Strengthened By Grace

Blog blessing Saturday

2007-05-04T08:02:00.000-04:00

This guy built a realistic model of Noah's Ark.

Steve Camp asks, "Does God hear the prayers of all people?"

A great photo showing two of the wonders of creation side-by-side. (HT: Chailles)

Pulpit Magazine answers some important questions about euthanasia, interracial marriage and sabbath-keeping.

A debate on God's existence!

2007-05-03T07:25:00.000-04:00

This should be interesting!

New York, May 2, 2007 – Actor Kirk Cameron and best-selling author Ray Comfort will square off with two atheists at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City on Saturday, May 5, 2007 @ 7:30pm (EST). ABC originally planned to stream the 90-minute debate LIVE on their website, but decided to reschedule the broadcast to capture a larger audience. The full debate will air on www.abcnews.com on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 @ 1:00pm (EST). The Nightline piece will air that same night at 11:35 p.m. (your local time). Read more here.

The power of the doctrines of grace

2007-05-03T07:20:00.000-04:00

"Whenever and wherever the doctrines of free grace and justification by faith have prevailed in the Christian Church, and according to the degree of clearness with which they have been enforced, the practical duties of Christianity have flourished in the same proportion. Wherever they have declined, or been tempered with the reasonings and expedients of men, either from a well-meant, though mistaken fear, lest they should be abused, or from a desire to accommodate the gospel, and render it more palatable to the depraved taste of the world, the consequence has always been, an equal declension in practice. So long as the gospel of Christ is maintained without adulteration, it if found sufficient for every valuable purpose; but when the wisdom of man is permitted to add to the perfect work of God, a wide door is opened for innumerable mischiefs."--John Newton, A Review of Ecclesiastical History. (HT: Challies)

Truth War pt. 2

2007-05-02T11:25:00.000-04:00

It was Martin Luther who said:

“The world at the present time is sagaciously discussing how to quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to effect a compromise between the Church and the Papacy. Let the learned, the wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, arbitrate. Each side can easily yield something, and it is better to concede some things which can be construed according to individual interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted.

“Here is lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such patchwork is not according to God’s will, but that doctrine, faith and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom.

“The Scriptures give us this rule: ‘We must obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29).”

It is interesting to speculate what the church would be like today if Martin Luther had been prone to compromise. The pressure was heavy on him to tone down his teaching, soften his message, stop poking his finger in the eye of the papacy. Even many of his friends and supporters urged Luther to come to terms with Rome for the sake of harmony in the church. Luther himself prayed earnestly that the effect of his teaching would not be divisive.

When he nailed his 95 Theses to the door, the last thing he wanted to do was split the church.

Yet sometimes division is fitting, even healthy, for the church. Especially in times like Luther’s—and like ours—when the visible church seems full of counterfeit Christians, it is right for the true people of God to declare themselves. Compromise is sometimes a worse evil than division. Second Corinthians 6:14-17 isn’t speaking only of marriage when it says,

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.

-By John MacArthur. The Truth War

Movies and mayhem?

2007-05-02T08:11:00.000-04:00

Does it matter what you watch? In terms of violence?

Mike White, a screenwriter for Hollywood movies writes an op-ed piece in the New York Times in which he muses:

The calamity at Virginia Tech is unfortunately not as unique an event as we’d like to think, but the sheer number of victims has grabbed our attention and inspired some collective soul-searching. As responsible Americans put their heads down on their desks and reflect, should the scribes of popular entertainment be excused to the playground? We screenwriters may be overgrown teenagers who still want to be cool, but we aren’t 12 years old anymore. Maybe we’re not responsible for Mr. Cho’s awful actions, but does that abrogate our responsibility to the world around us?
Most of us who chose careers in this field were seduced by cinema’s spell at an early age. We know better than anyone the power films have to capture our imaginations, shape our thinking and inform our choices, for better and for worse. At the risk of being labeled a scold — the ultimate in uncool — I have to ask: before cashing those big checks, shouldn’t we at least pause to consider what we are saying with our movies about the value of life and the pleasures of mayhem?

Sobering reflections from one within the industry.

Here is the whole article.

Coveting and contentment

2007-05-01T07:17:00.000-04:00

From Phil Ryken, on coveting and contentment:

As long as we base our sense of contentment on anything in the world, we will always find some excuse to make ourselves miserable. Our problem is not on the outside--it's on the inside, and therefore it will never be solved by getting more of what we think we want. If we do not learn to be satisfied right now in our present situation--whatever it is--we will never be satisfied at all. . . .

The truth is that if God wanted us to have more right now, we would have it. . . . If we were supposed to be in a different situation in life, we would be in it. Instead of always saying, "If only this" and "If only that," God calls us to glorify him to the fullest right now. . . . Contentment means wanting what God wants for us rather than what we want for us. The secret to enjoying this kind of contentment is to be so satisfied with God that we are able to accept whatever he has or has not provided.

Exodus: Saved for God's Glory (Crossway), 673-74.

2007-04-30T16:47:00.000-04:00

Denny Burk has the story behind the story of the three men who were martyred for their faith, men of whom the world is not worthy of. "The three men were heading to a previously arranged bible study with some Islamic “seekers” who had expressed interest in the Christian faith. It turned out that the five “seekers” weren’t interested in Christianity at all. After Necati read a chapter from the Bible, the five men assaulted the three Christians. The assault turned into a gruesome three-hour torture session." Some of this report is quite graphic in the details of the deaths of these men of whom the world was not worthy of. (HT: JT)

Martin Luther on the Truth War

2007-04-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

Martin Luther, that noble gospel soldier, threw down the gauntlet at the feet of every Christian in every generation after him when he said:

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all battlefields besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

Truth War

2007-04-30T10:15:00.000-04:00

It seems like every time I turn around, every time I read some blog, there is something new that concerns me about evangelical Christianity in America today. That is not to say that I am encouraged on many fronts as I hear of the triumph of truth. For this I rejoice.

As we think of the battles that we must constantly engage in as we "fight the good fight of faith" as Paul writes to Timothy, I trust that we will not grow weary in doing well. I was strengthened to press on and persevere in the cause for truth as last week I read The Truth War by John MacArthur. This book is full of exhortations to the good and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ. (Of course all of this military allusions are spiritual and figurative. We do not fight with the sword as some other religions advocate). So for the next few weeks I may share a quote or two from this book that encouraged me and I trust may encourage others.

Now is not a good time for Christians to flirt with the spirit of the age. We cannot afford to be apathetic about the truth God has put in our trust. It is our duty to guard, proclaim, and pass the truth on to the next generation (1 Timothy 6:20-21). We who look to Christ and believe the truth embodied in His teaching must awaken to the reality of the battle that is raging all around us. We must do our part in the ages-old Truth War. We are under a sacred obligation to join the battle and contend for the faith. . . .

Our task as ambassadors is to bring good news to people. Our mission as soldiers is to overthrow false ideas. We must keep those objectives straight; we are not entitled to wage warfare against people or to enter into diplomatic relations with anti-Christian ideas. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12); and our duty as ambassadors does not permit us to compromise or align ourselves with any kind of human philosophies, religious deceit, or any other kind of falsehood (Colossians 2:8).

If those sound like difficult assignments to keep in balance and maintain in proper perspective, it is because they are indeed. . . .

We are ambassador-soldiers, reaching out to sinners with the truth even as we make every effort to destroy the lies and other forms of evil that hold them in deadly bondage. That is a perfect summary of every Christian's duty in the Truth War.

Sad news in China

2007-04-30T08:04:00.000-04:00

The Chinese mother named "Wei was seven months into her pregnancy, and hers was no natural stillbirth. The 34-year-old is a resident of Guangxi Province in southern China, and local officials dragged her to a hospital, injected her abdomen with chemicals to kill her baby, and lingered to make sure that he died. Her forced abortion was one of at least 60 in the province that took place under the direction of Chinese officials in Baise City during a 24-hour period April 17-18." Read the rest of the story here and mourn.

Holiness: Transcendent Majesty

2007-04-26T07:10:00.000-04:00

"But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." Habakkuk 2:20

"Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11)

A few months ago I read a chapter on the holiness of God that has deepened my understanding of this important aspect of God's character.

Stephen Charnock defines God's holiness as "a glorious perfection belonging to the nature of God. Hence he is in Scripture styled often the Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, the Holy One of Israel; and oftener entitled Holy, than Almighty, and set forth by this part of his dignity more than any other."

Holiness is more than just moral perfection; it is also transcendence as R. C. Sproul points out, "When we speak of the transcendence of God we are talking about that sense in which God is above and beyond us. It tries to get at His supreme and altogether greatness. . . .Transcendence describes God in his consuming majesty, His exalted loftiness. It points to the infinite distance that separates Him from every creature."

So when we think of describing God we have to use terms like "wholly, absolutely, infinitely, incomprehensible, supreme, exalted, solitary, unique, and peerless."

I concur with Jerry Bridges who writes in The Joy of Fearing God, "Majesty, refers to sovereign power, authority or dignity. It speaks of grandeur and splendor. It can be a relative term, however, when we use it of human rulers--some are more sovereign or powerful than others; some have more grandeur and splendor. When we speak of God's majesty, we have to mean absolute, unequaled majesty. Since transcendence means over and above, I propose the expression transcendent majesty to enable us to come closest to an understanding of God."

So, let us delight to fear God. Let us cleanse ourselves from evil in our flesh and spirit (2 Corinthains 7:1). May we practice humility in light of his transcendence (Isaiah 57:15). Surely we should grow in gratitude to God for His mercy to us through Christ. And such a sense of transcendent majesty should cause us to enter His presence with reverence (Hebrews 10:19, 22).

Enjoy God's holiness and praise Him for His transcendent majesty!

Last week Turkey, this week praying for China

2007-04-25T16:37:00.000-04:00

Massive Arrest of Chinese and American Christian Leaders in Xinjiang

Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, 432-689-6985, info@ChinaAid.org; www.ChinaAid.org, www.monitorChina.org

MIDLAND, Texas, April 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid Association has learned though credible sources that on April 19, 2007 in Akesu city, Xinjiang province, about 30 major house church leaders were arrested when they met with four American Christians. The four Americans were also arrested. Included among the arrested Americans are a senior pastor and an associate pastor of an American church. Sources tell CAA that the four Americans arrived at Akesu airport on April 17 and fellowshipped with the house church leaders on April 18 at a local church family house.

At the time of this press release the four Americans are still being held for questioning in an undisclosed hotel. The translator for the Americans, Mr. Jinhong Li from Beijing, is also still being detained. On April 23, the PSB confiscated the luggage of the four Americans from the house of their host, a local church family.

Eight Chinese pastors were released on April 20 and at least 6 others have already received criminal detention papers for 30 days detention, accused as "suspects involved in evil cult activities." The names of the accused are Pastor Xinglan Zhao, Pastor Xiurong Huang, Pastor Tianlu Yang, 41, Pastor Chaoyi Wang, 41, Pastor Cuiling Li, 48, and Pastor Sijun He.

The Chinese government may sentence the six accused pastors to 1-3 years re-education through labor because they were previously detained a couple of years ago for one month for organizing house church activities. Eyewitnesses told CAA that at least two of the arrested were seen with bleeding noses and bruises on their faces from torture at the interrogation site. They are being held at A Ke Su City Detention Center.

CAA has learned the US Embassy is intervening for this case.

“We urge the Xinjiang authorities to abide by both the Chinese and international laws in respect of religious freedom.” said Rev. Bob Fu, the president of CAA, “These Americans and Chinese Christians have done nothing wrong and the Police who are engaging in torture against theses Christians are to be held legally and morally responsible for what they have done.”

Issued by China Aid Association Inc. on April 24, 2007

The value of the OT to the New Covenant believer

2007-04-25T09:30:00.000-04:00

Does the OT have any relevance or benefit to us as believers living under the New Covenant? I mean beyond just good illustrations for sermons or Sunday school stories for our children? If so, how do we know? And how are the helpful. How do we know that? Romans 15:4 tells us that events and stories of the OT were written for our encouragement. And in an extended passage we learn how the OT is for our benefit. Specifically drawing on some stories from the book of Numbers primarily Paul writes,

"I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:1-13)

I heard a message recently from a well-known Presbyterian pastor named Ligon Duncan and in it he made several salient observations about how and why we as believers who are partakers of the New Covenant should view the Old Testament as edifying and important for us today. These events actually happened for us and God wants us to learn from them how we should now live today.

1 - The events that occurred in the OT were examples to us. The New Testament often uses examples from the Old Testament to draw application for the reader. The inspired writers use the Old Testament to encourage and exhort Christians to live the Christian life. Here Paul says the examples in the Old Testament happened to teach us.

2 - The events that happened happened as a moral warning to us. Those events are designed to warn us off from evil cravings.

3 - The Apostle does not merely say these things are recorded as examples for us but that they happened as examples for us. In God's design, all the pain and suffering in the wilderness happened so that we can learn from it and from this we learn just how much He loves us.

4 - The events of the OT provide exhortation to New Testament believers. God in His providence has in view New Covenant believers even in the events that happen in OT.

5 - Paul specifically applies this to New Testament believers in four areas. 1) Do not be idolaters. 2) Do not be immoral. 3) Do not presumptuously test the Lord. 4) Do not grumble against providence.

6 - Not only did these events happen for Christians, but they were written down for Christians. They were written for our instruction.

7 - The Apostle warns us against thinking that we will not fall like they did. Don't think that just because you have seen the glories of the cross that you are impervious to the temptation to fall like the people in the wilderness and in the OT kingdom.

8 - We are to learn from their temptations and failures in order to escape ours. Duncan quoted the old phrase "He who does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it" and suggested that this is the spiritual corollary.

9 - Christ is at the very center of this story, the whole wilderness experience, yes of the OT kingly line that would eventuate in the coming of the Messiah who is Christ.. He is the rock and it is all about Him.

So, read, learn, apply the OT to your life, follower of Jesus Christ!

Praying for our children

2007-04-24T20:59:00.000-04:00

At our church we have compiled a list of twelve prayer pointers for parents to pray for their chldren. Each one of these becomes a matter of prayer focus for our weekly midweek church prayer meeting. Jon Bloom at Desiring God posted a few more prayers (a friend shared with him) to include in our intercession for our children I think you will find them helpful.

Recently a good friend shared with me these verses that he and his wife have prayed for their two daughters (now teens) since they were babies. I find them very helpful and have included them in my prayer folder for my children. I thought I'd pass them along to you as well. (Thanks, Chris!)

That Jesus will call them and no one will hinder them from coming.

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away. (Matthew 19:13-15)

That they will respond in faith to Jesus' faithful, persistent call.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

That they will experience sanctification through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and will increasingly desire to fulfill the greatest commandments.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)

That they will not be unequally yoked in intimate relationships, especially marriage.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

That their thoughts will be pure.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

That their hearts will be stirred to give generously to the Lord's work.

All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord. (Exodus 35:29)

That when the time is right, they will GO!

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Depression and finding joy in God!

2007-04-24T20:15:00.000-04:00

Depression, as Ed Welch calls it correctly, is a stubborn darkness. I am reading through his book currently on this theme and he has several very helpful points that he makes. But several months ago I also listened to a podcast by John Piper on "How to Fight for Joy When You Don't Desire God." I found great hope in this message and I would like to offer the main points to you. If you get ocassionally "blue" or really fight serious depression I believe this principles and action steps will really help you. You can also find these thoughts in Piper's book When You Don't Desire God. So here is how he suggests and what I have found very helpful in fighting a loss of joy or depression in my life.

Recognize that joy is a gift from God and you can't just make it happen (Galatians 5:22)
Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly (2 Corinthians 1:24)
Resolve to attack all known sin in your life. The evidence that you are a Christian is that you hate your imperfections and are making war on them (Romans 8:11)
Learn the secre of gusty guilt. Learn how to fight like a justified sinner (Micah 7:17ff)
The battle for joy is primarily one of seeing God (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4)
Meditate on the Word (Psalm 19:7; John 15:11; Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:7)
Pray earnestly and continually for open eyes and an open hear and an inclination for God. Pray for joy (Psalm 119:36, 10; 86:11; 90:14)
Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself (Psalm 42:5). Our minds are much too passive in our fight for joy!
Spend time with God-saturated people who will help you see God and fight the fight for joy (Hebrews 3:12-13). Fighting for joy is a community project.
Be patient in the night of God's seeming absence (Psalm 40:1-3). Don't begrudge God's timing.
Get the rest, the exercise and the proper diet your body is designed to have. Patience is the fruit of sleep and of the Spirit. Sleep makes you humble. It reminds you that you aren't God. Sleep is a daily witness to your finitude.
Make a proper use of God's revelation in nature (Psalm 19:1). A mouthful of sea air or a stiff walk in the wind's face would not give grace to the soul but it will yield oxygen to the body which is the next best thing. Don't be so introspective and so self-absorbed that you can't see the sun rise, the squirrels playing, the gnarled tree, or the intricacy of an eyeball.
Be sacrificial toward others.
Get a global vision. Think "Jesus owns the universe and I belong to Him."

