Make Believe

One of a parents’ greatest joys on Christmas morning is watching their children open up their presents. The most “excited” age group tends to be that which lies between the toddler and teen years, when a child's glee over gifts seems to be at its zenith. The air is filled with laughter as girls play with their new dolls and boys conquer the universe with their action figures. Many games and adventures are enjoyed by our children as they utilize one of God’s greatest gifts--imagination.

About thirty years ago, when my siblings and I were caught up in our own imaginary world, my father took notice of our fanciful fun and wrote a poem about it. In essence, Dad's poem reminds us of the role that imagination plays and the importance of keeping it in its proper place. The poem is entitled "Make Believe." I've thought of this poem many times over the years while watching my own kids play in their little world of "let's pretend." I hope that you, too, will enjoy the poem and take its message to heart.

I often watch my children play,
And how amazed am I that they
Are occupied for hours on end
With games that start with “Let’s pretend.”

They play at “house”, they play at “store”;
They play at “school”, they play at “war”.
They play at “cops and robbers”, too;
There’s nothing little minds can’t do.

Yes, “let’s pretend” contributes joy
To every little girl and boy;
And drab and dull would childhood be,
If it were not for fantasy.

The thought that weighs upon my mind
Is: Some don’t leave those years behind.
Concerning things “beyond the veil”,
They still let fantasy prevail.

They make believe there is no hell;
They make believe their souls are well;
They reason, under false pretense,
That works will be their sure defense.

Behold, the final, fearful end
Of those, like babes, who still pretend!
For in eternal things, you see,
There is no room for fantasy.

For fantasy oft times conflicts
With that which God on high edicts;
And fiction from the days of youth
Must not displace the written truth.

Because the Bible doth reveal
That mankind’s need for Christ is real.
Imagination has a role,
But not in matters of the soul.

And what of you, good Christian friend?
Do you serve God, or just pretend?
Do you the Holy Spirit grieve,
By service only “make believe”?

How Has God Magnified His Word Above His Name?

This morning I was reading Psalm 138 and came across an intriguing statement: "You have magnified Your word above all Your name."

If you think through the implications of this statement, then you can see why it’s so intriguing. God’s name speaks of His great power and majesty, His perfect character and utter holiness. His is the name which is above every name (Phil. 2:9). Since God’s name represents His person, how can anything – including God’s word – be magnified above His name?

To answer this question, we must go to the context in which this statement occurs. Psalm 138 is written by David, after having been delivered from a difficult or perilous situation. Here are the first three verses of the psalm in their entirety:

I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
In the day when I cried out,
You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

So the context has to do with God’s faithfulness to His servant. Other gods (notice the small ‘g’) are everywhere, but David worships the one true God - the God who has been true to His word. God did not only do what He said He would do, but a whole lot more. Through the abundant fulfillment of His promise to David, God showed Himself to be more than what David had already thought Him to be.

Along these same lines, it may also be said that this demonstration of God’s faithfulness surpassed all previous revelation concerning Himself. This would be very consistent with David’s prayer in 2 Samuel 7, which he gave after receiving the Davidic promise. In verses 21-22, David prayed, "For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears." God, through His faithfulness, showed Himself to be even greater than that which had been previously revealed to His people. In this way, He magnified His word above all His name.

There’s a third and final sense in which this statement might be interpreted, and this is in reference to Christ Himself. What if this statement, like so many others in the Psalms, is Messianic in nature? That is to say, perhaps it has an immediate reference and application to David’s present circumstances as well as an ultimate reference and application to the Lord Jesus Christ. If "Your Word" in Psalm 138:2 refers to the Incarnate Word, then it means that God has magnified His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, above every other manifestation of Himself. Consider the following Scriptures:

John 1:14, 18 - "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."

Colossians 1:15 - "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

Hebrews 1:1-4 - ""God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. . . who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

The name of Jesus Christ is indeed the name "that is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). Now this is pretty exciting stuff, but it gets better! Second Corinthians 3:18 says, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." The mirror is the Word of God. As we go to the Bible, we see Jesus revealed in all His splendor. We don’t see Jesus simply in the light of His moral beauty – and certainly not His manly beauty (Isa. 53:2) – but in His present glory, exalted at the Father's right hand (Phil. 2:9-11; Col. 1:15-18; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; Heb. 1:1-13; Rev. 1).

If all this were not astounding enough, there is yet another glorious reality expressed in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Did you catch it? Paul says that as we behold the glory of Christ in Scripture, we "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Herein lies the secret to Christian holiness: Preoccupation with Christ as revealed in Scripture. The more we truly come to know Him, the more we become truly like Him.

Granted, this transformation is not automatic or immediate, but gradual. As we let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16), our lives increasingly reflect His glory. What a great incentive to study God’s Word! May we give ourselves to this worthy endeavor, knowing that God has exalted His Word above all His name!

Ministering to Children: A Lesson from the Life of Robert Murray M'Cheyne

This past Tuesday, we enjoyed yet another Christmas program put on by the students of First Baptist Christian School. How great it is to hear kids sing out with all their hearts to the Lord. Children are such a blessing! I wonder how many of us adults seek to bless them?

Some years back, I read Andrew Bonar's biographical work on Robert Murray M'Cheyne, a godly Scottish pastor who died at age 29, having been beset by various illnesses throughout his short life (1813-1843). Yet M'Cheyne's love for the Lord and for people was so intense, that he made more of an impact on his generation in his 29 years than most people do in a lifetime -- or even twenty-nine lifetimes!

In reflecting on some of M'Cheyne's most endearing qualities, Andrew Bonar recalled how his dear friend's "heart felt for the young." He found considerable joy in teaching children and had a knack for getting down on their level to communicate to them biblical truth. Citing one particular case that came to mind, Bonar wrote, "Ever watchful for opportunities, on the blank leaf of a book which he had sent to a little boy in his congregation, he wrote these simple lines:

Peace be to thee, gentle boy!
Many years of health and joy!
Love Your Bible more than play,
Grow in wisdom every day.
Like the lark on hovering wing,
Early rise, and mount and sing;
Like the dove that found no rest
Till it flew to Noah's breast,
Rest not in this world of sin,
Till the Savior take thee in.

Most of us can't write clever little rhymes such as this, but we can follow M'Cheyne's example in ministering to children -- first to our own and then other children as God gives us opportunity. This is especially important this Christmas season, as commercialism can so easily crowd out Christ from our affections. As we go about our busy lives this week, let's do what we can to be a blessing to children, remembering the love that God has for them.

"Take Heed How You Hear!"

In his devotional book, Taste and See, pastor-theologian John Piper lists what he calls "ten practical suggestions for hearing the Word of God on Sunday morning." This is based on his meditation of Luke 8:18: "Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away." With this verse in mind, Piper offers the following tips:

1. Pray that God would give you a good and honest heart.
The heart we need is a work of God. That’s why we pray for it. "I will give you a new heart" (Ezek. 36:26). "I will give them a heart to know Me" (Jer. 24:7). Let’s pray, "O Lord, give me a heart for you. Give me a good and honest heart. Give me a soft and receptive heart. Give me a humble and meek heart. Give me a fruitful heart."

2. Meditate on the Word of God.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8). On Saturday night, read some delicious portion of your Bible with a view to stirring up hunger for God. This is the appetizer for Sunday morning’s meal.

3. Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment.
"Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which I able to save your souls" (James 1:21, emphasis added). It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch. This makes us small and weak and worldly and inauthentic in worship. Instead, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). Your heart will unshrivel and be able to feel greatness again.

