Matt Chandler

If you've not been in the habit of using the internet to hear sermons by godly men, you should start. One of the men I've been greatly encouraged by is a brother called Matt Chandler. He serves as the lead pastor at the Village Church in the Dallas area. He's been gifted by God with a tremendous ability to exegete and proclaim the truths taught in Scripture. Chandler also happens to be about the same age as me.

Thanksgiving morning Matt had a seizure that caused him to fall and hit his head. After tests, the doctors found that he had a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain, which they removed apparently successfully last Friday. I have been blessed to share Matt's testimony with my children as we've been trying to help them to understand how God's people live in the midst of incredible trials. Julie and I have faced a temporary job loss this winter and we've made a real effort to praise our Lord through every bit of it and show complete reliance on Him for our needs. We hope this will serve as a teaching opportunity for our children, and Matt's circumstance and perspective has gone along really well. We continue to pray for Matt and his family and I wanted to share this video that he sent his church. Click here to watch the video.

God Bless

Technical Difficulties

I am sorry about the format on the previous post, Rock of Ages, but I've done all I can to fix it and can't. The verses to the song just won't line up right. I hope you can enjoy it anyway!

God Bless!

Rock of Ages

Augustus Toplady was born in England in 1740. He was raised by his mother as his father died a short while after he was born. He was an only child. He never got married. He had hardly any friends. But he was a great man of God. He spent a lot of time studying and worshipping. As an introverted person, I can understand his desire to be alone and alone with God as much as possible. I've been enjoying Chris Rice's version of Toplady's classic hymn "Rock of Ages;" look at these lyrics and worship your Lord!

 1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;   

     let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed,   

     be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.  

 2. Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's commands;   

     could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,   

     all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.   

 3. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling;   

     naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace;   

     foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.   

 4. While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death,   

     when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne,   

     Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.

Take that theology with you to church tomorrow!

Deacons

We've recently been dealing with the subject of church polity in our Lord's Day sermons, beginning with the subject of deacons. Church polity is a fancy way of saying church government, or how the local church is organized. I've admitted to the church that it has been a frustrating time recently. I've felt as if things were undone, I've felt as if there was little direction, and I've felt as if we as a group of believers weren't heading in any particular direction.

Now let me be clear, I don't mean individuals aren't making progress in their walk with the Lord. I believe the people of our church are genuine in their faith and they are genuinely pursuing Christ. In fact, I've suggested in the past that we should change the name of the church to something along the lines of "Church of the afflicted" because of the extreme trials that almost every family goes through when they come to our church. So I'm not saying they're not going in any particular direction, the Lord is making them more like Jesus Christ each day which is very encouraging.

What I am saying is that we aren't progressing as a church. I have been saying since I've been at BBC that we needed to move in the direction of multiple elders. I believe that is clearly the model for the local church as laid out in Scripture. So far we've not made any progress in that direction. It is my prayer that that will soon change.

The first step in that process, I believe, is to appoint a group of deacons to minister to the body of believers at BBC. The deacon is truly a minister of mercy and I can't wait to see what will happen if the church sets forth a group of men in the coming year. As I've studied the Scriptures regarding this ministry I've had my mind changed or challenged about some aspects of this ministry.

I think in the past I overreacted to the way that Southern Baptists have viewed the deacon ministry. I've often thought that Southern Baptists tend to look at deacons as junior elders. Now I haven't had my mind changed that that is not what a deacon is, but I do think there is a close connection between the eldership and the diaconate. In 1 Tim. 3 Paul spends the first seven verses telling Timothy what he should be looking for in an elder; he then says in v. 8 "Deacons likewise." There is clearly a connection between the two as Paul puts them together in this discussion of leaders' qualifications. In addition to that, we see that the qualifications for elders and deacons are strikingly similar with the main difference being that the elder "must be able to teach." While a deacon is not a junior elder, he is an important part of the ministry of the church.

I think I see in these two offices a real connection. I see the elder as serving the members the spiritual food that is critical for their spiritual formation. That's why the twelve called the church to put forth the seven in Acts 6 to deal with the problem that had arisen. The twelve said in v. 2 "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." So while the elder is focusing on prayer and the ministry of the word, the deacon is taking care of physical service that is also critical to the well-being of the people. It's really a neat picture and I look forward to seeing it play out more fully in our church.

I've been very convicted that I must focus more time and intensity on the prayer and study aspects of my ministry in order that I might teach well that which will feed the sheep what they need. So in order that I can do that and the needs of the church still be met, I've called our church to put forth a group of men that can assist me and can take from me anything that would distract me from my primary ministry which is prayer and the preaching of God's Word. I refuse to allow myself to be derailed from this. Now this certainly doesn't mean I can't do any acts of service to the church other than these; I think the Scriptures indicate I'd be wrong if I didn't. It just means that I need deacons to take on the majority of these responsibilities so that I can devote my time and energy to finding food for the sheep.

God Bless

Spurgeon

I made the mistake of picking up a Spurgeon sermon called "The minister's self-watch" dealing with 1 Timothy 4:16 which says "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine." I don't understand why he had to preach in such a convicting way! In all reality, I long for the power in my preaching ministry that marked his. So I just thought I'd share a few quotes with anyone interested. It is a sermon that is well worth your time.

"It is true that the Lord, like Quintin Matsys in the story of the Antwerp well-cover, can work with the faultiest kind of instrumentality, as he does when he occasionally makes very foolish preaching to be useful in conversion; and he can even work without agents, as he does when he saves men without a preacher at all, applying the word directly by His Holy Spirit; but we cannot regard God's absolutely sovereign acts as a rule for our action. He may, in his own absoluteness, do as pleases Him best, but we must act as his plainer dispensations instruct us; and one of the facts which is clear enough is this, that the Lord usually adapts means to ends, from which the plain lesson is, that He shall be likely to accomplish most when we are in the best spiritual condition; or in other words, we shall usually do our Lord's work best when our gifts and graces are in good order, and we shall do worst when they are most out of trim."

"For the herald of the gospel to be spiritually out of order in his own proper person is, both to himself and to his work, a most serious calamity; and yet, my brethren, how easily is such an evil produced, and with what watchfulness must it be guarded against!"

"Moreover, when a preacher is poor in grace, any lasting good which may be the result of his ministry, will usually be feeble and utterly out of proportion with what might have been expected. Much sowing will be followed by little reaping; the interest upon the talents will be inappreciably small."

This is a great sermon! In it Spurgeon says some very challenging things that will likely convict any who is called to the ministry. The good thing is that the conviction is that gentle yet powerful nudging wrought by the Holy Spirit which causes God's people to seek Christ more closely.

God Bless

Careful, Dads

This week I'm preparing to deal with a text in Mark 6:14-29 which recounts the death of John the Baptist and the tragic life of Herod Antipas. I'm still early in my study but I've been thinking today about Herod Antipas' father Herod the Great. Herod the Great you'll remember was the king when Jesus was born. He was the one who was concerned enough at the birth of Jesus that he had all of the male babies in Bethlehem and the surrounding area under the age of two killed. We remember that an angel of the Lord had come to Joseph however and Jesus was in Egypt when this was happening.