If you are suffering with depression even now, let me encourage you with two thoughts in closing. First, Jesus shared in our sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10). And secondly, if you have experienced salvation from the Lord, remember God is always good and generous. ""He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32, ESV). There is light for the path that you are walking today.

Another helpful resource in dealing with VT massacre and suffering

2007-04-23T07:34:00.000-04:00

Tabletalk magazine has offered this month's issue on line for free. The website reads:

As we mourn with the students and families directly impacted by the tragic killings at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute on April 16, 2007, we who are believers in the one, true God turn to His promises for comfort (Psalm 119:50).

With the hope that we might assist those struggling with the questions and feelings raised by this horrific event, Ligonier Ministries humbly offers for your reading the feature articles and columns from the April 2007 issue of Tabletalk magazine, which, in God’s providence, discusses the subject of grief.

We pray that these resources, in some small way, will help you find comfort in the arms of our sovereign God and will help you look for the day when He will “wipe away every tear” from the eyes of His people who rest assured in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:4).

April 2007 Tabletalk Articles:

Sin, Death, and Grief by Burk Parsons

A Grief Observed by R.C. Sproul

From Grief to Glory by Jim Coffield

Mourn with Those Who Mourn by Archie Parrish

Good Grief? by Anthony Carter

True Shepherding by Joel R. Beeke

Hope by R.C. Sproul Jr.

A Tale of Two Funerals by Gene Edward Veith

Some good reads on the Virginia Tech tragedy

2007-04-23T07:12:00.000-04:00

Here are some items have read this week that have not been from the mainstream media regarding what has happened in Blacksburg, VA and the Virginia Tech incident.

Dan Burrell gives a first-hand ministry report from Blacksburg.

Fundamentally Reformed writes on "God and the Virginia Tech Massacre"

Douglas Groothuis constructively comments on the media coverage of this event

This is interesting and great: The Desiring God blog links to Friday's broadcast of John Macarthur's Grace to You discussion of the VT shootings. If you can't listen, you can call Grace to You at 1-800-554-7223 for a free CD of this program.

Finally, this breaks my heart and compounds the situation for Christians who are ministering biblically.

(HT: Pulpit Magazine)

Three men die for the gospel in Turkey yesterday

2007-04-19T07:14:00.000-04:00

Three believers, a missionary and a two Turkish men, were killed yesterday in a Christian bookstore yesterday.

According to an email I received from a Baptist Mid Missions missionary, each men left behind a wife and children (in at at least one case some young children). One missionary couple, on their way to Turkey to minister to the grieving, asks us to pray as follows:

1. God's comfort and grace for the surviving wives and children.

2. God's help for the wives with all the decisions they will have to make in the next days and weeks.

3. God's insight for us to have wisdom and love to comfort these families effectively.

4. God's name to be glorified through the martrydom of his children.

Understanding the partial birth abortion debate

2007-04-19T07:05:00.000-04:00

Greg Koukl at Stand to Reason has some excellent articles to equip you in talking with others about the so-called "partial birth abortion" procedure and debate highlighted this week by the Supreme Court's decision to uphold laws prohibiting this gruesome act.

A righteous decision: The Supreme Court decison

2007-04-19T06:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld a law banning partial-birth abortion, a horrific procedure designed to murder children who are within three inches of full birth. While much focus has been placed in the last few days on the "worst massacre on a campus in US history" (and we do weep with those who weep), nonetheless this decision reminds us of the greatest massacre (which is still going on) in American history.

Yet there is hope. Al Mohler believes that "April 18, 2007 will go down in history as a landmark day in the struggle to recover human dignity and the sanctity of human life." Read the whole commentary here.

Jesus Christ: The Exemplar of Manly Dominion

2007-04-19T06:55:00.000-04:00

In a book I am reading right now entitled Manly Dominion, Mark Chanski is motivating me to not just passively surrender to cowardice in my life, but to aggressively and courageously pursue Christ. The first few chapters are full of biblical men who exercised courage and manliness in their lives: Abraham, Noah, Joshua, David, David's mighty men, Nehemiah, and Paul. Our greatest example of manliness, however, is the Lord Jesus Christ "who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted" (Hebrews 12:3).

From the very beginning of his life till the very end of it, Jesus faced overwhelming circumstances but he never gave in to those. What a motivation for me to press on and "play the man."

John Flavel a great Puritan, writes to us regarding our obligation to aggressively and courageously, not passively and cowardly serve Christ:

Are you staggered at your sufferings, and hard things you must endure for Christ in this world? Doth the flesh shrink back from these things and cry, spare thyself? What is there in the world more likely to steel and fortify thy spirit with resolution and courage, than such a sight as this? Did Chrsit face the wrath of men, and the wrath of God too? Did he stand as a pillar of brass, with unbroken patience, and steadfast resolution, under such trouble as never met in the like height upon any mere creature, for a trifle? Ah did He not serve me so! I will arm myself with the like mind.

Dost thou idle away precious time vainly, and live unusefully to Christ in thy generation? What is more apt to convince and cure thee, than such remembrance of Christ as this? O when thou considerest thou art not thine own, thy time, thy talents are not thine own, but Christ's; . . .This will powerfully awaken a dull, sluggish, and lazy spirit. In a word, what grace is ther that that this remembrance of Chrst cannot quicken? What sin cannot it mortify: What duty cannot it animate: O it is of singular use in all cases for the people of God.

Men, in the face of intimidating obstacles, crippling insecurities, fears of failure, love of ease, and temptations to sloth, not to mention antagonistic personalities, overwhelming circumstances and seemingly impossible odd, let's with God's help today work out our own salvation with fear and trembling!

Should a lover of Christ marry an unbeliever?

2007-04-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

Should a lover of Jesus Christ marry an unbeliever? How do we know the answer to that? What if a person becomes a Christian after marriage to an unbeliever?

The book of 2 Chronicles as well as Ezra teach that part of the repentant life of faith is not marrying an unbeliever, who in biblical terms is also called an idolater. Here is why: If you marry an unbeliever he or she will divide your heart.

Much of the idolatry in Israel came from marrying spouses who loved idolatry. King Jehoram, for example, marries a daughter of Ahab, a wicked king and she influenced his heart for ill: "And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." (21:6, all references from 2 Chronicles unless specified). King Jehoshaphat, a good king, marries one of the Ahab's relatives as well (18:1). During the reign of Asa, a pretty good king, he had to depose his grandmother Maacah as queen because she was leading the people into sin (15:16). Who was Maacah? She was the wife of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. And Rehoboam himself, the chronicler tells us, is the offspring of the union between Solomon and one of his Ammonite wives (12:13). All this goes back to King Solomon who intermarried with foreign wives who turned his heart from God.

What is the lesson? Marrying someone who is not fully allied with God will always yield grief and often times result in great evil.

For those returning to Jerusalem the message couldn't have been clearer: “Don't intermarry with the other nations! Intermarriage leads to disaster!” God had warned the people of Israel of this all the way back in Deuteronomy 7:3 and they did not listen and it lead to their downfall the first time.

Now, we aren't trying to set up a nation like Israel, but God is very clear that a marriage of a believer to an unbeliever is not His will (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14). Why? Well, how attractive can you, who are supremely attracted to Jesus Christ as a believer, find someone who is not? How attractive can that person really be? Now, if you came to be supremely attractive to Jesus Christ after you were married, then God can give you wonderful sustaining grace to keep you in that marriage. That is His will in that case.

But if you are single and free and are biblically able to marry, then the Bible tells you to seek a spouse who loves the Lord as much if not more than you do! He or she will help you and influence you as God intends. If you, a believer, marry an unbeliever, then you will not have exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ and you will not display the character of God as clearly as you can.

What a great deal!

2007-04-18T07:20:00.000-04:00

Doxa Digital Press is offering 27 books for $27. Can't beat that price! (HT: Chailles). I downloaded these last night and this is for real. You actually get twenty-four books plus three free books that come with Bible Explorer. I downloaded and installed the Bible Explorer program first. When you register the program you get some additional free books. Then I downloaded this collection from Doxa Digital. There are some books that I would differ with theologically but there are some great deals.

On the Virginia Tech killings: the problem of evil

2007-04-18T06:52:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the responses I have read and would recommend for their biblical worldview on the Virginia Tech killings.

Dr. Albert Mohler: Facing the Reality of Evil

Tim Chailles on Praying for Blacksburg: contains reports from two pastors who are ministering to that campus, families and their churches as you read.

Caroyln McCulley shares some appropriate Scripture

John Piper offers 21 ways to minister to people during such times.

Doug Philips on the Horror at Virginia Tech

What is the answer Christians should be giving to what needs to change after this massacre? The answer is not firing the college president, installing more x-ray machines, enacting stricter gun laws or closing our borders. The answer is a new heart. The heart is deceitftul and above everything else, desperately wicked. We need new hearts that love Christ.

Act Like Men!

2007-04-17T07:12:00.000-04:00

Grace Community Church just completed a men's weekend conference at the Master's College. Nathan Busenitz blogged about it here. The first address was delivered by John MacArthur on Acting Like Men before God. Among other things he pressed home the truth that as men we must begin with knowledge of the word of God, then truly believe that knowledge deeply and finally love the Word of God and its truth wholeheartedly. He outlined this process as knowledge, information and affection.

He asked, "What is it to be manly? It is to stand firm in the principles and purposes of God, to go forward for the sake of the kingdom, knowing that God has given us the strength and promised us the victory."

True men are courageous, but courage doesn't flow from mere knowledge or principle, it flows from affection. At one point he remarked, "In many ways today, we are watching the emasculation of the church. We have a church without courage, without conviction, in which the Word of God is de-emphasized. What we need is men who love Christ, love the truth, and stand boldly for what they love."

Yes, Lord, give us men men who stand firm on the Word, who are informed by Scripture, who act courageously, who live counter-culturally, and who are strong in Christ! Give us Davids who rally others by stating, "Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”(2 Samuel 10:12)

Heaven blares about the cross!

2007-04-16T09:26:00.000-04:00

Yesterday in the Adult Bible Fellowships at my church, the teacher spoke to us on Isaiah 53. I heard a message recently by C.J. Mahaney on this text which made a great impression upon me. As Charles Spurgeon said, "This chapter contains a topic that is worthy of an angel's tongue; it needs Christ Himself to expound it." This chapter is the Bible in miniature and the gospel in its essence.

Derek Tidball in The Message of the Cross submits, “Here then is the one of the peaks of the OT revelation of God. From its summit we can look across the intervening centuries and see the distant coming of Christ. From our vantage point we obtain a clear view of His work on the far off summit of Calvary and gain a definitive perspective on its meaning. This song takes us to the heart of the human problem and to the heart of the divine mind.”

And Franz Deilitzch thought, "It looks as if it had been written beneath the cross upon Golgotha."

This prophetic chapter depicts our crucified Lord and “When we behold the disfigurement of the Son of God, when we find ourselves appalled by his marred appearance, we need to reckon afresh that it is upon ourselves we gaze for he stood in our place.” (Calvin).

“Jesus Christ, who was moved to do everything necessary to save us, endured and exhausted the divine judgment for which I was otherwise inescapably destined. So he won for us forgiveness, adoption, and glory. To affirm penal substitution is to say that believers are in debt to Christ for this and this is the mainspring of all their joy, peace, and praise both now and for eternity.' (J. I. Packer)

The OT prophet focuses our attention on the cross. So do the Gospels. And Paul shows us that apostolic preaching featured Christ and Him crucified! Even in the book of Revelation the emphasis on the cross is great. It seems as if heaven does not get over the cross as if there are better things to think about. Oh no, heaven is cross centered and "quite blaring about it" (Jim Eliff).

If heaven is quite blaring about the cross, then may we never get over it. May we never be less than increasing amazed with the cross. For there Jesus suffered for us because of our sins!

A message from Pastor Spurgeon

2007-03-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

I preached on 1 Timothy 4:13 as part of my message this last Sunday. "Until I come devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture. Charles Spurgeon preached a very heart stirring message on this text on September 5, 1912 which will help you learn how to read the Bible well in your own private worship of God. In summary he urges us to READ and. . .

Depend on the Spirit of God
Meditate
Apply
Practice
Pray
Try
Tell out what you have read

Spurgeon ends the message by saying,

"What a grand crown and close to this night’s service it would be could we be used of God to bring a soul from darkness to light, and from slavery to liberty. We cannot do it of ourselves; but God may help us. Would you not walk a mile, ay! many miles to do it? Well, you need not walk miles. It is quite possible that the very person, who, as it were by chance, is sitting next to you to-night, is the person whom God has predestinated to be blessed, and to be blessed by you. At any rate, try it. There shall be nothing lost, there may be much gained. Why hath God taught the truth to thee? For thine own good? Ay, but thou art not to be selfish! Be thou, at least, as unselfish as the three lepers, who, when they found the Syrian camp deserted and an abundance of gold and silver, said, “We do not well to stay here; this is a day of good tidings; let us go in the city and tell.” Dear friend, thou doest not well if thou readest only for thyself. Having read go out and tell what thou hast read, and the blessing shall come into thine own bosom, even if it go not out to others, and thou shalt be blessed, and God shall be glorified."

50 Ways to Coach Your Children

2007-03-07T07:36:00.000-05:00

I read Steve Farrar's Point Man several years ago and benefitted from it greatly as a dad. He has a more recent book called Anchor Man which I have not read yet but Colin Adams has and highlights one section from the book where Steve gives 50 Ways to Coach Your Children that are very helpful.

1. Coach them how to pray.
2. Coach them that the most important book in all the world is the Bible - and that they should read it every day.
3. Coach them in how to buy a car by taking them with you the next time you buy one.
4. Coach them how to use the library.
5. Coach them in how to stand up to a bully and defend themselves.
6. Coach your sons that men protect women.
7. Coach them about money - at least 10 percent to God, 10 percent to savings, live off the rest (and while they are living under your roof, they can take 10 percent for spending money and bank the other 70 percent).
8. Coach them to never make a major purchase without thinking about if for at least 24 hours.
9. Coach them to dribble with their left hand.
10. Coach them ahead of time how to handle pornography.
11. Coach your daughters that there are two kinds of beauty - outside and inside - and that inside is more important to you and God.
12. Coach them to respect and obey authority - parents, teachers, police officers etc.
13. Coach them to be kind to kids at school whom other kids make fun of.
14. Coach them not to cheat on homework or tests.
15. Coach them to immediately return the money when they have been given too much change.
16. Coach them to do a job right - the first time.
17. Coach them to open a door for their mother.
18. Coach them to share their victories, joys, sorrows, defeats and hurt with you. You do that, by the way, by listening.
19. Coach them to do what’s right when no one else is around, because Jesus is always around. And Jesus will reward them because they have character.
20. Coach them not to lie - before they get into the habit.
21. Coach them that some things are more important than sports- like Sunday worship.
22. Coach them to change their oil every 3000 miles - and get your daughter a cell phone when she starts driving (trust me on this…you’ll have a a better quality of life).
23. Coach them to say no to movies that their friends, even their Christian friends, say yes to.
24. Coach your son to be a gentleman.
25. Coach your daughter to be a lady.
26.Coach your son to tie a tie and polish his shoes - before he’s thirty.
27. Coach them that when you say no you mean no.
28. Coach them that it’s pretty great to kiss your wife.
29. Coach them that their very best friend ever will always be Jesus.
30. Coach them to call home if they’l be late - and to keep the battery charged on the cell phone.
31. Coach them to stand to alone.
32. Coach them that they aren’t followers - they are leaders.
33. Coach them that its better to be respected than popular.
34. Coach them that motherhood is the most important job in the world and definitely more important than a career.
35. Coach them that it’s a father’s job to provide for his family.
36. Coach them that God wants men to lead in the home and in the church.
37. Coach them to never give personal information to someone they don’t know on the phone.
38. Coach them that even if they do not make it to the NBA, they are going to have to do something else for the next forty years.
39. Coach them that good daddies hug and kiss but they also spank, and they make sure to hug and kiss after they spank.
40. Coach them to know what to look for in a husband.
41. Coach them to know what to look for in a wife.
42. Coach your daughter that both God and you think she is very, very, valuable - and she won’t act cheap.
43. Coach your son to keep his hands off his date.
44. Coach them how to handle a checking account by letting them have one when they are in high school.
45. Coach them to love people and use things - instead of the other way around.
46. Coach them to measure twice - and saw once.
47. Coach them that Daddy will never leave Mommy.
48. Coach them that the narrow way is always the best way.
49. Coach them that there is nothing they could ever do that would make you stop loving them.
50. Coach them that there is nothing they could ever do that would make God stop loving them.

After the Amen: pray and do it

2007-03-05T10:53:00.000-05:00

What did God teach you from the Word of God recently? Maybe from yesterday's message in your gospel-preaching church?