4. Trust in the truth you already have.
The hearing of the Word of God that fails during trial has no root (Luke 8:13). What is the root we need? It is trust. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream" (emphasis added).

5. Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning.
"All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything" (1 Cor. 6:12, RSV). I am not laying down any law here. I am saying there are Saturday night ways that ruin Sunday morning worship. Don’t be enslaved by them. Without sufficient sleep, our minds are dull, our emotions are flat, our proneness to depression is higher, and our fuses are short. My counsel: Decide when you must get up on Sunday in order to have time to eat, get dressed, pray and meditate on the Word, prepare the family, and travel to church; and then compute backward eight hours and be sure that you are in bed fifteen minutes before that. Read your Bible in bed and fall asleep with the Word of God in your mind. I especially exhort parents to teach teenagers that Saturday night is not the night to stay out late with friends. If there is a special late night, make it Friday. It is a terrible thing to teach children that worship is so optional that it doesn’t matter if you are exhausted when you come.

6. Forbear one another Sunday morning without grumbling and criticism.
"They grumbled in their tents; they did not listen to the voice of the LORD" (Psalm 106:25). Sunday morning grumbling and controversy and quarreling can ruin a worship service for a family. When there is something you are angry about or some conflict that you genuinely think needs to be talked about, forbear. Of course if you are clearly the problem and need to apologize, do it as quickly as you can (Matt. 5:23-24). But if you are fuming because of the children’s or spouse’s delinquency, forbear, that is, be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1:19). In worship, open yourself to God’s exposing the log in your own eye. It may be that all of you will be humbled and chastened so that no serious conflict is necessary.

7. Be meek and teachable when you come.
"Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21, RSV). Meekness and teachability are not gullibility. You have your Bibles and you have your brain. Use them. But if we come with a chip on our shoulders and a suspicion of the preaching, week after week, we will not hear the Word of God. Meekness is a humble openness to God’s truth with a longing to be changed by it.

8. Be still and enter the room and focus your mind’s attention and heart’s affection on God.
"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, NKJV). As we enter the sanctuary, let us come on the lookout for God, and leave on the lookout for people. Come with a quiet passion to seek God and his power. We will not be an unfriendly church if we are aggressive in our pursuit of God during the prelude and aggressive in our pursuit of visitors during the postlude.

9. Think earnestly about what is sung and prayed and preached.
"Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature" (1 Cor. 14:20, emphasis added). So Paul says to Timothy, "Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything" (2 Timothy 2:7, RSV, emphasis added). Anything worth hearing is worth thinking about. If you would heed how you hear, think about what you hear.

10. Desire the truth of God’s Word more than you desire riches or food.
"Like newborn babies, long for [desire] the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Peter 2:2, author’s translation). As you sit quietly and pray and meditate on the text and the songs, remind yourself of what Psalm 19:10-11 says about the words of God: "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb."

Autumn Reflections

New England is famous for its fall foliage. The colorful leaves are resplendent with the beauty of their Creator.

Do you ever wonder exactly why or how leaves change their color during the autumn season? Why does a maple leaf turn red? What about all the bright yellows and oranges we see?

Just recently I read up on the mystery of this metamorphosis. It all has to do with what leaves are and how they function. Simply put, leaves operate as miniature "food factories." Trees and other plants take water from the ground through their roots. The leaves absorb energy from sunlight that changes carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates (specifically glucose, a kind of sugar). The process by which plants turn water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates is called photosynthesis ("putting together with light"). A chemical called chlorophyll helps to make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll s what gives plants their green color.

Yet hidden beneath all that green are pigments ranging from pale yellow to deep orange to bright red (depending on the type of plant or tree). As summer ends and the days get shorter and shorter, the chlorophyll breaks down. Thus the leaf’s green color gives way to the underlying yellow and orange pigments, thereby bringing about the change in appearance. The fact is, these colors have been there all along, but they aren’t visible in the summer because they’re covered up by the green chlorophyll. Moreover, while this metamorphosis in color is taking place, other changes are occurring simultaneously. A special layer of cells develops where the leaf stem is attached to the tree and gradually severs the tissues that hold the leaf onto the branch. Once the seal is cut, a gentle breeze is all it takes to make the leaf fall.

As I read of this fascinating process, I thought to myself: There are spiritual lessons to be learned here! Certainly one of them is the awesomeness of our Creator-God. The changing of the leaves are His handiwork and reveal to us God’s infinite wisdom, power, beauty, and creativity.

But beyond that I thought that there would be another lesson about the beauty that results from adversity. I thought of how the shorter days, longer nights, and dropping temperatures bring out an under-lying beauty that was there all along but couldn’t be seen until the more adverse weather conditions. Isn’t that how it is with trials in our lives? If we respond to them rightly, they bring out an inner beauty that we wouldn’t be seen otherwise. Great lesson!

Yet interestingly, as I searched the Scriptures to find a text that uses the analogy of leaves or trees in this way, I couldn’t find one! In fact, the analogies I did find in this regard were all negative! Here’s just a sampling of the Scripture verses I found:

Isaiah 1:30 - "For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water" (speaking in reference to God’s judgment on Judah on account of her sin).

Jeremiah 8:13 - "‘I will surely consume them,’ says the Lord. ‘No grapes shall be on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things I have given them shall pass from them.’" (Again, this speaks in reference to God’s judgment on Judah for their persistence in sin.)

Isaiah 34:4 - "All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heaves shall be rolled up like a scroll; all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls from the vine, and as fruit falling from a fig tree" (speaking of God’s judgment on the nations).

Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

In all these verses (and more could have been mentioned), the fading leaf symbolizes impending judgment, and even death, on account of sin. Contrast that with the analogy of the "green leaf" in reference to the godly man:

Psalm 1:3 - "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

Jeremiah 17:8 - "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."

Notice, too, how in both the first and last books of the Bible, the green leaf typifies the absence of divine judgment and the presence of divine blessing:

Genesis 2:8-9 (before mankind’s fall into sin) - "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the eyes and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden. . . ."

Genesis 8:11 (after the Flood) - "Then this dove came to him [Noah] in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters [of God’s judgment] had receded from the earth."

Revelation 22:1-2 (a new heaven and a new earth) - "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

What do all these verses teach us? That sin appears beautiful and brings pleasure for a season, but in the end it brings only death. On the other hand, those who by faith forsake their sin and follow Christ "have [their] fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life" (Romans 6:22). Green leaves may not be as flashy or impressive as the leaves of autumn, but the former will continue to flourish long after the latter ones fall.

Sometimes we, like Asaph in Psalm 73, envy the wicked and wish we had what they have. But when we, like Asaph, "understand their end" versus ours, we realize how foolish we are to want to switch places with them, even for a moment. May the colors of fall remind us of the fleeting pleasures of sin and especially the all-surpassing beauty of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Asaph put it perfectly:

... I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
You will guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may declare all Your works.
-- Psalm 73:23-28

Is Studying Prophecy Profitable?

This is an odd question to be asking on a day when our church is beginning a weekend prophecy conference! Just to clarify, this conference is about prophecy pertaining to the future, not the spiritual gift of prophecy.

I raise this question because we are living in a time when many prominent Christians are saying that studying prophecy is a waste of time. For instance, Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, writes:

"When the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, Jesus quickly switched the conversation to evangelism. He wanted them to concentrate on their mission in the world. He said in essence, "The details of my return are none of your business. What is your business is the mission I have given you. Focus on that!"

