The Christians Hour

Bob Russell: You're listening to The Christians Hour. Thank you for joining us today. It's a joy to welcome you to our program. The Christians Hour is a ministry of Gospel Broadcasting Mission, where we use radio and media to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth until all have heard.

Recently, I had a conversation with a salesman who began asking about my life, which led me to share about my faith in Jesus. In response, he showed me a tattoo on his arm with a Bible verse. I was intrigued and about to ask what inspired it, but before I could, he stopped me. He said, "I believe in a higher power, but I think the Bible is outdated. So I've decided to pick and choose what I like and live by that. We all have that choice."

Friends, that's a picture of a common idea in our culture, the "you do you" mindset. It's the belief that we can each live according to our own desires and define truths for ourselves, simply doing what seems right in our own eyes. In today's message, Mike Breaux, teaching pastor at Eastside Christian Church in Anaheim, California, helps us take a closer look at this way of thinking and what scripture has to say about it. Listen closely as we dig into the drift and how it can quickly lead us away from who God has actually called us to be. Here's Mike.

Mike Breaux: Today, I want to look at the thing that has contributed to my time of drift more than anything else in my life. The trendy and popular advice out there these days is, "You do you." Have you heard that? It seems to me in our current culture it's come to mean whatever you feel is right, is right. Like you and you alone determine what's right and wrong. You determine what's good and evil. You decide what's best for you. You are your own source of truth. What's true for me might not be true for you. Truth is relative. So, you do you.

It just seems to me that self is the new God, which actually is nothing new. It's been going on since the Garden of Eden. Personally, I spent a long time keeping that trend going as Mike Almighty. But this whole "you do you" mantra seems to be like the new spiritual authority. I like what Robert C. Roberts writes. He says, "We have been led to feel that self is sacrosanct. Just as in earlier times it was thought never fitting to deny God, so now it seems never right to deny oneself."

The attractive appeal is just be true to your heart. Just follow your heart because after all, the heart wants what the heart wants. That sounds good, doesn't it? But did you know that scripture tells us the human heart is the most deceitful above all things? I'm just being personally transparent here. It has been my experience that following my heart, being led by my feelings, following my emotions, my wants, my desires, my lusts, my appetites, has caused me to drift more than anything else in my life.

Happiness has become about feeling good rather than being good. The "good life" has become about getting what we want, not becoming the kind of people who live beyond themselves, desiring things that are truly good. Here's the deal. Our strongest desires are not actually our deepest desires. Our strongest desires are not actually our deepest desires. We have all, all of us, been created with a deep hunger to connect with the one who made us.

It's that deeper desire that keeps us anchored. It's that deeper hunger that satisfies our soul. It's that deeper pursuit that overflows into all of our relationships and enables us to walk in true freedom. The Apostle Paul writes this in Galatians chapter five, verse 13. He says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh or your appetites. Rather, serve one another humbly in love, for the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: love your neighbor as yourself."

For Paul, the guy that wrote that, did you catch the opposite of indulge the flesh was love your neighbor? They are in direct opposition to each other. Love is the desire to give, not take. Our flesh is anti-love. It runs off of those base animalistic drives for self-gratification. Paul goes on. He says, "But I say, walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh, for these things are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things that you want to do."

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit. I read that and had to ask myself, Mike, honestly, who or what is God in your life these days? Flesh or spirit? Lies or truth? Which one is currently leading your life? The flesh will distract you from that deeper desire. That's one of the main strategies of the enemy of our soul.

He knows that if he can keep us just chasing surface-level appetites, then we will remain empty and drift far from God and the kind of life that Jesus came to give us. So honestly, let me ask you, what are you really hungry for? What do you really want? My guess is if you go deep enough, you ache for God himself because we all want to connect with our maker. He designed all of us with that deep desire to know him. He also designed us to become the kind of people with a high character who really makes a difference of good in this world.

