Christian Clergy in Crisis

Recent statistics have listed Chattanooga, Tennessee with remarkable distinctions. Gallup released a 2013 analysis of the top 189 U.S. metro areas to report that Chattanooga is among the 10 most unhappy metro areas in the United States. According to the American Bible Society's 2014 study, Chattanooga was listed #1 of America's Most Bible-Minded Cities. Are these statistics proof that Christianity makes no significant difference to well-being? Many hypotheses can be submitted, but ultimately we should ask if it is true or false that you “are complete through your union with Christ” (Col. 2:10 NLT)?

Chattanooga, the buckle of the Bible belt, is not the only conundrum. Paradoxical ministry statistics abound.

1. 23% of the pastors surveyed said they felt happy and content on a regular basis with who they are in Christ, in their church, and in their home! (Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development)

2. 71% of pastors stated they were burned out, and they battle depression beyond fatigue on a weekly and even a daily basis. (Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development)
 
3. 77% of the pastors we surveyed felt they did not have a good marriage! (Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development)
 
4. Almost 40% polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry. (The Shaeffer Institute distilled research from Barna, Focus on the Family, and Fuller Seminary)

5. 54% of the pastors had viewed internet pornography within the last year, and 30% of these had visited within the last 30 days. [In March of 2002 RickWarren’s (author of the Purpose Driven life) Pastors.com website conducted a survey on porn use of 1351 pastors.]
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6. The typical pastor has his greatest ministry impact at a church in years 5 through 14 of his pastorate; unfortunately, the average pastor lasts only five years at a church. (Barna)

7. Most statistics say that 60% to 80% of those who enter the ministry will not still be in it 10 years later, and only a fraction will stay in it as a lifetime career. (The Shaeffer Institute distilled research from Barna, Focus on the Family, and Fuller Seminary)

8. The New York Times published an article on August 8, 2010 stating:
The findings have surfaced with ominous regularity over the last few years, and with little notice: Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could.

9. The majority of pastor's wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry. (Mark Driscoll, "Death by Ministry")

10. Eighty percent of adult children of pastors surveyed have had to seek professional help for depression. (2002)

11. 34% of Christians feel called to the work they currently do (among those who are presently employed). (Barna) 

12. Only 5% of people who describe themselves as Christian and involved in a church indicated that their church does anything to hold them accountable for integrating biblical beliefs and principles into their life. (Barna)

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Psalms 25 Prayer Pattern

This psalm was chosen to provide a model designed by God showing ways we can approach Him in a desperately dependent fashion. Use Psalms Prayer Patterns to pour out your heart to God while acknowledging your weakness and His strength, as you grow deeper in your relationship with Him.

Psalms Prayer Pattern

O LORD, I give my life to you.
      I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
      or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
      but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

Show me the right path, O LORD;
      point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
      for you are the God who saves me.
      All day long I put my hope in you.
Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love,
      which you have shown from long ages past.
Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
      Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
      for you are merciful, O LORD.

The LORD is good and does what is right;
      he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right,
      teaching them his way.
The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
      all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.
For the honor of your name, O LORD,
      forgive my many, many sins.
Who are those who fear the LORD?
      He will show them the path they should choose.
They will live in prosperity,
      and their children will inherit the land.
The LORD is a friend to those who fear him.
      He teaches them his covenant.
My eyes are always on the LORD,
      for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Turn to me and have mercy,
      for I am alone and in deep distress.
My problems go from bad to worse.
      Oh, save me from them all!
Feel my pain and see my trouble.
      Forgive all my sins.
See how many enemies I have
      and how viciously they hate me!
Protect me! Rescue my life from them!
      Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.
May integrity and honesty protect me,
      for I put my hope in you.

O God, ransom Israel
      from all its troubles.       —Ps. 25 NLT

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

I Can Be Complete

God wants me to be complete in the person of Christ, in my position as His child, and in the possession of His righteousness. But, we say, I have my own life plan that I am sure will be exactly what God wants for me, so if He would just enable me to accomplish my purposes I could be complete. I want God to empower me to not need Him. And so we travel our own path, claiming to be a Christian but refusing to be desperately dependent on Christ, who offers His portrait in place of our sketch.

BIBLE TRUTH
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:24–25 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
By what means are you going to choose to empower your life? Will you allow the Master to complete His self-portrait through your life by means of the fruit of His Spirit?

If you choose to live by the Spirit, the strongholds will be broken, resulting in a complete, divinely empowered life—a picture of Christ. If you are not dependent on Christ, today is the best day of the rest of your life; it will be downhill from here.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I want Your Holy Spirit to guide my life. I don’t want to do what my sinful nature craves. (Gal. 5:16)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

What Is the Solution?

