Ask Gary Thomas

Forging a New Relationship with Hunger

2012-01-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

Ilive in a different body now than the one I lived in when I was twenty andcould eat ice cream every night. My body isn’t the same now as it was when Iwas thirty and could drop a few pounds by going for a run and skipping a meal.In fact, it’s even much different from the body I had at forty, as my legs justdon’t recover as quickly from a long run as they used to. As I keep getting older, my relationship withfood and my practice of eating has to get older too. And that has meant forginga new relationship with hunger.

Thekey for me came when I discovered that hunger is just a sensation—nothing more. It needn’tbe a tyrant. It’s like lust or anger. Just because I feel lust doesn’t mean Ineed to act on it. Just because I’m angry doesn’t mean I need to raise my voiceor clench my fists. And just because I’m hungry doesn’t mean I need to eat.

Thereis a subtle and dangerous spiritual mechanism that arises when we always obeyour hunger. It becomes a veritable steering wheel in Satan’s hand. He can turnus in any direction he wants, and we become accustomed to letting this onesensation rule us. It affects what we eat, when we eat, and how we eat. It maytake precedence over other things in our lives.

Yousee, if I’ve been irresponsible in my eating habits, I’m going to feel hungryeven when my body doesn’t really need food. It’s just “used” to food, or acertain amount of food, and will let me know if something is different. Thatmeans if I’m going to lose weight, or even maintain weight, I need to “reset”my body’s signals from time to time. And that means wrestling with hunger.

Iwas once (and still often am) a slave to my hunger. I obeyed it every time,because I didn’t want to feel hunger. Sometimes I even anticipated it. I ate alot in advance, because I knew I “might” become hungry if I didn’t. This fearcaused tension, anxiety, impatience (if someone threatened my schedule in sucha way that I might not have time to eat), and the death of peace, all because Imight become hungry.

Ihad to learn that hunger has a place in helping me understand my body, but Imust not allow it to become an unbridled tyrant. It needs to be listened to butnot always obeyed. I can use reason to determine if I really need food or if Ineed to recalibrate my body for its new relationship with food. Hunger is asensation, nothing more. It should never become my Lord and Master.

Itcomes down to this: Food is fuel. It is not Prozac on a plate or Valium in aventi Starbucks cup. Nor is it where we should turn when assaulted by stress,loneliness, anxiety, boredom, or uncertainty. It’s important to know thedifference between physical hunger, emotional hunger, intimacy hunger,relational hunger, and any other kind of hunger. Many, many calories areconsumed in response to needs and appetites that have little or nothing to dowith physical hunger but rather are consumed in response to appetites that thesecalories will never touch.

Iaspire to live at a place where being fit matters more to me than not beinghungry. When I allow myself to become hungry, over time (definitely not immediately), I usually find that Iactually become hungry less often, and ina different way. I no longer feel like its captive.

Sonow, I try to view hunger pangs in this light—as simply a sensation that takesme where I want to go (better health). These pangs are like riding a bike up ahill—unpleasant, but playing a positiverole in my life. I have to walk through hunger pangs on occasion to get to whereI want to go.

Thishas led to a new realm of spiritual freedom. I don’t fear affluent hunger; itmight not be pleasant, but it’s something I can live with, and occasionallyneed to live with, for spiritual reasonsas much as physical.

If you're interested in reading more about this, I invite you to check out my book Every Body Matters.

Turbo Charge Your Devotions in 2012

2011-12-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

Wouldyou like to make 2012 a particularly fruitful and rich year of growing in theLord? Here are three simple suggestionsto spice things up a bit.

Add a Daily Devotional to Your CurrentReading Plan
Oneof my all-time favorites is Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest. Another classic is A.J. Russell’s GodCalling. What I like about both ofthese is that the entries are so short I still have plenty of time left overfor other study, and yet both prove consistently helpful. I have to be honesthere, though—while I appreciate Russell’s work as a writer and the movement outof which he wrote, I have a difficult time with writers presenting God (or Jesus)speaking in the first-person. It seems presumptuous at best, and that formatalone can be enough to make the experience uncomfortable. Still, there are somenuggets here worth holding on to. Ifyou’re looking for something more contemporary, Zondervan recently released adaily devotional culled from 12 of my books entitled Simply Sacred.

Get Inspired with Spiritual Biographies

I’vebeen reading through James Gilchrist Lawson’s (100 year old) Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians andam loving it. It’s so inspiring to read accounts of how God used some of themost common, simple people imaginable to spearhead great movements of theSpirit. The book has plenty of weaknesses. It’s not the most theologicallyprecise, to say the least, and there’s at least one howler, when Lawson callsCharles Finney the greatest theologian since the apostles. But please don’t letthat rob you of benefiting from a heart-inspirational recounting of how God hasmoved so powerfully in so many lives. It has given me increased desire to seeGod move afresh in our own day and age. I’m on the teaching team of one of thelargest churches in the nation that saw over 3,000 people baptized this pastyear. While that’s amazing, these stories remind me that God can move even morepowerfully than that. Another suggestionis to wade through John Wesley’s Journals,which, frankly, tires me out just reading it (but in a good way).

Try Something New

It’s easy to fall into a spiritual rut. We do thisin our human relationships (most notably, in marriage), and we do it in ourrelationship with God. Find some fresh ways to meet with the Lord, read aboutsome new devotional exercises, make a point of intentionally cultivating adynamic and growing devotional time with the Lord. If you haven’t read my book Sacred Pathways, consider doing so. Itfeatures nine different spiritual temperaments, all spoken of in Scripture, andall practiced throughout the history of the church, representing differentwindows through which Christians have beheld the face of God. If you have read Sacred Pathways, you might considerfollowing up with What’s Your God Language? by Myra Perrine. Myra takes theSacred Pathways model and updates it with some helpful exercises.

Feel freeto add your own suggestions in the comments section.

Some Favorite Reads in 2011

2011-12-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

Somany books, so little time… But here are a few of my favorites that I read in2011, in no particular order.

Crazy Love byFrancis Chan. I thank God for Francis.He has an infectious faith and a committed spirit and this book truly inspiresand delivers. I asked each one of my kids to read it this year.

Born to Run byChristopher McDougall. What a great, gripping read. Even if you don’t enjoy thesport of running, you’ll be caught up in this tremendous, true tale. And ifyou’ve ever wondered why those funny looking toe shoes became so popular, thisbook is the main reason why.

A Grace Disguised byJerry Sittser. Just about every Christian should read this contemporary classicabout facing life losses. Jerry lost his wife, mother and daughter in a singlecar accident. His reflections are mature, pastoral, and immensely helpful.

MarriageMatters by Winston Smith. I’ve readmany marriage books. This is among the best. Winston trends toward the Sacred Marriage approach—exploring thesoul-transforming aspects of the marriage relationship.

Unbroken byLaura Hillenbrand. An almost impossiblygreat book. As a writer, I don’t think I’ve come across any contemporary authorwho writes with such skill, who displays such amazing capacity for research, whoplays the English language like a master musician plays the violin, and whomanufactures a gripping narrative far better than any screenwriter workingtoday. Though her output has been relatively sparse, Hillenbrand is quitepossibly the finest contemporary writer working today.

After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by N.T. Wright. Even if you have issues with Wright’s workon justification, please don’t avoid this masterpiece on sanctification. It’sbrilliant.

TheInvisible Woman: When Only God Sees by Nicole Johnson. A very short, but very powerful,inspirational giftbook for women. Women, if you feel taken for granted, thisbook will prop you right back up.

Real Marriage byMark and Grace Driscoll. Of course I’vegot to read a lot of marriage books. Though this one will certainly becontroversial when it is released in a few weeks, I believe it’s a boldstatement and an important book. You and I might draw different lines than Markand Grace do (which is what, sadly, the controversy will be about), but this isa thoroughly biblical, challenging, and shockingly honest portrayal ofChristian marriage. It took a lot ofguts for Mark and Grace to write this book and I think it can spawn manyproductive conversations and thoughts.

The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ by Alphonsus Liguori. Can you make room for an insightful though often ignored, Roman Catholicwriter on spirituality? This is a profound spiritual read. As an Evangelical,I’m sometimes amazed how Liguori can give one of the best presentations of theGospel I’ve ever read, and then end the chapter with a shout out to Mary… Ifyou can get past that, there is so much to benefit from here.

The Great Omissionby Dallas Willard

Dallas remains one of my favoritecontemporary writers working on spiritual formation. This is such a good book,even though it’s cobbled together from various articles and speeches. IfWillard takes the time to write it, it’s worth it for all the rest of us totake the time to read it.

And, for those of you who noticed I didn’t have a new bookpublished in 2010, I hope you did notice that there were four Gary Thomas book releasesin 2011 and one new curriculum. Theywere:

Thirsting for God This is a completely rewritten andupdated version of my first book, Seekingthe Face of God. I just about doubled the number of classics that I drewupon when the book was first published in 1994, threw out some of the moreobscure sounding quotes, packed it full of newer material and quotes andhopefully produced a book that will pick up where Seeking left off. If you wanta primer to become familiar with the Christian classics and an introduction toChristian spirituality through the perspective of the greatest writers of thepast 2,000 years, this book just might be the one you’re looking for.

Sacred Marriage Gift Edition So many people were giving out Sacred Marriage as a wedding gift butwanting something more substantial (a hardback instead of a paperback) thatZondervan put together this special gift edition with a wedding appropriatecover, and added Devotions for SacredMarriage to the end—two books in one. We sell out of these every time webring them to an event. Not only is it more economical to get the “two for one”deal, but people just love the packaging and they love the thought of givingthis material to others for a wedding or anniversary gift.

Sacred Parenting DVD Curriculum Finally—7 yearsafter the book came out—we’ve got a curriculum for small groups to study theconcepts of how God can use parenting to shape a parent’s soul. This isn’t ahow-to look at parenting; instead, it explores how soul-forming the journey ofparenting is for the parent. People appreciate the fresh approach and we’vebeen encouraged by the comments received so far. There’s a participant’s guidethat will take you through the 6 video sessions.

Simply Sacred

Zondervan went through my previous12 solo books, pulled some of the most impactful excerpts, and put 366 of themtogether (we’ve got leap year covered!) for your daily inspiration. These areshort entries—a page each—and are rather varied in theme, given that they’repulled from so many different works.

