John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."

What are you celebrating this Christmas season? Are you glad the year is nearly over? Are you excited over the year-end bonus check you're expecting? Are you happy you finished all your gift shopping early this year? Are the decorations on your house far better than all of your neighbors' decorations? Are you awaiting a special present from your spouse? Do you delight in the family get-togethers or the Christmas office parties?

Have you thought about Jesus any?

Have you recalled that Christmas is about Christ?

Do you know the real reason for this season is to remind all of us that we're sinners... wreteched, poor, miserable, and awaiting the judgment of God (whom we've rebelled against in thought, word and deed)?

That's right. We're sinners (Romans 3:10, 23)... and unless something amazing and miraculous happened, we would all be doomed to death and hell forever for our sins (Romans 6:23 & Revelation 20:15).

But something amazing and miraculous DID happen. Some 2,000 years ago God Himself--the Word (John 1:1-3), the second Person of the holy Trinity--became a man (John 1:14). He was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a young virgin named Mary (Luke 1:35), and He was born for one primary reason: to die in our place for our sins so that we might be forgiven by God (Ephesians 1:7), adopted into His family (Galatians 4:4-5) and so that we might draw near to God (1 Peter 3:18). We were made for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11) and glory (Isaiah 43:7)--but until we trust in Christ we cannot please God (Romans 8:8) or honor Him with our lives (1 Corinthians 10:31).

God came near (Matthew 1:23)... He took on humanity (Philippians 2:6-7)... He was born and laid in a manger (Luke 2:7)... He grew and matured (Luke 2:52)... He preached, taught, and healed (Matthew 4:23)... He proclaimed that God's Kingdom was near and accessible to all who would repent (turn from sin) and trust in the good news about God's Son (Mark 1:14-15)... He suffered and was crucified (Mark 15:15)... He died and was burried (John 19:30, 42)... and on the third day He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4)... 40 days later He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3, 9)... He sits at the right hand of His Father and reigns on High until He comes again to judge the living and the dead (Hebrews 10:12, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Acts 10:42, 17:31).

Are you prepared to face this Jesus? Have you pondered that Christmas is more than just a day off and a time to give gifts to others? If not... stop, ponder, and pray: "Lord Jesus, forgive me. I am a sinner: I have sinned against You by my selfish actions and attitudes. I have done my own thing, I have gone my own way. But I humbly return to You. I bow before You for You alone are God, and You alone died for my sins on the cross. Have mercy on me, Lord Jesus. Cause me to be born again; come dwell in my heart forever, and transform me into the person You created me to be. In Your holy name I pray. AMEN."

Here is God's word: (Romans 10:9-10) For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Just saying the above prayer or reading it won't save you from sin's penalty (i.e. hell); but if the above prayer truly expresses your personal desire to turn away from sin and trust in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, you will be saved--God said so. But only you can repent and believe. The prayer is simply the fruit of your faith... it is the expression of your repentance and belief in God's Word.

This Christmas receive the best gift you could possible receive: the gift of eternal life. It's free to all who receive Christ by faith.

Here's hoping you have a truly blessed Christmas.

A friendly (much needed) reminder to us church-going folk

As you know, if you have visited my blog in the past, I will occassionally post a blog I have read myself. Today's example is a much needed reminder for all of us who attend church regularly--especially if we have children. The blog is entitled: 5 Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church (By: Thomas Weaver).

It's brief but potent... enjoy!

http://theresurgence.com/2011/03/26/5-ways-to-make-your-kids-hate-church

As Thanksgiving Draws Near...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Hebrews 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 118:28 You are my God, and I will give You thanks; You are my God, and I will exalt You.

Colossians 1:12 Give thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!

Revelation 7:11-12 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

As Thanksgiving draws near, in the midst of family traditions, wonderful food, recreation and relaxation... please don't forget to give thanks to the One who formed you in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13), who sustains you each day (Psalm 3:5), who gives you the ability to make wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), who provides your daily bread (Matthew 6:11), who blesses you with good things (Psalm 103:5), who graciously redeemed your life from the pit (Job 33:28), who keeps you from turning away from Him (Jeremiah 32:40), and who one day will make you like His beloved Son (Philippians 3:21 & 1 John 3:2). He is worthy of our thanks and praise. May we give thanks to our awesome God--Father, Son, and Spirit--who alone deserves all glory. AMEN.

PAIN... does it drive you to God, or away from Him?

PAIN. It's not a fun word to write or read--but it's even less enjoyable to experience personally. But even though we tend to avoid pain as much as we can, the truth is all of us face it at one time or another. It may be emotional pain, physical pain... maybe even the pain of feeling far away from God. In those moments we want relief. In those moments we want the pain to disappear. In those times, we typically long for the circumstances of life we knew just moments before the pain started.

Recently, my oldest brother, Jeff, lost his vision in his right eye. He was driving down the road and all of a sudden he could not see. WOW! I can hardly imagine that experience--the terror that must have stricken his heart/mind in those moments. He had emergency surgery (and has had another surgery since then), but as of right now his vision is still very compromised. [If you're reading this, may I humbly implore you to pray for Jeff's healing--that his sight might be restored completely. THANK YOU!] How does one deal with an experience like that? How should we respond to the pain in our lives?

One of the resources I use for my own personal devotions is a magazine called Tabletalk (produced by Ligonier Ministries), and in this month's edition they have printed an interview with one of my favorite persons: Joni Eareckson Tada. If you don't know her story, type her name into Google and discover an amazing woman of God. Some 44 years ago (at age 17), Joni dove into the Chesapeake Bay (without checking the depth of the water) and struck her head against something hard. Her neck snapped--and on that day Joni became a quadriplegic. As a child, I can remember my parents taking me to see her life's story at the movie theater (Joni the Movie), and ever since that time Joni's life has both humbled me and amazed me.

The interviewer asked Joni this question, "Your most recent book is A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty. Can you tell us why you wrote the book?" Her reply was: "For more than ten years I have dealt with chronic pain (very unusual for a quadriplegic like me). Piled on top of my quadriplegia, at times it seemed too much to bear. So I went back and reexamined my original views on divine healing to see what more I could learn. What I discovered was that God still reserves the right to heal or not to heal as He sees fit. And rather than try to frantically escape the pain, I relearned the timeless lesson of allowing my suffering to push me deeper into the arms of Jesus. I like to think of my pain as a sheepdog that keeps snapping at my heels to drive me down the road to Calvary, where, otherwise, I would not be naturally inclined to go."

Trust me, if you've never listened to Joni speak or if you have never read anything she has written, she really has learned a lot from her experiences with pain and suffering... but the bottom line is that she chose to allow her pain to drive her towards Christ rather than away from Him.

This has become my prayer for myself, my brother, and others who are experiencing great pain in their lives. Yes, I do pray for God to mercifully remove the pain--but I trust God's wisdom, love, and goodness enough (after 20 years of walking with Him) to know that if He chooses to allow the pain to remain, His desire is for that pain to drive His children toward Him, not away from Him.

Do you remember when you were a child and you would fall and scrape your knee? What was your initial inclination? You wanted your Daddy to come, scoop you up into his arms and hold you close, right? Well, your heavenly Father wants you to have the same response in the midst of your adult (REAL) pain. Run to your Father. Let Him love you, hold you, and comfort you. The pain might not go away immediately... but the peace you will experience in your Father's arms will be something you can't find anywhere else in the world. Joni has dealt with her pain for 44 years, and yet, God's grace and peace have been sufficient to satisfy her soul (even in the midst of great pain and suffering). My prayer is that God's grace and peace will be enough for you too--trust in Him today and always.