If people, positions, or possessions do not offer freedom or the solution for enjoying a complete life, what is the solution? Galatians 5:16 (NIV) supplies the answer: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” We are to conduct our lives “by the Spirit.” This requires a relationship with God’s Spirit in which we dependently trust Him with all our needs. This is an astonishing assertion, “. . . you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (NASB). In the Greek text the double negative construction emphasizes, “there is no way on earth, you can ever” carry out the desires of the flesh if you are living by the Spirit. Do you like the sound of that? The catch is that brokenness is a prerequisite: we cannot depend on God without first giving up our willfulness. We must give up the right to want what we want and trade it for wanting what God wants. “But I don’t want to give up what I want,” you may whine. Then you are not ready for a desperately dependent relationship on God that results in a life that is divinely enabled. This relationship begins by giving up our self-centered lives in exchange for Christ-centered lives that result from the forgiveness of sin. Without giving up our willfulness, we cannot know the heart of God and want what He wants.

BIBLE TRUTH
“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4–5 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
If we are to be a picture of Christ, a Christian, then we are to live as He lived—desperately dependent on God for divine enablement for personal empowerment. Thus, holiness is true healthiness—to be complete in Christ. How is this possible? We tear down strongholds through obedience to Christ.

PRAYER
Father, know my heart and renew a right spirit within me. (Ps. 51:10)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Trapped!

We fall into a trap if we believe a person, position, or possession other than Jesus can complete our lives. In our daily struggles we search for ways to stimulate our emotions or sedate our emotions in order to feel good. But that which makes me feel good enslaves me. The end result is bondage. What a cunning ploy Satan has devised! “This is what you need to feel good about yourself,” he asserts as he lays the net to ensnare you. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25 NIV). “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22 NLT). These strongholds are fortifications that keep us imprisoned.

But if you really want something, who is going to stop you? The natural desire of the heart is self-indulgence: I want what I want! The end of all self-indulgence is bondage. The very thing we want will destroy us. Our self-centered choices lead to strongholds that result in relationship problems, emotional difficulties, physical challenges, and even a crisis of faith. And so we sit, looking at life through the portholes of our own strongholds that have imprisoned us.

BIBLE TRUTH
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
The Galatians were struggling with similar issues. Paul poses this question to them: “After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Gal. 3:3 NLT). They had fallen into the deception that by practicing religious rites they could be made right with God. They had arrived at the solution that a relationship with Christ was not enough; they needed more. Paul pleads with them: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Gal. 5:1 NLT).

PRAYER
My Lord, please bring me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud and the mire. Please set my feet on solid ground and steady me as I walk along. (Ps. 40:2)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

What's Missing in the Masterpiece?

Repeatedly we come to the conclusion that something is missing. We struggle in our search as others around us exclaim, “I know! I know! I know!” and lead us on one fruitless chase after another. In an attempt to not appear stupid, we create our own design to fill in the emptiness. But no matter how creative we are, our ultimate creation never matches the design our Creator planned unless we allow Him to complete the picture.

God is the Master Designer. In His mind’s eye He can see the completed masterpiece of our lives. The vastness of the task does not overwhelm Him. He delights in His creation. Knowing from the beginning to the ending His desired results, He patiently fashions the portrait. It is His self-portrait.

Unfortunately, the design we are sketching is our self-portrait. We are looking for happiness, fulfillment, meaning, control, freedom, belonging, relationships, money, contentment, satisfaction, and the list could go on and on. Foolishly we attempt to complete what the Master designed. Disappointment results when a novice attempts to complete a masterpiece independent of the Master.

God’s design requires us to be dependent on Him. Because we believe Satan’s lie that we are capable on our own, we seek to fill the void to our own satisfaction. All the while God replies, “I know!” He patiently waits for us to come to the Master Designer for our picture to be perfectly complete.

BIBLE TRUTH
“So you also are complete through your union with Christ” (Col. 2:10 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
Consider these two questions: What do I really want? How will I attain it? Apart from a relevant relationship with Jesus Christ we will look to people, positions, and possessions to empower and complete our lives. The sin nature motivates us to be desperate individuals, and we choose influences other than Christ.

PRAYER
My Lord, I am waiting patiently for You. Please turn to me and hear my cry. (Ps. 40:1)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Jesus Calling to Live in Dependence

JESUS is CALLING. DO you HEAR HIM?

After many years of writing her own words in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to be more attentive to the Savior’s voice and begin “listening” for what He was saying. So with pen in hand, she embarked on a journey that forever changed her.

In the daily devotional Jesus Calling are the words and scriptures Jesus lovingly laid on her heart. Words of reassurance, comfort, hope. Words that have made her increasingly aware of His Presence and allowed her to enjoy His Peace.

Each day is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you. Because He is. Do you hear Him calling.

The following is Sarah Young’s entry for September 2.

Living in dependence on Me is a glorious adventure. Most people scurry around busily, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability. Some succeed enormously; others fail miserably. But both groups miss what life is meant to be: living and working in collaboration with Me.

When you depend on Me continually, your whole perspective changes. You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurrences and “coincidences.” You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do. You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing the My Power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness. You keep your plans tentative, knowing the My plans are far superior. You consciously live, move, and have your being in Me, desiring that I live in you. I in you, and you in Me. This is the intimate adventure I offer you.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:9–10 NIV)

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:28 NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6–7 NIV)

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20 NIV)

(excerpts from Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young)


Insight Journal
What has Jesus been saying to me?

What is Man That You are Mindful of Him?