Every Body Matters

Myfirst completely new book in a couple years, Every Body Matters examines the connection between physical andspiritual discipline, what it means to honor God with our bodies, how we shouldview our bodies as instruments of spiritual service rather than ornaments, andoffers a (I hope) compelling call for Christians to take body-care moreseriously. Secular books tackle this subject with all the wrong, me-centeredmotivations—primarily, to look and feel better. EBM provides spiritual motivation: our bodies are not our own, theywere bought with a price and so we’re called to honor God with our bodies. “Seeking first the Kingdom of God” includessurrendering the kingdom of our physical bodies.

Simple Things: A Devotion for Advent

2011-12-12T04:45:00.000-08:00

“SoJoseph also went up from the town of Nazareth inGalilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belongedto the house and line of David. He wentthere to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and wasexpecting a child. While they werethere, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to herfirstborn, a son. She wrapped him instrips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room in theinn.” Luke 2:4-7

Thestorming of the Bastille was the seminal event that unleashed the tumultuousFrench revolution; Europe would never be the same. And yet, astonishingly, King Louis XVI’sdiary entry for that day was “14/7 1789: Nothing”.

            Sometimes thegreatest historical events are missed by contemporary observers, and that wascertainly the case with the birth of Jesus. A relatively poor husband, asoon-to-be mother, and an unborn child stood poised to change the course not justof history, but of eternity, yetthere was nothing to mark the grand occasion--no parades, no banners, noreporters, not even the most basic comforts.
            MartinLuther writes, “Behold how very ordinary and common things are to us thattranspire on earth, and yet how high they are regarded in heaven. On earth itoccurs in this wise: Here is a poor young woman, Mary of Nazareth, not highly esteemed, but of thehumblest citizens of the village. No oneis conscious of the great wonder she bears, she is silent, keeps her owncounsel, and regards herself as the lowliest in the town…. Imagine how she was despised at the inns andstopping places on the way, although worthy to ride in state in a chariot ofgold.”
            If you werewriting People magazine during the first century, there would bethousands of couples you’d include before you would mention this one. Mary was from the segment of the populationthat would never be featured in Peoplemagazine. Luther goes on, “There were,no doubt, many wives and daughters of prominent men at that time, who lived infine apartments and great splendor, while the mother of God takes a journey inmid-winter under most trying circumstances.”
            How much wemiss when our eyes follow glamour instead of substance, and romance instead oflove! “They were the most insignificantand despised, so that they had to make way for others until they were obligedto take refuge in a stable, to share with the cattle, lodging, table,bedchamber and bed, while many a wicked man sat at the head in the hotels andwas honored as lord. No one noticed orwas conscious of what God was doing in that stable… See how God shows that heutterly disregards what the world is, has or desires; and furthermore, that theworld shows how little it knows or notices what God is, has and does.”
            This Christmasseason, let’s remind ourselves that the values of God’s Kingdom bear littleresemblance to this world’s. This ignoredbaby would one day teach His disciples, “the first shall be last, and the lastshall be first.” But even at His birth Hedemonstrated, as Luther writes, “the world’s greatest wisdom is foolishness,her best actions are wrong and her greatest treasures are misfortunes.”
            Asfollowers of this humble baby, we are called to notice those whom a worldlusting after glamor often ignores. We are to prize character over immodesty,generosity over affluence, and humility over power. We are not to value people because they havefine clothes, expensive cars, or famous faces—God’s greatest heroes are oftennondescript, anonymous, and less than pleasing to the eye.
            Lutherreminds us, “Behold how very richly God honors those who are despised ofmen… The angels [couldn’t] find princesor valiant men to whom to communicate the good news; but only unlearned laymen,the most humble people upon earth… See how utterly God overthrows that which islofty! And yet we rage and rant fornothing but this empty honor, as if we had no honor to seek in heaven.”
            Thisadvent, what do you find yourself seeking--approval from the world, success insociety’s eyes, or obedience to the King of Kings?
            If God hasplaced you in a high place, good for you—be faithful where you are. If God has called you to an entry levelposition, or one of utter anonymity, concern yourself with the applause ofheaven, not being mentioned in The HuffingtonPost, The New York Times, or USAToday. What I love about worshippingat Second Baptist in Houston is that a CEO sits next to the receptionist; abusiness owner passes the communion plate to a customer; the banker studiesScripture with the mortgage holder.
            What bindsus isn’t our status in the world, but our union in Christ. Those who seek glamor and fame would havemissed Jesus while panting at the feet of Herod. May we not make such a foolish mistake.

2011-12-08T12:57:00.001-08:00

Every Body Matters

Simply Sacred

Sacred Marriage Gift Edition

300 Pound Pastors? Let's Start the Conversation (for leaders only)

2011-12-06T05:48:00.001-08:00

WhenMark Bejsovec, a youth pastor, saw the scale creep over 300 pounds, hegulped. During his high school footballplaying days, he carried just 186 pounds on his six-foot-two frame. In his early thirties, however, Mark startedgaining weight steadily. At first, he rationalized it and even began using itlike a tool. It made him seem funnier. He could push out his stomach until helooked like he was pregnant, and the kids in his ministry would laugh: “Youlook like you got twins!”

Whenhe hit 300 pounds, though, Mark began to sense God speaking to him about hisphysical condition.

“Ilooked into Scripture, specifically at the men in the Bible who assumedleadership roles, and wondered how they must have looked. I couldn’t find anyonein leadership who was overweight.”

Thiswasn’t about vanity, but rather about being a better steward of his body andhis calling: “If I was addressing only spiritual issues but not the physicalones, I considered I would be less useful to the Lord in my ministry. If I wasgoing to remain in ministry, I needed to honor God with all my heart, all mysoul, all my mind, and also all my body.”

Bydefinition, we can’t be a leader in secret. Somebody is following us. And thebodies we are leading with aren’t hidden.

Afriend of mine, who works as a senior director for a major Christiandevelopment organization, recently shared with me the battle he faces witheating and exercise. On a recentbusiness trip, he ate twenty-four restaurant meals in a row. He’s concernedabout his health habits, and like many, he lives with a constant sense offailure that he could be doing more about his weight. What he doesn’t see arespiritual leaders taking this struggle as seriously as he does. “We’ve been taught in the evangelicaltradition about adultery and lying and stealing and coveting,” he says, “andabout lust and alcoholism and smoking and drug abuse. But many evangelicalpastors who preach against these things are visibly overweight or obese. Idon’t say this to judge them—I struggle with the same thing. But sometimes Iwonder. Sure, they may have conquered the online porn, but it seems likethey’re ‘medicating’ with food; I get that, because I do the same thing.”

Forhis part, Mark decided to quit his former eating habits cold turkey. When hisweight started coming off, Mark experienced a rush of positive energy. “Istarted feeling more affirmed, my self-esteem went up, and my relationship withGod grew. It’s not that my previous life didn’t honor God, but now it felt likeI was living like God designed me to live.”

WhenI asked Mark what changed most about his life since he lost seventy pounds, heresponded, “Let’s be honest: there were times I was discredited because of theway I looked. When I talked to kids about self-control in other areas, theycould look at me and understandably ask why I wasn’t addressing my issues with food. But now, when Ishare my story, there’s an added inspirational element. If I can do it, anyonecan do it, and my weight loss has become an effective tool in my ministry.”

Asa writer whose most prominent books relate to marriage, I take it as a personalchallenge to maintain the integrity of my own marriage. I can’t write and teach on marriage if my ownis falling apart. As a pastor, however, whenI talk to the church about self-control; when I preach on the necessity ofpersonal discipline, good stewardship in all areas of life, and, above all,when I teach out of 1 Corinthians 6:20: “You are not yourown; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” I am goingto completely undercut my message if I’m preaching out of a body that deniesthis.

Itwould be convenient if being a leader didn’t require also being an example, butthat’s not the case. Paul writes,“Follow me as I follow Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)

Leaders,let’s ask ourselves, “Is my body serving or thwarting my message?” If you’re a pastor, you may well have acceptedfinancial sacrifice for the privilege of being in the ministry; if you’re aleader of any type, you have readily accepted the sacrifice of your time,tranquility, and even reputation, as leadership assaults all of these. But will you also accept bodily sacrifice—watching what you eat, and putting in the effortto get appropriate exercise? Will you recognize that the body out of which youlead can either support or undercut the message that you carry?

Iam not suggesting that we pickleaders by how thin they are, or that we make a direct connection between aperson’s BMI and his holiness. That would be ridiculous, ignorant, and unfair—somebodies aren’t designed to be thin, other bodies seem to naturally stay thinregardless of how they are cared for or fed, but leaders, we know our own journey, we know whether this area of stewardshipis feeding or hindering our maturity and ministry. Don’t all of us feel better,stronger, more energetic, when we’re being faithful in this area? And don’t we all know that there are negativeconsequences when we get careless?

So,in a spirit of encouragement and grace, let’s admit that this is something weneed to start talking about. Just as we seemed eager to denounce the opulentaffluence and money-raising scandals of the 1980s televangelists, let’s not beblind to our own contemporary challenges at the dawn of the 21^stcentury.

Formore on this topic, check out Every Body Matters: Strengthening Your Body to Strengthen Your Soul.

What Your Family Is Really Hungry for This Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T07:00:00.001-08:00

This Thanksgiving, your family and friendsare hungry for more than turkey and pumpkin pie; more than they want to watchthe Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys take on their annual opponents, whetherthey know it or not, they are hungry for…God.

Maybe they know God but have losttheir way and are stumbling around. Maybe they’ve tried everything but God and are facing the bitterconsequences, wondering if they have wrecked their life beyond repair. Maybe they just need a listening ear, a wordof encouragement, a rest from the chaos of their life.

They may arrive in garish sweaters,various states of sobriety and fashion, but what they secretly want is somevisit, some sign, some evidence, that God is really acting on this world,visiting this world, impacting this world. We all want to see God’s power, God’s reality,God himself break through and show usthat He exists. We hunger for splashes of heavenly glory on this earthly stage,because God planted that hunger in our hearts.

Here’s the good news: God is just ashungry to show Himself to you, your family and friends, and the sobering newsis, this Thanksgiving He wants to do it through you.

Living a life of “holiness” isn’t alife defined primarily by piety—what we avoid doing, etc.—it’s a life of availability. Holiness literally means “set apart,”which assumes we are set apart for something—in this case, to be used by God toshow His presence and glory to others.

