For The Truth

Family Worship - Dec. 19th

2011-12-19T20:12:00.003-05:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 (ESV)

John 1:1 reminds us that Jesus is God! It is essential that you know the truth about Jesus as revealed in the Bible. In order to be forgiven of your sins you must believe in Jesus. You are not allowed to believe in an imaginary Jesus or even the Jesus of popular opinion in order to be saved. You must believe in the true Jesus Christ. If you had been living in the 3rd and 4th century you may have encountered a teacher by the name of Arius. Arius taught that Jesus was indeed a very exalted creature - similar to the Father but a created being nonetheless. his view was different from that of Thomas the apostle who said to Jesus in John 20:28, "My Lord and my God." There have been a number of errant views concerning Jesus throughout history. In fact it is essential to inquire of any teacher what his or her estimation is of Jesus Christ. If the teaching is wrong about Christ then you must reject it. It is dangerous to embrace errant teaching about Christ and His gospel (see Galatians 1).

The Bible teaches both the full humanity and the full deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus had a human body, He was born, He developed physically, He became tired, and ultimately Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead in a real body and Jesus ascended to heaven in His resurrected human body. Jesus had a real mind and real emotions and yet Jesus was sinless. Yes, Jesus was fully human but as Thomas proclaimed He was truly God. Have you acknowledged Jesus as your "Lord and God?"

The above was taken from Family Worship for the Christmas Season by Ray Rhodes, Jr. (ISBN: 1599251299), published by Solid Ground Christian Books, pages 60-61.

Take time to think about the importance of believing the truth about Jesus.

In Evil Long I Took Delight

2011-05-16T16:34:00.002-05:00

In evil long I took delight

Unawed by shame or fear

Till a new object struck my sight,

And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,

In agony and blood,

Who fixed his languid eyes on me,

As near his cross I stood.

Sure, never to my latest breath,

Can I forget that look;

It seemed to charge me with his death,

Though not a word he spoke.

My conscience felt and owned the guilt,

And plunged me in despair,

I saw my sins his blood had spilt,

And helped to nail him there.

A second look he gave,

which said, “I freely all forgive;

This blood is for thy ransom paid;

die that thou mayst live.”

Thus, while his death my sin displays

In all its blackest hue,

Such is the mystery of grace,

It seals my pardon too.

With pleasing grief and mournful joy

My spirit now is filled;

That I should such a life destroy

Yet live by him I killed.

John Newton

What are distinguishing evidences of a work of the Spirit of God?

2011-01-14T10:13:00.002-05:00

Jonathan Edwards lists the following sure proofs, rooted in Scriptures, that determine what is an authentic work of God’s Spirit.

1. A Confession of Christ, 1 John 4:2-3, 15

2. A Rejection of the World, 1 John 4:4-5; 2:15-16

3. A Regard for Scripture, 1 John 4:6

4. A Knowledge of the Truth, 1 John 4:6

5. A Love for God and Others, 1 John 3:23-24; 4:7, 9-10, 11-13, 16-19

From these verses, Edwards rightly deduced that a genuine revival would be a revival of love in the lives of God’s people. The churches would be places of increased love for one another.

Of course, Edwards warned there is a counterfeit love which is not to be mistaken for real, genuine love. Just because a group is united together in one place, working toward on common goal, does not automatically mean they have true love for one another. There is a false love that is not a work of the Spirit of God and should be acknowledged as such.

Taken from notes provided by Dr. Steven J. Lawson, “The Life and Legacy of Jonathan Edwards”, Session II, Unpublished document © 2004 Steve Lawson – Christian Heritage Conf

Owed Two A Spell Czech

2010-11-19T18:52:00.001-05:00

Eye halve a Spelling Czech program,
...it came with my pea sea.
It plainly marques, four my revue,
miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
and weight four it two say,
Weather eye am wrong oar write
it shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid,
it nose bee fore two long.
And eye can put the error rite
it's rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it,
I am shore your pleased two no.
Its letter perfect awl the weigh,
my Czech tolled me sew.

Thanks to Rod Montgomery for this one.

Why Baptists should study Baptist works, from the mouth of a revered Presbyterian

2010-11-16T17:54:00.003-05:00

"We may be loyal to a certain tradition, let us say even a good tradition, and yet be quite petrified and superstitious in our loyalty, if we have no higher norm or appeal than the traditions of the fathers. Our devotion to a tradition is wholesome only when we recognize in that tradition, not the authority of the fathers, but the authority of God's Word." John Murray

If we be Baptists, then let it be by conviction, and let that conviction be founded in the Word. But, if we are to understand what it is to be Baptist, and if we are to know if these convictions that define us are founded in the Word, then we must also read the writings that are distinctly Baptist so that we might know if these distinctions are founded in the Word of God. If they are not, then we dare not be Baptist, and if they are, we dare not be anything other than Baptist.

It is time to read. Choose wisely.

Page CXVI Hymns II

2010-10-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

Cherry-Picking the Truth

2010-10-16T09:47:00.002-05:00

Have you carefully examined how you think about the Lord, or have you put your trust in a god of your own making? This is an essential consideration, for if you have believed in anything other than the truth about Him, you are potentially doomed, or at the very least crippled, maimed, and mangled in your understanding and its outflow in your life.

First, right knowledge of the Lord is necessary for faith. "You can't know God without first knowing what is true about Him" (John MacArthur). In ignorance of God and His word man puts his trust in a god of his own making. A flawed perception of God comes from ignorance of the Bible, poor teaching, and bad theology. This ignorance results in a "cobbled together" and syncretized faith as mismatched bits are culled from this wealth of ignorance and combined with poor teaching and theology gleaned from other religions. This results in a concept of God that is "purely a figment of their own imagination" (MacArthur). True worship must flow from right knowledge.

Yet there is a difference between knowing God and knowing information about Him. James reminds us that right information not lived out amounts to a belief that is not real faith (James 2:14-22). A right understanding of God will manifest itself in deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20; Titus 3:14). John MacArthur reminds us that, "No amount of academic knowledge can substitute for real repentance and living faith." Many people, in and out of the 'visible' church have been exposed to the truth of Scripture and yet they "prefer to worship their own, homemade versions of God" (MacArthur). They project their own values and characteristics onto God, choosing one of His more palatable attributes to the exclusion of everything else revealed in about Him in Scripture. Where this occurs, there is no true worship of God, only idolatry.

Studying the Bible offers insight into the nature and character of God. It sheds biblical light, displacing wrong ideas about God with the truth which transforms life, builds faith, and induces worship that glorifies God. "Nothing is more vital than aligning your understanding of God with what His Word teaches" (MacArthur). As the first question and answer in the Shorter Catechism identifies: What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36; Psalm 73:25-28). In order to accomplish this we must seek to know God as He reveals Himself to us in His Word, the Bible. Have you spent time in His Word today?

Membership, Attendance, and Participation in the Ordinances

2010-06-11T21:49:00.002-05:00

There have been some thoughtful questions posed and some thought provoking articles written on the topics in the title. I hope to develop some articles regarding these and their interconnectedness in the life of the church. Until then, here are some worthwhile links on the subjects.

Dr. Russell Moore--The Kingdom of God and the Church: A Baptist Reappraisal

Dr. Russell Moore--Why is the Lord's Supper So Rare?

Jim Elliff--Southern Baptists, an Unregenerate Denomination

These only touch on the tip of a very large iceberg. I hope that they stimulate thought and I hope that I (or someone else for that matter) may be able to integrate the nature of: church membership; member attendance in the corporate worship, ministry, and fellowship; and the participation of those who claim the name of Christ in the ordinances that the Lord commanded His followers observe into an article that will benefit the body of Christ.

Bon appetit

A telling indication of how many of those identified as “moderates” in the Southern Baptist Convention controversy actually view the Bible

2010-05-25T14:27:00.002-05:00

The following are excerpts from an article posted on Conventional Thinking:

Something deeply disturbing recently appeared at EthicsDaily.com, the Web site for the Baptist Center for Ethics. Tony Cartledge, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School and former editor of the Biblical Recorder, recently contributed an article that makes the astounding claim that both Lottie Moon and Crawford H. Toy should be considered “Baptist heroes.”

The article is breathtaking in its argument — that a man who abandoned the Christian faith was “no less devoted to Christ” than Southern Baptists’ most famous missionary.
...

Toy drank deeply from the wells of theological liberalism and Biblical criticism during his years in Germany.
...

Toy became what Christians throughout all the centuries of church history and in all the major traditions of the Christian Church would rightly identify as a heretic. He abandoned faith in the deity of Christ and abandoned the Christian faith. Yet, moderates in the SBC controversy often celebrated Crawford Toy as a hero and as a theological martyr for academic scholarship.
...

The admiration of liberal Baptists for Crawford Howell Toy should be a matter of both amazement and genuine concern. It is also a telling indication of how many of those identified as “moderates” in the Southern Baptist Convention controversy actually view the Bible. To celebrate Toy is to celebrate his beliefs about the Bible. Those beliefs were not heroic.

To read this article, by Dr. Al Mohler, in its entirety follow this link: Heresy is Not Heroic

And remember: There are no real moderates, just dishonest liberals and cowardly conservatives.

A Radically Different Haiti Account

2010-05-22T12:25:00.003-05:00

'Radically different' story emerges about Baptists detained in Haiti

UNICEF a culprit in the arrests

Posted on May 18, 2010 | by Michael Foust

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following story is based on interviews with Paul Thompson, one of the 10 Baptists held in prison in Haiti.

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (BP)--Paul Thompson reads the media accounts describing the journey of him and nine other jailed Baptist volunteers in Haiti who are all now free, and scratches his head. He was there. What he reads is not what he experienced.

Thompson, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho, was one of those 10 Baptist volunteers who went to Haiti in late January with the goal of taking orphans out of the earthquake-ravaged country and into an orphanage being started in the Dominican Republican. That trip took a disastrous turn Jan. 30 when the 10 were shocked to learn they were being charged with child kidnapping, with allegations swirling that the group had plans to sell the kids into slavery, or worse, to harvest and sell their organs.

Such rumors were false, but it took more than 100 days to finally resolve the matter. Eight of them were freed in February, a ninth one released in March, and the final one -- Laura Silsby -- was let go May 17, more than 100 days after the ordeal began.

The story Thompson tells is far different from what has been described repeatedly in most media accounts.

"It's radically different," Thompson said.

For instance:

-- The 10 Americans did not, as has been alleged in some accounts, go through the streets of Port-au-Prince passing out flyers and going door-to-door looking for children, Thompson said. Instead, the 33 children they were trying to take across the border in a medium-sized bus came from two orphanages, and orphanage workers told them that none of the children had parents.

-- The group was told multiple times before they got to the border that their documentation and paperwork -- the source of the controversy -- was sufficient, Thompson said. A Haitian child services official said as much, as did a Haitian policeman and an orphanage director who has extensive experience transferring orphans from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.

-- The 10 Baptists were arrested in Port-au-Prince, and not at the border. They thought they would go free until UNICEF -- a United Nations agency -- got involved and pressed charges, Thompson says.

-- They were arrested on Jan. 30, and not Jan. 29 as has been reported repeatedly.

Thompson said that ever since he was released from jail Feb. 17 -- after spending 19 days there -- he's wanted the group's side of the story told but feared going public would endanger members of the group that were still in prison. Everyone, though, is now free.

Their only goals, Thompson says, were to spread the Gospel and to help children. That latter goal seemed to be on track until that disastrous afternoon of Jan. 30 when they were arrested and their lives were forever changed. Until that afternoon, Thompson says, they saw no "red flags," nothing to make them think, "Wait a minute, something's not feeling good."

THEIR FIRST TRIP INTO HAITI

The group's Haiti story actually began five days prior to their arrest, when they boarded a Greyhound-sized bus at 6 a.m. Jan. 25 for the six-hour drive from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republican to Port-au-Prince. The closer they got to the earthquake zone, the more destruction they saw, until finally, arriving in Haiti's capital, it quickly became clear they were "in a leveled city." Only a few buildings were left standing, and many of the city's orphanages had moved their children to tent cities.

Before entering Haiti the group had made contact with a handful of orphanages, being told by the orphanage directors that they were overcrowded and had quake orphans who could be moved to the Dominican Republican. But the first orphanage the group went to that day -- despite being crowded and having children who were needing food -- "completely changed" its story when Thompson and the others showed up. The orphanage was receiving food and water from outside agencies based on head count and didn't want to lose any residents, Thompson said.

The Baptists did receive cooperation late that day at another tent city orphanage, which gave the group approximately six children to take to the Dominican Republic orphanage. The children were placed on the bus but taken off when a Haitian policeman named Leonard -- who Thompson said became a "very helpful ally" -- told the group the orphanage was not a "recognized" orphanage. He also told the group that they needed written permission from an orphanage director in order to cross the border with the children and take them to the Dominican Republican orphanage, New Life Children's Refuge.

"And so we took these kids off our bus, gave them back into the care of the tent-city orphanage," Thompson said. "... We cooperated with every government agency and personnel that we talked to."

The policeman was "the first to tell us that all that is necessary for us is to have written documentation from an orphanage director transferring the custody of the children from his orphanage to New Life Children's Refuge," Thompson said.

Because the first orphanage didn't cooperate and the second one didn't have the proper paperwork, the group decided to go back to the Dominican Republic, where it would regroup, get a smaller bus -- thus making it easier to navigate the streets -- and make phone contact with other orphanages in Port-au-Prince to see if they had children who needed to be housed elsewhere safe. They also asked their three translators, whom they were leaving behind and who had grown up in orphanages, to contact any orphanages they were close to and inquire about children. After a night's sleep in Port-au-Prince, the Baptists drove to Santo Domingo on Jan. 26.

THEIR SECOND TRIP INTO HAITI

The group headed back toward Haiti on Jan. 27, and at the border was surprised when -- without the group's permission -- border guards began loading strangers onto the bus for the trip into Port-au-Prince. Fearing for their safety the Baptists told the guards to take the new passengers off the bus. Yet amidst the chaos and confusion they did allow one man and his assistant to stay. His name was Jean Sainvil, a pastor who -- providentially -- directs orphanages in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He had never met members of the group, but their shared interests quickly sparked a conversation on the bus about orphanages and needy children.

"He explained who he was and that he was trying to get back to his family in Port-au-Prince to assess more of the damage on the orphanages that he's director of," Thompson said. "... This director, this pastor, confirmed what the policeman told us the day before: that all that's necessary to transfer orphans from orphanage to orphanage is custody transfer, written documentation from the orphanage director. So there's a second confirmation for us that that's the documentation that's required and necessary."

Sainvil told the group that at least one of his orphanages was destroyed and that it would be helpful if he could transfer some of its residents to New Life Children's Refuge in the Dominican Republic. The two sides agreed to meet the next day at Sainvil's. First, though, Sainvil was dropped off at a relative's and the group went to a Christian school compound where they stayed the night.

SEEING ORPHANAGES IN RUINS

The next morning Thompson and the others met up with their translators, one of whom had made contact with an orphanage he grew up in that was overcrowded. When the bus arrived at the orphanage -- located in a mountain village -- the children, about 13 of them, were ready and waiting to board. Following protocol, Silsby got each child's name, birth date and closest living relative, and the children boarded.

Everything appeared to be in order, but when the bus started pulling away one boy began to cry, screaming in Creole that his dad was outside the bus. The bus stopped.

"He was weeping and had tears rolling down his eyes," Thompson said of the boy. "... As soon as we discovered that that kid's dad was outside the bus, we put him back in the custody of his dad."

The fact that a child who had a living parent was at the orphanage underscored the country's desperate situation.

"We had heard," Thompson said, "that this was a common practice -- that an actual parent would take their children to an orphanage and insist that this child has no parents, knowing that that child could be better taken care of at an orphanage."

Silsby then phoned Sainvil, who told her he was not yet ready for them to come to his orphanage. With time on their hands, the group headed to the Dominican Republic embassy in Port-au-Prince to try and obtain a document the Baptists had learned the D.R. requires to transfer orphans into that country.

No one at the consulate, though, had the document. Silsby's wait inside the consulate lasted so long -- at least an hour -- that the Baptists on the bus decided to feed the children.

"There were several delays," Thompson said. "She came out one time and said that the person that is supposed to meet her with the document was on their way."

The person never showed up.

"From this side of things, that kind of dialogue is probably better interpreted as delay tactics, because they didn't have the paperwork," Thompson said. "Nobody had it, and it was not there. These are government agencies telling us the person with the paperwork is on their way. So we waited and waited and waited. Eventually we told them that we have this appointment to meet at the orphanage with Pastor Jean Sainvil. We left the embassy building."

WERE THEY REALLY ORPHANS?