The Gospel and Racism

Racism. It's not a pretty word. It creates pictures in my mind of hatred, violence, misunderstanding, etc. Sadly, we all can be tempted or trained to act in a racist fashion.

I remember in 6th grade reading "The Diary of Anne Frank", and discussing the Holocaust in class. Soon my friends--who knew that my parents were born in Germany and came to America from Germany--looked at me with eyes full of disdain. They failed to realize that at age 12 I couldn't have possibly killed any Jewish people during the Holocaust... nor did my parents (who were also just children at that time). And yet, simply because I was "German", I was being pre-judged.

Recently, a documentary featuring John Piper was made. It chronicles his own battle with racism and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ radically changed his attitudes about racism. For the sake of unity in the body of Christ, and for the sake of loving our neighbor as ourself, I encourage you to take 20 minutes to view it.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/09/30/john-pipers--bloodlines--documentary/


May God change our hearts and minds to see correctly that we all are a part of the human race, and enable us to love one another even as we have been loved by our gracious and benevolent God and Savior. Amen.

Water Baptism 101

Have you been baptized in water? How old were you when you were baptized? Do you remember the experience? Did you decide to be baptized or was the decision made by someone close to you (e.g. your parents, grandparents, etc.)? Were you sprinkled, dipped all the way under, or poured on?

These may seem like odd questions--but they're not as odd as you may think. Because baptism is understood (theologically) in various ways in various denominations these matters are not necessarily inconsequential. My hope today is to supply a relatively brief summary of water baptism as I understand it according to the New Testament; and to challenge you to consider what the Scriptures say about baptism. If you have never been baptized, I also encourage you to prayerfully consider being obedient to the command of Christ.

WHO: Who should be baptized? Anyone (male or female, young or old, black or white, etc.) who has personally repented of his or her sins and placed his or her faith in the Person and (saving) work of Jesus Christ alone for the free gift of salvation (forgiveness of sins, the gift of eternal life, the promise of heaven, etc.). In other words, every disciple (i.e. follower) of Jesus Christ is to be baptized in water. [See John 3:16; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 2:8-10; Matthew 28:19]

WHAT: What is water baptism? It is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I understand that many denominations practice or encourage sprinkling water or pouring water over the heads of those being baptized (whether child or adult), but all of my research and understanding of the Greek language has informed me that the Greek word baptizo means to dip, immerse, or plunge. In fact, the Greek word is used in non-Christian literature to mean sink (e.g. a sunken ship under water) or soak (e.g. to submerge cloth into a dye). Therefore, it seems best (in my humble opinion) to immerse a disciple in (under) water rather than apply water to the head (by pouring or sprinkling). At the same time, while I believe in and practice full immersion, I do not believe the mode of baptism is an issue Christians should divide over. I can certainly call my friends who sprinkle or pour "brothers and sisters in Christ"... we just agree to disagree over the mode of baptism. [See Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:5; John 3:23; Acts 8:38--these texts indicate the need for much water, which at least suggests the mode of immersion rather than sprinkling or pouring... Matthew 28:19 notes that disciples are to be baptized in the name of the Trinity]

WHEN: When should a disciple be baptized? As soon as possible after a person has repented and believed on Christ (i.e. once a person has been converted). It is sad in our day that so many Christians either put off being baptized in water, or think it is unimportant. The very first commandment to be obeyed by any new disciple of Christ is this: be baptized! [See Acts 2:38; Acts 10:47-48; Acts 16:33; Acts 22:16]

WHERE: Where should someone be baptized? Does it have to be in a church? Is baptism about a special/holy/sacred place? That does not seem to be the thrust of the New Testament's teaching on the matter. I think you can be baptized in a pool, in a river, in an ocean, in a hot tub, in a baptistry, in a pond, etc. The point is BE BAPTIZED in obedience to Christ's word. [See Matthew 3:6; John 3:23; Acts 8:36]

HOW: How should a person be baptized? I think there is some freedom to be observed here. The Bible says "be baptized", it says "be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit", and since baptism is a passive experience for the convert (i.e. he or she is placed under the water by someone else), someone needs to baptize them. So, let me try and tackle two questions: 1) Who should do the baptizing, and 2) In what manner should a person be baptized? First, I think the best person to do the baptizing (i.e. the one actively placing the convert under the water) is the one who led the convert to faith in Christ. If that person is unavailable or physically unable to do so, certainly it seems ideal or logical for another Christian or church leader (pastor, elder, staff member, etc.) to adminster the ordinance. Worse case scenario, I'm even liberal enough to think a non-Christian could do the baptizing--assuming the heart of the person being baptized is right (i.e. he or she has truly repented and trusted Christ by faith). I think the point is the disciple's obedient heart not all of the external peripherals (though I know many in the body of Christ at large may disagree with me on that point). Second, I think the fine details of how the bapstim occurs are also open for debate/discussion. Should the person be immersed once or three times? Should the person be immersed face down or face up? Is it absolutely essential for every part of the body or clothing (as well as every single hair) to be fully submerged? These are matters that legalists often fight over, but which I give very little attention to. At my home church, we typically stand next to the convert being baptized, ask him to plug his nose, we place one hand on the person's back and one hand on the arm of the indivdidual, tip them back under the water and then raise them up. Is that the RIGHT way to do it? I don't know if it is or not, but that's how I have baptized many people. I don't think the New Testament gives us a manual on the "how to's"... it just commands us to baptize disciples.

WHY: Why should a person be baptized? Well, I think the Bible gives several reasons. First, a person is baptized to be obedient to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). Second, a person is baptized to express his or her repentant and faith-filled appeal to God for salvation. Many people speak of "The Sinner's Prayer" when leading a person to faith in Christ, but it seems more biblical to me to instruct people to call upon God in repentant faith while standing in the waters of baptism (see Acts 22:16 & 1 Peter 3:21). This is not to say that a person can't call out to God in faith prior to beng baptized in water--I just think water baptism is the "God-ordained" place to express one's repentance and faith in Christ, and it should ideally occur as soon as a person has decided to follow Christ. Lastly, the Bible also says that baptism is where a convert identifies himself as a follower of Christ (Galatians 3:27). The person who is baptized wants to be treated or regarded just as Christ was treated and regarded in this world (1 John 4:17). What's more, the disciple who is baptized wants to identify with Christ's death and resurrection--and baptism beautifully portrays our death to our old life (as we are placed under the water) and being raised to walk in newness of life in Christ (as we come up out of the water) [see Romans 6:3-4].

So, now that you know a bit more about baptism... let me ask you: Have you been baptized in water? If not, why not? Repent, put your faith in Christ, and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You will be [eternally] glad you did.

Something to Think About

Recently, as I was visiting some of my favorite blog sites, I came across a fellow pastor's (my age) blog where he was reviewing some of the questions he posed to his own congregation after a message on "mission" (see Matthew 28:19-20).

This grabbed my attention since I recently reminded our own church family about being obedient to the Great Commission. His questions forced me to ponder, think, and examine myself... and well, I guess I thought his questions might be good for you to ponder and think about.

