Worship - Gone to the Dogs

Last month, the Pilgrim Congregational Church in North Weymouth made national news when it launched its weekly "Woof 'n' Worship" services on Sunday evenings.  I first read about it not in the local newspaper, but in World Magazine, of which I am a subscriber.  According to World,, the Rev. Rachel Bickford said the idea comes from an invocation in Psalm 148: "Let all wild animals, creeping things, and flying birds give God praise."  That is a paraphrased summary of the psalm, which is actually much more specific in its call for all creation to praise the Creator (a point that I'll return to in just a moment).  In light of this psalm, Bickford thought it would be a "wonderful ting to let all things praise God together and have families bring their dogs to church."  She also noted that those parishioners who do bring dogs to the "Woof 'n' Worship" service will be responsible for cleaning up any mess created by the pets.

Mess created by the pets?  What about the mess created by the minister?  Talk about a convoluted interpretation of the Scriptures!  Yes, it is true that all creation is called to praise God, but certainly not in the same manner!  Even a cursory reading of Scripture itself shows this to be the case.  Take, for instance, the text cited by Bickford - Psalm 148.  Verse 3 says, "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars."  How do the luminaries render praise to their Creator?  By their "shining," by radiating or reflecting light.  Elsewhere the psalmist writes, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" (Ps. 19:1).  All one has to do is gaze at the stars, and he knows that their Maker is powerful, good, creative, and majestic beyond imagination.  The same could be said in reference to "fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word" (Ps. 148:8).  Nature reveals to all observers - people of every tribe and language and nation and ethnic group - the awesome wonder and power of God our Creator.  Puritan commentator Matthew Henry summarizes well this truth in the context of this psalm, saying,

Much of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Creator appears in the several capacities and instincts of the creatures, in the provision made for them and the use made of them.  Surely we cannot but acknowledge God with wonder and thankfulness.

Thus Romans 1:19-20 states, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power an divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse."

"They," of course, refers to mankind, who, unlike the animal kingdom and lower forms of creation, has been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) and has the powers of reason.  So to bring people with their pets to a worship service so that they can all praise God together is a gross misapplication of what the psalmist is saying.  In fact, it comes perilously close to "exchang[ing] the truth of God for a lie and worship[ing] and serv[ing] the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom. 1:25).  Take, for instance, the remark that one parishioner made about her pet joining her for worship:  "I love it.   My life revolves around making my dogs happy." 

Replace "dogs" with "God," and you'd have yourself a Christian worldview.  

Hope for the Dense Husband: Your Selfishness Can Work for You - by Jim Elliff

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her . . . (Ephesians 5:25)

Okay men, we are to love our wives. Most of us do. At least we say we do.

But, the bar for that love to our wives is set so high—so aggravatingly high. Wives, have sympathy for us. God requires us to love you as Christ loved the church! Who can do that?

Notice that the apostle Paul, the author of these words above, tells us to "love" (present tense) as Christ "loved" (past tense). He points first, not to Christ's ongoing love for the true church, but back to His supreme sacrificial act of dying for her. We are to love like that. Impossible!

Certainly, there has never been an act of love to this degree in the history of mankind. The cross was that act of love which presents the Bride, His church, blameless before God, "without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." It washed and pardoned His church once-for-all, so that all believers will be received into God's eternal world.

We can't accomplish what Christ did when He died. But we are to love our wives in the same way that Christ did—by sacrificing for them. That's the point.

Need Motivation?

So, are we men to live in disappointing failure all our lives, constantly falling short of true biblical love for our wives? Who can consistently love like Jesus did when He died? I've often been so disappointed at the inadequate love I exhibit that I can hardly hold my head up. If you are like me, you need motivation.

Merely acknowledging that Christ's sacrificial act of love is our standard will not provide sufficient motivation to love our wives as we should. It may help us for a day or two, but God knows we need more. Thankfully, He has something to say that will make sacrificial love almost unavoidable. How would you like to fulfill your responsibility as a husband to love sacrificially because you want to, not because you to?

Read his logic:

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of Christ. (vs. 28-30)

Here is the way it works: He states that Christ'songoing love for the church is due to the fact that the church has been made His own body. As Christians, we are "members" of Christ—that is, we are His hands, feet, ears, nose, and big toe. For Christ to love us is for Christ to love His own body. His love for Himself is the reason for His unselfish love for you.

Like Christ who lovingly cares for his spiritual Body, the church, we naturally care for our physical body! When we tenderly treat that painful hangnail, we are a living illustration of this astounding truth.

So what does all this have to do with loving our wives?

Simple: Our wife is also our own body, according to the Genesis passage Paul cites in his appeal. He concludes, "He who loves His own wife loves himself."

In fact, the more you love yourself, the more you love her! This principle turns selfishness into love! Because we're experts at loving ourselves, I'm confident that even the worst of us can do this!

