My last posting was a review of Joshua Harris' book, Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is). It just so happens that Josh has two younger, 19-year-old twin brothers, Alex and Brett Harris, who have just recently come out with a book of their own. It is written primarily for teens and is entitled Do Hard Things.
The Lord has been doing a work in my daughter Megan's heart, and she read this book in order that she might be encouraged, strengthened, and challenged in her walk with Christ. Megan told me how much she enjoyed the book, and I asked her if she would mind writing her own review of it. Megan graciously consented (despite all the other schoolwork she had to do!), and the following represents, in Megan's own words, her thoughts on the book:
When I was asked to read Alex and Brett Harris’s Do Hard Things, I just put it on my list of things to do. Reluctantly willing to spare a few moments reading it, I sat down with the book in my hand and read the first sentence. Transfixed, I finished the book in a little over two hours.
What Alex and Brett confronted our teenage generation on was simply this: exceeding low expectations. These expectations were placed upon us by average, everyday individuals who have underestimated what we teens are capable of, and our generation has now lowered themselves to settling with embarrassingly low expectations. According to one researcher mentioned in the book, these so called “expectations” consist of completing a daily chore (such as taking out the trash), cleaning our room with no help from parents, and making sure the gas gauge stays above a quarter of a tank. Alex and Brett’s argument: do all that you are capable of to the best of your ability for Christ’s glorification. Not only do Alex and Brett encourage you to do “big hard things”, such as fighting AIDS or raising money for third world countries; but they plead with you to start with the “small hard things”. These include daily devotional time, exercising regularly, and getting to bed on time. These are activities that do not gain immediate gain or satisfaction, but will launch your ability to “do hard things”!
I enjoyed Do Hard Things immensely, and I would recommend it to any teenager… any teenager who isn’t afraid of a challenge! The challenge you are faced with after reading this book is this: will you exceed the low expectations placed upon you and do hard things for God? The hard part is figuring out what hard things God has called you to do, and doing them! I too, am faced with this challenge as I am writing this, and I am continuing to seek God’s guidance through communing with Him through His Word and in prayer. As Alex and Brett put it “most people don’t expect you to understand what we’re going to tell you…and even if you understand, they don’t expect you to care. And even if you care, they don’t expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don’t expect it to last. We do.”
I want to thank Megan for taking the time to share her thoughts. We would like to hear yours, too! What do you think about this whole idea of "doing hard things" for God?
-
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Book Review: Sex is not the Problem (Lust Is)
After numerous men in our church confessed that they struggled with pornography and other lust-related sins, other brothers in Christ rallied around them to give them the support, encouragement, accountability and prayers that are essential to overcoming the flesh.
Much has been written on the subject of sexual temptation, but a lot of the available Christian resources fail either to address the issue biblically or to connect the teachings of Scripture in a practical way to everyday life. However, I am pleased to say that I have recently read a book that is well-balanced and very effective on both fronts. In fact, the book's effectiveness lies in the fact that it is so well-balanced, shooting straight with its readers from the Word of God.
The book I'm referring to is written by Joshua Harris and is entitled Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is). The book is a quick read, being less than two hundred pages, in large type. It is written for both guys and gals, and has received a number of endorsements from highly respected Bible teachers of both sexes (e.g., Nancy Leigh DeMoss, John Piper, and Jerry Bridges, to name a few).
There are three parts to the book: (1) The Truth about Lust; (2) In the Thick of the Battle; (3) Strategies for Long-Term Change. In Part One, Josh shares the main reason why we lose our battle against lust: We have the wrong standard for holiness; the wrong source of power to change, and the wrong motive for fighting our sin. Typically, we come up with our own standard for sexual purity -- a set of rules -- and believe that by adhering to that standard, we can be sexually pure. Furthermore, we seek to obey our set of rules in our own strength. We do this in order to "feel" like a pure person, to show God how good we can be, etc. Then everything comes crashing down. Our guilt becomes overwhelming so that we feel like we can't pray, that we are no good to God, that we are nothing but a big hypocrite. Josh points out how this approach is inconsistent with Scripture. To begin with, God's standard is nothing short of absolute perfection: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, of or greed, because these are improper for God's holy people" (Ephesians 5:3, emphasis mine). This standard puts sexual purity far beyond our natural grasp to reach -- and that's the point. Nobody has ever perfectly obeyed God's standard, except Jesus Christ. He alone is our source of righteousness, our source of strength. He alone can free us to be holy. In the closing pages of this section, Josh carefully lays out the definitions of -- and the differences between -- the doctrine of justification and the doctrine of sanctification. Understanding these are essential to understanding the basis of our acceptance to God and our ability to overcome sin.
In Part Two, careful consideration is given to the practical aspects of fighting sexual lust. The reader is led through a series of questions to help determine when he/she is weakest, and what to do about it. Various "lust-triggers" include the Internet, television, the local gym, and other potential instruments of temptation. It's important to realize that the tools themselves may not be sinful, nor is the temptation. When it comes to the media, however, we must be aware of its attempts to "define reality" for us. To put it in Joshua Harris' own words,
Entertainment goes straight for our hearts. . . . Media never reasons with us in its attempts to convince us to love lust and sin. You'll never see the CEO of a television network standing in front of a flip chart explaining why adultery is good. But that same CEO might have his company create a television drama that engages your emotions and, through the power of the story, makes the sinful act of adultery seem appealing.
Harris' point is well taken, considering the figures from Nielsen Media Research, which reveal that the average US household consumes 8 hours and 14 minutes of TV per day, and the average individual American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes a day! If we are going to be holy, we must examine and be willing to change our viewing habits. As Harris points out, "There is no such thing as 'must-see TV'. . . . The only thing that's essential is walking with God and pleasing Him. And if that sometimes requires cutting back on what we watch, it's no real sacrifice."
The third and final section of the book deals with strategies for long-term change. In short, Josh talks about the importance of accountability, arming yourself with Scripture (this is one of the best chapters of the book), and sowing to the Spirit. We are reminded that the fight of faith, the fight against sin, is the fight of a lifetime. We are all works in progress, and "God calls us to trust Him in the struggle against lust, to persevere and so prove the reality of victory accomplished by His Son."
