render their condition worse.  (Jeremiah Burroughs commenting on Hosea 5:14)

There is an assumption that Burroughs is making here that some of our readers may not be willing to agree with.  Namely, Burroughs assumes (as I do) that God is sovereign and everything that happens comes from His hand—whether it is directly or indirectly.  This would include “wounds to our spirit” and “trouble of conscience”. 

I have mentioned previously that I battle depression or perhaps the better term would be “fits of melancholy”.  In fact our nation seems to be very much plagued by this malady.  One particular study notes that, "An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year."   That means that when you go to the grocery store 1 of every 4 people that you see suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder.  That is huge.

I understand that any mental disorder is complex and there are usually not simple answers.  But is it possible that part of our restlessness (our depression, our mental anxieties) may stem from the effects of running to lesser gods?  Is it possible that when we have restlessness and anxiety we first seek unlawful means for help instead of going to the Lord?  Is it possible that this brokenness is meant to cause us “in our affliction to not fly from, but humble ourselves before him”? 

I do believe that the Lord by His grace has provided helps to our brokenness.  I believe that there are ripple effects to the accomplishment of Christ on the Cross.  I believe that there is common grace—such as antidepressants—that the Lord may use as a means to calm the effects of our brokenness and provide substantial healing.  But I also believe that these “helps” can subtly become functional saviors and when we principally turn to them not only does our condition worsen but the Lord’s displeasure is aroused. 

God may not fully heal the pain that I feel or the darkness that sometimes seems to overcome me; at least not this side of a Eden Restored.  Am I willing to have shards of brokenness in my life if it means that His glory shines brighter in my weakness?  Is it possible that I am muting God’s glory or defaming His name by going to “other helps” that may work for a season but won’t give ultimate rest? 

The Case in Hosea

Just so you know that all of this is coming from somewhere consider what took place in Hosea’s day.  The Israelite’s were stuck between two super powers: Assyria and Egypt.  They decided that they could go to both of these super powers for “help” and to gain wealth and security from these “lovers”.  They called it wisdom but God called it “playing the whore”. 

God had given Egypt wealth.  God had given Assyria power.  And it is quite possible (though we have no idea of knowing) that had Israel remained faithful to the Lord he would have employed either Egypt or Assyria as helpers—though not likely.  But when “Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king.  But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.” 

Here is the kicker, the “sickness of Ephraim” and the “wound of Judah” is one that is given by the Lord.  And while the Lord is administering discipline to his children they run to Assyria (and later Egypt) for protection from the Lord.  But he cannot cure them.  He cannot heal their wound.  Only God can.  That is why Hosea entreats them to “return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.  After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” 

The Flaw

Blanket statements are dangerous.  Do not apply this as a “when ___ happens then it means that God is ______”.  There is an assumption that is being made in connecting a “wounded spirit” to the days of Hosea.  They were being wounded because of their sin and their idolatry.  The Lord was ripping out of their hearts idolatry and residue from the fall.  This is what He lovingly does with His covenant children. 

This is true in those cases. Yet, we would be in great error to look out on the brokenness and depression of every person and say, “don’t try to find help” just endure the Lord’s discipline and stop bowing to idols.  That was the foolish council of Job’s friends.  Job wasn’t enduring his suffering because of his sin.  He was enduring suffering because he was going through suffering.  But what Job got right was that his only source of ultimate refuge and rescue was in the LORD. 

It takes wisdom to know whether I am turning “helps” into idolatry or if I’m legitimately using “helps” for the glory of God.  It takes even more wisdom and grace to sit in ashes and cling to the Lord of glory and say as Hosea did, “He has torn us, that he may heal us…let us press on to know the LORD…he will come to us as showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 

It takes grace to trust a lion when Assyria and Egypt look so splendid…

From the Pen of Newton: The Idol of Usefulness

My usefulness was the last idol I was willing to give up; But now I thank the Lord, I can part with that also, and am content to be anything or nothing, so that His wise and holy will may be done! 

-Cotton Mather

The above quote by Cotton Mather was one that John Newton had read in his mid-30’s.  At the age of seventy-five Newton shares the quote with John Ryland, Jr. and notes that he has been reflecting on this quote for the last 40 years.  Newton is now an elderly man that is beginning to lose his health (mainly his sight) and thereby his “usefulness” to the kingdom.  This Newton says is a trial that actually seems to require more grace than being active in ministry. 

Methinks if one ounce of grace, so to speak, may carry us on in active life, it may require a pound, to maintain a cheerful resigned spirit, when the Lord appoints us to sit still and be quiet.  For in active life there is something pleasing to Mr. Self; he loves to see many eyes upon him, and to be followed by a crowd when he preaches.  But he does not like to be shut up and in a manner forgotten. 

What Newton is saying is that our level of contentment in the Lord and satisfaction in Christ alone is often displayed not in moments of activity but in moments where it seems like we have very little usefulness.  Do I rejoice when others are serving God and their usefulness is quite prominent?  Or do I wish that I was the one being “mightily used by God”?  Will I be content when I am seventy-five and others are beginning to take my place? 

