The Holiness of God

Revelation 15:4, "Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

In C.S. Lewis’ novel, The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, his four heroes, Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy, question Mr. and Mrs. Beaver about the nature of Aslan, the great king of Narnia. When the children find out that Aslan is a lion, Susan cautiously inquires, “Is he safe?” “Safe? Of course he’s not safe!” Mr. Beaver exclaimed. “But he’s good.”

Lewis strikes a chord that sounds quite out of harmony with our 21st century view of God. To us, the fact that Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit seems like an unrealistic consequence for those in our churches today (Acts 5:1-10). The fact that some Christians in Corinth became weak, sick, and even died because they ate and drank of the Lord’s Supper unworthily seems incompatible with our view of God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness (1 Cor. 11:28-30). We rightly believe that God loves us, cares for us, and sent his only Son to die for us, but we often for get why. In his goodness God offers us redemption in Christ Jesus precisely because he is not safe. Why? Because he is holy.

The basic meaning of holiness is to be “set apart.” As a holy God he is devoted to his own honor and his holiness is seen in a couple of ways. First, Lewis Berkhof points out that God is “absolutely distinct from all His creatures and is exalted above them in infinite majesty” (cf. Ex 15:11). We could say that God’s holiness is expressed in his transcendence. Since God cannot be contained, he is infinite in holiness. Second, God is separate from moral evil and sin. He cannot be tempted to sin, nor temp anyone else to sin (James 1:13). Therefore, “he is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made” (Ps 145:17).

It is reasonable to think of God’s holiness as his foremost attribute because it pervades all his other attributes and is consistent with all he is and does. Most importantly, however, is to see God’s holiness as our pattern for ethics and morality. The Lord has said, “Be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2; cf. 11:44–45; 20:26; 1 Peter 1:16). As a holy and just God, he must punish those who disobey. This is a terrible reality since we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).

Let us not be deceived then, God’s wrath comes upon those who violate his holiness (Eph. 5:6). And let us not forget, he is the one who drowned the armies of Egypt for their hardness of heart. He is the one who judged an entire generation of idolatrous Israelites in the wilderness. He caused the earth to swallow up Korah’s rebellious hoard. He had Elijah slaughter four hundred and fifty priest of Baal. He is the only one who will bring the nations beneath his feet when his righteousness is fully revealed. He is the one the writer of Hebrews warns us about, saying, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). Yet, he is good. Because he is holy he will never be unfair, but will remain perfectly just. Because he is holy his mercies will never fail and in his arms we can rest.

Remember, God’s Word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin. Hide it in your heart!

"The Preeminence of Christ"

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-4)

One of the remarkable things about the God of the Bible is that he speaks. He is not like the idols of wood and stone, before which people lay food, but who never eat. He is not like the sun and the stars to which people pray, but who give no reply. God created man to fellowship with Him—for man is made in his image. Adam walked and talked with God in the cool of the day. Even after Adam and Even disobeyed God and plunged all mankind into a nature controlled by the powers of sin, God was not silent—he still spoke. Yet, God no longer spoke in the same way he had before. For thousands of years subsequent to Adam’s sin, “at many times and in various ways,” God spoke to his people through the prophets. These words of God are preserved for us in the 39 books of the Old Testament Scripture.

For example, He spoke through the stuttering mouth of Moses who along with Abraham had seen God “face to face”. He spoke through the dreams of Joseph and Daniel; and through the rulings of the judges. He spoke through the songs of David, the proverbs of Solomon, and apocalyptic visions of Ezekiel. He often spoke with types and symbols; at times in parables and even once with his finger burning commandments into stone tablets. He spoke through men and sometimes through angels. But it was always God who was speaking. His words carried his laws and decrees, his warnings and judgments, his promises, and the healing of his forgiveness.

Those who were chosen to be his mouthpiece often spoke of a much anticipated day when the Messiah (the promised King and Savior of the people) would rule. These are referred to as the “last days” (Is. 2:2; Ezek. 38:16; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1). These prophets lived in the days of promise, but all who have lived since the coming of Jesus live in the days of fulfillment.

There were periods of silence and times when God did not speak. There was 400 years of prophetic silence between Malachi and John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets. But God broke that silence with the voice of an angel and a chorus of heavenly hosts outside of a small city in the hill country of Judah. God had spoken through his prophet Micah, “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6; cf. Micah 5:2). These angels announced the fulfillment of myriads of promises in the birth of Jesus Christ.

Someone has said that Jesus Christ came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became Son of Man that we might become sons of God. He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty, was reared in obscurity, and only once crossed the boundary of the land in which He was born—and that in His childhood. He had no wealth or influence and had neither training nor education in the world’s schools. His relatives were inconspicuous and uninfluential. In infancy He startled a king. In boyhood He puzzled the learned doctors. In manhood He ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His services. He never wrote a book and yet all the libraries of the world could not hold the books about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all songwriters together. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together cannot boast of as many students as He has. He never practiced medicine and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors have healed broken bodies. This Jesus Christ is the star of astronomy, the rock of geology, the lion and the lamb of zoology, the harmonizer of all discords, and the healer of all diseases. Throughout history great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him and the grave could not hold Him.[i]

Who is this baby laying in a manger? Some say he was a good teacher, maybe even a prophet. Others say he was a liar or a lunatic. Still others say he was enlightened, a man who was able to tap into the god and universal consciousness in us all. There are countless human explanations for who Jesus was. Yet, in these verses we see what God says about him, who he is, and what he has done. We see that Jesus holds the first place in all things glorious, the seat of honor in all things wonderful. The following is a seven-fold description of the preeminence of Jesus Christ.

1. Son of God. In Jesus we see the climax of all God’s revelation. In these “last days” God has once again spoken, but this time “he has spoken to us by his Son” (v. 1-2a).
   
   
2. Heir of All Things. As the Son of God, Jesus has been “appointed heir of all things” (v. 2b).
   
   
3. Creator of All Things. As the Son, Jesus has been appointed heir of all things and through him God “made the universe” (v. 2b).
   
   
4. Essence of Deity. The God of the Bible has described himself as a Spirit (Jn. 4:23). In his letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul offered worship to the “King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim 1:17cf. Heb 11:27). Here we see that even in infancy Jesus “is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (v. 3a).
   
   
5. Sustainer of All Things. As the Son, as Heir, as Creator and God, Jesus is sovereignly “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (v. 3b).
   
