What is more foolish than for a man to study nothing else than how to please himself? To make himself the object of his own admiration?
–Desiderius Erasmus
And yet, this is exactly what too many of us are foolishly encouraged to study by our society.
Perhaps a better choice would be to make Jesus the object of our admiration.
Spiritual warfare is real. Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.”
Do you ever feel like satan is devising plans to steal your joy, kill your happiness, or destroy your life? Well the truth is that he is trying to do all three. So here is a prayer that Thomas a Kempis provided for us to pray against our enemy (written some 600 years ago). Don’t just read it, pray it!
Do not believe the enemy or heed him, even though he often sets traps to deceive you. When he suggests evil, unclean things, accuse him. Say to him: “Away, unclean spirit! Shame, miserable creature! You are but filth to bring such things to my ears. Begone, most wretched seducer! You shall have no part in me, for Jesus will be my strength, and you shall be confounded. I would rather die and suffer all torments than consent to you. Be still! Be silent! Though you bring many troubles upon me I will have none of you. The Lord is my light, my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Though armies unite against me, my heart will not fear, for the Lord is my Helper, my Redeemer.”
–Thomas à Kempis
A private devotional life gives you an accurate view of the world. As day after day the pages of Scripture expose you to the blood and guts, smoke and dirt, of this fallen world, you are progressively freed from your hope that your fallen world, flawed people, or church will ever be the…paradise it will never be. You begin to die to unrealistic expectations…. The stark and descriptive honesty of the Bible, as it looks at the world in which you and I live and minister, has the power to kill your selfish dream that you will be able to serve your crucified King without suffering yourself.
–Paul David Tripp
The church, however, is a hospital in which nobody is completely well, and anyone can relapse at any time. Pastors no less than others are weakened by pressure from the world, the flesh, and the devil, with their lures of profit, pleasure, and pride…pastors must acknowledge that they the healers remain sick and wounded and therefore need to apply the medicines of Scripture to themselves as well as to the sheep whom they tend in Christ’s name.
–J. I. Packer
This is certainly a quote that applies to me, but I think it is helpful for all of us to remember who we are in the light of Who God Is.
God is the only One who is completely well and even if He has made me well, I can relapse at any time due to the temptations that constantly pull me away from Him. We must all continually apply the medicine of His Word to our minds, our hearts, and our lives.
Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of God.
–Bruce Shelley
While other religions focus on the exaltation of their central figure, Christ was fully God and yet humbly took on human nature, humbly came to earth as an infant dependent upon others, humbly allowed Himself to be arrested, humbly accepted being beaten and mocked and spit upon, and humbly chose to die on the cross. Only after being humiliated (treated with dishonor) by those He came to serve and ultimately by His act of dying on the cross did the King of the Universe exalt Himself and again take His rightful place of glory in Heaven. The central event of Christianity is the dishonor and humiliation of our great God, and it only occurs because He desires to bring us to Himself.
Have you considered how wonderful this news is, that the King of Glory loved you so much that He was willing to die for you?