I want to look really quickly at somebody who did this better than anybody. You may have heard of this guy. His name is Jesus. Sometimes we think that Jesus automatically did the right thing without a struggle. After all, he was the son of God, had a slight advantage in the no-sin department. But remember, God became flesh. He had to battle the flesh, the same flesh. He had to fight through the same lies. Even though Jesus was completely divine, he was also fully human.

He laid down his divine prerogatives for 33 years. He got cold. He got zits. He got hot. He got sunburned. He sweated. He burped. He threw up. He hit his thumb with a hammer. In fact, talking about Jesus, the Bible says this in Hebrews chapter four, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet he did not sin." Jesus was wrapped in the same human flesh that you and I live in.

He experienced the same temptations. He knew the same instincts, impulses, appetites, drives, desires that we have. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. He overcame temptation and stayed anchored because of his honest ongoing intimacy with his father. If we have any shot at it, we have to pursue the same kind of relationship. There's a pretty cool encounter. It's found in Matthew chapter four. It's an encounter between Jesus and the devil.

Jesus goes into the desert to be alone with his father for a while. He fasts and he prays for 40 days, getting focused on the task at hand. He's getting anchored in his soul, getting centered to begin his public ministry. It's there that temptation shows up. Any of you ever try fasting? I'm trying to build that discipline into my life because I'm learning it's a good thing for me to channel my inner toddler and regularly tell my flesh, "You're not the boss of me."

Historically, I've not been a real good faster. I know it's not a real spiritual thing to admit to, but it's true. I did a three-day fast one time. I was weak. I was hungry. I had a headache. I'm dreaming of the Krispy Kreme "Hot" sign. It was awful. Jesus goes 40 days. He's spiritually strong, but he's physically weak and he's very hungry. Satan appeals to his flesh. He tries to bring him up from those deeper desires up to the surface. He says, "Hey Jesus, In-N-Out Burger? Come on Jesus, gratify your power to satisfy yourself."

"You know you're hungry. If you could just turn these stones into bread, you could eat. With your power, you could turn these stones to cheesecake. Think about that. Besides that, just think, you could feed other people too. I know you're into compassion and all that stuff. There's lots of hungry people around here. You would have them literally eating out of your hand. You would be the most popular guy going if you could do that. You know that's what they're looking for. That's the kind of savior they want."

"Is the economy stupid? Feed them and they will follow you by the thousands. That's the way politicians work. That's the way dictators rise to power. They certainly don't rise to power by going to a cross. Come on Jesus, that's just stupid. This is your chance." Now, you know that Jesus had the power to turn those stones into bread, don't you? Remember later he turns water into wine. He feeds 5,000 people one time with two fish and five little biscuits. But in this moment, he refuses to indulge his own appetites by using his miraculous power.

He refuses to just impress the people. He would wait on God's timing. With resolve, he says, "I'm not a bread Messiah. I didn't come to be their economic savior. I didn't come to feed their bellies. I came to free their soul." Besides that, he quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 from the Old Testament scriptures. He says, "It's written, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" There's something deeper that satisfies a man. There's something deeper that satisfies a woman.

There's someone greater that I hunger for, and that is my relationship with my father, and I will humbly feed on his words and not yours. There's a few things I've noticed about temptation. Maybe you've noticed the same thing. Temptation is universal. We all wrestle with something. Pretending that is not the case so we can appear better than we are is really unhealthy. Paul writes this in First Corinthians chapter 10. He says, "If you think you're standing strong, be careful not to fall."

"But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience." He's saying we all struggle with something. So what is "it" that you tend to struggle with? I've discovered the importance of just being honest with what your signature sin is, saying, "Search me, O God, point out what it is in me. What is it in me that could take me out?" Let's go to work on that. Is it my pride? Is it my stuff? Is it money? Is it sex? Is it porn? Is it food? Is it alcohol? Is it envy? Is it a critical, judgmental spirit?