   
6. Redeemer of Sinners. Not only is Jesus is preeminent in position as son and Heir, not only preeminent in power as Creator and Sustainer, but he is also preeminent in provision as the one who has “provided purification for sins” (v. 3c).
   
   
7. King of Angels. Jesus paid man’s debt, died in his place, and rose to life conquering sin and death. As a preeminent Redeemer, Jesus was highly exalted, has been given the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore, “he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (v. 4).

Is this the image of the baby that you see at Christmas? Is this the image of Jesus you see every time you hear his name uttered in vain? Is this the image of Jesus that keeps you from sinning and comforts you when you disobey? Is this Jesus preeminent in your motives, thoughts, and deeds?

Augustine once said of the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, “The heavens cannot contain him; a woman carried him in her bosom.”[2] With equal wonder Guerric of Igny asked,

Do you want to see the humility of God? Look in the manger and see him lying there. Surely this is our God. Seeing an infant, I wonder how this could be the one who says, “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” I see a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Is this the one who is clothed in the beautiful glory of unapproachable light? Listen! He is crying. Is this the one who thunders in the heaven making the angels lower their wings? Yes, but he has emptied himself in order to fill us.[3]

Oh Jesus, Son of God, Heir of all, Creator of infinite space, full of radiant glory and the essence of God, Sustainer of all, Redeemer of sinners, King of angels—come fill my heart today.

Endnotes

[1] Taken from, John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Hebrews (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1983), 9.

[2] “Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind.” Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman, Christianity Today (December 2005), 62.

[3] Ibid, (Cf. 2 Chronicles 2:6).

"What Are You Doing for Christmas?"

The thought of Christmas evokes all kinds of emotions, doesn’t it? Just by thinking about it some people can almost feel the glow of a fire on a cold snowy night. Others can nearly recall the smell of pine trees and cookies. Most people can easily hum the beautiful melodies of Christmas carols. Those are great things. No wonder many people consider Christmas to be “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Though these things are not bad in and of themselves, the story of Jesus’ birth is designed to evoke responses of reverent worship, not good feelings about jingle bells, presents, and mistletoe. We can see this in the shepherds response to the angelic announcement that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem. Here’s what happened:

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said." (Luke 2:8-20, NLT)

Observation

Don’t you wish you could have been there with the shepherds as they looked at the face of the newborn King? In one sense you have been. You have read the story of what happened as it was given to Luke by the Holy Spirit. The question is, how is your response to Christ’s birth similar or different from the response of those who were really there? From the passage you have just read, you can see how the people of Bethlehem, Mary, and the shepherds responded to the events of Christmas.

The people were wowed. After seeing Jesus, the shepherds went about telling the citizens of Bethlehem all that had happened. As people heard the details, everyone was “astonished.” Think about how a child’s eyes are filled with amazement and wonder as they see a giant Christmas tree lit up in the town square or the shopping center. It is an astonishing and beautiful sight that evokes excitement and respect. This is how the people responded to the news that angels had appeared, God had spoken, and a Savior had been born.

Mary wondered. While the people were awe struck, Mary’s response was different. First, “she quietly treasured these things in her heart.” This doesn’t mean that Mary wasn’t excited; on the contrary, she was. However, astonishment soon turned to contemplation about all that had taken place. She marveled but for a different reason. The people’s response was based on the fact that angels appeared to shepherds and a baby was born of a virgin. Mary’s response was motivated out of awe for what those facts meant. Therefore, Mary’s second response made sense, she “thought about them often.” She meditated upon the reality that God was at work and she was part of it.

The shepherds worshiped. The shepherds had received the message of Christ’s birth, sought him out in faith, and having found the babe, took the place of the angels in a sense. They became the heralds of good news. Yet, what did they go home with? They went back to their fields “glorifying and praising God.” What did they praise God for? They praised God for what they had been “told,” and what they had “seen.” Having heard and seen these things, the shepherds were not silent. They opened up their hearts and mouths in praise for all that God had done.

The people were wowed, Mary wondered, and the shepherds worshiped. All are appropriate responses to the birth of the King. So, what are you doing for Christmas? More importantly, why are you going to do it? Is it because your family expects it? Is it because you are trying to conjur up those Christmas feelings? Is it just out of tradition? Is it for some other reason that really has nothing to do with a response to Jesus' birth? Or do you desire to celebrate Christmas primarily because you want to worship the king, wonder about all that his birth means, and be wowed by the miracles that happened that night?

Application

1. If you had been there in person, what would have amazed you the most about Jesus’ birth and the events surrounding it? For further reading see Joseph’s story (Matthew 1:18-25); Mary’s story (Luke 1:26-38); Mary’s song (Luke 1:46-56); and baby Jesus’ story (Luke 2:1-7).
   
   
2. As you think about the facts of Jesus birth, what do you think it all means for you? Make a list of all the questions you have about the Christmas story and what it means? Talk to a pastor or another discerning Christian about them. For further reading see Philippians 2:5-11.
   
   
3. Choose a favorite Christmas hymn and sing it to the Lord with joy and thanksgiving. Take time to pray. Thank God for all that Christ’s birth means to you. Make sure you attend church on Christmas day to wow, wonder, and worship with God’s people.

"Glory to the New Born King"

The Bible presents Jesus Christ as the glorious king of saints (Rev. 15:3), king of kings (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14), king of glory (Ps. 24:7–10), king of Zion (Matt. 21:5), and king over all the earth (Zech. 14:9). Yet this creator and king of the universe was born in a stable, welcomed by shepherds, raised by a carpenter, and grew up along the shores of Galilee. He was a healer of the sick, a friend of sinners, but the scorn of the learned. He was a receiver of children, a champion to the multitudes, but betrayed and denied by friends. This king was falsely accused, beaten and scourged, mocked and ridiculed, and finally crucified; but in him there was no guile, he was silent as a lamb led to slaughter. In infancy and in death he was hailed, “King of the Jews.” But through his resurrection he has been exalted to the highest place and given the name that is above every name—Lord (Phil. 2:9-11).

A survey of the Scripture will tell us these things about the kingship of Christ.

1. Made King before the foundation of the world. "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake" (1 Peter 1:18-20). Not only was Christ chosen to be our mediator and king before creation but we were “chosen in him…to be holy and blameless.” God “predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Eph. 1:4, 5).
   
   
2. Predicted as King in the Old Testament. Genesis 3:15 reveals the promise of the “seed” that would usher a crushing blow to the head of Satan. Micah 5:2 offers a promise to Bethlehem: "Though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Perhaps the most well know is Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders."
   
