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