So, here they are (in no particular order)... [I'm adding some Scripture references too]:

1) Are you a disciple of Jesus? (see Luke 9:23-26; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8)

2) Are you growing? (see 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:3)

3) Are you pouring into other people? (see 2 Timothy 2:2)

4) Do you have just as much outflow of the gospel and teaching as you have intake (see Mark 16:15 & James 1:25)

5) Are you drinking deeply of Jesus and talking to others about Him? (see John 4:14, 6:35, 17:3 and Matthew 9:9-12)

6) Or do you just come to church because you like the moral conservative base?

My humble thanks to Pastor Matt Chandler (The Village Church; Dallas, TX) for these very good reminders/questions. May we all be challenged to be Christians on mission (i.e. fulfilling the Great Commission through our lifestyle, intentional witness, and financial investment of global missions).

How Do You View Repentance?

I came across a great blog this morning, and am delighted to pass it on to you. Read Luther's words on repentance slowly and carefully. Read Tim Keller's meditation, "All of Life Is Repentance". Take these words and review them closely. Pray through them. Think through them. Let them ruminate in your heart... come back to these words frequently in the coming days and see if God opens your eyes to seeing repentance more clearly (and, I might add, more beautifully).

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/08/19/atmospheric-repentance/

Praying we all will grow in our pursuit of this grace gift called 'repentance'.

Devoted to the Lord's Supper

Well, we're bringing this blog series ("What Are You Devoting Yourself To?") on Acts 2:42 to a close--but we still have one final spiritual discipline to discuss together: being devoted to the Lord's Supper.

This discipline is obviously connected to the observance of a Christian sacrament or ordinance, but my heart in this blog is to perhaps challenge your thinking about how or when this ordinance is to be observed by you--a follower of Jesus.

Obviously, time could be spent here teaching/explaining the different views (or understandings) of the Lord's Supper, but I will simply tell you that I view the Lord's Supper as a time when I a) personally remember, reflect, and ponder what Christ did on my behalf through His life (active obedience), death (passive obedience), and resurrection [By His life and by His death, Jesus not only earned my righteousness (which He bestows freely as a gift to all who recive Him by faith--Philippians 3:9), but He also absorbed God's wrath which I deserved because of my sins (1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:9; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:3)]; and b) I commune with the risen Christ (by the presence of His Holy Spirit within me) and receive from Him the forgiveness of my sins and spiritual cleansing (2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 1:9).

Now you may or may not agree with my understanding of the purpose of the Lord's Supper as I have explained it above--but let me ask you some questions: 1) How often do you participate in the Lord's Supper? 2) Why do you participate in it that often? 3) Where do you partake of the Lord's Supper? 4) Why there (and not somewhere else)?

I ask those particular questions because I think two faulty concepts have arisen over time: 1) Some people argue vigorously about how often Communion should be observed (e.g. once a month, twice a month, once a quarter, once a year, every week, etc.), and 2) many people have been taught or assume that Communion can only be observed or distributed by clergy members within a church building.

Frankly, I believe Acts 2 (and the rest of the book) gives evidence that the early church did not have time, clergy or locale restrictions when it came to the Lord's Supper. In fact, as I understand church history, the Lord's Supper usually followed (or at least, accompanied) a meal amongst believers (hence, the phrase: "the breaking of bread"). In other words, believers would gather together for a meal, fellowship together around the table, and then as an act of spiritual worship and devotion, celebrate the Lord's Supper together in their homes.

I simply want to say that some of the most meaningful times of Communion that I have had have been with my wife in our home. On several occasions (when I was less than a godly husband), after I apologized to my wife for wounding her spirit, she and I would celebrate the Lord's Supper after we had made up. Not only was it a wonderful way to remind ourselves that forgiveness first came to us through Christ's sacrifice, but it was also a very tangible way for both of us to receive and offer forgiveness to each other as husband and wife. Now, I share that example NOT because you should only take Communion after you have a tiff with your spouse--but to show that you can celebrate the Lord's Supper in your home, with your family, with your small group, when you travel, in a hotel room, etc. Scripture does not forbid taking the Supper outside of the church building (remember, church buildings didn't come until about the 3rd century). What's more, I believe the Lord's Supper could become an even more precious gift to you if you intentionally consider when and where you might partake of this holy meal.

One final example: a dear couple whom I love and with whom I used to serve in local church ministry were both diagnosed with cancer some years back. In time, both of them were pretty much confined to their homes, but even before their mobility was hindered, they intentionally celebrated the Lord's Supper each day in conjunction with praying for each other, and others they knew who were also going through a battle with cancer. What a testimony! I know they received spiritual strength and grace through that practice, and I believe (more than anything) they wanted to be prepared to face Jesus... and what better way to prepare your heart each day (as though it may be your last) than by partaking of the Supper with holy self-examination and remembrance of the redeeming work of Christ.

I pray you, too, may learn to delight in the regular observance of the Lord's Supper in places and at times that some religious people would not expect. God bless you!

Devoted to Fellowship

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "fellowship"? Do you think of a casual date with someone from the opposite sex? Do you think about a pot-luck meal after the Sunday worship service? Is the only time you use the word 'fellowship' when you are describing the large hall of the church building where everyone seems to hang out before and after services?

It's sad. It's very sad that this word, fellowship, has lost its biblical meaning for Christians. The truth is we typically don't understand what the word fellowship (or even its Greek form = 'koinonia') really means.

Consequently--for the purposes of this little study on Acts 2:42 that we've been doing for a few weeks--it's hard to devote yourself to 'fellowship', if you don't know what fellowship refers to. So, I hope to provide a little illumination on that term, and a little challenge as well--that you engage in biblical fellowship.

First off, do a Bible study. The Greek word 'koinonia' is in each of the following verses... read them (Acts 2:42--fellowship; Romans 15:26--contribution; 1 Corinthians 1:9--fellowship; 1 Corinthians 10:16--sharing; 2 Corinthians 6:14--fellowship; 2 Corinthians 8:4--participation; 2 Corinthians 9:13--contribution; 2 Corinthians 13:14--fellowship; Galatians 2:9--fellowship; Philippians 1:5--participation; Philippians 2:1--fellowship; Philippians 3:10--fellowship; Philemon 1:6--fellowship; Hebrews 13:16--sharing; 1 John 1:3--fellowship; 1 John 1:6--fellowship; 1 John 1:7--fellowship). Are you getting a grasp of the depth of this word?

"Fellowship" is about sharing life with another; it's about giving for the sake of others in need; it's about deep relationships and intimacy; it's about joining others as partners to accomplish God-honoring goals; it's about recognizing that life is not a "lone ranger" experience; it's about recognizing that God is ever present with you and in you to comfort, empower, and strengthen you; it's about recognizing that the Christian life is a community process, not a solitary existence. ARE YOU SEEING IT? ARE YOU GETTING IT?

Fellowship isn't a meal you have in the gymnasium or basement of the church; it's not a hallway where folks drink coffee and engage in small talk. Fellowship is about the "one another's" of Scripture (e.g. Romans 12:10; Romans 12:16; Romans 13:8; Romans 14:13; Romans 14:19; Romans 15:7; Romans 15:14; Romans 16:16... just to name a few found in Romans). Fellowship is about recognizing that God has called you into relationship to Himself and to His other adopted children. In fact, He has even called you into relationship with the lost so that you might lead them to Christ (Matthew 11:19; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 9:22).

