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The Struggle is Real

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For the last several weeks I have found it difficult to write in my blog. So much has been happening. With the excitement of publishing my new book, the busyness of the holidays, the craziness of the political scene, and the stresses of major financial burdens, life has been very… interesting. Add to all of this the emotional ups and downs of ministering to people and I have found myself drained—empty emotionally and spiritually.

I know I am not alone in this. Many struggle with this emptiness. Some of you may find yourselves empty as well. I think it happens most often when we give a lot of ourselves but do not take time to refill our own emotional and spiritual wells. There’s also the stressful moments that can catch us by surprise and throw off our otherwise normally balanced life. It could also be possible that we can become distracted by outside sources and forget to spend quality “me” time with God. In any case, it is not a pleasant experience and can discourage us on our Christian journey.

Strangely, in moments like these, when we need encouragement the most, we tend to hide from people. I wonder if this is because we seem to believe that it is wrong to admit, or rarely hear others admitting, any kind of emotional and spiritual struggles. It’s as if there is an unspoken teaching that struggles are a sign of weakness and weakness is a sin. Or maybe it’s simply a remnant of nature in us: survival of the fittest—don’t let anyone think you are weak—fake it, or die!

Why are we so afraid to admit we struggle? We can’t avoid it. Some may be too scared to admit it, others may be to proud, but every Christian struggles. The Bible says we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Adding to our already handicapped nature is the fact that our adversary is constantly battling against us (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:11). It’s not a passive attack either, Satan comes straight at us, full of anger, because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12). And if that wasn’t enough, you don’t have to be a Christian long to learn that his attacks increase the closer you get to God. As Paul said, “I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand” (Romans 7:21). With all of this against us, it’s amazing we could have any time of peace!

So we will struggle. Everyone who decides to follow Christ. I know, sounds like a pretty bad deal. Yet, Jesus didn’t shy away from telling us it would be this way. He said, quite bluntly, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). You will get bumps and bruises. You will find yourself empty and discouraged. You will mess up and fall. It will happen. Prepare for it.

BUT… (I love that Jesus wasn’t finished speaking.) “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Yes, we may struggle on our journey with Jesus, but as long as we rely on His strength, we will not be defeated. Because He is our Refuge and Strength (Psalms 46:1), our merciful Savior (1 John 1:9), and the source of Living Water (John 4:14).

This is God’s response to our struggles: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” To which Paul declared, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

Why would we hide our struggles when we have a Savior so willing and able to help us succeed? The very idea of overcoming Laodicea is being honest with our struggles—owning them—so we will seek the help we need: Jesus.

So, yes, the struggle is real. I am running on empty. I struggle—regularly even. But I am willing to own my weaknesses, so God’s power can rest on me and give me victory!

My New Book: Overcoming Laodicea

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I am so excited to announce that my new book is now published! I have been working quite hard to get it out before Christmas (which I did, but it probably wouldn’t ship on time for Christmas though). You can read about the book on my Books page. It is available in paperback as well as in ebook format. Here’s a preview from the first chapter:

​A Very Laodicean Problem

The wind blew, tugging at his hair. The humid, salty air filled his nostrils. Everywhere he looked from his look-out point was water. John was on the island of Patmos. He was not there on vacation. He was there because of the Gospel; he was there because of Jesus. Specifically, he was there because he would not keep quiet about Jesus. Obviously, not everyone enjoyed his passion for Jesus—he was on a prison island. It is likely that some thought his passion for Jesus was a danger to society. Little did they know, whoever they were, that imprisoning John on a remote island would not be enough to stop his influence—God was not finished using him. No, Jesus had something greater in mind.

One day, while John was worshipping, he was taken into vision. What unfolded before him would greatly impact mankind. The first scene John experienced was of seven golden lamp stands and a man standing in the middle of them. The one standing before him looked familiar, one like the son of man, and yet different—more magnificent and triumphant. Then it hit him: he was standing before Jesus, his Jesus. How his heart must have leapt! He had been imprisoned on that island because of his love for Jesus. The worship session came to a climax as he fell at Jesus’ feet. Being in the presence of Jesus again filled him with awe, wonder, and fear. But Jesus touched his shoulder and encouraged him, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17, 18).