Men, God has put the cookies down on the table where we can reach them now. Any old slug who can love himself, can love his wife sacrificially. When you are tempted to demean your wife, or dismiss her needs, say, "I'm doing this to myself!" If our perspective is right, our love will be right!

But, the minute you forget that, you will be the same old creep you've always been.

Copyright © 2008 Jim Elliff 
Permission granted for reproduction in exact form, including web address. All other uses require written permission
www.CCWtoday.org

Doing Deuteronomy

Today's staff meeting was sparse - just Chaplain Fred and myself.  Pastor Nick was at a doctor's appointment (I had met with him earlier), Elaine Allshouse was out sick (still recovering from her last chemo treatment), and Nancy Ahlstrom, our Office Manager, I can touch base with anytime, so I let her continue her work in the office.

So I sat down and started listening to Fred.  I learned a long time ago that Fred doesn't give you a 5-minute, bullet-point summary of his week.  He tells you stories of his visits to various persons and how God is working in each one's life.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows Fred.  He is a lover of people, because he is first and foremost a lover of God.

But today's conversation was extra-special, because we weren't in a rush.  No other staff members were giving reports.  Anything I had to say from an administrative standpoint could wait and would have to be repeated anyway to the rest of the staff.   So I just led Fred talk, and as he shared stories from the lives of others, he recounted his own testimony. . . .

Back in 1932, when Fred was around twelve years old, he attended a Bible study with five other boys (one of which was Uta Gelo's brother Wendell, whom some of you may recall).   Their teacher was Fred's aunt, Ethel Bretten.  Aunt Ethel taught Fred and his friends this verse from the book of Deuteronomy:

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.  Make them known to your children and to your children's children.

- Deuteronomy 4:9

With tears in her eyes, Ethel Bretten told this group of boys that as they got older and made their way out into the world, temptations would beset them.  She prayed that they wouldn't go astray.  "But if you do," said Ethel, "remember this verse.  Come back to the Lord and serve Him.  Teach these things to your children and to their children."

As Fred got older, he did drift from the Lord.  But he remembered this verse that his aunt had impressed upon his heart with her urgent words, her tears and her prayers - and Fred came back to the Lord.  Fred has served his Savior faithfully now for more than half a century.  Not only that, but he has taught God's Word to his four children and his many grandchildren.  Fred's been doin' Deuteronomy!  Our brother has been a living demonstration of this verse.

At the end of our session, it was my joy to give Fred a picture that I've had in my possession for about eight years now.  It's a picture of Fred, myself, and three other dear life-long friends of Fred, one of which is now with the Lord (Aiken Gelo).  As Fred looks forward to celebrating his 88th birthday next month, I am already celebrating a life lived to the glory of God.  It spurs me on in my own Christian walk and motivates me to pray, "O Lord, find me faithful!  Help me to finish well!"

By the way, Deuteronomy 4:9 became Fred's life verse.  Not a bad choice.  At the end of our meeting, I highlighted that verse in my Bible.  I have a feeling I'll be turning to it time and time again.

What to Look for in a Spouse

Last weekend our church hosted a Family Conference with Tom Harmon.  The sessions were Scripture-saturated and loaded with personal application.  During one of these sessions, Tom shared with us a "checklist" of sorts that his son developed when considering what kind of woman God would want him to marry.  Later, Tom's daughter(s) came up with a similar list for a husband.  So this is the list that Tom handed to me during the service that is a "composite" of the character qualities his kids wanted in their spouses.  Most of these characteristics are not gender-specific. Nevertheless, because there are a few distinctions, I have gone ahead and put these qualifications into two different lists.

"What to Look for in a Wife"

1. She is not only saved but truly loves the Lord and is committed to Him and His Word (Mark 12:30).
2. She is morally pure and lives a life of high moral standards.  She is a woman of character (1 Thess. 4:3-7).
3. She lives in harmony with authority, i.e. parents, church, government (Eph. 6:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-19).
4. She accepts herself as best evidenced by a meek and quiet spirit.  She doesn't make physical things her focus - clothes, makeup, etc. (1 Peter 3:1-6).  
5. She loves her parents, especially her dad.  If her parents are divorced or she has been wronged deeply, she forgives and honors them (Eph. 6:1-3).  
6. She has a purpose in life that includes a high priority on being a wife and mother and homemaker (Titus 2:4-5).
7. She is fun and light-hearted, and yet can be serious when the occasion calls for it (Prov. 17:22; Titus 2:4).