   
3. Declared King at the resurrection. There are a couple of statements that indicate this very clearly. In Acts 2:29-30 we read, "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place [raise up or seat] one of his descendants on his throne." God has done this through the resurrection and at the ascension where Christ was taken up to glory to sit on the heavenly throne. More emphatically verse 36 says, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). In 1 Corinthians Paul tells us that the last enemy to be destroyed is death and through the resurrection Christ has conquered it. Therefore, God “has put everything under his feet.” (1 Cor. 15:27).
   
   
4. Reigns as King in the hearts of his people. Though Jesus was bon “king of the Jews,” he never asserted his kingly rights during his earthly life. He told Pilate, “My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight” (John 18:36). Nevertheless, Jesus did preach that his kingdom was near and he didn’t rebuke the people for hailing him as king when he entered Jerusalem (cf. Luke 19:38). Jesus knew that his kingdom would one day have a literal fulfillment, but until that time, he would reign in the hearts of his people. At the present time his kingdom on earth is a spiritual one being manifest through the lives of his people—the church. Paul reminded the Ephesians that "God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Ephesians 1:22-23). He also told the Colossians that Jesus "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation…all things were created by him and for him…And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy" (Colossians 1:15-18). Because Christ is King and we are the church, “we are Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Cor. 5:20). Therefore, we are to live and speak for Christ that people might be reconciled to God.
   
   
5. Returns as King at the second coming. Paul told the Thessalonians that “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thess. 4:16). When Jesus came the first time, he came in humility. When Jesus comes again he will come with power and dominion and authority. Without doubt, however, the most glorious description of the return of King Jesus is that of Revelation 19:11-16.
   
   

   I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

6. Judges as King. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 says that when Christ returns he will be “revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.” At that time “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel” (v. 8). Christ has been given the right to be king and judge by the Father. John records Jesus saying, "The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son…And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man." (John 5:22, 27).
   
   
7. Remains King forever and ever. Revelation 11:15 tells us of a day when the seventh angel will sound his trumpet and loud voices in heaven will proclaim: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." Not only will Christ rule a literal one thousand year kingdom on earth, but he will be the ruler and sovereign over the new heavens and new earth for all eternity. Quoting Psalm 45:6-7 the writer of Hebrews says, "But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”" (Hebrews 1:8-9; cf. Ezek, 37:25; Dan. 2:4; Mi. 4:7; Zech. 14:9).

What a wonderful Savior we have! What a sovereign King we serve!

It is striking to me that every year people sing Christmas hymns that speak of Christ as king, yet, they live as if he is just another baby. They celebrate it as if it is just another birthday on the calendar. Christ is king and one day all will recognize his lordship over all creation. Millard Erickson your Godoffers this somber reminder, “There is a time coming when the rule of Christ will be complete; then all will be under his rule, whether willingly and eagerly, or unwillingly and reluctantly.”

On Christmas day, 1530, Martin Luther looked at his congregation as they gathered to worship and said, "We do not believe that the virgin mother gave birth to a son and that he is the Lord and Savior unless, added to this, I believe the second thing, namely, that he is my Savior and Lord."

Is the baby in the manger your God and King?

"The Priority of Witnessing"

Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

I remember the first day of class in Apologetics and Evangelism at The Master’s Seminary. My professor stood up and surveyed the room full of young would be pastors. We were all full of ourselves for the vast knowledge of the scriptures we thought we possessed. “What does Acts 1:8 say?” He inquired. The room was silent. Expectantly, he asked again. “What does Acts 1:8 say? Anyone?” I don’t know whether everyone was afraid of answering or if, like me, they had no earthly idea what Acts 1:8 said. In either case, you could feel the tension mounting in the room. “You’re not ready to enter the ministry,” he said, “until you know what this verse says and means.”

This verse is important, not only for pastors, but for every Christian. They are the last words Jesus said before he ascended to the right hand of the Father. After his resurrection, Jesus disciples were hoping that he was going to overthrow the Roman government and establish his kingdom in Israel. In some sense they were like children who on a long drive incessantly ask their parents, “Are we there yet?” “Lord, is this the time?” They said (v. 6). The Lord did not rebuke them for asking or even expecting that now might be the time. Rather, he told them that they could not know because it was the Father who determines such things by his own authority and has chosen not to reveal it (v. 7).

Like the disciples we may wonder, “Is today the day?” We may ask longingly, “Lord, when will your heavenly kingdom become your earthly one?” Our King answers us the same way he did his disciples by turning our attention to what is more immediate—the nature and sphere of our mission.

In the end, Jesus’ disciples were faithful to the priority of witnessing. The rest of Acts tells the story of how they fulfilled this mission.

· Witnessing in Jerusalem (1–7)
· Witnessing in Judea and Samaria (8:1–9:31)
· Witnessing to the end of the earth (9:32–28:31)

Yet, on their own, the disciples were not strong enough to be Christ’s witnesses. We get our English word martyr from the Greek word translated “witness.” To be a witness is literally to be “one who dies for his faith.” That was often the consequence in the first century for telling others about Jesus. Therefore, these men first needed power to do the job. This is why Jesus promised them the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit. They would “receive power [lit. dynamite] when the Holy Spirit comes.” The disciples had already experienced the Spirit’s saving, guiding, and teaching ministry, however they needed spiritual empowerment to be Jesus’ witnesses. Likewise, Christians do not need to pray that the Holy Spirit come into their lives. He does that at conversion. Yet, we may need to pray that the Holy Spirit would empower us and give us strength to die for Christ, if necessary, right here in our own Jerusalem.

Beloved, God will keep his promises to bring his kingdom to earth. He is not slow as some understand slowness (2 Peter 3:9). He has a plan and is accomplishing it through us. Therefore, we have a job to do—a mission to fulfill—a witness to bear. Jesus told the disciples they would be his witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Being a witness for Christ starts right here and right now, where you live and work and play—our Jerusalem. Think of it this way: Jerusalem is your home, Judea is your neighbors, Samaria is strangers, and ends of the earth is other countries.

What does the discharge of our mission look like? Charles Spurgeon encourages us to look to Christ’s example; for he would not ask us to do what he himself did not.

