The Meek Shall Inherit ... a Massage?

Last evening my wife and I grabbed a bite to eat then went to the mall to hang out for awhile.  We had no intention of buying anything; we pretty much went just to stretch our legs and get a change of scenery.

As we made our way through the mall, we came to one store that is well-known for its creative gadgets.  While browsing through the store, we got separated, and I looked around to see where Ruthie was.  I couldn't see her at first, but then I saw her waving to me from the back of the store.  She was sitting down in what looked like a recliner with her back to me.  When I got to her, she said, "Oh, honey, you've got to try this."  It was a chair with an electronic foot & calf massager.  So I took off my shoes, slipped my feet into place, and started her up.  Man, oh, man, did it ever feel good!  In the meantime Ruthie was in another chair with a different type of foot massager.  So after a few minutes I slipped into that chair, while Ruthie went to the next one.  (There were four of them.)  Finally, after all that, we found off to the side full body massage chairs.  These gave deep rubs all the way from your neck to your feet.  Wow, what a feeling!  We could have stayed all night but were only there about twenty minutes or so.

When we left the mall, one of us remarked, "That wasn't a bad way to spend a date - getting a free massage at the mall!"  We hadn't spent a penny!  Those massage chairs were hundreds of dollars, yet we were able to enjoy them for free!

This reminded me of a study on the Beatitudes that I did years ago, specifically when Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5).  Before focusing on the second half of the verse, I think it's important to understand what is meant by "meek."  It has often been rightly said that meekness is not weakness. This is made clear in the New Testament Greek word translated "meek."  The Greek word is praus, a term that was used of animals to designate those that had been domesticated.  These animals were high-spirited, yet they were "broken in," having learned to accept control by their masters and to behave accordingly.  By extension, the word came to refer to people who behaved properly.  The closest equivalent in English is the word "gentle," or the compound word "gentleman."  ("Gentle" is the word that appears in the New American Standard translation of Matthew 5:5.)

Jesus said that the meek are the ones who are blessed, "for they shall inherit the earth."  What did Jesus mean by this?  Well, if you read your Bible, you'll see that there is definitely a future fulfillment of this promise.  The meek will inherit the earth quite literally, when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, sets up His earthly kingdom.  This is clearly indicated in the Old Testament text from which Jesus was quoting: Psalm 37 (look especially at verses 1-7, 10-11 and compare to Revelation 5:10).

But there is also a present fulfillment of this promise.  There is a sense in which the meek shall inherit the earth now.  Since the meek person looks to God for his sustenance, he is content, for he knows that God has given him "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17).  After all, there are two ways to be rich in life: to have everything you want, or to be content with what you have.  The latter is the only true wealth there is, when such contentment is rooted in Christ.  Paul told Timothy, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6).  Paul really believed this himself and lived accordingly.  Though he owned very little, he spoke of himself - and every believer - as "possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6:10).  To the contentious Corinthians he wrote,

So then let no one boast in men.  For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

- 1 Cor. 3:21-23, emphasis mine

With such a perspective, I can go into the mall and enjoy a nice massage!  I can go to the park, visit a museum, lie down under a big old oak tree and gaze up at the sky - and I can know that these things are mine as much as anyone else's.  And I can thank God for all the people who maintain these things for me!  :)

Admittedly, to a certain extent these last few remarks were made a bit tongue-in-cheek.  But it is true that today we get a taste of what one day will be true in its entirety:  "The saints shall judge the world" (1 Cor. 6:2).  We who have believed on the Messiah as our Deliverer will one day reign with him (2 Tim. 2:12a).  As Christians, we are God's heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.  Though we experience a measure of sorrow and suffering now, we get a glimpse in the everyday pleasures of life of the future glory that is ours.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

- Rev. 22:20 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

As I sit here working at my desk, the snow is piled up outside my window and is now getting dotted and glazed by the falling rain and sleet.  I am watching the weather with all the more fascination (and perhaps appreciation) after reading in the book of Job early this morning.  You see, I'm reading through The One Year Chronological Bible, which has daily readings throughout the course of the year.  After reading today's section, I went ahead and read tomorrow's, because it was part of a continuing conversation between Job and Elihu (one of his friends).  I'm so glad I did, and you'll see why, once you read this portion of the text:

God's voice is glorious in the thunder.  We can't even imagine the greatness of His power.

He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.

Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power.

The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens.

The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.

God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.

He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.

The clouds church about at his direction.

They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.

He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.

Pay attention to this.... Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?...

We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us....  