Once we surrender our bodies in this way, we become livingand breathing centers of possibility—a force that God can use to impact theworld. This truth teaches us to see our lives as a call to represent Christwherever we go, whether it’s at a high school basketball game, a Thanksgivingdinner, the dreaded Department of Motor Vehicles Office, or even standing inline on “Black Friday.” Regardless of our location, we can live with a sense ofoffering ourselves up to God so that he can encourage his children and reachout to the lost. “Availability to God” is all about being in tune with God, ready to be used by God, and living for God on a moment-by-moment basis.

Will you make yourself available toGod when you least expect to be called upon this weekend? Instead of simply surviving the weekend, orbracing yourself for the usual onslaught of family dysfunction or triviality,why not see if God will break through in an extraordinarily new way? Just because we make ourselvesavailable to God doesn’t mean we’ll experience an unending string of miraculousencounters and exciting celestial conversations. God moves as he wills, wherehe wills, when he wills. But it is still an appropriate and necessary act ofworship to present ourselves before God, saying, “Here I am. If you want to dosomething through me, I’m ready.”

Thisweekend, before you get in the car, hop on a plane, or open your front door tothe rest of the family, pause for a moment and pray, “Lord, make me sensitive.I’m offering my ears, mind, tongue, hands, and eyes. Fill them with yourpresence so that I could be your servant. Let me see what’s really going on.Let me hear what’s really being said. Let me care the way you care. And give mea tongue that will say just what you want said.”

Maybesomething will happen; maybe nothing will. But making yourself available is so pleasing to God, in and of itself.

Willyou do that? Will you make yourself available,and lose the mindset of simply “surviving” the family gathering?

Morethan an obligation, this is the threshold to an exciting and fulfilling lifeand a wonderful holiday. It’s exactly what Paul was talking about when hecalled Christianity “the only race worth running.” When every moment becomespregnant with divine possibility, and when each situation provides opportunityfor God to manifest himself through us, there’s nothing else like it.

This blog entry was adapted from mybook, Holy Available.

The Cost of Not Being a Sold Out Christian: Can You Afford It?

2011-10-18T04:55:00.000-07:00

In his book The GreatOmission, Dallas Willard presents the cost of not being completely sold-out to Jesus. I love this passage:

“The cost of nondiscipleship is far greater—even when thislife alone is considered—than the price paid to walk with Jesus, constantlylearning from him. Nondiscipleship costsabiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everythingin the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that standsfirm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right andwithstand the forces of evil. In short,nondiscipleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came tobring (John 10:10).”

Willard covers so much, but can you think of anythingelse? What else does not following Jesuswith all our heart, soul, mind and strength, cost us?

Falling Into Love, Growing Into Divorce

2011-10-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

While “love” is something many people think they fall into,studies show that divorce is something we usually grow into.

William Doherty, professor of family social science at theUniversity of Minnesota, provides an insightful distinction between what hecalls “hard reasons” and “soft reasons” that split couples up and lead todivorce. In Doherty’s view, “hardreasons” include “chronic affairs, chemical dependency, and gambling” in which“The person is not willing to change. They have a drinking problem and won’t get it fixed. They’re gambling the family money away andwon’t get help.” “Soft reasons” include“general unhappiness and dissatisfaction, such as growing apart and notcommunicating.” (USA Today, Sept. 29,2011, pt. 1-2D.)

Doherty found that most marriages aren’t destroyed by “hardreasons” but rather by “soft” ones. In Doherty’sstudy, the number one reason couples gave for getting a divorce was “growingapart,” followed by “unable to talk together,” “how spouse handles money,“spouse’s personal problems,” and “not getting enough attention.” I’m not sure how Doherty defines “spouse’spersonal problems,” but at first glance, none of the top five reasons given arebiblical excuses for ending a marriage. It’s not until number six that “infidelity” is mentioned.

What this study highlights is that even when maritalsatisfaction reaches a crisis point, theproblem isn’t the marriage, but our lack of skills. Quite frankly, on a relationaland spiritual level, most of us are seriously under qualified to enter marriage. We soon find that we’re in “over our heads”and feel like we’re drowning. Marriage allbut demands that we grow, and a lot of us either resent the implication that weneed to grow or are too lazy to work towards personal growth.

When “soft issues” are the problem, divorce is a veryineffective shortcut. Insteadof finding a new spouse, we need to learn new ways to express empathy. Instead of getting a divorce, we need to getrid of laziness. Instead of searchingfor a new partner, we need to search for ways we can stay connected. If you don’t address the lack of relational skillsthat caused the first marriage to fail, the second one will, too—because,again, the problem isn’t who you chose to marry; the problem is who you’rebecoming (and what you’re not becoming)inthe marriage.

The USA Today article also quotes Susan Heitler, a clinicalpsychologist who notes that marriage is a “very high-skilled activity. If your marriage is failing, make theassumption your skill set is insufficient.”

You see, our assumption is all too often that our spouse is insufficient; therefore, theonly logical solution is to get a new spouse. If we assume that our skill setis insufficient, that there are things we need to learn about not becoming lazyin our relationship, practicing empathy, growing in humility, generosity andgratefulness, then we’ll see marital dissatisfaction as a call to grow deeperin holiness rather than a call to dissolve our family.

I’ve said it before: most couples don’t fall out of love somuch as they fall out of repentance. Persistent character weaknesses—laziness, arrogance, pride, selfishness,bitterness, a sense of entitlement, and so on—kill far more marriages thanactive affairs, chemical dependency or abandonment. The answer isn’t pursuing “happiness;” it’spursuing holiness. By God’s grace, wecan grow in each of these areas.

Dr. Heitler suggests that if both parties “will each takepersonal responsibility and focus on their own skills upgrade, the wholepicture turns around. Even one personcan turn the marriage around.”

Doesn’t this make sense? What if we assumed marital dissatisfaction is usually an issue ofcharacter, not mismatching, and thus began working on ourselves instead ofgetting rid of our spouse and trying to find a new one? What if, indeed, we found marriage as a callto holiness more than happiness, and then discovered that in the pursuit ofholiness we actually achieved a level of happiness we never thought possible?

Hmmm. Somebody oughtto write a book about this…

Facing Uncommon Temptations

2011-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself in a moment of intense temptation? Your heart pounds, your conscience is screaming, but you end up watching yourself, almost like a movie, collapsing into sin?

There are common temptations, little flickers of excitement, smaller acts of compromise, that often don’t require much more than a quick dismissal or a refocusing of our hearts to resist. But there are other temptations, the kind we’re talking about here, that require a more serious defense.

One of Satan’ favorite tricks in such moments is to try to cleverly turn our truest help and ally into an enemy. His deception works like this—he wants us to view God in such moments as either our judge or a passive spectator who is looking on to see how we respond. If we fall into either trap, viewing God and treating God as either, we become helpless and are all but certain to fall. God desires to be our savior and helper.

Scripture (Psalm 70:1; Jesus in Matthew 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:13) and the ancients call us to a much different response: earnestly, consciously, even desperately admitting our helplessness in the face of temptation, and imploring God’s aid.

Alphonsus Liguori (18th century) counsels, “We must play the part of beggars…[praying] ‘My Jesus, mercy; do not let me be separated from you. O Lord, come to my aid. My God, help me!’”

Satan wants us to view God as an observer, not a participant, in our battle against these uncommon temptations. One of our strongest weapons is prayer, through which we tap into God’s active power. “We absolutely require God’s help to overcome temptations. And sometimes, in the face of more violent assaults, the sufficient grace that God gives everyone would be enough for us to resist them; but on account of our inclination to evil, it is not, and we need a special grace. Those who pray receive it; but those who don’t pray, don’t receive it, and are lost.”

There are certain temptations that a strong character can withstand; our previous devotions have rooted us in Christ, and the ammunition Satan uses against us in these common times are more like BBs than bullets. They may sting, but they don’t penetrate our hearts. However, in the face of more violent spiritual assaults, Satan brings out the armor-piercing ammo. In these moments, we are helpless unless we immediately remember God’s role as our friend; He is not a spectator, but an active defender. Such temptations are won, ironically enough, on the back of humility. We recognize we will fall on our own, and so cast ourselves on a foreign power, one God is only too willing to provide.

Instead of viewing God as watching to see if we fall, Jesus and the ancients counsel that we admit our weakness and implore God’s active assistance. When facing temptations that are bigger than us, past spiritual experience, carefully cultivated character, and even previous moments of study and worship are not strong enough to carry us through them. We need an immediate, active force, a deliverer and conquering hero. It is not our strength that is being tested, but our humility. We fight with weakness, admitting our need and learning to depend on God. The clearest sign of such humility is honest and earnest prayer.

If you view God as either your spectator or judge in these intense moments, the battle is lost. He is your helper, your friend, and savior. Go to him. Admit your need for him. Recognize that prayer is the primary way to tap into his provision. Such “uncommon temptations” are allowed to show us our ongoing spiritual poverty and ever-growing need for God’s mercy.

History is His

2011-06-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, a commentator can just nail it. Such is the case with D. English when he writes about Mark 1:8:

"The gospel is meant to make us truly ‘broad-minded’, viewing the whole of life against the canvas of God’s eternal plans for us and for his world. Worship week by week reminds us of that perspective, as ought our daily devotions and experiences of Christian fellowship. In that wider sweep of God’s purposes we learn to play our limited—yet vital—part. History is his. The universe is his. The mission to the world is his. We are most fulfilled not when we seek fulfilment but when we seek to find our proper place in his never-ending purposes for this world. We are both less and more important than we think. In that on-going process, we belong to one another."

Calvin on Teachers Who, in Their Attempt to be Novel, Do More Harm than Good

2011-03-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

“If we intend to reform affairs which are in a state of disorder, we must always exercise such prudence and moderation, as will convince the people, that we do not oppose the eternal Word of God, or introduce any novelty that is contrary to Scripture. We must take care, that no suspicion of such contrariety shall injure the faith of the godly, and that rash men shall not be emboldened by a pretense of novelty. In short, we must endeavor to oppose a profane contempt of the Word of God, and to prevent religion from being despised by the ignorant.” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Harmony of the Gospels, addressing Matthew 5:17)

1. Calvin warns teachers to be prudent in their attempts at reforming doctrine, reminding them that without careful attention, in the zeal of their enthusiasm they might end up going against Scripture. In other words, in a nobel attempt to address wrong emphases we must be careful not to create additional error.

2. Teachers must be so clear about what they are teaching that they do not raise any suspicion of established truth that might “injure the faith of the godly.” It is wrong, and cruel, to create doubts about Scripture’s truth in the hearts of earnest believers.