Often in my life I know what God wants me to do and ask others to pray for me about this. Frequently other Christians will say things to me like, "I know God wants me to read the Bible [or ssubstitute "witness, pray, serve. lead in family worship, etc."]. I am praying about doing that. Will you pray with me?" How often do we substitute prayer for action. Here is a good Monday morning wake up call for our "disobedience" in praying for things we know God wants us to do. We need to pray and do, not just pray about doing!

We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism. To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don’t hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God. Quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Enlist!
--C.T. Studd

What is sin?

2007-03-01T06:42:00.000-05:00

Romans 6-8 is a glorious passage on holiness and the Christian. It is so helpful in learning about how to overcome sin and temptation in our lives. We often rail against many preachers, churches, and even the world who don't take sin seriously anymore. And yet I find that every time I sin it is because I don't take it seriously either. Before you read the quote below stop and ask yourself the question, "What is sin?" and then read the thorough, biblical description that John Piper gives of it. After doing so, I think you will agree that we need to take sin much more seriously.

What is sin?

Sin: The ultimate outrage of the universe

What makes sin sin is not first that it hurts people, but that it blasphemes God. This is the ultimate evil and the ultimate outrage in the universe.

The glory of God is not honored.
The holiness of God is not reverenced.
The greatness of God is not admired.
The power of God is not praised.
The truth of God is not sought.
The wisdom of God is not esteemed.
The beauty of God is not treasured.
The goodness of God is not savored.
The faithfulness of God is not trusted.
The promises of God are not relied upon.
The commandments of God are not obeyed.
The justice of God is not respected.
The wrath of God is not feared.
The grace of God is not cherished.
The presence of God is not prized.
The person of God is not loved.

The infinite, all-glorious Creator of the universe, by whom and for whom all things exist (Rom. 11:36) – who holds every person’s life in being at every moment (Acts 17:25) – is disregarded, disbelieved, disobeyed, and dishonored by everybody in the world. That is the ultimate outrage of the universe.

Why is it that people can become emotionally and morally indignant over poverty and exploitation and prejudice and the injustice of man against man and yet feel little or no remorse or indignation that God is so belittled? It’s because of sin. That is what sin is. Sin is esteeming and valuing and honoring and enjoying man and his creations above God. So even our man-centered anger at the hurt of sin is part of sin. God is marginal in human life. That is our sin, our condition.

Eight Reasons Why I Believe Jesus Rose from the Dead

2007-02-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

John Piper helps the church with this article. Print this out, be familiar with it, put it in your wallet or purse and keep it handy as a reference when someone pipes up with, "Hey, what do you think about this lost tomb of Jesus" or "Did you see the documentary on Jesus tomb on Discovery Channel?

A great site made better

2007-02-28T13:26:00.000-05:00

If you aren't aware of the work of John Hendryx at monergism.com, let me introduce you to each other. John has had a great site for years, but not it has a totally new design and look that will make it much more accessible! Support this man's relentless efforts to provide great Biblical content for free. What a great resource for helping us be well-nourished in the words of the faith and healthy teaching.

Much ado about nothing: The Discovery of Jesus' Tomb

2007-02-28T13:12:00.000-05:00

I am sure by now that you have seen something about the documentary that will be shown on Sunday night on the Discovery Channel with evidence suggesting that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and how they have unearthed Jesus' tomb alongside Mary and their son named Judas.

Don't lose any sleep over this latest sensational attempt to disprove that Jesus was the Son of God and that he rose from the dead. It happens every year around this time.

On the other hand, lots of people have seen this story in the newspaper, on the internet, or on one of the talk or new shows as there is a massive pre-publicity effort underway, especially since a well-known Hollywood producer is in on this hoax. So this will likely come up in your conversations with unbelievers in the next few days. Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have in Christ.

Here are a number of resources that are credible responses and make some excellent points worth pondering.

Transcript of Dr. Al Mohler on Larry King Live Monday night (you have to scroll down awhile after the interview with Mrs. Laura Bush)

Don't Lose Any Sleep Over Jesus' Lost Tomb

A host of other great links with refutation

The need for godly men!

2007-02-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

Pastor John MacArthur discusses the need for godly men in this video clip from the Resolved Conference.

After the Amen

2007-02-26T07:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I urged our church family to train themselves to be godly. This will take much toil and striving (1 Timothy 4:7b-10). Those words suggest suffering, hardship, pain, and lots of effort. We are not used to such things as we live here in the United States of Abundance as some third world countries refer to us. We are used to prosperity and not tribulations. We think it strange to have to struggle, agonize, and work to the point of exhaustion for anything good almost.

Godliness is worth all the effort thought because it holds value for this life and for the life to come. Laboring in godliness requires that we fix our hope on the living God who is our Savior.

We can find encouragement from a letter that was written by a pastor named Clement who shepherded God's flock in Rome apparently around 100 AD. Thus he lived around the time of John who died on the Isle of Patmos. He wrote these words

But do not let it trouble your mind that we see the unrighteous possessing wealth while the servants of God experience hardships. Let us have faith, brothers and sisters! We are competing in the contest of a living God, and are being trained by the present life in order that we may be crowned in the life to come. None of the righteous ever received his reward quickly, but waits for it. For if God paid the wages of the righteous immediately, we would be engaged in business, not godliness; though we would appear to be righteous, we would in fact be pursuing not piety but profit.

Clement reminds us that as we train ourselves to be godly, we must have faith. We must be like Abraham "was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10). In the great chapter of Hebrews 11, we are reminded that "all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised" (Hebrews 11:39). We want to see instant results in our godliness and it doesn't always happen as fast as we desire.

Clement's quote also reminds us that it is often the struggles, the hardships, the sufferings that train us best. Martin Luther said, "My tribulations are more necessary for me than meat and drink." Jesus sets the pace for us, Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him" (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Finally, we can learn, as Victor Kuligin points out in his book Ten Things I Wish Jesus Never Said, that "immediate rewards can cause us to lose sight of the important things we should focus on." We are so willing to trade heavenly treasures for worldly waste. Augustine reminds us well, "There remains the pleasures of these eyes of my flesh. . .Let not these occupy my soul; let God rather occupy it, who made these things, very good indeed, yet He is my good, not they."

We need to keep these things in mind as we train ourselves for godliness!

Taking up my cross daily

2007-02-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23, ESV).

Taking up my cross truly causes me to concentrate on God, to trust in Him more fully, and to stop relying on my own strength and wisdom.

Martin Luther once wrote in his Table Talk, "It is impossible for a human heart, without crosses and tribulation to think upon God."

So my heart sings though I do not live it like I should:

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still mine own.
Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

Some audio message gems

2007-02-20T08:04:00.000-05:00

I couldn't go to Minneapolis, MN for this year's Desiring God Pastor's Conference but I am working my way through listening to the messages on line. The original audience was more than a thousand pastors but there are gems for every Christian. You can read a synopsis of each sermon here and then listen on line if you wish.

If you have never heard R. C. Sproul preach on Isaiah 6 and the Holiness of God, this is vintage Sproul! God has used R. C. to particularly enlarge this generation's vision of God's transcendence.

So far, my favorite message has been William MacKenzie's message highlighting literature in the life of global missions. I always enjoy hearing a Scottish preacher anyway and this man is full of stories of God's great providence using the printed page to change the lives of millions in the past and still today! This is a message all members of your family would enjoy.

The treasures of church history

2007-02-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

I just finished a book this morning entitled Pages from Church History by Stephen J. Nichols. Stephen has written several very readable books on the lives of major figures in church history. This book devotes one chapter to thirteen such men who made a mark on the church. Each chapter provides an excellent overview of each man's life with a lot of personal information and vignettes. The rest of each chapter considers one of the man's major writings, normally a book or two, and ends with the continuing legacy of this man's influence in the church today.

For example, Nichols spends several pages unfolding the life of John Bunyan, the beloved author of Pilgrim's Progress and several other lesser known books such as The Holy War which some of our church children are reading this year. Bunyan was imprisoned for holding an illegal religious service. He was to be released after three months, but his three month sentence turned into twelve years because he could not promise that he would not preach again when he was released.

Nichols picks up the story:

He feared most of his family as they would be without support, and he absolutely dreaded what might await his beloved blind daughter, Mary.

The church in Bedford rose to the occasion and supported the family throughout his imprisonment. Bunyan also contributed to his family's support by making shoelaces. So his fears for his family were never realized. In fact, Mary eventually memorized the route from her home to the prison, and the highlight of Bunyan's day came every evening as Mary arrived with a bowl of soup for her father. While she brought soup, Elizabeth [his wife] made daily treks to the courthouse to plead for her husband's release. . . .Always a lover of music, he fashioned a flute from one of the legs of his formerly four-legged stool.

Of course, Bunyan spent much of his time in prison writing his books as well. Eventually he was released from prison and spent the rest of his life preaching and writing. He was imprisoned again for six-months but was released largely due to the efforts of John Owen. H died on August 31, 1688 having contracted a fever on a horseback ride to London to preach.

Our study of Scripture ought to be a first-order discipline in our lives. But the study of church history can definitely be a worthwhile second-order discipline. This year I have already benefited not only from this work but also by listening to John Piper's biographical sketch of Andrew Fuller, a contemporary of and huge supporter of William Carey. Piper has delivered several such talks on men like Owen, Bunyan, Mueller, and Judson to name a few. Also our family is reading Piper's little 80 page book on William Wilberforce which has some great gems of truth. Even our youngest son is enjoying this journey into church history as we learn about Wilberforce's younger years and his steadfast, joyful perseverance in serving God in government and in the church!

Nichols ends his work with a balanced reminder of how we should interpret the lives of men and women in church history by noting,

Our tendency is to go on one extreme or the other. On the one hand, we tend to nearly idolize our heroes. Historians call this hagiography, the turning of our heroes into saints who can do no wrong. On the other hand, we can unduly judge them against modern standards or standards developed later in time. . . .Succumbing to either tendency causes us to misread and misapply history.

Reading church history doesn't have to be boring. It can be exhilarating and thanks to men like Nichols, John Piper, and Steve Lawson, it is easily accessible to us today.

Amazing Grace: The Life of William Wilberforce

2007-02-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

The long awaited movie on the life of William Wilberforce arrives in theatres this Friday. I haven't seen the movie so I can't speak with first-hand knowledge of it, although I am cautiously optimistic that it is done well from what I have read of it by some respected Christians who have seen the movie.

Against great obstacles William Wilberforce, an evangelical member of Parliament, fought for the abolition of the African slave trade and against slavery itself until they were both illegal in the British Empire. Many are aware of Wilberforce’s role in bringing an end to slavery in Great Britain, but few have taken the time to examine his beliefs and motivations that spurred him on for decades.

Before seeing the movie, it would be helpful to read a book by John Piper (free and on-linehere).

Loving Leviticus!: The burnt offering

2007-02-19T08:16:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading in Leviticus as part of my Bible reading. I have never really done an in-depth study of all the sacrifices and their meaning. But I have learned some insights this time around by using a wonderful book called Rose's Book of Bible Charts, Maps and Timelines. So far I have read about four types of offering.

The burnt offering represents complete surrender and dedication to God. It reminds me of such verses as this one: "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17).

God calls each one of his children to complete dedication to him, "" 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." (Romans 12:1, ESV)

The apostle Paul who wrote the above words is a great example of what complete dedication to God looks like. While he was in prison, he wrote the Phillippian church, "Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all." (Philippians 2:17, ESV). As he faced imminent martyrdom he again wrote, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:6-7, ESV).

Absolute surrender of my life to God is His will for my life.

After the Amen: the influence of the world

2007-02-19T08:13:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest enemies to being "constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:6) is the continual droning of the world all around us with its siren songs. If you love the world, it will affect your friendships, decisions, thought life, conscience, passion for God, much more.

So, what effect is the world having on you? Do you see how it brings subtle and relentless pressures on you? Do you see how it creeps up on you little by little? Are you missing it?

Jerry Bridges has written “The world. . . is characterized by the subtle and relentless pressure it brings upon us to conform to its values and practices. It creeps up on us little by little. What was once unthinkable, then becomes thinkable, then doable and finallly acceptable to society at large. Sin becomes respectable, and so Christians finally embrace it. It is my perception that Christians are no more than five to ten years behind the world in embracing most sinful practices.”

We have to think real carefully about how the world influences us right now through television, music, movies, the Internet, friendships. Here are some questions to consider:

1.What are your favorite TV shows, movies, and bands?
2.What values do they promote?
3.How do their values compare to the Word of God?
4.Do you critically evaluate TV shows, your music? How?
5.Is there anything you refuse to watch or listen to. Why?
6.What types of Internet sites do you tend to visit?
7.How do you determine which sites are worth exploring?
8.Do you think your entertainment habits please God?
9.What qualities do you look for in friends?
10.Do you see these qualities in your current friends?
11.Do your friends influence you toward godliness or worldiness?

How to get the most out of your Bible reading

2007-02-09T04:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Steve Camp for bringing to our attention some wonderful and helpful thoughts from Thomas Watson on how to gain maximum impact in our Bible reading and study of God's Word. This is practical stuff. Here is an excerpt. If you want the full version of Steve's thoughts, click here.

1. Remove hindrances. (a) remove the love of every sin (b) remove the distracting concerns of this world, especially covetousness [Matt. 13:22] (c) Don't make jokes with and out of Scripture.

2. Prepare your heart. [1 Sam. 7:3] Do this by: (a) collecting your thoughts (b) purging unclean affections and desires (c) not coming to it rashly or carelessly.

3. Read it with reverence, considering that each line is God speaking directly to you (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7-11).

4. Read the books of the Bible in order.

5. Get a true understanding of Scripture. [Ps. 119:73] This is best achieved by comparing relevant parts of Scripture with each other.

6. Read with seriousness. [Deut. 32:47] The Christian life is to be taken seriously since it requires striving [Luke 13:24] and not falling short [Heb. 4:1].

7. Persevere in remembering what you read. [Ps. 119:52] Don't let it be stolen from you [Matt. 13:4,19]. If it doesn't stay in your memory it is unlikely to be much benefit to you.

8. Meditate on what you read. [Ps. 119:15] The Hebrew word for meditate' means to be intense in the mind'. Meditation without reading is wrong and bound to err; reading without meditation is barren and fruitless. It means to stir the affections, to be warmed by the fire of meditation [Ps. 39:3].

9. Read with a humble heart. Acknowledge that you are unworthy that God should reveal himself to you [James 4:6]

10. Believe it all to be God's Holy Word. [2 Tim 3:16] We know that no sinner could have written it because of the way it describes sin. No saint could blaspheme God by pretending his own Word was God's. No angel could have written it for the same reason. [Heb 4:2]

11. Prize the Bible highly. [Ps. 119:72] It is your lifeline; you were born by it [James 1:18] you need to grow by it [1 Pet 2:2] [cf. Job 23:12].

12. Love the Bible ardently [Ps. 119:159].

13. Come to read it with an honest heart. [Luke 8:15] (a) Willing to know the entire and complete will of God (b) reading in order to be changed and made better by it [John 17:17].

14. Apply to yourself everything that you read, take every word as spoken to yourself. Its condemnation of sins as the condemnation of your own sin; the duty that it requires as the duty God would require from you [2 Kings 22:11].

15. Pay close attention to the commands of the Word as much as the promises. Think of how you need direction just as much as you need comfort (Psalm 119:9-11).

16. Don't get carried away with the minor details, rather make sure to pay closest attention to the great things [Hosea 8:12].

17. Compare yourself with the Word. How do you compare? Is your heart something of a transcript of it, or not? (James 1:21-25)

18. Pay special attention to those passages that speak to your individual, particular and present situation. e.g. (a) Affliction -- [Heb. 12:7, Isaiah 27:9, John 16:20, 2 Cor 4:17. (b) Sense of Christ's presence and smile withdrawn -- [Isaiah 54:8, Isaiah 57:16, Ps. 97:11] (c) Sin -- [Gal 5:24, James 1:15, 1 Peter 2:11, Prov 7:10&22-23, Prov 22:14] (d) Unbelief -- [Isaiah 26:3, 2 Sam 22:31, John 3:15, 1 John 5:10, John 3:36]

19. Pay special attention to the examples and lives of people in the Bible as living sermons. (a) Punishments [Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Num 25:3-4&9, 1 Kings 14:9-10, Acts 5:5,10, 1 Cor 10:11, Jude 7] (b) mercies and deliverances [Daniel, Jeremiah, the 3 youths in the fiery furnace]

20. Don't stop reading the Bible until you find your heart warmed. [Ps 119:93] Let it not only inform you but also inflame you [Jer 23:29, Luke 24:32].

21. Put into practice what you read [Ps 119:66, Ps 119:105, Deut 17:19].

22. Christ is for us Prophet, Priest and King. Make use of His office as a Prophet [Rev 5:5, John 8:12, Ps 119:102-103]. Get Christ not only to open the Scriptures up to you, but to open up your mind and understanding [Luke 24:45]

23. Make sure to put yourself under a true ministry of the Word, faithfully and thoroughly expounding the Word [Prov 8:34] be earnest and eager in waiting on it.