[Jesus] is always witnessing: by the well of Samaria, or in the Temple of Jerusalem: by the lake of Gennesaret, or on the mountain’s brow. He is witnessing night and day; his mighty prayers are as vocal to God as his daily services. He witnesses under all circumstances; Scribes and Pharisees cannot shut his mouth; even before Pilate he witnesses a good confession. He witnesses so clearly, and distinctly that there is no mistake in him. Christian, make your life a clear testimony. Be you as the brook wherein you may see every stone at the bottom—not as the muddy creek, of which you only see the surface—but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love to God and man may be visible to all.

Let us fulfill our mission, and remember, God’s Word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin. Hide it in your heart!

"Faithful Sayings"

The apostle Paul has four “trustworthy” or “faithful sayings” in his two letters to his spiritual son Timothy and one letter to Titus. Each one relates to a part of our salvation found in Christ Jesus.

1. Plan of Salvation. "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15)
   
2. Privileges of Salvation. "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance." (1 Timothy 4:8, 9)
   
3. Perseverance in Salvation. "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
   
4. Practice of Salvation. "This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." (Titus 3:8)

Charles Spurgeon traces the connection between these sayings.

The first one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God, as shown to us in the mission of the great Redeemer. The next affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation—the blessings of the upper and nether springs—of time and of eternity. The third shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that “if we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” The last sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works.

Oh what wonderful things can be found in what may appear to be random sayings that almost have a proverbial feel. These contain firm grounding for our faith and a desperate challenge to our faithfulness. Tracing them from the end back to the beginning we see that the practice of our salvation is an outworking of our perseverance in it. We do that because of salvation’s grand and practical privileges in this present life and in the life to come. Thankfully, our salvation resets securely in God’s gracious plan to save sinners of which all could create a chorus with the apostle saying—“of whom I am the worst.”

More than acknowledging a neat discovery from the Scripture we must ask, “How does it apply?” That is more difficult. I find that I must interrogate my own heart as it relates to these trustworthy sayings.

• Am I practically conscious that I am indeed a sinner in need of the salvation that only comes by grace through faith in Jesus? Or, though I readily acknowledge that I am a sinner, do I practically believe that I’m really that bad of one? Do I believe that my goodness somehow contributes to God’s love for me?
  
• Do I believe that godliness has practical benefits, that being godly and suffering the discipline it takes to be trained in godliness is better than moments of self indulgence and momentary gratification? Oh how the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak! (Mt. 26:41).
  
• Does my life really play the perseverance hymn? Or, does my spiritual walk resemble a toddler on a car ride asking every five minutes—“Are we there yet?”
  
• How am I careful in devoting myself to doing good? Is goodness seen in my practice of religion? Do my actions mirror the goodness of my Savior?

Whatever the answer to these questions may be, whether good or bad, Mr. Spurgeon’s words of urging ring true:

Treasure up these faithful sayings. Let them be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction. The apostle of the Gentiles proved them to be faithful, they are faithful still, not one word shall fall to the ground; they are worthy of all acceptation, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.

"Is This the One?"

"IS THIS THE ONE?" THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING THE LORD AS MY SON'S FEVERISH BODY TREMBLED IN MY ARMS. Is this the illness that will leave my baby unable to walk, breath, blink, or swallow? Will this be the beginning of watching him die?"

Our Saturday morning began as it always does—chocolate milk and snuggles with the kids in bed. Mommy, Maddie, Carson and I were all laughing so hard that we finally woke three year old William from a coma like sleep. "Stop laughing or I’ll tackle you," he shouted from his bedroom. Of course we laughed even louder hoping to coax him into doing one of his Superman dives into the bed. It worked!

After breakfast the morning went on as usual. The children played, I finalized preparations for Sunday’s church activities and my wife was busy about her Saturday routine. Carson, my youngest had a wonderful morning. He ate a little apple for breakfast, cracker at noon, and had taken his first formula well. That sounds pretty normal for an eleven month old, but for Carson, that’s not always how things work out. One week into his precious life we learned that his newborn screen had come back with abnormal results. The doctor asked my wife to sit down and proceeded to describe a rare metabolic disorder called Glutaric Acidemia Type 1 (GA1). We were told that it was probably a false positive because it was such a rare disease. Later we learned that Carson was the first child diagnosed presymptomatically through extended newborn screening in the state of Ohio. God has been good because most children are not diagnosed until they experience a catastrophic brain injury. Since his initial diagnosis, Carson has been hospitalized sixteen times—over one third of his life. He receives the majority his feeds through a G-tube, he’s suffered a metabolic stroke, been give a central line in his chest for intravenous access, and has had that line infiltrated with bacterial infections on two different occasions. Needless to say, life isn’t always what we would consider “normal.”

Putting Carson down for a nap, I took advantage of having one less rug-rat beneath my feet and continued working on my sermon. About an hour later, the alarm on Carson’s feeding pump went off and I rushed into his room to reset it before he awoke. I expected to see the tube kinked or some other typical problem, but found he had vomited and looked like he had just walked out of a hot sauna. “Honey, we’ve got a problem!” I said, knowing my wife would hear me through the baby monitor. As I ran to find a phone my wife began taking his temperature. We stopped reading it when it climbed past 104.2 knowing that his doctor’s threshold for hospitalizing him is 100.4. Instantly we went into cruise control. I stripped off his clothes, covered him with cool wet towels, gave him medicine to reduce his fever, and picked up the cell phone to make arrangements for our other two children. Simultaneously, my wife reached the genetics department at the hospital and then dialed 911 for an ambulance. What began as a typical day suddenly became an exercise in extreme faith.

Carson’s body does not metabolize two amino acids found in protein. Left untreated, glutaric acid would build up and poison his brain. We prevent this from happening by maintaining a very specialized diet. Though there is really no guarantee that he will not suffer a severe injury at some point, there are a few triggers that we can try to avoid. When we go without food our body burns the fat in our system converting it to protein. Therefore, Carson cannot go into a state of fasting. This means that when he gets the flu or a bad cold we cannot just let him tough it out like we would our other children. High fevers are also known to trigger injury. In fact, before newborn screening, children would be diagnosed by the injury they suffered while experiencing their first serious illness such as a bad flu.

By God’s grace, Carson has dodged many bullets but each one makes us sweat. Instinctively we were quite sure the fever rising in Carson's body was because of a growing bacterial infection in his central line. Just two weeks earlier we had rehearsed the same drill for that very reason. “Surely, this is that stubborn bacteria,” we thought to ourselves. Just as quickly as the fever appeared, so did the questions: “Could this be the one that triggers our worst fears becoming a reality? Is he going to make it through this one unscathed? What if he has a stroke again? What will the results be? O Sovereign God, protect our son once again!”

