Counseling

Angels – Your Invisible Protectors

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God is our protector. He is our “refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust” (Ps. 91:2). Sometimes, this protection comes in the form of other people — or even angels!

Last week in our Wednesday night study on anxiety, we talked about the role of angels and people in helping us trust God more and overcome our worry and anxiety. Doing a study on angels may seem surprising in the middle of a study on anxiety, but the Bible makes clear they are one of God’s forms of protection, and should give us courage and joy. My teaching notes and an audio recording are below, or you can click this link to visit the podcast. In this lesson, we talk about…

  • An entire spiritual realm of angels and demons
  • How God sometimes uses angels to protect and deliver us
  • The different types of spiritual gifts and how the Spirit uses them in the church today
  • How to reconcile God’s promise of protection with the evil, injustice, and persecution that believers still face

ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK FIVE
KNOWING OTHERS ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU

1. Welcome, Announcements, and Prayer
2. Introduction
• Review: Laying aside every weight (Heb. 12:1-2)
• A close call in the desert! For every close call we’re aware of, there may be hundreds we don’t even know about. There are so many dangers, so many threats. We can’t begin to list them all, nor should we try. Don’t crawl into your shell. Just trust God.
• Thankfully, God promises his own protection (Ps. 91:1-2; Heb. 13:5-6)
Two of the ways he protects us is through his angels and through other people
3. Angels
• What are angels anyway? Wayne Grudem explains, “Angels are created spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence but without physical bodies. Angels have not always existed; they are part of the universe that God created. In a passage that refers to angels as the “host” of heaven (or “armies of heaven”), Ezra says, “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host … and the host of heaven worships you.”… they cannot usually be seen by us unless God gives us a special ability to see them (Num. 22:31; 2 Kings 6:17; Luke 2:13). In their ordinary activities of guarding and protecting us (Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Heb. 1:14) and joining with us in worship to God (Heb. 12:22), they are invisible. However, from time to time angels took on a bodily form to appear to various people in Scripture (Matt. 28:5; Heb. 13:2).” (Systematic Theology, p. 516)
• We know Satan and the demons tempt and attack us. But don’t forget there are also angels of light who have their attention on us, except for our good!
• They help care for our needs (1 Kings 19:1-8. See quote on p. 80)
• They protect us from danger – both physical danger and our spiritual enemies (Dan. 3:28; 6:22; Ac. 27:21-24). In a missions trip years ago to the Philippines, the roads were muddy and it would have been easy to get stuck in the jungle or slide off into a ravine. We could almost feel those angels protecting us!
• They deliver us from times of trouble (Ac. 5:19-23; 12:2-4). “It’s exciting to know you can’t ever get yourself into a situation that God can’t remove you from if he so chooses. Let that truth help melt away any anxieties you have about a situation you currently dread” (p. 83).
• They’re used by God to answer our prayers (Ac. 12:5; Daniel 9-10).
• They serve us.
• They may even guide us (Ac. 8:26-27)
• Conclusion – see page 84
4. Fellow Believers At Your Service
• Two types of spiritual gifts active today – speaking and serving (1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom. 12:6-8). These spiritual gifts can help us battle fear and anxiety!
• There was a third type of gift given to some during the New Testament (Mt. 10:1-4; Ac. 19:11; Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12-14; 2 Cor. 12:12). These were used to authenticate God’s messengers and help quickly spread the news of Christ.
• Fellowship and the one-anothers (Gal. 6:2; Jam. 5:16; etc).
5. A Final Question – What if God doesn’t protect us? Is that even possible?? God’s Word acknowledges that suffering is part of this world, and that all who are godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We may not understand in the short run why God allows suffering in our lives, but we can rest assured he is still with us guarding and protecting us, and that he will work all things together for our good.

Shepherding

Words of Encouragement for a Young Pastor

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I have a friend who just finished his first month as a new pastor, and I wanted to send him a quick note of encouragement. As I reflected on some of my own lessons over the years, I thought I’d link him to some of the posts I’ve written here on this blog, sharing pastoral advice and charting God’s faithfulness.

Here are links to some of those articles, along with short excerpts. It’s fun to see things written a decade or more ago, that still ring true and express my heart for leadership and the church. I pray it’s an encouragement to my friend — and to the rest of you out there in hard places shepherding God’s flock!