Anyway, Herod the Great was a brutal character. Herod Antipas was also a brutal character. He fell in love with his brother's wife and got rid of his own so he could have her. This among other things shows that he followed right in his father's footsteps. Doesn't that seem to be the case with most men? It is a fearful thing that ungodly fathers more often than not produce ungodly sons.

There are some exceptions to this of course. I am reminded of Timothy who didn't have a believing father but was influenced by the faith of his mother and grandmother. How many times though have you heard a mother's heartbreak as her son who she's prayed for and poured her life into goes wayward. It is a sobering reminder of the influence that ungodly fathers have on their sons.

But the great news is that the opposite is true as well. When a daddy pursues the Lord, albeit poorly as we all do, God blesses those who follow behind him. This is what so much of my attention is being turned to these days. How can I pour my life and the Gospel into my children, and pour my life and the Gospel into men that can produce godly offspring. This is my calling. This is where I stand. This is where I believe the Church will see reformation!

Vision

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18

Sometimes pastors get pooped! I recently heard of a website called poopedpastors.com. I thought that was a really funny name for a site. I'm a bi-vocational pastor and I have to confess I sometimes get pooped. I'm coming to the end of my "busy time" of the year at work and my body and mind are shot!

This week if the Lord wills we are planning on a trip to Iowa. My family, as you may know, is from Iowa. It's been quite some time since I've seen some of them. In addition to seeing family, we'll get to see some friends. In addition to seeing friends we are planning a trip across the state to a family integrated church. Overall it should be just what the doctor ordered for this pooped pastor.

One of the other things I'm seeking to do on our trip is to think again on my vision for our family and our church. Over the last several years God has changed my view of both of these critical aspects of my life. Every now and then I have to stop and ask myself again, what is my vision for our family and our church? The church we are hoping to attend is called Good Cheer Family Fellowship in Pleasant Hill IA. I'm really excited! They are the kind of church that ours is seeking to become. They believe as we do about family. They believe as we do about our Lord. They believe as we do about worship. They believe as we do.

It's not to say that only churches that believe and worship exactly like us are valuable. There are very few that do after all. It is to say however that every once in awhile it's nice to come together with people like you. I look forward to meeting the men of their church and listening to them talk about their walk with the Lord, their marriages, their children. I love to listen to the men of our church too by the way. What's so encouraging about the future of our church is we have godly men and women to listen to. We have such a neat group of people and I want to see them continue to thrive and thrive even more!

Yes, I'm looking forward to our trip this weekend. Yes, I'll miss the people of BBC. Yes, we'll pray that our van holds up! Don't be afraid to recharge sometimes, it gives you a chance to think about your vision.

God Bless

Mighty Offspring

"Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." Psalm 112:1-2

It's interesting to consider how we affect our descendants. Obviously we have a huge impact on our children as we bring them up in a fallen world. The thing that has always struck me about parenting is how much it requires consistency. It's a difficult task but by God's grace it's possible. Since Grace's birth we've been re-evaluating our family vision. We've now got five children that are seven and under. This is quite a deal we've got going here! I'm encouraged by Psalm 127:5 which says "blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them." (I've often wondered if in a battle an archer would ever say to himself "I've just got way too many arrows!")

Anyway, we have an obvious impact on our children, but I think it's clear that we have an impact on the generations that follow them as well. "For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:5-6. It may be that when you honor God with your life that tends to be passed on to your children and their children and so on. That's powerful stuff as we consider the coming generations, assuming the Lord does not return in the meantime (which seems a big assumption, I know).

So consider this day the impact you can have on the generations that will come behind you if you honor the Lord with your whole life; it may just change you! Oh and by the way, if you have ten children and they each have ten children and that goes on for ten generations, that works out to ten billion people! Sounds like reformation to me!

God Bless

Blessed Assurance

True assurance of salvation isn't something talked about much these days.  Sometimes people struggle with their salvation because they don't feel like they're following Christ in a biblical way.  I thought this was a really good quote by John Flavel.

"Despite the fact that there are many hypocrites in the church who claim to have faith when they really don't... it is an irony of true religion that there are also many genuine Christians who lack assurance of their own faith.  They look at the biblical standards and characteristics of true saving faith, and (in their sincere, godly humility) they question whether they, in fact, have such faith.  Well, my poor worrisome brethren... my advice is to first look to Christ.  And then... (when you do consider your own experiences and feelings) reflect upon those things that are unquestionable.  For example, it may be that it is very doubtful to you whether you believe; but yet in the mean time it may be past doubt, (being a matter of clear experience), that you have been deeply convinced of sin, and that you have been driven from all carnal refuges, and that you have become (by the grace of God) willing to accept Jesus Christ upon what terms soever you might enjoy Him.  You doubt whether Christ be yours; but yet you find (as you search your heart) that it is past doubt that you have a most high and precious esteem of Christ, and that you heartily long for Him, and that you prize and love any and all persons that bear His image; that nothing would please your heart like a transformation into His likeness; that you would rather your soul should be filled with His Spirit than your house with gold and silver.  You doubt whether Christ be yours; but yet it is past doubt that one smile from Christ, one token of His love, would do you more good than all the honors and smiles of the world; and nothing so grieves you as that you grieve Him by sin.  You dare not say that you have received Him; yet nor can you deny but that you have had many sick days and nights for Him; that you have gone into many secret places yearning after Him.  Whether He be yours or not, you cannot tell; but that you are resolved to be His, this you can tell.  Whether He will save you is but a doubt; but that resolve to lie at His feet, and wait only on Him, and never look to another for salvation, there is no doubt.  Well, well, poor sensitive soul, if it be so, arise, lift up thy dejected head and take thine own Christ into thine arms.  These are undoubted signs of real closure with Christ.  Thou make thyself poor, and yet thou hast great riches:  such things as these are not found in them that despise and reject Christ by unbelief."  John Flavel

God Bless  

Walking

Today I went to see someone that's in a tough situation.  Here's what kept going through my mind.  Walking with God happens when you're in a situation where you are completely helpless to change it, and your only hope is to give it to God completely and trust Him with the outcome knowing that it may not be what you hope it to be.  I felt a nearness to God on my way home tonight, but not the kind of nearness that we talk about much.

We like to talk about when God is speaking and moving and we're worshiping and all is swell.  I'm talking about the nearness when I'm doing my best to not argue with the Sovereign.  That's a nearness that's tough.  Sometimes applying my doctrinal views to tough situations is really hard.  Why? is a question that my heart screams while my mind says His ways are higher than my ways.  Sometimes God's Providence frowns at exactly the wrong time. 