24. Pray that you will profit from reading [Isaiah 48:17, Ps 119:18, Nehemiah 9:20].

Natural obstacles You may still be able to profit from reading even though:

1. You don't seem to profit as much as others do. Remember the different yields [Matt 13:8] though the yield isn't as much as others it is still a true and fruitful yield.

2. You may feel slow of understanding [Luke 9:45, Heb 5:11].

3. Your memory is bad (a) remember you are still able to have a good heart despite this (b) you may still remember the most important things even if you cannot remember everything, be encouraged by John 14:26.

Love Christ with an "overtopping" love!

2007-02-08T07:32:00.000-05:00

I recommend that you check out Steve Camp's blog on a regular basis. On "Theology Thursday" this week I offer you some of his meditations on the love of God and then in response our love for God, which one Puritan said should be a "superlative, overtopping love."

All of the law and prophets are contained in the two great commandments: "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." And the second is like unto it, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30-31). To love the Lord with every fiber of our being is the great privilege and joy of every true believer in Christ. It is the primary motivation for our worship, service, obedience, and daily life with each other. As our brother John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him." That is genuine biblical love in action.

Love, though, is such a watered down and misunderstood word today--even in the church. We use the word love in such a casual way, even when referring to inanimate objects, that it seems to lose its very meaning if we fail to understand it biblically. Simply put, biblical love is not an emotion or feeling; it is not conditioned upon anther's response. True love, agape love--the love of God as demonstrated through Christ Jesus our Lord on the cross is four things: it is unmerited, undeserved, unfailing, self-sacrificial, and unreciprocated. In other words, He does not love us because we are lovable, lovely, or doing philanthropic acts of kindness lovingly. He loves us not because He finds good things in us to love, but because it is His divine self-pleasure and elective choice to do so (Ephesians 1:4-14). "God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
His love is unmerited, because we cannot earn it... it is His grace gift to us in Christ Jesus on the cross.
His love is undeserving, because in and of ourselves we are worthy only of His justice, enmity and wrath; worthy only to be sentenced to an eternal hell, a perditious suffering that knows no end, because of the sinfulness of our sin that has rendered all mankind by nature as "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:1-2).
His love for us is unfailing, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).
His love is self-sacrificial, for Christ gave His life as a ransom for many by paying once for all the ultimate price for our redemption from our sin. Think of it beloved, if Jesus had not fully satisfied God on the cross as a "propitiation for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17) it would be impossible for God to love me or you.
Lastly, His love is unreciprocated, for even an eternity of praise and worship to Him can never repay Him for His unfailing love.
I so appreciate the Puritans... they are my favorite body of authors for theology and practical Bible study. Even though much of the language they used seems by today's standards to be formal, flowery, and archaic, one thing is certain, the Puritans had a high view of God and His Word and loved Him truthfully, wholly and unashamedly. In reading and listening to their words we also will be brought to that same place of worship, love and awe of our holy God.

Thomas Brooks is one of my favorite Puritan writers and he has blessed us with a powerful remembrance of what it means to "love the Lord Jesus Christ." I have reprinted his words for you below with the hope that it will refresh and renew your hearts today to love the Lord Jesus Christ!

"Look that ye love the Lord Jesus Christ with a superlative love, with an overtopping love. There are none have suffered so much for you as Christ; there are none that can suffer so much for you as Christ. The least measure of that wrath that Christ hath sustained for you, would have broke the hearts, necks, and backs of all created beings.

O my friends! There is no love but a superlative love that is any ways suitable to the transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus. Oh, love him above your lusts, love him above your relations, love him above the world, love him above all your outward contentments and enjoyments, yea, love him above your very lives; for thus the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, saints, primitive Christians, and the martyrs of old, have loved our Lord Jesus Christ with an overtopping love: Rev. xii. 11, 'They loved not their lives unto the death;' that is, they slighted, contemned, yea, despised their lives, exposing them to hazard and loss, out of love to the Lamb, 'who had washed them in his blood.'

If you want to be inspired more here is Steve's post in its entirety.

Celebrating the homegoing of a Christian

2007-02-08T07:21:00.000-05:00

I never met Alan Groves but I will one day in heaven. Alan was a professor of Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Westminster Theological Seminary in PA. He was promoted to heaven this week. He and his family kept a blog for the last year relating day to day events of his living with cancer. Here is his wife Libby's beautiful, moving, faith-filled account of his homegoing.

Al is home with Jesus, safely through the Valley of the Shadow, and he has woken up in the glorious sunshine of heaven, face to face with the savior he has loved for 44 years. We are so glad!!

Al slipped mostly out of consciousness during the night, maybe around 2 a.m., and starting around 10 this morning he began struggling to breathe. We thought that meant that he would pass away soon, but he remained with us for ten more hours, laboring to breathe all that time. We kept talking to him, singing, reading Scripture, praying, touching him, and visiting around his bedside, occasionally laughing–even uproariously on two occasions. He was there in the midst of us, very much a part of us, even when he was to all appearances unresponsive. They say that people in that state can hear what is being said, so we kept including him in our conversations. We kept telling him how much we loved him and were thankful for him, and we kept telling him how thankful (and even envious) we were that he would soon be seeing Jesus face to face. Sometimes we laughed, sometimes we cried, and often we sang songs of worship.

Our hope from the beginning was that we could all be there at the moment that Al actually died, but after a mostly sleepless night last night we realized that we would need to sleep tonight and that probably we would not all be awake when it happened. That was okay, because we had had so much wonderful time with him in the past several days. Each of us let go of that expectation with peace.

Yet the Lord graciously arranged it so that in fact we were all there in the room with him when he died. Some of us got there only a few seconds before, but we were all there. Al simply took his last breath, his heart slowed down, and he was gone. We cheered, we cried, we hugged each other, we practically literally danced with joy at the sure knowledge that Al was free–from pain, from exhaustion, from labored breathing, from the fibromyalgia that has pummeled him for years and years, from cancer, and from death itself. There just weren’t enough ways to express the joy we felt. The best we could do was sing with every bit of gusto in our souls the song “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand.”

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
and cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
where my possessions lie.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

O’er all those wide extended plains
shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns,
and scatters night away.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

No chilling winds or poisonous breath
can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
are felt and feared no more.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

When I shall reach that happy place,
I’ll be forever blest,
For I shall see my Father’s face,
and in his bosom rest.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

What a celebration! No doubt the sadness will set in, perhaps tomorrow, but for tonight we can feel only joy, intense and exhilarating. And relief. We have all been walking around since heaving sigh after sigh of relief and feeling the tension, and concern, and adrenaline drain out of our bodies.

Since we had been praying over and over for two days that God would come and take Al home and waiting and waiting for him to answer that prayer, we yearned for that release and homecoming more than anything. So when it finally happened, there was nothing left to feel but joy–no regret, no wising for more time, no vestiges of wanting to hang on. Perhaps that was God’s gift to us in making us wait. His timing is perfect.

I have to go, as there is still lots to do, but I wanted to let you know that the Lord’s faithful servant is home at last in his Father’s house. Hallelujah! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

Where to look in distress

2007-02-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

Last evening at our congregational prayer meeting I presented some thoughts from Psalm 17. At the conclusion of my message I mentioned that Harry Ironside liked to link three verses together in the Psalms.

As for "This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him." (Psalm 18:30, ESV)

"As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;" (Psalm 103:15, ESV)

"As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness." (Psalm 17:15, ESV)

The first teaches that no matter what comes into our lives—sickness, financial trouble, family problems—whatever is, God makes no mistakes. His way is perfect.

The second teaches that we can't expect too much from man; he won't live forever.

So, therefore I will put my hope in God and be satisfied with His righteousness!

This psalm reminds us of our focus as repentant believers in Jesus Christ in times of distress.

When attacked by the world, believers should look upward to God in prayer, asking for his divine help in perilous times! “Though the outlook is bleak, the uplook is always bright.”

We should also look inward! We should make sure that our own hearts and lives are right and make sure that our sin has contributed to the attack or that we are responding in the wrong way to such an attack. "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)

And we should look forward to the day when the heat of adversity will be no more. Look forward to the glory of heaven and the beauties of the world to come. This world is passing away, but heaven is eternal!

A faithful and godly wife

2007-02-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts from Gary and Betsy Ricucci's book on how husbands ought to love their wives.

Now it is the ladies turn. In one chapter, this couple gives trustworthy biblical teaching about how wives can fulfill their God-given calling in marriage. They don't offer an exhaustive list, but their thoughts will make you think and if implemented will be highly effective in helping you be a godly wife.

God gives three basic commands to wives in Titus 2:3-5. Wives must love, respect and submit to their husbands.

A wife can cultivate love toward her husband by. . .

Pray for him and with him
Learn to understand him
Communicate in ways that serve him
Demonstrate physical affection to him
Enjoy shared activities with him.

A wife should demonstrate and cultivate respect for her husband (Ephesians 5:33b) in her thoughts, words, and actions. To test the level of respect for your husband, you might ask:

Am I more aware of my husband's deficiencies or his strengths?
Am I more inclined to criticize my husband (whether verbally or in my heart) or to commend him?
Have I failed to express respect for my husband because I'm so concerned about a particular area of sin in his life?
Have I ever thought, If I encourage him in one area, will he think I'm condoning everything else he does that's wrong?

Respecting your husband begins with the right thoughts. This is one way that a wise woman builds her house well. So a wife should evaluate her thoughts as follows:

What thoughts spring to my mind when I think of my husband?
Do these thoughts honor my husband?

Wives should seek to commend and encourage their husbands with respectful words--at all times. A wife should ask herself:

How do I speak to my husband when we are alone?
How do I speak to him in public?
How do I speak of him to others?

Respectful actions speak volumes as to how you view your husband. So you may ask:

Do I show respect to my husband through my actions? How so?
Do I freely display affection for him through appropriate contact (depending on the circumstances)?
Do I listen intently to him when he is speaking, whether in public or private?
Do my deeds communicate a lack of respect, inattentiveness or even indifference. . . like interrupting him, looking elsewhere when he's talking, or forgetting to get to things he asked me to do?

There is much more practical help in this chapter, so you might want to get this book and read it as a couple. [Hey, what a great read for February and with Valentine's Day around the corner]

The goal of every wife should be to be an "excellent wife" who is "the crown to her husband" (Proverbs 12:4a). This is "a woman who endeavors by God's grace to give her utmost to the great call of being a faithful and godly wife--and God gives grace where he intends to reveal grace."

After the Amen

2007-02-07T13:01:00.000-05:00

On Sunday I preached from 1 Timothy 3:14-16 about the church's calling, conduct and confession. Paul wrote 1 Timothy so that we might "know how one ought to behave in the household of God." Our conduct as a local church and as individual Christians is vitally important for it affects our evangelism. God cares about how we act because God desires that all men come to the knowledge of the truth. As ones who know and believe the truth we ought to have a passion to see others taste and see that God is good and be saved.

John MacArthur just wrote an article that shows the importance of our conduct as individuals who belong to the church of the living God. In "A Case for Holy Living" he points out 3 reasons that our conduct matters:

It honors God's Word
It silences the critics
It adorns the Gospel

God help us to live lives that are worthy of the gospel to which we have been called!

Blessings from the Blog

2007-01-27T12:12:00.001-05:00

Steve Camp provides us some good questions to evaluate our evangelism presentations.

Josh Harris has completed a three part series on moral purity. His book Sex is not the Problem (Lust is) has been very helpful to many people battling unbiblical thinking and who are putting to death the old nature. One article by Scott Croft has raised a whole lot of controversy recently in the Christians blogosphere but I think he makes some excellent points. His thesis is as follows: "I believe the Bible to teach that all sexual activity outside of marriage is sin, and all romantically oriented physical activity is sexual activity. In my view, this includes premarital kissing." Read it for yourself.

The fellows over at Pulpit Magazine produced an excellent series on the KJV only controversy that seems to always be dogging churches.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Something you probably haven't heard about Islam

Blessings from the Blog

2007-01-27T12:12:00.000-05:00

Christians must read!

2007-01-27T12:03:00.000-05:00

Reading other books should never replace reading the Bible. But reading Christian books is still very important to a healthy Christian today. And you don't have to read a lot of books or even read a lot every day to nourish your soul. Did you know that if you read just a few pages a day, you can read several books a year? Reading just ten pages a day means you can read one solid Christian book a month; that is twelve a year. If you can't read that much then, read a page a day like Don Whitney advised some homeschooling moms to do. (Of course, after one page, you probably will want to read a few more. Half the battle is just sitting down and starting to read. Is anyone's "to-do" list every complete?)

So, after you read and meditate some on God's Word, pick up a doctrinally sound Christian book and read! And also encourage your children at a very early age to read. The world is lamenting that fact that young people aren't reading anymore. Christians can't afford not to be "readers" as Al Mohler points out in this excellent article.

Our identification with Christ

2007-01-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

I have been memorizing and meditating on Romans 6:5 this week which says, "If we have been united with him in a death like this, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." This verse speaks of my identification with Christ as a believer. This is what theologians call positional truth. For those who are repenting of their sin and trusting in Christ, we are in Christ. When he died, we died. When he rose again, we rose again with him.

Pastor Kent Hughes comments on Romans 6,

The specific emphasis of verses 3–5 is that we are so profoundly identified with Christ’s death and resurrection that we actually did die with him and truly were raised with him, so that we now share in his resurrection life. Again the Scriptures attest to this. Galatians 2:20 tells us: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 6:14 says: “… the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Just as we died with him, we were also resurrected with him. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). Whereas before we had only a solidarity with Adam’s sin, now that has been broken and we have a solidarity with Christ, the Second Adam, in his death and resurrection. We need to know and count on this if we are to experience victory over sin.--Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans : Righteousness from heaven. Preaching the Word (124). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

The practical outworking of this is what Paul develops in the next few verses which we will look at next week. But first we must know these truths before we can live them. And when we do know them they will have a profound impact on overcoming sin and temptation.

Self-control in the new year and every day

2007-01-26T14:47:00.000-05:00

We are now almost through the first month of a new year. Those new year resolutions and goals that you may have set may be a distant memory. Some have already given up on working on their prayer life, reading through the Bible, daily Scripture memory, losing weight, cutting down your TV viewing or getting your finances back in line after blowing the budget during December.

I find that I fail miserably at a goal if I don't have a specific plan and some accountability in place to work toward that goal. I fail if I say, "Well, I just want to improve my prayer life." Women who say, "I just want to be more organized at home this year" are setting themselves up for failure. The person who says, "I want to be more humble" will feel defeated if they don't have a measurable plan. The same goes for those trying to work on patience or spending money faster than it comes in.

Dr. Ed Welch, has a timely word on this subject. After you read it, develop your plan, use self-control, and ask someone to hold you accountable for it.

". . . the desire for self-control must be accompanied by a plan. If self-control demands thoughtfulness, and if it ultimately declares war on both our own flesh and Satan’s temptations, then there must be a strategy. If our battle was against an insignificant foe, then planning would be unnecessary.

However, given that our enemy is subtle and crafty, a strategy is essential. This is just one of the ways that New Year’s resolutions get thrown onto the scrap heap. Having eaten too much over the holidays, we make a resolution to eat wisely. But our decision usually lasts no longer than dinner the next day. Or, having been caught buying drugs, we figure that the vague sense of remorse will engender abstinence, and we don’t even think that next week we will feel the same drug-desires and have access to the same drug-users and drug-dealers. In these situations, there was no thoughtful plan, no consideration of the spiritual dominion involved, no calling out for the grace of God in Christ, no real desire to take one’s soul to task, and no pleas for help and counsel from other brothers and sisters.

A good indicator of whether or not you want to grow in self-control is this: do you have a clear, public strategy? Put another way, if anyone says, “I am really going to change this time – I don’t think I need any help,” then that person has yet to understand the biblical teaching on self-control. It is one thing to make a resolution; it is something completely different to repent, diligently seek counsel, and, in concert with others, develop a plan that is concrete and Christ-centered.

The heart of any plan, of course, must be Jesus Christ. Self-control is like any other feature of wisdom in that it is learned by contemplating a person. Strategically, this is unprecedented. We would expect God to yell at us and tell us, again, to shape up, but God’s ways, being much better than our own, are rarely predictable. Rather than give us twelve steps on which to rely, he gives us a Person to know. As Jesus is known and exalted among us, you will notice that self-control becomes more obvious. The double cure for sin is the foundation for all change. That is, in the gospel, we have been released from both the condemnation and the power of sin. We have been freed “to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he rescued from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thess. 1:9, 10).