Living is about finding Jesus in the midst of our lives – being complete in Him, fulfilled through Him, and enabled by Him. Ironically, the spiritual dimension underpinning the foundation of our existence has been abandoned by human civilization in preference to what sin and carnality can provide. The completion and fulfillment once experienced by man in dependency upon His God, has been lost. All that now resides of our former selves is the longing to be more than we are. This longing is the yearning burning within each person that either propels them to human achievement, to dream dreams of the grandeur of man, or to sink to despair in the sea of disappointment. All human accomplishment is limited to that which human ingenuity can produce. Redemption from what we are and restoration to what we once were is not within the purview of our ability.

The question set before us now is, “Will we seek to define life in accordance to the flesh or in accordance with the Spirit?” How each one of us answers this question will form a relational bond with our purpose for living that will companion with us on life’s journey. Choice by choice, we will move toward meeting our eternal destiny forged by having authentically received Christ or not.

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:5-8 NIV)

Joshua admonished the children of Israel:

“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Josh. 24:14–15 ESV)

We fall into a trap if we believe a person, position, or possession other than Jesus can complete our lives. In our daily struggles we search for ways to stimulate our emotions or sedate our emotions in order to feel good. But that which makes me feel good enslaves me. The end result is bondage. What a cunning ploy Satan has devised! “This is what you need to feel good about yourself,” he asserts as he lays the net to ensnare you. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25 NIV). “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22 NLT). These strongholds are fortifications that keep us imprisoned.

Every person possesses within his or her heart a completion scenario that delimits what would produce the ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction. This experience would represent the greatest encounter in life. Beyond this, nothing could be better. Our completion scenario is created out of a synthesis of our orientation to God, what we value, and what we think and feel. This completion scenario motivates desire and gives direction to our behavioral pursuits that are reinforced through immediate gratification. It is here within our very own version of our completion scenario that we seek to be validated by our God substitutes.

The generations of those who have sought salvation in Jesus Christ have been eclipsed by the shadow of the hordes who have rejected Him. Jesus grieved as He admonished, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13–14 ESV).

Jesus asserted, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV).

Within our lives we each possess a sacred “God place”—that place designed by God for God. Only He has the right to occupy this position in our lives. From this God place He rules over our souls and replenishes our hearts with His validating love, while establishing our identity. When any other entity occupies this place, we are guilty of idolatry. The Old Testament is replete with warnings and consequences that result when idols invade the lives of God’s chosen people. Although we may dismiss these passages because they are often connected with the pagan gods of Baal or Asherah, these admonitions also apply to modern life where we continuously allow other entities to fill our God place and dictate our lives. Any substitution for God we permit to establish our identity, love, significance, or security is an idol. These counterfeits break the heart of God. He aches as He watches our foolish endeavors to find completion in our lives through empty alternatives.

What then is man that God is mindful of him, that He would alter the course of the world so that you could deviate from your fallen path to find Him amid the ruins of your life? You are in truth the object of His love!

Insight Journal
How do I live in contradiction to my faith by professing love for Jesus that I do not practice in life?

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Why Wait?

Somewhere along the Christian journey I [Kirk] synthesized the belief that if I were to walk by faith, I must first do something in the name of faith to offer proof to having faith – a serving of faith to create a saving faith in order to be secure in faith. Unfortunately, such would amount to little more than trying to convince myself that I believed in Jesus. I would seek faith for faith's sake believing that when I had mined enough of this divine gold, I would then be rich in faith and would be a true follower of Christ. The notion of waiting upon God did not seem to be a spiritually approved function of one who was dynamically pursuing Christ. But Biblical faith is more than what you believe. Biblical faith is an understanding that the what serves only to bring you to the who you rely upon.

Waiting upon God is to depend upon Him. Many relegate "walking by faith" to doing those things that are bold or sacrificial in the name of God. However this may be missing the simple truth of waiting upon God. Moses ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years due to his unwillingness to wait.

Moses' wandering launched immediately upon doing God's work in his own human way, killing the Egyptian soldier. Violation of Egyptian law was not God's plan for Moses and this violent act exposed the achieving of God's will to undue obstacles, all because Moses' impulsive nature was unwilling to wait. The consequences of not waiting takes us places by the force of our choice that we will not want to travel, in Moses' case the wilderness wandering.

Here we need to note that there is a vast difference between the wilderness wandering and the wilderness sojourn of some forty years. Waiting on God is truly a precursor to experiencing the power of God within the human condition fraught with powerlessness. The extent to which we resist God's plan is the extent to which we are disposed to wandering the wilderness path.

We are most uncomfortable with waiting and feel that to wait is akin to doing nothing. Such a perspective places the issue into plain view of the problem. We think we are capable of doing something for God by simply doing what we think seems logical. How far from the point could we be? Do we even know what God wills to accomplish within our time? Do we know what He wishes to achieve within our strength yielded to Him as He empowers us with His Spirit? Do we realize that our spiritual gifts are a reservoir of God's power on earth that is waiting for God's wielding?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
      neither are your ways my ways,”
            declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
      so are my ways higher than your ways
      and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8–9 NIV)

The wandering was not without divine purpose and caused Moses to come to the limits of his ability that divine enabling could occur. We really do not understand who we are until we are brought to define ourselves by the virtue of our limitations. The conclusions we reach about ourselves while gazing from the summit of our life's powerlessness is truly virtuous, moving us to embrace humility and a desire to wait upon God.