At the beginning of the month our church had committed to praying thirty-one biblical virtues for our children over the thirty-one days in October. As I drove to the hospital I found myself praying, “Lord, grant my son the days to cultivate these virtues. Give him the days to grow into a man who trusts your faithfulness and fears your holiness.” I knew that the Lord might have different plans, but I also knew that I could cast my cares upon him knowing that he cares for me (1 Peter 5:7).

How do you handle such desperate concerns and the myriad of other issues that accompany them? For example: How do you keep communication and romance alive in marriage when medical issues easily dominate every conversation? How do you balance the demands of ministry with the demands of a sick child and the stress which that alone places on the family? How do you calm your child’s anxious heart? How do you trust that God is not out to harm you but believe as the Bible teaches that he ordains everything—even calamity (Lam. 3:38)? How do you steady your mind in the face of fear and keep anxiety at bay?

Well, we are steadily learning that God’s mercies truly are new every morning; that His faithfulness is great! (Lam. 3:23). We are learning that the work of Christ on the cross is sufficient to atone for all our failed responses. We are learning that in all circumstances we stand in grace and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:1-2). We are learning that the God’s word is sufficient to equip us for every good work (Ps. 19:4-7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17); so that that every decision is filled with peace (Phil. 4:7), every attitude fixed on heavenly things (Col. 3:1-3), and every action empowered by the Spirit of God.

Because of these promises, more precious to me than treasures untold, I can stand under the weight of such a question: “Is this the one?” It could be or it could not. I do not know. Yet, I rest with the weight of such a question unanswered because it is fully born by the sovereign grace of my loving Savior. I can bear to ask it because I know my Jesus was, and is, and always will be the One who died and lives for me.

The Priority of Giving

2 Corinthians 9:7, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

I have read that Americans spend 50% of their waking time thinking about money—how to get it, where to spend it, how to save it, how to borrow it and how to pay it back. That’s interesting because Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord.” It is no surprise then that the Bible spends so much time talking about how we should view God’s money. Sixteen of Christ’s thirty-eight parables talk about how to handle earthly possessions. The Bible talks more about managing God’s resources than about heaven and hell combined. It also refers to wealth and property twice as much as faith and prayer. With so much of our time spent thinking about money and so much of God’s Word spent teaching about stewardship it is unnerving that some Christians are still in the dark concerning how God desires them to give.

One principle to remember is that we get what we sow. Paul said simply, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (v. 6). Some false teachers would have you believe that this verse guarantees good health and great wealth as long as you give. But God never promises good health or riches just because you give a lot of money to a church or Christian ministry. The truth is you may never see an earthly reward for the sacrifices you make. A Christian’s joy is not bound up in what you get for giving but in the privilege of giving at all. It is the goodness of God which allows us to reap a bountiful harvest of spiritual blessings if we generously sow his kingdom seeds into the lives of others.

A second principle is that Christian giving should be intentional. We are told that each of us must give as we have “purposed in our heart.” This protects us from the unbalanced view that voluntary giving is impulsive. Christians could put “false teachers” and “fraudulent ministries” out of business if they would be more discerning as to the direction of their giving. Yet, our obligation to be discerning does not give us the excuse to covetously hold tight to God’s money. Voluntary giving is a test of our sincerity and love for Jesus. We rightly but all too casually sing…

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far to small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

There must be more than just singing to prove the sincerity of our love for Jesus.

A final principle to remember is that once we purpose in our heart to give we are to do it willingly. The church should not have to pry open the fingers of Christian givers like a parent has to pry open the fingers of their child to get them to give up their candy. Paul instructs that we give “not reluctantly or under compulsion.” Literally, without “grief,” “sorrow,” or “sadness” Why? Because there is no external standard making us give. One argument for a strict 10% tithe is to pragmatically say “without that standard people won’t give.” We can answer that two ways: First, we can reason that without a change of heart people won’t give anyway. Second, we read that “God loves a cheerful giver.” The Greek word for “cheerful” is hilaros. God loves a hilarious giver. A cheerful, voluntary giver isn’t worried about meeting percentages but “whether alive or dead, to always be pleasing to Christ” (2 Cor. 5:9). It’s a good thing God did not give his only son to die in our place reluctantly or under compulsion. That is why Jesus said, “Freely you received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8). God loves a cheerful giver because he is himself one.

Here are a few questions to help you examine whether or not you have a heartbeat for the priority of giving.

1. Do others have to send you a collection notice or remind you of your promise and commitment to give? (2 Cor. 8:6; 9:5)
2. Are you begging for the opportunity to meet the needs of others? (2 Cor. 8:4)
3. Do you second guess your gift like you might when you tip a server at a restaurant?
4. Do you give expecting a specific reward that Scripture doesn’t promise?
5. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. What principles can you glean from this passage to guide you in giving as God desires?

Remember, God’s Word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin. Hide it in your heart!

"Texas Exodus"

TRAFFIC IS NEARLY AT A STANDSTILL AROUND MAJOR INLAND CITIES AS NEARLY 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE TRY TO GET OUT OF HURRICANE RITA'S PATH. Even with local and national government agencies mandating evacuations, I'm sure there will be a barrage of fault finding accusations by those who are displaced just as there were a few weeks ago following hurricane Katrina's madness. Though the only effect that I will practically feel is a probable increase in gas prices, I can't help think about Paul's command that we do everything without complaining or arguing (Phil. 2:14). I realize that is easy for me to say because I'm not leaving all my earthly posessions behind to be swpet out to sea. Yet, as I write I sit in the hospital for the 15th time in the past 11 months with my son battling throuh a life threatening blood infection as a result of rare genetic disease.

Complaining is something we are good at. Perhaps, the Jews who made the mass exodus out of Egypt have become the poster children for complaining when inconvienced. Exodus 12:37-38 says, "There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds". That's just about as many people who are leaving the gulf coast in thier airconditioned vehicles today. Just like the Jews, they don't know where they are going or what the future holds for them. The difference is this, the Lord led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand (Ex. 13:14). Even so, it didn't take long before the complaining began. Even after being delivered from the armies of Pharoh, even after being excorted through the Red Sea on dry land, even after placing their trust in the Lord (Ex. 14:29-31); the people took full advantage of the first opportunity to grumble and complain (Ex. 15:22-24). They had just seen the Lord wall up the waters of the ocean for their safe passage and yet they complained because they had nothing to drink.