So, before this blog becomes a sermon... let me ask you a practical question: Are you regularly engaged in (biblical) fellowship? Are you partnering with your church? Are you fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit? Are you contributing to the needs of others (both physical and spiritual)? Are you "doing life" with other Christians--i.e. practicing the "one another's" of Scripture? Do you have a few people in your life with whom you have no secrets? If not, why not? Are you being discipled (mentored, invested in, etc.) by someone more mature than you in the faith? Are you discipling (mentoring, investing in, etc.) someone less mature in the faith than yourself (see 2 Timothy 2:2). Are you in a Discipleship Group (D-Group)? Are you spiritually accountable to some other people in your life?

If the above questions are real convicting--don't dwell on the guilt, just get in the game. Start. Start small. But start. Invest, give, share, open up, listen, empathize, sympathize, receive, accept, rebuke, counsel, etc. Engage in fellowship. It WILL change your life--God designed it that way.

Devoted to Prayer

Prayer is such a HUGE topic. There is so much that could be addressed when approaching this subject. People often have many questions when it comes to praying. In the end, though, I'm afraid our ongoing habit is this: we talk about prayer, but we don't actually pray.

So, that's my goal in this blog: I want to challenge you to pray more.

Now, I'm not saying that you have to pray for ________ minutes. You should take as much time as you need to pray. If you can pray about all that matters to God and you in 5 minutes... by all means, just pray for five minutes. However, I highly doubt five minutes will always be enough. If five minutes is always enough time--well, you likely don't know what you should be praying about (or what you can be praying about). But don't become a legalist. If five minutes is all you need-- FINE!

I not only want to challenge you to pray more, I also want to challenge you to use the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a model for your own prayers. Let's not forget that Jesus was asked by His disciples: "Lord, teach us to pray." And He did--He did teach them HOW to pray. So the Lord's Prayer isn't just for memorization (though it's good to memorize those verses), nor is it intended for recitation (though, I don't think anything is wrong or bad about repeating the Lord's prayer as a prayer). However, Jesus wants us to pray in a manner consistent with what He said in Matthew 6:9-13.

We should think about God as our "heavenly Father". What does that mean? What does that truth mean to you? Have you pondered lately the truth that you are God's adopted son or daughter? Have you pondered what it cost God to supply that privilege to you?

Do you regard (or treat) God as holy? That's what Jesus meant when He prayed: "Hallowed by Thy name". He is wanting us to pray that God be treated as holy in this earth... and in case you haven't noticed, most people (even in the church) don't see God in the beauty of His holiness.

Do you want Jesus to be the King and Lord of your life? Do you want God's will accomplished on this earth? Do you seek to obey the King of Kings? Do you want others to obey the King? Do you long for the day when Jesus will return and establish His eternal Kingdom forever? If so, get praying: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

What do you have need of? Do you need money for your rent? Do you have food to eat? Do you have enough money to share with those who are in need? Do the missionaries you care about have all of their needs met? Is someone you love ill and in need of healing? Do you need more patience? Are you lacking self-control in some area? Does your pastor need God's anointing for his preaching (he does!)? Then pray: "Give us this day our daily bread." NOTICE: we pray for today's grace, not tomorrow's or next week's.

Have you sinned lately? Trust me, I already know the answer to that. Confess, repent, lay out your transgressions before the Lord and He will be faithful to forgive and cleanse you (1 John 1:9). What a blessing--Jesus paid for our sin debt in full. We are forgiven by His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Still, God calls us to confess in prayer: "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

Any besetting sins in your life (Hebrews 12:1)? Are there one or two sins that you just can't seem to defeat? Ask for help. Ask the Spirit to give you the spiritual power to kill the sin in your life (Romans 8:13). Depend on Christ--who lives in you and who was sinless in His earthly life--to empower you to say NO to sin and YES to righteousness. Pray: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Will you do it? Will you devote yourself to prayer? Will you commit to obeying the Apostle Paul today (and every day)?? He said, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That doesn't mean pray instead of go to work. It means pray while you are at work. It doesn't mean pray instead of driving your car, it means pray while driving your car. Ultimately, God wants you to stay in ongoing, continual contact with Him all day. In other words, never "hang up the phone" when it comes to talking to God--keep the line open and speak to Him regularly. He delights to spend time with you.

"Lord Jesus, teach us TO pray." Amen.

When Coming to the Scriptures

Well, we're in the midst of this mini-series of blogs on being devoted, and we're chatting about Acts 2:42. In particular, we looked last time at being devoted to the Apostles' teaching/doctrine. In fact, I tried to supply some information about the doctrine of inspiration as well as suggest some vital resources that can certainly help you become a better student of the Scriputres.

Today, I'd like to offer some practical "how to" suggestions for when you read/study your Bible.

Assuming you wish to do more than simply "get through" a "read the Bible in a year" chart... here are some things I suggest you do. First, find a place to read/study. Yes, it can (and should) be comfortable, but not so comfortable that you'll fall asleep within the first 2 minutes of your reading. I like at least a table (I prefer a desk) where I can lay my Bible(s) open, have a notepad handy, as well as a pen or pencil. Assuming you believe the Bible is God's Word, wouldn't you want to take notes on something God Almighty--the Creator of heaven and earth--is about to say to you??? If God convicts of you something while studying, don't you think it might be wise to write that down? "But Jason," you say, "It's already written down in the Bible." Yes, I know--but I think you will see His command to you as more personal if you jot it down for your own benefit and application.

Second, if you can afford to have several translations available--get them (I suggest an NASB/ESV for a literal translation, an NIV for a dynamic equivalent, and the NLT for a more common/contemporary language translation). When you see great discrepancies, it is possible that there may be some translation/interpretation issues going on in that passage or text. What do I mean? I mean Greek and Hebrew can sometimes be challenging to translate into English, and when a few verses seem very different when you read them in various translations, you may need to scout out some help (commentaries, pastors, study Bible notes, etc.).

Third, and I should have said this first, BUT I am saying it loudly and boldly: BEFORE YOU READ AND STUDY YOUR BIBLE, PRAY. Ask God to help you understand His Word (Psalm 119:18; Luke 24:45; John 3:27, 16:13; Ephesians 1:17-19; 1 John 2:27).

Fourth, ask questions of the text you are reading... and let the TEXT answer them. The Bible says, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). Ask the big six: who, what, when, where, why, and how? Who is being spoken of here? ANSWER: Jesus. What did Jesus do? ANSWER: He wept. Two answers to two questions... and guess what, there isn't a lot left in verse 35 to answer any other questions. Now, it's obviously not always that easy--but that's the process. If you were to ask where Jesus wept, verse 35 would not help you, but verses 34 and 38 would. So ask lots of questions, but let the Bible answer them... when you do, your theology will be based on the Bible and not your assumptions, presuppositions, preconceived ideas, personal opinions, etc.

Fifth, if you have questions that don't seem to be answered, jot them down on paper and keep them "close". As you ask questions on paper, ask God in prayer for answers too. You may be surprised that in a month or two you may find an answer when you're studying another passage or another book of the Bible. Some questions will always remain (Deuteronomy 29:29a), but you will be surpised how much you can learn after years of Bible study.