I for one can appreciate where Rick Warren is coming from, in that Christians can develop an unhealthy fixation with Bible prophecy. They start trying to predict the exact time of Jesus’ return. They get so consumed with current affairs and how they play into the prophetic timeline, that they become lazy and irresponsible in reference to what God wants us to do in the here and now. Indeed, this was precisely the problem with some believers in the first-century church (see 2 Thess. 3:6-15).

But to paraphrase Jesus’ words to say, "The details of my return are none of your business," is to misrepresent Jesus’ point and to throw out the baby with the bath water. As Roger Oakland points out in his book Faith Undone,

"We find in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 two of the longest passages in Scripture quoting Jesus’ own words, and what’s more, where He details the signs of His coming. In essence, Jesus was saying, because you cannot know the day and hour of my return, you need to educate yourself in Bible prophecy and take heed of my words about the end times. Later on, one of those disciples, John, was given an entire book to write on the details of Jesus’ coming."

The apostle Peter, being moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote: "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another..." (1 Peter 1:7-8a). Peter goes on to talk about the importance of Christian hospitality, the exercising of our spiritual gifts, etc. In other words, biblical prophecy fortifies our faith and fuels our fervency! Christians are God’s watchmen and His witnesses!

Our Lord’s coming is near. The day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night (1 Thes. 5:2). May God help us to live this day in light of that Day! "He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20).

"Sanctify the Congregation": Part 3

We have been surveying "the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring His judgments on New England," according to the collective judgment of The Synod of 1679. This council, which consisted of church elders and messengers, convened at the request of the General Court of the Massachusetts Colony.

The Synod set out to answer two questions: (1) What are the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring His judgments on New England? (2) What is to be done so that these evils may be reformed? We’ve already looked at the answer to the first question (see my last two blog postings). Now here is a summary of the Synod’s answer in respect to the second question. The original document gave twelve answers. I have condensed them down to ten:

1. It would tend much to promote the interest of reformation, if all that are in places above others become, as to themselves and their families, exemplary in every way possible. Moses, purposing to reform others, began with what concerned himself and his own household. People are apt to follow the example of those that are above them (2 Chron. 12:1; Gal. 2:14).

2. Declare our adherence to the faith and order of the Gospel, according to what is from the Scripture. . . .

3. It is essential to reformation that the discipline of Christ, in the power of it, should be upheld in the churches. It is evident from Christ’s Epistles to the Churches in Asia Minor, that the evils and degeneracy then prevailing among Christians, proceeded chiefly from the neglect of discipline.

4. It is requisite that utmost endeavors should be made to assure a full supply of officers in the churches, according to Christ’s institution. The defect of many churches on this account is very lamentable. In many of our churches there is only one teaching officer to bear the burden of the whole congregation. The Lord Christ would not have instituted pastors, teachers and ruling elders, nor would the apostles have ordained elders in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5), if He had not seen the need of them for the good of His people.

5. It is incumbent upon responsible persons to take care that officers of the church had adequate encouragement and maintenance. It is high injustice and oppression, yes, even a sin that cries in the Lord’s ears for judgment, when wages are withheld from faithful and diligent laborers (James 5:4). If this is true of those that labor about carnal things, how much more true is it of those that labor night and day over the spiritual and eternal welfare of souls (1 Cor. 9:11-14).

6. Due care and faithfulness with respect to the establishment and execution of wholesome laws would very much promote the interest of reformation.

7. It is needful that the sins of the times should be engaged against and reformation thereof, in the name and by the help of Christ. . . .

8. It seems to be most conducive to edification and reformation ... [that] all the churches ... promote the interest of holiness and close walking with God.

9. As an expedient for reformation, it is good that effectual care should be taken respecting schools of learning. The interest of religion and good literature have been accustomed to rise and fall together.

10. Inasmuch as a thorough and a heart-felt reformation is necessary in order to obtain peace with God (Jer. 3:10), and that all outward means will be ineffectual unto that end unless the Lord pour down His Spirit from on high, it therefore concerns us to cry mightily unto God, both in ordinary and extraordinary ways, that He will be pleased to rain down righteousness upon us (Isa. 32:5; Ezek. 39:29; Hosea 10:12; Luke 11:13). Amen!

In closing, I would press home the importance of answers 2, 7, and 10 in particular. As I said in my last posting, there can be no true reformation without regeneration. It all begins with the gospel. We must rest in Christ's work, not our work. Then, having been saved by grace through faith, and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, we are empowered by God Himself "both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

"Sanctify the Congregation": Part 2

In my last posting, I shared the findings of The Synod of 1679 concerning "the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring His judgments on New England." This council, composed of elders and other church representatives, convened at the request of the General Court of the Massachusetts Colony. Imagine!

As I shared in "part one" of this article, the Synod came up with fourteen reasons as to why God had removed the sense of His presence and had brought His judgments on New England. The first seven reasons were shared in my last posting. Here are the final seven reasons:

8. There is much intemperance.... Temptations thereunto have become too common especially those of immodest apparel (Proverbs 7:10)..., sinful company-keeping with light and vain persons ..., an abundance of idleness which brought ruinous judgments on Sodom and much more upon Jerusalem (Ezekiel 16:49) and doth sorely threaten New-England, unless effectual remedies are thoroughly and timely applied.

9. There is a great lack of truthfulness among men. Promise breaking is a common sin and for it New-England is spoken ill of in the world.

10. Inordinate affections to the world. Idolatry is a God-provoking judgment procuring sin. And covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5). There has been, in many professed Christians, an insatiable desire after land and worldly accommodations. This has even led to forsaking the church and its ordinances and to living like the heathen so that they might have enough elbowroom in the world. Farms and merchandising have been preferred before the things of God.

11. There has been opposition to the work of reformation. Although the Lord has been calling us ... that we should return to Him who has been smiting us, yet men will not return every one from his evil way.... Sin and sinners have many advocates. They that have been zealous in bearing witness against the sins of the times have been reproached and in other ways discouraged. This proves that there are hearts that are unwilling to reform.

12. A public spirit is greatly wanting in most men. There are few that are of Nehemiah’s spirit (Nehemiah 5:15). All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s (Philippians 2:21). They serve themselves even while pretending to serve Christ.... Matters pertaining to the kingdom of God are either not regarded at all or not in the first place.... A private, self-seeking spirit is one of those evils that renders the last times perilous (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

13. There are sins against the Gospel, whereby the Lord has been provoked. Christ is not prized and embraced in all His offices and ordinances as He ought to be.... Although the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace call upon men to repent, yet there are multitudes that refuse to repent, even when the Lord grants them time and means. No sins provoke the Lord more than impenitence and unbelief (Jeremiah 8:6; Zechariah 7:11-14; Hebrews 3:17; Revelation 2:21,22).

14. [The following answer is not so much another reason for the Lord’s judgments so much as a summary of all the above considerations, to prove that the evils mentioned are the chief causes for the Lord’s displeasure and discipline]: 1. They are sins of which, for the most part, a great many are guilty. 2. They are sins which have already been acknowledged... and yet not reformed. 3. They are sins which have not been punished (and some of them are not punishable) by men, therefore the Lord Himself punishes for them.

Certainly these findings give us a lot to think about. Also, let us remember that there can be no true reformation without regeneration. This is why it’s so important for us to live out the truth of the gospel, that we "may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom [we] shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life..." (Philippians 2:15-16a).

“Sanctify the Congregation”: Part 1

On September 10, 1679, the General Court of the Massachusetts Colony "sitting at Boston in New-England" called on the churches throughout the region "to send their Elders and Messengers" for the purpose of answering two questions: "What are the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring His judgments on New-England?" and "What is to be done so that these evils may be reformed?"