I am no better. If I had been there I probably would have joined the chorus. But I'd like to think that I would have learned my lesson after seeing God provide once again.

If I could say one thing to those who are evacuating their homes today it would be this: "Who is leading you out of Texas?" Forget what lies behind, turn to the Lord today, through his Son Jesus Christ. Remember Moses' song of tribute:

"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?...In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling...You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, O Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established. The Lord will reign for ever and ever.”

(Ex. 15:11, 13, 17-18).

"The Priority of God's Word"

Psalm 119:9-11 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

“Six years ago today, as near as possible at this very hour of the day, I was in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, but had not yet, by diving grace, been led to feel the bitterness of the bondage, and to cry out by reason of the soreness of its slavery.” These were the words of Charles Spurgeon as he gave a penetrating description of his salvation experience in a sermon entitled “Sovereignty and Salvation.” He went on to say, “Seeking rest, and finding none, I stepped within the house of God, and sat there, afraid to look upward, lest I should be utterly cut off, and lest his fierce wrath should consume me. The minister rose in his pulpit, and, as I have done this morning, read this text, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’ I looked that moment and the grace of faith was given to me in the self-same instant.”

This testimony illustrates the power of God’s Word and that it is the instrument God uses to change the heart. The writer of Hebrews testified that "the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). Like the Biblical writers, Pastor Spurgeon knew and loved the life changing nature of God’s Word.

We see the psalmist say in his song, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.” Notice that there is an attitude of earnestness in his words for he seeks God with all his heart. If we think about it, there are many reasons to seek after God and do it with our whole heart. A basic sense of the corruptness of our own heart and the weakness of our own flesh is enough to keep us seeking God for repentance, reconciliation, and strength on an ongoing basis. One of the reasons why marriages decline and marital intimacy dries up is because the two stop seeking each other. A flirting couple can spend hours talking about seemingly nothing and find it sure delight because they earnestly and passionately seek one anther. How do both young and old keep their way pure? By seeking God with all their hearts according to his living, active, and penetrating Word.

Now that is a very important point—“according to his Word.” Many people seek the wrong God with the right sincerity, others seek the right God in the wrong way. That may be one of the reasons why the psalmist prays, “do not let me stray from your commands.” The New American Standard says, “Don’t let me wander.” We can either purposefully stray from God by choosing to disobey his commands or by ignorantly wandering from the truth. Ezekiel uses this word “wander” to describe how sheep got lost by simply nibbling their way to lostness (Ezek. 34:6). The Letter of James describes how the desires of our own hearts lead us to wander from what is right and into sinful behaviors that bring death. "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (Ja. 1:14, 15). Many people, especially young people, live a nomadic spiritual life because they are so easily controlled by their desires. Like sheep they lack self-control and wander into all kinds of sin.

The goal of knowing God’s word is so that we may experience his glory and live in a way that is pleasing to him. Because sin gets in the way of this pursuit the psalmist testifies: “I have hidden your word in my heart.” Why? “That I might not sin against you.” In his devotional commentary, Herbert Lockyer, has given a wonderful outline of this verse.

The Best Posession - "Your word..."

The Best Plan - "...I have hidden..."

The Best Place - "...in my heart..."

The Best Purpose - "...that I might not sin against God."

In his humanity Jesus lived according to this verse, that is, he used God’s word as his weapon to fight temptation. Because he possessed a rich depository of his Father’s Words he triumphed over sin and death (Cf. Matt. 4:1-11). In fact, the Word of God was given for the very purpose of fully equipping every Christian to complete every good work (Cf. 2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

I could never stress the importance of treasuring God’s word in our heart enough, especially for young people who naturally lack wisdom. Each one of us should be dedicated, purposefully storing up scripture treasures. Solomon said to his son in Proverbs 3:21-24,“My son, do not let them [the scriptures] out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Remember, God’s Word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin. Hide it in your heart!

Responsibility

A GOOD LEADER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY EVEN IF IT’S NOT HIS FAULT. Recently I was reminded of this again by watching President Bush accepted responsibility for failures in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," the President said at a joint White House news conference with the president of Iraq. "To the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility." Now, only a delusional person would try to hold the President personally responsible for the delinquent federal response to the crisis; yet, only a good leader would accept responsibility for the mistakes others made.

The Bible gives us a spiritual example in Exodus 32. Moses went up to the mountain to converse with the Lord leaving his brother Aaron in charge of the people. Aaron was weak and easily moved by the complaints and demands of others. Therefore, he allowed the people to engage in the idolatrous worship of a golden calf. When Moses returned, he confronted Aaron and had the instigators of the rebellion killed according to the command of the Lord (v. 27). Then Moses did something that exhibited extraordinary leadership. "The next day Moses said to the people, ‘You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.’ So Moses went back to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written’" (vv. 30-32). Moses took full responsibility for their sin revealing the intensity of his love and commitment to them. A leader doesn’t blame others and shirk responsibility. That would have been easy for Moses to do, but he didn’t. Instead he was willing to die prematurely rather than see his kinsmen disinherited and destroyed. Now that’s responsible leadership.

"On the Lighter Side"

While on vacation in central California, my wife and I found ourselves once again at the hospital in care of our son Carson who is battling a rare genetic disease. After experiencing now our fourteenth hospitalization in nine months, and yet again shaking my head at some of the almost outrageous thing doctors and nurses do, I give you some thoughts about medical care that come from the lighter side. The following is a list of observations, questions, or requests born out of our experience that I would like to share with the professional medical field.

1. If my child is sleeping, please do not come in and talk to him. He can't hear you unless you wake him up and the point is to let him keep sleeping.
   
2. If my child is sleeping, please come back later to take his pulse. I promise it will still be here when you return.
   
3. Please listen to me when I tell you something is wrong with my baby, I know him best, live with him 24 hours a day, and practically understand his disease more than you do.
   
4. Please order my baby's formula on time, watching him starve is not a pleasant experience.
   
5. If my child is awake but I am sleeping, please do not talk to him, he should be sleeping just like me.
   
6. Please read my baby's chart to make sure you are not messing something up.
   
7. Before you take blood or administer medication, please make sure my baby is the correct patient.
   
8. Please provide diaper wipes instead of sand paper like wash clothes for wiping my child's bottom.
   
9. Why does a hospital only sell artery clogging, starch based, and sugar filled foods? And why are they more expensive than snacks at a movie theatre?
   
10. Remember, no matter what you have been told, you don't need a prescription or doctor's order for diaper rash ointment.
    