Is it like unforgiveness and resentment? Is it anger? We all wrestle with something. Understanding what "it" is that can take you out and being honest with yourself and honest with God and then being honest with a trusted friend is huge to standing up to temptation. Which leads us to the next truth about temptation. Temptation's relentless. I had to reread that story again. Then I read Luke's account of it, too. It wasn't that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and one afternoon around three o'clock the devil stopped by.

It was an intense temptation for 40 days. He hassled him for 40 days. Monday, day two, "Hungry yet? Stones looking good, aren't they?" Monday afternoon, "Hungry yet? Feeling lonely, aren't you? Forget that going to the cross stuff. You could be immensely popular. You could have a pretty cushy life right here." Just relentless. I want you to see how Luke's account of this temptation closes. It says this, "When the devil had finished all these temptations, he left them until an opportune time."

I was thinking, when was that? One commentary I was reading suggested, maybe it was the Garden of Gethsemane. I thought to myself, no, I think it was the next day, and the next day, and the next day. Because right after this encounter, he has to deal with his negative family, his negative hometown, his immature disciples, his role, the adoration of the masses, the hate-filled criticism of these powerful religious leaders, the betrayal of close friends. All kinds of conflicting desires that battle within his flesh.

His whole life. The struggle for your soul is not a one-day tug of war. It is not even a 40-day conflict. You are in for a daily battle for the rest of your life. That's why Jesus said when you pray, you ought to ask God, "Lead me not in temptation, but deliver me from the evil one. God, I need you to be with me today. Show me your ways. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth today when my flesh wants to lead me down a bad road today, when my self wants to jump in the driver's seat and drive my life."

"I need you to lead. I need you to show me a way of escape in the moment. I need you to give me in the moment that supernatural power to defeat the relentless pursuit of temptation." One more observation about it. Have you ever noticed a temptation is always looking to throw a cheap shot? Temptation may come at you when you're on top of the world spiritually. Remember, Jesus had just been baptized. He's full of the Holy Spirit. He's fasting. He's close to God. And Satan comes after him.

I think there's a danger in getting overconfident. You can get a little spiritually cocky and let your guard down and say those six fatal words, "It could never happen to me." "I would never break my marriage vows. I would never make a shady business deal. I would never disappoint my kids. I would never lie to my parents and cover my tracks. I would never get plastered and get behind the wheel of a car. I would never turn my back on a friend. I would never take a spiritual nosedive and jeopardize my ministry."

Again, Paul writes in First Corinthians chapter 10, "Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anybody else." So sometimes temptation hits us while we're riding a high on some kind of success. But it seems to me most of the time it comes when you and I are the most vulnerable. You might be at the bottom of an emotional pit. Like you get some bad health news, and all of a sudden you're vulnerable to disillusionment, to bitterness, depression.

Or your relationship at home is not the greatest, and you're vulnerable and somebody at work starts to flirt with you, and down that road you go. Or you start going to AA or CR meetings and you're doing great, and then you lose this big account at work and a friend says, "Come on man, let's go have a drink and forget about this." Or you get on a plan like you're going to lose some weight and you're going to get in shape. And after you finish your little bitty piece of chicken on the barbie with steamed vegetables, somebody at the next table gets "Chocolate Thunder from Down Under."

And you're vulnerable, right? Now, unlike God, Satan is not omnipresent. The Bible indicates that he is well-organized with lots of help in the demonic world. And also unlike God, he is not omniscient. He's not all-knowing. But like Facebook knows what we've been searching for, he keeps excellent records and knows our weaknesses and he knows our hot buttons. Like the guy who went to the doctor and said, "Doc, I broke my arm in two places." Doctor said, "Stay out of those places."

Satan knows the places of our vulnerability. In those vulnerable times, temptation comes. Do you see why inner character is so important? Do you see why strength on the inside of me and you is so vital? Do you see why knowing God and being anchored in his truth and pursuing this intimate friendship with him is so crucial? This time in the desert enabled Jesus to conquer inner space before he began his ministry to the masses.