Sixth, when you study a passage of Scripture, re-read the text at least 10 times before jumping to any conclusions. The best thing you can do to understand the Bible is to read it over and over again. What's more, learn this process: 1) Read to observe (find out what the text says), 2) read to interpret (discern what the text means), and 3) read to apply (make sure you have some action steps from your study... you will either have a truth to believe, a promise to claim, a sin to avoid, a command to obey, an example to follow, etc.). Observation has to do with simply understanding and comprehending what the words mean in any given sentence, paragraph, passage, chapter, book, etc. Interpretation has to do with grasping what the original author intended for his original audience to understand. And application has to do with you drawing some practical conclusions from what the Bible says and means for your life.

Seventh, look for the main point of a passage. Try to discover how the other verses or sentences support that main idea. You may wish to try and outline the passage you are reading.

Eighth, and this should have been mentioned sooner too--but do some background research on the book you are studying. If you have a study Bible, read the introductory material. Who is the author, when was the book written, what were the circumstances surrounding the book, who were the original recipients, etc.???? (Commentaries are great for this purpose too). What type of literary genre is it? Is it poetry, historical narrative, a teaching letter, prophecy, etc??? If you don't know, resources are out there to help you ("How to Read the Bible Book by Book" By Gordan Fee & Douglas Stuart). You don't interpret a poem like you do a letter from the Apostle Paul.

Ninth, once you've done the hard work: 1) praying, 2) reading your background material, 3) reading and re-reading the text, 4) comparing translations, 5) asking questions of the text, 6) looking for the main point of the passage, 7) ensuring you know what certain words mean which you were unfamilar with, 8) outlining the passage, 9) jotting down ways this text can and should be applied to your life... thank God for His Word! God just spoke to you and His Word will change your life (John 8:32; 13:17).

Finally, be a doer of the Word (James 1:22). Don't just acquire Bible truth, apply Bible truth. Learning is for living when it comes to reading your Bible. And the blessing ONLY comes when you put into practice what you have learned.

My prayer is that we all will be devoted to the Scriptures (i.e. we will dedicate ourselves to the study of God's Word so that we might become more like Jesus, glorify God with our lives, and share God's truth and good news with others for their edification).

Devoted to the Apostles' Teaching

Practically, when we observe that the early disciples of Christ devoted themselves to the Apostles' doctrine (i.e. teaching), we conclude that we--as present day Christians--should be devoted to their teachings too... and their teachings are recorded for us (thankfully) in the Holy Bible.

That's why we spend time (as Christians) in the Word. It's in the Word that we discover the teachings of the early leaders of the church. We read from Matthew, John, Paul, Luke, James, Peter, and others. These were men who either sat at the Lord's feet themselves, or who were closely associated with those who did. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, they were empowered to write down on "paper" exactly what God wanted them to. In short, I'm referring to the doctrine of inspiration. Listen to this definition from the pen of Dr. Chuck Swindoll: the doctrine of inspiration is "the supernatural act of God whereby He so directed human authors of Scripture that, without destroying their individuality, literary style, or personality, His complete and connected thought toward humanity was received/recorded without error or contradiction--each word being supernaturally written and preserved so as to result in an infallible document in the origianl writings." [Check out these Scriptures as you ponder that definition: 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21.]

Why am I taking the time to have you ponder the doctrine of inspiration? Because it's important for you (and every saint) to trust in the reliability of Scripture. In other words, if you are not convinced that God's holy, infallible and inspired (i.e. God-breathed) words are contained in the Bible, you will likely not invest your time reading the Book (of all books). However, I will also add this point: I believe God gives a hunger to each one of His children for the Scriptures, AND I also believe that a truly converted man or woman will seek to know and apply to his or her life the principles found within the Word of God (see 1 Peter 2:2 and John 8:31).

So let's get practical. Do you hunger for God's Word? Are you "feeding yourself" regularly? If you don't feel comfortable "feeding yourself", are you at least allowing someone else (more mature in the faith) to "feed you"? The truth is you need both. You need to meditate on the Word of God yourself (even as God exhorted Joshua--see Joshua 1:8), and you need to sit under godly and trained men who are gifted by God to teach and equip the church (that's the role of a pastor-teacher--see Ephesians 4:11-12). What's more, as followers of Christ, we are called to not just hear the Word (i.e. take it in), but obey (apply) it as well (John 13:17; James 1:22).

Obviously, there are some challenges to reading, understanding, interpreting, and applying the Scriptures to our life. So, let me suggest some resources that may help you grow in your ability to be a better student of the Book.

Basic "How to" books on the Bible:

"How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth" by: Douglas Stuart & Gordon Fee

"Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible" by: Howard Hendricks & William Hendricks

"The New How to Study Your Bible" by: Kay Arthur; David Arthur & Pete De Lacy

Various Reference Tools--Commentaries, Handbooks, Dictionaries, etc.:

"MacArthur Bible Commentary" and "MacArthur Bible Handbook" By: Dr. John MacArthur

"Ryken's Bible Handbook" By: Leland Ryken; Philip Ryken & James Wilhoit

"What's in the Bible" By: R.C. Sproul & Robert Wolgemuth

"The New Unger's Bible Dictionary" By: Merrill F. Unger

"A Bible Concordance" (Choose one which matches your Bible translation and which is exhaustive)

"Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words" By: W.E. Vine; Merrill Unger & William White Jr.

Study Bibles I would recommend:

"The Reformation Study Bible" (available in NKJV or ESV)

"The ESV Study Bible"

"The NIV or NASB Study Bible" (By Zondervan)

"The MacArthur Study Bible" (available in NKJV, NASB, or ESV)

OK... this blog has gotten too long. I'll come back next time and chat more about devoting ourselves to the Word (practical tips when reading/studying the Bible).

What Are You Devoting Yourself To? (Part 1)

Let's start simple: what does the word "devote" mean? According to the dictionary, the term "devote" means "to concentrate on a particular pursuit or purpose; to apply or dedicate yourself to an activity." So, let's ask the question again. What are you devoting yourself to?

One passage of Scripture that is used often and repeatedly by preachers is Acts 2:42. To be honest, there is good reason for the frequent return to this text of Scripture. This one simple verse captures in a few words what the early Christians devoted themselves to.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.

Over the next few "blog sessions", I'd like us to ponder these activities to which the early followers of Christ devoted themselves. I believe that if we will have ears to ear (Matthew 11:15), we will learn some valuable insights as to how we can grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), as well as His likeness (Romans 8:29).

For now, here's a little assignment. How would you describe these four activities in Acts 2:42? In other words, what are these means of receiving grace from God? Are these activities a part of your life? Do these four components have a place in your schedule outside of Sunday mornings? Do you see these four "holy habits" as being needful? Does the Bible say anything else about these four disciplines? Investigate. Ponder. Ask yourself some hard questions.

This much I can tell you: Acts 2:42 can change your life... if you will be a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer (James 1:22).

The Ten Commandments Are About God

This link to Trevin Wax's blog shares some valuable insights on the Ten Commandments from Dr. James Hamilton's recent book, "God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment".

http://trevinwax.com/2011/06/14/the-ten-commandments-are-about-god/

Hope these insights cause you to ponder today. Perhaps, you may even wish to meditate on these commandments over the next several days (maybe even the next 10 days).

See Exodus 20:1-17.

May these laws not only teach you about our heavenly Father, but lead you to the grace of God revealed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:23-29).

Blessings.