Waiting brings to light who and what we really are as we stand before God. True waiting upon God indicates reliance on Him and resting in Him and a brokenness before Him that signifies a readiness to receive from Him the very essence of what He desires to give. Waiting on God is embraced with a fear of adulterating His heart with our mind, and contaminating His will with our way. So waiting is vital in helping clarify our doing God's work His way over seeking our will in His name. Waiting signifies our having an utter disregard for what self can do and places value on God to lead us.

We stand ready to do God's will as He provides us the power to accomplish His good pleasure. Waiting is characterized by a seeking disposition whereby we engage Christ relationally in prayer, through the Scriptures, and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here we beseech God to guide us into the full knowledge of His will for the purpose of embracing the good pleasure of His heart, that we would be given wisdom and spiritual understanding so that we would walk worthy of the Lord.

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Eph. 4:1 NLT).


Insight Journal
What keeps me from waiting on God’s direction in my life? What sins must I confess in light of this admission?

Christ Is Relevant to MS

In chapter 1 of Desperate Dependency we introduced you to Shirley. Yes, she is a very real person. Her testimony started with “I used to live my life waiting to find a way to beat the system. (God was the system.)” These are a few other excerpts from her testimony: "I guess we all spend some time on the edge. I’ve sort of lived my life there.... But God brought me to the end of myself... what a liberating moment it was as God accepted me right where I was, asking nothing but that I put my complete trust in Him. Somewhere along the line I started to long for Jesus more than I was afraid of losing control..."

This week we received an update on Shirley and her continued desperate dependency on Christ.

Melanie, the health issues that I talked to Kirk about a few months ago and also the sudden depression and exhaustion, trouble walking, numbness and vision changes, finally has a diagnosis. I have Multiple Sclerosis. I'd appreciate your prayers. I knew something was wrong inside my body but I still looked the same on the outside so I discounted each issue until some just got very overwhelming and serious. I still have not had an MRI, I will the end of July when I see my Neurologist, but my doctor, Rheumatologist, and eye specialist all agree. I'm grateful though to just have a name put with what has been going on for a while now. As much as I do not want to have MS, I am glad to have a diagnosis so we can know what I am dealing with and how to move forward. Not knowing is much worse than having facts, even hard ones. I have times that I feel fearful but I am very aware that my Lord is not surprised by this diagnosis and it has not come to me before being sifted through his sovereign hands. I trust him. I have gone to the very depth of my fears and explored those possibilities... and found Christ relevant to even this situation. When I was reading in I Corinthians and got to the part where Paul had been sharing Christ and the Jewish people wanted to flog him when he said he was now going to share it with the Gentiles. Thankfully someone got him out of that crowd and to momentary safety. While he was standing there terrified, Christ came… and the Word says He stood very close to Paul and told him to "Be Courageous" and that they were now going to Rome to do this again. When I read that, I knew that God could have gotten that message to Paul in a myriad of ways but what He did was come to him personally and stood very close to his friend. I thought about how Paul must have felt the warmth from Jesus' body and felt a sense of safety and protection that no one else could have provided except for Jesus. He is a very personal, loving Savior and I am feeling Him stand very close to me through this. My doctor said the depression I have struggled with has been from the MS and thankfully it is much better.

I would appreciate your prayers. I am experiencing God's peace for the most part, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. I have known for months something was wrong, just did not have a name to put with it. Just wanted to let y'all know.

Insight Journal
Will you allow the Master to complete His self-portrait through your life by whatever means He sees as necessary?

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Jesus Calling

Hello?... Hello?... Who is this?... Jesus?...

Is it difficult to comprehend that the Creator of the Universe desires a relationship with you? He not only desires a relationship, He desires an intimate relationship. He desires a relationship in which He is your all in all, your everything, the reason you get up in the morning, the motivation of your life, the beat of your heart, your breath. But still we struggle to find Christ relevant to every area of life. We take our desires and ascribe them to His desires, instead of taking His desires and making them our desires.

I was blessed to receive the devotional book, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young, as a Christmas gift. Daily I am reminded that Jesus does indeed call to us and woo us into an intimate relationship with him.

Here is a year’s worth of daily readings from Young’s journals to bring you closer to Christ and move your time with Him from a monologue to a dialogue. Each day is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you. Because He is. Do you hear Him calling?

Sarah Young writes in her introduction:

The Bible is, of course, the only inerrant Word of God; my writings must be consistent with that unchanging standard. I have written them from Jesus’ point of view; i.e., the first person singular (I, Me, Mine) always refers to Christ. “You” refers to you, the reader, so the perspective is that of Jesus speaking to you.

Here is Sarah Young’s devotional for May 14th.

I AM A MIGHTY GOD. Nothing is too difficult for Me. I have chosen to use weak ones like you to accomplish My purposes. Your weakness is designed to open you up to My Power. Therefore, do not fear your limitations or measure the day’s demands against your strength. What I require of you is to stay connected to Me, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources. When you face unexpected demands, there is no need to panic. Remember that I am with you. Talk with Me, and listen while I talk you through each challenging situation.