As a pastor (especially a Southern Baptist) you can get caught up in things with your church like numbers and growth.  I couldn't possibly care less about that right now.  May we as pastors weep with those who weep.

 

So let me just end by saying pastors struggle with the frowning Providence of God as well.  I cry sometimes too.  I wonder sometimes too.  I ask why sometimes too.  It may be that all we can do in the really hard times is seek to give it to Him and then weep.  He loves His people.  One day we'll see that fully.

God Bless  

They're a blessing

It's been awhile since I last posted, and a lot has happened since then.  One of the things that happened is my wife gave birth to our fifth child, a baby girl named Grace Anne Bird.  It was an amazing experience, and we're really excited to have her here.  It always reminds me of a text in the Psalms that is familiar to a lot of us.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"  Psalm 127:3-4

The man who fills his quiver with arrows is blessed.  I've often posited to my people that we live in a culture that believes the exact opposite of what the Bible teaches, and this is one of the main issues.  One of the things I don't feel led to do however is tell people they need to go out and have as many kids as they possibly can.  I'm not saying they shouldn't either however.  It's really a tough issue that brings strong feelings out when discussed, and I know what it's like to be questioned about the number of children you have.  In addition to that, there are people who have difficulty having children and that presents a whole different dynamic.  

A couple of things I would say about this issue.  I do think the Bible is clear about the blessing that comes from a big family.  I also think that we've bought into some lies about children.  We've believed that having too many children can cramp our lifestyle.  I've heard things like "if you didn't have so many kids you could have a bigger house."  Voddie Baucham says "our houses have never been bigger and our families have never been smaller."  We've also believed that children are a burden.  Many children have behavioral issues and thus cause their parents to not desire more because they don't really enjoy the ones they have.  I'm not at all an expert on parenting but I do know two things, disciplining them well is not easy and the Bible tells us all we need to know.  We must commit to following the Bible's teaching.  I think to some degree we've also believed that having multiple children deprives the others of one on one love.  I would suggest to you however that love grows best in big families.

The second thing I'd say about all of this is that what you do with the children you do have is the most important thing.  Training them in the way they should go is our job.  It's not our job to be their friend, and conversely it's not our job to be their slavemaster.  We are to train them.  We are to teach them about our Lord, and we are to discipline them when they are wayward.  Remember that the goal is to have arrows to shoot.  We need to desire godly arrows that will pierce the darkness of this world and will stand boldly for Christ.  That needs to be the goal of all that we do.  When they are born may we here the clock begin to tick until they leave our home.  

We don't have them in our home forever, may we live intentionally each day with a goal of bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord!

God Bless

Sorrows like sea billows

One of my favorite hymns is "It is well with my soul" by Horatio Spafford.  We sang it in church yesterday and it always brings such joy when we sing it.  Great songs are an excellent way to express the wonderful mercies of our Lord.  But they can become even more meaningful when you learn about the person who wrote them.  

Horatio Spafford lived in the 19th century and was a very wealthy man at one time.  Sadly he lost most of his wealth in the Chicago fire, what an awful thing.  But that was nothing compared to what happened later in his life, when he lost four daughters as they were sailing from America to England.  Later, as the story goes, Spafford sailed over the same area where the ship sunk and killed his daughters.  It was on that trip that the song was penned which contains the lyrics "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul."  

Can you imagine?  Me either!  God sustained Spafford through horrific events that we can't even imagine.  How do you get through this stuff?  The Bible teaches us that God gets us through these things.  I've never been through this kind of tragedy, but I trust that God would sustain me through unspeakable pain.

What's I love about the song so much though is how it shows what Spafford was clinging to.  "My sin O, the bliss of this glorious tho't- my sin not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul."  And it goes on to say "And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, even so it is well with my soul."

It's what Christ has done and what God is going to do that gets us through unspeakable pain.  May that minister to your soul today.

God Bless

My brother's keeper

"I do not know, am I my brother's keeper?"  Genesis 4:9

You've likely read this verse in your reading of the Bible.  After the fall of Adam the depravity of man is manifest in the killing of Abel by his brother Cain.  Have you ever thought of this verse in the context of the family of God though?  "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God," goes the famous hymn.  When a person is saved he or she becomes a part of God's family, a group of people adopted by God through the cleansing and forgiveness provided by God's Son Jesus Christ. It's an amazing thing to think about.  We become  children of the living God, the Maker of the universe, and we become spiritual siblings with other children of the living God. We begin to have a connection with other Christians, we grow to love them, we have a connection with them that we don't have with others.  We even have a connection with brothers and sisters in Christ that we meet for the first time.  I'm so thankful that I'm a child of God!

So what about your brothers and sisters?  Do you take an interest in their well-being?  What about those who are missing?  You know the ones I'm talking about don't you?  They're members of the church but they don't come anymore.  Maybe they got their feelings hurt somewhere along the way.  Maybe the pastor hurt them somehow (A distinct possibility). Maybe they've run into some really hard things in their life and they don't know where to turn.  

Think today about those folks.  Pray for those folks.  Go to those folks.  Let them know that the Bible warns against forsaking the assembling of yourselves.  Love 'em.  Their your brothers and sisters!

God Bless  

My bucket list

I was thinking the other day about what would be on my bucket list.  What do you mean you don't know what a bucket list is?   You know, a list of things you'd like to do before you kick the bucket! Alright, I know that's really crude.  Anyway, we all have plans don't we.  Goals.  Dreams.  Things we'd like to do.  Things we'd like to see the Lord do.  I don't think there is anything wrong with having goals or plans, but this morning during my quiet time I came across a text that I've read a million times that really shook me up.

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?"  Matthew 16:24-26a

To deny your self is to disown yourself, to take up your cross is to die to self, to follow Him is to be His companion and disciple.  Jesus becomes the One who calls the shots.  He's the One who has the plans and reveals them to you.  He's the One whose will we seek to obey.  We die to our own plans and follow His.

A bucket list is fine as long as you always know that His plan trumps yours!  Today you may want to come to Jesus in prayer and reaffirm that He is your Master and you are available to do as He pleases.

God Bless

Got Joy?

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy."  Psalm 5:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  Psalm 16:11

"And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord."  Psalm 27:6

"For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.  Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning."  Psalm 30:5

"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"  Psalm 32:11

"Let those who delight i my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, 'Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"  Psalm 35:27

"Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God."  Psalm 43:4

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation."  Psalm 51:12

Do you have joy today?

God Bless

What a trade!

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21

I talked this morning about our marriages as a picture of Jesus and His beloved bride the Church. What an amazing thing to consider as He ransoms for Himself a bride out of a rebellious people.  I hoped that Christians would bask in the joy of that truth today and that unsaved folks would take the opportunity to get their lives right with God through Jesus the Bridegroom.  