A Warning to the Wealthy

James, the Lord's half-brother, is not someone who tip-toes around a subject. I recently broke from my expositional study in James for a mini-series leading up to Easter, and when I returned to James chapter 5... well, let's just say that I was blown away by James' directness to the unbelieving rich in his audience. And, at the same time, I was also convicted by his words. We preachers are usually guilty of two errors: 1) We avoid talking about money to our people (lest we offend the ones who may give to support the church), or 2) We manipulate people through our preaching to somehow acquire wealth for ourself. Both are wrong. Jesus and the Apostles talk about money, and Peter makes it clear that undershepherds should pursue their office to simply get rich (1 Peter 5:2 / "sordid gain"). And lest believers think James has nothing to say to them--well, just read the text (James 5:1-6) prayerfully and ask God: "Am I using my earthly wealth in a way that is pleasing to You?"

Below are seven principles I shared with my congregation based on what Jesus had to say about money in a few passages in Luke's gospel... I hope they may prove helpful and enlightening to you:

1) The rich are under the judgment of God for their sins, and eternal consequences are coming. See Luke 6:24 and James 5:1-3.

2) Life is not about temporary riches, it is about an eternal relationship with God. See Luke 12:13-21 and James 4:7-10.

3) Ones actions reveal if you are trusting in and treasuring money, or if you are trusting in and treasuring Christ. See Luke 16:1-13 and James 2:1-9.

4) Riches are no guarantee of God's blessing, or everlasting life. See Luke 16:19-31 and James 1:9-11.

5) A rich man can be externally religious but still be eternally lost. See Luke 18:18-23. (Obviously there were some unsaved wealthy people in the churches James was writing to, or his words in James 5:1-6 would be pointless... wealthy people are often outwardly religious).

6) It is impossible for a rich man to change his own sinful heart... but God can. See Luke 18:24-27 and James 1:18. The new birth (John 3:3) is a sovereign gift of God's grace, and through the proclamation of the gospel in the power of the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:23), a sinner can become a saint with a new nature, a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27), and new capacity to be a doer of the Word (James 1:22), as he or she repents and trusts in the Person and saving work of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9, 13 & Mark 1:14-15).

7) Regeneration--that is, the new birth--produces faith, love, and generosity. See Luke 19:1-10 and 1 John 4:7, 5:1a, and 3:16-18. Zaccheus experienced the new birth, believed in Christ, was saved and became a son of Abraham (Luke 19:9 & Galatians 3:7), and THAT is why he became so generous (i.e. loving). He didn't purchase his salvation with his money, God's grace changed his heart and made him generous instead of selfish.

So, where do you find yourself today as you read this blog? Are you materially wealthy? Not, "Are you Donald Trump or Bill Gates?", but "Do you have shelter, clothing, and food?" We sadly compare ourselves with billionaires when we should be recognizing the great blessings we possess by God's gracious hand. Do you have more than you need? Do you share with others? Do you help the poor? Are you regulalry investing in your local church financially? Do you support any missionaries around the world? Do you live lavishly to impress people? Do you like to give things away to others? Do you spend hours in a week worrying about your investments? If Jesus asked you to sell everything you have and give it to the poor, would you?

Jesus said, "So then, none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions" (Luke 14:33). Did He mean all of His disciples should be naked, homeless, and unable to buy bread? No--He did not mean that. He does mean, however, that if you are His servant, and He is your Lord... your stuff is not your own, your stuff is not your god(s), and you will do with your stuff whatever Jesus directs you to do. If that's true, praise the Lord. If it isn't true, hear the words of James once again (James 5:1, 4:9-10), and turn to the Lord and cry out for His mercy. Only He can change your heart from a selfish idolater to a generous Christ follower.

Dependent Responsibility

As I've pondered the writings of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, and studied how a Christ follower is transformed into the likeness of Christ (e.g. Galatians 5:22-23), one theme keeps coming up over and over again: dependent responsibility.


In other words, the Apostle Paul deals a powerful death blow to the two common misconceptions concerning spiritual growth. The first common misconception about how to grow spiritually is the "let go and let God" philosophy. Those who pursue this means of spiritual transformation simply think they can enter their prayer closet, wait on God, and... ZAP! Now they are (supposedly) more holy, more loving, more joyful, and more patient because they waited, prayed, 'let go and let God', and He just poured Christ-like maturity into their lives with the wave of His hand. Well, all I can say is: "I wish it were that simple and easy." But the truth is, it's not. If it were, why would Paul tell us that we must "train/exercise/discipline ourselves unto godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7)? The Greek word translated as "train" (or exercise or discipline) in our English Bibles is the word 'gumnazo', and we get our English word 'gymnasium' from that Greek word. So, what Paul is trying to help us understand is that there is some effort required in becoming a godly person... it's not just a matter of waiting on God for a mighty ZAP from heaven.

On the other hand, there are those who say, "I'm going to change myself--even if it kills me"; and unfortunately, many religious people (and even some well meaning Christians) grow weary and depressed as they seek to transform themselves into a godly person (and fail to see results). Yet, the Bible clearly teaches that inner transformation is God's work, not ours (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). Listen to these words from Scripture: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil (Jeremiah 13:23). What is the prophet of the Lord teaching us? Simply this: in and of ourselves we can no more change our (evil) hearts than a leopard can change the design of its fur. You and I can't make our own heart's more holy or good or loving. But praise God, HE IS ABLE to renew us from the inside out (2 Corinthians 4:16) and form in us the character of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10).

So, the logical question to ask is, "How does spiritual growth take place?" Well, it's not an either/or situation, but rather a both/and scenario. God doesn't just ZAP us and make us like Jesus, nor can we (in the power of our flesh) change our own hearts from evil to good by "trying harder" to be a godly person. However, we can take responsibility for obeying God's Word WHILE depending on the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us. In other words, Christians are personally responsible for obeying God's commands, but we must remember that we can never accomplish the will of God apart from the power of God which He supplies. So, as an example, I am responsible to love my bride the way Christ loves the church (see Ephesians 5:25). I am responsible (to God) to serve her, nurture her, cherish her, provide for her, protect her, seek her holiness, etc. (see Ephesians 5:25-28). However, if I don't first seek to be filled with (i.e. be controlled by) the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), follow the leading of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18), and love her by the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), I will fail. I will only ever be able to love my wife the way Christ loves the church IF I depend (by faith) upon God's power (i.e. His Spirit) to supply all that I need to love her well. Thus, it's good for us to pray such Scriptures over our lives as Hebrews 13:20-21 (turning a passage of Scripture into a petition): "God, please equip me with all that I need for doing Your will today, and produce in me--through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ--all that is pleasing to You. Help me love my wife as You love the church, Jesus--so that You might receive glory forever and ever. Amen."

We must depend on God to do what only He can do in and through us, but we (as His moral creatures) must be responsible for choosing to obey His revealed will. Then, and only then, will we grow in holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we live in dependent responsibility we will experience the joy of being transformed, and God will receive the glory for being the One who transfroms us into the likeness of His Son.

So, may I encourage you to do what Paul encouraged his readers to do so many years ago: Work out your salvation [i.e. sanctification] with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).

As Good Friday Approaches...

They spit upon His meekness,

And struck Him in the face.

Their floggers swung with hatred;

They stripped Him in disgrace.

Deep worked the Roman anger

That tortured Him, a Jew;

Yet this His contemplation:

"They know not what they do."

