The most immediate reaction is often Islam or even atheism. Both of these world views are opposed to the world view of the Evangelical Christian. They are, in fact, violently opposed to our world view. But they are not even close to the greatest enemy that faces any, much less every, Christian.
Allow me, if you will, to construct a small train of deductive logic in order to make the point of this post hit home.
We were created for a relationship with God. Our best possible existence, then, is one in which our relationship with God is all it should be: worshipful, obedient, joyfully existing to serve the one we love. I know. The tendency is to point out that atheism hates that idea – that we are subservient to a “higher being” rather than being the highest being that deserves to do as we wish with our lives. Islam would object that it is not the “right” higher being.
Nevertheless, their objections are nothing to us. They are objections. Are they in the way of evangelizing the world? In a way, you might say that, but that is a view that leaves the responsibility of winning the world to us (as in “us vs. them”) and pretty much leaves God out of the evangelization process. Well, no thanks. This post isn’t about that, but suffice it to say that we have the mission because it is God’s mission. He is in charge of it’s success and failure.
So then, they are objectors to our world view, but beyond that they have no power over us as Christians.
As Christians, our first fulfillment, the thing upon which all else is based, is our personal relationship with God. It drives our passion for evangelism, ministry, worship, fellowship and everything that has anything to do with who we are to be as the children of God.
Therefore, our greatest enemy is that which would take us away from growing in our relationship with God, conforming our lives to His will.
Our greatest enemy is being busy.
I know, huh. Pretty simplistic, right?
Nevertheless. It is having things to do and doing them that keeps me from growing in Christ, which keeps me from worshiping the way I was created to worship; ministering with God’s heart for the needy; fellowshipping with my brothers and sisters in Christ; and, last but certainly not least, having a passion to take the Gospel to the lost.
Therefore, I have a new slogan to help me focus myself:
Of all the things that are expected of me today,
that I expect of myself today,
that I consider doing today…
Nothing is as important to me,
to my family, to my church,
to the world around me or to God
as my spending time alone with Him.
Why is a minister of 20 years in need of such a self taught lesson?
Frankly, most of the ministers I know need to remember this lesson. We are busy meeting the very many expectations placed us by ourselves and others and we start believing our own press. Comments about how meaningful sermons are might cloud our minds into thinking that it was our words that made the difference rather than the Holy Spirit using the Word and the kerygma (proclaimed Gospel) to impact our brothers and sisters.
Besides, what harm can come from us renewing our commitment to make God our first priority, not just in spoken commitment, but in the devotion of our daily lives?
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Joe Kennedy
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 12:57 am:
Art, I’m under the impression that the greatest enemy of every Christian is Satan, the father of all those things you just mentioned, even busyness. But I’ll give you props for taking on busyness. Semantics, I know.
Les Puryear
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 8:41 am:
Art,
Excellent post. I have communicated to my folks that I am not available until 9:00 am because I am spending time with Christ in prayer and in His word. For those days when I have meetings earlier than 9:00 am, I get up earlier to have my quiet time.
I can tell the difference in my day when I miss my quiet time with Jesus.
Regards,
Les
Kevin Bussey
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 9:08 am:
I agree. If we are too busy to spend time with God and those we love, what good is life.
jasonk
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 9:28 am:
On Sunday, my pastor introduced the theme for the entire year at our church. It is simplifying our lives. You guys must be reading the same book.
Rick Boyne
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 9:50 am:
A missionary colleague in West Africa had this accronym on his desk:
Being
Under
Satan’s
Yoke
No matter what he was doing, when you went into his office, he stopped what he was doing and made you feel like you were the most important person in the whole office.
Oh, that we could all be like that.
Art Rogers
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 10:34 am:
Joe – Thank you Captain Obvious! I feel a bit bumfuzzled by such an obvious point, but I appreciate that you get what I am trying to say… The greatest tool of the enemy… How’s that.
Les, That’s a great policy to have and your church is to be commended for allowing you to honor it. Maybe that’s a benefit of a small church you could make in one of your posts on the small church. Maybe larger churches can do it too, though. Hmmm…
Kevin, “what good is life?” is a great way to phase it.
Jason, Maybe the Holy Spirit is trying to get all of Tulsa to slow down?
Rick, I’ve heard that acronym often, but the truth of it has yet to fade.
jasonk
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 11:21 am:
I think you are right Art. I hope I didn’t offend you by suggesting that you took this from a book. Pastor Scott said Sunday that this did not come from a book, but from his personal devotion time. He said that it was the Lord who told him that he needed to tell people to slow down and simplify their lives. I believe him.
It may have come from an Andy Griffith episode, the one where a guest preacher told everyone they needed to slow down and take it easy.
Art Rogers
on Jan 9th, 2008
@ 11:53 am:
Jason, Not at all. I wasn’t offended. It seems to me that I am seeing similar challenges in several places, though we need more, I think.
Brad Guenther
on Jan 12th, 2008
@ 7:18 am:
Art,
Thanks.
It is Saturday morning, I’m working on my Sunday sermon, have a meeting with a family that’s been visiting our church in a couple of hours, then face all the preparation of music, lead sheets, etc before going down to unload our trailer and set up our rented worship space, and I’m coming off about a 12 day stretch with about 2-5 quality hours with my wife and kids. I’m not complaining. I know we all face stretches like this before we seem to get a couple of slower days. I suppose I’m confessing that I have had about one quality quiet time alone with the Lord this week.
I am encouraged to know that a pastor of 20 years is still struggling with what I am as a pastor of five years. Love the slogan.