3. “Novel” teachers must also be careful not to embolden “rash men” who will eagerly embrace novelty and cause further harm. Certain people will rush to new sounding doctrine and they will typically exercise even less caution than the original teacher.

4. Teachers should further be careful not to teach anything that creates contempt for God’s Word, or that would lead the unbelieving to question the clarity and truth of God’s Word. If what we say seems to make the Bible seem less clear and less authoritative, we are doing tremendous harm.

What are you willing to do to sustain the privilege of prayer?

2011-03-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Next month, I’ll line up with about 20,000 other people to run the Boston Marathon. It’ll be my third time there, and since you have to qualify each year, slower runners like me have to work hard to maintain the privilege of running there—watching my weight, keeping fit, and completing another marathon under the time limit for my age. It’s hard work, but to me, spending that weekend in Boston is more than worth the effort. It’s a privilege I cherish and am willing to sacrifice for.

On numerous Sundays, I get an even higher privilege: I’m invited into the pulpit of Second Baptist Church in Houston, a community with over 20,000 weekly attendees. Certain things are expected of me to maintain that privilege: my sermons better be prepared. The people here know their Bibles, and if I just throw something together, I’ll lose them. I’m also expected by the executive staff to maintain a certain integrity in my lifestyle.

But by far the greatest privilege of my life is to approach God in prayer. We often talk of prayer as an “obligation,” a “duty,” a spiritual “discipline,” but in reality it is a breathtaking opportunity. That we could speak to the God of the universe—that we dare even enter his presence; that we might ask him to consider our pleas, and that we might receive marching orders from him—well, the fact that he even knows who we are, much less has something for us to do, is unimaginable apart from his mercy and grace.

The doorway to prayer, of course, was opened through the reconciling work of Christ to which we added nothing. But sustaining the privilege of prayer, though always grounded in grace, does require a certain maintenance on our part. This is not adding to the finished work of Christ, but rather accepting Scripture’s teaching that there are certain things that disrupt our awareness of God’s presence and voice in prayer, and we’d be wise to pay heed to them if we want to sustain the privilege of prayer.

The “Work” of a Christian

The notion that grace precludes effort is a cancer in the church, a false understanding of the crucial distinction between justification and sanctification. The spiritual life and ministry both take enormous, persistent, and diligent human effort.

Consider Paul’s attitude: “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should stake such a view of things.” (Phil. 3:13-15)

Notice the phrase, “all of us who are mature should…” Paul isn’t showcasing his piety here, or nominating himself for a Christian of the Year award; he’s laying down a standard to which every believer should aspire. According to his inspired words, a mature Christian will “strain toward what is ahead...”

Commentator Jac Muller writes, “The verb used here is very descriptive, and calls to mind the attitude of a runner on the course, who with body bent forward, hand stretched to the fore, and eye fixed on the goal, strains forward with the utmost exertion in pursuit of his purpose.”

The great (Reformed, by the way) Puritan Jonathan Edwards was as blunt as a man could be about this: “We are nothing if we are not in earnest about our faith, and if our wills and inclinations are not intensely exercised. The religious life contains things too great for us to be lukewarm.”

He takes it one step further when he adds, “If there is a fight to be fought, or a race to be won, then it must be done with utmost earnestness. Without this there is no way of traveling the narrow road that leads to life. Sloth is therefore as damning as open rebellion.”

I mention this because many will say “sustaining the privilege of prayer” sounds like works righteousness. Maybe it might even lead to legalism. This misunderstanding will keep us immature and unfruitful.

Can we value work as Paul, the champion of salvation by grace through faith, did? I love his comments in 2 Timothy 2:6, when he tells his young protégé to “reflect” on the fact that it’s the “hardworking farmer” who gets the first share of the crops. (2 Tim. 2:6) This is such a brilliant metaphor that it’s particularly sad I’ve never heard a pastor preach on it. Much of a farmer’s work—unlike, say, that of an athlete, solider, or politician—is done behind the scenes, without any glory, applause or excitement. Ancient farming, particularly in the days before mechanized harvesting, was grueling work based largely on perseverance and consistent effort. That’s the metaphor Paul uses to describe the hard, often anonymous work of a Christian as he or she pursues God and is used by God.

The renowned John Stott warns, “This notion that Christian service is hard work is so unpopular in some happy-go-lucky Christian circles today that I feel the need to underline it…It may be healthy for us to see what strong exertion [Paul] believed to be necessary in Christian service.”

Indeed, as Stott points out, Paul gloried in the fact that “I worked harder than any of them,” explicitly referencing his hard work in 2 Corinthians 6:5, 1 Corinthians 15:10, and Philippians 2:16. Paul always ties his labor to God’s energy and provision, but never in a way that God’s provision puts Paul to sleep and certainly not as an invitation to a life of neglect.

Ministry and an intimate prayer life are a lot like farming. Much of the work that produces fruit passes unseen. No one on earth is applauding or even recognizing our efforts. But the life it creates can be used by God to bless and serve many. The “planting” is grueling; the harvest can be great.

Just a few verses later in 2 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed...” (2 Tim. 2:15)

In the next post, we’ll talk about how we work at sustaining a prayer life; since work is such a suspicious element of today’s Christian spirituality, I believed I needed to first support my contention that a productive prayer life doesn’t just happen by “letting go and letting God.”

Again this might sound like a provocative statement, but I believe the biblical record is clear: sustaining a rich spiritual life of devotion and service requires persistent, diligent and even enormous effort.

2011-03-06T18:53:00.000-08:00

Reinvigorate your faith journey -

Thirsting for God sheds light on refreshing perspectives about prayer, hope, purpose, and the thirst for God and His love.

Along with Gary's personal journey the reader will delve into classic Christian writings from John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Thomas a Kempis and others.

Encounter a fulfilling, transforming relationship with God while finding companionship and the mentor-ship of great words, minds and hearts.

Find more information at www.harvesthousepublishers.com.

"The Most Essential of All Spiritual Disciplines"

2011-02-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

“David is dead,” my wife said. “His parents want you to speak at the funeral. They’re burying him tomorrow.”

I had spent the day taking my kids to a local fair. We had been riding kiddie roller coasters, braving gravity-busting wheels, and digesting cotton candy. It was late at night by the time we got home, and the funeral—a three hour drive away—was scheduled to take place in about thirteen hours. It was difficult, as you might imagine, to shift gears so suddenly.

The funeral was a particularly sad one, in that David died young and in prison. He poked heroin into his veins once too often, and on a particularly fateful occasion, the HIV virus was clinging to the needle.

I struggled through the service, but was helped by the classic Christian writers who have taught me that even tragic deaths can teach us valuable truths—negatively, if not positively. In fact, these writers urge us to use death by extracting the message out of each one, thereby making death our servant.

The great seventh century Eastern Orthodox writer John Climacus called the remembrance of death the “most essential of all works” and the most helpful of all spiritual disciplines. John of the Cross, a medieval writer who coined the now famous phrase “Dark Night of the Soul” was fond of drawing pictures of skulls and literally ate his soup out of a plugged skull to remind himself that death was imminent.

More importantly, Scripture itself teaches us to keep the reality of death in mind: “Death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2b NIV).

The Passion Filter
Among other things, the ancients saw the remembrance of death as a filter for our passions. Pascal wrote, “To render passion harmless let us behave as though we had only a week to live.” Notice the practical element in Pascal’s teaching: remember death to take the heat out of sinful passions.

Climacus joined him in this counsel: “You cannot pass a day devoutly unless you think of it as your last…The man who lives daily with the thought of death is to be admired, and the man who gives himself to it by the hour is surely a saint.”

Thomas à Kempis argued that the remembrance of death is a powerful force for spiritual growth in general:
"Didst thou oftener think of thy death than of thy living long, there is no question but thou wouldst be more zealous to improve. If also thou didst but consider within thyself the infernal pains in the other world, I believe thou wouldst willingly undergo any labor or sorrow in this world, and not be afraid of the greatest austerity. But because these things enter not to the heart, and we still love those things only that delight us, therefore we remain cold and very dull in religion."

18th century Anglican William Law adds, “Feasts and business and pleasures and enjoyments seem great things to us whilst we think of nothing else; but as soon as we add death to them, they all sink into an equal littleness; and the soul that is separated from the body no more laments the loss of business than the losing of a feast.”

The ancients also portray the remembrance of death as a comfort and as a help to keep our priorities in order. They suggest practical ways that we can incorporate the remembrance of death into our daily spiritual disciplines. For more on this, check out Thirsting for God: Spiritual Refreshment for the Sacred Journey, now available from Harvest House books.

"Sacred Week" in Hong Kong, pt. 1

2010-08-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

“It took us 2 ½ years to get Gary here, but we’ve got him.”

With those words, pastor Tobin Miller welcomed Lisa and me to the Island Evangelical Community Church in Hong Kong on Sunday, for the beginning of what they are calling “Sacred Week.”

Lisa and I arrived late Saturday, picked up at the airport by Tobin and his wife Christina. Tobin had told me by email that due to the pressures of working in one of the world’s largest financial centers, Hong Kong families are perhaps “the most dysfunctional families” in the world. “It’s not uncommon when I’m doing a funeral to find out that a businessman had two other families that the first wife didn’t know about. And I’ve had Christian men do the same.”

The long hours at work, the tendency to have domestic help raise the kids, and the large amount of time spent apart all contribute to a sense of marital and family isolation. “I rarely find a single individual who tells me they want the marriage their parents had,” Tobin said.

On the trip from the airport, Tobin shared how, as a pastor who wants to reach Hong Kong, one of his greatest difficulties is that even Christians “use Hong Kong” instead of having a heart for it. “They’re here to make their millions in a few years and then move on. Hong Kong is something they use, not something they feel compelled to reach.”

After a fitful night of sleep, I woke early on Sunday and was the first customer at the Fit Fort Hong Kong Starbucks (doing my part to keep the international economy moving forward). Lisa and I visited the 11:30 service at IECC, and discovered that, apparently, worship songs are known around the world. Out of the six sang, we knew five of them by heart.

After church and lunch with the Millers, Lisa and I took a tram through the streets of Hong Kong, and then walked through Victoria Park. It was crammed with young women and virtually no men. About half of them had head coverings. Most laid out a piece of plastic on the ground, and gathered in groups, laughing and talking and lying around.

What struck both of us was the level of joy in that park. By and large, we were sobered by the somber mood that covers Hong Kong. People rarely acknowledge you, almost never seem to be smiling, and when I asked Tobin about it, he admitted that studies show the “happiness quotient” is about as low in Hong Kong as anywhere in the world. Since happiness has been directly connected to one’s personal relationships, it’s not a surprise that “the most dysfunctional families in the world” produce such somber people.

