Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Avoiding the Eeyore Syndrome - Forgetting the Past

We all know it.
 
We've often felt it.

Like a stray cloud on an otherwise sunny day, it can come up suddenly, blocking the warm rays, and making everything seem ... well, darker.

I call it the Eeyore Syndrome.

Of course, its been called by other names as well:
 
* Discouragement
* In a "funk"
* Feeling low
* Being "out of sorts"

It hits people in ministry often. Too often. And when it hits, it usually hits hard

It doesn't matter if you are a full-time missionary or pastor, a campus fellowship student leader, a youth group volunteer, or a Sunday school teacher. It doesn't discriminate between people based on age, maturity, or experience. 

And, it often sneaks up when we least expect it ...

* After a big "victory", just when the high is beginning to wear off;

* When you've prepared and prayed for the "event" (either a Bible study, a speaking opportunity, a class, some counseling time) and it seems like NOTHING happens. Nothing, that is, except blank stares and disinterested looks.

* You look ahead to the tasks and expectations before you and think, "There's no way I can do all of this!"

* As you consider your past (that is, your "qualifications"), you are prone to despair, "How can God use anyone like me?" 

In those moments (and seasons) of darkness, God's Word can bring great hope and light. As the lion of the gospel is unleashed on our minds and souls, we can experience the refreshment of true grace.

Over the next few weeks, I'd like to share some truths for those Eeyore days. 

Truth #1: My past does not determine my future. Jesus does.

You've done it, haven't you? You look in the rear-view mirror of your life and think, "Can God ever use someone like me? I mean, if people only knew what I did, and still continue to do ..."

When those thoughts enter my mind, the storm clouds begin to gather.
 
Every once in while, a quote reaches down, grabs my heart, and shakes it until gospel-hope sets in. This is one of them (it's longer, but it's so worth it)...
... this is one of the great discoveries of the Christian life (and I shall never forget the release which realizing this for the first time brought to me) - you and I must never look at our past lives, we must never look at any sin in our past life, in any way except that which leads us to praise God and to magnify His grace in Christ Jesus ...

If you look at your past and are depressed by it, if as a result you are feeling miserable as a Christian, you must do what Paul did. "I was a blasphemer" (1 Timothy 1.16) he said, but he did not stop at that. Does he then say, "I am unworthy to be a preacher of the gospel"? No! In fact, he says the exact opposite: " I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service." (1 Timothy 1.12) 

When Paul looks at the past and sees his sin he does not stay in a corner and say, "I am not fit to be a Christian, I have done such terrible things". Not at all! What it does to him, its effect on him, is to make him praise God. He glories in grace and says, "... and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1.14)

This is the only way to look at your past.
Martin Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression 
Isn't that great!

In spite of my past (all of my sins, all of my failures, all of my broken promises, all of my shameful thoughts & deeds), Jesus has judged me faithful, and appointed me to His service.

Wow!

The apostle Paul wrote about it this way:

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
2 Corinthians 5.17

".... Christ Jesus has made me His own ... so one thing I do: 
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3. 12-14
   
In theological terms, this is the great doctrine of justification.

What it means, simply yet powerfully, is this: 

God has accepted the perfect righteousness of Jesus (read Romans 8. 1-11). Throughout His life, Jesus kept the Law of God perfectly, in every respect and in every circumstance. In His death, Jesus took the place of sinners, and bore the penalty for all Law-breakers (like you and me). The Law is fully satisfied. Justice has been met. God said He would punish the law-breaker, and He did. Period.

We are forgiven. Of everything. Forever.

But ... it gets even better!

God credits the perfect righteousness of Christ to us (read Romans 5. 1-5). God now regards us as righteous, and declares and pronounces us to be righteous before Him.

Thus, your past no longer "counts". Your "goodness" is no longer the issue. 

The rock-solid foundation of Christian salvation is this - Jesus was good enough, His past is perfect. And by faith you are in Him. Right now.

The key to avoiding the Eeyore Syndrome ...
Say farewell now once and forever to your past. Realize that it has been covered and blotted out in Christ. Say, "It is finished; it is covered by the Blood of Christ." This is your first step ... It is only then that true happiness and joy are possible for you. What you need is not resolutions to live a better life, or trying a little harder. No! You just begin to say:
"I rest my faith on Him alone
Who died for my transgressions to atone."
Martin Lloyd-Jones
Amen.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

How Do We Really Change? (part 2)

We know things at two levels - through the knowledge of our minds, and thru the sense of our hearts. It's the difference between knowing a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, and having them melt in our mouth. God has made us to know Him at both levels.

True change comes when we not only know Jesus with our minds, but behold Him with our hearts. When the promises of the gospel become real to us, when they finally melt in our mouths, we are transformed. 
Here's a question I often wrestle with - how do I change? I mean ... really change?

Now, I don't mean temporary, paste-on, peer-pressure "change" (like going on a diet for a week or two, or promising God I'll never lie, lust, or get angry again). That type of "change" is, well, pretty easy. I should know - I've been doing it most of my life.

And to tell you the truth - it's never worked!

No. I'm talking about the real thing. That's right! Real, honest-to-goodness, deep-down, life-altering, wow-you-are-a-different-person change!

It's clearly a promise of the gospel of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5.17). BUT ... how does it happen?
 
Well, I think we all know how it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen by:

  • Trying even harder
  • Making more fervent promises
  • Wallowing in guilt just a bit longer   
If you are like me, those methods lead to pretty predictable results - more pride (if I succeed on my terms), more guilt (if I measure myself against God's standards) or more hopelessness (when I decide it's no longer worth the effort). 

So, how do we change? 