Sainvil's orphanage -- and most of the neighborhood around it -- was destroyed. Despite that, the 20 or so kids from Sainvil's orphanage were dressed and ready, and they boarded the bus one at a time as Sainvil gave Silsby each child's name, birth date and closest living relative.

It would later be learned that none of the children -- not the 20 at Sainvil orphanage and not the 13 at the mountain village -- were orphans. Thompson says now he does not know who was deceiving whom, but that he and the others believed they were receiving children who were orphaned because of the earthquake.

"That's still an unknown for us," Thompson said. "But as far as we knew, these kids that this pastor was giving into our care and our custody had no moms and no dads. We had communicated above board that this is the purpose of this ministry -- it is to only minister to kids that have no moms and no dads. And it was communicated frequently. So somewhere along the way, a deception was communicated to us who these kids were."

With 33 children now in their care, the group headed back to the Dominican Republic embassy to see if the official who supposedly had the necessary document had arrived. The person, though, had not, but Silsby was told the document would be waiting for them at the border.

The group members now faced a dilemma: they did not have the proper documents to cross the border but -- with it now being close to nighttime -- they also did not have a place for them and the children to sleep. Officials with the Christian school compound previously had told Silsby and the others that they would not be allowed to bring children into the facility, but the group felt it had no other choice but to try. Sure enough, though, the school turned the group away. So that night, the 10 Baptists and the 33 children slept on the streets just outside the compound, with military personnel on the compound grounds making it feel at least somewhat safe. Despite that setback, the group was heartened when medical personnel came out of the compound to check on the children.

Thankfully, the area around the compound saw no violence or looting that night.

"Nobody even wandered down the street upon us," Thompson said.

'YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO TO THE BORDER'

Thompson and the others woke up on Jan. 29 after a rough night's sleep intending to obtain not only the Dominican Republic document but also a Haitian document they had learned about.

They spent nearly the entire day looking for both documents -- "going to every government agency we were told to go to" -- while at the same time entertaining and feeding the 33 children. The friendly Haitian policeman they had met during their first day in Haiti assisted them throughout the day, guiding them to the necessary buildings.

The group attempted to obtain the Haitian document, going to a Port-au-Prince child services office and also a Haitian child services office, but got a similar story each time:

"They would say, 'This is a brand new document, we actually don't have the document' or 'We don't have anyone here to sign the document. You'll have to go to [another] office to get it.'"

The final Haitian government office they visited wasn't any more helpful, and -- in hindsight -- may have helped lead to their arrest. After Silsby showed an official there the documents she had been given by the two orphanages, the person, Thompson said, responded, "This document that you have, you might as well take it to the border and see if they'll let you cross with this document because this other document -- that everyone knows is a new document to have -- nobody has it. And nobody is here to actually produce the document."

So, late that afternoon, the group decided to head to the border.

"We made that decision based off what a government official told us to do," Thompson said. "We felt we made every attempt to be above board with this process."

The bus left Port-au-Prince and got to the border around 6 o'clock.

"As soon we got there, Laura stepped out and she had all the documentations with her," Thompson said. "She was explaining to the border guards, 'Here's the situation, here's where we're going.' ... They felt comfortable that everything she was sharing was on the up and up -- that's the feeling we got. Then there began to be some dialogue amongst themselves in Creole or French about this new document that Haiti was now requiring for transfer of orphans. They were in a bit of an argument, some of the guys saying, 'This is all they need,' and others saying, 'No, they've got to have another document.'"

The border guards called the chief border guard, and Silsby and Thompson went into his office.

"She was telling these guys the same story," Thompson said. "The border guards were listening, the chief border guard's listening. You can tell that he's confused."

The chief border guard made several calls and then got off the phone and broke the bad news: "I cannot let you cross the border." The group, he said, must go back to Port-au-Prince to get the Haitian document that no one could provide.

"He did not arrest us," Thompson said. "So we complied and said, 'OK.'"

But the group now had the same problem it had the night before: 33 kids, with no place to sleep. Desperate, the Baptists made a proposal to the chief border guard: They would stay at the border that night, and the next morning, the bus driver would take Silsby to Port-au-Prince to get the document, with the others staying at the border until she got back. The chief border guard agreed to the plan, and the bus was moved into the gated area.

The Baptists and the border guards -- many of whom had grown up orphans and who appreciated what the Baptists were doing -- then began working together to ready the children for bed. Their sleeping area would be a porch area, with blankets spread out.

"[The border guards] were very grateful and expressing a lot of gratitude to us for what we were doing to help their country," Thompson said. "We got a good sense of reception from them."

Soon, a group of medical personnel showed up who had, somehow, gotten word about the children. These officials ran a medical facility in Haiti five miles from the border and offered to give the children physicals -- including de-worming medication -- the next day. The Baptists agreed. The new plan for Saturday -- OK'd again by the chief border guard -- now had the bus dropping the children off at the medical facility while Silsby went to Port-au-Prince to obtain the document. The Baptists' frustrating predicament now seemed to have a silver lining, and, perhaps, things would fall into place the next day. That hint of optimism soon turned to joy that night when the conversation between the Baptists and the border guards turned spiritual.

'I WANT TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN'

With the children falling to sleep and the group members preparing MREs (meals, ready to eat), the border guards and Baptists practiced their lingual skills -- the border guards' limited English and the Baptists their rough Creole. Out of the blue, one of the border guards, speaking through a translator, told the Baptists, "I want to become a Christian and I want to know how to become a Christian." The Baptists, amazed at what had just been requested, led the man to the Lord.

"Our act of compassion upon his country, God was using that to draw this man to Himself -- I'm sure with a lot of other things," Thompson said. "Because of what just happened we became very satisfied that this was God's ordained moment for this man's life."

The Baptists rejoiced with the man, and the experience made the fact that they were still in Haiti -- and would be sleeping without a bed for a second straight night -- significantly more palatable. It would be their final night sleeping in freedom before being placed in jail.

They awoke the next morning ready to tie up all the loose ends and finally get the proper documents to travel into the Dominican Republic -- where a church group from Idaho awaited -- but soon were told that there had been a change of plans. They would not be allowed to take the children to the medical center, and Silsby would not be allowed to travel to Port-au-Prince alone. Instead, everyone -- the 10 Baptists and the 33 children -- were told to board the bus and travel to Haitian child services, which just happened to be housed in the same building in Port-au-Prince as the police station. They were not given any detailed explanation.

"Our understanding was we were going back to get the documentation," Thompson said. "So we complied."

UNICEF GETS INVOLVED

The bus passed the medical compound en route to Port-au-Prince and arrived at the police station around 8 or 9 o'clock that morning. Ironically, it was one of the buildings the group had been at the day before trying to obtain the Haitian document that officials had been unable to find.

The police escorted Silsby and her translator into an office, leaving behind the other nine Baptists and 33 children in a waiting area. The discussion between the police and Silsby lasted more than an hour, and she exited the meeting optimistic that everything was OK.

"Laura came out of this meeting pretty satisfied that the police were ready to put us back on the bus with the kids and head back to the border because she had produced the documentation from the orphanage directors," Thompson said. "She told them the whole story. We were actually in a building where we had been the day before trying to get documentation. So she was able to say, 'We've already been here, we've tried this. Nobody was here to get this paperwork for us.'"

Yet they weren't allowed to leave the police station just yet because a representative from child services was on her way to the building to meet Silsby. After that -- at least they thought -- they would be good to go.

Finally, the woman arrived, and Silsby and the others knew something could be amiss. The woman was a UNICEF worker who Silsby recognized from previous visits to child services offices. She walked into the building with a group of UNICEF employees, all of them wearing shirts with the UNICEF logo. A "spiritual shift," Thompson said, took place.

Still, though, there was no reason to worry. "You guys are going to be OK," policemen told the team. But the group soon began questioning that logic. The lengthy meeting between the UNICEF woman, Silsby and the police had barely begun when the other UNICEF employees brought cameras and microphones into the waiting area to film video of the kids, talking to them in Creole. The children began crying, and the footage made it into news broadcasts around the world.

"This was a complete setup," Thompson said. "They were beginning to build their case for us as being kidnappers and child traffickers."

Even worse for the Baptists, the UNICEF employees told the children that the 10 were kidnappers who wanted to sell the kids into slavery or sell their organs, Thompson said.

"What those cameras won't show -- which is ironically amazing -- is that these kids were sitting in our laps, crying on our shoulders and they were not running away from us," Thompson said. "We're the very people that the UNICEF people were saying we kidnapped them. There's no policemen that is taking these kids away from us at this point. Nobody's removed us from the kids. We were still in complete care of the kids. They're not even turning to the policemen. For us, that really began to tell us that we were right in the middle of something very spiritually active. For us, it was clear that there was a spiritual battle that we were right smack dab in the middle of."

After the UNICEF cameras left, though, the children calmed down, and the Baptists were allowed to go back to their bus where they got food and water to feed the kids. With the meeting dragging on, the kids ate, and everyone waited for a report from Silsby.

Finally -- about an hour and 45 minutes after it started -- the meeting ended. As if on cue, the UNICEF camera crew once again put microphones in the faces of the kids, who, once again, began crying and screaming. The UNICEF woman -- whose name Thompson still does not know -- then headed to a press conference in an adjacent part of the building, where she announced that the Baptists had just been charged with kidnapping and child trafficking. Thompson watched the press conference, as did some of the children. A policeman actually interpreted the press conference for Thompson. It was a surreal scene.

"He's just standing next to me, he was not acting on the charges that she's telling the press conference about," Thompson said. "And still, no large group of policemen has showed up. Nobody has showed up with handcuffs. We're still taking care of the kids, and she's telling the world we're kidnappers and traffickers.... They're definitely still crying and I'm sure heavy in thought about what was going on. It's hard to know really what these kids are processing in their minds."

Soon, though, the 10 Baptists were arrested, beginning an ordeal that forever changed their lives. That night would be Day 1 of nearly three weeks in jail for eight of them and 100-plus days in prison for Silsby.

Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.

Sometimes They are Hard to Spot

2010-05-10T13:11:00.007-05:00

Matthew 7:15

The Evolution of Good Samaritism

2010-05-03T12:05:00.008-05:00

By Cam Cardow
http://c0389161.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/dyn/str_strip/319265.full.gif

Without Victory there is no Survival

2010-04-22T10:51:00.001-05:00

“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.” – Winston Churchill

Test post

2010-03-29T07:55:00.001-05:00

This is a test. This blog is conducting a test of the blog posting system. This is only a test.

Music, Freedom, and Our Understanding of Evil

2010-03-18T20:24:00.002-05:00

One of the sorrows I experience as a Christian and a pastor is the unprescribed limitations that the fellowship of believers place on themselves and others in an attempt to be holy. To have holiness as a goal for one's life is a noble desire, but often as we strive for it, we more closely resemble children practicing new grammar rules. We apply standards either we have created or that have been created by others to places or in ways that God has not prescribed in His Word. And we often do this in a way that is less than generous or loving to those with whom we share a common bond, the Spirit of the Living God. We can be so rigid in holding to doubtful doctrines, so sure in our own ability to draw clear conclusions about things not said in Scripture, and so quick to look down our noses at one another because "thus says somone other than God" who wrote some book or article or that we heard speak somewhere. Many of these rigid conclusions are not only doubtful (except when they appeal to what we want to believe), but are not even drawn from Scripture.
What I am thinking of in particular is the debate about music. So much is so strongly believed concerning what is or is not acceptable, but so little of our standards find any foundation in the Word of God.
I heard a new song today. It is a song that I woudl love to share with those whom I hold dear, my little flock whom the Lord God has entrusted to my care. But, sadly, I cannot. Because we are sheep, because we are frail and broken, we create rigid laws and standards not from God's Word. Laws that isolate us from each other and rob us of the liberty we have in Christ to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
My heart sorrows at the restraints that we have fashioned for ourselves, and the yoke that we place on others, that stifles our worship and joy we would otherwise share.

Too many apologies

2010-02-25T22:18:00.002-05:00

Thomas Sowell - Syndicated Columnist - 2/24/2010 10:45:00 AM

Tiger Woods doesn't owe me an apology. Nothing that he has ever done has cost me a dime nor an hour of sleep.

This is not a plea to be "non-judgmental." I am very judgmental about all sorts of things, including Tiger Woods' bad behavior. But that is very different from saying that he somehow owes me an apology.

For all I know, my neighbors may be judgmental when I drive out of my driveway in a 15-year-old car. But they have never said anything to me about it, and I have never offered them an apology. This is not equating driving a 15-year-old car with what Tiger Woods did. But the point is that any apology he might make should be made to his family, who were hurt, not to the public, who might be disappointed in him, but not really hurt.

Public apologies to people who are not owed any apology have become one of the many signs of the mushy thinking of our times. So are apologies for things that somebody else did.

Among the most absurd apologies have been apologies for slavery by politicians. For one thing, slavery is not something you can apologize for, any more than you can apologize for murder.

If someone says to you that he murdered someone near and dear to you, what are you supposed to say? "No problem, we all make mistakes"? Not bloody likely!

Slavery is too serious for an apology and somebody else being a slaveowner is not something for you to apologize for. When somebody who has never owned a slave apologizes for slavery to somebody who has never been a slave, then what began as mushy thinking has degenerated into theatrical absurdity -- or, worse yet, politics.

Slavery has existed all over the planet for thousands of years, with black, white, yellow and other races being both slaves and enslavers. Does that mean that everybody ought to apologize to everybody else for what their ancestors did? Or are the only people who are supposed to feel guilty the ones who have money that others want to talk them out of?

This craze for aimless apologies is part of a general loss of a sense of personal responsibility in our time. We are supposed to feel guilty for what other people did but there are a thousand cop-outs for what we ourselves did to those we did it to.

Back in the 1960s, when so many foolish ideas flourished simply because they were new, a New York Times columnist tried to make the case that we were all somehow responsible for the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

That was considered to be Deep Stuff. It made you one of the special folks when you believed that, instead of one of the rest of us poor dumb slobs who believed that the man who shot him was responsible.

For more than a century, the intelligentsia have been trying to get us to focus on the "root causes" of crime -- supposedly created by "society" -- instead of locking up thieves or executing murderers.

If some people don't have the money or the achievements of others, that too is society's fault, in the eyes of those for whom personal responsibility is an outmoded idea.

Personal responsibility is a real problem for those who want to collectivize society and take away our power to make our own decisions, transferring that power to third parties like themselves, who imagine themselves to be so much wiser and nobler than the rest of us.

Aimless apologies are just one of the incidental symptoms of an increasing loss of a sense of personal responsibility -- without which a whole society is in jeopardy.

The police cannot possibly maintain law and order by themselves. Millions of people can monitor their own behavior better than any third parties can. Cops can cope with that segment of society who have no sense of personal responsibility, but not if that segment becomes a large part of the whole population.

Yet increasing numbers of educators and the intelligentsia seem to have devoted themselves to undermining or destroying a sense of personal responsibility and making "society" responsible instead. Aimless apologies are just one small symptom of this larger and more dangerous attitude.

Too many apologies

The Way of the Righteous

2010-02-07T12:00:00.002-05:00

Due to the snow storm GNBC could not gather for worship this morning. The Wallace family had family worship to honor the Lord's day. What follows is an outline of our service. I hope that it will be a help and encouragement for those of you have also been unable to gather for worship.

Call to Worship

"God is so good" (all together)(3x's)

"He's so good to me"

Psalms and Hymns

Psalm 1 (read collectively)

Prayer

Hymn - O How I Love Jesus

Hymn - O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Creeds and Commandments

The Apostles' Creed (read by Calvert)

Scripture Reading and Discussion

Psalm 1

What does this passage say?
What does it mean for our lives?
How does it look in our lives? (positive and negative examples)
What should we do?

Prayer of Confession and Intercession

Closing Hymn

Hymn - Be Thou My Vision

Benediction

The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace. (Num 6:24-26)

The structure we used above was taken from The Family Worship Book: A Resource Book for Family Devotions by Terry L. Johnson, pp. 45-47, ISBN: 9781857924015. This book is an excellent resource for family worship and devotions.

Calvin on the death of his wife from his letters

2010-01-12T16:43:00.001-05:00

April 7, 1549

Although the death of my wife has been exceedingly painful to me, yet I subdue my grief as well as I can. Friends, also, are earnest in their duty to me. It might be wished, indeed, that they could profit me and themselves more; yet one can scarcely say how much I am supported by their attentions. But you know well enough how tender, or rather soft, my mind is. Had not a powerful self-control, therefore, been vouchsafed to me, I could not have borne up so long. And truly mine is no common source of grief, I have been bereaved of the best companion of my life, of one who, had it so been ordered, would not only have been the willing sharer of my indigence, but even of my death. During her life she was the faithful helper of my ministry. From her I never experienced the slightest hindrance. She was never troublesome to me throughout the entire course of her illness; she was more anxious about her children than about herself. As I feared these private cares might annoy her to no purpose, I took occasion, on the third day before her death, to mention that I would not fail in discharging my duty to her children. Taking up the matter immediately, she said, "I have already committed them to God." When I said that was not to prevent me from caring for them, she replied, "I know you will not neglect what you know has been committed to God."