Reflections on My First Years as Pastor

“This month marks the three-year anniversary of my role as full-time pastor of our church. These have been some of the most wonderful years of my life, because my wife and I have finally been able to fulfill our calling and devote ourselves entirely to the church, using all the gifts and training God has given to us. This morning, I feel the need just to jot down a few thoughts on a young man’s first years of ministry, including some things to do and things to avoid…” [continue reading]

Leadership Interview, Pt. 1

“I am confident the Lord has called me to full-time ministry in a local church. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. I love teaching and preaching, love serving and shepherding God’s people, and love making an eternal impact for the glory of God and the spread of His kingdom. Sure, there are days when you grow discouraged and long for more visible fruit, but a big part of ministry is acting in faith and being diligent in the work God has called you to do…” [continue reading]

Leadership Interview, pt. 2

“The public spotlight of pastor can seem glamorous at first and is especially dangerous for our pride. But Christ reminded His disciples that true greatness is servant leadership (Matt. 18:4). Spending time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer helps keep me humble. Watching, learning, and listening to my wife helps me identify my own sin, selfishness, and lack of wisdom. Also, as much as possible, I try to stay realistic, “not thinking more highly of myself than I ought to think” (Rom. 12:3), but recognizing my own limitations. I try to share authority and responsibility with others and realize that everyone in the Body of Christ has been uniquely gifted by God…” [continue reading]

Leadership Interview, pt. 3

“People’s opinions will shift from one minute to the next. You have to learn in ministry not to take yourself too seriously, nor the compliments and criticisms of others too seriously. If you live and minister for God, it is a wonderfully liberating thing, because He alone becomes the audience you are concerned about. To avoid discouragement or hypocrisy, I frequently have to remind myself I am here to please God, not men…” [continue reading]

When Leaders Listen

“The other day, a friend asked a group of us pastors how leaders can better listen to input from others, including women in the congregation… Here was my response…” [continue reading]

How Can I Get More Involved in My Denomination?

“I was completely new to the SBC when I became pastor of First Southern Baptist Church eight years ago. I quickly discovered that our SBC identity was important to some of the people in our church, and thus it needed to become important to me. In the process, I learned more about God’s goodness to our convention and both opportunities and threats that loom on the horizon. What I found helpful was to learn more about the convention on my own while also taking advantage of times to meet and build relationships. Some things you may want to do…” [continue reading]

9 Practical Steps in Church Revitalization

“A friend of mine shepherds a small church, and by small, I mean less than 50. They’ve faced some unavoidable changes recently, and he asked me if I have any advice for doing a Church Evaluation. Think of it as a healthy church check-up. Here’s what I told him…” [continue reading]

Our Ministry Vision…Ten Years Later

“During our weekend sitting on those musty couches in the mountain air, we discussed ministry and prayed for the future of our church. We also used the SWOT method to do some strategic planning (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and laid out a long-term vision for the ministry. It was too early to share some of these ambitious goals with the whole congregation, so early on, they were just desires of our heart, expressed through prayer. Now, exactly ten years later, I’m overwhelmed to see God’s goodness, and the fruit of those prayers…” [continue reading]

Passing the Ministry Baton

“I am a mere 32 years old. If the Lord tarries, and blesses me with good health, I have perhaps another 30-40 years of vibrant ministry ahead. Compared to the age of some in my congregation, I’m still a “kid.” But ironically, the time to start planning my succession — and to be training up the next generation — is right now…” [continue reading]

A Snapshot of Younger Pastors

“Al Mohler recently met with a group of young pastors and spoke very positively of his experience. What characterizes these rising leaders in the church? In particular, what are the marks of young pastors in their 20s and 30s? Mohler shares eight features of this new generation…” [continue reading]

Counseling

Trusting in the Lord

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Faith is the essence of the Christian life. We “walk by faith, not by sight,” Paul says (2 Cor. 5:7).

Stop and think about that for a second. Paul is saying that most of the time, we will not be able to see the full picture or know all that God is doing. Even as we make plans and carry out our daily routine, we can expect surprises, setbacks, frustrations, and fears. But we know that God is working all things together for good, to those who love him! (Rom. 8:28). We can simply take God at his word and cling to him by faith.