All who are wise and show Him reverence.

Job 37:5-16, 23-24 NLT

The snow, the sleet, the rain, the storms, the thunder, the lightning - they all speak of God's power ... and of His pardon.  (Look again at the last few lines!)  God takes up quite a chunk of Scripture talking about His sovereign control over all the weather.  Why is that?  Well, consider this:  If God can control the weather, directing this lightning bolt here, moving these clouds over there, causing the rain to fall here but not there, etc., then is there anything else in this world that He cannot control?  Of course not!  If God controls the weather, then it's nothing for Him to control the economy, the powers of government, and the daily situations that we face.

What a comfort this brings!  What amazement!  What a sense of security God's sovereignty brings!  And to know that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called by Him (Rom. 8:28) ought to produce an indescribable exhilaration in our souls!

Surely this is one good reason why Christians should never complain about the weather.  Actually, the Bible says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing" (Phil. 2:14, italics mine).  But this ought to be especially true when it comes to the weather, because of what Scripture tells us what the weather is intended to convey:  God's power to judge or to show love.  And let's face it, more often than not it is to show His love.  "For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45).

Recently my wife told me how amazed she was at just how many people complain about the weather.  Everywhere she went - the bank, the grocery store, or wherever else - negative comments and complaints were made about the weather.  I know I've been guilty of such comments myself at times.  But the portion of Scripture I read this morning reminds me in a powerful way that I shouldn't complain; rather, I should give thanks.  I should revere God because of His power, and I should rejoice in God because of His pardon.

So watch the weather - and worship the God who controls it.  All of it!

A Thank-You Note to President Bush

As our nation's 43rd President prepares to leave office this day, I would like to write him the following note of thanks.  I doubt he will ever read it, but I'd like to write it, just the same.

Dear President Bush,

From the time you took office eight years ago, your administration has faced one battle after another.  Did you ever really have a "honeymoon period" as President?  The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, pretty much set your agenda for two full terms:  protect America whatever the cost.  That is, essentially, your primary responsibility as our Commander-in-Chief.  With that in mind, I would like to thank you for several things:

Thank you for sticking by your convictions.  Whether it had to do with the war on terror, pro-life legislation, or other issues, you didn't waver under pressure.  That's not to say that I agreed with every decision you made, but I respected you for being a man of principle and letting the principle - not public opinion - determine your course of action.

Thank you for being a devoted husband.  To see a President who has eyes for one woman only - his wife - sets a good moral example for America.  On a side note, I also appreciate the manner in which Mrs. Bush respected and supported you as her husband.  From everything I've seen, Mrs. Bush has been a wonderful complement to you in every way.  God bless you both.

Thank you for being a man of integrity.  Not only did you stick by your convictions when it came to making decisions, but you also preserved your character and reputation by avoiding scandal.  You seem to have maintained a high level of personal morality throughout your time in office.  Yet many a president's tenure has been tarnished by moral impropriety, questionable conduct, and unethical behavior.  Thank you for preserving the dignity of the Office of the President of the United States and for setting a good moral example for the American people.

Thank you for not taking yourself too seriously.  Though you were dead-earnest about matters pertaining to our nation's security and well-being, combatting terrorism, cracking down on corporate scandals, defending the life of the unborn, and the like, you had no problem enjoying a good laugh ... at yourself.  That was always a breath of fresh air and made you very likable, at least to me.  I think it reflected a spirit of humility and, in an odd sort of way, upheld your dignity.  You showed people that the hills to die on weren't about you, but about the higher ideals which you were called to defend as an authority appointed by God for our good as a nation.  By laughing at the little things, you endeared yourself to me and my family.

Much more could be said and really should be said by someone much more qualified than I to write such a note of gratitude to such a deserving man.  But I write as a common man to a man of uncommon valor, for whom I will always be grateful.  May our gracious and sovereign God continue to bless you and your dear family in your post-presidential years.

With heartfelt respect and appreciation,

Matt Fletcher 

"Miracle on the Hudson"

That's what New York Governor David Paterson called the landing of the USAirways jet that crashed into the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey yesterday.  It seems that the emergency landing was caused by a massive flock of birds (big enough to be seen on radar) crashed into the jet less than one minute after take-off, killing both engines.  Thankfully, all 155 people on board survived. The pilot of the plane, Chesley B. Sullenburger III, is being hailed a hero for his deft landing of the plane in the frigid waters of the Hudson.