At the very end of the book, the author inserts a special section entitled "Purity Download," wherein he offers Seven Tips for Fighting Internet Porn. Those whose battle with lust is waged mostly on-line will find this section most helpful.
In closing, let me say that I found this book to be utterly true to the teachings of Scripture while being "refreshingly real" in addressing the lust-related issues of our day. The author hits the subject of lust head-on, speaking in frank terms, without being crude or titillating. I especially appreciated Josh's explanation of how lust is operative in both men and women, though in different ways. This facet of teaching has been largely ignored in most other books on sexual sin, in my opinion. I anticipate that both men and women will glean much in their reading of this particular section.
I am inclined to think that just about anyone would benefit from reading Harris' book. Though written primarily for Christians, the book does give a very straightforward presentation of the Gospel, pointing everyone to Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation and freedom from the guilt and power of sexual sin.
This book is great not only for individuals, but also for groups. In fact, it comes with a group study guide for both men and women. As indicated by the gender-specific study guides, this book should be utilized in an all-male or all-female group rather than in a mixed group, due to the sensitive nature of its content. Also, in light of its mature content (one chapter in section two, for instance, deals specifically with masturbation), I would recommend that this book not be read by children or pre-adolescents. I think it is suitable for teens and that it would be ideal for parents to read through the book with their teenage children -- fathers with their sons, and mothers with their daughters.
As stated on the back cover, "Neither sex nor sexuality is our enemy. We need to rescue our sexuality from lust so we can experience it as God intended." Joshua Harris' book goes a long way in meeting this need by leading us through the muck and mire of lustful passion, on to the high plains of biblical sexuality. For this reason, I recommend his book enthusiastically.
Much has been written on the subject of sexual temptation, but a lot of the available Christian resources fail either to address the issue biblically or to connect the teachings of Scripture in a practical way to everyday life. However, I am pleased to say that I have recently read a book that is well-balanced and very effective on both fronts. In fact, the book's effectiveness lies in the fact that it is so well-balanced, shooting straight with its readers from the Word of God.
The book I'm referring to is written by Joshua Harris and is entitled Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is). The book is a quick read, being less than two hundred pages, in large type. It is written for both guys and gals, and has received a number of endorsements from highly respected Bible teachers of both sexes (e.g., Nancy Leigh DeMoss, John Piper, and Jerry Bridges, to name a few).
There are three parts to the book: (1) The Truth about Lust; (2) In the Thick of the Battle; (3) Strategies for Long-Term Change. In Part One, Josh shares the main reason why we lose our battle against lust: We have the wrong standard for holiness; the wrong source of power to change, and the wrong motive for fighting our sin. Typically, we come up with our own standard for sexual purity -- a set of rules -- and believe that by adhering to that standard, we can be sexually pure. Furthermore, we seek to obey our set of rules in our own strength. We do this in order to "feel" like a pure person, to show God how good we can be, etc. Then everything comes crashing down. Our guilt becomes overwhelming so that we feel like we can't pray, that we are no good to God, that we are nothing but a big hypocrite. Josh points out how this approach is inconsistent with Scripture. To begin with, God's standard is nothing short of absolute perfection: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, of or greed, because these are improper for God's holy people" (Ephesians 5:3, emphasis mine). This standard puts sexual purity far beyond our natural grasp to reach -- and that's the point. Nobody has ever perfectly obeyed God's standard, except Jesus Christ. He alone is our source of righteousness, our source of strength. He alone can free us to be holy. In the closing pages of this section, Josh carefully lays out the definitions of -- and the differences between -- the doctrine of justification and the doctrine of sanctification. Understanding these are essential to understanding the basis of our acceptance to God and our ability to overcome sin.
In Part Two, careful consideration is given to the practical aspects of fighting sexual lust. The reader is led through a series of questions to help determine when he/she is weakest, and what to do about it. Various "lust-triggers" include the Internet, television, the local gym, and other potential instruments of temptation. It's important to realize that the tools themselves may not be sinful, nor is the temptation. When it comes to the media, however, we must be aware of its attempts to "define reality" for us. To put it in Joshua Harris' own words,
Entertainment goes straight for our hearts. . . . Media never reasons with us in its attempts to convince us to love lust and sin. You'll never see the CEO of a television network standing in front of a flip chart explaining why adultery is good. But that same CEO might have his company create a television drama that engages your emotions and, through the power of the story, makes the sinful act of adultery seem appealing.
Harris' point is well taken, considering the figures from Nielsen Media Research, which reveal that the average US household consumes 8 hours and 14 minutes of TV per day, and the average individual American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes a day! If we are going to be holy, we must examine and be willing to change our viewing habits. As Harris points out, "There is no such thing as 'must-see TV'. . . . The only thing that's essential is walking with God and pleasing Him. And if that sometimes requires cutting back on what we watch, it's no real sacrifice."
The third and final section of the book deals with strategies for long-term change. In short, Josh talks about the importance of accountability, arming yourself with Scripture (this is one of the best chapters of the book), and sowing to the Spirit. We are reminded that the fight of faith, the fight against sin, is the fight of a lifetime. We are all works in progress, and "God calls us to trust Him in the struggle against lust, to persevere and so prove the reality of victory accomplished by His Son."
At the very end of the book, the author inserts a special section entitled "Purity Download," wherein he offers Seven Tips for Fighting Internet Porn. Those whose battle with lust is waged mostly on-line will find this section most helpful.
In closing, let me say that I found this book to be utterly true to the teachings of Scripture while being "refreshingly real" in addressing the lust-related issues of our day. The author hits the subject of lust head-on, speaking in frank terms, without being crude or titillating. I especially appreciated Josh's explanation of how lust is operative in both men and women, though in different ways. This facet of teaching has been largely ignored in most other books on sexual sin, in my opinion. I anticipate that both men and women will glean much in their reading of this particular section.
I am inclined to think that just about anyone would benefit from reading Harris' book. Though written primarily for Christians, the book does give a very straightforward presentation of the Gospel, pointing everyone to Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation and freedom from the guilt and power of sexual sin.