It appears that “usefulness” may indeed be an idol that does not go down easily.  What are the ways in your own life that usefulness has become and idol?  What are ways that your “usefulness” has replaced the righteousness of Christ as the measuring stick of your right standing with God? 

May our hearts cry be to see His kingdom advance by whatever means He chooses to use…

Tommy Boy and Idol Destruction

Do you remember that scene in Tommy Boy where Chris Farley backs David Spade’s car door into a pole and it rips the door off?  Remember how Tommy (Farley) tries to “fix” the problem and simply place the door back on, so that whenever Richard (Spade) open the door it falls off in his own hand.  As the door falls off into Richard’s hands Tommy is heard screaming in shock (the way only Farley could do), “What’d you do!” 

Doesn’t this seem very similar to what Adam and Eve did in the Garden?  Isn’t this what you and I still do today? 

Rather than coming to the Lord in faith and repentance we are like Adam.  We try to flee the presence of the Lord.  I don’t think it is necessarily that we do not desire a relationship with the Almighty. 

We want to be in His presence. 

But we don’t want to be naked in His presence. 

And so we run away and try to sew fig-leaf garments for ourselves.  We’d rather have itchy undies than face up to our fall.  And so we hide and try to fix things on our own.  And when our shallow efforts at “fixing it” are exposed we turn to our fellow man and say, “What’d you do!” 

It is because I do not want to be naked in His presence that I often run away from the heart work of exposing idols.  It takes much grace for me to come to a spot where I am willing to look at the idols in my heart that are often driving me more than the Lord Jesus. 

But whenever I remember verses like Romans 8:1 I decide to come out of hiding and face some of these idols.  In those moments i have found Tim Keller’s book, Counterfeit Gods, to be very helpful.  Here he gives a few suggestions for uncovering idols of the heart.  I will summarize these four questions:

1. What do your thoughts effortlessly go to when there is nothing else demanding your attention? (That may be what you are daydreaming about right now)
2. How do you spend your time and money?
3. How do you respond to unanswered prayers and frustrated hopes? What are those things in your life that when God says “no” or “wait” it is met with explosive anger or deep despair? These are your functional idols.
4. What are your most uncontrollable emotions? Where do you find fear? Anger? Despair? Guilt? This is often where we can find many of the deep idols in our hearts.

I know from the character of God and the work of Jesus that whenever these idols are exposed, and whenever I bring them to the Lord through faith and repentance, they will be met with love, mercy, and grace. 

There is never a time when I will go to the Lord with an idol that is so vile that He will refuse to meet it with grace.  Though the idol and its damning effects may be more than I can bare to see—I know that Jesus Christ has already peered into the cup of wrath, saw that sin, and drank it’s punishment to the dregs.  None of my idolatrous affairs will surprise Jesus. 

Brothers and sisters, we cannot take idolatry as a passive thing. The beautiful thing about our union with Jesus is that he does not just sit passively by and allow us to wreck our lives on these idols. No. He lovingly exposes our less wild lovers. He exposes and strips bare those false gods that will only leave us wrecked and ruined. He does this because He desire to replace them with strong affections for Himself. Christ is a jealous husband. And that is a good thing.

He will not let you go. He is passionately dedicated to you in this rooting out of sin and unbelief. We will find that each idol will be met with grace, love, and power to change our affections and our worship. Christ is a jealous husband but He is also patient.

May we join with him in rooting out these idols. They are ripping us off. I pray that we might join with the Spirit in searching our hearts for God-belittling idols and that in so doing we might also trust Him to root them out and replace them with God-honoring affections.

Why Your Heart May Not Be Satisfied

Statistically speaking, a good number of you will not read this entire quote.  And statistically you are ripping yourself off.  What Tripp identifies here is  an amazingly helpful diagnosis:

“…I am persuaded that the problem with the body of Christ is not that we are dissatisfied with what we do not have, but that we are all too satisfied with what we do have.  We are comfortable with a little bit of holiness, a little bit of ministry, a little bit of sacrifice, a little bit of wisdom, a little bit of satisfying glory that only the grace of Christ is able to give us.  I am deeply persuaded that we must resist with all of our might the kind of self-satisfied spirituality that marks the life of so many believers.  And I am further persuaded that this pseudo-spirituality is one of the cruel deceptions of a wily enemy.

What is the danger of this kind of spirituality?  It never results in truly Christ-centered, grace-driven, God-glorifying, heart-satisfying righteousness.  True righteousness only ever begins when you come to the end of yourself.  Only when God leads you to the place where you begin to abandon your own agenda and false righteousness, does true righteousness take hold.  And only then can a passion for selfless service and true worship grow in your heart.

But the battle is ever-present, and I am afraid that at the same moment we are nibbling at the table of the Lord, we are often stuffing ourselves at the buffet of the world.  No wonder our hearts are not satisfied; we are feasting on food that has no capacity to satisfy.  And no wonder we are addicted; as we feed on what cannot satisfy, we must go back again and again and again.

This is from Paul Tripp’s book Broken Down House.  I would encourage you to check out my review of this book and to buy yourself a copy.