Holy Christmas Day

2009-12-20T15:05:00.002-05:00

Fourth Sermon—1534, Martin Luther

Concerning the Account of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. On this festival of the birth of our dear Lord Jesus Christ we should preach and learn about the great and gracious act which God bestowed upon us by allowing God’s Son to become a human being. Therefore let us hear what the holy Evangelists write about this event. First of all we are told that the angel or the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and announced to him that Mary would give birth to the Son of God. Then they report that Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem and that there Mary gave birth to her first son, in the stall where the cattle milled around them, for there was no room for them in the inn.

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Luke 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

2. This is the story and history which gives us the account of how our dear Lord Jesus Christ was born. A primary need for our young people, especially now, is to remember this account and adore it with sincerity of heart, so that they will never forget it. It should teach them to thank and praise our Lord and God for this tremendous blessing, that we poor, wretched, yes, also damned people, have been granted this great honor of becoming one in flesh and blood with the Son of God. For no one less that the eternal Son of the eternal Father, who alone created heaven and earth out of nothing, he it is, as we are here informed, who became a human being and was born into this world just as we were, except that in His case this all took place without any kind of sin being involved. That is why we can boast that God has become our brother, yes, part of our flesh and blood.

3. The great honor has been granted to neither angels nor devils but to us human beings. The angels are indeed more glorious creatures than we human beings, and yet God has bestowed greater honor upon us and has joined Himself closer to us than to the angels, because He did not become an angel, but chose instead to become a human being.

4. Now if we human beings properly consider this fact, and if we could wholeheartedly believe this, then such inexpressible grace and blessing from our dear Lord God should give us very great joy, and should drive us to thank Him with our whole hearts and move us to gladly obey His will and to live godly lives.

5. When we were still under the papacy, they used to tell this story. Once upon a time the devil attended mass in a church where it was customary in either the Lord’s Prayer or the Creed to sing: Et homo factus est, that is, “God’s Son has become a human being.” While they were singing this, the people remained standing and did not kneel down. The devil was so incensed, that he slammed his fist into one man’s mouth, saying, “You boorish bum, aren’t you ashamed to stand there like a post and refuse to kneel for joy? If God had become OUR brother, as He did become YOUR brother, our joy would be so great that we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves.”

6. That story may be pure fiction, but if so, then it was invented by someone that was very intelligent and who correctly understood the great honor that was bestowed on us, when God’s Son became a human being in a totally different way from Adam or Eve. You see, Adam was formed out of the soil of the ground, while Eve was formed out of Adam’s rib. But Christ was even more closely related to us because He was born from the flesh and blood of His mother, the Virgin Mary, in the same way that other human beings are born, with this one exception: the Virgin Mary was single when the power of the Holy Spirit came over her and God’s Son was conceived without sin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Aside from that, He is just like we are, the son of a genuine, natural woman.

7. Adam and Eve were not born but created; God formed Adam from the soil of the earth, while Eve was formed from Adam’s rib. How much more Christ is like us since He is of the same flesh and blood that we have! We should truly cherish and treasure this fact. And especially children and young people should treasure this form little on up and have this glorious fact engraved indelibly on their hearts, that the Son of God has become flesh and that there is no difference between His and our own flesh, except that His flesh is without sin. You see, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and God so filled the flesh, body, and soul of the Virgin Mary with the Holy Spirit in such a way, that no sin was present in her conception and carrying of the Lord Jesus. Aside from that, everything was natural in His formation. Just like other people He ate and drank, slept and awoke, was happy and sad. He became hungry and thirsty and got cold, just like other people. He experienced such and similar, natural sensations and emotions, but he remained without sin. As St. Paul says, “In all respects He was found to be a human being, exactly like us, a person who ate, drank, arose, walked around, experienced joy and sorrow, cold and heat, and so on.”

8. This meant, of course, that he had to humble and humiliate Himself a great deal. After all, it would have been a simple thing for Him to become a human being just like He is now in heaven. He has flesh and blood just like ours, but does not do what we do. He could have done this from the very beginning of His humiliation, but He didn’t want to do that, so He could demonstrate and prove how great his love for us is. He wanted us to rejoice, to take comfort in and the fact that we have a brother in heaven. And cursed is any person who refuses this brother, thus depriving his heart of this joy.

9. That is the reason why this historical account is the theme of preachers every year. They make it the basis of their sermons, so that every child can impress this mental picture on his heart and thank God for this gift and say: There is no reason for me to live in constant fear, because I have a brother who has become a human being just like me. Why he was willing to let this happen, and what He aimed to accomplish by it, namely to free us from sin and eternal death, I shall not discuss in detail today. Right now I want to tell you about the honor that has been bestowed on the entire human race, an honor of which we can rightfully boast and celebrate, namely, that the Son of God has become a human being. All people can boast of this honor. However, only Christians can boast of this birth to all eternity. Down here on earth all people have the honor that God’s Son has assumed their flesh and blood. But the spiritual and eternal fruit of this birth belongs only to Christians. That is the primary truth we should learn from this account.

10. Second, we should learn to follow this striking, divine example. For Christ, the Son of God, humbled Himself the way He did, in order to transfer all His glory to destitute human beings, and on top of that also transferred to them His divine majesty before which the holy angels tremble in awe, while He himself lives like a poverty-stricken beggar. Up in heaven the angels worship Him, while down here on earth He becomes our servant and beds Himself in our slimy sins and sinfulness. Now I say, because the Son of God has done this, we should learn from Him to gladly and humbly praise and glorify Him and His Word, suffering every kind of sorrow I imitation of Him, and so follow His example. For what harm can befall us or why should we be ashamed of suffering? After all, our dear Lord suffered cold and hunger and sorrow, but when He came down to earth, His life was especially filled with sorrow and poverty, as we have told you. In the stall there were no bedpans nor any privacy whatsoever, no pillow, no diapers, no bedding. He had to lie in a manger beneath the cows and oxen. Think of it, my kinsman, yes, my brother, the King of all creation in heaven and on earth, and of all creatures in them, lies there in such wretchedness! Shame on me! Why am I so stuck-up? Why do I want to be so high and mighty that I never want to suffer anything? If the King of glory suffers as He does, for my sake, who do I think I am, anyway? Isn’t it a fact, that I am a poor sinner who does not even deserve to lie on bristle. But here I am, lying on a bed of ease, while my Lord lies there on course straw in a manger for the cows!

11. But isn’t this a disgusting deal? Here we see the humiliation and poverty in which our Lord Jesus lies for our sake, while we pretend to be aristocratic landowners who should get off with no punishment or suffering at all! The house-hotel is filled with guests who sit in the seats of the highest honor; they also have a separate living room and bedroom, maid service and home health care when needed. Meanwhile the young Virgin and Joseph are rudely shown to the barn where cattle are sheltered. That is where she gives birth to the precious Son of God, the Creator of the entire universe! Those are the abominable conditions under which He was born! We must clasp Him to our hearts and confess: Our Lord was born amid such misery and poverty, and eventually He died on a cross for our sakes. It makes no sense at all that we undeserving louts should enjoy eternal rest and peace; for a servant is not greater than his master. But, sad to say, we do not recognize this; we just go on being troublemakers, twisted and gnarled gripers, always haughty and uppity, even though we see our Lord Jesus lying in such great poverty for our sake. But all we gain by our pride is useless, except to polish our shoes for it.

12. That is why we should learn our lesson well and earnestly ponder the great honor that has been bestowed on us by Christ’s becoming a human being. For it is such a great honor, that even if one were an angel, you would do well to wish that you were a human being, so that you could boast: My our flesh and blood is greater than all the angels, and blessed is every creature that is a human being. God grant that we understand this, take it to heart and thank God for this great gift. In addition, we should diligently study the example of Christ, what He manifested with His first advent to this earth in that He suffered for our sake, so that we too do our beat to learn from Him how to suffer. The Lord of all lords becomes a Servant of all servants. We should follow that example and learn from our dear kinsman and brother to gladly help and serve other people, even when it becomes a burden for us and causes us to suffer a little bit in rendering that service. These two things we should note well: the account itself and the example it sets. To that end may God help us by the Holy Spirit through our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

On Religious Grumblers

2009-12-19T19:12:00.001-05:00

…It is a dreadful thing to see a happy family of Christians broken up by talkative fault-finders, and all about nothing, or less than nothing. Small is the edge of the wedge, but when the devil handles the beetle, churches are soon split to pieces, and men wonder why.

The fact is, the worst wheel of the cart creaks most, and one fool makes many, and thus many a congregation is set at ears with a good and faithful minister, who would have been a lasting blessing to them if they had not chased away their best friend. Those who are at the bottom of the mischief have generally no part or lot in the matter of true godliness, but, like sparrows, fight over corn which is not their own, and, like jackdaws, pull to pieces what they never helped to build….

From Charles Spurgeon in John Ploughman’s Talk.

(a post by my friend Jeff)

The Idolatry of Talent

2009-11-28T21:22:00.001-05:00

This could easily have been written for our time.

“There is in this day an idolatry of talent running through society; and this man-worship has crept into the church, and corrupted its members. It is painful to perceive how far it is carried in many circles, and to see what homage is paid, and what incense is burnt, to their favourites.

It is not religion or holiness that is thus elevated, but genius and knowledge: it is not moral beauty, but intellectual strength, that is lauded to the skies: the loftiest models of goodness receive but scanty offerings at their shrine, compared with the gods of the understanding.

It is very evident that in many cases the gospel is loved, if loved at all, for the sake of the talent with which it is preached, and not the talent for sake of the gospel.”

–John Angell James, An Earnest Ministry: The Want of the Times (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1847/1993), 249.

Preaching in Earnest

2009-11-25T23:07:00.002-05:00

Eddie Goodwin at Ardent Cries provides a helpful snippet from John Broadus, as quoted by Alex Montoya:

Some men by nature are shy, timid, and inhibited with regard to their feelings. Unfortunately, our intellectual and reclusive seminary environment appeals to this temperament. In addition, our fear of appearing overemotional, manipulative and nonintellectual makes us want to subdue any manifestation of emotion, excitement, or pathos in our preaching. One’s nature has as much to do with our style of preaching. No one need despair, however. Just read what John Broadus said more than a century ago, which I still believe holds true today:

The chief requisite to an energetic style is an energetic nature. There must be vigorous thinking, earnest if not passionate feeling, and the determined purpose to accomplish some object, or the man’s style will have not true, exalted energy. It is in this sense emphatically true that an orator is born, not made. Without these qualities one may give valuable instruction; without them one might preach what silly admirers call “beautiful sermons”; but if a man has no force of character, a passionate soul, he will never be really eloquent. There are, however, timid and sensitive men who, when practice has given them confidence and occasion calls out their powers, exhibit far more masterful nature than they ever imagined themselves to possess.” (pp.16-17)

May God grant to those who preach souls so taken up with the truth that the heat as well as the light spills over in our pulpit labours.

Written by Jeremy Walker at The Wanderer

Men will be boys

2009-09-22T11:17:00.002-05:00

"Men will be boys" is a motto of the foolishness of a society that glorifies those men who never grow up. A society that promotes self-centeredness, immaturity, rashness, and irresponsible living. Yes boys will be boys, but men must be men. Titus 2:2 commands the men of the church to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. We are directed to grow in our faith and maturity in Hebrews 6:1; Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance of dead works and of faith toward God. Further, the parameters of our knowledge of good and evil are drawn for us in 1 Corinthians 14:20, Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

For more to consider, read 1 Corinthians 2:6; Ephesians 4:11-16; and Hebrews 5:12-14. Mine the wells of Scripture, for they are inexhaustible.

Seek Peace and Pursue It

2009-08-24T09:49:00.002-05:00

On the route I run, there is a sign posted in the front yard of one of my neighbors that quotes the second half of Psalm 34:14, Seek peace and pursue it. Every time I pass this sign, given liberal nature of the area in which I live, and given the fluffy substanceless nature of liberalism, I wonder if the person who posted the sign has ever read the first half of the verse--Depart from evil and do good. And if they have, I wonder if they understand that the first half informs our understanding of the second, and that it is necessary to understand evil and good as defined by Scripture as opposed to by man. This enables one to know what it is that he must depart from and what he should pursue.

The verses straddling verse 14 further inform our understanding of the verse. Verse 13 commands us to keep our tongues from evil and to not speak deceitfully, and verses 15 and 16 tell us, the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and the face of the Lord is against evildoers. Again, we must look to God's Word to know, as Job asks in 9:2, "How can a man be righteous before God?"

Taking in the entire chapter, we see that everything about Psalm 34 is focused on God and is in the context of how we should relate to Him. It is Him we are to magnify and in whom we are to boast; it is Him we are to seek; it is Him to whom we are to cry out; it is in Him we are to find our refuge, and it is by Him that we are saved. We then see the nature of this peace in the context of the whole chapter, and that informed by the entirety of Scripture, so that we understand the peace we are to seek and pursue, and to what and to Whom it relates.

Seek peace and pursue it.

I can't wait ... For what?

2009-08-14T08:49:00.003-05:00

Here is a video promotion of Obamacare by the Catholic Health Association. Some of the "I can't waits" are very interesting. The President states that health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year." Well, what has taken the government so long to come to this conclusion? Many of those applauding this statement have been in office for decades. Could it be the fact that they have set themselves up with some of the best health care available so that they cannot even relate to the average American? Why the sudden concern? Or is it something other than concern? Maybe agenda would be a better term? In the long run, will the weakest and most vulnerable of our society get the care they need or will they be denied care in the inevitable rationing that will occur? It has been within the government's power and ability to provide care for our veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country; how are they handling that responsibility? What is the level of care and the availability of that care for them? The record is not one that recommends government health care for the rest of the country. A little boy in the video holds a sign that states, "I can't wait till my mom's M.S. care is covered." I wonder if he realizes that his mother will be in one of the first tiers denied care when rationing starts? A couple of the signs make references to everyone and anyone, but what about the thousands of babies aborted every year, particularly those who are killed following a failed abortion attempt? Or are they not a part of everyone and anyone because our government views them as no one? What then is the criteria for having no value in our society? Who else could, in time, be placed into that category? Is this criteria a set standard or can it be altered or expanded based on the availability of resources or based on society's view of one's usefulness? And who determines who is useful? Finally, and it is not that I could not say more, the most absurd "I can't wait" is the one held by a group of priests that states, "We can't wait for health care that protects all life!" All life? Who are they kidding? With mandatory funding of abortion by the taxpayer regardless of their religious convictions and mandatory participation of doctors, under threat of penalty, a major plank in this proposed health care is the denial of life to the most vulnerable in our society. This whole campaign for health care for anyone and everyone is a lie, just like the claim that abortion is about women is a lie. Just follow the money and you will see what it is about. Also, history is a good help to understanding the present. Take a look at those in power that are pushing for socialized health care; look at their voting record and past statements. What do they reveal about their attitudes toward the weak, the powerless, toward those who disagree with them politically, socially, and morally, and finally what does their past reveal about their attitude toward freedom and our Constitution? The picture is pretty bleak, and this is without even considering their attitude toward God and His Word, something that should be of utmost importance for Christians. One last note: qualifying for the most delusional "I can't wait" is the group of nurses that can't wait for "less regulatory paperwork." What have they been smoking? This is the government we are talking about.

The Law of God

2009-07-15T15:41:00.012-05:00

Proposition IX in James Buchanan's work The Doctrine of Justification states: The Law of God, which is the rule of man's duty, is also a revelation of God's eternal Justice and Holiness.

This proposition reminds us in reference to God, that His law is an "authoritative expression of His supreme will" and a "revelation of His essential nature." Buchanan continues, "His will is determined by the infinite perfections of His character." It is His character that is the "real ultimate standard of 'eternal and immutable morality.'" That which God decrees must be understood in the light of His sovereign will. A will that is "regulated in its exercise by His omniscient wisdom." And His moral law, which is an expression of of His will, is the "image and reflection of His own moral perfection."

God is 'holy, and just, and good;' and therefore His law also 'is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.'

"'Be ye holy'--this is the voice of His law." And why? For I am holy, He says (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:16). "This is the ground or reason of that law, and it is derived from His essential nature."

