OUR KING IS NOT BURGER KING

As I write this blog, I will be using specific Scriptures, and borrowing from Rabbi Jonathan Cahn's recent sermon titled "Fast Food Christianity". Also, the title above is one he used in a devotional in which he writes: "A fast-food franchise made famous the slogan, HAVE IT YOUR WAY. Very unfor-

tunately, we live in a fast food culture and subscribe to a fast food faith. What this means is: the subjectification of the Gospel. The Gospel isn't really about God anymore (in this culture), but about what God can do for me. It's not about the truth, but what I feel. If I feel it, it's true. It's not about the absolute, it's about the subjective. We don't mold our lives to conform to God's absolute truth. Rather we mold our beliefs to conform to the way we live our lives. The Bible has become as valuable as a hamburger. HAVE IT YOUR WAY! We must reject fast food Christianity ---- the sub-jectification of the Gospel! We're not saved by a subjective truth. Such gospel and philosophies save no one. We're saved by the Absolute Truth, the Unchangeable God, and the Unalterable Gospel. Reject the spirit of the age and live by the Holy Spirit. Let's not bend the truth to fit our lives, but let's conform our lives to fit the truth. For the eternal and unchangeable truth of God is not a hamburger. Today, let your slogan be, DO IT GOD'S WAY!"

The Apostle Paul, under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, wrote along these same lines. He talked about "Breaking The Cycle: From Bondage To Renewal"! Let's begin his message by praying the following prayer: "This is my Bible; I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess ----- my mind is alert, my heart is truly receptive, and I will never be the same again. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Paul the Apostle wrote: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is ---- His good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:2 - New Living Translation). Notice, the emphasis on transformation starts in the mind! Our mind is the battlefield! Freedom begins here before it shows up in our habits, behaviors and relationships. This is the exact location where we understand how to move from spiritual bondage to renewal ---- how to completely break the chains of repetitive, destructive patterns and live spiritually free daily!

Destructive addictions are rarely a single choice we make. Most of the time, it is a cycle of recurring choices. First, there is the trigger, then the thought, next the move into a behavior, followed by a sense of regret. Repeat! A vicious cycle. Have you noticed this? Perhaps it is a bad attitude, a careless action, alcohol. illicit drugs, inappropriate sex, food, scrolling your cell phone, television shows or movies, pornography, keeping wrong company, lying, cheating or stealing, etc. It always seems to start small and rather innocent - just "one more time" we say to ourselves. But before we know it, the cycle controls our choices, behavior and our life! Thank God, there is good news . . . Jesus is fully capable of breaking the destructive cycles we have become enslaved to. We can in His power move from spiritual bondage into spiritual renewal and freedom! We must choose to quit "conforming to the pattern of this world and to be transformed by the renewing of our mind". The core message of Romans 12:2 is a distinctive call to stop letting this world squeeze us into its mold, and instead let God completely change how we think from the inside out. Three principles are worth noting here!

1) Stop Conforming. This means to resist the constant cultural pressure to adopt the world's values, selfishness, and temporary trends.

2) Start transforming. True change happens from the inside out through a Renewed Mind, rather than just forcing external behavior changes.

3) Discover God's will. Saturate your mind and heart with Scripture and prayer. As your thoughts then align with God's truth, you begin to actually understand and experience His good, pleasing and perfect plan. Let's delve further into what Paul's message meant!.

First, THE BATTLE IS BETWEEN THE OLD SELF AND THE NEW SELF! He also wrote these words, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new is here" (II Corinthians 5:17). Destructive addiction is not your identity! Your past sins, mistakes, relapses, your failures -- they are not who you are! Think about a caterpillar. It spends much of its life crawling, limited to the ground, eating leaves. But when it goes through transformation, it becomes a butterfly. It does not cling to its old form. The old self is gone, replaced by new life. That is what God wants to do in your life! Your struggle does not define you - Christ defines you!

Second, RENEWAL REQUIRES REPLACEMENT! You cannot merely remove a destructive addiction, you must replace it with something much better. Here are a few suggestions:

a. Your old spiritual and emotional escape - REPLACE it with PRAYER

b. Your old spiritual apathy - REPLACE it with WORSHIP

c. Your old spiritual isolation - REPLACE it with COMMUNITY AND FELLOWSHIP

d. Your old spiritual shame - REPLACE it with TRUTH FROM GOD'S WORD

e. Your old thought patterns - REPLACE them with A RENEWED MIND SET

f. Your old worldly values - REPLACE them with SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

g. Your old failures - REPLACE them with GOD'S PLAN

h. Your old sins - REPLACE them with GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND CLEANSING

i. Your old spiritual defeat and struggle - REPLACE them with SCRIPTURAL AFFIRMATIONS!

The account is given of a man who had a 15 year addiction to pornography. He tried repeatedly to stop, but the habit was persistent and always returned. When he began filling his mind and heart with daily Scripture reading, prayer, accountability meetings, etc., the old habit lost its hold on him. Not only was the habit broken, but his desire for it ceased and his thoughts were redirected toward healthy relationships.

GOD DOESN'T JUST WANT YOU TO STOP THE DESTRUCTIVE ADDICTIONS/HABITS ----- HE WANTS TO RENEW YOUR MIND AND TRANSFORM YOUR HEART SO THE OLD DESIRES HAVE NO PLACE TO LIVE!

Third, SPIRITUAL FREEDOM IS A DAILY CHOICE! Again, the Apostle Paul said, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit (of God), and the Spirit desires what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in confict with each other (Galatians 5:16-17) - (New Living Translation). Notice this fact: Conflict between the Spirit of God and the desires of the sinful nature are normal. The struggle or conflict is not failure or sin! In fact, the struggle is proof that God is working in our life! So,

a. Every morning, choose the Spirit of God and reject the desires of the sinful nature.

b. Every moment, choose spiritual renewal over the old cycle.

c. Every time you feel triggered, pause, do your Scriptural affirmations, pray, redirect your thoughts and don't forget to replace the triggers with much better things! Remember spiritual freedom is not instant or without making an effort, it is a daily discipline!

Fourth, ACCOUNTABILITY PROTECTS SPIRITUAL FREEDOM! Isolation feeds destructive addiction, while connection feeds healing! Seek out a trusted mentor or spiritual discipler, join a small group Bible study, carefully choose a prayer partner, are just a few possibilities. When a trusted person knows your struggle (s), it is harder to fall back into old patterns. When a trusted person prays with you, your spiritual muscles grow stronger. It is very important to remember that progress does not mean perfection, struggles do not equal failure, and be sure to celebrate victories, even smaller ones. God sees every step you take to be an overcomer and honors your faithfulness and tenacity!

I encourage you to pray this with me:

"Lord Jesus, I admit I tend to be stuck in cycles I cannot break on my own. I surrender every wrong habit, every thought, every stronghold to You. I ask You to renew my mind, to heal my heart, and to give me strength to walk in spiritual freedom every day. Surround me with Your Holy Spirit, Your Holy Word, and godly support. I choose You, Lord, as my refuge, my source, my strength, my power and my protector. Amen!"