This book is great not only for individuals, but also for groups. In fact, it comes with a group study guide for both men and women. As indicated by the gender-specific study guides, this book should be utilized in an all-male or all-female group rather than in a mixed group, due to the sensitive nature of its content. Also, in light of its mature content (one chapter in section two, for instance, deals specifically with masturbation), I would recommend that this book not be read by children or pre-adolescents. I think it is suitable for teens and that it would be ideal for parents to read through the book with their teenage children -- fathers with their sons, and mothers with their daughters.
As stated on the back cover, "Neither sex nor sexuality is our enemy. We need to rescue our sexuality from lust so we can experience it as God intended." Joshua Harris' book goes a long way in meeting this need by leading us through the muck and mire of lustful passion, on to the high plains of biblical sexuality. For this reason, I recommend his book enthusiastically.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Ladies' Retreat Reflections
This past weekend, over fifty women traveled to the Cape to attend this year's ladies' retreat with Mrs. Susan Hunt. A lot of prayer and planning went into this milestone event. For today's blog, I asked Mrs. Ellen Capozzi to write, on behalf of the Ladies' Retreat Planning Team, their impressions of all that occurred last weekend. Here it is:
Our ladies' retreat this year with Susan Hunt was indeed a life-changing event! We learned from God'sWord about our role as women in our homes and in our church.
In Session One, Mrs. Hunt taught us about The Legacy of Biblical Womanhood. We learned that there is headship and submission in the Trinity, just as God has ordained it to be in marriage and in the church. It is a beautiful principle when rightly understood.
In Session Two, we learned about The Proverbs 31 Man and Woman. Proverbs 31 points to Jesus, as does all of Scripture. Mrs. Hunt instructed us not to turn a passage loose until Jesus shows us Himself. Our retreat theme was verses 30 and 31: "...a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of thefruit of her hands, and let her works praise her inthe gates." When we fear God we submit to His rule asKing because we trust Him, even when it seems hard. The LORD is God's personal covenant name. It reveals His personal relationship with us for all eternity. We are His, and He is ours! As we submit to His rule,He transforms us.
Session Three was about Titus 2 - the importance of having Godly character and sound doctrine, and the mandate for older women to teach younger women to love their husbands and children, with the Gospel as our motivation and our power.
During Session Four on Sunday morning, we learned from Psalm 62 that we can trust God at all times because He is strong and He is loving. We learned from Luke 24 that when ourhearts are slow to believe God's promises we are sad. We learned that all Scripture is about Jesus, and that He enables us to understand it. When we see Him, ourhearts are aflame (on fire!). From 2 Timothy welearned of the influence of Timothy's mother and grandmother, even though his father was not a believer.
Our time together ended with a time of personal sharing by several women. Love for the Lord and eachother was overflowing. The teaching that we received this weekend wastruly rich. We are grateful to God for allowing us this time together. We are grateful to Susan Hunt for her loving ministry and example to us, and to our church family for their prayers that went up to God on our behalf. Thank you to our husbands who encouragedus to go and who "held down the fort" till we returned. Last, but not least, thank you to our pastor who lovingly watches over our souls and who labors in the Word week in and week out to build us up in the faith. "To whom much is given, much is required." -- May we rise up as women to fulfill our role as helpers and life-givers, by the grace of God and for His glory!
Having heard the impressions of our Ladies' Retreat Planning Team, I wanted to close by sharing a portion of an e-mail that Susan Hunt sent to one of the Team members after returning home from the retreat:
I hope you are resting and enjoying knowing that you did a great job! The retreat was wonderful. You and the committee cared for me and for the women with such love and grace . . . it was a great encouragement to me to be there. Please thank all of the women for enfolding me in love. Gene and I loved being with you. . . .
It's good to be home, and we brought with us special memories of special people. We prayed this morning that the Lord will use it all for His glory and to accomplish His purposes in the women and in your church.
To Him be all glory,
Susan
We would love to hear more feedbacks from you ladies who went on the retreat. Or perhaps there are some of you men who would like to say a word about your wives. Leave a comment, sharing how you've been encouraged!
Our ladies' retreat this year with Susan Hunt was indeed a life-changing event! We learned from God'sWord about our role as women in our homes and in our church.
In Session One, Mrs. Hunt taught us about The Legacy of Biblical Womanhood. We learned that there is headship and submission in the Trinity, just as God has ordained it to be in marriage and in the church. It is a beautiful principle when rightly understood.
In Session Two, we learned about The Proverbs 31 Man and Woman. Proverbs 31 points to Jesus, as does all of Scripture. Mrs. Hunt instructed us not to turn a passage loose until Jesus shows us Himself. Our retreat theme was verses 30 and 31: "...a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of thefruit of her hands, and let her works praise her inthe gates." When we fear God we submit to His rule asKing because we trust Him, even when it seems hard. The LORD is God's personal covenant name. It reveals His personal relationship with us for all eternity. We are His, and He is ours! As we submit to His rule,He transforms us.
Session Three was about Titus 2 - the importance of having Godly character and sound doctrine, and the mandate for older women to teach younger women to love their husbands and children, with the Gospel as our motivation and our power.
During Session Four on Sunday morning, we learned from Psalm 62 that we can trust God at all times because He is strong and He is loving. We learned from Luke 24 that when ourhearts are slow to believe God's promises we are sad. We learned that all Scripture is about Jesus, and that He enables us to understand it. When we see Him, ourhearts are aflame (on fire!). From 2 Timothy welearned of the influence of Timothy's mother and grandmother, even though his father was not a believer.
Our time together ended with a time of personal sharing by several women. Love for the Lord and eachother was overflowing. The teaching that we received this weekend wastruly rich. We are grateful to God for allowing us this time together. We are grateful to Susan Hunt for her loving ministry and example to us, and to our church family for their prayers that went up to God on our behalf. Thank you to our husbands who encouragedus to go and who "held down the fort" till we returned. Last, but not least, thank you to our pastor who lovingly watches over our souls and who labors in the Word week in and week out to build us up in the faith. "To whom much is given, much is required." -- May we rise up as women to fulfill our role as helpers and life-givers, by the grace of God and for His glory!