Ed Welch, "Self Control: The Battle Against 'One More'" (not available online, published in The Journal of Biblical Counseling 19/2 [Winter 2001]: 24-31)

Husbands leading with love

2007-01-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

I have been battling a cold for the last several days and therefore my goal to blog daily has been been disrupted, but I thought I would try to get back on track a little bit today and catch up on at least a day or two of blogging themes. So here is my weekly on marriage and the family.

I am continuing to be challenged by a book Love that Lasts by Gary and Besty Riucci. After establishing the need for the gospel in a marriage, Gary deals with the role of husbands leading with love. He reminds us men to love our wives graciously and sacrificially. Sacrifice means more than just providing for her; it means making sure that she never has to sacrifice before or more than we do. He lists these thought-provoking questions to query ourselves.

Is there some way I can give myself to serve my wife?
Where do I see selfishness in my life that hinders unreserved love for my wife?
Am I withholding something of myself that would bless my wife – my attention, affection, or creativity?
What is God calling me to give up because it diverts my attention and affection from my wife?

God's Word also teaches that we must love our wives redemptively, remembering our model is Christ's love for His church. Therefore every husband might ask himself these questions:

Do I faithfully pray for her, that Jesus Christ might be glorified in her and that she might know his love and grace?
Do I love her enough to confront and correct her sin, especially recurrent patterns of sin, and then patiently and consistently lead her into fruitful and liberating repentance?
Do I wash her with the water of God’s Word (Ephesians 5:25-27), or do I compromise her growth in godliness because my pride, selfishness, or fear keeps me from this God-given responsibility?
Do I lead her into active involvement and service in our local church?
Do I consistently remind her of the gospel of grace and of god’s active goodness on our behalf?

In addition, over in 1 Peter 3, God's Word teaches us to love our wives with understanding and with honor.

To really love our wives like this leads us to what Ricucci calls "desperate dependence" which explains by writing,

Desperate is exactly where God wants us. Far from being a desperation devoid of hope, it is a self-despair that acknowledges absolutely no inherent adequacy, sufficiency, or competency for the task. It is a desperation that turns the eyes of faith toward the God of grace. There, and there alone do we discover complete and perfect adequacy, sufficiency, and competence (2 Corinthians 1:20)

It comes down to this: we can love and lead our wives because, and only because, Christ first loved us (Galatians 2:20). Our role originates in the gospel, is empowered by the gospel, and is perfected through the gospel. We can love and lead our wives because our Savior, Jesus Christ, loved us, gave himself up for us, and leads us each day in mercy and grace.

If such a standard leaves you feeling defeated, take Gary's advice and remember that the most important question isn't "How badly have I failed?" but rather with all God's limitless grace at my disposal, "What can I do today to trust, obey, and glorify Christ in my marriage by loving, serving, and leading my wife?"

A la carte!

2007-01-22T22:55:00.000-05:00

Another free book for you to download and read. I am working my way through it in hard copy. Amazing how you can sit at the feet of the masters now for no or little cost. Owen deals more practically, thoroughly, and biblically with the doctrine of sin and temptation better than anyone I know.

Al Mohler reflects very personally on some life lessons he has learned in a time of recent crisis. It is great to have Dr. Mohler back on line and behind the microphone again. He also has a great post on "A Search and Destroy Mission against Down Syndrome Babies." Well worth the time reading both articles!

Finally, someone has way too much time on their hands.

On Abortion

2007-01-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Reflect on what abortion is all about today on the 34th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. This video is disturbing, but it will make you stop and think and realistically portrays where this "choice" has lead us.

After the Amen!

2007-01-22T18:09:00.000-05:00

At our Sunday services yesterday, there were various elements to our worship. I often pause to wonder why in God's providence He leads us to select certain songs, Scripture readings, and other parts for the worship service.

I am convinced though that God has chose those songs and Scripture for He knows someone needs that truth then or will need it in the week to come. I am also amazed how by God's providence not even with our forethought he brings one part of the service together with another part.

For example, yesterday I spent sometime exhorting us as a congregation from Ephesians 4 regarding our interpersonal relationships with the rest of the body. I asked each member to rate themselves in regard to humility, gentleness, patience, building up the body, and speaking the truth in love. Some of that meshed so well with our Scripture reading from Philippians 2 which speaks of Christ's humility and gentleness and Timothy and Epaphroditus' example of building up the body of Christ.

Also my brother and fellow pastor inserted a song Jesus, Your Name that speaks in part about the comfort of that name that is above all names. As that immediately preceded the message, I sensed a prompting to share a song that I have just heard, God Reigns in the Storm. It is just amazing to see God's sweet providences in the "order of service." Here are the words to this new song by Steve and Vikki Cook. You can hear a sample of it and download the music here.

There's a tempest that can flood the soul
When troubles pound like crashing waves.
In these afflictions I have realized
There's a place that I can hide.
I know that God has promised me His strength,
And His Word can never fall.
He is faithful, O so faithful.

There's a midnight that can fill the soul
When the darkness knows no end.
And though it feels like I am all alone
There's a truth that gives me hope.
I know the One whose counted all my tears,
And He is nearer than my breath
He is with me, always with me.

There are Sovereign hands holding all my days
Yes I know God reigns in the storm
Every trial and pain wisdom has ordained
Yes I know God reigns in the storm.

There's so many things that I don't understand,
but I know His every plan for me is good!

Blogging about God

2007-01-21T06:24:00.000-05:00

An article appeared in the Erie Times-News about me and a few other pastors who blog in the Erie area. On the front page of the newspaper, there was a large 'ad' for the article which actually appeared on the last page of the newspaper. The editors gave a lot of copy space to the article as well as running a separate article on the same theme and listing both my blog address as well as our church website address. I am praying that it will increase traffic to both sites as well as leading some people to visit Garden Heights Baptist Church.

Blessings from the Blog

2007-01-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

Providence and Abortion: Tomorrow our church, like many others across the country, will be devoting some of our worship to testifying to the sanctity of human life as we observe the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Tim Chailles has a thoughtful post about Sentences in the Book of Providence on this theme.

A Gospel Primer: We (Christians) never outgrow our need of the gospel! C. J. Mahaney has helped us immensely in this area of living a cross-centered life. He has said, “If there’s anything in life that we should be passionate about, it’s the gospel. And I don’t mean passionate only about sharing it with others. I mean passionate about thinking about it, dwelling on it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to color the way we look at the world. Only one thing can be of first importance to each of us. And only the gospel ought to be.” (C.J. Mahaney, The Cross Centered Life, 20-21) Here is an excellent resource I am currently reading that is proving of immense encouragement to me in preaching the gospel to myself every day. (HT: girltalk)

Here is an on-line exclusive: Phil Johnson interviewing John MacArthur on the doctrine of election. I would encourage anyone who has struggled with this doctrine - or has professing family members or friends whose view of election is far from the truth - to listen to this interview themselves and also to direct others to it here.

Growing Up Christian: "Have you known anyone who seemed to be a Christian throughout his teenage years, but when he went off to college dropped his faith and stopped following God? Have you known anyone who actively participated in youth meetings and church missions trips, but after high school no longer pursued God or the things of God?" Karl Graustein, who wrote Growing Up Christian, has four posts that ought to be read by teens and young adults who have been raised in Christian homes and by Christian parents who are trying to raise their children in the church. Wise words here in this four part series

Part 1: The Dynamics of Growing Up Christian
Part 2: False Assurance
Part 3: Un-Amazing Grace
Part 4: Failing to Develop Personal, Biblical Convictions

What happens when you die?

2007-01-19T23:08:00.000-05:00

The aim of the church I pastor is to "disciple passionate worshippers of God by living God's Word and proclaiming God's truth to everyone we can."

God's truth is not very politically correct today. It never has.

But if you want to know what God says about what happens when you die or hell's best kept secret, check this site out that explains God's truth clearly when it comes to your eternal destiny. (After the introduction, click on icon 1 or 3.)

If you want to understand who Jesus really is, go here.

If you live in the Erie, PA and want to learn more about God's truth, please visit us here for more information.

Ryan Ferguson recites Hebrews chapters 9 and 10

2007-01-19T22:38:00.001-05:00

Do you need some inspiration to memorize Scripture this year? Here you go!

This video is from the WorshipGod06 Conference Aug. 9-12, 2006. Ryan Ferguson is giving a memorized dramatic recitation of Hebrews 9 and 10 from the ESV Bible. God’s Word is powerful.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version is copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Necessity of God's Word

2007-01-19T07:24:00.000-05:00

In this inaugral post on Christian living and the spiritual disciplines, I think it is fitting that I point out the absolute centrality of the Word of God!

Oh, how I long to be a strong believer, not a weak one. This is my heartfelt cry of prayer to God for the flock I shepherd. But so often in my spiritual journey and so often in my conversations with others I find that so many professing Christians struggle with so many problems but they can't get past "first base" in solving those problems for they aren't Word-saturated Christians. Our intake of the Word of God is minimalistic at best. Because of this we are anxious, unhappy, and beset with sin.

Several years ago, I put this quote on a half sheet of paper, hung it up on my wall and made copies of it available to the congregation I serve. Oh God, stir your people to see the radical importance of being Word-saturated Christians!

"If you don't read the Word and memorize the Word and meditate on the Word daily and delight in the Word and savor it and have your mind and emotions shaped by the Word, you will be a weak Christian at best. You will be fragile and easily deceived and easily paralyzed by trouble and stuck in many mediocre ruts. But if you read the Word and memorize important parts of it and meditate on it and savor it and steep your mind in it, then you will be like a strong tree planted by streams of water that brings forth fruit. Your leaf won't wither in the drought and you will be productive in your life for Christ (see Psalm 1). "--John Piper

Knowing Christ

2007-01-18T06:13:00.000-05:00

Paul cries out, "I want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death" (Philippians 3:10, NIV). Knowing Christ, or knowing God (the title of J. I. Packer's classic book) should be the heart of our lives. We ought to pursue a knowledge of the Holy One with a passion, but that knowledge should always lead to worship and heart transformation. Right theology should lead us to a right worship and love for God.

Samuel Guzman over at Christian Research Net writes

I believe that one reason we do not see power in the fundamental churches today is that we do not know God in the way that we should. I am not talking about right theology, for we have plenty of that. We have built our theology on the shoulders of the great men of God, and right it may be, but why did those great men of God shake the world while we remain helpless bickering armchair theologians? It is because they knew God. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that theology plays an essential role in the Christian church. Without right theology, we cannot know who God is or what He requires of us. But there seem to be so much fear of over emphasizing the Holy Spirit, that we fear any knowledge of God that goes beyond a dry intellectual sense. If you take the time to read any of the writings of the great men of God, Augustine, Luther, Tozer, and of course the Apostles, you will be impressed with one thing: God was real to these men and their hearts overflowed with love for him. I believe that’s what we are missing. We have figured God out, we have analyzed him into a cold abstract, and we have lost our love.

As a post on Thursday's on the theme of theology, I trust that it will awaken and stir up within all of us a love for God. My goal, by the grace of God, is to enlighten the mind and awaken the affections so that we pursue God more and say with Paul, "I want to know Him!" Knowing more about God causes us to know more of His love for us and causes us to see more of His love and care for us. Both are important.

David is a great example of a person who knew God, but His theology of God set His heart on fire for God. He knew God deeply but he also knew Him personally, not abstractly. He called God "my rock, my strength, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my shield, my horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my redeemer."

John Owen helps us to know Christ more in his book called Communion with God by spending much time just revealing the glorious nature of Christ.

Christ is all-glorious:

glorious in his throne, which is at “the right hand of the Majesty on high”
glorious in his commission, which is “all power in heaven and earth”
glorious in his name, a name above every name—“Lord of lords, and King of kings”
glorious in his scepter—“a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of his kingdom”
glorious in his attendants—“his chariots are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels,” among them he rides on the heavens, and sends out the voice of his strength, attended with ten thousand times ten thousand of his holy ones
glorious in his subjects—all creatures in heaven and in earth, nothing is left that is not put in subjection to him
glorious in his way of rule, and the administration of his kingdom—full of sweetness, efficacy, power, serenity, holiness, righteousness, and grace, in and toward his elect—of terror, vengeance, and certain destruction toward the rebellious angels and men
glorious in the issue of his kingdom, when every knee shall bow before him, and all shall stand before his judgment-seat.

Knowing you, Jesus!--there is no greater thing! You are my all in all!

You and your anger!

2007-01-16T11:29:00.000-05:00

The Bible assures you that if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can overcome anger. That is the good news of the gospel.

Often people say, "But I just can't overcome or control my anger." But what they really mean is "I won't overcome it or I don't want to overcome my anger."

You can control your temper when you really want to, when you are highly motivated to do so, and when you make a strong effort. You are able to keep your anger within at critical times in your life when you do not want others to think ill of you. We learn to respond angrily in the presence of family members, even though we have learned to not get angry in front of others.

One of the best deterrents to anger is how we think! As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

Think about how anger damages your relationship to your spouse, your children, and God! Anger damages your relationship to your wife, husband, and to God. Here is an article that will help you do just that.

In the Bible there are three kinds of anger: God's righteous anger, human righteous anger, and human unrighteous anger. Anger, like every other emotion that God has given us, is a proper and useful emotion when it is expressed in a manner that is consistent with the principles of Scripture and used for the purposes that God set forth in His Word.

Robert Jones in Uprooting Anger points out that righteous anger must meet three criteria: 1) it reacts against actual sin 2) it focuses on God and His Kingdom, rights, concerns, not on me, my kingdom, rights, and concerns and 3) it is accompanied by other godly qualities and expresses itself in godly ways . (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Uncontrolled anger is never acceptable. It is always sin. We express uncontrolled anger by blowing up. The Bible says to put such wrath, anger, and rage away from us. (Ephesians 4:31).

The opposite of blowing up is clamming up. This is what we call bitterness and this to is to unacceptable to God (Ephesians 4:31). The answer to loss of control of temper is not resentment.

Both ways of expressing anger (clamming up or blowing up) do not solve problems and they displease God. They grieve His Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Such anger only creates new problems, it never solves the current problems biblically.

Jay Adams has written that anger is a powerful, motivating force that is intended to destroy, something. It must be used to destroy the problem, not the person. Clamming up destroys the angered person. Blowing up destroys others.

So, what do we do? We aim our energies at solving problems God's way, not our way.

You will never defeat anger on your own. First, you must become a subject of a new kingdom by repenting of your sin of rebellion against God and unbelief in His Word and "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry (Psalm 2:12). You must trust the Lord Jesus Christ! The only people who can control anger are those who have Christ and are yielded to His Spirit.

Are you ready for eternity? Are you ready to meet God? Do you think he will just excuse your anger and your sin? Click here if you want to find out what God has to say about your eternal destiny.

If you are trusting Christ and are serious about overcoming anger in your life, David Powlison of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation has developed this helpful worksheet for you to help you analyze anger in your life and put this sin to death! Use this worksheet the next time you get angry. You will find it helpful in living out the reality of Romans 6:13, "Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."

1. Ponder the following passage from Ephesians.

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 4:29-5:2).

Read it over 3-4 times. Take it slowly. Emphasize different sentences, phrases, words. Where do you tend to misfire in this area? Notice how God boxes us in: you can’t “keep to yourself” (bitterness), or “go to the other person” (wrath and anger), or “go to other people” (clamor and slander)! We are driven to deal with our attitudes before God, and then deal constructively and mercifully with others. Notice how persistently Paul puts specifics about the Lord into the picture. He knows we need strong and sweet-tasting medicine in order to deal with anger. What most strikes you about this passage?

2. Now work through our six questions.

Situation: What circumstances trigger your anger or complaining? What pushes your buttons?

________________________________________________________________________

Reaction: How do you express anger (thoughts, emotions, actions)?

________________________________________________________________________

Motive: What are your “buttons”?
I want _____________________.
I must have____________________.
At all costs, I don’t want _______________ and must avoid it.

Message: What specific things does God reveal about Himself (right in this passage), that bid to do battle with your angry reactions?

________________________________________________________________________

You might also start to fan out into the surrounding sentences in Ephesians.

Turn: Bring the real you in your real world to this Savior and Father. Have a conversation about what matters. Talk to God about these things. It is a huge step to verbalize out loud that our “buttons” (idols, cravings) are core sins, and to verbalize that we need the very mercies that are held out as our example. Christ is not a “model” that we watch from afar and then seek to emulate. Rather, he actually treats us with mercy, so we experience his mercy. By doing mercy to us, he teaches us up close and personal to show mercy to others.

Respond: What are you now called to do (and to not do)? What specific actions express how faith-working-through-love replaces craving-working-through-anger? What can and must you do right now that is merciful? Or when you get back home later today?

________________________________________________________________________

3. Worship is the opposite of anger & grumbling.
What “consolations to delight your soul” do the hymns, ("Jesus, what a friend for sinners" & "How firm a foundation") offer, give, proclaim, embrace, hope in, delight in?

Build your marriage on the gospel!

