📖 Don't follow your desires

I. Not all of your desires are good, which means just because you have a desire doesn’t mean you should pursue it.

The problem is that the world tells us any and all desires we have are good, and that we can only be fulfilled and be our “true, authentic self” if we pursue them.

Yet at the core, everyone knows this is not true. For example, we all know that you should not give a child everything they want. Why? Because some things we want are bad, unsafe, or even immoral.

Scripture offers a better way. It teaches that our deepest desires are only fulfilled in Jesus. God’s commands aren’t there to restrict us but to lead us into real life, because He knows what is best for us.

If a desire we have clashes with God’s Word, then we are the ones who need to change, not Him. True freedom and joy come not from chasing every impulse but from trusting and obeying the One who made us.

WORLD: All of your desires are good, and you’ll only be happy if you fulfill them.

WORD: All of your desires will be fulfilled in Jesus (either now or in His future, restored Kingdom).

You must choose: the world or the Word.

Romans 12:1-2 reminds us:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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II. A reminder: the New Testament documents were written much closer to the events they describe than any other ancient text, and it is not even close.

There simply wasn’t enough time for myths and legends to develop, especially since eyewitnesses were still alive when the earliest surviving copies we have were circulating.

Feeling stuck with your Bible reading (or don’t know where to start)? Consider the following ideas:

It’s okay if you don’t understand everything you read. Simple reflection questions can still draw out a practical step God may be leading you to take.

I. Charles Spurgeon on why you should read your Bible:

“Half our fears arise from neglect of the Bible.”

II. Adam Clarke on what really matters in prayer:

“Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue.”

Shepherds for Sale by Megan Basham

This is definitely an inside baseball book about the evangelical church and how money/politics have influenced some parts of it.

To be honest, I came into this book with some skepticism, and I finished the book still holding some of that same skepticism. It is hard to give a brief book review on a book like this. This book has caused a lot of chatter in some ministry circles over the past year, so I figured I would read it eventually.

On one side, there were certainly many parts I was in agreement with and I have personally had issues with some of the people she names in the book. Many of the issues she presents she rightly brings to light in the book.

On the other hand, at times it felt like she was assigning (negative) motivations to some people and/or not giving credit to the fact that leaders can sometimes get it wrong too. Sometimes people just get things wrong, but it does not mean they are motivated by nefarious purposes.

And there certainly were times when I felt she was being unfair or uncharitable in some of the criticism she was bringing.

The average Christian, I don't think, would be all that helped (or interested) in reading this whole book. I would say I am glad that I did read it, but feel that in some parts of the book it would be helpful to hear the person she is criticizing share their part of the story.

My ratings are based on how much I either enjoyed a book or how it kept my attention and made me think, not necessarily how much I would recommend the book to others.

7/10

P.S. Should your ducks really be in a row?

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