Imagine the government calling for such a meeting in our day! Barring a miracle, it’s not likely to happen. Yet what’s so amazing about The Synod of 1679 is that the assembly’s answers to the above questions could serve as an adequate and accurate response in light of where we are right now, 318 years later!

For the next few blog postings, I want to share with you the findings of this council, which were recorded by John Foster in 1679 and published in Richard Owen Roberts’ book, Sanctify the Congregation (Wheaton, IL: International Awakening Press, 1994). In response to the first question, "What are the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring His judgments on New-England?", there were fourteen answers. Here is a summary of the first seven answers:

1. There is a great and visible decay of the power of godliness amongst many professors in these churches. It may be feared that there is in too many a spiritual and heart apostasy from God. For this reason communion with Him in the ways of worship, especially in secret, is much neglected and thus men cease to know and fear and love and trust in Him but take up their contentment and satisfaction in something else.

2. The pride that abounds in New-England testifies against us (Hosea 5:5; Ezekiel 7:10). There is spiritual pride (Zephaniah 3:11). . . .

3. Church fellowship and other divine institutions are greatly neglected. . . . There are too many that, with profane Esau, slight spiritual privileges.

4. There is also a great profaneness in respect to irreverent behavior in the solemn worship of God. It is a frequent thing for men [to] give way to their own sloth and sleepiness when they should be serving God with attention and intention. . . .

5. There are multitudes who profanely absent themselves from the public worship of God on His holy day, especially in the most populous places of the land.

6. There are many families that do not pray to God constantly, morning and evening, and many more where the Scriptures are not daily read so that the Word of Christ might dwell richly in them . . . . There are children that are not kept in due subjection, their parents especially being sinfully indulgent toward them. This is a sin which brings great judgments, as we see in Eli’s and David’s families. . . . Most of the sin that abound among us proceed from defects in family government.

7. Inordinate passions. There are sinful heats and hatreds and reproachful and reviling expressions among church members themselves, who abound with evil surmising, uncharitable and unrighteous censures, back-biting and hearing and telling tales. There are few that remember and duly observe the rule to drive away the tale bearer with an angry countenance. . . . In managing the discipline of Christ’s Church there are far too many who act by their passions and prejudices more than by a spirit of love and faithfulness to their brother’s soul. All these things are against the law of Christ and therefore dreadful violations of the Church Covenant made in the presence of God.

To be continued. . .

Our Two Cents' Worth

The above title is taken directly from a World magazine editorial by Joel Belz. He wrote this article in response to a statistic he read in his annual copy of The State of Church Giving. According to this report, only about two cents out of every dollar given to local churches in America gets used for denominational world missions. Just two cents!

Granted, this includes a very wide variety of churches, including extremely liberal ones. But even denominations that are in our evangelical ballpark were right at, or slightly above, the national average of two cents per dollar going to missions.

We also have to consider that some churches do not contribute all of their outreach funds to denominational missions. Indeed, some may not contribute any at all. But even if you allow for that by doubling, tripling, or quadrupling the two-cent statistic, churches are still falling woefully short of what their missions giving should be.

Every now and then I am asked by a pastoral colleague how much of our overall church budget is devoted to world missions. When I say "around 30 percent," they fall off their rocker! So I am thankful for the priority that our church places on supporting world missions.

I think the challenge for us, as I mentioned last Sunday evening, is remembering that missions is not a program but a way of life. In other words, putting dollars into the offering plate doesn't relieve us of our personal duty to "preach the gospel to all creation."

When it comes to missions, some churches -- perhaps most churches -- need to put their money where their mouth is. On the other hand, some churches like ours need to put our mouth where our money is. That is, in addition to supporting missionaries with our finances, we need to be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with our neighbors, co-workers, classmates, family members and friends.

That's my two-cents' worth, anyway!

What’s Up with Willow Creek?

A few days ago I visited my favorite websites (monergism.com) and saw a link to an article entitled "Willow Creek Repents?", by the editors of Leadership Journal. Of course I went immediately to the article, very curious as to what was happening at Willow Creek. As most of you probably already know, Willow Creek Community Church is pastored by Bill Hybels and has been one of the most influential churches in America for the last three decades. They more or less spawned the modern "seeker-driven" movement. Their ministries have been generated in response to the question, "What are the un-churched looking for in a church?" Thus the church has created programs in accordance with people’s preferences. The idea is that as people get plugged into these programs, they grow spiritually.

Now Bill Hybels says, "We made a mistake."

This confession came in response to a multiple-year qualitative study of Willow Creek’s ministries, the findings of which have just been published in a book, Reveal: Where Are You?, co-authored by Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek. Speaking at the Leadership Summit, Hybels summarized the findings this way: "Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn’t helping people that much. Other things that we didn’t put that much money into and didn’t put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for." Hybels called this "the wake up call of his life" and went on to say:

We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibilities to become ‘self-feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.

Do you hear what Hybels is saying? He’s making the point that "spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships." (Leadership)

Where does Willow go from here? According to Hawkins, "Our dream is that we fundamentally change the way we do church. That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions. Replace it with new insights. Insights that are informed by research and rooted in Scripture."

Of course time will tell what becomes of all this. But I am encouraged by this response. Hybels is to be commended for responding to these findings with such humility and authenticity. It is my hope that this really will be a fresh start and new direction for Willow Creek, that as they train their congregation to study the Bible and live what they learn, they will grow both deep and wide for God’s glory.

Spirit-Induced Emotions in Worship

My last couple of postings have highlighted the dangers of emotionalism. This has been done in a roundabout way by commenting on Brad Pitt’s religious experience and the Joel Osteen interview on 60 minutes.

Today I want to be a bit more direct by looking straight at what Scripture has to say regarding our emotions. Obviously this is not going to be a comprehensive study but more of a glimpse of what God’s Word teaches on this issue.

First, it needs to be stated that the evangelical church as a whole is experiencing a dire lack of true Spirit-induced emotion in worship. In fact, some churches – such as our own – struggle with showing any emotion and enthusiasm in worship. This is a cause for concern as well. After all, the answer to emotionalism is not lack of emotion but rather the right kind of emotion.

Jesus said in John 4:24, "But he hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Whereas some churches worship God "in spirit" but not in "truth," other churches worship God in "truth" but not "in spirit." The fact of the matter is, trying to worship God with either one of these elements without the other is not true worship at all. Genuine worship is centered on God’s truth, which is celebrated in one’s spirit. (Read that again. It’s important!)

So the question is, how can we worship God in this way? It begins by recognizing that worship is initiated by God, not us. That is to say, God is not only the object of true worship; He is also the originator of true worship! "The Father is seeking such to worship him." R.C.H. Lenski writes, "He seeks them, not as though they have already become such by efforts of their own, but as longing to make them such by His Word and his Spirit."

Since the focus of this article is on the "spirit" of worship, let’s take a closer look at the role God’s Spirit plays in influencing our inner spirit and emotions. The apostle Paul talks about this in Ephesians 5:18-20, where he says, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul says in essence: "Don’t get drunk with wine; instead, get intoxicated with the Spirit!" There is a definite parallel here. Just as a person filled with alchohol is "under the influence," so a person filled with the Spirit is under His influence! How many of us harp on the first part of that command without heeding the second part?

Note the effect that God’s Spirit has on the person whom He fills. He produces a song in his heart that fills him and flows out of him for the benefit of everybody around him! He shares the exhilarating experience of David, who exclaimed: "He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord" (Ps. 40:3).