Having heard the impressions of our Ladies' Retreat Planning Team, I wanted to close by sharing a portion of an e-mail that Susan Hunt sent to one of the Team members after returning home from the retreat:
I hope you are resting and enjoying knowing that you did a great job! The retreat was wonderful. You and the committee cared for me and for the women with such love and grace . . . it was a great encouragement to me to be there. Please thank all of the women for enfolding me in love. Gene and I loved being with you. . . .
It's good to be home, and we brought with us special memories of special people. We prayed this morning that the Lord will use it all for His glory and to accomplish His purposes in the women and in your church.
To Him be all glory,
Susan
We would love to hear more feedbacks from you ladies who went on the retreat. Or perhaps there are some of you men who would like to say a word about your wives. Leave a comment, sharing how you've been encouraged!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Women: Sleep-Deprived and Stressed Out!
More than half of American women suffer from a lack of sleep. In a survey conducted last year by the National Sleep Foundation, sixty percent of American women said that they got a decent night's rest only a few days a week or less. More women suffer from sleep-deprivation than men.
Poor sleep is associated with poor mood. Of the women who struggle to get sufficient sleep, about eighty percent were bothered by worry, stress, and anxiety. Over one-half said they felt unhappy, sad or depressed in the past month, and over a third said they felt recently hopeless about the future.
The NSF 2007 poll found that women of all ages are experiencing sleep problems, which change and increase in severity as they move through the different biological stages of their lives. Interestingly, the most sleep-deprived women are stay-at-home moms. No doubt, this is consistent with a mother's tendency to worry, or be stressed out about, her children.
Now, in light of the above information, here's the part of the report that I found to be the most interesting:
American women are struggling to cope with this lack of sleep, but that doesn’t slow them down. Eighty percent of women say that when they experience sleepiness during the day they just accept it and keep going. However, in order to keep going, 65% are likely to use caffeinated beverages, with 37% of all women consuming three or more caffeinated beverages per day. And, despite being frequently tired, women are not heading to bed earlier. In the hour prior to going to bed, instead of retiring early, 87% say they watch television, 60% complete the remainder of their household chores, 37% do activities with children, 36% do activities with other family, 36% are on the Internet and 21% do work related to their job at least a few nights a week.
Andy Rooney once said, "Go to bed. Whatever you're staying up late for isn't worth it." The longer I live, the more I see the wisdom and truthfulness in that statement -- especially when it comes to watching television. On the flip side, I understand how difficult it can be to get some things done while the kids are still up. For many moms, the children's bedtime is their start-time to get certain jobs done that are difficult to do when the kids are awake. And for the 9 out of 10 moms that watch TV despite their tiredness, my guess is that they're looking to have at least a little time to themselves before turning in for the night.
Sleep-stealers such as worry, anxiety, and stress should be given to the Lord through prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa. 26:3). "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2).
My wife is a mother of five and one of the most active, conscientious women I know. Like any mom, she struggles with worry and finds it difficult to do all the things she wants to on any given day. I'm sure she doesn't always get the amount of sleep she would like to get. Yet it is a joy for me to see her meditate on God's Word, cry out to the Lord in prayer, and, at the end of the day, to rest in the arms of her husband and drift off to sleep.
I'm particularly glad that she, with fifty other women in our church, can get away this weekend for some much-needed and well-deserved relaxation and refreshment. I'm sure they will all have a great time . . . though I doubt that they'll be getting much sleep!
Poor sleep is associated with poor mood. Of the women who struggle to get sufficient sleep, about eighty percent were bothered by worry, stress, and anxiety. Over one-half said they felt unhappy, sad or depressed in the past month, and over a third said they felt recently hopeless about the future.
The NSF 2007 poll found that women of all ages are experiencing sleep problems, which change and increase in severity as they move through the different biological stages of their lives. Interestingly, the most sleep-deprived women are stay-at-home moms. No doubt, this is consistent with a mother's tendency to worry, or be stressed out about, her children.
Now, in light of the above information, here's the part of the report that I found to be the most interesting:
American women are struggling to cope with this lack of sleep, but that doesn’t slow them down. Eighty percent of women say that when they experience sleepiness during the day they just accept it and keep going. However, in order to keep going, 65% are likely to use caffeinated beverages, with 37% of all women consuming three or more caffeinated beverages per day. And, despite being frequently tired, women are not heading to bed earlier. In the hour prior to going to bed, instead of retiring early, 87% say they watch television, 60% complete the remainder of their household chores, 37% do activities with children, 36% do activities with other family, 36% are on the Internet and 21% do work related to their job at least a few nights a week.
Andy Rooney once said, "Go to bed. Whatever you're staying up late for isn't worth it." The longer I live, the more I see the wisdom and truthfulness in that statement -- especially when it comes to watching television. On the flip side, I understand how difficult it can be to get some things done while the kids are still up. For many moms, the children's bedtime is their start-time to get certain jobs done that are difficult to do when the kids are awake. And for the 9 out of 10 moms that watch TV despite their tiredness, my guess is that they're looking to have at least a little time to themselves before turning in for the night.
Sleep-stealers such as worry, anxiety, and stress should be given to the Lord through prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa. 26:3). "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2).
My wife is a mother of five and one of the most active, conscientious women I know. Like any mom, she struggles with worry and finds it difficult to do all the things she wants to on any given day. I'm sure she doesn't always get the amount of sleep she would like to get. Yet it is a joy for me to see her meditate on God's Word, cry out to the Lord in prayer, and, at the end of the day, to rest in the arms of her husband and drift off to sleep.
I'm particularly glad that she, with fifty other women in our church, can get away this weekend for some much-needed and well-deserved relaxation and refreshment. I'm sure they will all have a great time . . . though I doubt that they'll be getting much sleep!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Great Divide
This very day, two very significant events are taking place in the United States of America. The Pope is meeting with our President and other dignitaries, and the Together for the Gospel conference is taking place in Louisville, Kentucky. Pope Benedict XVI is a staunch defender of Catholic doctrine. The speakers at the Together for the Gospel conference are gathering with 5,000 other attendees for the sake of defending the one true gospel as defined by Scripture, not the Catholic hierarchy.