God is holy, and the law of the universe is 'holiness to the Lord;' God is just, and the law of the universe is 'justice;' God is true, and the law of the universe is 'truth;' God is love, and the law of the universe is 'love.'

"It reveals what He is, and what His creatures ought to be." It is important not to miss the inevitable conclusion the preceding brings us to, that we are required to render obedience as a duty that is due Him. And let us be reminded that in His perfection, He "can never require more or less, either of obedience or of punishment, than is just and right."

To read more see: The Doctrine of Justification, James Buchanan, ISBN: 159925073X

Joy Mingled with Sorrow

2009-07-05T08:11:00.002-05:00

This morning a dear friend of my precious Kim's went to be with our Lord in Paradise. Jordan's posts through this long difficultly have truly modeled joy amidst sorrow, as is apparent in his words below:

This morning Maggie went home to be with the Lord. She passed in her sleep, very peacefully. We rejoice that she is now with Jesus...that there is no more sickness, no more pain. Death has no sting because Jesus is alive.

Even though we know that we will be reunited one day in Heaven, we still morn the loss of a tremendous life. A great wife, mother, friend...she was and is a tremendous blessing to me and to our kids. Thank you all for your continued friendship and support.

Jordan, Sophie, Jack, Jonas and Owen

Please pray, and continue to pray for Jordan, his four little ones, their family and Missio Church. And please pray for my dear wife as we pray for the Stinzianos.

Upside Down and Turned Around, but Direction Corrected Again

2009-06-29T18:24:00.002-05:00

We start every day with our agenda, and struggle through the day to keep the course. Events unfold to alter and derail our plans. Phone calls, e-mails, knocks on the door, the possibilities seem endless. This can be frustrating to say the least, and it is easy to resent interruptions. Today I set out with my agenda in hand, and as so often happens, the alterations began coming in. A question was posed by one in my congregation, a theological question, so I set aside my plans to leave for Lowe's early and made a course adjustment. Bags of sand, pebbles and rocks, and rolls of insulation as well as its installation would have to wait. I set out on this new course with an eye on the rolling clock, knowing time stands still for no man, hoping to return my ship to its course. While working on question one, number two (and #'s 3 & 4 even as I now write) appeared in my inbox. I delved into my books and language resources as I sought to give a clear and biblical answer, and as I was sending the second response out (I was able to work on both questions together and reply consecutively) I realized I was enjoying the task at hand. Then I realized: this is what pastoring is about, meeting the needs of the people God has entrusted to me, not sand, pebbles, and insulation. Oh, how easy we forget in the press of life what is truly most important. Jesus said feed my sheep, not fill my trench or organize my space. I am a pastor and a theologian, not a properties manger. The second might be necessary, but the first is absolutely essential to my calling. Thank you Lord for returning my focus to my first love in ministry; I pray that my brothers in the ministry will have that realization daily as we seek to feed your sheep.

SBC 2009 day 2b&c+

2009-06-22T23:37:00.003-05:00

Things very often do not go as planned. Had lunch with my family at Bootleg Bar-B-Q (the food was excellent, I recommend the place) and then returned to the Convention Pastor's Conference in time to catch the last half of Fred Luter Jr's sermon. I would like to have heard the entire thing. Next we elected the officers for next years Pastor's Conference. i don't remember any of their names but I voted for the all. The afternoon was finished out with Mike Huckabee. He spoke about Abimelech the son of Gideon and applied it well to today. Not an expositional sermon but an excellent delivery just the same. Loved his green tie.

Had dinner with my family. It is always a joy to be with them. Returned to the conference in time to hear about half of Dr. Reid's sermon (maybe a little more), this is another sermon I was sad to have missed part of, but what I did get to hear was a blessing. Slipped out to get some info I needed for later in the evening with the intention of returning immediately so that I could hear David Platt; and based on the last 15 minutes of sermon I did hear, I would have to say he delivered the most powerful and most passionate sermon of the conference. I am glad he preached for an hour, otherwise I would have missed it entirely. But as I stated in the previous post, I ran into so many dear friends that I haven't seen for awhile that I would not trade the time. I stayed through all the singing this time and Johnny Hunt delivered a timely message that we Baptists needed to hear. Also, because of the challenge of David Platt and the previous challenge by Dr. Reid, the evening offering was collected toward the Lottie Moon Offering rather than next year's conference. Dr. Reid's challenge was that all those in Southern Baptist vocational work, from leadership, to professors, to pastors consider dedicating 1% of our paychecks to the Lottie Moon offering for International Missions.

After the evening session of the conference Nine Marks Ministries had a meeting titled 9Marks at 9. Mark Dever spoke followed by a panel discussion with Mark, David Platt, Michael McKinley, and Greg Gilbert. I went to the meeting uncertain of how i would exactly get back to my hotel (its only about a mile so I wasn't really worried), but I caught a ride with an old friend.

Now its time to go to bed.

SBC 2009 day 2a

2009-06-22T11:45:00.002-05:00

T. C. and I got out early enough to catch Mike Landry's message. Mike preached from Jonah and challenged to not only to obey the Great Commission in deed, but to have a heart for the lost that desires and rejoices in their repentance and reconciliation to God. Went for coffee during the music; its not that it wasn't good, but coffee trumps music in my world. Came back in as Ed Stetzer was winding up. What a timely message, it was a timely continuation of Mac Brunson's message last night. Ed is not only a good preacher, but he has passion. If there was only one message so far I could get a copy of it would be this one. Wandered around a bit afterward, the plan was to come back so I could hear Francis Chan, I didn't make it though. I ran into so many old friends in the exibit area that although I really desired to hear brother Chan preach I wouln't trade the time. I was able to enjoy Shofar, a singing group from University of Mobile. They were very good. Wrapped up the morning with an excellent message about forgiveness by Tom Elliff. He described withholding forgiveness to taking poison that we have directed at someone else. It eats us from the inside causing damage to ourselves. He is so right. God has forgiven us much, we should be a people of forgiveness.

SBC 2009 day 1

2009-06-22T06:51:00.003-05:00

I'm at the Southern Baptist Convention this week. We've had a wonderful trip thus far. Spent the first night on the rode in Wheeling , WV and them stopped by the petting zoo at the Creation Museum to see their new Zonkey and Zorse, on our way to Paris, Paris , KY that is. The kids enjoyed the zoo (as did the adults). My littlest got to feed and pet a Wallaby joey. Crash was the only one the pig would talk to. We stopped in Georgetown for the night continued on to Paris Sunday morning to Worship with Grace Alone Baptist Church. Brother Brown is pastor of a small family integrated church. He was preaching out of Philippians 1:19-21 and he can preach. Needless to say, we had a wonderful time of worship with them, then we fellowshiped over lunch and were off to Louisville. I have already seen a couple of old friends and am looking forward to seeing more of them.

Missed JD Greear's sermon. I really wanted to hear him. Mac Brunson challenged Southern Baptists to strive for greater harmony and to quit bickering and posturing over issues that we disagree on that need not divide us so that we will quit denying our witness to the world. They will know we have been with Him by the love we have for one another. The evening was brought to a close by Chuck Colson who challenging pastors to prepare their flocks for the upcoming persecutions teaching the faith clearly and its implications for our lives.

I look forward to what is in store for us today.

The Priority of Leadership Qualities

2009-06-15T09:53:00.002-05:00

So much of leadership training is focused on administrative skills, knowledge of church constitutions, generating mission and vision statements, and the use of Robert's Rules of Order that one wonders what are the most important characteristics for leaders in the church. Admittedly I find church administrative and leadership books a dreadfully boring read. Something akin to eating dry toast covered with sand, but I honestly question the focus on these things, seemingly to the exclusion of weightier matters of doctrine and practice informed by biblical knowledge. Today's Tabletalk on "The Mystery of the Faith" continues a discussion of leadership qualifications by looking at 1 Timothy 3:9 and the importance of believing the Bible with a clear conscience. A right knowledge of theology is necessary for a clear conscience in the faith. The devotion closes with a quote from John Calvin, "'It would be exceedingly absurd to hold a public office in the Church, while they were ill-informed in the Christian faith, more especially since they must frequently be laid under the necessity of administering advice and consolation.' If you desire to be a deacon or other church leader, your primary concern should not be how to develop your administrative skills but rather your knowledge of the faith."

Mercy and Justice

2009-06-12T00:25:00.000-05:00

"It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf." --Thomas Paine

Empathy vs. Justice

2009-06-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

Writing in 1833 in his famous Commentaries on the Constitution, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story explained that empathy is not the same as justice. Justice must be “freely, fully, and impartially administered.” Without impartial justice, “neither our persons, nor our rights, nor our property, can be protected. And if these, or either of them, are regulated by no certain laws, and are subject to no certain principles, and are held by no certain tenure, and are redressed, when violated, by no certain remedies, society fails of all its value; and men may as well return to a state of savage and barbarous independence.”

You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.

Leviticus 19:15 ESV

A Study Guide for Mahaney's Humility

2009-06-06T09:36:00.002-05:00

Dr. Michael Haykin, Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies and Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has compiled study questions for use with C. J. Mahaney's excellent book Humility: True Greatness. The Study Guide can be found here.

Ideas and Consequences

2009-06-03T14:12:00.002-05:00

In this month's Acts & Facts Henry Morris III reminds us that, "All men and women have faith that their particular presuppositions provide an adequate basis for their actions and lifestyles." Summing up the article he further reminds us that:

Belief controls life. Ideas have consequences.

What you believe determines what you think.
What you think dictates what you do.
And what you do dominates your life.

It is in our fallen nature to struggle with the reality that there is an almighty and all-knowing holy God that we are accountable to. The symptom, not the cause, is a shift in our thinking from trusting the revealed Word of God as the absolute and inerrant source of truth from an unchanging God who cannot lie, to trusting in our own judgment over God's Word. The cause in this shift or symptom is simply that we do not believe what God has said. This is what was behind the sin in the garden and what is at the root of every transgression against God.

An excellent book to start you on your way to understanding ideas and their consequences is The Consequences of Ideas by R. C. Sproul. For further reading I recommend following Dr. Sproul's book with Revolutions in Worldview edited by W. Andrew Hoffecker.

A Reminder from Jude

2009-05-28T22:07:00.005-05:00

We have been working our way through the book of Jude on Wednesday nights lately. Last night we looked at verse five in light of the preceding verses. The message thus far is:

Contend for the Faith, because God is Holy.

Brother Jude is exhorting the fellowship to stand for the truth, refusing to give ground to those who would pervert the truth. The ultimate issue is God is holy and He is serious about His holiness. When we wink at sin, whether it is in our own life or in the lives of others in the church, it is ultimately because we do not believe what God has said.

Faith, Love, Hope

2009-05-24T00:52:00.001-05:00

4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, Colossians 1:4,5

This mornings sermon will be on the Christian Cardinal Virtues:

* Faith - the Foundation of Christianity
* Love - the Hallmark of Discipleship
* Hope - the Anchor of Salvation

Faith is naturally mentioned first, for apart from faith, there would be no Christian existence. But then faith proves its reality by working through love. Finally, faith and love are held fast by hope.

The Bible, Not human Experience, is the Final Authority

2009-05-22T00:52:00.002-05:00

Modern society, while condemning sternly many things which the ancients tolerated or even applauded, countenances some things which they utterly rejected. It is very pleasant and natural for us to quietly assume that ours is the advanced and civilized age. But when men reason thus, "A given usage cannot be improper, because Christian opinion and society allow it among us," they reason in a circle. If the propriety of the usage is in question, then there are two hypotheses to be examined, of which one is, "Ours is a pure state, and therefore what we tolerate must be pure;" but the other is, "This tolerated usage being impure, it proves our state corrupt." Now, the decision between the two hypotheses cannot be made by a self-sufficient assumption. Oriental, Greek, and Papal Christianity justify many things which we think excessive corruptions by just such an assumption. It is no more valid in our case than in theirs. Indeed, the very tendency to such self-sufficiency is, according to the Bible, one of the strongest symptoms of corruption. The matter must be settled by a fair appeal to Bible morals.

Robert Lewis Dabney (1820-1898) on politics

The Anemic Spirituality of Emotionalism

2009-05-18T20:39:00.003-05:00

I found the following excerpt of a sermon preached in 1892 by Francis J. Grimké on The Thirsty Theologian. The same tendencies still need to be addressed today just as in Grimké’s day.

. . . where emotionalism prevails, there will be a low state of spirituality among the people , and necessarily so. Christian character is not built up that way. Such growth comes from the knowledge and practice of Christian principles. If the body is to grow, it must be fed, and fed on wholesome and nutritious food. The same is true of the soul; and that food is God’s Word , line upon line and precept upon precept. There is no other way to of getting out of the bogs and malarious atmosphere of selfishness and pride and ill will and hatred and the many things which degrade and brutalize into the higher regions of love and purity and obedience and felicity except by the assimilation of Christian principles, except by holy and loving obedience to the word of God. We cannot get up there by on the wings of emotion; we cannot shout ourselves up to a high manhood and womanhood any more than we can shout ourselves into heaven. We must grow up to it. And until this fact is distinctly understood and fully appreciated and allowed to have its weight in our pulpit ministrations, the plane of spirituality upon which the masses of our people move will continue to be low. Shouting is not religion. The ability to make noise is no test of Christian character. The noisiest Christians are not the most saintly; those who shout the most vigorously are not always the most exemplary in character and conduct.
—Francis J. Grimké, cited in Thabiti Anyabwile, The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors (Crossway, 2007), 130–131.

We Give Thanks to God—Since we heard of Your Love

2009-05-17T23:35:00.003-05:00

Today (well, yesterday now) I delivered a sermon on Colossians 1:3,4 concerning our thanks to God and our love of the saints. It was the second sermon on this text as GNBC is working through the book of Colossians. The first part examined thankfulness in relation to the faith of others, that is the faith of those who trust in Jesus as the Christ. We examined three things about a believer's thanks and love.

Our love is to be directed toward the fellowship.

Our thanks is to be directed to God.

Our source is to be found in God.

Hopefully this will assist the body in continuing to cultivate the love for each other that is growing in our fellowship by helping us recognize the source of love and the object of love as well as the fact that it is to God that all thanks is ultimately due. Praise be to God, the author and profecter of our faith and love. Amen.

Home Again

2009-05-15T08:45:00.003-05:00

It is good to be home. The Philippines were beautiful and there is so much that needs to be done there, but there is no place like home.

Six Biblical Guidelines for Loving Each Other Amid Differences

2009-04-16T12:57:00.002-05:00

Here is some excellent counsel that I found at Justin's site that he found at Desiring God from Piper to the pastoral staff at Bethlehem.

Let’s avoid gossiping.
Let’s identify evidences of grace in each other and speak them to each other and about each other.
Let’s speak criticism directly to each other if we feel the need to speak to others about it.
Let’s look for, and assume, the best motive in the other’s viewpoint, especially when we disagree.
Think often of the magnificent things we hold in common.
Let’s be more amazed that we are forgiven than that we are right. And in that way, let’s shape our relationships by the gospel.

Thanks Justin for bring attention to this one. Read the whole thing for biblical support and explanation.

Reasons for Gratitude and Hope

2009-04-08T07:15:00.002-05:00

In the "Generation to Generation" column of the February 09 edition of Tabletalk magazine, Dr. John de Witt under the title "Judgment and Mercy" reminds us of four reasons for gratitude and hope even as we recognize the signs of decline in our society.

The availability of Christian books and periodicals
Earnest and faithful preachers of the gospel
Strong, sturdy congregations in which the lamp of the gospel is burning brightly
That the universe, the world, and the church are in the hands of a sovereign God whose purposes are indefectible

Yes, if we will have eyes to see, we will find even in this fallen and decaying world much for which to give thanks and praise to our Lord and God.

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE TROOPER ACHIEVES NATIONAL “2008 TROOPER OF THE YEAR” AWARD

2009-04-06T08:41:00.002-05:00

Just perusing around the web I came across this tidbit. It is not breaking news, but given the fact that those who are sworn to "serve and protect" not only are willing to, but do put their lives on the line for our safety makes it worth noting. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) at their annual State and Provincial Police Conference held this year in Alexandria, VA, awarded Virginia State Police Trooper Justin T. Mahalik for his valiant, life-saving actions during a traffic stop in Northern Virginia last April, making Department history. He is the first trooper since the Virginia State Police was established 77 years ago to achieve such this prestigious honor. To read further follow this link: 2008 Trooper Award.

2009 SBC Blog Madness: Opening Round--my votes

2009-03-22T21:12:00.002-05:00

The opening round of this year's Blog Madness is closed. This is how I voted, who I am pulling for, and their standings after my votes.