So why the smiles in Victoria Park?

“Those are the domestic helpers from Indonesia, enjoying their one day off a week.”

Domestic helpers are considered as having it worse than the families who hire them. Because they live with the families they work for, many will never marry, and most send all but their living expenses home to support relatives. Yet the level of joy in that park was off the charts compared to the people who hired them.

On Monday morning, Lisa and I went up above the city, to a trailhead at the top of Braymer Hill Road, where we found an amazing trail with some spectacular views of the city. I ran while Lisa walked, and we met back up about an hour later. The humidity level was high, but the climate felt much more conducive to running than anything I’ve experienced in Houston over the past month.

It has been a long summer, so today is meant to be an unusually slow day, getting ready for the teaching load that runs straight through from Wednesday through Sunday.

I so appreciate the many prayers that have already been offered on our behalf--ultimately, on behalf of the people of Hong Kong. Here's the schedule: (Hong Kong time, by the way, is 12 hours ahead of EST)

Wednesday evening: Sacred Influence (talking to wives)
Thursday evening: Sacred Parenting
Fri-Saturday: Sacred Marriage
Sunday: Pure Pleasure

The Joy of Serving with an Inexhaustible God

2010-08-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ministry for God can be exhausting and frustrating. Ministry with God is one of the most energizing experiences we will ever know. The apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of this distinction when he writes, “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:29)

This is good news for pastors who feel like they have run out of sermon ideas; great news for those who are trying to love difficult spouses, children, or parents and who feel like they have run out of love; wonderful news for anyone called to any ministry at all. If we learn to be dependent on, and draw from, God, we never need to fear running out of ideas, love, or energy, for God offers to become an inexhaustible source for all.

Jean-Pierre de Caussade was a French Jesuit spiritual director who lived in the early eighteenth century. He left behind a “late blooming” classic entitled Abandonment to Divine Providence that wasn’t popularly discovered or widely disseminated until long after he died. In it, de Caussade captures dependence on the divine like few other authors I have ever read. Speaking of God he writes:

“Your inexhaustible action is the infinite source of new thoughts, new sufferings, new actions, new patriarchs, new prophets, new apostles, new saints. [We] do not need to copy each other’s lives and writing, but simply live in a perpetual abandonment to your secret operations.”

In other words, while we have much to learn from the great examples of successful parents and ministers, we shouldn’t feel the need to slavishly follow their methods. God, by his own power and inspiration, is raising up “new patriarchs, new prophets, new apostles, new saints.” While we would be foolish not to draw deeply from the wisdom of those who have gone before us, we also need to be careful about talking about the “old times”—even the very recent “old times”—as if they occurred with a different God at the helm or one who has lost his zeal for what is happening today.

De Caussade again: “We hear perpetually of the ‘early centuries’ and ‘the times of the saints.’ What a way to talk! Are not all times the successive effects of the divine activity that pours itself forth on all the instants of time, filling them, sanctifying them, and elevating them all?”

The same God who raised up Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Martin Luther, John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon, today has raised up Rick Warren, Beth Moore, Ed Young, and Mark Driscoll. The same God raised them all, and He is neither limited nor tired nor running out of creative energy. Just because he has blessed Rick, Beth, Ed and Mark doesn’t mean he is spent, taking a break, or has inspired his “best sermon.” He’s got plenty more where that came from—the inexhaustible well of divine energy, provision, wisdom, love, and gifting.

Let’s rest in God—in whatever ministry we find ourselves in. If we are truly relying on him, we can’t grow weary, we can’t run out of ideas, we can’t be incapable of serving, because no matter how naturally gifted Rick, Beth, Ed or Mark might be, none of them can even approach the creative genius, never-ending mercy, and ever-flowing love of God.

De Caussade counsels, “Had the saints of the first days any other secret than that of becoming moment by moment what the divine action wished to make of them? And will that divine action fail to shed its glory until the end of the world on those who abandon themselves to it without reserve?”

If your church is 50 strong; there’s nothing holding it back from becoming 500 strong. Even if your church is already 25,000 strong, there’s nothing holding it back from becoming 50,000 strong. You might have preached your best stuff, but God has more. You might have already launched the most effective evangelistic methods you’ve ever employed—God has newer and better ones. You might have tried everything you can think of to repair your marriage or reach out to a rebellious child or kick an addiction. God’s not done, He’s not retired and He's not even weary. On the contrary, He is an inexhaustible source, just waiting for dependent souls to tap into his love, wisdom and enabling power.

Wives Who Need Extra Prayer

2010-07-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

In the decade since I’ve written Sacred Marriage, numerous wives have made me increasingly sensitive to several situations that make marriage even more difficult than it already is—long-term unemployment, serious illness, addictions, mental illness, and the like. I’d like to use this blog post to request prayers for two groups of wives in particular who deserve extra prayer: military wives, and minority wives. Would you please consider adding them to your prayer list, and if you have influence at your church, consider creative ways to support them (and perhaps post some of those ways in the comments section)?

Military Wives
The special pressures military families face are enormous—keeping intimacy alive during long stretches of deployment; young men remaining sexually pure when they are away from their wives for months at a time; the frequent trauma soldiers suffer on the battlefield and the resulting psychological hurdles they face when they return; the complete upending of “normal routine” when dad leaves home, and when dad comes home. (Of course, many of these issues are equally true when it’s the wife who is on deployment.) I met a military wife two weekends ago who, with tears in her eyes, thanked me for Sacred Marriage, telling me it helped save her marriage, and then expressing, with great sadness, that almost all of their military friends are now divorced. I looked at the baby in her arms, and the little boy standing by her side, and was deeply moved at her desire and determination to hold her family together, in spite of the odds against them. Our soldiers serve our country at great personal cost, far beyond the battlefield. Let’s keep praying for them.

Minority Wives
I recently received an encouraging but heart-rending email that raised an issue about African American families. Sandra writes: “I am an African-American woman… There are some differences regarding some of the particulars of the issues we face, e.g., most of the Black women I know are all working wives and mothers and we do not have the luxury of being stay-at-home moms, etc. We deal with hubbies who come home facing racism and we ourselves face that in addition to all our other problems. Will you pray for me and other Black women who want to live godly lives but who feel marginalized and feel that life just ‘isn’t fair’ because of the additional cultural issues we face along with our marital issues?”

Let’s all pray for these groups. Even more, let’s try to serve them. For military families, I’ve given away two copies of Devotions for Sacred Marriage so that spouses who are separated can read through the same book during a deployment and have something to talk about when they touch base on the phone or through Skype. If you have the resources, consider buying two copies of this book for military couples that you know, and write in the front that you’ll be praying for them as they face their unique family challenges as they serve our country. If you know of a couple that could use these books, but you can’t afford to provide them, please let me know; Lisa and I will do what we can.

For minority wives—can I encourage the white suburban, stay-at-home moms to get to know their black sisters in Christ and begin praying for them? Not only can whites learn a lot from their black sisters, but perhaps you can also help support them in practical ways. The shared experience of being married can fuel an active friendship. And seeing how someone is directly affected by society’s prejudice as well as present and past injustices is helpful for all of us to “bear one another’s burdens.” One of the gifts you might give these wives would be Sacred Influence—that’s the book Sandra was referencing when she reached out to me.

There’s another side to all of this: getting involved in praying for others’ marriages and trials is one of the best things you can do for your own marriage. Praying for someone who has it just as difficult as you do, or perhaps is on an even more difficult road, puts our own struggles into perspective. When we start caring for the relationships of others, God often gives us a renewed heart and affection for our own relationship, making this is a win-win request.

Why Pleasure Matters: We Don't Want to See You Naked

2010-04-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

My friend Ben Young took pity on me.
“Those jeans are way too baggy,” he said. “And that shirt doesn’t fit you at all.”
My clothing choices had long been a frustration for my wife, and here my friend was backing her up.
“See, that’s what I’m always telling him,” Lisa chimed in.
As far as I was concerned, since the jeans cost $24.99, they fit.
Ben introduced me to a couple lines of clothing that “make clothes to fit guys built like you.” He explained that “modern fit” means “chubby,” and look way too “billowy” on me, and then introduced me to “slim fit” shirts, much to my wife’s delight.
I actually found the experience liberating rather than humiliating, for this reason. I hate to shop. The only thing I hate more than trying on clothes would be eating cottage cheese. (I hate cottage cheese so much I can’t stand even watching someone else eat cottage cheese.) When my wife hands me five items of clothes and says, “Here, try these on,” she might as well be saying, “Here, have a carton of cottage cheese.”
But Ben’s advice meant I could skip checking out 90% of the clothes out there—I knew they wouldn’t fit, and I didn’t have to shop in those stores or on those racks. Some may say my world “shrank,” but from my perspective, I gained a lot of time and avoided a lot of pain.
It’s like that with pleasure. God knows what pleasures “fit” our souls. There are certain pleasures that might seem to come cheap, but they don’t fit who he made us to be—and so he wisely says, “Avoid them.” Other pleasures would cause problems—not just rubbing us the wrong way, but they could actually be destructive or soul-killing. Instead of suffering the consequences, we can listen to God—as I listened to Ben—and stop shopping in those stores.
Letting God tell us what pleasures fit our life is liberating, not confining.
The problem is, some of you don’t want to wear any pleasure at all. Out of arrogance, you think you can subsist on religious duty, self-discipline, and a pride-based piety. Rather than clothe yourself with pure pleasure, you walk around naked.
Can I be honest with you? We don’t want to see you naked. “Naked” Christians—those who deny themselves beyond what God calls them to deny—often become judgmental legalists. They live without joy, without satisfaction, and they are unable to truly love, for they simply cannot take pleasure in any one else’s pleasure.
Not only does this set them up for an eventual fall, it robs them of a worshipful heart, and it destroys their witness.
Such Christians rightly understand that we must avoid, at all costs, those pleasures that would destroy us, the pleasures God warns us away from. But they make a grave mistake when they conclude that all pleasure is to be avoided.
My theological mentor, Dr. J.I. Packer, writes, “Contempt for pleasure, so far from arguing superior spirituality, is actually…the sin of pride. Pleasure is divinely designed to raise our sense of God’s goodness, deepen our gratitude to him, and strengthen our hope of richer pleasures to come in the next world.”
God’s bride is to be beautifully dressed—not naked. Let’s clothe ourselves with good and holy pleasures, embracing what God, in his word, tells us fits, and rejecting those clothes that are not made for us.
I’ve been so encouraged by the emails and conversations testifying to the ministry that has come out of Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? If you’re one of those Christians who are suspicious of pleasure at best, take the liberating step of learning about how God uses pleasure for his good purpose. And if you know someone who’s trying to walk around “naked,” do them a favor—give them a copy of the book and let them know their attitude doesn’t honor God or help us reach the world.