Interestingly, one of the speakers at the Together for the Gospel conference, Dr. Albert Mohler (President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) was asked by The Washington Post and Newsweek to write an article "On Faith" which would represent an "evangelical voice" concerning this papal visit. Dr. Mohler has posted a copy of the article at his website: http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php.
While I would encourage you to read the whole article, there are a few particular comments that I wanted to bring to your attention. Concerning the the difference between Catholic and Protestant beliefs, Mohler writes:
If he [the Pope] is right, we [Protestant evangelicals] are endangering our souls and the souls of our church members. Yet, I am convinced that he is not right -- not right on the papacy, not right on the sacraments, not right on the priesthood, not right on the Gospel, not right in understanding the church.
The Roman Catholic Church believes that evangelicals are in spiritual danger for obstinately and disobediently excluding ourselves from submission to its universal claims and its papacy. Evangelicals are concerned that Catholics are in spiritual danger for their submission to these very claims. We both understand what is at stake.
The divide between evangelical Christians and the Roman Catholic Church remains – as this Pope well understands. And, in so many ways, this is a Pope we can understand. In this strange world, that is no small achievement.
The lines are clearly drawn, and it's a matter of life and death, heaven and hell, salvation and damnation. The Pope understands this. So does Al Mohler and the other Together for the Gospel participants.
Do you? What's your take on this?
Interestingly, one of the speakers at the Together for the Gospel conference, Dr. Albert Mohler (President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) was asked by The Washington Post and Newsweek to write an article "On Faith" which would represent an "evangelical voice" concerning this papal visit. Dr. Mohler has posted a copy of the article at his website: http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php.
While I would encourage you to read the whole article, there are a few particular comments that I wanted to bring to your attention. Concerning the the difference between Catholic and Protestant beliefs, Mohler writes:
If he [the Pope] is right, we [Protestant evangelicals] are endangering our souls and the souls of our church members. Yet, I am convinced that he is not right -- not right on the papacy, not right on the sacraments, not right on the priesthood, not right on the Gospel, not right in understanding the church.
The Roman Catholic Church believes that evangelicals are in spiritual danger for obstinately and disobediently excluding ourselves from submission to its universal claims and its papacy. Evangelicals are concerned that Catholics are in spiritual danger for their submission to these very claims. We both understand what is at stake.
The divide between evangelical Christians and the Roman Catholic Church remains – as this Pope well understands. And, in so many ways, this is a Pope we can understand. In this strange world, that is no small achievement.
The lines are clearly drawn, and it's a matter of life and death, heaven and hell, salvation and damnation. The Pope understands this. So does Al Mohler and the other Together for the Gospel participants.
Do you? What's your take on this?
Friday, April 11, 2008
Marks of Revival
Those of us who attended last Sunday morning's worship service at First Baptist Church in Weymouth witnessed what seemed to be a work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Frankly, it was one of the most amazing things I've seen -- not only in my nine years at First Baptist but also for the thirty-nine years that I've been alive!
The sermon was on 2 Corinthians 7:11, "The Marks of Repentance." It was about 40 minutes in length. The sermon was followed by an invitation that was twice that long. None of it was manufactured or manipulated. It was simply the impelling power of the Holy Spirit. Person after person got up to make public, verbal confession of various sins. By the time the service was over, thirty to forty people were down front, and only a few left before the hour-and-a-half invitation ended.
This spiritual awakening has been a long time in coming. All the glory goes to God, for revival comes from Him and Him alone. Yet God brings revival in response to the fervent, effective prayers of godly believers (James 5:16). What a great incentive for godly living and incessant praying!
Even after Sunday's service, God continued to work. More confessions were made privately and publicly throughout the week. On Wednesday evening at our midweek Bible study, multiple testimonies were shared. God is at work, and we pray that last Sunday's movement was not a singular event but the beginning of a great spiritual awakening in this church and even throughout New England. (The convicting work of the Holy Spirit has been evident in other gospel-preaching churches in our area, especially in recent weeks.)
In light of all that happened, I grabbed an old book from my library entitled New England Revivals (by Bennett Tyler; revised by Richard Owen Roberts). As you can guess, this book documents various revivals that have occurred throughout New England's history. One such revival began in June of 1799, in Lenox, Massachusetts. The account was written by the Reverend Samuel Shepard. Shepard notes being ordained as pastor in April, 1795 (four years before the revival), at which time "the situation of the church called for the earnest prayers of all who had a heart to pray." (I find this interesting since our church came out of an extremely difficult season about four years ago, at which time people were solicited to pray and even fast for me their pastor and for the spiritual health of the church in general.)
Rev. Shepard noted that while "showers of divine grace were falling on other" churches, his own church seemed to be the recipient of the Lord Jesus' warning in Revelation 2:5: "Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place." But then Shepard quickly noted where the Lord said elsewhere, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy" (Rom. 9:15), after which the pastor exclaimed, "Glory be to His name. With Him is the residue of the Spirit, and He can pour it out, when, and where and on whom He pleaseth. He hath made it, therefore, a day of His power, and caused even in the midst of us, a shaking among the dry bones."
The revival in June, 1799, was actually precipitated by a season of heightened corporate prayer two months earlier, in April. A great number of church members became increasingly burdened about the church's spiritual state and began to pray for the Spirit's outpouring.
Their prayers were heard. After conversing on passages that focused on the being and perfections of God, several people were brought under "deep conviction.... They seemed now to consider the holy Bible to be the very voice of God to a guilty world...." The Lord was doing a great work.
Interestingly, Shepard also noted: "In a time of ingathering like this, however, it is to be expected that some chaff will remain with the wheat." That is to say, some who made a profession of faith did not persevere in the faith but "afterwards returned to their former stupidity." He also observed, "The condition of those who remained uniformly careless and inattentive while the goings of God were so visible among us, appears to be still more dangerous and deplorable."