Last week in our anxiety class, we looked together at Hebrews 12:1-2. We learned that worry is a besetting sin that easily creeps into our lives and impede our growth. Like barnacles on a ship, anxiety can slow us down and prevent us from being fruitful and effective. Instead, we must fix our eyes on Christ, and learn to praise him.

You can listen to the recording here, or read through my outline below. This is part 4 in an 8-week study on the topic of anxiety. To learn more, we recommend the book Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur.

LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH & TRUST
ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK 4

1.  Introduction

  • Faith is the essence of the Christian life. We “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Even just our trip to Kentucky this week was filled with setbacks and opportunities for faith.
  • Think of the story of George Mueller. What tragedies do you see doing on that you’d like to have faith to help change for the better?
  • Read Hebrews 12:1-2
  • The great cloud of witnesses testify, “Don’t give up! Keep trusting in God! Any temporary sacrifice is worth it.” So many mentors that have poured into us.

2.  Lay Aside any Encumbrance

  • Lightening the Load.
  • Besetting Sins. See quote by R. Kent Hughes: The specific sin(s) each of us, individually, is most likely to commit—a “besetting sin” as it is termed in the older translations…”
  • Galatians 5 provides a helpful sample of common sins to avoid and virtues to pursue.
  • Anxiety, as a besetting sin, can weigh us down in any number of ways.
  • When we first detect signs, what can we do?

3.   Look to Jesus

  • “Fix our eyes on” is more literally “look away to.” It thus denotes both the deliberate ignoring of present circumstances and a reference point beyond them, in the person of Jesus, perhaps envisaged as standing at the finishing line (R. T. France, EBC)
  • See quote by Warren Wiersbe: “Looking unto Jesus describes an attitude of faith and not just a single act…”
  • John 20:24-29 – The blessing on those who believe and yet do not see.
  • How do we do this? Read the Gospels. Observe the faith of others. Read good books. Sing songs dripping with good theology. Do a Study of the Names of Christ. I suggest using a Topical Bible such as Nave’s Topical Bible. Here’s just a partial list: Resurrection and life, John 11:25. Redemption, 1 Cor. 1:30. Righteous branch, Jer. 23:5. Righteous judge, 2 Tim. 4:8. Righteous servant, Isa. 53:11. Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1:30. Rock, 1 Cor. 10:4. Rock of offence, 1 Pet. 2:8. Root of David, Rev. 5:5; 22:16. Root of Jesse, Isa. 11:10. Rose of Sharon, Song 2:1. Ruler in Israel, Mic. 5:2. Salvation, Luke 2:30. Sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30. Sanctuary, Isa. 8:14. Savior, Luke 2:11. Savior, Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:1. Savior of the body, Eph. 5:23. Savior of the world, 1 John 4:14. Scepter, Num. 24:17. Second Adam, 1 Cor. 15:47. Seed of David, 2 Tim. 2:8. Seed of the woman, Gen. 3:15. Servant, Isa. 42:1. Servant of rulers, Isa. 49:7. Shepherd, Mark 14:27. Shepherd and bishop of souls, 1 Pet. 2:25. Shepherd, chief, 1 Pet. 5:4. Shepherd, good, John 10:11.
  • What can we anticipate at the “finish line” of our faith?

4.  Praise God Now … Through the Psalms!

Books

Book Review: Christianity and Wokeness

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Christianity and Wokeness is a sobering yet helpful introduction to critical race theory and the social justice movement. Churches should have a zero tolerance policy on racism, and eschew any form of partiality or prejudice. Wokeness, however, is not the answer.

In his opening chapter, Strachan lists seven commitments of wokeness that are incompatible with the gospel:

1) the world is fundamentally divided into oppressors and oppressed people.
2) a major form of oppression today comes from whiteness.
3) whiteness is not a neutral system, but creates a culture of white supremacy that benefits white people, and also others who fail to challenge it.
4) the evils of this culture show up in disparities between groups which reveal inequities, which reveal injustices. Disparities lead to inequities, which lead to injustices.
5) white supremacy must be vigorously opposed through social justice, anti-racism, and the targeting of white privilege.
6) more broadly, any form of privilege and oppression stemming from hetero-normative, white capitalist, patriarchal structures must be opposed.
7) we can create a just, fair, diverse, and inclusive society grounded in equality of outcome by targeting the inequities through political, legal, cultural, and fiscal means, so that inequitable authority is de-privileged, and minority groups are empowered.