Numb Lips? Boston Marathon Weekend Report

2010-04-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

This entry is a bit different from my normal topics, but I've received a sufficient number of inquiries about how Boston went that I've decided to answer them this way. For all those who are interested, here's a recap of the entire weekend.

Boston Marathon Weekend Race Report
2010

Lisa, Kelsey and I flew into Boston on Friday. I’d recommend this for anyone doing the marathon. It’s such a special weekend, you really need the extra day to soak it all in. And you don’t want to fly in Saturday and then spend all day Sunday—the day before the race—on your feet. Budget if you have to, but figure out a way to squeeze in that extra night at the hotel.

We checked into the Hotel Commonwealth, a wonderful hotel on Commonwealth Avenue, directly across the street from the famous Citgo sign, which marks the one-mile-to-go point on the marathon course. We could see the sign out our window. The Hotel Commonwealth has excellent rooms and outstanding service. It’s not part of any chain, and is located right next to a “T” (subway) line. It’s also just a block away from Fenway Park. It’s a bit isolated from the Back Bay area where all the marathon stuff takes place, but we’ve stayed there two years in a row and have greatly enjoyed it.

Saturday morning we visited the expo, but it was so crowded I didn’t stay very long. Last year I went to the expo on Friday evening, which I highly recommend. It’s just too packed on Saturday. But this year, we arrived in Boston too late to do that.

We got a treat Saturday night when a friend I met while speaking in Boston, Doug McRae, said he had some tickets to Fenway Park. Turns out the season tickets are actually part of Curt Schilling’s last contract (Doug is in business with Curt on a common venture). We didn’t stay till the end. Kelsey had her race the next day, and as it turned out, the game went past midnight.

On Sunday morning, Kelsey smoked the Boston 5k, finishing it in 20:02, and coming in 4th out of her age group. She easily would have gone under 20 minutes, but there was a slow crowd in front of her ignoring the 6:00 per mile pace sign, and it took her a good ½ mile to break free. It was funny watching her at mile 2. There was a significant gap in front of her, and about 8 middle aged men pacing off of her. Kelsey’s not tall—about 5’ 2’’—and the fact that these guys were riding her heels was amusing.

We had a late lunch at the Paramount in the Beacon Hill area. The restaurant is famous enough and popular enough to have an attitude. They won’t let you sit down until you order and pay for your meal, even though the wait was over 30 minutes long. But the food was worth the wait. Lisa and Kelsey were angels, standing in line while I sat down outside the restaurant, to preserve my legs.

We got back to the hotel where I visited with David Droste and his wife. I met the Drostes when I spoke at a church just outside Detroit, though he is now a pastor in Arizona. David ran 30 marathons before he qualified for Boston, and on that attempt made it by just 2 seconds. It’s a great story of perseverance.

We had dinner with Doug and Julie McRae, along with Bob and Doreen Marvel (Bob’s a pastor in Bellingham, WA), at Sportello, an Italian restaurant that has a café feel to it. The food was excellent, and the company even better. It was the perfect evening before a marathon.

I rarely sleep much before a marathon, and this one was no exception. It was frustrating, as there was no pressure on me at all and no reason to be uptight. I’ve already re-qualified for 2011, so there was nothing on the line. But I was very grateful when I finally fell asleep around 1:00 a.m. and then woke up at 3:30. At least I got over two hours. After waking up, I thought about something that could carry me through the race: pondering what would complete consecration to Christ actually look like, if every moment of every day, and every relationship, and every circumstance, was lived in intentional consecration to Christ?

The weather on race day was perfect. Doug McRae’s continued kindness made for an even more pleasant morning, as he offered to drive me and Bob Marvel to Hopkington. I was a bit worried about doing this, as the organizers warn you not to, but it saved us 90 minutes in the morning (leaving our hotel at 7:30, as opposed to leaving around 6:00 for the buses), and spared us a 40 minute school bus ride out of Boston. Unfortunately, the shuttle ride from the drop off point to the Athlete’s Village took longer than the drive from Boston. I’m still glad we did it, though, and learned a valuable lesson: most worry isn’t worth the bother.

It’s a weird feeling, driving to the start of a point-to-point marathon. For much of the way, Doug was driving 60 to 65 miles per hour, yet it still took us almost 40 minutes. It gets you thinking, “And I’m going to run back in 3 ½ hours?”

I wasn’t at the Athlete’s Village for long, though. Non runners should stop reading this paragraph, as you’ll be grossed out by what I share, but for male runners, this is as valuable a tip as you’ll ever get. I read in a blog post about an ingenious “personal porta potty” and decided to try it. The porta potty lines at most races are so ridiculously long, another runner came up with a suggestion that proved to be brilliant. You cover yourself with a lawn and garden variety black plastic bag (lots of people wear these at the start to stay warm and keep out the wind, so this is pretty inconspicuous). You have an empty, wide mouth bottle of Gatorade with you (don’t try this with the small bottles). Slip the bottle up the plastic bag while you stand nonchalantly in an out of the way place, and nobody will know the difference. This saved me in the Athlete’s Village. Lest you nonrunners think this is gross and absurd, as soon as I finished I turned around and a male runner three feet away was openly urinating on the ground. You can’t run Boston without seeing hundreds of people (including many females) relieving themselves in the woods next to the course or around the Athlete’s Village. This Gatorade bottle method is about as discreet as it gets and saved me 15 minutes of time.

I now had no excuse—I knew my body was trained, I had gotten a little sleep, there were none of my common sinus issues, and though I felt a bit queasy, it seemed like a day for me to go hard. But I would eventually make a costly mental error.

Back in corral 10, it took me almost 9 minutes to reach the starting line. The crowd noise is off the charts here, and the start is downhill, so you have to be very careful. My early pacing was sensible and strong—no complaints there. Having run this course before, I knew it should feel slow and easy, and it did. I soaked in the unique Boston enthusiasm, and enjoyed the course experience. I finally had to make a pit stop around mile 9, and that’s when I made the costly mental error.

The stop cost me over a minute, so I vowed that would be the last, and began severely restricting my water intake. That was really dumb. It was much too warm to cut back as much as I did, and I’d pay a price for it later. To make things worse, my upset stomach couldn’t handle the gels very well, so, while I got 2 down, I couldn’t handle the 3rd and ended up tossing it, nearly full, aside. That’s not enough carbohydrates, especially when you’re restricting your Gatorade since you don’t want to make a pit stop. It was a mistake that someone who has only run a couple of marathons might innocently make, but since this was my 9th, it was just flat out stupid.

There are many famous points on the Boston course, perhaps the most famous of which is Wellesley College, just before mile 13. These coeds line the fence with signs saying, “Kiss me, I’m graduating.” “Kiss me, I want fast babies.” “Kiss me, I’m Jewish.” “Kiss me, I’m from Oregon.” “Kiss me, I won’t tell your wife.” Why college coeds would want to kiss sweaty middle-age runners who have already completed 13 miles is beyond me. And when you have daughters that age, you look at the invitation very differently.

I felt strong rhrough mile 16, knowing that’s where the hills—and Boston—really start. This is where I passed Dick and Rick Hoyt, the father and son team whose inspirational video I’ve used in many talks. They’re still going at it.

I trained hard for the hills and the work paid off. I knew I was on a good pace and mentally decided to let myself slow down a little over the hills, intending to fly down the final 4 mile downhill stretch.

Once I crested the last hill, though, and started down, I could sense my body shutting down. The dreaded “wall” was upon me. Bonking at mile 22 was predictable, given how dehydrated I was. I started stopping at the aid stations, but it was too little, too late. While I didn’t completely fall apart, and never walked, my pace slowed to the point that I was now running over 8 minutes a mile. I stopped thinking about "consecration" and began thinking only about survival. I felt better than the guy who collapsed just a couple minutes in front of me, though. When I passed him, he was lying on the ground surrounded by medical personnel performing CPR. Through the news, I learned later that his heart had completely stopped, but they got it going again and he recovered. If you're going to have a heart attack, the Boston Marathon is actually one of the safest places to do it.

It’s excruciating, knowing you’re on a downhill stretch, but not being able to take advantage of it. And the crowds here are legendary. They’re screaming for the last three miles, packed onto the sidewalk. But my tank was empty.

I passed my hotel with one mile to go, part of me desperately wanting to jump off the course, take the elevator, and collapse on my bed. The final 200 yards on Boylston street felt unusually long, but I staggered in at 3:31:28, which put me at a 7,300 finish—not too bad, since my number was 10626.

My friend Bob Marvel, who finished 90 seconds ahead of me, was wonderful at the finish area. I was wiped out.and resembled Lot’s wife—nothing but a cake of salt. My black hat was covered with white patches, as was my shirt—signs of severe dehydration. I immediately drank three bottles of water and was still thirsty. Bob helped me get to Lisa and Kelsey for the long trip back to the hotel (the one disadvantage of staying at the Commonwealth). After 9 marathons, I thought I had experienced it all, but during the walk back, my lips went numb. That’s something new.

Lisa and Kelsey continued their angelic ways, taking me back to the hotel, getting me a chai and then some chicken noodle soup. I laid down for a bit while they went out, and met up with them for a walk around the North End in the evening. We ate at a funky pizza place called Ernestos, and then had dessert at Moderns pastries. We were told “Tourists go to Mike’s, but the locals go to Modern’s.” Lisa and Kelsey had eaten at Mike’s the day before, and said they liked Mike’s better.

My final thoughts? I thought I could beat the course this year with more thoughtful training, but the topography still shredded my legs. Next year, I think I’d like to run it just for fun, making myself hold to a 3:45 finishing pace, just to soak it all in. To excel at Boston, you just may need to be stronger than I am. Or maybe I’d have to up my mileage considerably, but that would be hard to do, given my primary responsibilities.

But if you’re a runner and wondering if Boston lives up to its hype, let me say, yes, it does. It’s worth the sacrifice. The Boston marathon is a tremendous experience and deserves the reputation it has. The course is unique and historic. The crowd support is off the charts. The expo is amazing. And the sense of satisfaction when you get to wear the finisher’s shirt and coat makes the experience last and last. My quads may be screaming at me as I write this, but I still can’t wait to go back and do it all again.