Still there were several, undeniable indicators of the Holy Spirit's empowering presence. Reverend Shepard recorded these in the form of seven summary statements:
The sermon was on 2 Corinthians 7:11, "The Marks of Repentance." It was about 40 minutes in length. The sermon was followed by an invitation that was twice that long. None of it was manufactured or manipulated. It was simply the impelling power of the Holy Spirit. Person after person got up to make public, verbal confession of various sins. By the time the service was over, thirty to forty people were down front, and only a few left before the hour-and-a-half invitation ended.
This spiritual awakening has been a long time in coming. All the glory goes to God, for revival comes from Him and Him alone. Yet God brings revival in response to the fervent, effective prayers of godly believers (James 5:16). What a great incentive for godly living and incessant praying!
Even after Sunday's service, God continued to work. More confessions were made privately and publicly throughout the week. On Wednesday evening at our midweek Bible study, multiple testimonies were shared. God is at work, and we pray that last Sunday's movement was not a singular event but the beginning of a great spiritual awakening in this church and even throughout New England. (The convicting work of the Holy Spirit has been evident in other gospel-preaching churches in our area, especially in recent weeks.)
In light of all that happened, I grabbed an old book from my library entitled New England Revivals (by Bennett Tyler; revised by Richard Owen Roberts). As you can guess, this book documents various revivals that have occurred throughout New England's history. One such revival began in June of 1799, in Lenox, Massachusetts. The account was written by the Reverend Samuel Shepard. Shepard notes being ordained as pastor in April, 1795 (four years before the revival), at which time "the situation of the church called for the earnest prayers of all who had a heart to pray." (I find this interesting since our church came out of an extremely difficult season about four years ago, at which time people were solicited to pray and even fast for me their pastor and for the spiritual health of the church in general.)
Rev. Shepard noted that while "showers of divine grace were falling on other" churches, his own church seemed to be the recipient of the Lord Jesus' warning in Revelation 2:5: "Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place." But then Shepard quickly noted where the Lord said elsewhere, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy" (Rom. 9:15), after which the pastor exclaimed, "Glory be to His name. With Him is the residue of the Spirit, and He can pour it out, when, and where and on whom He pleaseth. He hath made it, therefore, a day of His power, and caused even in the midst of us, a shaking among the dry bones."
The revival in June, 1799, was actually precipitated by a season of heightened corporate prayer two months earlier, in April. A great number of church members became increasingly burdened about the church's spiritual state and began to pray for the Spirit's outpouring.
Their prayers were heard. After conversing on passages that focused on the being and perfections of God, several people were brought under "deep conviction.... They seemed now to consider the holy Bible to be the very voice of God to a guilty world...." The Lord was doing a great work.
Interestingly, Shepard also noted: "In a time of ingathering like this, however, it is to be expected that some chaff will remain with the wheat." That is to say, some who made a profession of faith did not persevere in the faith but "afterwards returned to their former stupidity." He also observed, "The condition of those who remained uniformly careless and inattentive while the goings of God were so visible among us, appears to be still more dangerous and deplorable."
Still there were several, undeniable indicators of the Holy Spirit's empowering presence. Reverend Shepard recorded these in the form of seven summary statements:
- This revival was evidently the work of God. To prove this, the very sudden change in appearance and pursuits of the people, is instead of a thousand arguments.
- This revival began in the church; and I believe it will be found to be true, that in almost every instance of religious attention, it makes its first appearance in the church of Christ. When God is about to bestow spiritual blessings upon a people, it is his usual method, first to awake his professed friends out of sleep.
- Such a revival of religion most strikingly evinces the importance of all the means of grace, which God has instituted. When once the attention of a people is called up to the concerns of the soul, how precious, in their view, are seasons for prayer.... How instantly do they fly to the Bible -- how highly do they prize every opportunity to get religious instruction. and to associate with the people of God for serious conversation.... Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
- The work [of God] ... has been attended with remarkable regularity. God was emphatically in the still small voice. Nothing was said, in particular, about dreams and visions -- hearing unusual voices, and seeing uncommon sights. No extravagance in either gestures or outcries, appeared. No wild enthusiasm [emotionalism] attended the revival in any stage of it.
- ... A remarkable uniformity has occurred relatively to the doctrines which have been embraced. These are such as are usually termed Calvinistic. Such truths as the total and awful depravity of the human heart -- the necessity of regeneration; or a change of heart as a preparation for the enjoyment of a holy heaven -- the equity of the divine law in its penalty, as well as precept -- the divine sovereignty in the salvation of sinners, as the only possible ground of hope in the case of the guilty offender -- the necessity of gospel morality, as an evidence of justifying faith -- and all the doctrines essentially connected with these, were readily received by all with one consent.
- It is worthy of notice that the revival of religion in this town, has proved to be almost a death-wound to the vain amusements of the school among us in the time of the late special attention, was rendered nearly abortive; and the youth in general are still remarkable for their sobriety.
- One distinguishing feature of this work as it appeared among us, and elsewhere, according to the narrations which have been published, was humility. The subjects of the revival, who have obtained a Christian hope, have very uniformly appeared to be humble, and to walk softly before their Maker. In view of the divine perfections and requirements, they have, at times, expressed great self-abhorrence. This has been one striking effect of the genuine operation of the divine Spirit on the hearts of sinners in every age.
Shepard then concludes his account of God's work among his own congregation with these words, which serve as a fitting prayer for our church and our world today:
May a holy God, in infinite mercy, continue to make manifest the glory of his power, and the glory of his grace, in building up Zion; for in no other way can we rationally hope to see happy individuals -- happy families -- happy neighborhoods -- happy societies -- happy towns -- happy states -- happy kingdoms -- and a happy world.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The Oprahnization of Christianity
This morning we had the privilege of hosting the monthly CB Cluster meeting for pastors who serve Conservative Baptist churches (hence the 'CB') in southeastern Massachusetts. We had about a dozen pastors in attendance along with a special guest: Manny Mill of Koinonia House National Ministries. This organization, which is thoroughly evangelical, is committed to "equipping the church to love our Christian neighbors coming out of prison."