John was then instructed to write down everything he would hear and see, both things that were happening in his day and the things that would happen later. He obeyed. The result of his writings comes to us as the book of Revelation. You may have heard of it; you may even be familiar with it. To many, it is a scary and confusing book—mainly due to the symbolic nature of the book as well as its dark portrait of things to come. According to John, though, it was not merely a book about the future—not just a revelation of last-day events—it is the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). You see, for John everything was about Jesus. To each of the disciples in John’s day, Jesus was everything. Sadly, this is no longer true among professed Christians. Many things have taken Jesus’ place as first priority in our lives. Only when modern Christians share the disciples’ passion for Jesus will we truly be a remnant of the early church. Jesus was everything to the early church, but things changed.

John was shown many things in his visions. He saw beasts and plagues and battles—each scary in their own way. But the scariest scenes must have been the changes he would see in the followers of Christ. These changes are first revealed in the letters to the Seven Churches (Revelation 2 and 3). Whether you view these letters to be a timeline description of Christianity or a general description of Christianity in any age, you cannot miss the changes they describe. Although these letters reveal people who remain faithful to Jesus, they also show an increasingly compromised church that is spiritually lacking. One letter, specifically, reveals a serious spiritual problem that would plague Christianity: the letter to the church in Laodicea.

Laodicea’s letter stands out among the others for an unfortunate reason: in the letter, Jesus has nothing good to say about them. In every other letter, even when there was compromise or error to correct, Jesus said something positive about those who were still faithful in the church. He commended Ephesus for their toil and patience and for not putting up with evil (Revelation 2:2). Even Pergamum, the church that dwelt “where Satan’s throne is” and was full of evil, Jesus praised some of them for holding onto His name and not losing faith (Revelation 2:13). Yet, there is not one good thing coming from Laodicea–nothing that earns praise from Jesus.

Instead, their condition is graphically described: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit [lit. vomit] you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15, 16). Basically, their “Christianity” made God want to gag. Wow. Of course, when was the last time you were thirsty and felt that a big glass of lukewarm, stagnant pond water would hit the spot? I’m guessing never. Their condition doesn’t start off well. Sadly, He wasn’t finished. He added, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). God is describing His people—members of His church—and they have a problem, a very big problem.

Living on Purpose

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I have learned that just because we say we are something doesn’t mean we are. Just because we might say we are Christian, doesn’t make us a Christian. I used to think the proof of my Christianity was my membership at my church. But reality sets in: Does my life support my talk? Do my actions back up what I say I believe? Could anyone else, by looking at my life, be able to know that I am a follower of Jesus? I read a quote in college on the dorm bulletin board that said, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would they have enough evidence to convict you?” Wow.

You see, our lives will prove what we truly believe. Sure we can go through motions. We can pretend to care and pretend to believe. But God does not want a production—He’s not asking for a Christian Talent Show. He doesn’t want us to show forced compassion; He wants us to truly love! He doesn’t want us to merely say that He is great; He wants us to actually trust Him. If it is not about going through the motions, then it is about living on purpose. It’s not about what you do, but why you do it.

My favorite example of such living is found in the the lives of three Old Testament Hebrew guys: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. (They received new names in Babylon that may sound more familiar: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.) They found themselves in a very bad situation. King Nebuchadnezzar had built a huge statue of gold and made a decree that when certain music played everyone would bow down to the image. It wasn’t long until his wise men noticed that not everyone was bowing down—three to be exact, and only three. There were consequences to disobedience: death. This was not an optional event, it was commanded. So these three stood even though they knew the consequences.

Resolve

Some may suggest that this was not smart. Why bring all this attention to themselves? They could have easily faked bowing. You know, when the music played they could bend down and tie their shoes! No one would know the difference. They weren’t really bowing but only made it look like they were. I wonder how many in the crowd that day actually did this? I wonder how many of us would have done it as well?

They were immediately brought before the king. (Daniel 3:13–15.) Basically, Nebuchadnezzar gave them another chance. He liked these guys. They had proven themselves earlier. However, this was the last chance they’d get. If they turned it down, into the furnace they’d go. His offer: Bow and everything would be fine; if they didn’t, they would hurt. Simple enough. But the young men did not even wait for the music before they replied. There was no reason to play the music, because they wouldn’t bow to anyone other than God. They weren’t afraid of the furnace either, because their God could rescue them from it (verses 16, 17). Do you believe in God like that? Of course, it’d easy to believe God could rescue you from a furnace when you’re not near a furnace. But would you still have the same faith if you could feel the heat from it? That’s not all though. I love what they say next: “But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:18).