I am not a carless God. When I allow difficulties to come into your life, I equip you fully to handle them. Relax in My Presence, trusting in My strength.

Luke 1:37 (NASB)
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (NIV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young is an excellent resource as you live in desperate dependency and finding Christ relevant to every area of your life.

Do you hear Him calling to you?

The Art of Influence

Why do you want to be a leader? What type of influence do you desire to exert? Influence that makes you look good? Influence that makes you feel good? Influence that benefits the lives of others? Or are you seeking to provide influence that is reflective of God's guidance? On the other side, whose influence do you want to follow?

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! (Phil. 2:3-8 NET)

Check your motives. Motivation makes all the difference between being a healthy leader or an unhealthy leader, the difference between being a godly leader or an ungodly leader. No influence exerted on another from a self-centered orientation can be healthy or godly, for the intent is always exploitive. Leadership derived from the reservoir of self will only yield a pathological influence on others, ultimately depriving them of intimacy with God as they are depleted by the industry of a self-centered agenda.

Will you be honest enough to examine your heart on this matter? Unfortunately, those who do not challenge their soul’s tendency to usurp God’s will for leadership have a propensity to counterfeit all that is godly for the pursuit of their own purposes. The shackles of the sensual amusements of the world, the flesh, and the devil draw us through the lust of our hearts and the vanity of our lives and bind us in strongholds.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world." (1 John 2:15-16 ESV)

Leadership that is filled with our plans is devoid of His plan. When we live independently from God we search for a substitute as our validating source. Without a desperate dependency on Him we establish a counterfeit connection with people, positions, and possessions in our pursuit for validation. We extract love from illicit relationships to prove that we are lovable, to establish our significance, and to enable us to feel secure. But in actuality we suffer loss because people, positions, and possessions are incapable of fulfilling us. Ultimately we are left unfulfilled, dissatisfied, and incomplete as the result of pursuing God substitutes. The delusional sense of satisfaction that stimulates and sedates eventually fades and we are left wanting more. In our vain attempts we explore other counterfeits that may promise temporary contentment, but only provide mutually satisfying exploitation and manipulation to empower our identity.

When we look to people, positions, and possessions to empower love, significance, and security in our lives, our counterfeit gods enable us to feel complete and contented for a time. But it is the compulsion of any of us to become reliant on whomever we reverence. And when what we reverence becomes the defining entity in our lives, our god, we live in service to what will ultimately disappoint.

Jesus said, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26 NLT). It is a bewildering truth as well as paradoxically necessary, that others be hated that we may love Jesus with a pure and undivided heart, in order that we may have the ability to love, serve, and lead others with a pure and undivided loyalty to God.

The God place of our souls is designed for Jesus. Boundaries should be built around this sacred place to assure that none other but Christ resides there. It should be guarded by our fear of God with our appropriate view of God serving as the sentinel. The highest of all that is lofty should be ascribed to Jesus so that He attracts in full our hearts, minds, and souls, capturing our strength with the truth of His glory and virtue. Then Jesus becomes central because He is preeminent. We come to see Him in truth, as He actually is—Lord, Savior, lover of our souls, champion of our hearts. It is here that each one of us will be vested with the sacred trust given by the Spirit of God to lead in the path to intimacy with Christ and to lead others by the excellence of His good pleasure.

The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth Wuest presents The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 with its mandates from this perspective:

Now, the eleven disciples went on their way to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And having seen Him, they worshipped Him, prostrating themselves on the ground before Him. But some doubted. And Jesus, having come, spoke to them, saying, There was given to me all authority in heaven and upon earth. Having gone on your way therefore, teach all the nations, making them your pupils, baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to be attending to carefully, holding firmly to, and observing all, whatever things I enjoined upon you. And behold, as for myself, with you I am all the days until the consummation of the age.

Insight Journal
What is your motive for wanting to serve and lead?
Do you yearn for personal significance or God’s glory?

(some excerpts included from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

"She is so nice."

Are you ready to evaluate another scenario? Consider if Bernice is really exhibiting the Holy Spirit's fruit of goodness, or is she exploiting situations for her own benefit? If you need a refresher course, click here to review our previous post on Counterfeit Goodness. Remember, goodness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that enables us to exemplify God’s moral nature.

"Bernice is soooo nice! Every time something has to be done at the church, she is always there to help.

"We needed help stuffing shoe boxes—she was there.

"We asked for someone to help in the kitchen—she was there.

"They needed an extra nursery worker—she helped.

"She led a VBS team.

"She scrubbed the toilet bowls.

"She leads a ladies’ Bible study.

"She teaches a small group.

"She hosts parties.

"She painted the baseboards in the hallways.

"She turns the lights on for services.

"She turns off the lights at the end of service.

"She collected money for the orphanage.

"She sings in the choir.

"She does it all!! She is sooo good!

"I was talking to her the other day, and she was telling me that she just never felt good enough! She said no one ever thanks her for all that she does! She believes she keeps having to do more and more so that people will think well of her, but it doesn’t ever seem to be enough!!"