2007-01-16T08:03:00.000-05:00

I am reading a book currently called Love that Lasts by Gary and Betsy Ricucci. Gary is a pastor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. His wife is C. J. Mahaney's sister. C. J. wrote the foreword to this book.

Most books, even Christian books, on marriage start right into the practical aspects of marriage like roles, communication, finance, and conflict resolution. This book covers all those areas, but unlike most Christian books on marriage, it starts off by relating the gospel to marriage. I can't remember any other book on marriage and relationships doing this. But then again I shouldn't be surprised by this for the influence of C. J.'s ministry is primarily about the cross and the gospel and obviously this has infected his relatives greatly.

The authors observe correctly that most Christians simply assume the gospel, misunderstand the gospel, or even ignore or miss the gospel when it comes to their marriage relationship. This being so, I fear that some people who read this book might skip the first chapter because they want "help" for their marriage. They think they know the gospel--been there, done that. But that reflects an attitude that compartmentalizes the gospel. We think the gospel has ramifications only for our eternal destiny. But that is so misguided and wrongheaded.

The authors give a marvelous summary of the gospel's impact on marriage.
Because of the gospel, Christians have become new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, in our marriage, our past does not define us, confine us, or determine our future.

Because of the gospel, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Therefore, we can live free of all guilt and condemnation for every sin, and we can trust that God, in his mercy, will be gracious to us.

Because of the gospel, we can forgive just as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32) Nothing done against us compares to osur sin against God. Therefore, all offenses, hostility, and bitterness between Christians can be completely forgiven and removed.

Because of the gospel, we are accepted by God (Romans 15:7). Therefore, we are not dependent on a spouse for who we are or what we need.

Because of the gospel, sin's ruling power over us is broken (Romans 6:6, 14). Therefore we can truly obey all that God calls us to do in our marriage, regardless of any circumstance or situation.

Because of the gospel, we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore we can at any time take any need in our marriage to the One who can do all things.

Because of the gospel, we have hope (Romans 5:1-4). Therefore we can endure any marital difficulty, hardship, or suffering, with the assurance that God is working all to our greatest good (Romans 8:28).

Because of the gospel, Christ dwells in us by His Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). Therefore we are confident that God is always with us and is always at work in our marriage, even when progress is imperceptible (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Because of the gospel, we have power to fight and overcome remaining sin, which continues to dwell and war within us (Romans 7:19-21, 24-25; Galatians 5:16-17). This indwelling enemy represents the essence of what is called the doctrine of sin.

The gospel can transform your life and your marriage! If you are looking for hope in your marriage, you will find it in the gospel (even if and especially if you have been a Christian for a long time. If you are unmarried or pursuing a relationship, I urge you to build your life on the gospel! You and I never, never, never outgrow our need for the gospel. In order to have a God-glorifying marriage, you must build your life and marriage on the gospel!

So, think about this today: Using the above list of truths about the gospel, how can you specifically apply God's grace and the gospel to your marriage? Where do you see areas of weakness in your life or relationships that reveal a deficient application of the gospel?

After the Amen!

2007-01-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I preached on biblical eldership in congregationalism and sought to answer this question, "Is plural, elder-led, congregationalism biblical?"

Since we are a Baptist church, another question people also have is, "Are elders Baptist?" Many people think that elders are unbaptistic. But a brief survey of Baptist history shows that this position is untenable. A survey of historical Baptist confessions of faith shows that up until the late 1800's, most Baptist churches had the word elder in their terminology.

John Piper has done an excellent job presenting the historical usage of this word in Baptist documents so I see no need to duplicate his research. He writes, "The purpose of this historical survey is to show that, from their earliest beginnings Baptists, have held to the view that the two ongoing church offices presented in the New Testament are elders and deacons, and that only in more modern developments has the eldership largely disappeared from Baptist churches."

Piper concludes his article by making this imporant point:

Of course our only infallible rule for faith and practice is not tradition, either old or new, but rather, is the Word of God. Nevertheless, we believe that humility and wisdom commend the careful consideration of what our fathers in the faith have taught and practiced. We are not the sole possessors of truth. And we are very prone to be blind at the very points where perhaps they saw clearly. The least we can say from this historical survey of Baptist Confessions is that it is false to say that the eldership is unbaptistic. On the contrary, the eldership is more baptistic than its absence, and its disappearance is a modern phenomenon that parallels other developments in doctrine that make its disappearance questionable at best.

But in the end, the issue is whether the Bible itself teaches a form of church governance including elders and deacons as the two abiding officers of the church.

If elders used to be found in Baptist churches, why did they seem to disappear? Mark Dever in The Display of God's Glory explains, “Elders could be found in Baptist churches in America throughout the eighteenth century and into the nineteenth century.” But our century is different. During most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, elders fell out of normal Baptist structure and church life. Dever suggests that the change in structure may have been caused by either the neglect of biblical teaching or the rapid spread of the church into the frontier regions of our nation. With so many churches started so quickly, the local leadership may have been hampered in forming the plurality of elders. The growth of Baptist by 1844 “represented an increase of 360 percent in thirty years,” while the population increase of the nation was only 140 percent in the same period. Much of the growth took place in rural and frontier areas under untrained ministers planting churches among a people of imbued with individualistic and democratic ideologies in the wake of the American Revolution. The Baptist emphasis on congregationalism, combined with the early American emphasis on individualism, likely resulted in the decline of churches being governed through elder plurality. Additionally, with the move into the frontier, the “one elder” structure of a pastor, who often served several churches, was a necessity of last resort rather than biblical conviction.

Another great resource that has helped me understand that elders are baptistic is Phil Newton's Elders in Congregational Life.

After the Amen!

2007-01-15T19:27:00.000-05:00

I am thinking about the idea of blogging on a different theme every day of the week. For example, here is what each day might look like:

Monday: After the Amen! Something from my message on Sunday. This may be just an extended quote from my message or it may be something more in-depth that I didn't have time or take the time to develop in the message.
Tuesday: Some insight on the family, marriage, or parenting
Wednesday: a blog on a common problem in our lives that God gives us counsel on through His Word
Thursday: Theology musings
Friday: Christian living or spiritual disciplines
Saturday: Blessings from other blogs
Sunday: a brief prayer or praise or maybe just a day of rest from blogging.

I don't know if I will be able to maintain this schedule but it is worth a try!

Two books for free!

2007-01-15T10:50:00.000-05:00

John Piper has just released two outstanding books that you can either read for free on-line or you can get a hard copy.

If you ever experience depression, know someone who does, or simply pray at times, "Lord, restore to me the joy of my salvation", then I would strongly recommend John's book When the Darkness Will Not Lift.

Also John has written a book on the life of William Wilberforce, a radically God-centered Christian who spent his lifetime fighting for the abolition of the African slave trade and against slavery itself until they were both illegal in the British Empire. The release of this book coincides with the upcoming movie Amazing Grace which will be premiering in February.

Both these books will help you to treasure and savor Jesus Christ even more.

Good success

2007-01-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

We live in a success-driven culture. That is indisputable. The big problem is that our culture defines success for us and as Christians we either consciously or unconsciously buy into these measures of success. We think success is a bigger home, nicer car, better job, etc. And so often we have such a great concern for the things of men, that we define success by man's yardstick, rather than our own.

But what is God's definition of success. If we really fear God and keep his commandments we will be more concerned with a Godward definition of success than what man thinks. Man, of course, looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

At the beginnning of Jesus' ministry he described what true happiness and true success looked like internally in his longest recorded sermon, the message from the moutain (Mathew 5-7). This wasn't just a sermon teaching us how to live in a future kingdom. Nor was it a sermon that simply gave us some ethical guidelines by which to get along with other people. It was a message that described how a true child of God would live. It laid down the requirements for the subjects of King Jesus. When Jesus described in the opening verses what a truly "blessed" person looked like, he changed all the "price tags" of what contentment and internal happiness really was. When He delivered those words, he turned man's thinking on its head as to what constituted true "success." No one would have considered a person who acknowledged his spirititual bankruptcy, mourned over their sin, sought after meekness, really hungered and thirsted for God's righteousness and thus demonstrated mercy, purity and peace-making and counted it joy when they were persecuted and reviled for their life and message as happy or successful. (Matthew 5:2-12). But this is what true happiness or success really is.

As a pastor I have to continually struggle against what I perceive to be success or what others perceive to be success over and what God says is success in ministry. Kent Hughes has helped me think biblically about this in his book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome. Here are some of his biblically rooted observations from Scripture that may encourage you today in your life.

Success is faithfulness: "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." (1 Cor 4:1-2)

Success is serving: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave." (Mat 22:25-27)

Success is loving: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?...'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." (Mat 22:37-38)

Success is believing: "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Heb 11:6)

Success is prayer: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (Col 4:2)

Success is holiness: "Be holy because I am holy." (Lev 19:2)

Success is attitude: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, though being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing." (Phil 2:5)

The words of a godly man have helped me so often in my life. He said, "Remember, Dwight. God doesn't call you to be successful. He calls you to be faithful." Those words have encouraged me so often and helped to regroup or reevaluate my life and ministry.

May we remember the words of God to Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." God help us to be faithful to the Gospel, loyal to Christ, and fearing God not man! That is true success.

Family Worship

2007-01-10T08:50:00.000-05:00

Family worship is something that I have worked on for some years with a lot of ups and downs. I have found some help in this area from Erik who dubs himself the "Irish Calvinist." There is no right way and no wrong way to do family worship. The key components would be some Scripture, prayer, and maybe a song. You have to adapt family worship to your family situation. What works for older children obviously would be over the heads of little, elementary children. In our family, I have to have some components for each along with feeding my wife and my soul during this time. The goal is to start somewhere and try to build consistency in this area.

Among other pieces of advice in this article are these:

Be in the Word yourself
Make it fun
Take time for application
Teach prayer
Gospelize your children

Training the hearts of our children is a command from God for parents to fulfill. Read the whole article and implement the wisdom. Then watch as God uses this time to transform your family more into Christ's likeness.

Memorizing long passages of Scripture

2007-01-07T17:06:00.000-05:00

If you want to memorize and extended portion of Scripture, here is one of the best guides for doing so. I encouraged my congregation this morning to memorize Scripture because Scripture memory will solve 1000 problems before they occur, heal 1000 wounds after they occur, and kill 1000 sins in the moment of temptation. Scripture memory will help you discern the 1000 different deceptions that Satan allures us with to sin which lead to 1000 miseries.

2007-01-06T06:43:00.000-05:00

Over at the Family Room, the men are discussing the importance of first things at the beginning of the new year. One contributor in tackling the issue of your time with God in the Word writes,

As you consider your approach to spending time with God how would you evaluate your passion and pursuit of encountering His presence? Here are some questions to get you thinking:

• Do I meet with God daily in His Word?

• Are my times rushed or am I consistently distracted when I spend time with God?

• When I spend time with God do I leave refreshed and reminded of the Gospel?

• Am I provoked by my time with God in such a way that I desire to share with others?

• Do others notice an increasing desire to spend time with God?

Good questions to consider. Read the full post here.

Prayer is the forerunner of mercy

2007-01-06T06:41:00.000-05:00

"Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. Turn to sacred history, and you will find that scarcely ever did a great mercy come to this world unheralded by supplication. You have found this true in your own personal experience. God has given you many an unsolicited favor, but still great prayer has always been the prelude to great mercy with you. . . .Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it. If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly." --Charles Spurgeon

Cultivating a hunger for God's Word

2007-01-03T06:45:00.000-05:00

John MacArthur gives us some very theologically-rooted practical advice as to how to really hunger and thirst after God's Word this year in this article. A summary of this exposition on 1 Peter 2:1-3 is that you cultivate a hunger for God's Word by:

Remembering your life source
Eliminating your sin
Admitting your need
Pursuing your growth
Surveying your spiriutal blessings

Noel Piper has some helpful advice here from her own personal experience in trying to read through the Bible. She met with a lot of frustration but read the whole article to find what turned her into a "hunter" and gave her great motivation in her reading the Word. Some things that helped her included the following:

Noel didn't necessarily start in January, but started "anytime now".
She didn't start "in the beginning" but in "unknown territory".
She didn't read the Bible "in sequence".
She didn't split her reading into 365 "equal segments".
She took only the Bible along with her for "reading material".

New Years Goals and resolutions

2007-01-02T08:40:00.000-05:00

The world is big into making new years resolutions. The usual ones have to do with more self-discipline, better time management, more kindness, etc. There is a biblical basis to make resolutions: "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

Jonathan Edwards made seventy resolutions as a young man. Nathan Busenitz over at Pulpit Magazine does a great job of categorizing them into ten overall goals that every Christian should have for the new year. It is worth reading and posting somewhere so that you can keep these goals in front of you not only this week but 365/24/7.

Praying for two godly leaders in Christ's church

2007-01-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Here are two prayer requests that have come to me via the blogosphere.

Rick Phillips at the Reformation 21 blog asks for prayer for Dr. D. James Kennedy.

Please pray for Dr. D. James Kennedy, his wife and daughter, and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Dr. Kennedy is in grave condition following a heart attack last evening.
Jim's health has deteriorated markedly in the last several months, and he has manfully continued his ministry to the best of his ability. During all my interactions with him even during this trying time, he has exhibited his characteristic good cheer, charm, and force of mind. Along with being a man with great vision for the kingdom of Christ, Jim Kennedy is a true Christian gentleman. Please pray for God to restore him to full health and give him grace as his situation should require.

And from Albert Mohler's blog comes another request:

Dr. Albert Mohler is recovering at Louisville's Baptist East hospital following abdominal surgery. Dr. Mohler was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday after experiencing abdominal pain. During a three-hour procedure, surgeons removed scar tissue from a 1980s operation. Dr. Mohler is expected to be released from the hospital next week and will continue his recovery at home. . . . .Please join the Southern Seminary community in praying for Dr. Mohler's quick and total recovery.

On the Fullness of Christ

2007-01-01T11:35:00.000-05:00

Christ is full of "grace and truth"--

full, to a sufficiency for every end of grace
full, for practice, to be an example to men and angels as to obedience
full, to a certainty of uninterrupted communion with God
full, to a readiness of giving supply to others
full, to suit him to all the occasions and necessities of the souls of men
full, to a glory not unbecoming a subsistence in the person of the Son of God
full, to a perfect victory, in trials, over all temptations
full, to an exact correspondence to the whole law, every righteous and holy law of God
full to the utmost capacity of a limited, created, finite nature
full, to the greatest beauty and glory of a living temple of God
full, to the full pleasure and delight of the soul of his Father
full, to an everlasting monument of the glory of God, in giving such inconceivable excellencies to the Son of man.

John Owen, Communion with God (HT: Justin Taylor)

Bible Reading Plans for the New Year

2007-01-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

From the ESV Blog:

Sign up for any of our one-year Bible reading plans and get them delivered to your email each day starting January 1, 2007.

But you should think about signing up for our daily RSS feeds instead because technology has made daily email newsletters largely obsolete.

Let’s Talk RSS

RSS is a technology that lets you subscribe to lots of different sites and have the information you want delivered to you. You don’t need to worry about giving out your email address or making sure that the emails don’t get caught in spam filters somewhere: your subscriptions get delivered to you automatically whenever an update is available, and you can peruse them at your leisure. An updated post doesn’t cry out for attention the way a newly delivered email does.

The latest versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox have RSS reading built-in. So do the latest version of Outlook and many other email programs. Don’t want to use new software? No problem! Websites like Bloglines and Google Reader let you manage subscriptions from your current browser. It’s fast and easy.

Do you read this blog in your browser? We have an RSS feed that you can subscribe to, eliminating the need to visit this site to check for new posts. As always, all our reading plans are available as RSS feeds.

RSS hasn’t quite hit the mainstream yet, though its popularity in technical circles is undeniable. You’ll be surprised how many sites offer RSS feeds once you start looking for them. RSS makes it faster to get your daily dose of news (or whatever you’re interested in), especially if you visit a regular cadre of websites.

In short, RSS gives you all the advantages of email newsletters without the privacy implications or your having to jump through hoops to cancel your subscription. We encourage you to give it a try if you haven’t yet.

Not interested in trying something new? That’s fine, too. Feel free to subscribe to our new daily emails.

A New Years Prayer

2007-01-01T11:16:00.000-05:00

Length of Days does not profit me except the days are passed
in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains
sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbor,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls
my heart full of love,
my soul free.
Give me thy grace to sanctify me
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

--From the Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Never get beyond the gospel

2006-12-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds points to a great quote by Tim Keller on our need even as Christians to keep the gospel central in our lives. How easy it is to jettison the gospel in our lives and in our churches and to see ourselves as "already knowing that." A great book to do more study on this is The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges. Anything on the gospel by Bridges is worth reading!

We never “get beyond the gospel” in our Christian life to something more “advanced.” The gospel is not the first “step” in a “stairway” of truths, rather, it is more like the “hub” in a “wheel” of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C’s of Christianity, but it is the A to Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make all progress in the kingdom.