Manny preached a passionate message to us pastors from Luke 10 on the story of the Good Samaritan. My heart was stirred greatly as Manny drove home the message of God's love for helpless and hurting sinners. Midway through the message, Manny quoted something that Chuck Colson wrote in his book, The Body. I'm not sure if this is verbatim, but the quote was essentially this: "Our churches in America have become a place of therapy rather than deliverance" -- i.e., place that offers self-help instead of salvation.
How has the Church of Jesus Christ developed such a mentality? Well, first, it should be said that some organizations that call themselves churches may not be true churches. They are certainly not Christ's church, for they are not hearing His voice and following Him (John 10:27). They profess to know Jesus, but on Judgment Day, Jesus will say to them "I never knew you" (Matt. 7:21-23).
On the other hand, there are churches that preach the gospel and point to Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior. But when it comes to the practical end of Christian living, they strip the gospel of its sufficiency. Certainly that is not their intention, but that is what they do. Or maybe I should say that is what WE do, when we mix worldly wisdom with heavenly wisdom.
This happens in large measure because of the 'GIGO' principle: Garbage in, garbage out. Christians are inundating their minds with T.V. trash. For instance, I'm amazed at how many believers are hooked on Oprah. What is she on for -- an hour a day every weekday? Imagine spending an hour a day in the Word and prayer simply to counteract the ill-effects of Oprah! Here's a video link that gives you a glimpse regarding Oprah's version of "Christianity":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA
This brings to mind the following lyrics that the Christian contemporary band Casting Crowns includes in one of its songs:
What if the family turned to Jesus,
stopped asking Oprah what to do!
What if His people prayed?. . .
If we are going to offer the hurting the help they truly need, then we need to have minds and hearts that are shaped by God's truth and not dictated by television. I reject the notion that one can be a Spirit-filled Christian who spends five minutes in the Word and prayer and up to five hours in front of the TV per day.
My point is not to preach but to get down to the brass tacks of Christian living, growth and maturity. By and large, what we feed others is nothing more than a processed version of what we feed ourselves.
Do you agree or disagree? I look forward to reading your comments.
Manny preached a passionate message to us pastors from Luke 10 on the story of the Good Samaritan. My heart was stirred greatly as Manny drove home the message of God's love for helpless and hurting sinners. Midway through the message, Manny quoted something that Chuck Colson wrote in his book, The Body. I'm not sure if this is verbatim, but the quote was essentially this: "Our churches in America have become a place of therapy rather than deliverance" -- i.e., place that offers self-help instead of salvation.
How has the Church of Jesus Christ developed such a mentality? Well, first, it should be said that some organizations that call themselves churches may not be true churches. They are certainly not Christ's church, for they are not hearing His voice and following Him (John 10:27). They profess to know Jesus, but on Judgment Day, Jesus will say to them "I never knew you" (Matt. 7:21-23).
On the other hand, there are churches that preach the gospel and point to Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior. But when it comes to the practical end of Christian living, they strip the gospel of its sufficiency. Certainly that is not their intention, but that is what they do. Or maybe I should say that is what WE do, when we mix worldly wisdom with heavenly wisdom.
This happens in large measure because of the 'GIGO' principle: Garbage in, garbage out. Christians are inundating their minds with T.V. trash. For instance, I'm amazed at how many believers are hooked on Oprah. What is she on for -- an hour a day every weekday? Imagine spending an hour a day in the Word and prayer simply to counteract the ill-effects of Oprah! Here's a video link that gives you a glimpse regarding Oprah's version of "Christianity":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA
This brings to mind the following lyrics that the Christian contemporary band Casting Crowns includes in one of its songs:
What if the family turned to Jesus,
stopped asking Oprah what to do!
What if His people prayed?. . .
If we are going to offer the hurting the help they truly need, then we need to have minds and hearts that are shaped by God's truth and not dictated by television. I reject the notion that one can be a Spirit-filled Christian who spends five minutes in the Word and prayer and up to five hours in front of the TV per day.
My point is not to preach but to get down to the brass tacks of Christian living, growth and maturity. By and large, what we feed others is nothing more than a processed version of what we feed ourselves.
Do you agree or disagree? I look forward to reading your comments.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Does the name Sam Walter Foss mean anything to you? This gentleman was born in New Hampshire in 1858, graduated from Brown University in 1882, and served as librarian of the Somerville Public Library here in Massachusetts for 13 years. (A bronze tablet dedicated to him was placed in the library in 1916.)
In addition to being a librarian, Foss was also a great poet. Though today he is not as famous as other poets, in his lifetime Foss was referred to as the "Poet of the People" and "Master of the Yankee Dialect." One of his most famous poems is entitled The Calf Path:
One day through the primeval wood
A calf walked home as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail as all calves do.
Since then three hundred years have fled,
And I infer the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.
The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bell–wether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bell–wethers always do.
And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made.
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ‘twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed – do not laugh -
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.
This forest path became a lane
That bent and turned and turned again;
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.
The years passed on in swiftness fleet,
The road became a village street;
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare.
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.
Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed this zigzag calf about
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They followed still his crooked way.
And lost one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.
A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.
They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf.
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.
Thankfully, this weekend for our Missions Conference we do have one who is ordained to preach -- Dr. Rodney Woo from Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Dr. Woo has a passion for reaching people with the gospel of Christ, beginning in our own "Jerusalem." God used Dr. Woo to transform the body life of his own congregation by dismantling their racism and traditionalism with the Word of God.
To my knowledge, Sam Walter Foss was not a Christian, but he made a very good point in his poem: People tend to follow the path that others have walked without considering WHY. But if we were to establish our direction in light of our purpose, then we could blaze new trails for others to follow.
By God's grace, this is what Dr. Woo has done at Wilcrest Baptist Church over the last fifteen years by developing a multi-racial congregation. God is using this shepherd and his flock to grow a church of all nations to all nations. It all began with a passion to reach their community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. What God did at Wilcrest, He can do at Weymouth.
Let's trust God for a great conference!
In addition to being a librarian, Foss was also a great poet. Though today he is not as famous as other poets, in his lifetime Foss was referred to as the "Poet of the People" and "Master of the Yankee Dialect." One of his most famous poems is entitled The Calf Path:
One day through the primeval wood
A calf walked home as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail as all calves do.