"What to Look for in a Husband"

1. He is not only saved but he truly loves the Lord and is committed to Him and His Word (Mark 12:30).
2. He is morally pure and lives a life of high moral standards.  He is a man of character (1 Thess. 4:3-7).
3. He lives in harmony with authority, i.e. parents, church, government (Eph. 6:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:13-19).
4. He accepts himself as best evidenced by a humble and contrite heart.  He is temperate and not given to anger (Matt. 11:29; Prov. 22:24; James 1:19).
5. He loves his parents, especially his mother.  If his parents are divorced or he has been wronged deeply, he forgives and honors them (Eph. 6:1-3).
6. He has purpose in life that includes a high priority on spiritual leadership.  He loves children (Eph. 5:24-29; Eph. 6:4).
7. He is honest and self-denying. He cares deeply about the feelings of those he is responsible for (Luke 9:23).

These are helpful lists indeed, but keep in mind that they are not comprehensive.  Further, we must realize that "the best of men are men at best" (the same is true of women).  The godliest of spouses will fail to be all that they should be, could be, and want to be.  As James says, "We all stumble in many ways" (3:2).  One of the best books on marriage I've come by in a long time is entitled When Sinners Say 'I Do.'  That's a great title, because it's true!  Both husband and wife are sinners; they're only hope for life and marriage is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So for marital fulfillment, our trust is in Christ, not a checklist.

But having said that, let us applaud those young people who seek to establish biblical criteria for their mates.  A believer shouldn't marry just anyone who claims to be a Christian, but one who is committed in his/her walk with Christ and spurs on others spiritually.  Paul told Timothy, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22).

And let us be sure to strive after the same biblical standards that we set before our (future) spouse.  Someone once said to me, "Marriage is not so much finding the right person as it is being the right person."  That's wisdom.  God help each of us to take it to heart.

Justification and Christian Joy

I've been "down in the dumps" the last day or two.  It doesn't help that I have a cold, as that has a way of dragging one down.  Also, I find that I experience a bit of a let-down after an exhilarating conference or retreat, such as the one we had last weekend.

But in my heart I knew there was something more.  Something else was contributing to this state of discouragement.  One or two more external factors could be named that I know have come into play, but I also know that the real problem has arisen from within, not without.

So I began to do some heart-searching.  Certain sins and shortcomings came to mind:  I don't pray enough, I don't witness enough, I'm too impatient with my kids, I lack administration skills; I should be wiser than I am - as a husband, a parent, a pastor, and so on and so forth.  I confessed these sins to the Lord and asked Him to forgive me and to help me, acknowledging that without Him I can't do anything.  I thanked Him for His mercy and grace, His love and patience, as I wrapped up my time of meditation and prayer.

Still, the cloud of despondency remained over me.  I didn't feel much better at all.  I went down to my study, and there a pamphlet caught my eye.  It was one that had been given out (along with a bunch of other "freebies") at an expositors' conference I attended in early October.  The title of this particular pamphlet was Honey out of the Rock.  It was a devotional piece by Thomas Wilcox (1621-1687) that could be read in a half-hour or less.  The title appealed to me - sounded like a good "pick-me-up" sort of topic, so I began reading.

What I found was something I didn't expect:  a deliberation on the doctrine of justification.  My initial thought was: "Oh, I already know about that.  In fact, our speaker alluded to it this past weekend.  Justification is an instantaneous legal act by God whereby He declares me to be righteous by crediting my sins to Christ on the cross, and crediting Christ's righteousness to me.  This transaction is made by faith, as I put my trust solely in Christ for the forgiveness of my sins."

I know this, and I wondered why a pamphlet written for the sake of believers would camp out on this doctrine.  But as I read on, I found out why.  Here's what Wilcox said that really hit me:

When a sense of guilt is raised up, take heed of getting it allayed in any way but by Christ's blood; all other ways will tend to harden the conscience.  Make Christ your peace (Eph. 2:14); not your duties, your tears, etc.  You may oppose Christ by duties as well as by sins.

I kept reading that last statement over and over.  Usually I think of offending Christ by the bad things I do, not the good things I do!  But if I become fixated with myself -with how good I'm doing or how bad I'm doing as a believer - and fail to look to Christ as my righteousness, then I have lost sight of the gospel, have grieved the Spirit of Christ, and have lost the ground of joy.

Earnest believers, beware of this pitfall!  In our attempts to please Christ, we actually oppose Christ if we focus on how we're doing instead of who we are in Christ.  Here I'm going to quote Wilcox at length, so you can really grasp the practical implications of our justification.  Please take the time to read over the next several paragraphs carefully.

Stand with all your weight upon Christ's righteousness.  Take heed of having one foot on your righteousness, another on Christ's.  Till Christ come and sit upon a throne of grace in the conscience, there is nothing but guilt, terrors, secret suspicions, the soul hanging between hope and fear....  Whoever is afraid to see sin's utmost vileness, and to confess the desperate wickedness of his own heart, suspects the merits of Christ....