His people cheered "Hosanna,"

Then had Him crucified.

They freed corrupt Barabbas;

To sentence Him, they lied.

He hung outside their city,

Where leaders mocked Him too;

Yet this, the hurt He carried:

"I would have gathered you."

No angels came to help Him

When Heaven on Him fell.

The Devil tried to reach Him

Through ev'ry lie in hell.

Unthinkable the anguish

As Father crushed the Son,

Yet this His firm conviction:

"Thy will, not mine, be done."

No selfishness, no hatred,

No spitefulness was there.

No unbelief, no cursing,

No pity from despair.

One sinful thought; one failure,

And Love would not succeed.

The ransomed souls of hist'ry

Must His perfection plead.

If He had faltered even once,

In flames of hell would men abide.

Then ponder Christ, and praise at length

The strength of Him there crucified.

- K. Hartnett, May 2007

Kevin Hartnett works for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, overseeing the science operations activities of the mission. He was selected in 2003 from a thousand candidates as the "Poet of the Year" by the Fellowship of Christian Poets.

Do you REALLY believe in hell?

Hell. Not a subject many people like to ponder or discuss. In fact, in my experience as a pastor, hell isn't even a subject many Christians wish to chat about. Yes, I have heard sermons on the subject, and yes, I have preached on the topic myself. But as a general rule, hell is not on the lips of many believers these days.

I recently saw a video (http://vimeo.com/20272585) which previewed a new book on the subject by Pastor Rob Bell (ever seen a NOOMA video?). The video saddened me. And, if some of my conservative, evangelical brothers in ministry are right, this book reveals a sad truth: Bell doesn't want to hold to the orthodox view of hell. I have yet to read his book (so I am not seeking to play Judge or jury), but if you'd like an advanced review from a conservative pastor, see the following blog: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/03/14/rob-bell-love-wins-review/.

We're also embarking on a new series of messages here at Broadway: a six week series leading into Easter. And during this series, we're going to be discussing the topic of personal evangelism. We're going to be discussing how we can lovingly invest in the lives of people we know and how we might graciously (but intentionally) invite them to church with us this Easter. I think it's GREAT that there are a few times throughout the year when folks who regulalry don't attend church are open to the idea. Easter is one of those times. Folks are willing to "give church a try" on Easter--and I'm praying that many churches across our land will take advantage of the opportunity we have to declare the wondrous truths of the gospel to these guests who will join us for worship on April 24th.

Our un-churched friends may not know this yet, but the Bible teaches that all people are born in sin, and therefore, are sinners by nature and by choice (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12; 1 John 1:8). Consequently, the Bible says all non-Christians are dead in sin, separated from God's life, and thus, without hope in this world (Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:12). Jesus was even more blunt when He said (John 3:36), "He who does not obey the Son [Jesus] will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." God's wrath... that's another subject we (even in the church) talk very little about. However, we best re-introduce it in our preaching and teaching because countless thousands are ignorant of the fact that they will one day stand before the God who created them, the Savior who died on the cross, and the Holy Spirit who knows (because He's been present to observe) every single thing they've ever done (good or bad), and they WILL give an account to God for their lives. And if their name is not found in the Lamb's Book fo Life (Revelation 20:15), they will be cast into hell (the second death)--where they will experience the wrath of God forever (i.e. His holy and just punishment of sin).

Now, all of the above, I believe, is true and accurate according to the Bible... but one more thing is necessary for any of us who seek to share the good news (gospel) with our loved ones, neighbors, fellow students, and co-workers: compassion (Matthew 9:13). I read these words from John Piper last week and they caused me to pause... for a long while. Listen: "Is not our most painful failure in the pastorate the inability to weep over the unbelievers in our neighborhoods and the carnal members of our churches?" OUCH!!!!!!!! And, AMEN!!!!! "God (please), help us!"

Do you believe in hell? Really?? Do you believe in it enough to trust Christ as your Savior? Do you believe in it enough to cry for the people in your sphere of influence who don't know Jesus yet? Do you believe in it enough to step out (in faith) and (boldly, yet lovingly) share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them? Do you know the gospel? If you don't, check out this video: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/piper-on-what-is-the-gospel.

"O, Lord Jesus, grant us eyes to see the reality of hell, and hearts that are burdened for the lost, that we (like You) will determine to seek and save that which is lost in our own sphere of influence. Grant us true and genuine compassion for the lost, and may we not speak of hell to others unless we have first had tear-stained cheeks ourselves. May we see how great our own sin is. May we see how great our Savior's love is for us. And may we be granted the confidence, by Your Spirit, to tell our loved ones of the coming judgment and the hope of heaven that can be experienced through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. O grant (this Easter) that countless lives might be born-again, and may You use us as Your instruments to turn them from darkness unto light, and from Satan unto Christ so that they might receieve the forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). For Your name's sake, I pray. Amen"

"Think lightly of hell, and you will think lightly of the cross. Think little of the sufferings of lost souls, and you will soon think little of the Savior who delivers you from them." - C.H. Spurgeon

A Tale of Two Corners: Knowledge & Maturity

I love God's providence ("God's providence is His constant care for and His absolute rule over all His creation for His own glory and the good of His people." - Jerry Bridges, Trusting God). Just a week or so ago I was reading a devotional in Tabletalk Magazine (the devotional put out by Ligonier Ministries, the teaching Ministry of R.C. Sproul) and thought to myself when I was finished reading: "Wow, I wish I could put this on my blog. It's solid, balanced and insightful." However, I wasn't really in the mood to jump through all of the hoops to take care of the copyright issues. Well, praise the Lord, in His good providence, the author of that particular devotional posted the same article on his blog, and so I am going to direct you there. It is worth the read. If you are a Christian--especially one who longs to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus--this article is a great reminder. It sure convicted me.

The essence of this article has to do with this question: which is better, the person who knows a lot of theological data, or the one who knows less but applies what he knows? The author's answer is GREAT! Thanks Kevin for your insights--I love this article.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/02/22/a-tale-of-two-corners-knowledge-and-maturity/

To learn more about Kevin DeYoung and the church he serves, see www.universityreformedchurch.org

An Adopted Child

Several of you have been reminding me that I haven't "blogged" in a while. True. I still haven't developed this practice into a daily or weekly habit yet. I admit, too, that between being ill, being out of town, and simply being occupied with other pastoral responsibilities... I've not done well at all in 2011.

As I opened my blog page today (and it has been a while since I have), I received a note from a long time friend--someone I've known since 6th grade. More than that, someone who has been a true friend since then. We played basketball together, we went out on double dates in high school, and especially meaningful to me--he was right there the night I gave my heart to Christ (nearly 20 years ago). In fact, he was the first person to ever actually share the gospel with me when I was a teenager. He is a man of God, a loving husband, an invested father, a great basketball coach, a strategic teacher... I could go on and on... but the point is I love this guy. For some time now I have known that he and his beloved wife were intending to adopt a child from another culture. A good deal of time has past, but I learned this morning that the adoption is now final. I was able to go online and see pictures and read of their adoption journey... and well, it just made my morning. Congrats Bret & Nicole! I am overwhelmed with deilght for you guys.

All of this got me pondering my own adoption. No, not the way you might think or assume. I grew up in the home of my biological parents. They loved me deeply and blessed me richly in ways too many to recount in this particular blog. I am referring, however, to my adoption by God the Father. And if you are a true Christ follower, born again by the Spirit of God, you also have been adopted by God into His heavenly family (see Ephesians 1:5).