11. Why is it that my cell phone interferes with hospital equipment but the doctor's cell phone and pager does not?
    
12. Please do not change the TV channel; I just might be watching that program.
    
13. Please wash your hands when you come into the room even if you just washed them in the previous patients room, it makes me feel good to see you do it again.
    
14. Why is it that the changing of a hospital trash bag makes more noise than a 747 taking off and is always changed five minutes after my baby falls asleep?
    
15. If I tell you my baby wears size 5 diapers, please don't hand me a size 3 and tell me that's all you've got.

"Priority of Self-Examination"

2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?"

Most Christians have a family member or friend who made a profession of faith at one time but now seem to be living anything but a victorious Christian life. What happened to them? Are they really saved? Was their profession real? Can they be a Christian and not act like one, ever? In the face of such circumstances we Christians like to hold on to any glimmer of hope we can find. I have seen battered and broken parents hold onto their unbelieving son or daughter's childhood profession of faith, swearing thait their child is saved because they "asked Jesus into their heart" at Vacation Bible School when they were five. Assureing them that they are saved even though their life points so dramatically to the contrary is a great disservice. In such circumstances parents, pastors, and their churches should loving repeat Paul's call to self-examination. Below I have included an article by my friend Steve Camp that addresses this issue with biblical clarity and practical applicaiton. Be challenged and be changed!

Could I Be Called a Christian by Steve Camp

We all have PhD’s in rationalizing our behavior. We have graduated with high honors from the school of "I'm Not As Bad As I Really Think I Am." Most people are "good Christians" in their own judgment - but we can never render the final verdict upon ourselves for our conscience is defiled and our discernment skewed. The Apostle Paul gives this insight on the flawed value of self-analysis, "For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord" (1 Corinthians 4:4 emphasis added).

The Narrow Road

Paul being the greatest Christian to ever live, would not trust - dare not trust, and could not be content with his own self-evaluation. It is a narrow road that leads to heaven (Matt. 7:12ff) and few are they that find it. As Matthew Mead so appropriately states, "...self-love deceiveth truth for its own interest." The heart of man is the greatest imposter and cheat in the world; God himself states it, "The heart is deceitful above all things [and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)]. Despite that astounding assessment of the human condition, we are still commanded to take self-inventory. We must judge ourselves not by the standard of ourselves, but by the Word of God; by the Lord's standard and rule (2 Timothy 3:16-16); by the Lord's wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24-25); by the Lord's divine verdicts (Psalm 19:9) by the Word of the Lord God.

The Almost Christian

Therefore, we must examine ourselves--eliminating ourselves as the standard, the rule, the judge and jury. Sunday morning worship services in America are littered with thousands of people pretend­ing to be Christians. They enjoy the music, support church programs, find benefit and solace in a stirring sermon, relish in the fellowship, and may even serve as an elder, deacon or Sunday school teacher - "yet be no better than almost a Christian" as Mead decisively proclaims. They have come to church but have never come to Christ! They haven't taken stock of their spiritual condition - they have not examined themselves. And if by chance they do, it is not with the probing double edged sword of God's Word (Hebrews 4:12), but with the crooked plumbline of moral standards, good works, philanthropic gestures, acts of kindness or good will, and worse -religion. They are moral people headed for a "moral" hell. Jeremiah Burroughs, a Puritan divine, cuts through that illegitimate prideful system of useless righteousness when he says, "repent not that you are civil, but repent that you are no more than civil." One of the marks of a true Christian is that he embraces a life of repentance - he loves God and hates sin (2 Timothy 2:19)

To still be in love with your sin and "wedded to your idols", as Spurgeon would say, is to "insult the gospel, pervert the truth and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness." The Christian life is not marked by a life of disobedience, unbridled passion, unbroken pride and unguarded pleasure. The true Christian is one that is evidenced by a life of obedience, a life of holiness, a life of righteousness, a life of virtue, a life of godliness, a life of Christ-likeness!

How May I Know I Am Elect?

A.W. Pink gives a pointed and pithy argument on the theme, "How may I know I am elect" [a Christian]? Here are seven points of reflection that I would urge you to us as a thermometer to take the temperature of your own spiritual health.

First, by the Word of God having come in divine power to the soul so that my self-complacency is shattered and my self-righteousness is renounced.
Second, by the Holy Spirit convicting me of my woeful, guilty and lost condition.
Third, by having had revealed to me the suitability and sufficiency of Christ to meet my desperate case and by divinely given faith causing me to lay hold of and rest upon Him as my only hope.
Fourth, by the marks of the new nature within me - a love for God; an appetite for spiritual things; a longing for holiness; a seeking after conformity to Christ.
Fifth, by the resistance the new nature makes to the old, causing me to hate sin and loathe myself for it.
Sixth, by avoiding everything which is condemned by God's Word and by sincerely repenting of and humbly confessing every transgression. Failure at this point will surely bring a dark cloud over our assurance causing the Spirit to withhold His witness.
Seventh, by giving all diligence to cultivate the Christian graces, and using all diligence to this end. Scripture encourages healthy self-scrutiny.

"Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you" (2 Peter 1:10a). No where more important should this examination occur than when approaching the table of grace - holy communion (1 Corinthians 11:28). John MacArthur reminds us, "Self-examination is as important today as ever. When statistics tells that more than a billion people in the world are Christians, one must wonder who established the criteria. Such figures certainly do not square with what Jesus said about many on the broad road and few on the narrow." (Matthew 7:13-14).

Even those who belong to the right church can be deceived and utterly devoid of the righteousness of God through Christ. The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God's work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1 John 3:10). Faith that does not result in righteous living is dead and cannot save (James 2:14-17). Professing Christians utterly lacking the fruit of true righteousness will find no biblical basis for assurance they are saved (1 John 2:4). These words are not meant to spark feelings of doubt about your salvation if you are genuinely saved. However, they are meant to prick the hearts of those who have a false security in themselves, based on good works absent of true faith. I would implore you to turn the penetrating laser of the Word of God upon your life. Is it "wood, hay and stubble", that will ultimately burn, or will your life stand the test and be proved to be "gold, silver and precious stones"? (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Is there enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian?

Life Application

1. Think of one example from the past week in which you rationalized or made excuses for some sinful action or attitude on your part.
2. Why is the Word of God the only sure and absolute standard by which we are to examine ourselves, as opposed to our own moral preference or presupposed religious/social expecta­tions?
3. After pondering the following Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:19; Ephesians 4:15, do you think sanctification (growth in holiness and conformity to Christ) is in any way merely optional for the believer?
4. What is the evidence of a true believer? Is this evidence characteristic of your own life in light of 2 Corinthians 13:5?
5. What areas in your life would cast doubt in the minds of those around you that you are indeed a Christian? Will you commit these areas to the Lord?