This is what living on purpose is all about! It was not the motion, it was the reason. Their God was so great they wouldn’t bow to anything else, even if He didn’t save them. Those are not comfortable terms. We have the tendency to base our performance on His deliverance. Yes, our God can deliver us, but what if he doesn’t?

Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with their faith and let them go, right? Not quite. In fact, it says he was infuriated. He commanded his servants to heat the furnace seven times hotter! It became so hot that the soldiers who threw them in died from the heat and didn’t even go in themselves! Nebuchadnezzar tried hard to make an example of these men and their God, but ended up giving God a greater opportunity to reveal His power and grace! Nebuchadnezzar soon noticed more than three in the furnace—there were four! Who would have gone in there with them? And the new one looked different: like the son of God. Quickly he called them out and they didn’t even smell like smoke! Isn’t God amazing? This reinforces that God does, in fact, go through the greatest trials with us and He can, and often does, bring us through unharmed!

This is living on purpose. It isn’t a half-hearted conviction. It is not being one person at church and another outside. Otherwise, when trials hit we will not stand—and we will have our trials. We face choices every day. Not all trials will be a fiery furnace, but all can have an affect on our future.

We say we believe in God, but does our life show it? Are we just trying to look like Christians, or are we truly living for Christ? We cannot be fooled into believing that an outward presentation is enough. It’s all about what is inside, and what is in our heart is revealed in times of trial. It is the true you.

That’s why God wants us to be completely for Him or completely against Him—not this in between stuff. If you say you are God’s child, then live like it! Don’t pretend to follow Christ if you don’t really want to. It’s not mindless actions that He desires. But if you want to follow Christ, then go all in! Follow Him 100%. Do not be among those who have a “form of godliness, but deny its power.” Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Live for God… on purpose!

Thankful in All Things

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Back during the dark days of 1929, a group of ministers in the Northeast gathered to discuss how they should conduct their Thanksgiving Church services. Things were about as bad as they could get, with no sign of relief. The bread lines were depressingly long, the stock market had plummeted, and the term Great Depression seemed a suitable description for the mood of the country.

The ministers thought they should only lightly touch upon the subject of Thanksgiving in respect to the human misery all about them. After all, there was little to be thankful for. But it was Dr. William Stiger, pastor of a large congregation in the city that rallied the group. “This is not the time to give mere passing mention to Thanksgiving,” he suggested, “but just the opposite. It is the time for us to get matters in perspective and thank God for blessings always present.”

This is still true, and relevant, today! The most intense moments of thankfulness are not found in times of plenty, but when difficulties thrive. As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, we are to “give thanks in all circumstance.” Think of the Pilgrims that first Thanksgiving. Half their number died, they were without a country, but still they were giving thanks to God. I wouldn’t say that they were thankful for the hard times, but, despite the circumstances, they continued giving thanks. Why? There is a big difference between being thankful for all things and being thankful in all things.

Perhaps, right now, you are having intense hardship. Maybe you are experiencing your own personal Great Depression. Life hasn’t been fair. It doesn’t seem like blessings ever go your way. What could you be thankful for? Why should you be thankful?

But I have to ask: Have we made an effort to count all the things that we have in life instead of complaining about the things that we don’t have? It is a good exercise especially when we are prone to pout or whine in self pity. We must learn to be thankful or we will become bitter, discouraged, and self-satisfied.

It may be helpful to do a Thanksgiving inventory. Look into Your life and look for the things you have been blessed with this year. Some things you could be thankful for. If you can’t think of anything here are a few texts that can remind you of what to look for.

• Joshua 23:14 – Did God fulfill a promise in your life this year?

• Ecclesiastes 5:19 – Do you have the ability to work or have possessions?

• Jeremiah 30:17a – Do you have life, health, or have you experienced healing?

• Isaiah 53:4, 5 – Is Jesus your Savior?

Remember, those were your sins, your guilt, your suffering, and your wounds he took on that cross. That was His life that you received. In all circumstances, you can surely thank him for this.

Martin Rinkert was a minister in the little town of Eilenburg, Germany around 350 years ago. He was the son of a poor coppersmith, but somehow, he managed to work his way through an education. Finally, in the year 1617, he was offered the post of Archdeacon in his hometown parish. A year later, what has come to be known as the Thirty-Years-War broke out. His town was caught right in the middle. In 1637, a massive plague, which swept across the continent, hit Eilenburg—people died at the rate of fifty a day and he was the man called upon to bury most of them. In all, over 8,000 people died; among them Martin’s own wife and children. His labors finally came to an end about 11 years later, just one year after the conclusion of the war. His ministry spanned 32 years, with all but the first and the last overwhelmed by the great conflict that engulfed his town. Yet, in the midst of that catastrophic social and personal loss he wrote these words:

Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices.