Strachan recognizes that racism still exists and is utterly evil. Partiality is never OK. We would not deny every part of the statements above. For example it is true that “white supremacy must be vigorously opposed.” But dismantling institutions and heaping guilt on majority culture is not the solution. Christianity provides a redemptive alternative.

Whereas wokeness focuses on systemic injustice, societal guilt, racial inequity, historical revisionism, and identity politics, the Christian gospel focuses on repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, the image of God, and church unity. As Christians continue to grapple through these complex issues and look for new ways to love their neighbor, they would benefit from reading this book.

Ken Ham, founder and CEO of Answers in Genesis, says it well in his endorsement: “Woke teaching, Critical Race Theory, and intersectionality should not be in the toolchest of the Christian. This book is an excellent introduction to these destructive heresies and a powerful presentation of the only truth that brings lasting reconciliation: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

(This article contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means by clicking through the link, you can help me earn a small kick-back to help me buy future books!)

Counseling

Humility and Faith

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Last week in our anxiety class, we discovered an interesting connection between humility and faith. The more one humbles himself, the more he will avoid anxiety and grow in faith. On the flip side, the more one is boastful, prayerless, and self-reliant, the more likely he will be tossed to and fro by the storms of life and be filled with anxiety.

1 Peter 5:5-7 teaches us to cast our cares on the Lord. Some of the things we talked about in this lesson include…

  • Humble men and women in the Bible
  • Common manifestations of pride
  • Why God alone has the right to receive glory
  • Practical ways to cast our cares on the Lord

You can listen to the recording or read through the notes below. This is part 3 in an 8-week study on the topic of anxiety. To learn more, we recommend the book Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur.

CAST YOUR CARES ON GOD
ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK THREE

  1. Welcome, Announcements, and Prayer
  2. Introduction
    1. Read 1 Peter 5:5-7
    1. There is an interesting connection between humility and trust. This also means there is a connection between pride and anxiety. Where there is a stench of worry in your life, the skunk of pride is probably nearby.
  3. Develop a Humble Attitude
    1. What is humility?
    1. What do the following verses teach us about pride and humility? Proverbs 16:19; 18:12; 22:4; 27:1-2 (cf. 25:6-7)
  4. What are some possible manifestations of pride? (think of the most obvious, and then think of more subtle forms.)
    • “God has a strong reason for hating pride…” (p. 55)
    • At this point, you may be wondering, “If God opposes the proud, why does he advance his own glory and fame? Isn’t that prideful?” (I want to raise this question in the most careful and reverent of ways.) The reason God is not guilty of pride is because he deserves praise. As sovereign king and creator, he is inherently beautiful, and rightfully deserves all praise. He shares his glory with no one. In fact, for him to downplay his glory and majesty would be a lie.
    • Wayne Grudem: “The difference between God’s being and ours is more than the difference between the sun and a candle, more than the difference between the ocean and a raindrop, more than the difference between the arctic ice cap and a snowflake, more than the difference between the universe and the room we are sitting in: God’s being is qualitatively different. No limitation or imperfection in creation should be projected onto our thought of God. He is the Creator; all else is creaturely.” (Systematic Theology, p. 162)
    • “Never view the mighty hand of God in your life as a slap in the face…” (p. 59)
  5. Learn to Trust
    • Casting our cares on the Lord (Ps. 55:22) – to throw something onto something else. Putting dog food onto the shopping cart. Heaving a piece of luggage into the trunk.
    • This acknowledges our cares are heavy! Don’t try to carry it on your own.
    • “That doesn’t mean we won’t feel shaky” (p. 61)
    • What are some practical ways we can “cast our cares” on the Lord?
    • God cares for you! Look up the following verses and note how God cares: Psalm 103:13-14; Psalm 142:4-5; Psalm 139:13-18; Matt. 6:28-32
  6. Make sure you don’t take the burden right back. Leave it in God’s hands.
  7. Discussion – What are some particular cares or burdens you carry right now? How can you cast these on the Lord?

Thoughts on Life and Leadership