In the midst of that I shared the illustration of my wedding day.  When Julie came through the doors in her beautiful gown she was truly radiant!  The thing is, the gown we have without Christ is filthy and there's no way we can clean it up.  The key to being right with God is not getting our gown clean.  We could seek to clean our gown by such things as cessation of bad habits, or implementation of good habits.  We could try going to church every week.  We could try reading the Bible every day.  We could try doing a lot of charity work.  We could feed the poor.  We could clothe the naked.  

There's no end to the things we could try to do to get our gown clean, but at the end of all of those things our gown would be nothing more than filthy rags.  But God has made available to all, and yes I did say all, a beautiful gown of perfection that is the righteousness of Christ.  When one comes to faith in Christ he or she is made perfect in the sight of God because his or her sin is given away, paid for by Christ on the Cross at Calvary, and Christ's perfect righteousness is given in return.  

What'll you wear on that day of the wedding of the Lamb?  If you'll forsake sin which is adultery against God and trust Christ's atoning work, you can be clothed in a beautiful robe of perfection!  As Steve Brown says "You think about that, Amen."

God Bless

Calvinism

Are you a Calvinist?  That seems to be a big question these days in Southern Baptist life  doesn't it?  There has been a big resurgence of Calvinism in the convention which has caused a lot of issues within it, and it can get so serious that churches can split over it.  It's really a shame.  

I'm not big on the whole discussion for two reasons.  First, I don't like it because I'd prefer to be known as a biblicist rather than a Calvinist.  I want the Word to be my guide in all doctrinal understanding.  I'd certainly recognize that my doctrinal understanding has some holes in it, I am sinful after all, but it is definitely my goal to have the Bible dictate my understanding.  I would say in addition to that that I believe it is a very valuable thing for us to "stand on the shoulders" of those who've gone before us.  To discuss doctrine with Spurgeon is very enlightening, to bring questions to Calvin, or Matthew Henry, or John Gill, or Luther, or Edwards and so on is a very valuable tool in our understanding.  Ultimately, however, we need the Holy Spirit and our Bible.

The second reason I'm not huge fan of the discussion is that people bring pre-conceived notions into a discussion of Calvinism that may or may not be accurate.  "Calvinists don't believe in evangelism!"  "Calvinism eliminates the love God has for all people!"  "We're all just puppets!!!!"  We've heard them all.  None of them are true.  

At the end of the day I just want to tell you all two things.  Number one, if you're a Calvinist you'll be the most humble, loving, gracious, evangelistic Christians there is.  May God bless you as you grow in this.  Number two, I did this whole post to give an opportunity to share a song with you.  Find it here.  Have fun and loosen up would ya! 

Oh and by the way, yes I am a Calvinist.  And if you're not, but you love the Lord, then you're alright with me.  May God bless your walk.

Resurrection Day

The Lord is risen indeed!

God Bless

A worthwhile conversation

On Saturday night before the Lord's Day I love to watch a video or sermon or something along those lines to prepare my heart for preaching.  I find it very edifying and a good way to get ready for Sunday.  Last night I happened onto a video on youtube.com called "A conversation- Tim Keller, John Piper, and DA Carson."

As you know I'm a huge Tim Keller fan!  I love his ministry which takes place in postmodern USA in the middle of Manhattan and is focused on planting as many churches that are anchored in truth in NYC as possible. Keller is incredibly helpful especially for those who are in or considering ministry.  He is able to articulate very clearly things that any pastor needs to know about preaching, apologetics, evangelism etc.  I really like him a lot and would highly recommend checking him out.

Anyway, the video which is about an hour and is divided up into six parts is a discussion amongst these three tremendous leaders that took place at a "Gospel Coalition" event in 2008.  They cover a variety of topics from ministering to the poor without falling into a social gospel to what to look for in an elder and how to find them.  

If you are in ministry in any capacity I'd suggest you watch this.  If not, it'd still be a worthwhile thing to watch.  I hope everyone had an awesome Resurrection Day!

God Bless 

Holiness

I started reading a book this Lord's Day called Holiness by J.C. Ryle.  I long for holiness, I think we all do as Christians, but I fall well short of the mark especially when I read works like this that were written awhile ago.  It seems these days as if the idea of personal holiness is not something talked about much, but I think when someone is truly born again it's a natural desire to be holy.  

Ryle began his book with a chapter on sin.  I've said in the past that if we had a biblical view of sin, our view of the sovereign grace of God would be much more biblical.  An understanding of the heart of man forces us to acknowledge how amazing God's grace is.  That the God of the universe was willing to send His Son to die in the place of a sinner such as myself is a miracle that I cannot fully grasp.  All I know is that "I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he could love me a sinner condemned unclean.  How marvelous, how wonderful and my song shall ever be, how marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me.  

Ryle continued on with a chapter on sanctification, an awesome reality in the life of a Christian. That God is making me like Christ is a marvelous thing.  "It is a subject of the utmost importance to our souls.  If the Bible is true, it is certain that unless we are "sanctified," we shall not be saved.  There are three things which, according to the Bible, are absolutely necessary to the salvation of every man and woman in Christendom.  These three are justification, regeneration and sanctification.  All three meet in every child of God:  he is both born again and justified and sanctified.  He who lacks any one of these things is not a true Christian in the sight of God and, dying in that condition, will not be found in heaven and glorified in the last day."    That's a statement that should send chills up the spine of any pastor. When our churches look the way they do, it should scare us that so many are not being sanctified.  Their souls are in a perilous position, especially considering most of them consider themselves saved.  This is something for us to think about this Lord's Day.

God Bless

By the way

Just one more thing!  Regarding my last post a few minutes ago:  if you were Satan and you wanted to thwart the purposes of God (impossible by the way) wouldn't a good place to start be with Genesis 1:1?  "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  And furthermore, what if you could cast doubt on Genesis 1:26-27 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  

If you could convince people that the universe came about on it's own and that man evolved from goo, and had the same origin and value as frogs, you could seriously blind people to the reality of God.  One of the things I love about Christianity is that I can ask the tough questions of it, and it just keeps standing up.  I don't want you Christians to ever think that you have to check your brain at the door when you come into church, but recognize that as we go further on in the disintegration of our culture, your beliefs will become more and more marginalized.  

Nobody believes in a young earth, or in God's creating man in His image, it's idiotic.  Or is it?

God Bless

Idiotic

Have you ever noticed that no one thinks the earth is young anymore.  It is assumed by almost everyone that the earth is 4.6 billion years old, and that a view that the earth is younger is idiotic.  I'm not a scientist, but I do know that for evolution to have occurred the earth would have to be very old, and that if the earth is young, evolution would be impossible.  

So anyway, I'm working on my sermon tonight (I know, get back to work!)  I found this website with lots of cool resources.  It's www.allaboutcreation.org.  Check it out, you may find that a young earth isn't so idiotic after all.

God Bless

What a day!

Over the last two weeks we've studied vv. 21-34 in chapter 1 of Mark's gospel.  It's amazing to recognize that the events in those 14 verses all happened in one day!  You can imagine Peter's excitement as he recounts the events of that day to John Mark!  Let's briefly consider the passage.