Yes, we believe God wants us to serve everyone. But is that really true? Did Jesus serve everyone? Although the pool at Bethesda was surrounded with sick people, John 5 only records Jesus healing one of them. God has a specific task for you to do, and only when you stay in tune with the Holy Spirit's work in your life can you know what He has for you to do. Otherwise you exhaust yourself living by your own effort. God gives you everything you need to accomplish the work that He has for you to do. But if it is not a job He has for you to do, you will be left feeling inadequate.

Did this make you think of an example where someone used exploitation instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to exhibit goodness in his or her life? We’d love to hear your story. Write to us at contact@desperatedependency.com.

Click here for a more complete elaboration on the topic of counterfeit goodness or visit WinePress Bookstore for a copy of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.

"I love you."

In chapter 3 of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life, the Insight Journal asks you to consider various scenarios when a situation would be ministry (seeking your best interest) versus when it would be manipulation (seeking my best interest). What do you think about this one?

Valentine’s Day was right around the corner—the time to celebrate love and affection, when love is in the air. If you sit at home on February 14th, you are labeled as a loser, destined to become a grumpy old man who dies alone. Jared certainly did not want that inscription on his tombstone!

As he made his rounds at the office, Jared hovered in one cubicle after another.
“Sally, you know you are my favorite secretary of all! Will you go out with me on Valentine’s Day?”

“Tiffany, you look radiant in that black dress. Will you go out with me on Valentine’s Day?”

“Mary Jane, you know how to make the best coffee. Will you go out with me on Valentine’s Day?”

“Hannah, you know you don’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day. Will you go out with me?”

Hannah DID know she didn’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day, so she agreed to Jared’s invitation.

After spending way too much money on a stunning dress and over-priced shoes that she would never wear again, Hannah primped for hours with the goal to WOW Jared. When she met him at the door, she knew she attained her goal.

Jared loved how Hannah made him feel. And later that Valentine’s night he whispered, “I love you” to be able to gratify more of his desires. Hannah believed Jared’s words sealed a commitment of care and compassion and responded, “I love you, too.”

Ministry (seeking your best interest) or manipulation (seeking my best interest)? When we do not allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives, we are merely seeking self-satisfaction.

Did this make you think of an example where someone used manipulation instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to exhibit kindness in his or her life? We’d love to hear your story. Write to us at contact@desperatedependency.com.

Click here for a more complete elaboration on the topic of counterfeit kindness or visit WinePress Bookstore for a copy of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.

"Let me introduce you to my friend."

In chapter 3 of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life, the Insight Journal asks you to consider various scenarios when a situation would be ministry (seeking your best interest) versus when it would be manipulation (seeking my best interest). What do you think about this one?

“Katie! Katie!! Katie!!! Katie!!!! You HAVE to come meet my new friend!!!!!” Sarah bounced as she drug Katie down the sidewalk. “There I was just sitting in the library minding my own business when this good-looking guy asked if he could share the table with me. Of course, I didn’t want to say ‘no!’ He has the most gorgeous blue eyes and kind smile! And then his friend came over and sat down too! Two great looking guys were sitting at the table with me!! And guess what they were studying! They both had these huge law books and said they were getting ready to defend a big lawsuit. Apparently they work for this big law firm down the street.

“Katie, you have to come meet these guys so I won’t look so stupid! You are so smart and beautiful that I KNOW they will want to ask us both out! You can talk to them about the big case you just won in court! They might even help you get on with their law firm. I know you have wanted to work some place more prestigious. We could both marry these handsome, rich, successful lawyers and live happily ever after! This is a win, win situation for both of us!”

Can you find evidence of the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness in this scenario? How many different ways did Sarah try to manipulate?

Did this make you think of an example where someone used manipulation instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to exhibit kindness in his or her life? We’d love to hear your story. Write to us at contact@desperatedependency.com.

Click here for a more complete elaboration on the topic of counterfeit kindness or visit WinePress Bookstore for a copy of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.

"Come on over for dinner."

In chapter 3 of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life, the Insight Journal asks you to consider various scenarios when a situation would be ministry (seeking your best interest) versus when it would be manipulation (seeking my best interest). What do you think about this one?

Rachel sat in small group on Sunday morning musing over each couple around her. Who should she invite to come over for dinner on Saturday night? It had been a long time since she and Jake had invited anyone to come over because they had been working so diligently on remodeling their kitchen. What a chore that had been!

It was terribly obvious that the kitchen cabinets had seen better days. Her children had scratched and scarred them with a variety of toys. The laminate counter tops betrayed the many times that Rachel was less than proficient in the kitchen. The linoleum looked like it was a hundred years old! Sharpie markers added memorable graffiti! The stove still had those stupid coils and the drip pans were rusted. Rachel had imagined the pride she would feel if she could produce ice to serve with a cold drink without having to dig in the ice trays of the freezer! And finally, that opportunity could be realized!

Matt and Leah graciously hosted a party at their house last summer. It was a fun time as everyone gathered in the yard enjoying hotdogs and hamburgers. Each person brought their own lawn chairs and enjoyed the lightening bugs at twilight. The guys swapped grilling secrets and the ladies shared the latest escapades of their children. Even though the evening chill threatened to end the gathering, no one wanted to go home because the relaxation and camaraderie were so refreshing.

