The more time we spend concerning ourselves with selfish pursuits, the less time we have to live the life God created us to live. Most of us would not consider ourselves selfish, but the truth is we spend far more time focused on ourselves than on Christ or anyone else. Our modern society attempts to dictate how we should live, feeding subtle – and not so subtle – messages into our minds at a dizzying rate. Satan has masterfully disguised his undermining of God’s character by manipulating the societal forces that play into our psyches every day. The tricks of the devil are as old as creation. He tempted Eve by questioning the trustworthiness of God, implying He had an ulterior motive to keep her from eating of the forbidden fruit. Today He slyly convinces us that we need more “stuff” and to look out for ourselves first, clearly calling into question God’s ability to provide for our needs.
Matthew
Not with the Program
As I write this my wife and I are seeking a new local church with whom to fellowship. The most troublesome trend I’ve noticed as we are going through this process is that there seems to be a common thread running through many churches that emphasizes their social programs rather than the process of becoming fully committed followers of Jesus. The announcements that flash on a screen or are spoken from the stage all point to the various programming available to the attendees. As A.W. Tozer noted over fifty years ago, “Christian expectation in the average church follows the program, not the promises.” (“Faith without Expectation Is Dead”)
The Purpose of the Church
Why does the Church exist? To clarify, I am speaking about both the Church of Christ, that is all who profess to believe and follow Jesus, and the local institutions where we gather together for worship, fellowship, and growth. There really should be no distinction between these two definitions, but at least in the West there seems to be an ever increasing divide between what is meant when we speak of the body of Christ (the Church) and the buildings where we meet (churches). It is revolting and heartbreaking to experience the watered down, feel-good message that is being preached in weekend services, while the true mission of the Church is left neglected.
Dying Every Day
We are not enslaved by Satan, but rather by ourselves. It is our own selfish and carnal nature that stands between surrendering our lives fully to Christ. Satan cannot force us to sin or disobey. But we ourselves, as agents of freewill, have the ability to choose between obedience and disobedience; between life and death. Blaming the devil for our lack of commitment is an easy excuse for our own lack of devotion and self-discipline. Jesus instructed us to take up our cross daily (Matthew 16:24-26) because He knew we would battle our selfish desires each day, and so each day we would need to place our old cravings on the cross and kill them. We truly must crucify the old man. It isn’t just an analogy. Each day we must decide whether our selfish desires will live, or if instead we will crucify them so that we might live in Christ.
Whom Do You Trust?
In whom or what do you place your trust? Followers of Jesus are quick to answer that we trust in God alone. I wonder how true that really is for you. Who or what in your life keeps you from placing your complete trust in your Creator? I know the way I live often betrays my assertion that I trust God for everything. If I really trusted God, would I be making so many plans to eliminate as much risk as possible from my life? If my trust was complete, would I spend late nights worrying about circumstances over which I have no control?