Read these amazing words from the apostle Paul (in 2 Corinthians 3. 16, 18):
When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed ... And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
 Wow! Did you catch it? What Paul writes is amazing!
  1. When we turn to Christ in repentance and faith, the veil is removed (if you want, check out vs. 14 - it refers to hardness of mind). We can now see Jesus clearly as He is portrayed in His Word;
  2. As we "see" Jesus (in the faithful preaching of the Word), we are able to behold the glory of the Lord. That's right, we can move from knowing to beholding, from understanding to tasting;
  3. As we behold the glory of Jesus, we become like Him (remember the principle: we become what we behold).
  4. This process is the empowered by the Spirit of God. It's His work in us! 
The key is focusing on Jesus. Beholding Jesus, in all of His glory.

Just to be clear - this is different than understanding theology (which is important). It's different than reading your Bible (which is vital).  It's different than being at the right meeting (which always helps).

It's moving from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4.6) ... we see the face of Jesus as the Holy Spirit makes Him real to us through His Word ... We see in Christ a fullness to satisfy us forever. And the believing heart comes alive in this new awareness of Christ.   Raymond Ortlund
One last thought/example, and then more on this next week.

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (by CS Lewis), I have always loved the scene in which Edmund is forgiven & restored by Aslan. Not just theoretically, but really. Read on (emphases mine)...
"You have a traitor there, Aslan," said the Witch. Everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had gotten past thinking about himself, after all he'd been through ... He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter anymore what the Witch said. "Well," said Aslan, "his offense was not against you."... Edmund was on the other side of Aslan, looking all the time at Aslan's face. He felt a choking feeling and wondered if he ought to say something; but a moment later he felt that he was not expected to do anything except to wait, and just do what he was told." 

So, let me ask you ...

In your preaching/teaching/leading, are you helping others to look past themselves, and focus their gaze on Jesus?

Do you long to gaze in wonder at the glory of Jesus in His death and resurrection for you? Do you love to tell the "old, old story of Jesus and His love"?

Have you tasted and seen that Jesus is good? Really good! Melt-in-your-mouth-for-all-eternity good!

It's the key to change. Real change.

What you've been longing for all your life is held out for you in the gospel. Have you tasted it?

 

Thursday, August 1, 2013

How Do We Really Change?

When we drill a Bible story down into a moral lesson, we make it all about us. But the Bible isn’t mainly about us, and what we are supposed to be doing — it’s about God, and what he has done!      Sally Lloyd Jones

It has confounded scholars since time began. The attempt to answer this particular question has filled scores of books and articles.  Entire curriculum have been crafted to address it. Yes, this one question has plagued skeptics and enticed thinkers for centuries.

Here's the question - how do we really change?

Now, I don't mean how do we change the "small" stuff, like ...
  • our mailing address
  • our hairstyle
  • or even our body shape?

No. I am referring to the change for which most of us desperately long. That deep, long-lasting, trend-surpassing, emotion-proof, weather-resistant, against-all-odds change that effects our very essence & nature. That change that transforms our desires, our affections, our knee-jerk responses, our fears, our worship, and even our dreams.

You know, REAL change. Transformation of the heart.

So ... how do we change? Really change?

Over the years, religion has proposed many answers. 
As a child, even though I was a Christian, I grew up thinking the Bible was filled with rules you had to keep (or God wouldn’t love you) and with heroes setting examples you had to follow (or God wouldn’t love you).  Sally Lloyd-Jones

Yes, religion has used various tools to elicit change ...
  • Fear and guilt
  • Appeals to self-effort
  • Concern for reputation 
  • Images of a stern and demanding deity
Sadly, the list is actually pretty long (and deep). In fact, its about as long (and deep) as the desire of our hearts to be our own saviors! And that's pretty long ... and deep!

Here's the problem - you see, religion can produce change! Well, sort of. BUT ... its short-term (and thus not enduring), surface-level (and thus not satisfying), and self-centered (and thus not God-glorifying).

No wonder so many of us often feel stuck with ourselves!

So ... how DO we really change?

The apostle Paul answers this question in his letter to the church at Corinth:

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3.18
Amazing! By beholding Jesus as He is presented to us in the gospels, we are transformed into His image.

Could it be so simple?

First, a definition. What is "beholding"? Easy. What we "behold" is what (or who) we stare at, are preoccupied with, meditate upon, consider deeply. Its what grabs our gaze, rivets our attention, and stirs our souls.

The apostle Paul pens a profound truth - we become what we behold.


Behold yourself - with all of your overblown fears, entangling sins, and failed attempts at change - and you will become ... more like yourself!

Behold Jesus - in all of His revealed glory as He is displayed in God's Word - and you will become ... more like Jesus.

That is the work and promise of the Spirit. This is the key to real change!

So, as we preach and teach the Word of God, we must center our focus on Jesus. His perfect life, His atoning death, His glorious resurrection. We must, by the Spirit of God, turn people's heads from gazing at themselves (or anyone/anything else), and compel them to gaze upon Jesus.

Consider the words of John Owen in The Glory of Christ ...

The constant contemplation of the glory of Christ will give rest and satisfaction to the souls of those who behold Him. Our minds are apt to be filled with a multitude of perplexed thoughts – fears, cares, dangers, distresses, passions, and lusts ... filling us with disorder, darkness, and confusion.
To behold this glory of Christ is not an act of fancy or imagination ... but is rather the steady exercise of faith on the revelation and description made of this glory of Christ in the Scripture.
We will consider this in more depth in two weeks.

Until then, as you preach, teach, and lead, are those under your care more inclined to behold themselves, or to behold Jesus?

In other words, whose glory fills their (and our) minds and hearts. The "glory" of their (and our) own intentions and performance? The "glory" of their (and our) earthly heroes and compelling examples? Or the glory of Jesus?

You see, it's true. We become what we behold. 

What are you beholding?