“Let’s invite Matt and Leah to come over for dinner on Saturday night,” Rachel proposed.

“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s do it,” Jake agreed.

Rachel bordered on having a panic attack all through the week as she prepared for Saturday’s company. She wanted every detail to be perfect. Not only did every thing have to be in its perfect place in the renovated kitchen, but the meal had to be perfect too! Sunday morning’s small group discussion would hopefully be all about Leah’s rave reviews of their time together. How exciting it would be if everyone wanted to come and see Rachel’s amazing new kitchen and enjoy the delicacies that she could now create! That stay-at-home-mom stigma would be erased forever!

So, what do you think? Was Rachel exhibiting the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness or was she manipulating?

Can you think of another example when kindness was counterfeited with manipulation? We’d love to hear your story. Send it to contact@desperatedependency.com.

Click here for a more complete elaboration on the topic of counterfeit kindness or visit WinePress Bookstore for a copy of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.

Christmas Manipulation

In a previous blog post (click here to be reminded) we elaborated on how we counterfeit the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness by using manipulation that results in anger. The recent Christmas season reminded us of an example of what this looks like.

Johnny loved to spend his time wishing in the toy catalogs at Christmas time. As soon as the first catalog appeared in the mailbox he began planning how to be the best little boy possible so that he could get everything on his Christmas wish list!! He would spend hours dreaming about the best Christmas presents, but when his mom asked him to take out the trash he would jump to the task! He was Johnny-on-the-spot when the dishwasher needed to be emptied and even swept the kitchen floor without being asked!! He made sure the dog always had enough water and the cat food bowl was always filled. He did everything he could to earn enough brownie points to get what he wanted for Christmas!

One Christmas Johnny had picked out the perfect bicycle. He pondered each color available. He considered the shape of each seat. He learned about the different kinds of brake systems and determined the best kind of gear shifter. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he tried to make sure everyone else knew too.

But, on Christmas morning there was no bike for Johnny under the tree!! He stomped and shouted so loudly that everyone came rushing to see what the tirade was all about! His fit of rage echoed through the family history for decades, even though the perfect bicycle was waiting outside the door all along.

Would you be willing to share a time when you noticed that someone counterfeited kindness with manipulation? Send your story to contact@desperatedependency.com.

Imprisoned by Strongholds

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

We fall into a trap if we believe a person, position, or possession other than Jesus can complete our lives. In our daily struggles we search for ways to stimulate our emotions or sedate our emotions in order to feel good. But that which makes me feel good enslaves me. The end result is bondage. What a cunning ploy Satan has devised! “This is what you need to feel good about yourself,” he asserts as he lays the net to ensnare you.

“There is a way that seems right to a man,
      but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25 NIV).

“An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
      they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22 NLT).

These strongholds are fortifications that keep us imprisoned.

But if you really want something, who is going to stop you? The natural desire of the heart is self-indulgence: I want what I want! The end of all self-indulgence is bondage. The very thing we want will destroy us.

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15 NLT).

Our self-centered choices lead to strongholds that result in relationship problems, emotional difficulties, physical challenges, and even a crisis of faith. And so we sit, looking at life through the portholes of our own strongholds that have imprisoned us.

The Galatians were struggling with similar issues. Paul poses this question to them: “After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Gal. 3:3 NLT) They had fallen to the deception that by practicing religious rites they could be made right with God. They had arrived at the solution that a relationship with Christ was not enough; they needed more. Paul pleads with them: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Gal. 5:1 NLT).

In Paul’s writing to Timothy he admonished Timothy to point people to the truth, so “Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants” (2 Tim. 2:26 NLT).

The shackles of the sensual amusements of the world, the flesh, and the devil draw us through the lust of our hearts and the vanity of our lives and bind us in strongholds.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15–17 NLT)

If we are to be a picture of Christ, a Christian, then we are to live as He lived—desperately dependent on God for divine enablement for personal empowerment. Thus, holiness is true healthiness—to be complete in Christ. How is this possible? We tear down strongholds through obedience to Christ. “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4–5 NLT).

“Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you
      and tore away the chains of your slavery,
but still you said,
      ‘I will not serve you.’
On every hill and under every green tree,
      you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.
But I was the one who planted you,
      choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.
      How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?
No amount of soap or lye can make you clean.
      I still see the stain of your guilt.
      I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

“You say, ‘That’s not true!
      I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’
But how can you say that?
      Go and look in any valley in the land!
Face the awful sins you have done.
      You are like a restless female camel
      desperately searching for a mate.
You are like a wild donkey,
      sniffing the wind at mating time.
Who can restrain her lust?
      Those who desire her don’t need to search,
      for she goes running to them!
When will you stop running?
      When will you stop panting after other gods?
But you say, ‘Save your breath.
      I’m in love with these foreign gods,
      and I can’t stop loving them now!’ (Jer. 2:20-25 NLT)

What love are you pursuing?