In the middle of all that suffering, he gave thanks to God. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Friends, it is Thanksgiving season. It is the time when we are reminded of all we are thankful for. As Dr. Stiger said, it is the time for us to get matters in perspective and thank God for blessings always present.

So, “To him who loves us and had freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power, and all our thanks, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5, 6)

Armor of God: Breastplate of Righteousness

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The wisest man who ever lived, once said, “As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man” (Proverbs 27:19). Our heart reveals who we really are. In our society, the heart is referred to as the seat of the emotions. You can “put your heart into it.” You can do things “whole-heartedly.” You may love someone with “all your heart,” or experience a “broken heart.” Even Christians like to ask, “have you asked Jesus into your… heart?” Out of our hearts comes every issue of life. This is why Solomon counseled, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

It is natural then, that the next piece of armor that Paul advises us to put on is the Breastplate (Ephesians 6:14). He counsels that, after securing the belt of truth as the center of our life, we must make sure that the Breastplate of Righteousness is in place.

The Breastplate is an important piece of armor designed to protect a soldier’s core, or vital organs—the stomach, liver, lungs, and especially the heart. An arrow piercing any of these organs would spell doom for the soldier. Much like how a bullet-proof vest would protect today: while the force of a bullet may still knock a person down, the vest keeps the bullet from making the person a statistic.

It is interesting, though, that the Bible reveals another purpose for a breastplate. It isn’t one that a warrior wears, but one a priest wears. In Exodus 28:15, we find that they were instructed to make a “breast-piece for making decisions…” The breast-piece the priests wore helped make judgment calls between right and wrong. (How nice would that be today?) The Israelite priest always wore the means of making God-led decisions over his heart—which is the foundation of what righteousness is: right choices. I believe this idea is very much connected to the armor Paul is talking about. Although what the priest wore didn’t protect them physically, it did protect them and the people spiritually.

Of course, we don’t always see the need for protection. Yet, the heart is the doorway to our character. Everything that affects our lives centers in our heart. It is decision central. The place our will is located. It is the very place in us in which God desires to live! How valuable is that? But that’s why it is also very vulnerable. We must not fool ourselves and think that satan doesn’t wish to take up residence in our hearts as well. He’d do anything to get in and keep God out! And our character will always reflect our heart’s resident. If God is residing in your heart, you will be more God-like. But, the opposite is also true. So, we must guard our heart!

We must also be careful to avoid the substitutions. Satan would like us to think that righteousness is overrated and niceness is all we need. While being nice is good, it cannot take the place of righteousness and will not protect us in spiritual battles. Therefore, man suggests we manufacture our own: self-righteousness. The trouble with such self-made Christians is that they frequently worship their “creator.” Of course, this isn’t armor either, it is a straight-jacket. No matter how hard we struggle, nothing is ever really accomplished towards eternity. In the end, it is only a big self-hug.

Here is the solution: “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:3, 4). The righteousness God offers comes from Him through Jesus Christ. How can we get this righteousness from God? “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our sins, so we could have his righteousness. He died so we could live. Again, we find our protection and victory in Jesus! It is His righteousness that is offered to protect our hearts, His righteousness that can give us wisdom for good decisions, and His righteousness that saves us.

Does this mean that it doesn’t matter what we do? Of course not! We weren’t saved from sin just so we could continue to live in sin. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Our new heart will reflect the change. If we have on the Breastplate of Jesus’ Righteousness, His life will shine through ours. We will live for righteousness. We would obey, not to be saved, but out of love for the One who saved us. We would live a new life in Christ, obedient to His guidance. It is in this obedience—following and listening to Jesus—that will protect our heart.

We suffer a lot of needless pain because we aren’t protected. If we want to have healing, security, or forgiveness in our heart we must guard our heart. Guard it with Christ’s righteousness; guard it with obedience to His right choices. Following Him will make us careful what we put in our lives, for not everything will bless us. We will be careful what we read, what we watch, and what we listen to—we will be careful who we let in. We must be on guard to keep out things that will bring us defeat.

Our protection, and victory, comes only from following Jesus. The good choices that protect our hearts will not be our own, but Christ living in us. If we desire to be still standing at the end of our spiritual battles, we must put on the Breastplate of Righteousness! Let God lead—be obedient to His guidance—and He will guard your heart.