Satan throws a cheap shot in the desert when he comes to Jesus. "Okay, I hear you. So it's a no to the turn the stones into bread thing. How about this? All these kingdoms, they're yours. All the possession, all the power, all the perks, all the prestige, you could have it all. You could rule all of it." He says, "Jesus, listen, with your power and your charisma and your gifts and your personality, I could make you into an overnight superstar. And that's what it's all about. If you will just avoid the painful cross—and who wouldn't want to do that—and just bow down and worship me."

The word structure in that text indicates this was not an ask for ongoing allegiance, just a one-time thing. That's how he starts, isn't it? Just this one time. "Jesus, check it out, just worship me just this one time. What's the big deal about that? No one will ever know you're out here all by yourself. It's just this one time. If you'll do that, I can give you all this stuff. All these kingdoms, the entertainment kingdom, the political kingdom, the economic kingdom, all the kingdoms are yours."

"All you got to do is just do it my way this one time instead of God's way. What do you say?" And Jesus again quotes from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, a section known as the Shema, which every Hebrew child grew up learning, including Jesus. So it was already in his heart, already in his mind. He comes back with, "It's written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. I'm only interested in one kingdom, and that's the kingdom of my father. There's only one who is worthy of my worship, worthy of my allegiance, worthy of my adoration, and you are not that one."

So Satan comes from another angle. He says, "You know what you need? You need an agent. Let me teach you how to get a crowd. Because be honest, you've tried the low-key approach, you tried that unspectacular manger in a stable thing. What did that get you? Got you a few shepherds. You live in a little bitty hick town. You've been doing carpentry work. The only guy out there promoting you is some desert freak who eats grasshoppers. Let me market you. Let me be your publicist."

"You definitely could use a little flash, Jesus. You could use a little makeover, a little spectacular because that's what the people need. You know that's what the people want. So picture this. What I'm thinking, I'm thinking that you could throw yourself down off the apex of the temple in Jerusalem. It's about 100 feet from the top to the bottom of the Kidron Valley. You could do like this swan dive thing. Then out of nowhere, the angels could swoop down out of heaven and catch you because that's what the scripture says."

Satan knows scripture and he knows how to twist it, and he definitely twisted it here. He says, "They'll swoop down, they'll catch you, and you'll just float to the ground. That's what I'm talking about. That's an entrance worthy of a Messiah. You do that, not only will you be on Sportscenter Top 10, you'll go viral and the people will go crazy. They will love you, especially the religious people. And you know they're going to be a tough sell. That's the kind of Messiah they're expecting."

"That's the kind of Messiah they're longing for. You know they're not going to go for this crucified savior on a cross thing. Jesus, mark my words, you're going to end up misunderstood, rejected, forsaken, and alone. And who in their right mind would want that for their life? So why not just play to the crowd? Forget your father. You do you. Get a billion likes. Get your name in lights and receive the adoration of the masses. Come on, Jesus, what do you say?"

Well, Jesus knows the rest of that verse that Satan twisted. He comes back and says, "What the scripture really says is do not put the Lord your God to the test. I'm not about to put my father to some silly swoop down and rescue me test just so my ego can get stroked or I can feel the applause, the acceptance of the public. I'm already accepted by the one who matters most. And I have resolved to live my life for his approval and his approval alone, and for me, that's more than enough."

I believe he got up from that battle and walked out of it with confidence and peace and passion and purpose and focus. He knew who he was. He knew why he was here. He knew what he wanted to accomplish with his life. He said, "You know what? That's the kind of Messiah I am. I'm a preach the good news, release the captives, lay down his life for the sins of the world kind of Messiah. That's who I am and that's why I'm here, and that's what I'm going to accomplish with my life."

"Nothing is going to distract me from doing what my father wants me to do." And let me ask you this: aren't you glad he didn't cave in? Aren't you glad he didn't bail? Jesus had a choice that day and he chose us. He chose us. And here's the deal. Jesus recognized the lies because he had a deep relationship with the truth. Jesus recognized the lies because he had such a deep relationship with the truth. That's what keeps you and me from drifting, this intimate relationship with the truth.