Jesus comes into the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath day and begins to teach.  The people in attendance are amazed at His teaching because it's authoritative, not like the teaching of the scribes which focuses on man's tradition and quoting other men.  Jesus speaks with authority like He always did declaring the word of God and it's application to all of our lives.  In the middle of His teaching an unclean spirit cries out in fear.  He says "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are- the Holy One of God."  I've always noticed that many of our "Christian leaders" today could take some theology lessons from the demons.  "You believe that God is one; you do well.  Even the demons believe- and shudder!"  (James 2:19)  

Next Jesus silences the demon and commands it out of he man.  This astonished the people in attendance that day, as  you can imagine.  As they left that day, the fame of Jesus began to spread because of what He'd done.  Jesus goes to Simon and Andrew's house with James and John for some food and fellowship, only to find Simon's mother in law on her death bed with a high fever.  With just a touch and a word, Jesus heals her immediately and completely!  Remember that Simon and Peter are the same person, so Peter is telling us about the day that Jesus healed his mother in law who was dying.  Later, the Bible says "the whole city was gathered together at the door," and Jesus healed all of those who were sick and oppressed with demons!  We're not talking a few people here!  Disease and sickness were rampant in those days, and possession happened quite often as well.  

This was a miraculous day when Jesus demonstrated His authority over disease and demons.  It was a day when we get a glimpse of how things will be when Jesus returns to rule and reign forever, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  (Revelation 21:4)  

Have you recognized the authority of Jesus Christ?  He was more than just a man.  He was more than just a teacher.  He was God in human flesh.  The world doesn't believe that, do you?  It's what the Bible teaches.  The question you have to answer is, is the Bible true?  If it is, this Jesus of Nazareth has serious authority!  I'd like to suggest to you that the Bible is true, and that He does have authority, and that He did come from His Father to die in the place of sinners, and that you must believe on Him to be saved. 

God Bless

The little church

"A holy family is a place of comfort, a church of God... Oh that God would stir up the hearts of people thus to make their families as little churches, that it might not be in the power of rulers or pastors that are bad to extinguish religion, or banish godliness from any land!"  

Richard Baxter

I've long been concerned about the direction of our country regarding the things of God.  It seems that in the last decade or so the country has gone from a walk to a sprint in attempting to escape the idea that this country was founded on godly principles by mainly God-fearing people.  I have a lot of suspicions as to why this is happening, but the reason isn't what I'd like to focus on in this post.  

No matter the direction of the country, we as Christians are called to honor God in our homes and in our lives.  Having said that, when a man is present in one of our homes it is his responsibility to see that this happens.  Are we doing that men?  Baxter posits, and I think rightly, that no matter the direction leaders or pastors go in our country it is our responsibility to lead our families in a godly direction.  

How do we do that?  First we must watch diligently our walk with the Lord.  If we are not passionately pursuing Christ, we'll never lead the family to do that.  Are you studying each day? Are you praying each day?  Does your faith inform the way you work?  Do people know your a Christian just by watching you?  Second we must employ Scripture's commands regarding our families.  They are many, but suffice it to say God's glory is to be our focus in all aspects of our family life.  We must love our wives as Christ loves the Church, we are to train our children in the way they should go.  Third we must ask God to empower us to do it every day!  Leading your family is an every day thing; even when we are tired when we get home.

If we do these things, I don't see any way our families will be led astray.  And if our families are solid, I promise our churches will be solid.  Church leaders, I'd suggest that we begin focusing on having solid biblical families in our churches.  Getting to dads has to be number one on the priority list. 

May God graciously grant that we have solid homes no matter what direction America goes.

God Bless

Follow me

Today was a great Lord's Day!  I've really enjoyed it a lot.  This morning we gathered at church for our worship service and I felt God poured out His Spirit on us.  We then shared our fellowship meal and enjoyed one another as only Christians can.  I love the Lord's Day, and it's one of the great mercies of this life as we look forward to the life to come.  May we protect our Lord's Day and not allow it to be just another day.

This morning I preached through Mark 1:16-20, the text where Jesus says to Simon, Andrew, James, and John "Come follow me."  He promises to make these lowly fishermen into "fishers of men,"  a play on words to show what they'd do in bringing men and women into the kingdom.  When I talked about what it's like to follow Jesus I borrowed some points from an essay by J.C. Ryle called Authentic Religion, it was a very convicting sermon for me as I recognize shortcomings in my own life and ministry.

Are we following Jesus?  Truly following Jesus involves sitting at His feet and learning from Him.  It involves forsaking our own way to follow Him.  It's a full-blown takeover by Jesus our Lord.  If we're to be fishers of men, we must follow the Master.

God Bless

Puritan Evangelism

My Lord's Day practice often includes reading a book after I get home from church.  Once we eat dinner and put the kids down for a nap I like to lay down and read a bit.  It often results in me falling asleep, but I try to read some at least before fading.  I encourage my people to make the Lord's Day the Lord's Day as much as possible, not that we can't do other things, but we should be protective of the Lord's Day so that we can really pursue Him.  

So today I'm reading a book called Puritan Evangelism by Joel Beeke.  I like Beeke's preaching and writing quite a bit and would recommend checking him out sometime.  The book is meant to encourage us to take a biblical approach in evangelism.  The thing that has been revealed to me more than any other in the years since my salvation is the emptiness of much of our modern evangelism techniques. I want us to be zealous preachers, but we need to make sure we are biblical in our effort.  The old saying is it's better to have one true convert that grows and truly follows Christ than fifty that fall away or live a carnal life.  

I think the Puritans would posit that faithfully and truthfully proclaiming God's Word will produce true conversions that will bear fruit; that's what I long for, to see people gloriously saved who'll bear fruit for years to come.  We can certainly learn some things from this group of people about being faithful to God and His Word.  They weren't perfect, but they were zealous in their walk with the Lord.  If you've not read anything on the Puritans you may check out a book or two, recognizing that certain authors will set out to cast them in a bad light.  I've read a few books on Puritans including A Quest For Godliness by J.I. Packer and this book which are very intriguing.  Interesting stuff!

I've had impressed upon my heart in the last weeks that I've lacked zeal in the area of evangelism.  It's driven me to my knees.  There have been tears shed and I've called out to God to change my heart.  These kinds of books are challenging to me to be zealous for the conversion of souls and biblical in the proclamation of the Gospel.  May we be people who pray for the opportunity to share this glorious news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen from the dead.

God Bless

Fellowship

"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."  1 John 1:7

I looked forward to the Lord's Day this week and it didn't disappoint!  We gathered for worship Sunday morning and for the first time in weeks most of our people were there.  Sickness has ravaged our church this winter and a lot of individuals and families have missed multiple Sundays.  For me, this creates a longing to see people because I love the gathering of God's people and when all of our people are together there's just something very powerful there.  We did miss a few people, so there was still an incompleteness to some extent, but we just had more than we've had in some time.  