In a day where people are constantly turning to external stimuli (e.g., motivational speakers, upbeat music, etc.) to get them into a spirit of celebration, true worshipers look to the indwelling Spirit to produce a spirit of exhilaration in their soul that no person or pop music can manufacture. That is to say, true worship begins on the inside and radiates to the outside, not vice-versa.

This means that instead of always cramming tunes into my head, or listening to speakers on the radio or watching them on television, I have to set aside time for silence and solitude. I must allow the Spirit of God to use the Word of God to produce in my heart songs to God. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).

Ah, this is true worship. Get a taste of this, and you’ll see it beats anything the world or superficial religion has to offer.

He Ain't the Prophet Joel

Last night Joel Osteen was interviewed on 60 minutes. I only saw two minutes of the Osteen segment, but that’s all I needed to see. You can see the video or transcript on the CBS News website.

The part I saw was when host Byron Pitts raised the subject of Osteen’s latest book, To Become a Better You, which gets released today (Oct. 15). In the book, Osteen lays out seven principles that he believes will improve our lives. (This book has already improved Osteen’s life. He reportedly got a $13 million advance for the book.) In commenting on the book, Pitt remarked to Osteen: "To become a better you, you must be positive towards yourself, develop better relationships, embrace the place where you are. Not one mention of God in that. Not one mention of Jesus Christ in that."

Osteen’s response? "That's just my message. There is scripture in there that backs it all up. But I feel like, Byron, I'm called to help people…how do we walk out the Christian life? How do we live it? And these are principles that can help you. I mean, there’s a lot better people qualified to say, 'Here’s a book that going to explain the scriptures to you.' I don’t think that’s my gifting," Osteen says.

Then GET OUT OF THE PULPIT.

How can a preacher set forth "Christian principles" without Christ? The fact is, he can’t. I’m glad that Byron Pitts got Michael Horton’s take on this. (Horton is a professor of theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California.) Horton rightly observed: "[Osteen’s] core message is God is nice, you’re nice, be nice. It's sort of a, if it were a form of music, I think it would be easy listening. He uses the Bible like a fortune cookie. 'This is what’s gonna happen for you. There’s gonna be a windfall in your life tomorrow.' The Bible's not meant to be read that way."

Horton went on to say that he believes that Osteen tells only half the story of the Bible, focusing on the good news without talking about sin, suffering and redemption.

I agree.

Horton goes even further. He levels the harshest charge of all, calling the Osteen method of teaching heresy. "It is certainly heresy, I believe, to say that God is our resource for getting our best life now," Horton says. "Because?" Pitts asks. "Well, it makes religion about us instead of about God," Horton explains.

Yes, that is precisely the problem. America’s motto has become: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." From that flows the commitment: "As for me and my house, we will serve ourselves."

That’s why tens of thousands are flocking to Lakewood Church and why millions are buying Osteen’s books. As one of our church members put it in an e-mail to me this morning: "It is like god lite or the diet coke of the gospel. All the things you love about God without all of that conviction to weigh you down…."

Well, I had intended to write on something different today – putting forth from Scripture a positive alternative to emotionalism. But perhaps this interview with Osteen was just what I needed to press home the dangers of emotionalism. Wait another day or two, and I will show you from Scripture "a more excellent way."

Rock Concerts and Revivals

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, actor Brad Pitt said he’s "at peace with his religious faith," though in high school he had "crises of faith."

"I’d go to Christian revivals and be moved by the Holy Spirit, and I’d go to rock concerts and feel the same fervor. Then I’d be told, ‘That’s the Devil’s music! Don’t partake in that!’ I wanted to experience things religion said not to experience."

Though raised in a conservative Southern Baptist environment, Brad abandoned his fundamentalist beliefs by the time he left for college. The reason? "Guilt ... It's the thing I rail against the most." He went on to say, "Religion works. I know there's comfort there, a crash pad. It's something to explain the world and tell you there is something bigger than you, and it is going to be alright in the end. It works because it's comforting. I grew up believing in it, and it worked for me in whatever my little personal high school crisis was, but it didn't last for me. I didn't understand this idea of a God who says, 'You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, and then I'll give you eternal happiness. If you won't, then you don't get it!' It seemed to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me."

As I read Brad’s story, I was reminded of the dangers of emotionalism. More and more, people are looking for a religion that makes them feel good. Isn’t it interesting that Brad Pitt equated being "moved by the Holy Spirit" with the same sensation he experienced at a rock concert? Yet later he rejects the notion of a God that actually insists that His creation "acknowledge" Him. Pitt found such teaching, well, uncomfortable. So he leaves that to find a religion that "works because it’s comforting."

Brad’s religious history and present spiritual condition makes me sad, because he is missing out on the comfort that could really and truly be his if he would "acknowledge" the God of the gospel and put his faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. But Pitt, like most people, wants comfort without conviction.

That makes me sad. But something else makes me mad. And that is the churches that appeal to people’s emotions in order to produce results. Fearing that people will leave their church if they do not give them the "emotional high" that they crave, these churches – and particularly their pastors – throw out anything that might be distasteful to their congregants (a la Joel Osteen). The "moving of the Holy Spirit" in their churches thus produces the same sensation as a secular rock concert. Of course that’s because people aren’t being truly moved by the Spirit. They’re being moved by the music ... or the drama ... or the sob stories. These churches are giving their people what their "itching ears" want to hear. So they mistake emotional highs for spiritual revival, sensation for salvation. Convinced they’re on their way to heaven, they wind up in hell.

No wonder Paul charged Timothy so strongly to "preach the word ... in season and out of season." He knew – and warned Timothy – that the time would come when people would "not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim. 4:1-5a).

When people don’t like what God’s Word says and start leaving the church, it’s tempting to tell them what they want to hear so that they’ll stay. But to do so is to betray God and to damn men. We give them what they want on earth, only to give them hell hereafter.

For the love of God, let’s not do that. Let’s remember that true comfort comes from the Holy Spirit – the true Comforter who indwells everyone who come to God through faith in Christ, receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. Then and only then will they experience a "high" that no rock concert can produce, for it is supernatural in nature. Through faith in Christ they will come to experience not only genuine comfort, but an abiding and inexpressible joy – one that the world cannot manufacture and that no one can take away.

Faith Comes by Hearing ... Not Seeing

Lately the Lord has been giving me a greater burden for evangelism. What is evangelism?, one might ask. It's presenting Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to sinful people, so that they might turn from their sin, trust in Jesus as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His Church. Or, to define it more succinctly: "Evangelism is communicating the gospel."

I am deeply troubled by the growing number of professing Christians who are under the mistaken impression that as long as we "live out our faith," we don't need to verbalize it. It is true that we are to let our light shine before men (Matt. 5:16) and that we show the genuineness of our faith by our works (James 2:18). But simply living a godly life does not communicate the essential message of the gospel, namely, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

This reminds me of a true story I read about a man who became a Christian at an evangelistic crusade. He was so excited about his salvation, he told his boss about it. His employer responded, "That's great! I am a Christian, and I have been praying for you for years!" The newly saved man was crestfallen. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked. "You were the very reason I have not been interested in the gospel all these years." "How can that be?" the boss wondered. "I have done my very best to live the Christian life around you." "That's the point," explained the employee. "You lived such a model life without telling me that it was Christ who made the difference, I convinced myself that if you could live such a good and happy life without Christ, then I could too."