What Can Evangelicals Learn from Catholic Worship?

2010-04-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

On Good Friday, I visited my son, a sophomore at Notre Dame. We went to the Good Friday service at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, on Notre Dame’s campus. It was packed, standing room only, fifteen minutes before the service started. I was struck by several things that Roman Catholics do in their worship services that evangelicals could learn from.

(Keep in mind, over the past fifteen years of being an author and speaker, I’ve attended worship services in literally hundreds of churches, somewhere between four and five hundred in all, so I think I have a pretty broad understanding of evangelical worship. When I make generalizations about evangelical worship, I’m not referring to just one or two churches.)

One of the first things that struck me took place in the first ten seconds. Just about every evangelical church worship service—even on Good Friday—begins with a guitar. This may be a matter of personal preference, but I think the singularly worst way to start a Good Friday service is by strumming a guitar. Because most worship leaders are musicians first, it rarely occurs to them to start out with something that doesn’t have them front and center, and second, doesn’t have them holding their instrument of choice.

At the basilica at Notre Dame, the “worship leaders” began in the back, slowly making their way up front, holding a cross, with a deep bass drum keeping pace. It was an appropriately sober and somber beginning that took you out of your day and thrust you into the reality of the sacredness of Good Friday. Nobody was focusing on any worship leader; our thoughts were drawn to the cross making its way forward.

Secondly, I was astonished by the breadth of Scripture shared during the service. Various people read, chanted, or sang at least four, and possibly five, full chapters of Scripture. Evangelicals take pride in our stance on the authority of Scripture over tradition, but most evangelical worship services barely reference Scripture at all. Instead, we are beholden to cliché-ridden songs, often written by the worship leader him/herself. There is a commendable humility in a form of worship that assumes God’s thoughts are more powerful and more important than our own.

Third, the priest gave a homily that was precisely 12 minutes long (yes, I timed it). I couldn’t tell you what his point was. The language was flowery, delivered dramatically, but if there was a compelling thread, I couldn’t find it. What I found tremendously refreshing, however, is that the priest’s name wasn’t listed in the bulletin. He wasn’t even introduced. I’ve told my son that I may be held account on the Day of Judgment for all the time wasted on this earth as church members had to listen to me being introduced. I always tell churches that shorter is better, but the fact that the priest’s name wasn’t mentioned at all spoke of how the message is more important than the messenger. That’s another refreshing change.

Other elements were singularly Catholic—venerating “the wood of the cross,” making the Mass the center piece, but here’s the thing: when we left, our minds were filled with what Christ did on Good Friday. We weren’t impressed with any individual’s musical talent or any speaker’s oratory. The only one who impressed us was Christ.

In evangelical worship, two individuals are almost solely responsible for a “good” service (as defined by those who attend)—the worship leader and the teacher. If one or both are “on,” people will be satisfied. At the service at the basilica, no one individual could either make the service succeed or doom it to fail. There really wasn’t a central worship leader, not in an evangelical sense, and the teaching time was only 12 minutes out of 100.

Personally, I like a longer sermon—especially, one with a clear point. And of course, as evangelicals, my son and I didn’t participate in the Eucharist. But here’s what evangelicals can learn from worship, Roman Catholic style:

• Let’s break out of our guitar rut, if only for one week out of the year. It’s possible to lead worship without strumming six strings.
• Is it always necessary to have the worship leader front and center, all eyes focused on him/her? Can’t we find a way to facilitate a focus on Jesus?
• Isn’t it possible that hearts would be informed, transformed, and blessed by more Scripture, and less bad poetry put to music?
• Has the teaching aspect of evangelical worship created a problem of personalities, in which the success of the service is largely dependent on one individual?
• How can we model more humility in our worship so that, when people leave, they think more about God and less about his servants?

Can You Give Me A List of the Christian Classics?

2010-02-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

I liked your post on reading the Christian classics. Do you have a list that you recommend?

Here you go, in chronological order. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’ll get you started.

Anonymous, The Didache (First century)
This is a preserved oral tradition focusing primarily on how home churches can incorporate gentile converts into the Christian fold. A fascinating look at early Christian life.

Augustine, The Confessions of Saint Augustine (c. 400)
Long considered the classic of all time, many modern readers will find this book difficult reading with scattered wisdom. The genre itself will seem unfamiliar and slightly wordy to many evangelicals.

John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent (c. 640)
The classic of eastern Christendom, written to monks, this book calls for a high commitment and chronicles some rather harsh ascetical practice.

Brother Ugolino, The Little Flowers of Saint Francis (Late thirteenth, early fourteenth century)
A narrative account of Francis of Assisi and his early followers. While the historicity of many accounts are suspect, the model of devotion and the earnest application of a simple spirituality emphasizing poverty, simplicity, and prayer is truly inspiring.

Johannes Tauler, Sermons (mid-fourteenth century)
Johannes Tauler, a Dominican monk, was a disciple of Meister Eckhart and a key voice of the influential German mystics. He spent the bulk of his life in the Order of Preachers, and his writings had a significant impact on Martin Luther, who called Tauler’s sermons “pure theology.”

Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing (late fourteenth century)
This book is very mystical, but with real gems sprinkled throughout. Evangelicals might find the full “program” of little interest or benefit, but those who take the time to read it will find considerable wisdom.

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love (late fourteenth century)
One of the distinctives of this book is that it is the first Christian classic, indeed, the first English book, that can be identified with certainty as being written by a woman. As an evangelical, I must confess my own uneasiness with a book based on “divine revelations,” particularly when some of those seem to go against evangelical understandings of Scripture. Accordingly, I read this book like poetry—not to get doctrine, not to take it literally, but to benefit from, and be inspired by, the fine prose and passionate surrender to God that is a hallmark of feminine spirituality.

Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (c. 1418)
This is probably one of the most popular spiritual classics of all time. À Kempis focused on rigorous spiritual training as a necessary part of Christian living. His work is a good counter to “soft” Christianity.

Lorenzo Scupoli, Spiritual Combat (sixteenth century)
A practical primer on the nature of sin, temptation, and spiritual warfare, this fine book was immediately recognized as a masterpiece of holy wisdom. Though written in the midst of the Counter-Reformation, it was soon adopted by the Orthodox Church as well, where it was published as Unseen Warfare.

Ignatius Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola (1548)
Full of very practical advice for monks, this book also offers many helpful insights for evangelicals.

John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel and Dark Night of the Soul (c. 1587)
John was recognized as a highly gifted spiritual director (he was Teresa of Avila’s director for three years). In these works he provides many helpful insights into the spiritual life, especially the stages that Christians go through. One of my favorite writers, John of the Cross wrote with an unparalleled passion for God.

John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion (sixteenth century)
Rewritten and updated throughout his life, Calvin produced one of the premier works on the Christian life. You don’t have to be Reformed in theology to enjoy the spiritual insights and commentary that fill this work of spiritual genius.

Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle (1588)
This is a relatively short book on prayer, emphasizing spiritual visions leading to spiritual betrothal and marriage.

Francis de Sales, Introduction to a Devout Life (1609) and Spiritual Conferences (post 1610)
Introduction is a unique spiritual book in that Francis wrote for laypeople, not a religious community. His desire was to see ordinary tradesmen learn to grow spiritually, recognizing that they needed different advice than members of a religious community. This book is very practical with several helpful meditations. Spiritual Conferences is a series of talks given to the Visitation nuns, so you can compare how Francis speaks to religious people. The modern version is entitled The Art of Loving God.

John Owen, Sin and Temptation (1656-1667)
This is actually a compilation of three of John Owen’s treatises that have now been collected by Dr. James Houston. Owen’s teaching on sin and temptation is must reading for every Christian.

Ralph Venning, The Sinfulness of Sin (1669)
Classic Puritan work, written in a classically Puritan style, developing an applicable and insightful theology of what sin is, why it is so serious, and how it affects the Christian life. Originally published as Sin, the Plague of Plagues.

Blaise Pascal, Pensées (1670)
Pascal was a brilliant man in both science and devotion; the Pensées comprise an unfinished collection of his random thoughts. It’s haphazard reading, but there are some real gems for those who wade through the collection.

Jeanne Guyon, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ (late seventeenth century) Originally published as A Short and Easy Method of Prayer, Experiencing the Depths explores a life of unceasing prayer, meditation, and contemplation, emphasizing abandonment and union with God.

Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God (1692)
Brother Lawrence was a very humble man with an extraordinary sense of living in God’s presence. This little book includes several letters and conversations Brother Lawrence had with others who wanted to learn from his experience.

Francois Fénelon, Christian Perfection (1704-1717)
Along with John of the Cross, Fénelon is one of my favorites. He wrote as a wealthy mystic living in the upper strata of French society. The temptations faced by the elite several hundred years ago are remarkably similar to those faced by middle-class evangelicals today. This is one of the most helpful spiritual classics I’ve read; it’s one you may want to read over and over.

William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life (1728)
This is a rigorous treatise written by a devout Puritan. It is very helpful and challenging but could be dangerous for a person who isn’t rooted in grace because it might lead some into an unhealthy legalism.

Jonathan Edwards, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1746)
Discusses those who are “truly pious” by examining and discussing various religious affections. Edwards is another of my favorites.

John Wesley, Wesley’s Journal (eighteenth century)
An astonishing, convicting, inspiring and compelling day-to-day account of a man on fire for God, earnestly seeking to build God’s Kingdom, and inviting us to share the journey.

Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World (late nineteenth century)
Drummond was one of D.L. Moody’s favorite “counselors” for those who responded to the famous evangelist’s appeals. He received considerable fame in his own right for his work applying the theory of evolution and natural laws to the spiritual life. This work consists of a series of addresses given by Drummond between 1876 and 1881, originally published under the title The Ideal Life.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (twentieth century)
While it may be premature to call a book less than a hundred years old a classic, this treasured devotional is surely deserving of the title. Chambers was renowned for his work with the YMCA, and his daily thoughts breathe an astonishing depth of insight and devotion.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (1937)
A ringing indictment of “cheap grace” and a call to experiential faith. Bonhoeffer warned that cheap grace was ruining more Christians than legalism, and sought to call the church toward the costly grace of discipleship.

Lewis, C.S., The Screwtape Letters (1944)
Among the most creative of all classics, this book brilliantly exposes the nature of temptation, spiritual warfare, human nature, and a life of faith.