I need the Lord's Day a lot!  I'm sure that's the testimony of all of God's people.  It's a day for individual worship, a day for individual prayer, a day for gathering with God's people for corporate worship and corporate prayer in addition to the sweet fellowship that goes on when God's people gather.   If you are a Christian and you're reading this post and you don't have this experience on the Lord's Day, you need to ask God to give it to you.  Do you pursue Christ in a special way on Sunday?  Do you spend more time with Him?  Do you get together with a group of people (small or large) to worship Him?  Do you have people that you worship with that you speak of the things of God with?  If you answer these questions "no" I'd make it a serious issue of prayer.

We have a fellowship meal every second and fourth sunday at our church, and it's a great blessing.  The best part this week however was the conversations I had with some men of our church after the meal.  We sat for quite some time discussing the things of God, our walk, our country, our families etc.  We encouraged one another, and I came away from it with my spirit lifted.  I love to have men around me who are passionately following Jesus Christ!  Again, if you are a Christian man and you don't have this, you must ask God to reveal why and you must seek it out.  Our primary encouragement comes from our fellowship with God in the reading of His Word and prayer, but Christian fellowship is critical.  

I'll leave you with this challenge.  This week, when church is over, talk to people about the Lord.  Talk about the sermon (only positively!).  Talk about the things of God.  Share the Gospel with a Christian! Pursue Christian fellowship this week.

God Bless 

Desiring God Pastors Conference

Well we're back home!  As some of you may know I got the opportunity this week to go to a pastors conference put on by the Desiring God ministry of Dr. John Piper in Minneapolis.  To make the opportunity even more special I got to meet up with four friends from high school at the conference.  

Let me tell you a quick story.  When I was a sophomore in high school I transferred from a high school in Waterloo IA to a high school in LaPorte City IA.   Upon my transfer I made some new friends among whom were three of the four guys I met at the conference this week.  The fourth guy was the younger brother of one of my friends who also went to the same school.  What's amazing about the whole thing is that we had very little idea if any that God would call us all to pastoral ministry (especially me since I was yet unsaved!)  But God works in mysterious ways and He has called us all to ministry, a work of Providence that amazes us to this day.  We were once foolish young kids, but Monday through Wednesday we met for worship and fellowship that left us changed forever.

The conference was awesome as it dealt with the topic of evangelism.  I think it's every pastor's desire to grow in his evangelistic zeal, and I'm certainly no different.  The speakers at the conference were Mark Dever, Matt Chandler, Michael Oh, and of course John Piper.  The conference was both challenging and encouraging and to even try to point out highlights would take too much time.  I think the consensus was that Matt Chandler's talk was tremendously edifying and challenging.  He's a young guy like me who pastors in Texas.  If you've not heard him, I'd get on youtube and check him out, a great communicator with a love for God.

I am attaching on my blog a couple of pictures from the conference.  Just to update, I've now touched John MacArthur, John Piper, and Matt Chandler!  Amazing.  Oh that God would make me an evangelist with an insatiable desire to make His name great among the nations.

God Bless 

2009 ACLJ Agenda

Julie and I have been supporters of the ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice) in recent years and we received their agenda for 2009 in the mail today.  Listen to some of these things and see what you think.

They are fighting the ACLU over a cross that was erected decades ago in honor of fallen war heroes.  They are litigating on behalf of a judge who had the gall to post the ten commandments in his courtroom.  They are arguing on behalf of Christian school students seeking to be admitted to the University of California.  The university is arguing that they shouldn't have all of their classes admitted because a history course attributed "historical events to divine providence" among other things.  They are also fighting to have the will of the people of California upheld in the Proposition 8 battle.  This organization is also arguing a case for the constitutionality of the National Day of Prayer, in addition to maintaining the phrase "In God we Trust" in the pledge of allegiance.  In addition to all of this the Freedom of Choice Act will likely be a huge battleground this year.

It has been my contention for quite some time that the Church has its collective head in the sand in regard to the downgrade of our culture.  Churches have concerned themselves so much with "growing" in number that a pastor risks his very life in mentioning any of these controversial issues.  Where are we heading today?  Why are these groups so bent on removing any mention of God from every aspect of our culture?  Are these things building toward our country experiencing the judgment of God, or are they the result of it?  I would contend that the latter is true, we have gone our own way for so long that God is judging our nation.  And yet the Church (with mostly pure motives) asks why our baptism numbers are down and our buildings are closing.  We must not compartmentalize our Christian lives.  If a culture deteriorates and the Church stands by quietly what will be the outcome?

We must stand as God's people against the secularization of this culture and the direction it's heading.  We must be winsome in proclaiming Christ.  We must pray!  We must humble ourselves.  We must worry less about our precious church programs. 

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."  Romans 1:18

Have you sought to stand for the truths of God's Word in a winsome manner?  Have you recognized that the Gospel offers total forgiveness to anyone who'll believe on Christ, no matter what they've done in the past?  Have you shared that or do your coworkers/family/friends etc. just know you don't do the things they do?  Your morality won't bring them to Christ, the Gospel can according to God's good pleasure.

God Bless  

Repentance

John the Baptist called the Jews to a baptism of repentance to prepare the way for the One who was to come who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire.  I've been thinking about biblical repentance today as I finish my sermon.  Thomas Watson defined it this way "Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit, whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and outwardly reformed.  For further amplification, know that repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special ingredients:  sight of sin, sorrow for sin, confession of sin, shame for sin, hatred for sin, and turning from sin.  If any one ingredient is left out, it loses its virtue."  

I thing the "inwardly humbled and outwardly reformed" part is very telling.  That word "reformed" can be substituted with changed.  He doesn't mean they become a Calvinist!  They become a changed person.  Easy believism provides us with a Christianity that doesn't necessarily change a person's life.  It's thoroughly unbiblical and does an awful disservice to the person and work of Christ.  Biblical repentance involves a change in how we live.  Have you repented? 

Preaching

It's a great desire of mine to see men raised up from our church to preach the Gospel.  The culture we live in is spinning out of control and those who stand for biblical truth are beginning to face more and more persecution.  It's interesting that while prop. 8 passed in California, it was a much closer vote than just a few years ago.  I've been saying for awhile now that real persecution will be coming our way in the next two decades if there's not a divinely-wrought awakening in our country.

So if I'm right about coming persecution, it'll be critical that our young people grow up with a solid foundation in biblical truth.  The work of salvation is wholly of God, but as parents we should be pouring our lives and teaching into them.  It'll also be critical that preachers stand for biblical truth no matter what may come.  I've noticed in recent years a lot of young people who are beginning to take hold of truth and stand strong for it.  I noticed at a recent conference I attended that young people paid close attention when John MacArthur spoke.  I found that incredibly encouraging!  I read an article by Dr. Al Moehler recently when he wrote "Signs of encouragement include a large number of younger evangelical pastors who are unabashedly committed to biblical exposition and represent a resurgence of genuine biblical exposition from the pulpits of churches situated in every part of the country, from the inner city to the suburbs and beyond.  This new generation is proving once again that the effective and faithful exposition of the Word of God draws persons to Christ and leads to spiritual growth and the health of the church.  A generation of young ministers, along with others making their way through college and seminary education, may point toward a renaissance of biblical preaching in coming years."