Do you see how important it is that we not only practice our faith but also to proclaim the gospel? Just this morning I received word that my step-sister suddenly went home to be with the Lord. She was only in her mid-forties and leaves behind her husband and 14-year-old daughter. Had she not heard and believed the gospel, she would be in hell instead of heaven this very moment. What if she had chosen to "live out" her faith instead of also sharing the gospel with her husband and daughter? Then she would have done nothing to offer them the hope of heaven, where they would see her again and be with her and Christ throughout all eternity.

Do you see how important it is that we share Christ with people? How we need to pray for one another as Paul asked others to pray on his own behalf: "... That utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ... that in proclaiming it, I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Eph. 6:19-20).

Holding Things Loosely … If At All

This morning I went for a walk. The weather was beautiful – sunny, blue skies, about 78 degrees. As I walked around the block, I saw many of our neighbors working in their yards or on other projects around their home. Soon I started thinking, “I wish we owned our own home."

Then, as quickly as that thought entered my mind, so did the Scripture I had read in my devotions just hours earlier:

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet , and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement) … sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
-- Acts 4:32-37

Here I was, wishing I owned my own home, and the believers of the early church who already owned their own houses and lands sold them and gave the proceeds to the church! They were more concerned about building God's kingdom than they were their own equity. One of them was even called Barnabas, "son of encouragement." Imagine the blessing these people were to one another, and how blessed they felt by each other!

Instantly I stopped wishing for my own home and started wishing for that spirit to dominate my life and my church today!

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that it is God’s will for everyone to sell their homes and give the proceeds to the church! Indeed, the following chapter makes it clear that this was a voluntary act on the part of these people and that their property or the proceeds they received from their property was theirs to do with as they wished. But the thing that struck me was how readily everyone gave up what belonged to him or her for the sake of the church. Their love for God’s kingdom and His people was so strong, that they saw their possessions as resources to be used in the life and mission of the church!

Notice that during this time there was “great power” in the proclamation of the gospel, and “great grace was upon them all.” What I wouldn’t give to experience such a work of God here and now!

I guess that’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it? Perhaps that statement should be phrased in the form of a question: What wouldn’t I give to experience such a work of God here and now?

How much do you long to experience God’s empowering presence in your life … in your home … in your church? What would you be willing to give up to see such a work of God?

This morning was a great reminder to me to hold material possessions loosely … if at all. What I want more than possessions is God’s manifest presence and power in my life, and in the lives of my wife and children – and in the life of the church that I pastor. May each of us treasure the Lord Jesus Christ, His kingdom, His people, and our home in heaven more than anything else on earth.

Don’t Cheat Yourself

The Patriots’ great start to the 2007-08 NFL season was besmirched by Coach Belichick’s cheating tactics. Yesterday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined the Patriots’ head coach $500,000 (the biggest fine ever for a coach) and the team itself another $250,000 for using a video camera to spy on the opposing team’s coaches. In addition to being fined, the Patriots had to forfeit next season’s first-round draft pick (if they make it to the play-offs) or the second- and third-round draft picks (if they don’t make it to the play-offs).

Webster defines cheating as “the obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth.” It involves sneaky tactics for the purpose of escaping observation. In this case, Belichick’s attempt to do so failed. And now he is paying the price.

God in His Word calls His people to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Romans 12:17). The word “honest” translates the Greek term kalos, which means “noble, admirable, or praiseworthy; beautiful by reason of purity.” There’s something “ugly” about cheating (i.e., “you dirty cheat!”), yet there’s something beautiful about honesty and integrity. “Winners” who cheat suffer loss, whereas honest “losers” have a way of turning out winners in the long run (as their honesty is harnessed with hard work).

When you are faced with an opportunity to cheat – to gain an advantage via deception – remember what is at stake and pray for the courage to do what is right. Whether you’re taking an exam at school, applying for a job, or paying your taxes, make it your aim to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Rom. 12:17). Follow the example of our Lord, “who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). God’s way is always the best way, and those who walk in His ways are the real winners.

“Bring … the books.”

These were among the final words of Paul as he awaited his fate in a Roman prison. Longing to see his young protégé Timothy, he wrote him a letter, urging him to come and visit. Then he made this additional appeal: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Tim. 4:13).

Here Paul was, about to die, and what does he ask for? His cloak to warm his body, and his books to refresh his mind. Regarding Paul’s request, Spurgeon wrote: “He is inspired, yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, yet he wants books! He has seen the Lord, yet he wants books. He has had a wider experience than most men, yet he wants books! He has been caught up into the third heaven, and has heard things which it is unlawful to utter, yet he wants books! He has written the major part of the New Testament, yet he wants books!”

Books are stones upon which we can sharpen our minds and tools with which we can shape our spirits. No other book can educate your mind and train your heart like the Bible. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Challenge yourself to read the Bible daily, as well as other helpful, biblically-based books such as meaty devotionals, commentaries, Christian periodicals, and the like. Cultivate a love for other books, too, such as biographies of great men and women throughout history (both inside and outside the church), classic novels, short stories, and other great works of literature. Feed your mind with the wonders of science and the world of mathematics.

God has blessed each of us with the ability to reason, meditate and learn. Use that ability to be all that you can be for God’s glory. After all, you are to love the Lord your God with all your mind (Matt. 22:37). But also remember that a great mind is of no worth if it is not accompanied by a loving heart. All knowledge plus no love equals nothing in God’s eyes. So use the knowledge you glean from God’s Word and other books to be a blessing to others and to build them up. As you do, you will find that God will return those blessings to you (Prov. 11:25b).

Want Assurance? Ask Yourself These Questions!

Recently I just finished an outstanding book by Donald S. Whitney entitled How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? What the Bible Says About Assurance of Salvation. This is a terrific resource for any person struggling with assurance of salvation. This book takes you straight to God’s Word for the answers to our most troubling questions on this topic.

In one particular chapter, Whitney does a survey of First John, reminding us that John wrote this letter for the sake of those “who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Using this text as his guide, Whitney poses ten questions to help folks like us to determine the validity of our faith. So if you want to know if you’re going to heaven, examine yourself in the light of these evidences of true Christianity.

1. Do you share the intimacies of the Christian life with other believers?

“If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6-7

2. Do you have a deep awareness of your sin against the word and love of God?

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. . . . If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has not place in our lives.” - 1 John 1:8,10

3. Do you live in conscious obedience to the Word of God?

“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.” - 1 John 2:3-5

4. Do you despise the world and its ways?

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” - 1 John 2:15

5. Do you long for the return of Jesus Christ and to be made like Him?

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.” - 1 John 3:2-3

6. Do you habitually do what is right more and sin less?

“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. . . . This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; neither is anyone who does not love his neighbor.” - 1 John 3:7-8,10

7. Do you love Christians sacrificially and want to be with them?

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.” - 1 John 3:14

8. Do you discern the presence of the Holy Spirit within you?

“This is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. . . . We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” - 1 John 3:24; 4:13

9. Do you enjoy listening to the doctrines the apostles of Jesus taught?

“We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” - 1 John 4:6

10. Do you believe what the Bible teaches about Jesus Christ?

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” - 1 John 5:1a

These are good questions that everyone professing to know Christ as Savior should ask him/herself. Please note: None of the attitudes and actions referred to in these questions do anything to earn salvation; rather, they are evidences of salvation. Certainly there are other evidences as well, such as the inner confirmation of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). But these attitudes and actions set forth in 1 John are what we could call “signs of the saved.” They are evidences of true Christianity, proofs that one has indeed been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-8; cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).

May the Lord help each of us answer these biblically-based questions honestly and humbly, that we might know for sure that we are truly saved and on our way to heaven.