We are not justified by the gospel and then sanctified by obedience but the gospel is the way we grow (Gal. 3:1-3) and are renewed (Col 1:6). It is the solution to each problem, the key to each closed door, the power through every barrier (Rom 1:16-17).

It is very common in the church to think as follows: “The gospel is for non-Christians. One needs it to be saved. But once saved, you grow through hard work and obedience.” But Colossians 1:6 shows that this is a mistake. Both confession and “hard work” that is not arising from and “in line” with the gospel will not sanctify you—it will strangle you. All our problems come from a failure to apply the gospel. Thus when Paul left the Ephesians he committed them “to the word of his grace, which can build you up” (Acts 20:32).

The main problem, then, in the Christian life I that we have not thought out the deep implication of the gospel, we have not “used” the gospel in and on all parts of our life. Richard Lovelace says that most people’s problems are just a failure to be oriented to the gospel—a failure to grasp and believe it through and through. Luther says (on Gal. 2:14), “The truth of the Gospel is the principle article of all Christian doctrine… Most necessary is it that we know this article well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.” The gospel is not easily comprehended. Paul says that the gospel only does its renewing work in us as we understand it in all its truth. All of us, to some degree live around the truth of the gospel but do not “get” it. So the key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel. A stage of renewal is always the discovery of a new implication or application of the gospel—seeing more of its truth. This is true for either an individual or a church.

Don't become puffed up!

2006-12-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

I am preparing a message on qualifications of an elder from 1 Timothy 3. Verse 6 reads, "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil." Elders must be humble.

We all must be humble for "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:8).

Pride is what made the devil fall from being one of the most beautiful and exalted of all angels to taking up the role of God's archenemy.

Defeating pride is a lifelong pursuit. Pride is one of the three main categories of sin (1 John 2:15).

To defeat pride and cultivate humility we must identify pride, see its seriousness, confess sin, and become broken in spirit.

Below is a list that reminds us that pride is a hideous sin and that humility is a great virtue. Many of these quotes were compiled from Wayne Mack's book Humility: The Forgotten Virtue.

"Humility is "the contrary grace"—Cotton Mather

"It takes many forms and shapes and encompasses the heart like layers of an onion—when you pull off one layer, there is another underneath."—Jonathan Edwards

"It is hard starving this sin, as there is nothing almost but it can live upon."—Richard Mayo

"I know I am proud; and yet I do not know the half of that pride."—Murray M'Cheyne

"I am more afraid of pope 'self' than of the pope in Rome and all his cardinals."—Martin Luther

"I endeavored to take a view of my pride as the very image of the Devil, contrary to the image and grace of Christ; as an offense against God, and grieving of His Spirit; as the most unreasonable folly and madness for one who had nothing singularly excellent and who had a nature so corrupt."—Cotton Mather

"I kept a private fast for light to see the full glory of the Gospel. . . and for the conquest of all my remaining pride of heart."—Thomas Shepard

"That demon of pride was born with us, and it will not die one hour before us. It is so woven into the very warp and woof or our nature, that till we are wrapped in our winding sheets we will never hear the last of it."—Charles Spurgeon

"Pride is the essential vice, the utmost evil. It is the one vice of which no man in the world is free and of which hardly any people. . . ever imagine they are guilty themselves."—C.S. Lewis

"Pride is the mother of all evils"—Chrysosotom

"Those who think too much of themselves don't think enough."—Amy Carmichael

"Man is naturally a proud piece of flesh. This sin runs in the blood, but the godly do not allow themselves in it. Our first parents fell by their pride. They aspired to deity. There are the seeds of this in the best of us, but the godly do not allow themselves in it. They strive to kill this weed of pride by mortification. But certainly where this sin reigns and prevails, it cannot stand with grace. You may as well call him who lacks discretion a prudent man, as him who lacks humility a godly man. . . It is better to lack anything than humility. It is better to lack gifts rather than humility. No, it is better to lack "the comforts of the Spirit" than lack humility."—Thomas Watson

"I must try to describe pride to you. I might paint it as being the worst malformation of all the monstrous things in creation; it hath nothing lovely in it, nothing in proportion, but everything in disorder. It is altogether the very reverse of the creatures which God hath made, which are pure and holy. Pride, the first-born son of hell, is indeed like its parent, all unclean and vile, and in it there is neither form, fashion, nor comeliness.

In the first place, pride is a groundless thing. It standeth on the sands; or worse than that, it puts its foot on the billows which yield beneath its tread; or worse still, it stands on bubbles, which soon must burst beneath its feet. Of all things pride has the worst foothold; it has no solid rock on earth whereon to place itself. We have reasons for almost everything, but we have no reasons for pride. Pride is a thing which should be unnatural to us, for we have nothing to be proud of."—Charles Spurgeon

"There is one voice of which no man in the world is free, which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else, and which hardly any people except Christians ever imagine that they are guilty of themselves. The only people who do not see it that way are Christians. There is no fault that makes a man more unpopular, no fault which we are more conscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. According to the Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is pride. Unchastity (unfaithfulness), anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that are mere flea bites in comparison. It was through pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice. It is a completely anti-God state of mind."—C. S. Lewis

"Nothing sets a Christian so much out of the devil's reach than humility."—Jonathan Edwards

"There is nothing into which the heart of man so easily falls as pride, and there is no vice which is more frequently, and emphatically, and more eloquently condemned in Scripture."—Charles Spurgeon

Cultivating a love for Christ

2006-12-14T09:09:00.000-05:00

Magnify thy love to me according to its greatness,
and not according to my deserts or prayers,
and whatever increase thou givest, let it draw out greater love to Thee.

Victims of injustice

2006-12-14T08:16:00.000-05:00

I have been meditating on the theme of injustice and yesterday I witnessed some injustice firsthand. I have heard of unjust laws and unjust settlements, I have seen it before and yet yesterday I saw a concrete example of it.

The world is full of injustice. Life is not fair. If you have been verbally attacked, humiliated, treated with contempt or slandered, you have experienced injustice. If you have been sexually manipulated, molested, seduced, or raped, you have experienced injustice. If you have been the victim of financial fraud, you have experienced injustice. Victims of prejudice based on race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and disability suffer injustice.

Psalm 44 is just one example of scores in OT poetry of the righteous crying out when injustice occurs:

Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! (vv. 23-26)

Everyone who experiences injustice asks "Why me?" We ask, "Where is God? My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" We want God but we feel overwhelmed. Some even blame God as they grope for answers. Violence, betrayal, and abandonment hurt greately.

What do we do when we experience injustice? How do we help one who is writhing from pain from fresh injustice or is having difficulty with fear, bitterness and doubt? Psalm 10 is an excellent model for us to follow. David Powlison deals with this psalm extensively in an esssay in Seeing with New Eyes. God in his sweet providence brought this chapter to my eyes just a few days ago and it has helped me to react more biblically and Christlike to injustice.

Powlison offers several helpful insights. We must talk to God when we suffer. Talk out loud. We must think through how harmful people have mistreated us and how we may have sinned in the conflict or as a result of the injutice. We must remember that God will act against injustice and we should ask God to act, to destroy evil and bless good. And we must confidently affirm that the Lord who is King will right all wrongs one day. In these times we need to remember that God sees the hurt; He knows the turmoil the wicked can incur. Doing these things and suffering with a Godward perspective brings calm, strength, hope, peace, and comfort.

The Heildberg confession reminds us of the source of true comfort in times of injustice:

That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

Yes, the Lord will reign forever! Christ will win, evil will lose So even when your life is shattered by human injustice and sufferings we can affirm with John Newton

These inward trials I design,
From sin and self to set thee free
To break thy schemes for earthly joy
That thou may'st find thy all in Me!

Lord, help us today to suffer in a Godward direction today as we experience injustice! May we do it for your glory, our Deliverer and King!

On Longsuffering

2006-12-11T21:03:00.000-05:00

As I contemplate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), one of the ones that I see myself standing most in need of is "longsuffering." The reason I should be longsuffering is that the Lord is a "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Psalm 86:15).

What is longsuffering? The original word in the Greek is macro-thumos which means to literally to be "long-angered"; in other words, to have a long fuse. In his book Quest for Character John MacArthur writes, "Longsuffering is a particular kind of patient, gentle, persevering self-control that especially comes into play in our dealings with people who deliberately try to provoke us." All of us can think of a person or two in our life who we have to practice longsuffering toward in a very deliberate and conscientious way.

Later, MacArthur remarks, " Love's longsuffering is expressed in a patient willingness to bear any inconvenience or sacrifice for the sake of our loved one without becoming angry or upset." The servant of the Lord must practice longsuffering (2 Timothy 2:24-26) with those who are opposed to the gospel. This calls for great care, but the greatest test of longsuffering most of us face is with those we come in contact with on a daily or regular basis.

This kind of longsuffering runs with kindness! It refuses to envy, be rude, boast, or think evil. This is a tall order but praise God it is possible as we "we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

A fresh look at the cross reminds us of the grace to exercise longsuffering. It comes from the believer's bridegroom, Jesus Christ Himself, who "also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:21-23).

Teaching children to fear God

2006-12-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 6:2 commands us to teach our children so "that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long." (ESV). There are several resources available to aid in what has been called family worship including one new one by Dr. Donald Whitney. Family worship is but one of scores of ways to teach your children intentionally to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of God.

Jerry Bridges writes in The Joy of Fearing God that children "need to be taught the primacy of loving their neighbor as themselves and how this is worked out in treating others as they want to be treated. They need to understand that obedience is possible only through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Above all, they need to see that their only hope of acceptance by a holy God, both in this life and eternity, is through faith in the shed blood and righteous life of our Lord Jesus Christ."

May we as parents take up this God-given duty of teaching our children to obey God because they love Him and others and they fear Him.

Being a "one-woman" man

2006-12-09T17:19:00.001-05:00

1 Timothy 3:2 teaches us that those who aspire to the office of overseer must be "one-woman" men.

Now, how can we remain “one-woman” men? I strongly suggest that every man read The Purity Principle by Randy Alcorn. He has proven, Bible-saturated strategies to keep yourself a one woman man. He suggests to keep yourself morally pure you must have clear goals and sound strategies, and then diligently carry them out

First, and the most basic strategy is found in 1 Corinthians 6:18 which simply says, “Flee from sexual immorality.” He who hesitates loses. He who runs lives. The premier example of this strategy is Joseph who ran from temptation. Don't try to stay and resist temptation, whether it be what you are watching, reading, or if you are in someone's presence. Flee.

Second, keep your distance. Don't ask, “How close can I get to temptation without falling for it. No, when you are running from temptation, don't turn around and ask, “Is this far enough?” Rather, say, “If God says this isn't good for me, then I will keep as far away from it as possible. “Flee youthful passions.” (2 Timothy 2:22).

Three, anticipate and prevent temptations. Make your decisions about what you will do in certain situations in moments of strength not in moments of weakness.

Four, cultivate your inner life. Now, I am not saying, “Just try harder and here is a simple formula: read your Bible and pray and the devil will stay away.” No, Bible reading and prayer aren't sufficient alone, but they are necessary. The battle for moral purity must be fought on our knees with God and in collaboration with fellow soldiers.

Five, memorize and quote Scripture.

Six, pray and don't give up! Prayer won't solve everything, but you won't solve anything without it.

In one chapter Alcorn addresses married men and women specifically He offers the following strategies to cultivate and guard marital intimacy including:

Remembering that all unfaithfulness begins with deception and deception begins with seemingly innocent secrets like “he doesn't really need to know this”
Watch for red flags of discontentment and a diminishing intimate relationship
Be sensitive to your spouse's intimate needs
Date your spouse
When at work, surround yourself with reminders of your spouse and children
Pray with and for one another
Work hard to bring your spouse into your world
Deal with resentment, boredom, and hurt quickly
Train your eyes well to look away from stimulating images
Treasure your spouse
Get help if you need it
Cultivate your love for the Lord

Love for Christ is the single greatest thing that will keep you away sin. If the most controlling feature in your life is your love for Christ, then you will have great victory over sin in your life. If you love Jesus intensely, you will tremble at the thought of disappointing Him. So, spend much time in the Gospels learning about Christ. Look for Christ wherever you read in the Word. Think about the reality of who He is, the glory and the wonder of His person, his love for you as seen most profoundly at the cross where he gave Himself for you and even chose you before the foundation of the world! Make the love of Christ the most controlling feature of your life, and all these other strategies will fall into place.

Why we need biblical counseling and fellow Christians

2006-12-08T13:09:00.000-05:00

"The most experienced psychologist or observer of human nature knows infinitely less of the human heart than the simplest Christian who lives beneath the Cross of Jesus. The greatest psychological insight, ability, and experience cannot grasp this one thing: what sin is. Worldly wisdom knows what distress and weakness and failure are, but it does not know the godlessness of man. And so it also does not know that man is destroyed only by his sin and can be healed only by forgiveness. Only the Christian knows this. In the presence of a psychiatrist I can only be a sick man; in the presence of a Christian brother I can dare to be a sinner. The psychiatrist must first search my heart and yet he never plumbs its ultimate depth. The Christian brother knows when I come to him: here is a sinner like myself, a godliness man who wants to confess and yearns for God’s forgiveness. The psychiatrist views me as if there were no God. The brother views me as I am before the judging and merciful God in the Cross of Jesus Christ. "--Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together

Martin Luther on Justification

2006-11-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

On Sunday I preached on justification by grace alone. Justification was one of the two most important truths upon which the Reformation started and continued (the other being the doctrine of the authority of God's Word known as sola Scriptura). Here is what the best known reformer, Martin Luther said and wrote about this cherished doctrine. (HT: Steve Camp)

Excerpts by Martin Luther
on the chief article of faith of the gospel - Sola Fide
"This doctrine [justification by faith] is the head and the cornerstone. It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour…. For no one who does not hold this article – or, to use Paul's expression, this 'sound doctrine' (Titus 2:1) – is able to teach aright in the church or successfully to resist any adversary . . . this is the heel of the Seed that opposes the old serpent and crushes its head. That is why Satan, in turn, cannot but persecute it."

"Whoever departs from the article of justification does not know God and is an idolater . . . For when this article has been taken away, nothing remains but error, hypocrisy, godlessness, and idolatry, although it may seem to be the height of truth, worship of God, holiness, etc."

"If the article of justification is lost, all Christian doctrine is lost at the same time. And all the people in the world who do not hold to this justification are either Jews or Turks or papists or heretics; for there is no middle ground between these two righteousness: the active one of the Law and the passive one which comes from Christ. Therefore the man who strays from Christian righteousness must relapse into the active one, that is, since he has lost Christ, he must put his confidence in his own works."

"When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen. Therefore it is necessary constantly to inculcate and impress it, as Moses says of his Law (Deut. 6:7); for it cannot be inculcated and urged enough or too much. Indeed, even though we learn it well and hold to it, yet there is no one who apprehends it perfectly or believes it with a full affection and heart. So very trickish is our flesh, fighting as it does against the obedience of the spirit."

"The article of justification and of grace is the most delightful, and it alone makes a person a theologian and makes of a theologian a judge of the earth and of all affairs. Few there are, however, who have thought it through well and who teach it aright."

"Of this article [justification] nothing may be yielded or conceded, though heaven and earth and whatever will not abide, fall to ruin; for 'there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,' says St. Peter (Acts 4:12); 'and with His stripes we are healed' (Is. 53:5). And on this article all that we teach and practice is based, against the pope, the devil, and the world. That is why we must be very certain of this doctrine and not doubt; otherwise all is lost, and the pope and the devil and all things gain the victory over us and are adjudged right."

"The article of justification must be learned diligently. It alone can support us in the face of these countless offenses and can console us in all temptations and persecutions. For we see that it cannot be otherwise: the world is bound to be offended at the doctrine of godliness and to cry out constantly that nothing good comes of it, since 'the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him.' "

"In short, if this article concerning Christ — the doctrine that we are justified and saved through Him alone and consider all apart from Him damned — is not professed, all resistance and restraint are at an end. Then there is, in fact, neither measure nor limit to any heresy and error."

"There is this about the article of grace that if one diligently and sincerely remains loyal to it, it keeps one from falling into heresy and from undertaking anything against Christ or His Christendom. For with it comes the Holy Spirit, who enlightens the heart by it and keeps it in the true, certain understanding, so that it is able precisely and plainly to distinguish and judge all the other articles of faith and forcefully to sustain and defend them."

"The papacy is shaken and shattered nowadays, not through these tumults of the sectaries but through the preaching of the article of justification, which has not only weakened the kingdom of Antichrist but has also till now sustained and defended us against its power."

Salvation by Grace Alone

2006-11-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

Justification answers this question, “How and when do we gain a right legal standing before God? A right understanding of justification is absolutely crucial to the whole Christian faith. Once Martin Luther realized the truth of justification by faith alone, he became a Christian and overflowed with the new-found joy of the gospel. He proclaimed rightly, “The only contribution we make to our justification is our sin which God so graciously forgives."The primary issue in the Protestant Reformation was a dispute with the Roman Catholic Church over justification. If we are to safeguard the truth of the gospel for future generations, we must understand the truth of justification. Even today, a true view of justification is the dividing line between the biblical gospel of salvation by faith alone and all false gospels of salvation based on good works.