May God raise up a generation of passionate preachers who will stand and preach God's Word with fire and resolve!

God Bless 

John the Baptist

"Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist."  Matthew 11:11

That's quite a powerful statement by Jesus about the godliness of John, yet in Mark 1:7 John says "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie."  That was the task of a servant.  Imagine taking off someone's sandals after they'd walked a mile or so on a hot and dusty day!  You can hear the humility in the voice of John.  

As I preach through Mark 1:1-8 tomorrow I'm noticing some pretty amazing things about John the Baptist.  I'm struck by him being a Nazirite and being totally set apart for the Lord.  I'm struck by his clothing and food and how he'd forsaken the pursuits of the world in order to serve God.  I'm struck by how straight he preached without shame.

Preaching has taken on a different tone today.  We don't often hear words like sin and repentance.  We see men (and sometimes women) who look and sound like the world preaching a message of self-fulfillment.  I wonder if there's anything we can glean from the ministry of John.  I've been very convicted today that I've pursued what the world pursues far too much. I've watered down sermons far too much.  I've not exalted Christ and humbled myself nearly enough. 

In the application portion of the sermon tomorrow I'll share the quote by Richard Baxter that I posted on my blog awhile back.  "For myself, as I am ashamed of my dull and careless heart, and of my slow and unprofitable course of life, so, the Lord knows, I am ashamed of every sermon I preach; when I think what I have been speaking of, and who sent me, and that men's salvation or damnation is so much concerned in it, I am ready to tremble lest God should judge me as a slighter of His truths and the souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty of their blood.  Me thinks we should not speak a word to men in matters of such consequence without tears, or the greatest earnestness that possibly we can; were not we too much guilty of the sin which we reprove, it would be so."  

That's not a lame attempt at false humility, that's the facts.  God uses "jars of clay" to carry the amazing message of Christ.  Are you a man called to ministry?

God Bless

Men's meeting

I love pastoring Bloomsdale Baptist Church!  Each month we have a men's meeting on the third thursday night and tonight was that night.  I believe that one of the critical needs in the church today is to reach men with the Gospel of Christ and encourage them to lead their homes and their church as God has commanded.  We have a lot of godly men in our church for the small number of people we have.  I am always greatly encouraged to hear their commitment to Scripture, and their willingness to do what it says.

Tonight we talked about the beginning.  I shared with the men what it was like for me as a new christian.  I had always been taught that evolution (goo to you via the zoo) was how we came into being, and I just assumed that it was true.  It presented a big problem for me early on in my walk, but a few years ago I felt God directing me to yield to Him and believe that all of the Bible was true.  From beginning to end!  That was an issue since the Bible clearly teaches creation and not evolution.  Recently I've been studying a bit on the subject and have come across some really interesting information.  I shared last week that I've been reading a book called The Case For a Creator, a book where Lee Strobel interviews highly respected scientists who believe in creation.  I've often heard that evolution is science and creation is religion, and that the two could not be reconciled, but that is not at all what these men believe.  It's really very interesting!  I'd like Christians to know that they don't have to leave their brain in the car when the come into church.  

Our men need to stand firm in their faith and be immovable in their belief in the Scriptures.  I believe our culture will continue to degenerate and that it will be critical that God's people believe Him and His Word.  I'm thankful for the men of our church.  They're a great blessing to me and I look forward to walking with them in years to come.

God Bless 

Purity

"Finally, brother, 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."  Phil. 4:8

Julie and I began watching a documentary last night on the power of music to influence the culture.  It's an amazing thing to see how our culture has changed over the last 50 years.  We've come a long way, and not for the better!  The things that go on in our society today would've been unthinkable to our grandparents.  So what happened?  I wonder if we've been so bombarded by images and thoughts that we've become totally dulled to what's going on around us.  I wonder if we've become totally dulled to what's going on around us and have no idea how displeasing it is to the Lord.

So I would encourage you to consider today what you're allowing to come into your mind and heart via your eyes and ears.  We live in a day and age where the modern church describes things as "not that bad," and therefore acceptable to indulge in.  I'd just ask you to consider if the things you're allowing into your life glorify God.  I think that's the measure we should use, not if it's that bad or not.  Does it honor God.

There is a lot of music to listen to that honors God, there are a lot of movies that honor God. Be careful what you let in.

God Bless

Mark

This week I launched into a sermon series on the gospel of Mark. I've been known to jump around a bit on my preaching although I think verse by verse preaching is generally what Christians are needing today.  I preached quite awhile in Genesis which took us through the first 11 plus chapters, and taught us a lot about the creation, the fall, the flood etc.  But I felt like 2009 would be a good time to head back to the gospels and get back to the accounts of Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection.  

I began by asking the saints about their affections for Christ.  I go through times when I struggle, when the Word is a bit dry to me, when my prayer life is strikingly similar to Peter and the boys while Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane.  (They fell asleep!)  But eventually Christ brings me back to Him and excites my affections for Him again.  I urged the folks to examine their affections for Christ and to repent if they were off course.

In addition to that I tried to paint a picture of the background of Mark's gospel.  Mark's gospel is actually said to be Peter's account of things.  Peter's preaching and teaching was written down by Mark, and we thus have this gospel.  There is even evidence that Mark's gospel was the first written and that the others borrowed from it.   So I'm very excited to see how this book unfolds before us this year.  

Ultimately I tried to exegete the first three verses of the text which deal with the coming of John the Baptist as a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord.  He came to proclaim the need of the people to turn from their sin and receive forgiveness from God and to be baptized to demonstrate the forgiveness they'd received.  The Bible clearly tells us "All have sinned," and it calls us to repent and be baptized.  

Have you turned from your sin and been baptized?  If not you're in a perilous position.  If you have, how are your affections?

God Bless 

Good Stuff

I recently picked up a copy of The Case For a Creator by Lee Strobel, many of you will recognize his name from his books such as A Case For Christ and A Case For Faith.  I've really enjoyed it so far and wanted to share my recommendation of it to you.  

The greatest obstacle that God had to overcome in bringing me to faith in Christ was my rebellious heart.  The Bible accurately speaks of my heart when it calls it "deceitful," and "desperately wicked."  I was in full rebellion against God and was not in any way seeking Him or the truth about Him.  So for God to providentially bring me to a place where I'd be willing to agree with His Word about my sin, and put all of my hope for salvation in Jesus was a miracle of monumental proportions.  But another obstacle I've faced in my walk with the Lord is that of science.  I learned the same things in science class that most of you did, things like Haeckel's drawings of embryos, and the progression picture that we've all seen where ape becomes man over millions of years.  So when I became a Christian I steered clear of this topic as much as I could, but as I walked I had to make a decision about what I'd believe about the Bible.