For the East Division:

JDGreear.com (29%, 335 votes) 2nd place
Provocations & Pantings - Timmy Brister (25%, 297 votes) 3rd
Moore to the Point - Russell Moore (24%, 284 votes) 4th
Praisegod Barebones - Bart Barber (9%, 101 votes) 8th

Total votes at the time: 1169

If I could only choose two of these they would have been Moore to the Point and Praisegod Barebones.

For the Midwest Division:

ALVINREID.com (34%, 253 votes) 1st place
Joe Thorn (28%, 213 votes) 2nd
Kingdom People - Trevin Wax (22%, 166 votes) 3rd
SEMPER REFORMANDA - Gunny Hartman (12%, 92 votes) 11th

Total votes at the time: 750

If I could only pick one of these it would be Trevin's Kingdom People.

For the West Division:

Church Matters: The 9Marks Blog (56%, 376 votes) 1st place
MicahFries.com (25%, 166 votes) 4th
Joining God in His Work - Les Puryear (15%, 102 votes) 6th
A Man from Issachar - Eric Redmond (12%, 82 votes) 9th

Total votes at the time: 666 (I keep finding this number in connection with things I'm doing. Hope it doesn't mean anything! :)

My preferred two of these four are The 9Marks Blog and Eric's blog.

And finally for the South Division:

EdStetzer.com (52%, 384 votes) 1st place
Founders Ministries - Tom Ascol (52%, 382 votes) 2nd
Confessions of a Pastor by Hershael York (27%, 202 votes) 3rd
B21 // contending for the faith (25%, 187 votes) 4th

Total votes at the time: 735

My favored two in this division were Founders and Ed Stetzer, but if I knew it was going to be such a tight race between the two of them, I would have shown my preference for Tom by giving my vote for Ed to someone else.

Well that's the wrap, that's my votes on this probably inconsequential event, but I've had fun with this and look forward to the next round. If you are interested in the final results or the future rounds here's the link: SBC Voices

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona

2009-03-17T18:55:00.003-05:00

Críost liom

Christ with me

Críost romham

Christ before me

Críost i mo dhiaidh

Christ behind me

Críost istigh ionam

Christ in me

Críost fúm

Christ beneath me

Críost os mo chionn

Christ above me

Críost ar mo lámh dheas

Christ on my right

Críost ar mo lámh chlé

Christ on my left

Críost i mo luí dom

Christ when I lie down

Críost i mo sheasamh dom

Christ when I sit down

Críost i gcroí gach duine atá ag cuimhneamh orm

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me

Críost i mbéal gach duine a labhráionn liom

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me

Críost i ngach súil a fhéacann orm

Christ in every eye that sees me

Críost i ngach cluas a éisteann liom.

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Naomh Pádraig (ca 377)

Rath Dé ort!

Christ's Lieutenants

2009-03-15T23:11:00.002-05:00

There is a picture over my fireplace that portrays General Robert E. Lee, General Jackson and Lee's other major leaders in the Army of Northern Virginia. The painting is titled "Lee's Lieutenants." But there is a greater army, greater than any army of the South, an army greater than any army of the North, or of America, or of any nation of men that has ever or will ever exist. The leaders in this army whether of units large or small are the undershepherds who serve the Great Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Christ's Lieutenants. The week I penned these thoughts I had had the privilege to gather with roughly 300 of these men at Ligonier's 2007 Pastor's Conference for some needed fellowship and rest as well as receiving valuable training and encouragement on the importance of God-centered ministry, "that is conducted in humble submission to the Word of God and that emphasizes the glory of God in worship," ministry, and missions. Topics covered were the Eclipse of God in worship by a man-centered approach to theology by Dr. Steve Lawson, and how that approach compromises the very truth necessary to proclaim God's glory, to understand God's holiness, and to be able to identify man's real need, which is reconciliation to God. Dr. Joel Beeke reminded us under the topic of Target Audience, that, "Our goal is not just to wound people, but to hit the very heart and soul of our hearers." And Dr. Sproul intructed us in preaching through the narratives of the Old Testament. All of these things are valuable for those who would serve as Christ's Lieutenants in the battle for His glory and the salvation of souls.

Gospel Worship

2009-01-28T21:27:00.004-05:00

I am so excited! My last volume in the Gospel series by Jeremiah Burroughs arrived today. I look forward to reading it.

The back of the dust cover states:

Worship is for God, Not for us. Sadly, that simple statement is foreign to our day. Yet God is as clear today as He was to Nadab and Abihu in the Old Testament: He will be treated as holy by those who come into His presence (Lev. 10:1-3). Their deaths show that one cannot get too much instruction as to the right way and the wrong way to worship Him.

The description on the back continues to explain that pastor Burroughs masterfully gives guidelines to assist us in moving closer to God in worship. In the sermons contained in this volume, he carefully explains the right manner of worshiping God through the hearing of the Word, receiving the Lord's Supper, and in prayer. Most importantly, brother Burroughs shows that true worship is reverent and focused upon our holy God.

A sampling of the sermon titles that make up the chapters include:

The Importance of Preparing for Worship
Suiting Our Duties to the God We Are Worshipping
Why God will Have His Name Sanctified
What is Required in Receiving the Sacrament
and
Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer

The book can be obtained through Ligonier Ministries for $17.60. It promises to be well worth the cost.

"The reason why we worship God in a slight way is because we do not see God in His glory." Jeremiah Burroughs

What I Think of Gummi Bears

2009-01-26T22:00:00.004-05:00

:)

This was a Friday night family project. I think my children had more fun doing this than I did.

Number of Abortions Since 1973

2009-01-07T11:47:00.005-05:00

The number of abortions performed in the US since 1973 is approach[ing] 50 million. An easy number to read, and a hard one to comprehend.

The Mississippi Baptist Convention has sought to put together a visual reminder: the Memorial to the Missing (pictured to the right), being filled with 50 million pennies.

Here's another way to try to get your mind around the number. If you add up the populations to the following states, they equal about 50 million.

Proverbs 24:10-12:

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will He not repay man according to his work?

The above is a post by Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds

Are You Open-minded?

2008-12-09T23:59:00.002-05:00

(really, are you?)

Returning to an earlier thought, I pose these questions for consideration.
>Do you believe there is a God in heaven?
>Do you believe that Jesus was a real person?
>What about the devil?
>Do you believe that Jesus walked on water or rose from the dead?
>Do you believe that the miracles described in the Bible really happened?

If not, what you have proven is that you are not open-minded, but that you are as narrow-minded as you accuse others of being.

We,ve come a long way baby: The Fruit of Feminism

2008-11-28T23:22:00.003-05:00

I was eating lunch today at Chipotle with my family when some highschoolers came in, two girls and three guys. They got their food and found a place to sit (always a challenge at Chipotle). And I have to give credit where credit is due; the guys sat on one side of the booth giving the girls more room to sit. But then two more girls showed up and of course the young men offered them their bench. . . Not a chance! Not only did those boys not offer the young ladies their seat (horror of horrors), but they just sat there like three bumps on a log and watched the two girls go and get chairs for themselves. So much for women and children first, so much for chivalry and the gentlemenly arts. I wanted to go over and say, "Young men, one of the marks of manhood is being willing to sacrifice your own comfort for the ladies in your presence placing their needs before your own." And then I would liked to have told the young ladies that "if a guy won't show you deference when your not married to him, do you really think it will get better after your married?" But we shouldn't lay all the blame on our poor young clods. What do we expect from our young men after decades of chastising them for treating women differently than one of the guys. After all wouldn't it be treating those young ladies with less value to offer them their seat? How belittled they would feel if one of those guys offered them a place to sit. Well, such is the world we live in today, thanks in part to the influence of feminism. I always chuckle when I am in a fastfood restuarant like McDonalds or Burger King and see a female manager because you can see the best picture of what feminism has done for women in that situation. Now she not only has to wear a bra, but she has to wear a tie too. Now that's progress for ya. You've come a long way baby.

The End of an Era

2008-10-28T23:09:00.005-05:00

In loving memory of my dear grandmother, Vivian Phillips
1917-October 22, 2008

Tonight we met to honor the memory of my grandmother and witness the passing of a generation in our family. No words of my own can capture the essence of one whose love I never doubted even when at odds. So I offer the words of others in my stead.

It feels like the end of an era,

Countless generations grew up in that yard,
All of which learned from the wisdom & kind hearted nature of
OUR GRANDMA of the Neighborhood...

Anthony

The following was penned by my aunt. The sentiments I share.

My Mother, my Mom
my buddy, my pal
we have traveled
many a mile.
Through good times and bad,
happy and sad.
If I was allowed to choose my mother
I wouldn't choose any other
My Mom, my mother
Love Ya Forever
Marilyn

In closing I offer grandma's own words, penned in 1970.

Work only for Jesus

I washed my hands this morning
So very clean and white
And gave them both to Jesus
To work for Him til' night
Little feet be careful where you take me to
Only work for Jesus must you let me do
Vivian Phillips

"When they arrive at the gates of death, God welcomes those who love Him." Psalm 116:15 (The Message)

On Open-mindedness

2008-10-01T23:03:00.002-05:00

As Christians we are to be both open and closed in our approach to and acceptance of ideas. We are to be open to that which is taught in Scripture, in short, to that which is biblical. Yet we should be closed to all that is contra-Scripture. The problem with most of those who profess to be Christian is that they are astonishingly open to every passing idea that the world presents to them (via various mediums) and are so fastly closed to that which is clearly taught in the Bible.

Introducing Joe Green

2008-09-18T19:37:00.002-05:00

A recent posting on One News Now (Voting based on emotions) by Allie Martin exposed me to Brother Green. Joe's posts are to the point, thought provoking, and on the mark. Here are two quotes from his two most recent posts. In Why do black people love Barack Obama he begins, "I first would like to say that I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that is a priority in my life." I knew right then that I was going to love this brother. The remainder of the article proved that out. He puts his commitment to Christ and the implications of that commitment before all other considerations. In the following post, Jesus did not preach compromise, Joe states concerning a common misconception many have of Jesus, "One of the many myths about Jesus that I want to dispel is that Jesus was always nice to everyone. Liberals would have you to believe that Jesus was some type of hippie that just loved on everyone no matter what they did." Now I know I have found a kindred spirit, but don't just take my word for it, check out his blog. You will find it linked on his ministry web site, Josiah Generation Ministries.

Happiness and a Hole

2008-06-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

This morning as I read in the Liberty Journal about Chuck Norris giving the commencement speech at Liberty University this Spring some thoughts about our society and the world in general occurred to me. These thoughts were not new to me, nor should they be to most Christians when they think about life in an imperfect world awaiting our final redemption; but they are thoughts that merit consideration again. Chuck shared his testimony with those present at the graduating ceremony. He shared that as he gained fame and fortune he drifted from his faith. Two verses from Scripture come to mind: 1 Corinthians 15:33, Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals; and Matthew 6:24, No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. The lie of the world is that happiness is over there—just a little bit more and I can achieve happiness when I reach that next goal—and yet, the more we pour into the hole of dissatisfaction the bigger the hole gets. A second lie is that we can make “small” compromises to increase our worldly status and comfort without long-term adverse affect. What we do and whom we associate with does impact our life and holiness. The accommodation of either of these lies opens the door for the other, and for many more compromises in our lives. Let us heed the exhortation of Psalm 49 and let us follow the wisdom in Psalm 52:6-9 and pursue the kingdom of God, trusting in Him for that which we truly need (Matthew 6:33). The world rejects the wisdom of the Bible, but let it not be so among the children of the Living God. Let us recognize that true happiness and contentment is bound up in the love and service of our Maker and Savior, the Lord of all. It is only as we seek to recognize Him as the center of our faith and worship, the center of our very lives, our source of joy everlasting, that we find and experience true happiness in this life. He is only a prayer away, have you sought Him today?

Motherhood

2008-05-11T01:34:00.002-05:00

Only a woman can carry in her body an eternal being which bears the very image of God. Only she is the recipient of the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life using her own flesh and blood, and then deliver a living soul into the world. God has bestowed upon her alone a genuine miracle — the creation of life, and the fusing of an eternal soul with mortal flesh. This fact alone establishes the glory of motherhood.

Despite the most creative plans of humanist scientists and lawmakers to redefine the sexes, no man will ever conceive and give birth to a child. The fruitful womb is a holy gift given by God to women alone. This is one reason why the office of wife and mother is the highest calling to which a woman can aspire.

This is the reason why nations that fear the Lord esteem and protect mothers. They glory in the distinctions between men and women, and attempt to build cultures in which motherhood is honored and protected.

This is the opening to an excellent article titled The Rise and Fall and Rise of Motherhood in America written by Doug Phillips as the E-mail Newsletter for May 9th from Vision Forum. For the complete article goto Vision Forum's E-mail Newsletters 2008 where it will appear in the near future.

The Content of Our Conversations

2008-03-30T06:46:00.007-05:00

The following is a letter that I circulated to those in my flock that I could reach via e-mail. The pastoral role is much like that of a gardener; if you want the garden to flourish, it must be weeded. If this important part of care is neglected the garden begins to grow in ways not intended. Our communication is an important part of our witness, and so I offer this so that others might benefit from any help it may provide as we travel this Way.

Dearly beloved,

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

It has become clear that the content of our conversations needs to be reviewed. This has not been the first time I have had to address this kind of issue nor will it probably be the last time (though I wish it would be).

First, I will remind you that we are not our own, The Christ bought us with a price (1 Cor 6:19,20), we are now His servants (Col 3:23,24) and ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20) and representatives for Him to the world around us (Ac 1:8). We dare not take this role lightly. Jesus said we were to be salt and light, but also reminded us that salt that has lost its valued principles is worthless (Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34,35; Col 4:6).

Now, when we communicate with each other, whether it be written, verbal, or electronic, we must choose the high road. What does this mean? It means we are to model Christ-likeness in our speech as well as our actions (Rom 1:14). I have no doubt that our Lord had a sense of humor, yet it would never have descended to the gutter, nor would it have failed to account for the audience. I cannot imagine Jesus being crass or making light of the many things we desire to justify in our often sinful and fallen speech (Ja 3:7-10). Our God is holy and He calls us to be such (1 Pet 1:16). He calls us out of the world and away from sin (2 Cor 6:15-17). We are to be different from the world, to His glory (Php 1:9-11). Is what you are communicating glorifying to God? Is it proclaiming that He is, and that He is able to save from sin; or is it telling the world around you that God is common, that there is nothing truly special about your relationship with Him, and that what He offers is no different than the business as usual of the world? Does it make light of His holy standards as if He doesn't really expect better of us, as if He winks at sin? Are His standards to be disregarded if we desire? Also, is what you are communicating edifying to your brothers and sisters in Christ (Eph 4:29)? Or is it pulling them down, telling them that they really do not matter, or teaching them sin is okay if you say it with a smile, if it elicits a laugh, or if you say it as a joke? When we act this way, what are we telling the eyes that are watching? Who are those eyes? God for one, but who else? A lost and dying world that questions our message, but also younger Christians, both in age and in time in Christ. What are we teaching them about God, about holiness, edification of the body, and about the implications of our faith for our life (Titus 2:1-8)? Do not take lightly what you say. For when you do, you discredit Christ and you despise those whom you are to edify.

Finally, when we are confronted with errors in our speech, how will we respond (Mt 18:15)? Will we repent, seek forgiveness, and be reconciled with our brothers and sisters, or will we chafe and justify our words? Which will it be? In the handling of these matters we must recognize that none of us have reached perfection. On the contrary, most of us will fail miserably if mustered for an inspection of our holiness, and yet, it is to holiness that we are called and to holiness that we must hold each other, and to holiness that we must yield when confronted. How are we then to deal with one who has fallen into sin? Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. (Gal 6:1) Grace and love is what is needed here. It is by grace that we are able to allow love to cover a multitude of sins (1 Pet 4:8). While there needs to be grace extended to each other over our shortcomings, we must recognize that that grace is not to be used to justify our sins (Pb 17:15), but it is that which enables us to pass over sins forgiven. So, there is a responsibility within the Community of Christ to not only forgive (Mt 18:21-35), but to seek that forgiveness (Mt 5:23,24), which presupposes the admission of sin. It is far better to be pure of speech and considerate of others. To that end I offer the following chart for spiritual health. It would also be good to read James 3 and reflect on what is said there.

The Word

Keeps my heart on the right path

Pb 4:18-27

Helps guard what I say

Ps 19:7-14

Embeds the truth in me

Ps 119:9-11

Shows us how to love others

Gal 5:14;

Ro 13:10

Directs us to consider what is pure

Php 4:8

In the love of Christ,

Pastor Cal

Acts 20:28

Silly Rabbit, Easter's Not for Kids

2008-03-22T22:58:00.001-05:00

In an excellent post, Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Executive Director of the Henry Institute relates how the mind set on the things of this world relates to the Gospel message. It recoils, it is embarrassed, and it seeks to gloss the truth to make it more palatable. This is the mind careening toward liberalism; and while it reaches out to shield its hearers from the scandal of the cross it actually pushes them toward destruction. It is the “Enlightened” mind that scoffs at the wisdom of the cross (Acts 17:32; 1 Corinthians 1:21). Thanks to Kingdom People for bringing this one to my attention.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Jesus was dead, and I mean really dead, on a cross, but he's not anymore.