Sex and the Evangelical Teen

The following post is the reprint of an article by Gene Edward Veith that appeared on page 9 in the August 11, 2007 edition of World magazine (http://www.worldmag.com/). Read it carefully, as there are some provocative statements made that may challenge your way of thinking! (I have highlighted some of these in blue font.)

Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: Evangelical teenagers are just as sexually active as their non-Christian friends.

In fact, there is evidence that evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. Statistically, evangelical teens tend to have sex first at a younger age, 16.3, compared to liberal Protestants, who tend to lose their virginity at 16.7. And young evangelicals are far more likely to have had three or more sexual partners (13.7 percent) than non-evangelicals (8.9 percent).

What about abstinence pledges? Those work--for awhile--delaying sex on an average of about 18 months, with 88 percent of pledgers eventually giving up their vow to remain virgins until marriage.

These are the findings of sociologist Mark Regnerus, himself a Christian, published in his new book Forbidden Fruit: Ses & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007).

It isn't that evangelical teenagers do not know any better. Some 80 percent of teenagers who say they have been "born again" agree that sex outside of marriage is morally wrong. Still, as many as two-thirds of them violate their own believes in their actual behavior.

We can blame the culture. Regnerus gives evidence that correlates the sexual activity in the schools that Christian kids go to with their own behavior. Peer pressure is real, and Christian teenagers are not immune.

But might we also blame the culture of the church? Not only because so many of today's evangelical churches follow the path of cultural conformity as a way to grow bigger and bigger. It is deeper than that.

Churches used to teach and exemplify self-control, the necessity of keeping one's emotions in check, the discipline of self-denial and mortification of the flesh. Today the typical evangelical church, in its example and practice, cultivates "letting go," emotionalism, self-fulfillment, and an odd religious sensuality.

The Bible is utterly realistic about the weakness of our fallen flesh. The law alone and external restrictions cannot make anyone righteous. We need Christ for that. An encouraging finding of Regnerus is taht the 16 percent of American teenagers who say that their faith is "extremely important to their lives" are living chastely.

Evidently, many "evangelical" and "born again" teenagers still need to be evangelized. They need to be brought closer to Christ, so that a growing faith can bear fruit in better conduct.

And the Bible does offer a direct solution for people who are burning in lust: marriage (1 Corinthians 7:9). Adolescence--that time when a person is physically an adult but socially a child--is a modern invention. In the past, people married much younger, as soon as they were sexually ready. Today's culture postpones marriages while stretching celibacy to the breaking point.

A counter-cultural church may do well to encourage younger marriages. The young couple may still need the financial support of their parents and the social support of their fellow Christians. But this would be better than the current hypocrisy and guilt. And it would fulfill God's positive purpose for sexuality.

Well, that's the end of the article. What say you? Think it over and leave a comment!

Redemptive Relationships

In March of this past year, Vision New England published the results of their "Recent Convert Study," wherein they interviewed 200 converts who had come to faith in Christ within the last two years. Two statistics made quite an impression on me:

(1) Seventy-one percent (71%) of the recent converts came to Christ through the witness of a personal friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member.

(2) Eighty-six percent (86%) of the recent converts said that the process of coming to faith took months to years.

Neither of these statistics surprise me, because they are very consistent with what I've seen for myself here at First Baptist Church. The vast majority of folks who have come to faith in Christ began their spiritual journey as a result of a friend or family member who took a personal interest in them and extended a personal invitation to come to a Sunday morning worship service, Bible study, or some other church-related function.

Furthermore, virtually every person who has come to know the Lord as his or her Savior over the last few years did not come to faith immediately, but over a period of time, as they sat under the teaching of God's Word, and were prayed for and befriended by caring Christians.

While there are many avenues in which evangelism takes place, certainly on of the most effective means is the formation of redemptive relationships. Just recently, a bicycle/car accident resulted in the death of a ten-year-old boy who had attended First Baptist Church many times at the invitation of one of our member-families. The driver of the car who hit him happened to be a neighbor whose children have also been to our church -- again through the invitation of this same church member-family. Who knows how this network of relationships will work out to the glory of God and the good of these families in the wake of this awful tragedy?

We never know how God might use our feeble attempts to befriend others with the love of Christ to make a difference for eternity. What a great reminder to be faithful in forming redemptive relationships with every person that God puts in our path! Remember, "the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30).

Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?

This past Tuesday, the Vatican said that Christian denominations outside Roman Catholicism were not full churches of Jesus Christ. This was really a re-statement of the controversial document "Dominus Iesus" (Latin for "Jesus is Lord"), issued by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000. The 16-page document says that Christendom suffers from a "wound" of disunity because non-Catholic Christian churches do not recognize the primacy of the Pope. Under Section 4, "Unicity and Unity of the Church," the document reads:

Just as there is one Christ, so there exists a single body of Christ, a single Bride of Christ: “a single Catholic and apostolic Church”. Furthermore, the promises of the Lord that he would not abandon his Church (cf. Mt 16:18; 28:20) and that he would guide her by his Spirit (cf. Jn 16:13) mean, according to Catholic faith, that the unicity and the unity of the Church — like everything that belongs to the Church's integrity — will never be lacking.
The Catholic faithful are required to profess that there is an historical continuity — rooted in the apostolic succession — between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: “This is the single Church of Christ... which our Saviour, after his resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care (cf. Jn 21:17), commissioning him and the other Apostles to extend and rule her (cf. Mt 28:18ff.), erected for all ages as ‘the pillar and mainstay of the truth' (1 Tim 3:15). This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in [subsistit in] the Catholic Church. . . .

Basically, this document asserts that the Church Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16:18 was and is none other than the organized Catholic church. "This is," according to them, "the single Church of Christ," the historical continuity of which is "rooted in the apostolic succession."

Is this what Jesus meant when He said, "Upon this rock I will build My church"? Was the rock Peter? If this was the case, why didn't Jesus just say to Peter, "Upon you I will build My church"? (After all, Peter was standing right there!) The reason is that Peter was not the rock on which Jesus would build His church, but rather the truth that Peter had just uttered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). Hence, as J. C. Ryle wrote:

It was not the person of the Apostle Peter but the good confession which the Apostle had just made! It was not Peter, the erring, unstable man, but the mighty truth which the Father had revealed to Peter. It was the truth concerning Jesus Christ Himself which was the rock. . . . It was the blessed truth, that Jesus was the promised Saviour . . . the real Intercessor between God and man. This was the rock, and this the foundation, upon which the Church of Christ was to be built.

The Catholic hierarchy has woefully forgotten this vital fact. They have twisted Jesus' words to mean something He never intended. Nobody is saved or becomes a member of Christ's body by being Catholic ... or Baptist, or Methodist, or Presbyterian, or becoming a member of any other ecclesiastical society or denomination! The Bible says that the true Church consists of all those who have trusted in Jesus Christ the Son of God to save them, by relying fully on His substitutionary death and resurrection on their behalf. To quote Ryle again:

It will not save your soul to be an outward member of any ecclesiastical body whatever, however sound that body may be. Such membership will not wash away one sin, or give you confidence in the day of judgment. There must be personal faith in Christ, -- personal dealings between yourself and God, -- personal felt communion between your own heart and the Holy Ghost. Have you this personal faith? Have you this felt work of the Holy Spirit in your soul? This is the grand question. If not you will be lost.

Second Timothy 2:19 says, "The Lord knows those who are His." The members of Christ's body may belong to a diversity of denominations here on earth, but they all believe in and belong to one Lord: Jesus Christ. He alone is "head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body" (Eph. 5:23). Don't let any Pope, priest, church council, or self-proclaimed prophet tell you otherwise.