The Bible doesn't teach evolution at all, and by evolution I mean goo to you via the zoo evolution where we all (people and penguins and porcupines and pandas) have a common ancestor billions of years ago.  I struggled with that issue for a long time because I read quotes from scientists like everyone else did, quotes like "No educated person any longer questions the validity of the so-called theory of evolution, which we now know to be a simple fact," by Ernst Mayr.  These things plagued me for a long time because I assumed that there were no scientists in the world who believed what the Bible teaches about the origins of man.  I didn't want to have to leave my brain at the door of the church!

Well let me tell you what's happened.  Over the last few years I've come to realize that evolution is much less universally-held than many portray it.  There is a growing group of scientists who believe that the book of Genesis tells us how things actually began.  Many of them even believe the earth isn't billions of years old as the evolutionists tell us!  "Scientists who utterly reject evolution may be one of our fastest-growing controversial minorities...Many of the scientists supporting this position hold impressive credentials in science."  Larry Hatfield in Science Digest.    That's what this book is about.  Strobel talks to some serious egg heads who knock down the evolutionary pillars that he'd held since he was a teen.  That may be a struggle for you too.  If so, check it out.

God Bless  

Pastoral ministry

"For myself, as I am ashamed of my dull and careless heart, and of my slow and unprofitable course of life, so, the Lord knows, I am ashamed of every sermon I preach; when I think what I have been speaking of, and who sent me, and that men's salvation or damnation is so much concerned in it, I am ready to tremble lest God should judge me as a slighter of His truths and the souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty of their blood.  Me thinks we should not speak a word to men in matters of such consequence without tears, or the greatest earnestness that possibly we can; were not we too much guilty of the sin which we reprove, it would be so."  Puritan preacher Richard Baxter

I ran across this today and I finally found someone who defines pastoral ministry really well.  I know what it's like to be ashamed of my dull heart and my unprofitable course of life.  I know what it's like to be ashamed of all of my sermons in light of my unprofitable life.  To many today this sounds like beating yourself up, but it's really just acknowledging how we fail the God we serve.  

Friday and Saturday are the days when my sermon gets put to paper.  It is a fearful thing to bring the Word of God to the people of God.  May God bless me as I prepare and preach!

God Bless

God is faithful

There's a lot of wrong that goes on in our world today.  I was talking this evening about that issue, that there are ungodly people that seem to prosper and it can be discouraging for a Christian who wants to honor God with their lives.  Imagine what it was like for Christians in first century Rome under the rule of Nero.  Remember that he started a fire that did catastrophic damage and he blamed it on Christians which gave him the opportunity to do awful things to them.  He had Christians fed to lions, had them burned on stakes in front of crowds, and many other things that are beyond our comprehension.  While we're not likely to face something like this any time soon, we still face persecution in our lives and we still see a lot of injustice in our world today.  

David recognized this truth and gave us some tips in Psalm 37:1-11 that I talked about this evening.  First he calls us to "Fret not yourself because of evildoers;"  how can we not get discouraged when we se the wicked prosper all around us?  We can recognize that "They will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb."  The thing we must recognize is that while there are evildoers prospering around us today, their time is limited.  Nero currently has no authority over the Christians of Rome!  This world is temporary, and so are your struggles.  Chin up Christian!  

Secondly I encouraged them to"trust in the Lord, and do good."  The thing that will put a stop to our fretting over evildoers is to have faith in God.  Do we believe His promises?  Do we recognize His sovereignty?  Next, I said the saints should "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  This is one of the most familiar passages in Scripture and pretty much encapsulates Christianity.  While the world delights itself in worldly passions, delight yourself as passionately in God.  He will change your desires.  Your desires will become those things which bring Him glory.  Oh that we'd be people that delight ourself only in God!

Next I encouraged the believers to "Commit your way to the Lord."  I have a longing to be a full time pastor, but right now it's not God's plan for me.  I can either complain about my circumstances or I can submit to God's will and commit to following Him no matter where the path leads me.  I believe in His sovereignty which makes this a thing that can be done.  Have you submitted yourself to the Lord's will?  I also asked them to "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him."  It's difficult in the midst of trials to be submitted to God and wait on His perfect timing.  He's never late!  And finally I called on them to "Refrain from anger."  It is not acceptable to allow your questioning of God to turn to anger.  Be patient, His promises will come to pass.  This world is temporary, His promises are not.  

Delight yourself in God.  He is so worthwhile.  Is He your treasure?

God Bless

Your money

Today I preached a sermon dealing with our use of money for God's glory.  I had told the folks last week that I'd read some statements by Jonathan Edwards that were very challenging and today I shared those with them, among them Edwards suggested that meeting the financial needs of our needy brothers and sisters in Christ "Is a duty to which God's people are under very strict obligation.  It is not merely a commendable thing for a man to be kind and bountiful to the poor, but our bounden duty, as much as it is to pray, or to attend public worship, or anything else whatever.  And the neglect of it brings great guilt upon any person."  I'd never heard that from anyone before and I found it very challenging, but if I'm to follow Christ I want to be yielded to Him in all areas.

So having laid out that challenging statement I focused on a few principles for our use of money.  First I encouraged the saints to be content.  I found Paul's exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 a really beautiful passage.  Among other things he tells Timothy "We brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."  I'd like to reach the point of being content with the essentials in life.  I at no point suggested that having things is inherently sinful, just that the desire to be rich can plunge one into temptation and lead him from the faith.  Are you content with what you have?  If a person has salvation in Christ which is sure for all eternity, how can we not see the things of this world which are passing away as much less valuable?

I also encouraged the Christians to give generously to their brothers and sisters in need using a passage in Deuteronomy 15:7-11.  Basically the Israelites are here commanded to give generously to their brothers without expecting anything back.  I asked if they were looking and listening for opportunities to share with Christians in need.  Back in 1 Timothy 6:18 Paul calls the rich in this present age to be "Generous and ready to share," what a neat thought!  Do you have extra?  Do you look for ways to share it?  I'm not saying we shouldn't save, just that we should share also.  

I continued on by encouraging folks to give to missions in 2009, using the Great Commission found in Matthew 28.  We support a really cool organization called the Heartcry Missionary Society which supports indigenous preachers around the world that are taking the Gospel of Christ to all parts of the globe.  I encouraged the folks to look for ways that they could support the mission work as God gathers His church from every "Tribe, tongue, and nation."

Finally I encouraged the believers to give radically because they have received the gift of salvation from a God who has radically given the gift of His Son for sinful people.  I briefly dealt with Romans 3, since my sermon was close to an hour at that point, then I ended with  a really vivid verse about our salvation, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich."  How can we not give radically having received such a radical gift of grace as is our salvation!

God Bless