That's how my son Timothy, a few years ago when he was three, explained to neighbors why he was so excited about Easter. No one referred me to a therapist, or to a cognitive development seminar. Those around me didn't see the horror of what I was doing to my children. Neither did I.

We didn't know that the Gospel, like Ginsu knives and blood pressure medicine, ought to be kept out of the reach of small children.

At least that's what one church was told recently, by a publisher of children's Sunday school curricula, according to Two Institutions, a blog about family and church matters.

The pastors at this church in Raleigh, North Carolina, were perplexed when they saw the Holy Week Sunday school lessons for preschoolers from "First Look," the publisher of the one to five year-old Sunday school class materials. There wasn't a mention of the resurrection of Jesus. Naturally, the pastors inquired about the oversight. It turns out it was no oversight.

The letter sent from the publishing company is up on the Two Institutions blog website. I had to read it three times to make sure I wasn't falling for a Lark News parody. It turns out this publisher has decided that the Gospel is too scary for preschoolers.

» Read complete commentary...

Southern Seminary and Calvinism

2008-03-19T22:40:00.001-05:00

This is a post from a blog called Kingdom People by Trevin Wax, an M.Div student at Southern. It was passed to me by a dear friend who used to blog and I wish still did. Trevin puts the current buzz over Calvinism in proper perspective.

March 11, 2008

Southern Seminary has always held a prominent position in Southern Baptist life. As the oldest and most prestigious of the Southern Baptist seminaries, Southern has long promoted high academic standards and a strong emphasis on pastoral training for local churches. Since 1993, the Seminary has been guided by the leadership of Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., a prominent evangelical thinker and cultural commentator.

Though conservatives are thankful for the return of Southern to biblical fidelity, some people in Southern Baptist life have begun to worry that the Seminary has moved too far to the right - especially in the issue of Calvinism.

Today, a widespread myth exists that the Seminary student and population faculty is made up primarily of 5-point Calvinists.

Of course, Dr. Mohler's Reformed theology is no secret. Nor is the Calvinism of several prominent professors at Southern Seminary. But one should not mistakenly assume that the entire faculty and student population holds to the Reformed understanding of doctrine and salvation.

Consider this:

Currently, not one of the deans at Southern Seminary is a five-point Calvinist.

Calvinism is not a litmus test for teaching at the seminary; the Abstract of Principles is, and the Abstract leaves room for disagreement on the extent of the atonement and irresistible grace.

Calvinism is not the main subject of interest among faculty members or students.

In the cafeteria, on the lawn, or in the extension center, Calvinism is sometimes discussed, but not as often as one might expect. As I was discussing this post with a good friend of mine (also a student at Southern), I realized that in all the hours of theological conversation that we had shared, we had never once discussed our own views on the extent of the atonement. I suspect that such is the case for many other Southern students.

Recent LifeWay Research statistics show that 27% of graduates from Southern Baptist seminaries are likely to call themselves 5-point Calvinists. Despite the alarm sounded in some corners, the fact of the matter is: 73% of Southern Baptist students do not belong to this category.

From my own experience as a student of Southern, I suspect that the majority of Southern Seminary students that I have encountered on campus and at the extension center I attend (Nashville) are not 5-point Calvinists.

Furthermore, Louisville is not a hotbed for Hyper-Calvinists. (Historically, Hyper-Calvinism is the errant teaching that one should not evangelize, and I have yet to meet a Southern Baptist who believes this.) Those who stand against Calvinistic teaching need to refrain from labeling Calvinists as "Hyper" unless the shoe actually fits.

Perhaps there are some who fit the category of "hyperactive" Calvinists - students who are still in the proverbial "cage-stage" of Calvinism and who are actively seeking to convert all other Christians to their doctrinal viewpoint. The problem with the hyperactive strain of Calvinism is not theology, but sin, particularly the sin of pride and arrogance. It is the same sin that lies at the root of Church Growth controversies, when a young pastor enthralled with Bill Hybels proceeds to divide a church by throwing out all hymns and organs. Immaturity and selfishness comes in all forms, not merely Calvinist.

But even if a handful of vocal Southern students might fit the "hyperactive" description, the blame does not necessarily fall on the Seminary. Some students are convinced Calvinists before ever going to Southern, and in any case, the hyperactive are a small minority that happen to get the most press. Many faculty members seek to temper Calvinist fervor of the "hyperactive."

It is true that most of the student population may indeed be friendly to certain aspects of the Calvinist resurgence. There are many students like myself who, theologically, lean Reformed, even without espousing 5-point Calvinism. Many of us agree with some aspects of church reform (the recovery of church discipline, integrity in membership recording, avoiding manipulation when doing altar calls, etc.). But one should not assume that all Southern students are 5-point Calvinists seeking to push Reformed theology on our churches.

Furthermore, many of the 5-pointers I know are not agressively seeking to cause strife and discord in local churches, and it is unfair to present them in this light. Many of those most passionate about Reformed theology are also extremely passionate about personal evangelism. Some of them evangelize so regularly and so confidently that I am put to shame! Just as it is unfair to present all Southern students as 5-point Calvinists, it is also unfair to present all 5-point Calvinists as being of the "hyperactive" type that care more about debating TULIP than sharing the gospel.

Southern Seminary, like the wider Southern Baptist Convention, contains both Calvinists and non-Calvinists. Next time you hear someone speaking of Southern Seminary as "Calvinist," I hope you will be inclined to correct the misconception and provide some additional details in order to put an end to some of the false, sweeping generalizations about Southern.

Toward One Flesh

2008-03-18T22:39:00.007-05:00

Beginning from the fall, men and women have struggled both with understanding and fulfilling their God ordained roles in marriage as well as meeting and having their desires met in the marriage relationship. Today more than ever there is a need for husbands and wives to understand their roles and their covenant relationship to each other in the sight of the Lord. Following is a list excellent books to assist those who desire a solid biblical relationship that can not only last, but also flourish.

Reading List for Husbands

The Complete Husband: A Practical Guide to Biblical Husbanding, Lou Priolo, ISBN: 1879737353

Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes,
ISBN: 0891078185

From Boy to Man: The Marks of Manhood,
R. Albert Mohler. To obtain a copy call 800-625-5525

Reading List for Wives

Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets them Free,
Nancy Leigh DeMoss, ISBN: 0802475973

Walking in the Truth: The Companion Guide for Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, ISBN: 082446922

Disciplines of a Godly Woman, Barbara Hughes,
ISBN: 158134208X

The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective, Revised Edition,
Martha Peace, ISBN: 1885904088

Reading for Both Husbands and Wives

Strengthening Your Marriage, Wayne A. Mack,
ISBN: 0875523854

Preparing for Marriage God's Way, Wayne A. Mack,
ISBN: 1563220199

Your Family God’s Way, Wayne A. Mack,
ISBN: 0875523587

The Battle is the LORD’s

2008-02-10T19:29:00.000-05:00

. . . and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12 NAS

One of the things that this passage reveals is the great relief our Lord gives us through the doctrine of divine election. This does not excuse us from our responsibility to tell of God’s great love that He has provided through Christ (Matt. 28:19,20). Nor does it remove from us the necessity, as ministers, to faithfully know and teach His Word (Deut. 6:6,7; 2 Tim. 4:1,2). What it does do is relieve us from the burden of what the hearers do with the message we have delivered.

As I began to walk more closely with the Lord, I began to struggle with the issue of winning the lost. I would witness again and again, and sought continually to improve my ability share effectively, seemingly to no avail. Adding to my discouragement would be comments from leaders whom I respected; who said that to fail to win others to Christ was to fail in one’s witness.

It wasn’t until God’s Spirit brought my attention to the witness of Noah (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5) that I began to understand that we are responsible for the sowing of the seed, but the harvest is the Lord’s. Consider that great men like William Carey and Adoniram Judson faithfully spent many seemingly fruitless years in our Lord’s service, yet their success is not measured in numbers, but in their faithful service. There is such encouraging relief in this knowledge. As pastors we sometimes feel a greater sense of burden as we prepare to present the great truths God has revealed to us from the Scripture. Our responsibility is to present to those in our care God’s love and spread before them the banquet of God’s truth. Whether they partake or not is not within our control. What is within our control is what we do with the time we are given with them, therefore, let us preach the word; and be ready in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2a NAS).

May God bless our service to Him so that we might rejoice like the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

THE SERVANT IN BATTLE

2008-02-08T23:05:00.000-05:00

OLord,

I bless thee that the issue of the battle between thyself and Satan

_______has never been uncertain,

_______and will end in victory.

Calvary broke the dragon’s head,

_______and I contend with a vanquished foe,

_______who with all his subtlety and strength

_______has already been overcome.

When I feel the serpent at my heel

_______may I remember him whose heel was bruised,

_______but who, when bruised, broke the devil’s head.

My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conqueror.

Heal me of any wounds received in the great conflict;

_______if I have gathered defilement,

_______if my faith has suffered damage,

_______if my hope is less than bright,

_______if my love is not fervent,

_______if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,

_______if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.

O thou whose every promise is balm,

_______every touch life,

_______draw near to thy weary warrior,

_______refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife,

_______and never tire until my enemy is trodden down.

Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan,

_______unbelief, the flesh, the world,

_______with delight that comes not from a creature,

_______and which a creature cannot mar.

Give me a draught of the eternal fountain

_______that lieth in thy immutable, everlasting love and decree.

Then shall my hand never weaken, my feet never stumble,

_______my sword never rest, my shield never rust,

_______my helmet never shatter, my breastplate never fall,

_______as my strength rests in the power of thy might

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett

Here's Ed!

2008-02-06T00:29:00.000-05:00

This post is for the purpose of introducing Ed Stetzer. I was able to meet him (by way of introduction of a former classmate from SEBTS, Tim Rogers) at the Building Bridges Conference this past November at Ridgecrest. I believe that exposure to this LifeWay Researcher has some value to my small but dear readership, particularly those of the GNBC flock. I say, “believe” because I am still tentative as to my thoughts an feelings concerning Ed, but am venturing to introduce him ex ante my final (reasonably so) assessment. I know, these are vague and non-committal terms, but if you understand the breadth and depth of my loyalty once given then you may understand my caution. It could be stated in juxtaposition to Mr. Darcy’s statement on his opinion of others. In other words, my good opinion once given is nearly impossible to lose. Anyway here’s Ed Stetzer, the young and vital face of LifeWay Research. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Dr. L. Russ Bush Goes Home, 1944-2008

2008-01-30T08:19:00.000-05:00

Dr. Bush, Christian apologist, Southern Baptist champion and author, Seminary professor, Mentor, Sunday school teacher, and oh yes, loving husband and father has finished the race. Dr. Bush has lost his battle with cancer, but the battle against his sinful flesh is won. Praise be to God.

My dear brother Travis has written a sweet tribute to his life. Dr. Mohler has also posted a tribute worth reading, in it he says of Dr. Bush:

He fought bravely and provided for all a demonstration of how a Christian should face both disease and death. His faith in his Lord Jesus Christ was evident, even as his humility never faltered. He kept a brave face and refused to resign himself to a disease. He showed up at denominational meetings where healthy persons complained about boredom. He never complained.

The official epitaph for Dr. Bush is on SEBTS’s site. For a little peek into his gentle heart you will want to read the short note by C. B. Scott.

The question that comes to my mind is, who will fill his shoes?
Yet do not despair, God will supply.

And For Older Children . . . Respect Their Desire to Read and to Learn

2007-11-25T17:41:00.000-05:00

(This is the follow-up post from Dr. Mohler's Blog that I promised in the previous post. This blog was posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 at 2:42 am ET, and is reproduced in toto as an excellent resource for school-age children.)

Several readers of these articles and listeners to the radio program responded to the article on Bible story books for young children by asking about a book for older children as well. Thankfully, there is (as several readers pointed out) a wonderful resource in The Child's Story Bible by Catherine F. Vos.

The Child's Story Bible goes far beyond the picture book format and will appeal to school-age children. The book is older than virtually all of the parents who will be reading it to their children. The enduring popularity of the book is at least partly due to the fact that Vos did not write in a childish manner, but instead assumed that children will want to learn and that they can handle a substantial story from the Bible -- not just a story summary with pictures.

In other words, Vos had the ability to tell the story to children without writing in a condescending manner. The stories are wonderfully written and parents will enjoy reading them as much as children will enjoy hearing them.

Of course, many children will be able to read these stories for themselves -- or at least to try. Let your children cut their teeth on this collection of stories from the Bible.

Most children will hear these stories for the first time as a parent or other adult reads to them. This is a truly special time for both parent and child.

Here are a few suggestions for maximizing the reading experience for school-age children.

1. Read at a specific time set as part of the ritual of the child's life. Children thrive on structure and are motivated by anticipation. Make a special reading time part of the family's day. The obvious time for this is bedtime, and for good reason. The child senses the end of the day is near, knows sleep is coming, and is more likely to be both calm and attentive.

Furthermore, the child is more likely to anticipate a special time of closeness with Mom or Dad (or both) at bedtime, dressed for bed and gathered with parents to end the day. There is nothing wrong with reading to the child at any hour of the day, but bedtime is undeniably special.

2. Read in a clear voice and avoid both excessive drama and a lifeless reading. A listless and lazy reader will lose the child's attention, but an excessively dramatic reader will make the child grow accustomed to drama -- often at the expense of thoughtful content and retention. You want the child to be fully drawn into the story, but you also want the child to be thinking about the story and its meaning.

3. When reading a Bible story, help the child to find the actual text of the account in the pages of the Bible. The child needs to learn to read the Bible itself -- not just Bible story books, and to know that the Bible is God's perfect and sufficient Word.

4. Place the story in its context within God's plan and within the Bible. Help children to understand how every word of the Bible is fulfilled in Christ and finds its meaning within God's plan to redeem His people from sin.

5. Recognize that many of the stories of the Bible teach a clear moral lesson -- a lesson that children clearly need to learn and take to heart. At the same time, recognize that these accounts are never merely morality tales. Point your child to the big picture.

6. Never read down to your children, treating them as dull. Instead, give them a substantial story, lay out the narrative, and then trust that they will want to learn and to push themselves toward understanding. Then, be the human agent of that understanding by explaining the story with patience, creativity, and insight based in the fact that you know both the story and the child or children hearing it.

7. Be as honest as the Bible in revealing the strengths and weaknesses of God's people. Children need to know that God loves us in spite of who we are as sinners, not because of our supposed worth. Children need to learn moral honesty and to know that all (even you, dear parents) are sinners.

8. Ask your children questions about the story to measure understanding, and make sure to see if they have any questions. Ask questions the next morning, during the day, on the playground, in the car, and when the child is in the bathtub. Encourage conversation about the Bible and Bible stories.

9. Ask older children to help with the reading and to grow accustomed both to reading for themselves and to reading aloud. There is much too little reading of the Bible aloud to the congregation in many churches. Let the recovery of reading aloud the Word of God begin in your home.

10. Finally, teach them to pray the Scriptures, talking about the story just read and its biblical text as you pray. Pray that God will apply His Word to their hearts, thank God for His Word and for His love, remind them of Christ and His promises, and entrust them to God for the night and for eternity.

No moment invested in teaching your child the Bible and reading Bible stories is ever wasted time. If your reading of a story is interrupted by circumstances (or by a child who has lost the fight against sleep), just pick it up the next time and move on. Enjoy every moment while your children are at this precious and promising stage of life.

Bible Story Books for Children

2007-11-24T22:20:00.000-05:00

(This is a post from Dr. Mohler's Blog on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 2:54 am ET, and is reproduced in toto as an excellent resource for parents and grandparents.)

On Wednesday's edition of "Ask Anything Wednesday" on The Albert Mohler Program I was asked about good Bible story books for children. I appreciated the question because I am concerned that many Bible story books treat the stories as nothing more than disconnected morality tales.

Children need to be told about the "big story" of the Bible -- of God's purpose to save His people from their sins through the atonement of Christ. They need to learn to understand the individual stories of the Bible within the big picture and to know that these stories are not disconnected, but part of a pattern of promise and fulfillment.