When Unbelievers Die, How Do You Comfort the Living?

Following last Sunday's sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, one of our church members sent me the following e-mail: "Here's a question for you regarding the topic of sundays sermon: How do you deal with a new believer that has realized that someone they love died without Christ? How do you comfort THAT, or try and combat their rejection of Christ because of that? I've come across it a couple times already with people close to me, so I am looking for some fresh insite. Seems to be bound to come around again!"

Good point! Most likely, all of us will eventually encounter such questions. What do we say? How do we comfort Christians (or non-Christians) regarding unsaved loved ones who have died?

This is without question a very delicate subject and must be handled very carefully and prayerfully. I think it's very important that we not give them a sense of false hope. That is, if we have no reason to think that they are in heaven, don't give others the impression that they are. This would undermine the authority of God's Word, minimize a person's need for salvation, and create confusion over the nature of true conversion, among other things.

As Christians, we are to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). I think there is a way to offer a measure of comfort without compromising the Scriptures. Personally, I would keep in mind and draw into our conversation three key points from Scripture:

1. The Righteousness (or Rightness) of God

Abraham said in Genesis 18:25, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" This was a rhetorical question; that is, Abraham was stating a fact by way of a question. Yes, the Judge of all the earth will do right. We can count on that.

This verse reminds us that, ultimately, God is the Judge, not us. "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jer. 17:10). God sees everything perfectly and will deal with everyone appropriately. God is utterly just and righteous; therefore, nobody will suffer any injustice with God. Nobody will be treated unfairly. This we can affirm with great confidence and utmost sincerity, based on the truth of Scripture.

2. The Rich Man and Lazarus

This goes directly to the second question that was asked: How do you deal with a person that is tempted to reject Christ because his or her unsaved loved one died apart from Christ? Truly, "love is as strong as death." Therefore, someone might say, "If my loved one isn't in heaven, then I don't want to be there either. I'd rather be in hell where they are."

This is where I think the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) would be a helpful reference. Remember that the rich man cried out, "I am tormented in this flame." Then he said to Abraham, who was in Paradise: "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him [Lazarus] to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment" (vv. 27-28). Clearly, the rich man did not want his loved ones to join him in hell.

Years ago, the heavy-metal rock band AC/DC came out with a song entitled "Highway to Hell," wherein they said:

Living easy, livin' free
Season ticket, on a one - way ride
Asking nothing, leave me be
Taking everything in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing I would rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too.

I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell.

Folks, hell is no joke. It is a place of horrific torment, where "there will be weeping and ganshing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30). Nobody who loves anybody would want that person in hell.

3. The Rest that Christ Offers

We must realize that there is only so much comfort we can genuinely offer to those whose loved ones have died apart from Christ. That's precisely the point of 1 Thes. 4:13 -- We as Christians do not sorrow as those who have no hope.

However, it is when a person is overwhelmed by such grief, that we can extend to them Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28-29: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

There is no greater remedy that we can offer to the bereaved. Christ alone "heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3). To have Him is to have hope. This is the good news of the gospel.

Having Hope

Last Sunday, July 1, I preached on the Christian meaning of "hope" as used in the New Testament. It's not wishful thinking but rather a joyful and confident expectation believers have in their final, eternal salvation.

My wife Ruthie came across an excellent illustration of this in Mary Somerville's book, One with a Shepherd: The Tears and Triumphs of a Ministry Marriage. Mrs. Somerville writes, "We can get up in the morning with hope and we don't need to fear what may happen next in our congregation, family, or world. What is the worst that can happen to us as believers? Our last and worst enemy is death. We will have power over the worst enemies we have to face."

Somerville goes on to share that her own mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer when she was in her fifties. Yet her faith and hope in the Lord remained strong. She was confident that she would dwell in His house forever. So great was her faith in the face of death, that her own husband wrote the following letter to his home church three months after she went to heaven:

Dear Pastor Dick and Family and Beloved Friends,

Enclosed is a little Thanksgiving gift to the church in appreciation for the blessing that you and your people have been to my family and me through the years -- through times of joy and through times of bereavement.

I thank God at this Thanksgiving season for sins forgiven, for a great Priest touched with a feeling for my infirmities, for the privilege of being a small tool in His mighty hand, for His guidance, for His ear that hears my prayers, for His arm on which to lean, for His precious Word in which He speaks to us explicitly and for the blessed, blessed hope of His soon coming!

I thank Him, more than all else, for utter safety. In the past I have known what it was to be afraid, but now I know that I am entirely and perfectly secure. I feel that I have come into a safe place, a safe harbor. Nothing, absolutely nothing, not my own deeds nor those of others, not the works of devils, or circumstances, or so-called fate, nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. Sorrow and bereavement can come, death can even put my body and that of my beloved in the grave, but whatever comes, it passes first through His tender hands, and so I can love it because it comes from Him!

Nothing can keep me out of heaven. I am safe now as though I were already there. Just a few years to live, a few tasks to be done and then to be forever with Him and our beloved gone on before, our daily portion glory beyond infinite glory! Thankful? My cheeks are often wet with happy tears. Why He gives all this to a poor creature like me I don not know, but I know that I shall need all eternity in which to thank Him for it!

As you fellowship in Him ... may your expectation and ever desire be found in Him and the Blessed Hope.

Affectionately yours till he comes,
-- Robert L. Gates.

What a great legacy of faith! Somerville goes on to say that her dad finished his "few years to live" at the ripe age of 90, then he, too, went home to be with the Lord. That's where we will ALL be some day, those of of who have trusted in Jesus Christ as our precious Savior and Lord.

This is the kind of hope Christ gives us and heaven holds for us! Remember, Christian: When there is no hope on the horizontal level, there is always hope on the vertical level!

Needed: Friends!

The Old Testament book Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon near the end of his life. Solomon is about to pass off the scene, so he passes on words of wisdom to help others avoid the same mistakes he made.

The teaching of Ecclesiastes essentially is this: Any life not centered on God is a waste. Without God, wisdom is a waste, work is a waste, riches are a waste, pleasure is a waste. Without God, these things aren’t worth a lick! They serve no point! They are absolutely meaningless!

But that’s not all that’s meaningless. Consider what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12:

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Here is the picture of a man who has no friend. He continues to pile up profits, but there is no one with which to share the rewards of his labor. Friendlessness makes life futile. How much better it is to have a partner and friend who can assist (v.10), warm (v.11), and protect (v.12). Three friends together form an even stronger bond (v.12).

Of course Jesus Christ is the greatest Friend of all. And the more we imitate Him, the better friends we’ll be to others. It has been said that the best vitamin for making friends is "B1."
In his book, Acts of Love, David Jeremiah shares F. W. Borham’s analogy of friendship – one of the best I’ve ever read:

The highest art in dominoes lies in matching your companion’s pieces. Is he glad? It’s a great thing to be able to rejoice with those who rejoice. Is he sad? It’s a great thing to be able to weep with those who weep. It means, of course, that if you answer the challenge every time, it won’t be long before your dominoes are gone. But it is worth remembering that victory in dominoes does not lie in accumulation, but in exhaustion. The player who is left with empty hands wins everything.

As a pastor, I am truly thankful for those in our church who truly befriend others with the love of Christ. There is no way I could possibly meet the spiritual, emotional, and relational needs of everyone in our congregation. But I know men and women who, often behind the scenes, write that encouraging note ... make that extra meal ... run that helpful errand ... give that needed hug ... offer that needed prayer.

This is what the body of Christ is all about. As Bill and Gloria Gaither exclaimed, "I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God!"