Since then three hundred years have fled,
And I infer the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.
The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bell–wether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bell–wethers always do.
And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made.
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ‘twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed – do not laugh -
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.
This forest path became a lane
That bent and turned and turned again;
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.
The years passed on in swiftness fleet,
The road became a village street;
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare.
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.
Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed this zigzag calf about
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They followed still his crooked way.
And lost one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.
A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.
They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf.
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.
Thankfully, this weekend for our Missions Conference we do have one who is ordained to preach -- Dr. Rodney Woo from Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Dr. Woo has a passion for reaching people with the gospel of Christ, beginning in our own "Jerusalem." God used Dr. Woo to transform the body life of his own congregation by dismantling their racism and traditionalism with the Word of God.
To my knowledge, Sam Walter Foss was not a Christian, but he made a very good point in his poem: People tend to follow the path that others have walked without considering WHY. But if we were to establish our direction in light of our purpose, then we could blaze new trails for others to follow.
By God's grace, this is what Dr. Woo has done at Wilcrest Baptist Church over the last fifteen years by developing a multi-racial congregation. God is using this shepherd and his flock to grow a church of all nations to all nations. It all began with a passion to reach their community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. What God did at Wilcrest, He can do at Weymouth.
Let's trust God for a great conference!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
A Seventh-Grade Skit and the Preservation of Scripture
Today in our Christian School's weekly chapel program, the seventh grade class put on a skit that dramatized the book of Acts. The students did a great job of weaving together the trials and triumphs of the early church. Their performance was commendable -- especially in light of what happened the day before.
Yesterday afternoon Miss Davis, the seventh grade teacher, came into my office and asked me (a bit nervously, I might add) if I had taken the scripts for their play out of the sanctuary. I told her I had not even been over to the sanctuary and asked her if perhaps the cleaning crew had been over there and thrown them away by accident. As it turns out, they did. Thankfully, the play went off without a hitch. The students rose to the challenge and put on a terrific performance.
But all this got me to thinking. It's amazing how easily and inadvertently those scripts got lost. Yet THE script of Acts -- Scripture itself -- has been preserved for two millennia and more. Just one small slip-up, one small oversight, one inadvertent throwing away of a manuscript, and we would not have the inerrant, infallible Word of God that we do today.
Now, in addition to this, think of all the enemies of God who have purposely tried to eradicate the Holy Scriptures, to banish the Bible on purpose. They have failed! Go back 2500 years ago to the days of Jeremiah, and you'll read of the time when Jehoiakim tried to destroy the Word of God by burning the scroll which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah. Yet "the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 'Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned" (Jer. 36:27-28). This faithless king thought he could destroy God's Word. But he failed.
Jump forward five hundred years to the time of the early church -- specifically Acts 12 (which was acted out very well by our students). The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison, and Herod triumphant. The chapter ends with Herod dead, Peter freed, and the Word of God triumphant!
Move ahead another two and a half centuries to the time when Diocletian, the emperor of Rome, uttered threats and curses to the followers of Christ. Several copies of Scripture were burned. Many Christians suffered agonizing deaths. Yet all his Satanic zeal did nothing to thwart God's Word. He is long dead, whereas the Bible is very much alive. Scripture still stands.
Henry V of England considered Bible reading to be a crime and passed a law saying, "Whosoever is found reading the Scripture shall forfeit his life and land." Yet "all of his decrees could not shorten its life one minute or lighten its weight by one ounce" (George Sweeting, Is the Bible the Word of God?). The monarch is dead. The majestic Scripture still stands.
Voltaire said arrogantly, "Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth." Voltaire is no longer on earth, and the Bible has been the best selling book on earth year after year after year.
How do we account for the indestructibility of the Bible? Simply by seeing it for what it is: a supernatural book -- the very Word of God.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. -- Isaiah 40:9
Yesterday afternoon Miss Davis, the seventh grade teacher, came into my office and asked me (a bit nervously, I might add) if I had taken the scripts for their play out of the sanctuary. I told her I had not even been over to the sanctuary and asked her if perhaps the cleaning crew had been over there and thrown them away by accident. As it turns out, they did. Thankfully, the play went off without a hitch. The students rose to the challenge and put on a terrific performance.
But all this got me to thinking. It's amazing how easily and inadvertently those scripts got lost. Yet THE script of Acts -- Scripture itself -- has been preserved for two millennia and more. Just one small slip-up, one small oversight, one inadvertent throwing away of a manuscript, and we would not have the inerrant, infallible Word of God that we do today.
Now, in addition to this, think of all the enemies of God who have purposely tried to eradicate the Holy Scriptures, to banish the Bible on purpose. They have failed! Go back 2500 years ago to the days of Jeremiah, and you'll read of the time when Jehoiakim tried to destroy the Word of God by burning the scroll which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah. Yet "the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 'Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned" (Jer. 36:27-28). This faithless king thought he could destroy God's Word. But he failed.
Jump forward five hundred years to the time of the early church -- specifically Acts 12 (which was acted out very well by our students). The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison, and Herod triumphant. The chapter ends with Herod dead, Peter freed, and the Word of God triumphant!
Move ahead another two and a half centuries to the time when Diocletian, the emperor of Rome, uttered threats and curses to the followers of Christ. Several copies of Scripture were burned. Many Christians suffered agonizing deaths. Yet all his Satanic zeal did nothing to thwart God's Word. He is long dead, whereas the Bible is very much alive. Scripture still stands.
Henry V of England considered Bible reading to be a crime and passed a law saying, "Whosoever is found reading the Scripture shall forfeit his life and land." Yet "all of his decrees could not shorten its life one minute or lighten its weight by one ounce" (George Sweeting, Is the Bible the Word of God?). The monarch is dead. The majestic Scripture still stands.
Voltaire said arrogantly, "Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth." Voltaire is no longer on earth, and the Bible has been the best selling book on earth year after year after year.
How do we account for the indestructibility of the Bible? Simply by seeing it for what it is: a supernatural book -- the very Word of God.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. -- Isaiah 40:9
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