Listen to these words from the pen of the Apostle Paul from Galatians 4: "But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, THAT (emphasis mine) we might receive the adoption as sons" (vs. 4-5). Wow! I don't know about you, but I believe those are some of the sweetest words to be found in the New Testament. And those two verses are SO theologically rich. Ponder with me.

First off, that text says God's timing is perfect. The "fullness of time" in verse 4 refers to God's appointed time-table. I won't take the time here to review the historical significance of Jesus' coming when He did--but needless-to-say, He came at just the right time in history (HIS STORY) to accomplish His Father's will. And while I'm typing, let me just remind you (my pastor's heart is waking up, I thnk): His timing is perfect in your life too. You may not think so, but trust me, it is. Joseph didn't think so, I'm sure. Abraham and Sarah were certainly questioning if His timing was perfect. Job thought both God's timing and His actions were not so great. And, my guess is you have probably questioned God's timing a time or two yourself (as have I). BUT please know this: God's time table is rarely the same as ours, but His is best. You may not like it. You may wish it were different. But trust in His sovereignty and His goodness--He never makes a mistake.

Second, this text reminds us that God so loved us (John 3:16) that He sent His Son to redeem us (i.e. pay a price to free us from our slavery to sin). The second Person of the Trinity chose to leave the glories of heaven, and become a human being. Maybe this is a poor or crass illustration--but that's like a car lover leaving His Porsche 911 for a Ford Yugo (called by some "the Mona Lisa of bad cars"). He subjected Himself to the Law of God--that is, Jesus was required (just like you and me) to obey God and resist evil (in thought, word and deed). And what's more, He succeeded! He alone is the only human being who has ever perfectly fulfilled God's Law. And yet, He did all of that for one primary reason: so He could take our sins upon Himself, absorb God's wrath for our sins, and die in our place on the cross. As Paul says so magnificently in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Amazing love, amazing grace... I hope that truth humbles you and calls you to worship Christ the Lord.

But lastly, notice why all of this took place. Notice why God sent His Son, notice why He was born of a woman, notice why He was born under the Law, notice why He redeemed us on the cross with His life's blood... THAT (here's the key purpose clause of our text) we might receive the adoption as sons. In other words, the primary reason God (through Christ) did all that He did was so that He might adopt you and me into His family forever. The Bible says He predestined us to adoption as sons. He predetermined that our destiny would be sonship in His family. And now, if you know Christ as Lord and Savior, you have a heavenly Father, an elder Brother, and a Comforter who never leaves you nor forsakes you. He knows what you need before you even ask; and yet He tells you to ask that He might meet your needs (Matthew 6:8; Matthew 6:11; Matthew 7:11). He is always available and willing to provide you with wisdom when you need it (James 1:5). No matter who else may forsake you, you have a Friend who will stick closer to you than any blood brother (Proverbs 18:24). In short, God has said to you and to me (and all Christ followers): "You are a part of my family. I love you. I am for you. And I will see that you get home safely. Trust Me. Treasure Me. Delight in Me. I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

May the reminder that you are an adopted child of God thrill your heart today.

And if you have never embraced the good news concerning Jesus Christ--the Bible says today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). If you are willing to repent (i.e. turn away from the sin in your life with God's help) and place your faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ (i.e. that He is God, that He loves you, that He came to earth for you, that He took on humanity for you, that He lived a sinless life for you, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He was raised from the dead three days after He died on the cross), you too can be saved from sin and hell. The Bible says if any man is willing to turn from his sin and trust in Christ alone for the free gift of salvation, God is willing to save that man or woman (Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9). The choice is yours. Choose to repent. Choose to believe in Jesus. Choose to pray and ask Him to save you from your sins.

In Him there is forgiveness, in Him there is life, and in Him there is adoption into the family of God for all who believe (John 1:12). Respond to and rejoice in His grace today, I pray.

Restoring Praise

Well, it seems hard for me to believe, but I started this little series on "Restoring God's House" back in September, and it's now January. I guess I need to bring this plane in for a landing.

At the same time, it seems providential to me that the subject of praise falls at the beginning of a new year. Happy New Year, by the way!

All too often, as Christians, we celebrate holidays the way everyone else does... by ignoring the fact that they are (if Christian) "holy days". That is, these are days set apart from the norm so that we might focus our attention more fully on the wonder of God and His great mercy towards us. At Christmas, we are to celebrate Christ's coming: His willingness to leave heaven, humble Himself and become a human being (a baby no less), all so that one day He might die for our sins on the cross. How do we respond to this "holy day". We cry against all of the commercialism (to appear spiritual), but we usually are just as absorbed in it as non-believers. We fret more about what gift to by for our hard-to-shop-for relative than we do tremble at our besetting sins. We complain about every radio station playing Christmas Carols... but we spend very little time truly praising Christ for His advent on our behalf.

So, as we step into 2011, praise is a good subject to touch on. Ponder simply this one verse: (Psalm 22:3) "Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."

This verse tells us a lot. It reminds us that God is HOLY. He is different from all His creation. He is pure and hates evil. He is set apart and distinct from all that He has made. He is (truly) awesome, and no one is like Him (Isaiah 46:9). Do you see God that way? Do you treat Him and respond to Him in light of that truth? Jesus said that that should be our first prayer (Matthew 6:9). We should pray that God would be seen and treated as holy. He's not just "the old man upstairs", He's not our "buddy", He is Almighty God... and we should tremble at His name (Psalm 96:9).

The text also says that God enthrones Himself on the praises of His people. It's an interesting thought. It seems as though the Psalmist is telling us that God "takes His place on the throne" as we praise Him. In other words, God the King (in all of His power and authority) comes to us as we praise His holy name. [Don't get me wrong--theologically, God is always on the throne and always in control... but I've learned that my own experience of God's presence and power is often heightened when I choose to praise Him.]

I remember first learning this principle in Bible college. I was prompted by the Spirit--having read Psalm 22:3--one night (after a long day of classes, frustrations, and some relational struggles) to simply turn on some praise music and do nothing EXCEPT praise the Lord. I have to admit the idea seemed lame at the time. What will my singing do?? Especially MY singing--I can't carry a tune in a bucket. But, O, how God surprised me that night. He met me in my dorm room, and He came in His power and might to remind me that He was still on the throne, and that He could do immeasurably more than I could even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). His peace replaced my anxiety. His presence calmed my nerves. His power--which I could sense as I sang--reminded me that nothing is too difficult for Him. Now in one sense, nothing about my circumstances in those moments had changed. I had experienced a lousy day; and singing praises to God didn't undo anything. However, my choice to praise God did make a difference--because God came. He came and manifested His Kingly presence and power to (little old) me. And His visit lifted me. His presence comforted me. He was the reason my facial expression changed that night (Psalm 3:3). The King of kings and the Lord of lords visited me in my dorm room... and He came because I chose to sing praises to His name.

Do you have anything to give thanks for? Any mercy or grace shown to you in the past 12 months? Do you know God well enough to celebrate some of His attributes? Jesus wants to see praise in the hearts of His people... and He has every right to that desire: He has done great things (Psalm 126:3), has He not!? May we, by the power of His Spirit, offer our praise and thanks and adoration to His holy name--both now and forever! AMEN.