Christ Is Relevant to Entertainment

relevant: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand; affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion. (Webster's dictionary)

This is Travis' story:

Although I was raised in church my whole life, I was really only saved about four years ago. I had lived a life full of idolatry. I had so many gods in my life – alcohol, motorcycles, dependency on women, rock music, and positions I had, not just at work, but my ranking with other people.

About two years after I became a Christian our small group started working through the concepts of Desperate Dependency. It was a huge eye opening experience for me. My perception of what it means to be a Christian fundamentally changed. It was not necessarily just a change in how I view God, but how God views me and therefore, how I am to live in light of that.

When I was saved I was very heavily involved in alcoholism. God didn’t just help me work through it, He took it from me. He literally took the taste for it out of my mouth overnight. Which is an amazing thing to say.

But I had two idols that didn’t go away as easily – my participation with the motorcycle culture and my involvement with rock music. I was struggling with those things still. The lure of my motorcycles sort of moved out by the wayside over time, but I was still clinging to my music. It had been an anchor of my life for over 20 years. It wasn’t just that I enjoyed listening to the music, but I invested my time, my money, and my energy in traveling around the country to tape concerts for my personal pleasure. I enjoyed the thrill of being able to capture the moment and the prestige that came from others as a result. And then I would spend countless hours categorizing my accomplishments to put on display. I was very proud of my treasures.

As our small group started studying Job, I was impressed by the concept that God said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?” (Job 1:8) Then we came to Isaiah 44:8 where God speaks and says,

“‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid;
Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?
And you are My witnesses.
Is there any God besides Me,
Or is there any other Rock?
I know of none.’” (NASB)

God used those Scriptures to hammer home to me what I was doing. I pictured God saying, “Have you considered my servant Travis?” and pointing me out to the world saying, “Here is my witness that there is no other god.” Then a lost world looks at me, but still I was hiding behind my back the idol of rock music that gave me my worth, value, and significance. It may seem simple to have something like that there, but it was a huge thing that took away so much time from my relationship with God. It was getting to the point that when I was presented with the choice between music and studying God’s Word, I was having a real tough decision about what I wanted to do.

That whole concept of me sitting there holding this god behind my back while people were looking at me just tore me up. It came down to the choice, “was I going to be obedient to what He was showing me?” It wasn’t that God was just going to take this from me like He did alcohol. I was faced with a decision as to whether or not I was going to be obedient to what God was asking me to do.

I struggled with that for two months. Once I started laying it down, the peace came to me and it started being easier and easier. The concept of divine enablement meeting with personal empowerment became clearer to me. God is giving me the strength I need to accomplish the task He asks me to do.


What idol is God asking you to put away?

Christ Is Relevant to Your Burdens

relevant: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand; affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion. (Webster's dictionary)

(excerpt from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

As a three-and-a-half-year-old boy, I (Kirk) remember carrying water during a drought in a galvanized bucket from a spring across the dirt road where we lived in rural North Carolina. I recall using both arms and bumping the heavy pail full of water from side to side between my legs. While water sloshed out onto the ground behind me, Mama said, “Honey, there won’t be any water left by the time we get home.” Still, I was determined to carry the water. I wanted to be strong like Daddy. My hands hurt as the old metal handle dug into my palms. The bucket dragged the ground, providing temporary relief as my hands swelled with pain. But we still had not crossed the road.

Then came the unexpected. From somewhere behind me with a singular motion my dad swooped his little boy onto his shoulders while he shifted my load into his large, strong hands. With both my trembling hands I desperately grasped his jet-black hair. I was terrified, I was thrilled, and I was on top of the world. Though only three-and-a-half years old I now possessed all the power of my father. I was living beyond myself, beyond my capabilities. I was now walking in the awesome power of my dad. No longer did I need to struggle to accomplish my task; I merely had to rest in his strength.

The extent of God’s blessings does not stop with the discovery of the divine treasure of salvation, for within the celestial cavern glows the continuing grace of God through Jesus Christ our Sustainer. Grace, practically understood, is the power to live supplied by God. Jesus literally gives us the capacity to live beyond ourselves. Specifically, He enables us to live beyond our fleshly abilities to be empowered by His divine nature. When our feeble flesh cries, “I can’t do this,” we can reach for His supply of grace and recognize that we do not have to face any issue in life with our meager capabilities.

“Then call on me when you are in trouble,
      and I will rescue you,
      and you will give me glory” (Ps. 50:15 NLT).

God anticipates every challenge, while enabling us through His grace to have the power to live Jesus’ life on earth. All His spiritual, psychological, and interpersonal power that is beyond our comprehension and aptitude is made user-friendly through God’s truth in our lives. We are not required to have a thorough understanding of the inner workings of God’s abilities, nor a profound knowledge of the intricacies of our problems. It is sufficient to know, “I am hurting”; “I am afraid”; or “I am sinking”; and that God is able to rescue me from this present evil world as I desperately depend upon Jesus Christ. A desperate dependency on Jesus reveals God’s abundant power:

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
      he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Ps. 34:18 NLT).

Jesus addresses the needs of our heart through enlightenment, drawing directly from His principles, precepts, and promises concerning Himself, thereby aiding His children to experience Him as relevant to the needs of their human condition. God works without ceasing to provide us with His grace.

What do you need from God to get through your day?