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (1948)
A classic call to an experiential, intentional, and transformational faith. I’m holding the line at books written prior to 1950 to deserve the title “classic,” but I believe it likely that Tozer will still be read 100 years from now.

Isn't it Dangerous to Read From, and Quote, Christian Classics from Other Traditions?

2010-02-08T09:37:00.001-08:00

After I preached at one church, an earnest young man came up to me and said, “What you shared is so important for the church to hear; it was truly inspired. But why did you have to quote enemies of the Gospel to make your point?”

I had quoted Francis of Assisi and an Eastern Orthodox monk.

“Francis couldn’t very well have been a Calvinist with a Calvinist’s system of thought, could he?” I asked, knowing I was in a Presbyterian church, “Seeing as how Calvin wasn’t even born until Francis had been dead for almost three hundred years. And while evangelicals certainly have disagreements with certain points of Eastern Orthodox theology, do you really want to write off the wisdom this wing of the church has gained over the past two millennia? The Orthodox claim to historicity is as strong, if not stronger, than any other branch of the church!”

I have gained so very much from reading widely and seeing how different generations and different Christian perspectives have broadened my understanding of the journey of faith, which is why I believe it is silly for us to avoid the devotional writings of ancient Roman Catholics (many of whom wrote before the Protestant church was even born) or Eastern Orthodox Christians (because they’re writing from an eastern perspective). My persistent use of quoting them is deliberate and intentional. God has used them in my life, and continues to use them, in ways it would be difficult to overstate.

If you give the classics a fair reading, you’ll be surprised by how much they agree on. For example, Lorenzo Scupoli, who worked in the Counter-Reformation in the 17th century, often sounds suspiciously like John Calvin, the innovator of the Reformed system of thought, in a surprisingly large number of areas when both talk about relating to God, growing in character, and cultivating the life of Christ in our souls.

Keep in mind, I don’t read the classics for training in systematic theology or doctrine; I read them for the passion and understanding they bring to the spiritual life. In the classics I have witnessed a beautiful tapestry of common truth that gives stunning witness to the accepted faith of the wider Christian Church—elements of the Christian life on which the most zealous and thoughtful adherents speak in virtual unanimity.

I don’t agree theologically with everything that John of the Cross or John Climacus writes. I certainly do not accept Julian of Norwich’s Revelations as true revelations, treating her work more as poetry than divine showings. But in total, their devotion fans into flame the burning embers of my faith.

Ralph Venning, a renowned Puritan preacher from the seventeenth century, actually urged his church members to read John Goodwin’s A Being Filled, even though Goodwin was a thoroughgoing Arminian (and thus at odds with Venning’s theological Calvinism). Venning’s defense of this advice is similar to my own approach when recommending the classics: “Though I confess myself not to be of the same mind and opinion with the learned author in some other controverted points, yet I cannot but give my testimony concerning this piece, that I find an excellent spirit moving on the face, and acting in the heart of it, to promote the glory of God, the power of godliness, and consequently the good of men, especially of Christian men.”

R. Somerset Ward, the Church of England’s most influential spiritual director in the 20th century, puts it this way: “Herein lies the great justification of the practice of devotional reading. It is, in fact, the use of, and cooperation with, the great process of inspiration which is forever going on in the world: a process whereby the power and wisdom of God is continually flowing out into the world to aid the growth and development of man’s soul.”

Wisdom forgotten is wisdom lost, which is why I doubt I’ll ever write a book without quoting widely from the great works of the Christian faith.

Should Christians be Called Sinners?

2010-01-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

QUESTION:
Dear Gary,

In Devotions for a Sacred Marriage, which has vastly blessed me and my wife, I noticed you address all believers as sinners. But Gary! Since we all write, are we all writers?

Our self-image (Identity) should not be defined by our sinful character, appearance, performance and social status but by our position in Christ. The Bible does not identify believers as sinners; it identifies believers as saints with capacity to sin. A saint is literally a holy person, but the designation does not describe our growth in character.

Although the New Testament gives us plenty of evidence that the believer sins, it never clearly identifies the believer as a sinner. As believers, we are not trying to become saints; we are saints who are becoming like Christ. In no way does this deny our continuous struggle with sin as you know, but it does give us hope for the future.

Though many Christians are dominated by the flesh and deceived by their ignorance. But telling Christians they are sinners because they do not act like saints seems counterproductive at best, usually to the loss of their self esteem and this is inconsistent with the Bible at worst. Apostle Paul uses words like carnal and babes in Christ.

Referring to believers as sinners fits the description of those who have not come to repentance nor accepted faith in God, since the rest of the scripture clearly identifies believers as saints who still have the capacity to sin.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1Tim 1:15). The reference to “the ungodly and sinners” a few verses earlier (v.9), along with other New Testament uses of the term “sinners” shows that the sinners whom Christ came to save were outside of salvation rather than believers who can still choose to sin.

And if after receiving Christ as our Lord and saviour; we still see ourselves as sinners; then something is definitely wrong with our perception that need healing for making Christ’s work and gift of no effect.

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Please reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

ANSWER:

Dear E.,

Thank you for such a thoughtful question. Though you challenge an important point, you do so in a spirit of mutual edification, for which I am grateful.

When you ask, "Since we all write, are we all writers?" my immediate response, to be honest, was "yes!" We might not all be professional writers, but we are all writers. And since every Christian sins, I think it is appropriate to still call us sinners. To carry your own analogy out, we might not all be "professional" sinners--people who sin without repentance, no visible transformation, and no conviction--but we are forgiven people who still fight the sin nature and oftentimes succumb.

It was interesting to me that you even quoted 1 Timothy 1:15, but left out Paul's own admission, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worse." The way the Greek is to be understood, Paul does not say, "I was," but clearly, "I am." Paul is literally saying, "I am the worst of sinners."

Embracing this (I believe, biblical) truth has helped me to 1) live in God's grace, which I need on a daily basis; 2) guard against the effects of sin in my relationships, thoughts, and actions.

I believe this is further supported by 1 John 1:8, in which John says, "If we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." In context, John seems to me to be talking about an indwelling principle here, not just facts. It takes me back to your original analogy of a writer: if I write, I'm a writer. If I sin, then I'm a sinner. A saved sinner, a forgiven sinner, but still, a sinner. I am also, as you so ably represent, a saint. I see evidence of God's grace increasing in my life, thoughts, heart, and character, but I am still very much a work in progress, and the day I stop seeing myself as a sinner is the day I believe I give sin an upper hand.

So, biblically, we don't have to choose between "saint" and "sinner." We are both: forgiven saints, and sinners progressing toward a greater righteousness. We should, with gratitude, embrace our identity as declared saints, and with humility, wrestle with the reality of our sin nature.

That, at least, is the biblical foundation from which I was writing.

Embrace Pleasure with Sophistication

2009-11-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

Question: Gary, in your book, Pure Pleasure, you ask readers to “embrace pleasure with sophistication.” Can you explain what that means? (Sarah in MD)

Thanks for asking, Sarah. Pleasure is a gift from God. It is good. He designed us to receive pleasure in many ways, and in fact is preparing us for an eternity of pleasure. We must also realize, however, that a hierarchy of pleasure exists—with God at the top—that orders all of our other pleasures. If the hierarchy gets broken or becomes skewed, then lesser pleasures will begin to war against the primary one, delight in Christ.

As Christians, we have an awful tendency to “over correct.” We see our error (“Oh, so maybe I can legitimately accept and even cultivate pleasure; I see how I’ve endangered myself and dishonored God with a prohibitionist mindset”), and then rush to the other extreme to get away from that error, only to create a new one (“I want to ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ for the rest of my life!”). Writing a book like this presents exactly that grave danger. Today’s church, frankly, has not earned a reputation for intellectual sophistication. Instead of holding things in a healthy balance, we tend to bounce back and forth between dangerous extremes.

Some who read my book, Pure Pleasure, looking for an escape from responsibility, will cling to theological truths about God and pleasure primarily to justify their unbalanced lives of ongoing entertainment. Ruin and misery await them. Others will likely dismiss all this talk about pleasure as superficial, trite permission to live perpetually in a “Disneyland” faith. They risk suffering a breakdown or getting lured into hypocrisy and addiction. Both attitudes—hedonistic license or pharisaic prohibitionism —grieve God.

Loving Creation more than the Creator?

2009-11-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

Question: Gary, is it really okay to enjoy the things in the world? Or, is that loving creation more than the Creator? (Sam in TX)

Thanks for your question, Sam. Recent traditions of Christianity have had, in my view, a very slanted and negative view of the world, in a way that injures our souls, opposes abundant life, and dishonors the God who created a wonderful place for us to live. When John tells us not to love the world or anything in the world (1 John 2:15-17), and James tells us that friendship with the world is hatred toward God (4:4), they do not instruct us to despise the sound of a baby’s laugh, the taste of cold watermelon on a hot, sunny day, or the drama of achievement.

Instead, they warn us away from finding our happiness and fulfillment in social systems, polluted appetites, or actions that antagonize God. John makes this crystal clear when he defines the world’s sinful cravings as lust, boasting, and wayward desires. In other words, the Bible condemns polluted pleasures.

The problem is that we take the Bible’s condemnation of the “world” as condemnation of the “earth.” This serious mistake has unfortunate consequences to our souls and our view of life. Much of the “world” stands against God and rebels against him; God created the earth to reveal himself to us and to provide a place where we can enjoy him.

I am bold enough to believe that God created this world not to tempt us, but to reveal himself to us. Even this fallen world provides windows through which we may glimpse the one who created it.

We have to remember that God isn’t just our redeemer; he is also our creator. He made us and he made this world. So, when we participate in this world as he made it, we celebrate him every bit as much as we honor him when we do things that reflect his redeeming work. In fact, it insults him to deny the glory of his creativity. When we speak of God only as Savior, we use him as a rescuer—but he is much more than that. He invites us to truly enjoy him and all that he has made, no longer using God merely to enjoy the world (setting us free from addictions, reclaiming our finances, restoring health), but also using the world to enjoy God.

How can it honor God to ask him to solve our problems, fix our families, and remove the stain of sin—while ignoring what he delights to create, color, and fashion? This is as foolish as someone learning to play the guitar simply to develop stronger and more nimble fingers, or taking up playing the flute so that he can improve his ability to breathe. It misses the beauty and poetry of the entire exercise, reducing this world to a utilitarian throwaway bereft of the mystery and wonder of an infinitely creative and generous God.