Because I hadn't tuned into the news, I first heard about this incident early this morning while meeting with one of our church members. We had been discussing God's providence, as part of a theological book study we are undertaking, and my friend mentioned this jet crash as a good example of God's providence.  As Wayne Grudem notes, 

... The biblical doctrine [of God's providence] does not teach that events in creation are determined by chance (or randomness), nor are they determined by impersonal fate (or determinism), but by God, who is the personal yet infinitely powerful Creator and Lord.

- Systematic Theology, p. 315

One component of the doctrine of God's providence is concurrence, that "God cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do" (Systematic Theology, p. 317).  This we see vividly demonstrated in the apparent cause of yesterday's crash, i.e., a flock of birds flying striking the jet.  In teaching His disciples about God's providence, Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air" (Matt. 6:26a).  What can we learn about God's providence from birds?  Jesus said, "Your heavenly Father feeds them" (Matt. 6:26b).  Later He said that not one sparrow "will fall to the ground without your Father's will" (Matt. 10:29).  Think about that!  If not one sparrow can fall to the ground apart from God's will, then surely a whole flock of birds can't crash into a plane without His ordaining it!

But, wait.  There's even more wonder at God's providence that can be drawn from yesterday's story.  In reporting this incident during a news broadcast, here's what FOXNews' Shepard Smith had to say:

We are told that the water in the Hudson River is at exactly at 32 degrees.  In fact, if you go north of the city ... a hundred city blocks, ... the river is closed to the ferries due to the ice in the water.  And now we are led to believe that this very cold water ... is part of what allowed this thing to skid rather than tumble, and a tumble could have been catastrophic.

At the same time, near-freezing temperature of the water made it cold enough to keep the plane afloat as the passengers and flight crew made their way to safety.  Job 37:10 declares, "The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen."  Even what we consider to be "natural occurrences" in creation are, in the ultimate sense, caused by God.

We could go on to demonstrate many more examples of God's providence from this single incident.  Yet the fact is, there are tokens of God's sovereignty over all creation every day at every moment, everywhere we turn our heads.  What a great security this gives us as God's children, for "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).  Even tragedies in life, for the believer, have a good and noble end.  Therefore we can be strong and courageous, knowing that our all-powerful God is accomplishing His eternal purpose in the everyday incidents of life, whether big or small, whether ordinary or extraordinary.  Rejoice in that.  Take refuge in that.  And urge others to do the same.

One Small Leak, One Big Mess

A couple of Saturdays ago, I walked across the street to the church to finish my sermon for the following day.  Upon making my way into the building, I discovered that the hallway from the lobby up to my office was flooded with water.  At first I thought a pipe had burst, but the walls were dry.  Then I noticed that the water fountain was dribbling, almost imperceptibly.  Apparently the drain had been clogged and the faucet had gotten stuck before turning fully off.

It was hard to believe that such a small trickle of water had created such a massive amount of water on the floor.  The faucet must have been on throughout the previous evening and all through the night.  Though people had been in the building (the cleaning crew was there around midnight), no one noticed the dribble, because it had not yet filled the drain pipe and overflowed while they were there.  But eventually it did after they left, and by the time I came in the next morning, the damage had been done.

In fact, the damage was worse than I thought.  When I opened my office door, which is located right next to the water fountain, I discovered that the water had seeped five or six feet into my office area and had completely flooded the carpet.  When I stepped on to the flooded carpet area, the water rose almost halfway up my shoe.  

I took almost an hour to mop up the water in the hallway, then my wife came over with our shampooer to dry-vac my office.  We got as much water out as we could, but it seemed to do little good.  The next day when I came into my office, it had a rotten, mildewy kind of smell.  I left my door open and blew a fan on it all that day ... and the next day.  But it still reeked.  A gentleman in our church who lays carpets for a living came in and assessed the damage, saying that the padding and carpet were wrecked and could not be saved.  The stain couldn't be removed, and the rotten smell would remain:  the carpet and padding had to be replaced.

One little leak, yet such a big mess!  Isn't this the case with the careless words we utter?  One tidbit of gossip here, one little critical remark there ... and yet what damage it can do!  Listen to the testimony of Scripture:

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.  

The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, 

setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

(James 3:5b-6 ESV)

Whereas I used the word picture of water, James uses the metaphor of fire to depict the destructive power of the tongue.  In essence he says that those who misuse the tongue are guilty of spiritual arson!  Remember that old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?"  Well, that's about as false as false can get, according to Scripture.  The tongue has caused more damage and wrecked more lives than all the sticks and stones one could ever hurl at another person.  As I was reminded by the leaking water fountain, a little dribble can cause a lot of damage.  