You complain much of yourself.  Do your sins make you look more at the righteousness of Christ, less at your own? - that is right; otherwise complaining is but hypocrisy.  To be looking at duties, graces, enlargements, when you should be looking at Christ, that is pitiful, and will make you proud.  Looking at Christ's grace will make you humble.  In all your temptations be not discouraged (James 1:2).  Those surges may be intended, not to drown you, but to heave off from yourself on to the Rock of Christ.

Do not legalize the gospel as if part remained for you to do, or suffer, and Christ were but a half Mediator; as if you must bear part of your own sin, and make some satisfaction.  Let sin break your heart, but not your hope in the gospel.

Look more at justification than sanctification.  In the highest commands consider Christ, not as an exacter to require, but as a debtor, an undertaker, to work in you and for you.  If you have looked at your resolutions, endeavors, workings, duties, qualifications, etc., more than at the merits of Christ, it will cost you dear.  No wonder you go mourning....  Every day your workings, your self-sufficiency, must be destroyed.

Many call Christ Saviour; few know Him to be so.  To see grace and salvation in Christ is the greatest sight in the world.  

Christ's obedience and sufferings, not your sanctification, must be your justification before God....  He that sets up his sanctification to look at for comfort, sets up a great idol, which will but strengthen his doubts and fears.  But do look off from Christ, and presently, like Peter, you sink in doubts.

The Great Physician has spoken!  He has correctly diagnosed the cause of my discouragement!  Self-fixation is my problem; looking to Christ is my cure!

I have already written too much for one blog posting, but allow me to close with these final exhortations from Wilcox:

A Christian never [lacks] comfort, but by breaking the order and method of the gospel, looking on his own, and looking off from Christ's perfect righteousness, which is to choose rather to live by candlelight, than by the light of the sun.  The honey that you suck from your own righteousness, will turn into perfect gall, and the light that you take from that to walk in, will turn into black night upon the soul.  Satan is tempting you by putting you to plod about your own grace, to get comfort from it.  There the Father comes and points you to Christ's grace - as rich, as glorious, as infinitely pleasing to Him, and bids you study Christ's righteousness.  And His biddings are enablings - a blessed power - a sweet whisper checking your unbelief.  Follow the least hint; close with much prayer; prize it as an invaluable jewel, it is an earnest for more to come.  

If you would pray, and cannot, and are so discouraged, see Christ praying for you....  If you are troubled, see Christ your peace (Eph. 2:14)....  You who have seen Christ as ALL, and yourself absolutely nothing, who make Christ all your life, and are dead to all righteousness besides; you are the Christian, one highly beloved, who has found favour with God, a favorite of heaven.

Family Harmony

In his book, Secrets of a Happy Home Life (first published in 1894), author J. R. Miller wrote:

One instrument out of tune in an orchestra mars the music which breaks upon the ears of the listeners.  One discordant life in a household mars the perfectness of the music of love in the family.  We should make sure that our life is not the one that is out of tune.  We do not need to worry about the other lives; if each looks to his own, that will do.

These words are very timely as we head into our weekend family conference here at First Baptist.  How easy it is for me to think, "My kids need to hear these messages and get back on track!"  or "I hope my wife pays real close attention to that message on on marriage!"  Or even as a pastor I could think, "I hope this or that couple comes to the conference because their family life stinks!  Their priorities are way out of line!  They need to come to this conference and get right with God!"

Now some or all of those things may be true, but the one I need to be looking at is ME.  Like the old Gospel hymn says, "It's not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer!  Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer!..."  Whenever we come to the Word of God, our attitude should be, "Lord, wouldst Thou have ME to do?"

May God help me - and all of us - to approach His Word with such a mindset.  Then and only then will we have happy and holy homes.

Election Day Encouragement

I almost hesitated to write anything on today's election, given the plethora of articles that have already been posted.  But I wanted to send along just a brief word of encouragement, straight from Scripture.  This is one that a relative sent me and the rest of my extended family (most of whom are Christians) just yesterday, as part of our Family Day of Prayer, which takes place the first Wednesday of each month.  (We moved it up a day to have a special prayer emphasis for the election.)  Anyway, the Scripture he cited was Psalm 125:

1Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
   which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
   so the LORD surrounds his people,
   from this time forth and forevermore.
3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
   on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
   their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
   and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
   the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel!

Though this psalm was originally written to the nation Israel, it has a comforting message for all of God's people today.  As believers, our hope is not in the next President but in the King of kings and Lord of lords.  In Christ we are secure!  As my uncle put it in his note to the family, "We know the sovereign Lord of the nations will have His way on this Election Day."  Amen!  So let us rest - and even rejoice - in that reality.

If you would like to know how you can pray more specifically for today's election, using Scriptural principles to frame your prayers, I would encourage you to check out today's posting on Dr. Mohler's blog, which is entitled A Prayer for America on Election Day.