Addicted to Jesus

If you grew up in the 80s, you might remember that Carman song that talks of this "A to J". Or you might be thinking that it's really cheesy Christianese.

But the fact of the matter is, as what goes up comes back down, what goes in comes out. If we're not addicted to Jesus, we're addicted to other things. There are 24 hours in a day, and most of us are not sleeping during all of them, so, we must be filling our brains with something...and outputting something as well.

In a post on Fresh Brew called Learning from Hannah, Ashleigh Slater writes:

When we face trying circumstances, our cup is tapped. A favorite metaphor of my husband's—which is similar to the sponge metaphor—involves a cup that is full to the brim with water. It only takes a slight tap for the water in the cup to go streaming over the edges. The same goes for our hearts. It only takes a small inconvenience, offense, or struggle to tap our hearts. And, when they're tapped, what's in our hearts comes out (Luke 6:45). In many cases, cup tapping reveals sin.

How can we make sure our cups are filled with what is good? By being addicted to Jesus and His Word.

Yesterday at church the Assistant Pastor preached a sermon called The Heavenly Perspective of Christ centered on Colossians 3:1-11. He began his sermon by talking about the videoclip which I previously found on a post by Tim Challies and which I included in a blog post. Much (not all) of the commentary below references my sermon notes and much of it may very well be my Assistant Pastor's exact words:

Paul teaches us the real solution of how we can be set free from our addictions. Colossians 3:5 contains a list of sins that fuel addictions. The Colossians wanted to be free from temptation toward addiction and that they wanted to be spiritually mature and were turning to aestheticism toward that end. Adopt the following perspectives to fight addiction:

1) You must have perspective.
2) You must have a heavenly perspective.
3) You must have a heavenly perspective of Christ.

People can be in the same situation but respond in different ways. What do our cups or sponges contain? What will leak out?

When the Lord is not the object of our worship, something else will be. We cannot live without worshipping something. We are created in a sense to be addicted to something. Imagine that you are told that you will die if you suck in the water all around you. What do you do? Many of us would hold our breath. That is the natural reaction, but not the solution. We need to breathe air. We need to replace that which is bad with what is good. We must have a heavenly perspective of Christ.

As believers we "have died, and [our lives are] hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). God is our refuge. Why are we addicted? People will often describe an addiction as a refuge, a reward. Addictions need to be overcome and replaced. Even a good thing cannot replace the ultimate thing.

Addictions have the common goal to isolate you. Addictions destroy community. Being addicted to Jesus builds community. "...Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11). Being heavenly minded is not a form of escape. We go back into the world and share Christ's love and mercy that we have received with others.

We need to worship Christ. He rose from the dead so we might rise with Him. Colossians 3:1 talks of being "raised with Christ" and tells us to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is..." We are free. Free to be addicted to Christ.

Remember that we're not in this on our own. Remember Romans 8:11: "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

The same God who raised Christ from the dead raises us from the dead. May we learn to be addicted to Him and fill our cups or sponges with Him and His promises. And may they leak out as we continue to fill up on this living water.

Lord teach me how to die to myself daily and carry the cross. And please renew in me the new life you have graciously given because You have raised Your son from the dead...Thank you.

*Note: I'm not quite sure how to choose the sermon to listen to from this website, but maybe you can. And if the sermon on Colossians 3:1-11 preached by the Assistant Pastor on 4/6 gets posted there, then have a listen! And even if not, still feel free to listen :)

"Let Them Know or Let It Go"

In Challies' A La Carte posted today is a link to the article "Let Them Know or Let It Go?"

Just do it...or stop it.

The following videoclip can be found on a post by Tim Challies called "Just Stop It!"



Indeed, there are things in my life I need to just...stop. Or just...do.

Challies relates the following Mark Driscoll story:

The man called him in the middle of the night crying and begging for help because he had committed a certain sexual sin yet again. Though Driscoll’s answer was a tad vulgar I think he essentially gave the guy the right one: Just stop it!

My mom was telling me of how years ago when she was on a prayer chain at a church we used to go to, she got a prayer request from a woman who said that she always went to _______________ and ended up _____________. Well, if she asked any Christ follower for advice, most likely they'd immediately think the solution would be to simply stop going to the places that led her into deep sin that so entrenched her.

But that's...her. What about...me? Should I immediately think the obvious answer would be for her to stop while I still fall through sin's trapdoor? Hmmmmm...

Challies goes on to write:

Some time ago I spoke to a friend about an ongoing sin in his life and tried to show him that the essence of his problem was this: he hates his sin just a little bit less than he loves it. Sure he wants to stop sinning, but even more he wants to keep sinning.

Good point, good point. SO. How do we hate our sin of doing certain things or/and not doing the good we know we should do? Perhaps by thinking about it and what we should (not) do in our 'off' times, when we are not immediately faced with the temptation? Perhaps if in these moments we fill our minds with Scripture, that might spontaneously come to mind when in the midst of the battle of temptation where our better senses seem to have lost? Or each time we are tempted to (not) think or (not) do something (good) bad, even if we love our sin, we should instead cry out to God and ask Him to provide the way out as is promised (1 Cor. 10:13)?

Challies ends his article with this:

But there comes a time when forsaking sin, truly putting it to death, requires a decision of the mind and an act of the will. Sooner or later I need to just stop it. And God can give me the strength to do so.

May God indeed give us the grace and strength to...stop...or....do.

It's called, 'The Fall.'