Two good resources for parents are The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm and The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The Jesus Storybook Bible is subtitled, 'Every Story Whispers His Name." As Zondervan describes the book, "The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible. At the center of the Story is a baby, the child upon whom everything will depend. Every story whispers his name. From Noah to Moses to the great King David--every story points to him. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle--the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will pick up the clues and piece together the puzzle. A Bible like no other, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation--and at the center of their Story too."

The Big Picture Story Bible also presents the Bible as a unified story -- and this is so important, even when children are quite young. Children have keen narrative minds and active imaginations. They need to have those capacities respected and developed through hearing the stories of the Bible over and over again. At the same time, parents who read and tell these stories should help children to connect the dots and to learn of God's love and saving purpose from one story to the next.

Children taught to see the big picture and to know the big story are in a good position to see that knowledge matured through deeper Bible study in years ahead. These books are great gifts for children and young families.

(A similar article by Dr. Mohler for older children will follow tomorrow--or so.)

Dennis Polesky 1946-2007

2007-10-17T22:32:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated the closure of the life of a man with a simple faith and a servant's heart.

Matthew 25:21

World Order, World at War

2007-10-04T11:59:00.000-05:00

As part of my devotion in the morning I am reading things from the ever-growing piles of that which I desire to read. Within those stacks are a variety of subject matters: that which is beneficial to spiritual growth, material to keep me relevant, and works that help me know the enemy, whether in my own heart or some twist on the truth proclaimed in the world. This morning some of my supplementary reading came from last month’s Tabletalk. In the Seek Ye First section, R.C. Sproul Jr. writes on “Knowing the Enemy.” R.C. Jr. identifies “at least three wars going on at the same time.”

1. The war between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.

2. The struggle of the spiritual man with the natural man.

3. The battle within natural man between the remnants of the image of God and the brokenness of the fall.

It is to this last battle that I wish to allude with R.C. Jr.’s own words:

The unregenerate man, because he yet carries the image of God in him, desires peace, order, joy, purpose and integrity. But because he is a sinner, a rebel, a pretender to the throne of God, he desires in turn that there be no God to whom he must one day answer.

It is a fool’s quest to seek both of these ends, for they are mutually exclusive. There can be no peace if there is no law, and there can be no law without a lawgiver. There can be no order if there is none to give the world order. There can be no joy, if there is no ultimate good who transcends us. There can be no purpose if all our lives are lived under the sun. We cannot be whole, unless or until we are remade into the image of God. God is our peace, our joy, our purpose, our integrity. Lose one and you must lose the other.

He goes on further to remind us, that it is most important that,

We not confuse those enemies of the kingdom who yet have a better handle on the image of God, with our real friends. It is critical to the grand battle that we remember that upstanding, “moral,” citizens of the world are in fact citizens of the kingdom of darkness.

For the full text of R.C. Jr.’s article contact Ligonier Ministries for a copy of the September 2007 Tabletalk. Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. is founder of Highlands Study Center in Mendota, Virginia.

Adolph Ahmadinejad

2007-09-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton visit the concentration camp at Ohrdruf in April 1945

When General Eisenhower learned about [Buchenwald], he immediately arranged to meet Generals Bradley and Patton at Ohrdruf on the morning of April 12th. By that time, Buchenwald itself had been captured. Consequently, Ike decided to extend the group’s visit to include a tour of the Buchenwald extermination camp the next day. Eisenhower also ordered every American soldier in the area who was not on the front lines to visit Ohrdruf and Buchenwald. He wanted them to see for themselves what they were fighting against.

During the camp inspections with his top commanders Eisenhower said that the atrocities were “beyond the American mind to comprehend.” He ordered that every citizen of the town of Gotha personally tour the camp and, after having done so, the mayor and his wife went home and hanged themselves. Later on Ike wrote to Mamie, “I never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.” He cabled General Marshall to suggest that he come to Germany and see these camps for himself. He encouraged Marshall to bring Congressmen and journalists with him. It would be many months before the world would know the full scope of the Holocaust — many months before they knew that the Nazi murder apparatus that was being discovered at Buchenwald and dozens of other death camps had slaughtered millions of innocent people.

General Eisenhower understood that many people would be unable to comprehend the full scope of this horror. He also understood that any human deeds that were so utterly evil might eventually be challenged or even denied as being literally unbelievable. For these reasons he ordered that all the civilian news media and military combat camera units be required to visit the camps and record their observations in print, pictures and film. As he explained to General Marshall, “I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’” (read more at Ike and the Death Camps)

Hugh Hewitt reminds us, “His prediction proved correct. When some groups, even today, attempt to deny that the Holocaust ever happened they are [sic] must confront the massive official record, including both written evidence and thousands of pictures, that Eisenhower ordered to be assembled when he saw what the Nazis had done.

Eisenhower understood how propaganda worked, how the Nazis had used it through the '30s and the war, and how evil men would use it again in the future.”

Hugh correctly points out, “One such evil man is Ahmadinejad.” It is true that within our borders, as well as in many other places, there are those who, whether due to naiveté or because of an entrenched invincible ignorance, struggle with embracing the realty and extent of the depravity of man. It would be a stretch to classify one such as Ahmadinejad (one who if he has not already done so, has vowed to perpetuate such acts of hate as soon as he is able to do so) as one who had simply buried his head in the sand. He clearly fits (along with Castro, Chavez, and many others, some of which line the halls of our government) with those who would seek to use society’s struggle to comprehend the full scope of horror to further their own agenda. You can read Hugh’s full article at Columbia’s Disgrace. (Sadly Columbia University, which was once led by the very man who sought to protect America from the denial of evil, has invited such an evil propagandist as Ahmadinejad to speak in its halls.)

Another Blog to Pimp

2007-09-20T10:34:00.000-05:00

This is another unashamed attempt to pimp one of my bro’s blogs. Don states in his own words, "i've finally done it, i've created my own blog." Now he need not feel inferior to the rest of the family. But before you look, let me list what you may or may not find at Donnie-Ballgame.

What you should not expect:

Something in-depth
Something flashy
Something particularly deep
or political

What you should expect:

Spelling errors
Grammar errors
Punctuation errors
Updates for family
Insight into his thoughts
A point of light

Those last three expectations sound very promising. I am looking forward to see what he posts. So, blog away bro.

Et tu, Brute?

2007-09-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

The following is copied in toto from Justin Taylor’s blog. It is interesting that the anonymous professor attempts to preempt the fact that his actions are those of a spineless, back stabbing coward. The men whom this perp attacks did not fight the battles of the resurgence anonymously, but placed themselves at risk to stand for what was right. They stood openly against a hostile foe unlike this accuser who hides behind the skirt of anonymity.

The cloak of anonymity provides convenient and fertile ground for a myriad of attacks on an individual’s integrity through malicious gossip, slander and innuendo. Ironically this maligner and his enabler show a lack of the very integrity they decry in those they accuse.

The father of all lies anticipated in his accusations some of the response to his attacks. We can see this mirrored in this anonymous letter to the trustees which states, “No doubt some will equate my anonymity with cowardice” and, “Loyalists at these institutions will likely blog or write white papers in defense of their presidents.” I am sure that in time this self-proclaimed “conservative” professor like many other detractors in the blogosphere of recent months will prove that his roots are planted somewhere other than in the truth. Well, that is enough from me. I just grow weary of the ugliness under a shroud claimed to be truth. I will let Justin and Tom speak from here. Do follow the links and read everything in full, comments included, particularly comments by Peter Lumpkin on Boyd Luter’s blog.

Anonymity, Cowardice, Sin, and the SBC

I thank God for Tom Ascol.

Yesterday Boyd Luter--a pastor, author, adjunct professor at Liberty Seminary, and (in a stroke of irony) proprietor of a blog entitled Agree to Disagree Agreeably: Playing Nice While Blogging about Frustrating Issues--posted an anonymous letter from an SBC professor to the board of trustees containing a scurrilous attack on Paige Patterson and Al Mohler. Offering an anonymous public accusation of this nature is clearly unbiblical and a profound act of cowardice.

Ascol writes, in part:

After reading and rereading your letter what has become sadly obvious to me is that it demonstrates little understanding of biblical integrity and boldness. The accusations that you make under the cover of anonymity lack courage, plain and simple. You admit your reason, as if doing so justifies your action and alleviates your cowardly action. . . .

Your admission is an indictment of your failure of nerve. You have decided that maintaining a paycheck is more valuable than directly engaging the issues that cause you concern. So, rather than honor Jesus Christ in handling your concerns the way the Bible says to handle them, you sit in the shadows, under the cover of darkness and work like a sniper. Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:15-18, and Paul's example in Galatians 2:11-21 all rebuke your way of handling your concerns.

Read the whole thing.

Unequally Yoked, the incompatibility of Christians with Muslims

2007-06-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

The truth about Muslim-Christian marriages: Some Friendly Advice to Christians is an excellent article not only concerning the issue of Christians being united unequally in marriage to Muslims, but presents the foundational problem and reason why Christians must not marry outside the community of faith.

Included throughout the article are informative links and at the end are some links that may be supportive as well as informative.

C'MON IN

2007-06-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

We are on our way to the Southern Baptist Convention, and we are excited about the time to come. It will be a time of fellowship with far-flung friends and planning for upcoming work for the Kingdom of God and His glory. I wish that I could say that our trip has been uneventful as yet, but alas, such is not the case. Aside from not getting out the door in the target optimum time (a norm I should be used to), and starting off right smack in the middle of DC rush hour traffic, even considering the stress of unforeseen (and costly) brake trouble; far and away the most traumatic experience thus far on the trip (and we’re at the start) was entering the BK Lets-Insult-Your-Intelligence Zone. Now don’t take me wrong, I like Burger King, its one my favorite fast food joints. I love the taste of their burgers and no matter how posh the restaurant, I like Burger King’s chicken sandwich better than any other. I like it even more than Chick-fil-A, which is far cleaner and has better atmosphere. (It must be some chemical BK puts in their food that makes me crave it so.) The BK in Ruckersville seemed the perfect oasis for our dinnertime needs. Normally we stick to using the drive thru, but I had to use the facilities and thus entered, unbeknownst to me, the BK Lets-Insult-Your-Intelligence Zone. The little saying on the door by itself was quaint, even Southern, or at the very least country. It states, “C’MON IN.” How cute. In smaller type I am urged to “Eat Up;” a little less cute, but O.K. Then after playing hopscotch to maneuver over who-knows-what was smeared on the restroom floor, I am assailed by a sign on the mirror above the sink that states, “Check Your Look.” Now don’t they know that the kind of guys they are appealing to with that lingo do not need to be told to pose in the mirror? The sign, assuming they can even read it, should state “Wash Yo Hands,” or maybe even “Flush Da Commode, Clean Up, Mama Don’t Liv Here, an Wash Yo Hands.” So, I get our food and on the way out, must endure one final assault. The sign as I exit says, “BUH’BYE. You Out?” Now I know that our society, with the assistance of our public education system, is spiraling into the cesspool of ignorance, but do we have to announce it like a dinner call for swine? (Just for clarification, I would liken that assistance to an axe being laid to the root of a tree.)

Anyway, the food was fine, I hope it was more sanitary than the restroom.

Buh’Bye.

Al Mohler on Jerry Falwell

2007-05-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

Click here to listen.

Jerry Falwell 1933-2007

2007-05-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

With the passing of the day we witnessed the passing of a great man of God. Maybe not great in the same sense as Spurgeon or Calvin or Luther, yet great nonetheless. Jerry Falwell was a man who sought to honor God and do what was right. Did he always succeed? No. Do any of us?

He was larger than life; and he spoke his mind. He was straight forward and not a mealy-mouthed back stabber. Oh yes, sometimes he spoke out of line, and there has been many a time he has put his foot in his mouth and I thought, “oh Jerry, why did you say that?” But if one is going to stand tall for what is right and be heard above the din of all that the world would use to distract, detract, and drown out the truth, then some mistakes will be made. Thank God for His mercy and grace, without which none of us would stand a chance.

It is interesting that when I was a young man I could not stand Jerry, but as I grew in the Lord I began to like him more and more. I began to see that Jerry was right about a lot of things. What happened? Had Jerry changed? Had he matured more in the Lord? Certainly so, but the significant change was in my life. I began to realize that my life was not my own, I had been bought with a price. The implications for this affect more than just how we live, but the very attitudes that we hold. I am thankful for the work Dr. Falwell accomplished here in Virginia and in this life. May those who come behind him be faithful to his desire to do great things for God.

My condolences to all who will miss him; may you find peace in the knowledge that he has finished the work that our God had set before him and has entered His presence to the sound of well done My good and faithful servant.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

To All Mothers

2007-05-13T06:15:00.000-05:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

The Sin that Assails Us

2007-04-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

“We see in this mirror how great is the blindness of wicked desires, and how powerfully they fascinate the mind.” John Calvin

It is so easy to look back over the lives of others, and to discern the foolishness of their blindness, to see the power of the fascination with the lusts of this life that grips their minds, and to see the deception of the allurements of the world upon them. What about ourselves? How do we see these same enticements in our own lives? Do we see them at all?

The following points are drawn from John Calvin’s Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew 26:14 in volume XVII of his Commentaries.

When we are given to sin:

1. We lose possession of all of our senses.

2. Our fear of God is overthrown.

3. The light of reason is extinguished in us.

4. Every feeling of shame is destroyed.

In reflecting on how low we may stoop when blinded by wicked desires, Calvin reminds us that, “We ought … to consider how fearfully monstrous it is, that men formed after the image of God, and appointed to be the temples for the Holy Spirit, should not only be turned into filthy stables or sinks, but should become the wretched abode of Satan.”

Physicians of the Soul

2007-03-10T21:43:00.000-05:00

I render glorious my service, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. Romans 11:13c-14

A word to those shepherding the flock of God: What we do in our charge matters to God; He will hold us responsible.

John Calvin states concerning this text; Observe here that the minister of the word is said in some way to save those whom he leads to the obedience of the faith.

Calvin continues; So conducted indeed ought to be the ministry of our salvation, as that we may feel that the whole power and efficacy of it depends on God, and that we may give him his due praise: we ought at the same time to understand that preaching is the instrument for effecting the salvation of the faithful, and though it can do nothing without the Spirit of God, yet through his inward operation it produces the most powerful effects.

John Gill further expounds; The ministers of the Gospel may be said to save souls, … instrumentally, as the word preached by them is the means of regeneration, faith, and conversion, with which salvation is connected: and as they shew unto men the way of salvation, and encourage souls to believe in Christ.

Praise be to God, that it is by His strength that we discharge this service!

The Right Reverend Hillary

2007-03-07T01:23:00.000-05:00

Generally I don’t want to wander into the realm of politics here (except where it involves biblical truth), but considering that the senator availed herself to speak in a “church” setting this is fair game.

As a part of her political schmoozing, Hillary delivered an address at First Baptist Church in Selma, AL (supposedly) to commemorate Bloody Sunday. The following comments are excerpted from a post by Dean Barnett, at Hugh Hewitt’s blog at Townhall.com. [Any additions by me will be bracketed.]

Hillary, accomplished what I previously considered impossible. She made me feel bad for her. Really, you’ve got to find the video of this speech. Every now and again, she would lapse into a phony southern accent and begin talking like I guess how she figures an African American southern preacher speaks. It was jarring. [try it here]

SO WHY THE PITY? After all, Al Gore did the exact same shtick constantly when he sought the presidency in 2000. For some audiences, he was a normal person. For other audiences, especially African American audiences, he transformed himself into a technocratic Pentecostal minister, slamming the podium and talking with spiritual inflections. But for Gore, this was par for the course.

Unlike Gore, Hillary is a serious person. She’s a policy wonk and a chronically vicious politician. America’s Sweetheart she ain’t. And yet she somehow has to try to scrub this image to make it more appealing for public consumption. Watching Hillary trying to deliver a dose of that old-time religion, I think I sensed her discomfort. I think she felt like a schmuck. She certainly looked like one.

Hillary is an unappealing grey figure. There’s no getting around that. Her attempts to obscure that obvious fact inevitably ring hollow. [Like trying to pass herself off as a homemaker type with a sheet of cookies. I wonder if she had a ghostbaker?]

Hillary should be true to herself. Be a bore. Be a scold. At least it will be honest. And it won’t be painful for either her or her audience.

To read the full post click here. To read the full text of her speech (what a hypocrite!)

Check out this new Blog

2007-03-06T00:12:00.000-05:00

This is my unashamed (blatant, overt) attempt to pimp my brother’s new blog. Pat has decided to enter the foray focusing on the problems within “Popular Christianity.” I am looking forward to some interesting and thought provoking posts. Go get ‘em Pat!