While meditating on the use of the mouth, I went to BibleGateway.com  and typed into the word search "my mouth."  I came to find out that the Bible has a lot to say about my mouth, and how it ought - and how it ought not - to be used!  You should check out all these verses; they are highly instructive!  One such verse was uttered by David - one we should all pray:  

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; 

Keep watch over the door of my lips.

(Psalm 141:3 NIV)

On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone.  The quaint stone bears an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look closely.  The faint etchings read:

Beneath this stone, a lump of clay,

lies Arabella Young,

who on the twenty-fourth of May

began to hold her tongue.

Don't wait till you're dead to stop the leak.  Start today, with the Lord's help!

I'm Bummed, But Why?

Have you ever felt down, discouraged or depressed, while not being exactly sure why?  Yesterday I read an article by John Piper that a church member sent me, which helped to explain this.  It's not the catch-all answer, but it's worth consideration, because it's a factor that might affect our moods more than we realize.  I'm talking about our values.  Here's the gist of the argument:

• Every person has desires.
• We may define a person's values as that which he desires.
• Our happiness varies in direct proportion to the achievement or realization of our greatest values.
  

For instance, if you value the admiration of others, you may be devastated by their criticisms, yet elated by their commendations.  If you value courtesy and gentleness but find yourself being mean or harsh toward others, you will feel guilty and unhappy.  If you prize physical beauty, yet perceive ugliness when you look in the mirror, then you will be sad, mad, or frustrated.

Inevitably, the issue of what we value goes straight to the heart of self-image.   To state the matter succinctly in the writer's own words, "How you feel when you look at your life will be determined by whether you see it as a true reflection of your values."  If I value industry, I'll feel bad when I'm being lazy, but I'll feel good when I'm working hard and being productive.

Several more examples could be given, but by now most of you catch the drift of what Piper is saying.  But I want to focus primarily on one love, one desire that encompasses every other value that is intrinsically good and wholesome, and that is love for God.  Jesus identified loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind as "the first and great commandment" (Matt. 22:38).  If this is true, then everything that Jesus loves, I will love. Everything that Jesus hates, I will hate.  Everything that results in Jesus' being mad, glad, or sad will result in my being mad, glad, or sad.

Let me share a very personal (and painful) illustration with you.  The other night after the kids went to bed, my wife and I sat down to watch a movie that we had seen more than a decade ago.  On the DVD cover we saw that this movie was characterized by "pervasive language."  We didn't remember language being an issue when we watched the movie years ago; plus, we have TV Guardian, a "foul language filter" that automatically mutes out offensive language when it surfaces during a movie.

The problem is, we couldn't get the TV Guardian to work with this particular movie.  But we decided to watch it anyway, since we didn't remember language being an issue.  Well, the movie proved our memories wrong.  Language was an issue.  Vulgar words and profanities were peppered throughout the movie.  I remember thinking to myself when we were less than thirty minutes into it, "Turn it off.  It's not worth it.  Just turn it off and go to bed.  You'll be glad you did."  That was my conscience speaking ... but I ignored it and kept watching.

We watched the whole movie, and afterwards we both felt very guilty.  We knew better than to keep subjecting our ears to such foul language, but we did it anyway.  As we got ready for bed, we acknowledged our guilt before one another and then before God.  We prayed to the Lord, confessing our sin and asking His forgiveness.  We thanked God for His tender mercies and long-suffering with us.  Before His throne of grace, we renewed our resolve to do that which is well-pleasing to Him.

As we worked our way through our guilt, confession, repentance and renewal, we became very cognizant of something - and this is where our experience ties in to the whole concept of values.  We were amazed that we didn't remember how bad the language was the first time we saw the movie, given how guilty and heartsick we felt at the present.  It was then, in the midst of our guilt, that we saw God's work of grace in our lives.  The fact is, we didn't remember language being an issue back then because it really wasn't an issue back then - at least so far as our own hearts were concerned.  Our heightened sensitivity to such language was all owing to the grace of God in our lives.  Over these many years, God has been continuing His work of sanctification in our hearts.  We love Christ more now than we did back then.  We desire His glory more now than we did back then.  We exalt His name more now than we did back then.

In other words, our failure to uphold our values resulted in our feeling guilty and grieved.  That's why, at other times, we have felt so good in talking about the Lord, praying together, or turning off an inappropriate movie or TV show.  For in such cases, our conduct is consistent with our values.