What is justification? Dr. Wayne Grudem states it is “an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight."

According to God's Word, salvation is not obtained by anything one does, either by religious ritual or by keeping some code of laws. Salvation is only obtained by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for the glory of God alone.

Salvation is by grace alone! What is grace? “Grace is a provision for men who are so fallen they cannot lift the axe of justice; who are so corrupt they cannot change their own natures; so adverse to God that they cannot turn to Him of their own strength; so blind they cannot see Him, so deaf they cannot hear Him, and so dead that He Himself must open their graves.” -G.S. Bishop

Charles Hodge said, “If salvation be in any form or to any degree dependent on the merit, the goodness, or the stability of man, it never can be sure, nay, it must be utterly unattainable. Unless we are saved by grace, we cannot be saved at all. To reject, therefore, salvation by grace is to reject the only method of salvation available to sinners.”

Are you confident that God has declared you "not guilty" forever in his sight? Did you do anything that resulted in God's justifying of you? Did you do anything to deserve justification? If you are not sure that God has justifed you fully and for all time, is there something you need to do before that will happen? What would persuade you that God has certainly justified you?

You cannot be saved by going through some religious rituals or sacraments. You cannot be right with God by keeping the law. You must obtain it by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Just like Abraham did. You must have a righteousness outside of yourself to gain a right standing before the one true God. This is “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Romans 3:22). As Horatius Bonar wrote.

Not what these hands have done
can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God.
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.
Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy grace alone, O God
To me can pardon speak,
Thy power alone, O Son of God
Can this sore bondage break.
I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
And with unfalt’ring lip and heart,
I call this Savior mine.

What impresses the world

2006-10-23T16:21:00.000-04:00

"The world is not impressed with Chrsitians when everything goes well and it looks like we are feeding on the same supports they are feeding on--what testimony is that?" If you want to know what God really means to them, don't look at them when everything is going right. Watch them when everything seems to be going wrong."--John Piper

On Being Fervent in Spirit!

2006-10-23T16:18:00.000-04:00

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.--Amy Carmichael

“A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He sees only one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies,— whether he has health, or whether he has sickness,— whether he is rich, or whether he is poor,—whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense,—whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish,— whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise,— whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame,—for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it,—he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such an one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, and work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray” (J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion, p. 130).

Commenting on the Apostle Paul one unnamed author has written, “He is a man without the care of making friends, without the hope or desire of worldly good, without the apprehension of worldly loss, without the care of life, without the fear of death. He is a man of no rank, country or condition. A man of one thought—the Gospel of Christ. A man of one purpose—the glory of God. A fool, and content to reckoned a fool for Christ. Let him be called enthusiast, fanatic, babbler, or any other outlandish nondescript the world may choose to denominate him. But still let him be nondescript. As soon as they call him trader, householder, citizen, man of wealth, man of the world, man of learning, or even man of common sense, it is all over with his character. He must speak or he must die, and though he should die, he will speak. He has no rest, but hastens over land and sea, over rocks and trackless deserts. He cries aloud and spares not, and will not be hindered. In the prisons, he lifts up his voice, and in the tempests of the ocean, he is not silent. Before awful councils and throned kings, he witnesses in behalf of the truth. Nothing can quench his voice but death, and even in the article of death, before the knife has severed his head from his body, he speaks, he prays, he testifies, he confesses. ”

What I am Reading

2006-09-27T16:12:00.000-04:00

I am usually reading several books at one time. I just started What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper today. You can actually read this book on line. There are 50 short chapters containing the commands of Jesus Christ in the gospel. Piper wrote this book this spring/summer while he was on a five month sabbatical recovering from cancer surgery. This sabbatical was a gracious gift from his congregation after serving them for 25 years. The aim of the book is "God-glorifying obedience to Jesus." His ultimate goal is that we observe the commands of Jesus so that we bring glory to Him. He seeks to keep the supremely valuable beauty of God in proper focus throughout the book. He accomplishes this by "prob[ingthe meaning and the motivation of Jesus’ commands in connection with his person and work. What emerges again and again is that what he is commanding is a life that displays the worth of his person and the effect of his work."

On the basis of who he was and what he accomplished, Jesus made his demands. The demands cannot be separated from his person and work. The obedience he demands is the fruit of his redeeming work and the display of his personal glory."

My plan is to take the next fifty days and read and meditate on one chapter a day. If you would like to join me, start here. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader which is already installed on most computers).

Thinking Biblically about Terrel Owens

2006-09-27T16:03:00.000-04:00

NFL Pro-Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens (T.O.) has reportedly attempted suicide. Reports also indicate that the flamboyant Dallas Cowboys star recently confided in friends that he was depressed. The depression had apparently come to a head late Tuesday as Owens reportedly intentionally overdosed on his pain medicine.

I am not the resident expert on sports. I don't watch much of it. I am not good at sports. But I do think that we need to think biblically about all things: even about what is happening in sports and in the lives of athletes.

How should we think about this? Here is an excellent article about thinking biblically about Terrell Owens. Even if you don't care about sports, read it anyway, because people you know will probably talking about this very news story this week.

The Young, the Restless and Reformed

2006-09-27T15:54:00.000-04:00

Christianity Today has a fascinating, well-balanced and informative article about the resurgence of Reformed theology among the younger generation in America. The article highlights several of the men and ministries that I have followed for the last several years. At the very least the article provides you with an understanding for the upswing in serious Bible reflection that is often overlooked in the emergent and mega-church movements of today.

A follow up snapshot of what is happening in the Southern Baptist Convention with some comments from Tom Ascol is available on line as well.

Grasp these promises, part 2!

2006-08-14T06:30:00.000-04:00

On Sunday evening I preached from Joshua and ended the message by reminding the congregation that God choose to keep His promises and persevere with his people even when they sinned. Because of this we can perserve in obeying and fearing God. One of the key ways of doing this is grasping and savoring the promises of God. Charles Spurgeon teaches us much about this in this devotional reading from Morning and Evening.

If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfilment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.

But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus, “If I were dealing with a man’s promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character of the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy—that may stagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser—that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of his which thou art now considering is as true as his own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of his mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth he lack any power; it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can he fail in wisdom as to the time when he will bestow the favours, for he knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise.” If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfilment.

Grasp these sweet promises!

2006-08-07T23:04:00.000-04:00

Charles Spurgeon speaks to my heart's condition so often! Here is a gospel-saturated balm for downcast, burdened and burned out Christians. It comes from the August 1st entry of his classic Morning and Evening:

Downcast and troubled Christian, come and glean to-day in the broad field of promise. Here are abundance of precious promises, which exactly meet thy wants. Take this one: “He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.” Doth not that suit thy case? A reed, helpless, insignificant, and weak, a bruised reed, out of which no music can come; weaker than weakness itself; a reed, and that reed bruised, yet, he will not break thee; but on the contrary, will restore and strengthen thee. Thou art like the smoking flax: no light, no warmth, can come from thee; but he will not quench thee; he will blow with his sweet breath of mercy till he fans thee to a flame. Wouldst thou glean another ear? “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” What soft words! Thy heart is tender, and the Master knows it, and therefore he speaketh so gently to thee. Wilt thou not obey him, and come to him even now? Take another ear of corn: “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” How canst thou fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? Thou mayest gather ten thousand such golden ears as these! “I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud, and like a thick cloud thy transgressions.” Or this, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Or this, “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.” Our Master’s field is very rich; behold the handfuls. See, there they lie before thee, poor timid believer! Gather them up, make them thine own, for Jesus bids thee take them. Be not afraid, only believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out by meditation and feed on them with joy."

Little sins

2006-08-07T08:13:00.000-04:00

I read a post last week from Tim Chailles on "Little Sins" that made me stop and think about the impact of little evils in my life. Last night I preached a short message on the book of Joshua and the failure of the Israelites to drive out all their enemies and how that illustrates our failure to drive out the little sins in our lives. I was convicted again about how little things lead to big things. Little problems lead to big problems and little sins lead to worse sins.

Spurgeon warns against allowing these little sins. “Oh! take heed of those small beginnings of sin. Beginnings of sin are like the letting out of water: first, there is an ooze; then a drip; then a slender stream; then a vein of water; and then, at last, a flood: and a rampart is swept before it, a continent is drowned. Take heed of small beginnings, for they lead to worse.”

Thomas Brooks, the Puritan, wrote, “Greater sins do sooner startle the soul, and awaken and rouse up the soul to repentance, than lesser sins do. Little sins often slide into the soul, and breed, and work secretly and undiscernibly in the soul, till they come to be so strong as to trample upon the soul, and to cut the throat of the soul.”

In God’s Way of Holiness, Horatius Bonar wrote, “The avoidance of little evils, little sins, little inconsistencies, little weaknesses, little follies, little indiscretions and imprudences, little foibles, little indulgences of self and of the flesh, little acts of indolence or indecision or slovenliness or cowardice, little equivocations or aberrations from high integrity, little touches of shabbiness and meanness, little indifferences to the feelings or wishes of others, little outbreaks of temper, or crossness, or selfishness, or vanity—the avoidance of such little things as these goes far to make up at least the negative beauty of a holy life.”

Jerry Bridges is astute in pointing out that “it is in the minutiae of life where most of us live day after day.” Few of us are regularly faced with the outright decision of whether or not to commit adultery, but each of us is faced each day with the temptation of stealing a single lustful look or allowing a single lustful fantasy to play out in our minds.

Chailles points out, "The truth is, that every sin, whether large or small, is a declaration of war against God. In the current Israeli-Lebanon crisis, we see this principle played out. The Hezbollah sent a few troops across the border into Israel. They did not send an entire army, but only a small squad of soldiers. Still, this was as much a declaration of war as if they had sent every solider under their command. Israel perceived this for the statement it was and reacted accordingly. In the same way even a small sin is a declaration of war against God. After all, Adam and Eve did not commit adultery and did not murder—they merely ate a piece of fruit that God had told them not to eat. This may seem only a small sin, but it is a sin that has made all the difference."

Fighting covetousness

2006-08-02T18:26:00.000-04:00

Covetousness is a deadly, dangerous sin. It is rampant, respectable, and results in many other sins. It deceives, debases and destroys. Here are some key verses in God's Word to help us fight covetousness in our lives.

"“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”" (Exodus 20:17, ESV)

"In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him." (Job 20:22, ESV)

"“If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much," (Job 31:24-25, ESV)

"this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above." (Job 31:28, ESV)

"Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them." (Psalm 62:10, ESV)

"Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!" (Psalm 119:36, ESV)

"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." (Proverbs 11:24, ESV)

"“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!" (Habakkuk 2:9, ESV)

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

"When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." (Matthew 19:22, ESV)

"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery," (Mark 7:21, ESV)

"And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”" (Mark 10:23, ESV)

"And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature." (Luke 8:14, ESV)

"And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”" (Luke 12:15, ESV)

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, ESV)

"This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away." (1 Corinthians 7:29-31, ESV)

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." (Philippians 4:11-12, ESV)

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5, ESV)

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:9-11, ESV)

"For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia." (2 Timothy 4:10, ESV)

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

"They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!" (2 Peter 2:14, ESV)

Do you worry--about money?

2006-07-31T08:31:00.000-04:00

People worry about money. An recent newspaper articles stated, “Although the economy is growing, Americans are deeply worried about their day-to-day finances, especially their debt. . . .More than 80 percent of the 1,000 people polled describe household debt as a very serious or somewhat serious problem for the country—and most say it has gotten worse in the past five years. . . .Almost a quarter of those polled say their finances are so pinched they can’t pay all their bills every month”

Worry seems to be such a harmless thing, but it actually is dangerous. Worry is like fog. According to the US Bureau of Standards “A dense fog that covers a seven city block area one hundred feet deep (a very dense, thick fog) is composed of less than one glass of water divided into sixty thousand million drops”—not much is there at all but it can cripple an entire city. I think that is a pretty good illustration of worry. Put it all together and you don’t have much more than a glass of water but you can sure mess up a whole lot of people.

“Worry is the sin of distrusting the promise and the providence of God.”--John MacArthur

“Worry is interest paid on trouble before it’s due.” --William Enns

“Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind. If encouraged it will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drowned in it.”

“Worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.”

David Powlison writes, “Worry says ‘goodnight’ and wakes you up in the middle of the night. It greets you in the morning with, ‘Hi, here I am. Think about me.” Worry preys on the uncertain. “Will I get that? Maybe or maybe not!” “Will I lose that?” Maybe or maybe not. And we don’t worry about money alone. We worry about things like. . .

Do I have any real friends?
What if I don’t make the team? What if someone else gets the leading role?
Will I be accepted to college?
Will I ever find a spouse?
Will we ever be able to have children?
If we do, how will they turn out?
What if I get Alzheimers? Will I die of cancer?

But in Luke 12:22-34, Jesus Christ tells us not to worry. In fact, he uses words in the original Greek that mean, "If you aren't worrying, don't start it. If you are worrying, then stop it!"

Worry isn’t a small trivial sin. 100% of all mental illness and most of physical illness is related to worry. But the worst thing isn’t what worry does to you, but it is what it says about God. It strikes a blow at the Word and Person of God. Worry is a monumental sin. It disbelieves Scripture. You can believe in the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture and yet you worry??? Worry means that you are mastered by your circumstances, not the Word of God!

So Lord, may we use the power of the Spirit of God so freely available to us to watch and pray and be on our guard against all covetousness! Help us, we pray, to obey what we have learned. Through your spirit, we want to fight for faith and fight against worry! Right now we cast our care upon You! Oh, may we pursue holiness this week vigilantly and guard against this besetting sins. In the name of the One who bore your wrath by enduring suffering for our sins, Jesus, we pray

A Common Sin

2006-07-31T08:22:00.000-04:00

"There is a sin which a Catholic priest once declared that no one had ever confessed to him-a sin so deadly that the wrath of God comes upon men because of it; a sin so common that probably everybody has at some time been guilty of it; a sin so gross in the sight of God as to be classed with whoremongery, idolatry, murder, and such like; a sin so subtle that men most guilty of it seem to be most unconscious of it; a sin that has led to the ruin of homes, to the doom of cities, the downfall of kings, the overthrow of empires, the collapse of civilizations, the damnation of an apostle, of ministers of the Gospel and of millions of less conspicuous men. Men in the highest and most sacred positions of trust, and enjoying the most unlimited confidence of their fellow-men, have under the spell of this sin wrecked their good names, and have brought shame to their families, and misfortune, want, and woe to their fellows.

When amid the thunderings and lightnings of Mt. Sinai, God gave the ten commandments to Moses, one of the ten was against this sin. When Lot lost all he had in the doom of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was primarily because of this sin. When Achan and his household were stoned, it was because of this sin. When Eli and his sons lost the priesthood and died miserably, it was at root because of this sin. When Saul lost his kingdom, it was because this sin had subtly undermined his loyalty to God. When Ahab died and the dogs licked his blood, he was meeting the doom of this sin. When David fell from heights of God’s tender favor and fellowship, and brought shame and confusion upon himself, and incurred God’s hot displeasure and life-long trouble, it was because of this sin.

When Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, went out from the presence of the prophet smitten with leprosy white as snow, it was because of this sin. When Judas betrayed the Master with a kiss, thus bringing upon himself the death of a dog and a fool, it was because of this sin. When Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead at Peter’s feet, they suffered the dread penalty of this sin. The beginnings of many wars could be traced to the deadly workings of this awful, secret, silent, pitiless sin.

But what is the sin that the Catholic priest never heard mentioned in his confessional-this sin that apostles and priests and shepherds and servants have committed, and upon which the swift, fierce lightnings of God’s wrath have fallen- this sin of which everyone at sometime has probably been guilty and yet which is so secret and subtle that those most enthralled by it are most unconscious of it? It is the sin of Covetousness. --S. M. Bengle

Covetousness usually appears in our lives in wanting something good. "I sure could use that." "Wouldn't that save me lots of time." "I deserve that. I work hard." "Think of how much use I would get out of this." Covetousness is so dangerous because we are go good at hiding it with justifiable excuses.

But Jesus said, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”” (Luke 12:15). The psalmist prayed, “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!” (Psalm 119:36. Now there is nothing wrong with having wealth or with retaining it as long as it was procured by honest means and preserved with the right motive. God is indeed the one who gives wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and we should give him thanks for what we receive, however we also ought to heed God’s Word which says, “If riches increase, set not your heart on them.” (Psalm 62:10)."

How are you most vulnerable to covetousness as you examine your life?

Is God your Treasure?

2006-07-30T17:08:00.000-04:00

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever. - AW Tozer, The Pursuit of God