Coming Out of the Closet

2007-03-03T16:27:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time it was dangerous to “come out of the closet.” But in today’s society if you realize that you came out of the wrong closet, the world can be even more hostile. If a former homosexual has turned to Christ and come out of the closet as a new creature free from the bonds of homosexuality, they will find that many of the same people who stood with them in their choice of an alternate lifestyle now deride them for their new choice. One News Now ran a feature this morning on Charlene Cothran, publisher of Venus magazine, formerly a magazine catering to black homosexuals, which now has a new mission “to encourage, educate and assist those in the [homosexual] life who want change but can’t find a way out.” The article discusses her new life in Christ and pursuant rejection of the homosexual lifestyle. Our sister in Christ needs our prayers as she discovers that the new and living Way is neither an easy nor accepted way by the world. Charlene announces her new direction (and freedom, peace, and joy) in an excellent article entitled, Redeemed! 10 Ways to Get Out of the Gay Life, If You Want Out. Also check out her blog, and do go to the comments section, it will give you a flavor for some of the attacks she will be enduring, and it will inform you as to how you should be praying for her.

Free Will

2007-02-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

There is nothing better in life than raising children to show us free will in action. By free will I mean, as Jonathan Edwards explains, God’s allowance of us to make choices based on our disposition. To the naïve and delusional this may seem well and good. Yet when we examine the nature of man (Rom. 3:10-12; Gen. 8:21), we discover that apart from divine intervention our disposition inclines us only toward evil. This is even true for the seemingly good and their benevolent acts. What seems good to man in reference to man’s standards must be seen in the light of a holy God and His perfect standard. When compared to God’s standard, man fails to “make the grade.” This is even true of our dear children. We love them and cherish their little personalities, but apart from the Lord’s hand they are doomed to sin and separation, forever! Lest we delude ourselves though, we need to recognize that the struggle against our sinful disposition does not end at justification. It is then that the struggle begins in earnest (Rom. 7:15,21-24). The sanctification process is a lifelong struggle, in the strength of the Lord, of becoming holy, as our God is holy. Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, that it is He who will save us from this wretched body of death. And it is so.

Strength and weakness

2007-02-09T12:16:00.000-05:00

My devotion this morning brought three truths to bear on my mind. 1) “Whenever the Lord grants us great success, we should not be surprised if people envy us.” This is important to remember from two aspects. As stated, when we have been granted success, we need to be prepared for criticism and opposition. The same sovereign Lord that granted the success can also supply the strength and discernment to handle the jealousy of others. Secondly, we must be cautious of the criticism we mete out to others. Is it a just criticism or just jealousy? Across our nation there are many large and apparently successful churches. We may disagree with the methods and teachings of some of these churches. These issues may be anything from the clearly heretical, to those that have more to do with form, style, taste, or preference. We must be cautious to bring Scripture to bear on these issues and not merely our personal preference. 2) “If any have estranged themselves from us, they are not to be repelled when they again offer themselves to us.” We all want grace and mercy, but are often reluctant to give the same to others. Matthew 5:9 tells us that God blesses the peacemaker, and in chapter 18 we are told that our forgiveness is to be extended to those who have offended us over and over. How much should we forgive others? Well, how much has God forgiven us? 3) “Our greatest strength is also our greatest weakness.” This is the point that actually moved me to write this blog. Some of us may have only one or two strengths while others of us may have been blessed with many strengths. Concurrently, the number of strengths we have is at the least, the number of our weaknesses. We may have more weaknesses than strengths, but we will certainly not have less. Maybe your strength is in the understanding and exposition of Scripture; then you must guard against the arrogance that can lead you to trust in your own understanding and therefore lead you into heresy (or at the very least, majoring in the minors or minoring in the majors). Is your strength a great love and compassion for others? Then you must guard against the desire to compromise truth because you want someone to feel loved and accepted. What about discernment? If this is your strength, you must also guard against arrogance that shows forth itself as a critical spirit. Many are the strengths with which our Father in Heaven may bless us with for the work He has set before us; but we must be continually before His face and be immersed in His Word so that we may guard against perverting His gifts to us. And we must always remember that it is in our total reliance on the Lord that we find our true strength; and the purpose and goal of these strengths is His glory. Now and Forever!

The stimulus for this post comes from my morning devotional reading in Tabletalk from Ligonier Ministries.

The Baptist Banner

2007-02-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

“The Baptist Banner is an independent ministry whose purpose is to inform readers and in particular Virginia Baptists concerning issues and events relate to Baptist life from a biblically conservative perspective.”  Banner Statement of Purpose

I look forward to the arrival of each edition of the Banner.  It’s not just that I am biased because I am the pastor of the editor, T.C. Pinckney; I am biased, but it is more than that.  In my first pastorate, a much embattled time of ministry, a time of growth by trial (trial and error—lots of trial and persecution and a fair amount of error on all sides), the Banner was a bright light arriving at an often dark time in my life, and an anchor of hope that all of Virginia hadn’t turned its back on God and His Word and slipped into darkness (okay, okay, maybe that is a bit dramatic, but there were days).  It was a reminder that all across this state, this country, and the world were men of God proclaiming and standing for the truth.  It was a source of encouragement, and for that I am grateful to T.C. and the supporters of the Banner.

As we begin a new month, I would like to recap the fare provided by the Banner for the month of January.  On the front page is a Wrap for State conventions for 2006 with a focus on five states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  Following is a summary of state budgets.  The greatest portion of the article is devoted to a roster that attempts to classify the current states leadership in relation to their willingness to support the SBC.  It is important in this section to pay attention to the first paragraph where terms are defined.  On the following pages are two more state related articles; one concerning the forming of an investigative committee in Missouri and another about a church in Alabama that has been disaffiliated from their local association after hiring a female associate pastor.

Returning to the front page there is an article by Dr. Al Mohler on “The perverse logic of abortion.”  Dr. Mohler reminds us that “the issue of abortion is not merely a major front in the nation’s culture war,” but that it concerns the termination of human life (life that bears the image of God), yet most Americans live as if nothing wrong is going on.  He also draws attention to an article that offers a candid look at the life and logic of one of our nation’s most notorious abortion providers, a man who cloaks his deeds in religious language.  Also along this both sad and shameful topic is an article by Dr. Russell Moore that focuses on Catholics and Evangelicals who are a part of the abortion machinery, either as patients or operators, their flawed doctrine of grace, and the importance of pastors presenting a biblical understanding of both sin and grace.  On the facing page is a short piece referencing a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry that showed the increased risk of mental health problems in women who have had abortions.  Most shocking of all is Tom Strodes article on the urging of doctors in the United Kingdom to consider the euthanasia of newborns.

Other contributions in the January issue include an article on the adoption of a statement on inerrancy by the Evangelical Theological Society; a book review of Jack’s Life, The Life Story of C. S. Lewis written by Douglas Gresham; an article titled “How to have a Mundane Marriage” bringing attention to Covenant Marriage Sunday, which is February 11th (for more information go to www.covenantmarriage.com).  There is also a plug for a great website for kids, www.KidzPlace.org, another book review featuring Millstones & Stumbling Blocks by Bradley Heath that addresses understanding education in our post-Christian country, and finally a great quote by Southern Baptist father B. H. Carroll on Baptists and creeds.

For more information on The Baptist Banner click the link.

Can It Be?

2007-01-14T22:23:00.000-05:00

But I demand, Did not Israel know God? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to envy by a nation that is not my nation, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. Romans 10:19

That outward and universal calling, which is set forth by the creation of the world, sufficeth not to the knowledge of God: yea, and that the particular also which is by the word of God, is of itself of small or no efficacy, unless it be apprehended or laid hold on by faith, by the gift of God: otherwise by unbelief it is made unprofitable, and that by the only fault of man, who can pretend no ignorance.

Scripture and study notes from the Geneva Bible, 1599.

Regeneration

2007-01-13T22:22:00.000-05:00

The first effect of the power of God in the heart in REGENERATION, is to give the heart a Divine taste or sense; to cause it to have a relish of the loveliness and sweetness of the supreme excellency of the Divine nature.

Jonathan Edwards

as quoted by John Piper in Future Grace, p.396.

Divine Love

2007-01-13T14:43:00.000-05:00

The soul’s relish of the supreme excellency of the Divine nature, inclining the heart to God as the chief good. The first thing in Divine love, and that from everything that appertains to it arises, is a relish of the excellency of the Divine nature; which the soul of man by nature has nothing of...

Jonathan Edwards

as quoted by John Piper in Future Grace, p.396.

Who Do We Magnify?

2007-01-11T22:38:00.000-05:00

I’ve just finished watching a riotous video about the focus of our worship posted at WorshipMatters. The video is of a skit presented at the WorshipGod06 conference. While the skit is funny (I enjoyed it immensely) it brings home the point that worship is not about how we feel nor how we look, but about Him, our great God and Savior.

Bob reminds us, “As we approach a new year, may we remember that our confidence rests in the finished work of Christ, not our sin-stained efforts to impress those we lead. And most importantly, only Jesus can lead us into God's presence (Heb. 10:19-22).”

The Battle is the Lord's

2007-01-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

This is a devotion that I delivered to a group of fellow pastors today, but the encouragement contained in it can be applied to all believers. I hope you find it beneficial as you travel this sod.

. . . and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12 NAS

One of the things that this passage reveals is the great relief our Lord gives us through the doctrine of divine election. This does not excuse us from our responsibility to tell of God’s great love that He has provided through Christ (Matt. 28:19,20). Nor does it remove from us the necessity, as ministers, to faithfully know and teach His Word (Deut. 6:6,7; 2 Tim. 4:1,2). What it does do is relieve us from the burden of what the hearers do with the message we have delivered.
As I began to walk more closely with the Lord, I began to struggle with the issue of winning the lost. I would witness again and again, and sought continually to improve my ability share effectively, seemingly to no avail. Adding to my discouragement would be comments from leaders whom I respected; who said that to fail to win others to Christ was to fail in one’s witness.
It wasn’t until God’s Spirit brought my attention to the witness of Noah (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5) that I began to understand that we are responsible for the sowing of the seed, but the harvest is the Lord’s. Consider that great men like William Carey and Adoniram Judson faithfully spent many seemingly fruitless years in our Lord’s service, yet their success is not measured in numbers, but in their faithful service. There is such encouraging relief in this knowledge. As pastors we sometimes feel a greater sense of burden as we prepare to present the great truths God has revealed to us from the Scripture. Our responsibility is to present to those in our care God’s love and spread before them the banquet of God’s truth. Whether they partake or not is not within our control. What is within our control is what we do with the time we are given with them, therefore, let us preach the word; and be ready in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2a NAS).

May God bless our service to Him so that we might rejoice like the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

Killing the Old Man

2007-01-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

The theme of this month’s Tabletalk from Ligonier Ministries is the mortification of sin. This is a key component in sanctification, as Burk Parsons reminds us in the opening article “A Matter of Life and Death”.

The following is excerpted from brother Parsons’ work:

The Christian marketplace is filled with T-shirts, tracts, and trinkets that speak of how to have the ideal Christian life. Every year, Christians spend millions of dollars on self-help books and “how-to” guides for living an abundant life. For the most part, Christians are told that if they want to be really great Christians they simply need to follow a few easy steps.

In truth, every Christian, who has not been seduced by the superficial tactics and magical pixie dust of childish Christian gurus from evangelical Neverland, knows full well that there is more to living the Christian life than reading the latest Christian self-help book. It is somewhat ironic that one of the greatest books ever written on Christian living is John Owen’s classic The Mortification of Sin, a book dealing with the Christian’s death to self . . .

The thesis of Owen’s book is founded upon the apostle Paul’s admonition to mortify the flesh: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13 KJV).

Parsons goes on to note that the path of life is not found in the manner that would seem likely to finite creatures bound in flesh; life is found in death (just as victory is found in surrender). It's not about having our best life now, but about yielding our life to Christ and finding all our satisfaction in Him. It is here that we find abundant life and victory over the fleshly desires that assail us.

He states further:

What makes us different from the watching world of sinners is not that we don’t sin but that we hate our sin, repent of our sin, and earnestly seek to mortify our sin that has been taken to the cross and placed upon our Savior who atoned for our sin—and all this for the glory of God. . . . we only grow as we become more and more convinced of God’s holiness and the absence of true holiness in our own lives . . .

As we begin this new year, let us lay to rest the sinful desires that afflict our flesh and be adorned with holiness that we may glorify our Lord and Savior. Amen.

A worthwhile read

2006-11-02T01:31:00.000-05:00

I just received the Evangelical Forum Newsletter, and I look forward to savoring every word. It starts off with a rundown on the upcoming Evangelical forum meeting this month. The topic this year will be “The Place of Doctrine in the Local Church,” which promises to be an informative as well as needful address. Wish I could be there. Next, bias and irony among the Baptist General Association of Virginia leadership is addressed. Jeff Riddle does an able job of pointing out the discrepancy and hypocrisy of their attitudes toward the SBC. Other articles are: Do SBC Moderates Really Believe Women Should Serve as Pastors? By Al Mohler, a collection of treatments of parts of TULIP by Surgeon arranged by Ralph Traylor, and A Catechism of Bible Teaching by John Broadus, as well as some interesting tidbits of news. To read these articles go to the Evangelical Forum Newsletter.

That we may proclaim His praise

2006-10-19T21:19:00.000-05:00

You are My witnesses, declares the LORD, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses, declares the LORD, And I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?

Isaiah 43:10-13

Will He find any who are Faithful?

2006-10-17T22:33:00.000-05:00

I have been dialoguing with another brother in the ministry, in the comments section of a Baptist Reform blog concerning Calvinism. The issues of truth, compromise, fellowship, labels, and not “Who is my neighbor?” but “Who is my brother?” have been interwoven. The question that keeps coming to my mind as I watch the ever spiraling association based on the lowest common denominator is: When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

Tasteless FOX

2006-09-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am disgusted with FOXNEWs.com. The link to the front page article on the hostage standoff in Bailey, Colorado not only takes you to article, but to an advertisement for Dexter, a Showtime TV serial killer series. This is a tasteless and insensitive pairing. Contact FOX and tell them what you think.

Pope on a Hot Eye

2006-09-24T23:46:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting article by Dr. Mohler addressing the Pope’s recent spanking by Islam.
(The Pope, the Prophet, and the Crisis of Truth)
It is also interesting that the statement referencing their violent nature was protested by violence and threats of violence. I wonder how many “non-violent” Muslims will tow the line as Islam gains power across the west? How many will participate? (Or at the very least turn a blind eye to the violence done to neighbors that they have had peaceful coexistence under Western civilization?) Just something I wonder about.

Eschatology Charts

2006-09-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Justin Taylor for this. While I am certainly not a Dispensationalist and some of the finer points are disputed, his assessment is correct.

If you want a helpful overview of dispensationalism, historical premillenialism, postmillenialism, and amillenialism, then these charts (prepared by Mark Vander Pol) should be helpful.

Ive Been Tagged

2006-09-23T23:51:00.000-05:00

I was vaguely aware of something referred to as being "tagged.” Now my understanding has been enlightened and it is my turn. The thanks for this dubious honor belongs to my friend, Travis Hilton (no relation to Paris).

1. Your favorite book: (after the Bible) Tolkien’s works Silmarillion through the Rings Trilogy

2. One book that changed your life: The Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes

3. One book that you’ve read more than once: Beowulf

4. One book you’d want on a desert island: (in addition to the Bible) Calvin’s Intitutes

5. One book that made you laugh: Nitty-Gritty Grammar, Edith Fine & Judith Josephson

6. One book that made you cry [or feel really sad]: A Man Called Peter, Catherine Marshall

7. One book that you wish had been written: Errors in Covenant Theology’s View of the Nature of the Church

8. One book that you wish had never been written: The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren

9. One book you’re currently reading: Future Grace, John Piper

10. One book you’ve been meaning to read: Brothers, We are not Professionals, John Piper

Now tag five people: Ed Elliott, for getting into this vice of blogging; Brad Williams, cause everybody wants to know what hillbilly read; Jeremy Weaver, just because I like your blog; Dr. Wayne McDill, so Travis and I can see what makes him cry; Dr. Bruce Little, what do professors think when their students bring questionable bottles in their class and what book would a philosophy teacher take to an island. These last two may not count because they do not blog, (I just don’t know enough bloggers.) but maybe they will post their lists as comments.

Liberals and Hope

2006-08-06T00:49:00.000-05:00

Concerning liberals and our most certain hope. Here is an intriguing article: Road to Hell Is Paved With … Liberals? Isn’t it interesting that as soon as one throws out the Bible the certainty of ones eternal destination becomes evasive? While seeking to cast doubt on the penalty for sin and the coming wrath of God, revisionist philosophers (I dare not call them theologians because their study is of anything but God) lose their grip on certain hope of salvation contained in the same Scripture they revile.

John 20:31