The Great Conflict: Knowing the Enemy’s Schemes

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It has been a few weeks since I’ve been able to write on my blog. While I could suggest several different reasons why, one of the main reasons is because I’ve been under attack—not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, while I was talking with my sister on the phone, she mentioned something that encompassed the struggle I had been going through. She said that she felt like Satan had been working harder lately. My mind immediately went to Revelation 12:12, which says, “But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

I can’t help but agree with my sister’s observations. I can see it in the pain and struggles of my friends and family. I can see it in the bitterness and lukewarmness in too many churches (mine included). And I can feel it personally almost on a daily basis. It makes sense though. If Satan is filled with fury because he knows he doesn’t have much time left, how much more fury must he have today since we are closer to the end than ever before?

I’ve already mentioned that our dedication to God automatically places us in opposition to Satan—this is the reason for the spiritual struggles we face. I’ve also pointed out God’s plan for victory. However, if we want to survive this war and remain standing at the end, we must not be ignorant to our enemy’s schemes either. This is vital, because we are warned that Satan is like a roaring lion, prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8)!

The Bible makes it very clear that our adversary has a game plan (Ephesians 6:11). Paul warns us not to be “outwitted by Satan,” nor “ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11). He even counsels Timothy to preach and teach in a way that his listeners (or opposers) can see the truth and “escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26). Fortunately for us, though, his snares have been revealed. We do not need to be ignorant of what Satan is trying to do in our lives.

Believe it or not, Satan has one trick—he may use it in different ways, but he is nothing if not predictable. We can see the single concept that is the foundation of his schemes in his own character: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is the premise on which every trap is set. Therefore, the best way to recognize his traps is to know the truth. For everything that is truth, he has a lie. Even when it comes to himself—Paul says that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” and his servants “disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15). Deception: it’s what he does best. Actually, it’s all he does.

Using this disguise, he often promotes his own ideas as truth, placing suggestions, doubts, and temptations in our minds. He’s crafty too: he was able to deceive Eve with his cunningness (Genesis 3:4, 2 Corinthians 11:3), he convinced Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:2), and Ananias to lie to the Apostles (Acts 5:3). He doesn’t stop there either. He is quick to offer an alternative to the Words of God. He began his lies in the Garden of Eden and continues to lie and deceive about salvation to this day. Paul warned against the lie of a different gospel and those who would “want to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6, 7). Sometimes Satan will attempt to distract us, and even blind us, so we cannot see the light and beauty of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Another lie he’ll tell us is about ourselves. He may tell us that we are un-savable or, perhaps, that we are God’s gift to the church and society. Such snares will keep us from looking for a Savior. They will also make us more selfish, judgmental, and critical of others. James warns that these things are not from God: “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:14, 15).

We must also not forget that our enemy is called the “accuser of the brothers” (Revelation 12:10). Hatred in our hearts for another person is not from God, it is another trap set by our enemy. Satan knows that we cannot work for the Kingdom of Heaven if we hate others or are too focused on ourselves. So he encourages us to cover the truth of our selfishness and jealousy with self-righteous ideals. Ah, but Satan also knows that as long as we are fighting amongst each other, we will not fight the real battle against him (Ephesians 6:12)!

While all of these deceptions are bad, none are worse than what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 11:3—“but I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Satan’s greatest trap is to somehow distract, discourage, or seduce us away from a relationship with Christ. The primary web he uses for this is the desires of this world (1 John 2:15, 16). I don’t think Satan cares what it takes as long as we leave Jesus behind. In fact, this is the result of every one of his snares.

We cannot let Satan succeed! God says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Earlier in that passage, in verse 1, it is explained that what was lacking was a knowledge of God. This isn’t about lacking book knowledge—in the Hebrew language, they didn’t have that concept—this is about experiential knowledge. In other words, we are destroyed because of a lack of an experience with God. No wonder Satan works so hard to keep us from have any experiences!

Now that we know his plans, we must watch and pray so we do not fall into any of his traps. Because he is filled with fury and is fighting stronger than ever before, we must not let our guard down. So we hold on to Jesus more tightly. We humbly submit ourselves to God (James 4:7), stand firm in our faith in Him (1 Peter 5:9, 10), and put on God’s armor (Ephesians 6:13). Then, when we recognize the devil’s schemes, we will be able to resist “and he will flee” (James 4:7)!