This accounts for Paul's statement in 2 Cor. 5:14, "For the love of Christ controls us," as well as his lament in Romans 7: "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate....  Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (vv. 15, 24, 25a).  A war rages in the heart of every believer - a war between his values and his vices, which stem from the Spirit and the flesh, respectively.  That's why it's so important that we let the love of Christ control us, for if we "walk in the Spirit, [we] shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).

The critical question each of us should answer is:  What do you value?  Our guilt after the movie, despite how awful it was, also evidenced our love for Christ.  The reason we feel so miserable when we sin is because we prize our Savior so highly.  What about you?  

• If you value possessions more than Christ, you will lay up treasures on earth instead of heaven.
• If you value the love of your spouse more than the love of Christ, you will be more interested in what you are getting out of your marriage relationship than what you are giving to it.
• If you value the affirmation of others more than that of Christ, you will be given to flattery and hypocrisy, and you will certainly be a poor witness for Christ.
• If you value "body image" over Christ, you will care more about how you look on the outside before others instead of what you look on the inside before God.

ON THE OTHER HAND . . .

• If you value Christ more than possessions, you will be a generous, cheerful giver.
• If you value Christ more than your spouse, you will love your husband or wife unconditionally, demanding nothing in return.
• If you value Christ more than the admiration of others, you will speak the truth in love at all times, regardless of people's response.
• If you value Christ more than your physique, you will focus more on sculpting your character than your body.

May the love of Christ so control us, that we experience the perpetual joy of having Him as our preeminent Value and supreme Desire.

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.

- Psalm 73:25, 26

How to Survive Your Pastor's Sermons

This was the title of a free sample booklet I received in the mail some time ago.  While I do not know the author personally, I have found his booklets to be very biblical, practical, and well-written.  The author is Dr. Robert Spinney, who serves as Assistant Professor of History at Patrick Henry College.  Formerly, Dr. Spinney served as one of the pastors at Grace Baptist Church in Hartsville, Tennessee.  The full title of Dr. Spinney's booklet is HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR PASTOR'S SERMONS:  Six Ways to Make Pulpit Messages More Profitable to Your Soul.

In light of last Sunday's sermon on Nehemiah 8, wherein we observed the people's high regard for Scripture, I found this booklet to be wonderfully beneficial.  It is a quick read (24 pages) and costs only two and a half bucks.  You can order it and other such helpful booklets at www.tulipbooks.com.

For the sake of today's blog, I wanted to highlight Dr. Spinney's first piece of advice in "surviving your pastor's sermon," which is:  Listen to the weekly Sunday sermon as if your life depended on it.  I found this bit of counsel quite interesting, given one of the cross-references to yesterday's text.  Here it is again:

Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, and he said to them, "Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe - all the words of this law.  For it is not a futile thing for you, for it is your life. . . .

- Deut. 32:45-47a (emphasis mine)

While Dr. Spinney does not quote this text, he presses home its principle quite clearly with the following illustration:

Imagine that you are a passenger on an airplane.  You are cruising along at 30,000 feet when you hear explosions.  You look out the window and see three of your airplane's four engines in flames.  The plane noses downward and begins a dive toward the earth.  The plane's captain comes across the intercom:  "Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that we have lost our engines.  We cannot land safely.  This plane will crash to earth in fifteen minutes.  The good news is that there are parachutes located over your seats in the storage compartments.  We all have time to parachute to safety.  Listen carefully and I will explain how to use the parachute."

If you found yourself in such a situation, my guess is that the pilot would have your full and undivided attention!  Why?  Because your life depends on it!  You would be all ears as he voiced his instructions!  Says Spinney,

If someone's words are truly important, you will find a way to listen to them, understand them, and apply them.

Even if the airplane pilot is a tad boring, excessively serious, somewhat disorganized, or not a gifted speaker, you will find a way to comprehend his instructions - if indeed you regard his words as vitally important.

How important is it to you that you understand and apply God's Word?  Do you really believe that you need God's Word in order to live successfully?  Is understanding what God says a matter of life or death for you?  Is hearing God speak in His Word on the Lord's Day the highlight of your week?

The Lord Jesus Christ said that man does not live by bread alone, but rather on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4)....

If God's words are truly important to us, then we will find a way to listen to them, understand them, and apply them.

Such earnestness clearly characterized the citizens of Jerusalem on that day that they "assembled as one man" to hear the Word of God.  May such zeal resonate within our own hearts as we come together as a church body to hear the Word of God each Lord's Day.