The same exact lies are told. The same strategy is employed against us today. Satan comes along and appeals to the flesh and says, "Come on, come on. Let them cheat off of you. Everybody does it. You know that being smart isn't all that popular in school anyway. Well, this is one of the ways you can make it work for you. Let them cheat. They'll love you for it, and you'll be in." He comes along and says, "Come on, everybody else in this fraternity gets absolutely wasted."

"And they seem like they're having a great time. Don't be different. You know how stupid you look standing there with a Diet Coke in your hand? Come on, loosen up. You don't want to spend your entire life being the designated driver, do you?" He comes along and says, "Come on, come on. Turn those stones to bread. Just gratify your appetite now. Just mellow out with a little meth with your friends, a little weed with your friends. Not going to hurt you. And besides, you know it's the only way you're going to stop the pain."

He comes along and says, "Go on, go on buy it. Just buy it. You need it. You deserve it. I'm telling you, you get it, it will satisfy you in the deepest place of your soul. I know it may not make financial sense right now, but hey, you only live once." He comes along and says, "Come on, falsify the numbers. It's just this one time. You've been so honest for so long. No one's ever going to know. In fact, it's the only way to get ahead, especially with this inflation rising. Besides, you know what? This company owes you."

He comes along and says, "Come on, join their little gossip clique. Go ahead, go ahead. Post that negative, divisive comment. Let them know how right you are and how wrong they are. I guarantee you'll feel a lot better about yourself as you tear somebody else down." He comes along and says, "Dude, for crying out loud, would you open your eyes? Check her out. And she wants you. Come on, everybody has a fling at least once in their life."

He says, "Go ahead, give your body to him. I guarantee it'll make you feel pretty and loved and accepted and special. Besides, it's just sex." Jesus comes along and says, "No, listen to me. Satan's a liar. In fact, he is the father of lies and he's got only one agenda. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And he will use the same strategy for ruining your life as he tried against me. You hang with God. You listen to him, not your flesh. Instead of 'you do you,' let God transform you into his best version of you."

"Build your life on truth. Build your life on reality. Change what you fill your mind with. Hide God's word in your heart. Practice gratitude daily. Draw close to me. Climb higher, dive deeper, because every time you do that, your spirit gets a little stronger and your flesh gets a little weaker. Live in the awareness of the presence of my spirit in your life every day, all day. Be honest with your struggle. Know what your 'it' is and let somebody else know your 'it' too so they can help you. Relax in the unfailing love of the Father. Let his grace just flood your heart with light and peace and joy and kindness and self-control. That's such a better life."

Acapella Ministries: Come now is the time to worship

Come now is the time to give your heart

Come just as you are to worship

Come just as you are before your God

Come

One day every tongue will confess You are God

One day every knee will bow

Still the greatest treasure remains for those

Who gladly choose You now

Come now is the time to worship

Come now is the time to give your heart

Come just as you are to worship

Come just as you are before your God

Come

One day every tongue will confess You are God

One day every knee will bow

Still the greatest treasure remains for those

Who gladly choose You now

Willingly we choose to surrender our lives

Willingly our knees will bow

With all our heart, soul, mind, and strength

We gladly choose You now

Come now is the time to worship

Come now is the time to give your heart

Come

Bob Russell: Well, how about you? Is temptation and selfish desires pulling you to pick and choose how you want to live? Friends, don't believe the lies that lead you astray or cause you to drift. Instead, lean into Christ. Find a faithful friend who can walk with you and help hold you accountable. Remember, you can build your life on the truth of who Christ has called you to be. Stand firm in him because in him there is power, freedom, and hope.

Our thanks to Mike Breaux for that powerful teaching. And our thanks as well to Acapella Ministries for their music of worship. If you'd like to hear this program again or stream it online, visit our website at thechristianshour.org. There you'll find all this year's programs and you can download today's message for free. You can also listen on your favorite podcast platform. Simply search "The Christians Hour."

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