So last night I was at a local community Task Force gathering and in response to something I said I think a friend said something like, "It's called 'The Fall', Rachael."

...Oh yeah.

But if I were Eve I likely would've done the same, and if not at the tree, I would've sinned soon enough elsewhere.

If I were alive in Jesus' day I may have shouted "Crucify Him!" if I were not called, and even if not, my actions would've spoken and speak otherwise.

In this post, C.J. Mahaney quotes Stott as saying in The Cross of Christ:

If we were in their place, we would have done what they did. Indeed, we have done it. For whenever we turn away from Christ, we ‘are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace’ (Heb. 6:6)

In a review of Mahaney's book Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing, the reviewer quotes Mahaney:

I identify most with the angry mob screaming, 'Crucify Him!' That's who we should all identify with. Because apart from God's grace, this is where we would all be standing, and we're only flattering ourselves to think otherwise

Sin, crimes, and social problems in the community and world at large suck.

Thankfully through Christ there is a way for death's wages to be paid off and to be reconciled to God.

But that doesn't mean society is shielded from the damaging effects of sin...

Reacting to Criticism

In the post called A Toad in a Texas Hailstorm are a few tips for handling criticism. Here's one of them: "Remember, you’re worse than any criticism of you."

In this regard the following wisdom is given:

Anything sinful someone sees in me is but the tip of the iceberg. I’m far worse than anything you say about me, because I crucified Christ. I can’t tell you how much remembering this has helped me when disrespected or criticized.

I wonder if this could help in times of hurt or unsureness about others' opinions of oneself. Even if someone views me negatively, you know what? I'm WORSE than what s/he might be thinking! And you know what? God's GREATER than what any of us could ever imagine! Whew!

As John Newton once said: "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour."

(edit: 3/16)

Euphemizing Sin...

What Are We Really Talking About?

Calling a sin a sin ~~

What if we were to frame our complaints or discontentment in our personal sin? To address and seek to overcome them as sin rather than allow them to leak out as interesting, seemingly therapeutic blabber? Should we first acknowledge our wrong attitudes and struggles while seeking prayer and advice rather than just sympathy or understanding?

What if we were to say to one another:

"This is my sin: ________. Do you have any advice? Can we pray?"

or a little more softly,

"I'm struggling with ... Can we pray about it?"

When people share their concerns, the temptation can be there to paint others ugly-ily. Are the listeners supposed to bear the burden by empathizing with the speaker? While the speaker might find pleasure in sharing the story, would s/he be sharing it in the same manner should the person being discussed be present? Even if the listeners don't know the subject of the conversation, is it okay for gossip to take place? Would a more appropriate response be to together offer a prayer to change the heart of the speaker or/and for God to work in the situation, at the risk of the iniatiator of that appearing 'holier-than-thou'?

Some sins might be clearly understood. The blows of the heavy hammer of guilt may not always be necessary to open the eye of conviction. But it would be neat if a little conviction, confession, and prayer were a natural response and course of action to follow 'bear and share sessions'.

Personal Uglies...

In the blogpost "My Friends Are So Awkward," Stephen Altrogge writes about the accountability he has with his Friday morning small group and the importance of asking difficult questions to help one properly view one's sin.

It must be a frightening treasure to have the opportunity for an exchange of honest vulnerability with a loving, trusted friend who also provides Biblical counsel or that outside perspective that can see through the blind spots and call sin for what it is.

What about our negative characteristics of which we either might be aware but not actively fighting, or of which we might be entirely oblivious?

In the article "My Ugly Blind Spot," Suzanne Hadley notes:

Blind spots may include things as simple as non-verbal characteristics, such as lack of eye contact, or as serious as sinful behaviors, such as pride or gossip. These blind spots have the ability to hinder relationships or even damage a witness.

Unfortunately, I might sometimes or often display ugly or lack beautiful characteristics (related to good verbal and non-verbal communication) if I'm uncomfortable or not interested in or clueless of the topics people are talking about in group settings. Frustrating. Maybe I should actively strive to change in these areas. Suzanne notes the "first step" in doing away with the uglies "is to invite feedback." Although it might be good if I could know more things wrong with me than I already know, I wonder if it might be helpful if someone could give me helpful advice on how to deal with the uglies that I am aware of. Ideally...step-by-step. Realistically...people don't always tear into me about the little things or get on me or know about the bigger things...Realistically, I might not be fighting (in the major or minor uglies) with a proper focus on Christ.

Perhaps I should be more proactive in dealing with the uglies, but if I merely exert effort on my own strength, that will not be enough. I need to remember the forgiveness and strength Christ provides. We are beautifully forgiven. Shouldn't I live my life as a reflection of this?

Recently in a comment following a post on the Boundlessline blog, a commenter wrote this:

My last pastor said this often:
Make Christ your centerfuge.

What is a centerfuge? It is the central piece in mechanics that everything hinges on...Its what everything revolves around and ensures nothing goes flying everywhere. As long as you have that center, everything falls into place.

So what is your life revolving around? With Christ as your center, and him as your sole focus, your life starts falling into place. I've seen it, I've experienced it. Its for real, but it takes daily rededication and daily, hourly, even secondly "yes"es for it to happen.

Truly, that line of the old hymn is true: I need Thee every hour...Here's hoping our personal uglies will take us back to the cross...

[2/12 update: For examples of awkward accountability questions, see "7 Tough Questions To Ask Your Friends"]