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By Mike Kelsey, Campus Pastor @MBCSilverSpring
These questions, from David Powlison’s book, Seeing with New Eyes (pages 132-40), are very helpful in identifying the “functional gods” that drive your life.
- What do you love? Hate?
- What do you want, desire, crave, lust, and wish for? What desires do you serve and obey?
- What do you seek, aim for, and pursue?
- Where do you bank your hopes?
- What do you fear? What do you not want? What do you tend to worry about?
- What do you feel like doing?
- What do you think you need? What are your ‘felt needs’?
- What are your plans, agendas, strategies, and intentions designed to accomplish?
- What makes you tick? What sun does your planet revolve around? What do you…
By Mike Kelsey, Campus Pastor @MBCSilverSpring
The Heart Is An Idol Factory
We were created to worship and therefore even when we are not actively engaged in “religious” activities, worship is still at work in our hearts. This is where the biblical teaching of idolatry becomes very important. For most of us, the word idolatry conjures up images of statues and shrines. And this is certainly an external form of idolatry. But Scripture also addresses internal idolatry, which happens when we make anything in life more important and necessary than God and His will. The elders of Israel were rebuked for setting up “idols in their hearts” (Ezek. 14:1-8), and the apostle Paul diagnoses coveting and…
By Mike Kelsey, MBC Silver Spring Campus Pastor
Self-pitying comparisons. Outburts of anger. Refusal to share the Gospel. What do all of these have in common?
Our hearts.
While we are all influenced by different factors (e.g. past history, physical causes, etc.), Scripture teaches that our behavior ultimately flows from the heart. This is why Proverbs 4:23 warns us, “Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.” In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus gives us a picture that illustrates the relationship between our behavior and our heart (cf. Mark 7:20-23). Just as roots that are hidden beneath the surface produce observable fruit, our hearts produce our behavior. In other words, if we really want to…
By Joey Ruyter, MBC Prince William Discipleship Pastor
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that if you’re reading this, and you have a beating heart, then you’ve probably faced conflict in your life. It’s happened to the best of us, whether it’s between you and your parents, your spouse, your children, your boss, your siblings, a friend at church, or even your pastor. If you are engaged in any type of relationship, you have probably experienced it.
WHERE DOES CONFLICT BEGIN?
James 4:1 says “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?”
I have found in my counseling encounters—and even in my…
By Mike Kelsey, MBC Silver Spring Campus Pastor
When it comes to understanding what causes us to do (or fail to do) certain things and respond in certain ways, we may give many explanations: physical causes, circumstances, Satan, willpower (or the lack thereof), etc. All of these are certainly factors for Christians to consider when evaluating behavior. However, none of these penetrate the problem deeply enough to offer genuine freedom.
In this fallen world, our bodies are prone to dysfunction and decay (Romans 8:20-23). This explains why physical and chemical processes in our bodies, when not functioning properly, can affect us in negative ways. Physical remedies like medicine, exercise or sleep can often be necessary components in our efforts to experience…