"What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say"

Maybe you have found yourself in a situation where someone is pouring out their heart to you concerning their sin or suffering and you find your mind doing the old pinball “Tilt! Tilt!” Maybe you feel totally unqualified to answer one of those bombshell questions that often accompany personal relationships. For example: “Where is the baby I miscarried?” “My wife and I just found marijuana in our son’s sock drawer, what do we say to him?” “My husband is addicted to pornography, what should I do?” “In 25 years of marriage I have never had an orgasm. Is there hope for me?” Maybe you know exactly how you would answer those questions but what about the one’s you don’t? What do you say when you don’t know what to say? Here are four suggestions.

“I care!”

You may not know what to say to someone who is hurting. You may not even know someone else who can provide adequate help, but you do know the Wonderful Counselor who has told you to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:39). Above all, let those who are hurting know you love them and care for them no matter what. That means that you will pray for them, listen to them, walk through the fire with them, be an advocate for them, tell them the truth even when they don’t want to hear it, and never give up on them no matter how they respond.

“Let’s ask God for wisdom.”

God intends that trials will drive believers to greater dependency on Him by showing them their own inadequacy. In other words, trials reveal our inadequacy and our inadequacy reveals our need for dependency upon God. James, the brother of our Lord, tells us what to do.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:2-8, NIV)

Notice:

1. God commands that we remain joyful in trials of many kinds (v. 2).
   
2. The purpose of these trials is to develop maturity in us (v. 3-4).
   
3. Because we are not mature we need God’s wisdom for remaining joyful (v. 5a).
   
4. God is generous and promises the wisdom we need for being joyful in trials of many kinds. Yet, this promise is conditional (v. 5b-6). First, you must ask for wisdom in faith (“must believe”). Prayers must be offered with confident trust in a sovereign God (cf. Hebrews 11:1). Second, you must ask for wisdom without doubting. Doubting means having divided thinking within you, not merely because you are indecisive but you have an inner moral conflict or distrust in God. This inner conflict is described as: (1) “A wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind” (v. 8). (2) “double-minded” and “unstable in everything.”

The conclusion is this: God allows trials of many kinds into our life so that we may grow to Christian maturity. Because we sometimes don’t know how to respond joyfully to these trials we need to ask God him for wisdom believing that he is generous and will help us. If we don’t ask in faith we shouldn’t expect any wisdom from him and this may reveal that we are immature.

“I don’t know.”

Don’t ever be afraid to admit that you don’t know. Those who are struggling or hurting will often be more impressed with your humility than they will be with a clumsy attempt at being profound. It is wise to sometimes clothe yourself in the attitude of Jeremiah when the Lord required extraordinary things of him: “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child” (Jeremiah 1:6).

“I don’t know but I know someone who can help.”

If someone is looking for help and they can’t find it in you, most likely they will seek it somewhere else. Unfortunately, we have all seen hurting people grasp at anything that dulls their pain, even if it is contrary to God’s design. Therefore, you don’t want to ultimately leave them with an empty “I don’t know.”

You probably remember at least one childhood story where, in a quandary, the main character seeks out the counsel of wise Mr. Owl. Though simple enough for a child to understand, this principle applies to the challenges of personal relationships. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” You may not know the answer to your friend’s problems, but you can help them seek the counsel of someone who does.

Biblical Examples:

• Matthew 18:21, "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”" Remember, Jesus had just taught the disciples a lesson about forgiveness (vs. 15-19). Not fully understanding how the lesson was to practically be lived out in his life; Peter went to Jesus and asked for understanding.
  
• James 5:14, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord." God has made the leaders of the local church responsible for shepherding the lives of its members (cf. Hebrews 13:17). Therefore, God has uniquely qualified and gifted your elders and pastors to be a source of help and encouragement in times of difficulty. God’s plan is that you to seek out and submit to the wise counsel of his chosen servants. If they are godly, they will be glad to give their lives for the sake of lost and hurting sheep.

Remember, the person who came to you seeking help may have used up all the courage they could muster. They might need to ride on the back of your courage and confidence to seek the help of others (especially church leaders who they may feel very inferior to). Reassure them that you will walk with them every step of the way rather than drop them off on the street corner like a city bus driver. Be a facilitator of counsel and change but let them make the commitment to it.

"Who Does the Lord Commend?"

Joel Osteen, pastor of Houston’s Lakewood Church, a church of more than 30 thousand attendees explains the reason behind the exponential growth of the church:

"Make church relevant," he says. "Give them something to be able to take away. I find today people are not looking for theology. There's a place for it. [But] in your everyday life you need to know how to live." (Ernest Herndon, “How a Big Church Grew Bigger,” Charisma and Christian Life. June: 2004.)

Notice how clearly pastor Osteen dichotomizes between doctrine and life. Though it sounds right, and I assume his motive is sincere; his philosophy of ministry is inconsistent with Paul’s instruction to the Ephesians. As you know, Paul spent half his letter teaching them theology (chap. 1-3) before unfolding what it looks like in everyday life (chap. 4-6). It is true, God desires to equip us to know how to live for him in everyday life (Cf. Eph. 4:11-12); and he has paved the road we walk on with the theology he has revealed about himself in his word (2 Tim 3:16-17). Where did Paul get such a notion? From Jesus, who said that those who worship the Father must worship him in “spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:23-25). Jesus taught that lifestyle worship (Cf. Rom 12:1-2) is a synergy between doctrine and the application of that doctrine.

The same article ascribed the church's success to Osteen’s preaching style, which is described as "simple," "down-to-earth," "practical," "relatable," "easy," "folksy," and "humble." Those are great qualities and at some level each one of us needs to develop them in our preaching and teaching. Though not exclusive, they were qualities that marked Jesus’ teaching as well. However, though I cannot judge Osteen’s heart (nor do not try), I am encouraged to remember that Paul said he “did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God…not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (Cf. 1 Cor. 2:1-5). Our numbers may grow because we are “down-to-earth,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean God is pleased. Some in the Corinthian church said that Paul’s letters were weighty and strong, but his personal presence was unimpressive and his speech contemptible (2 Cor. 10:10). Though this accusation was not true, and though Paul was the same in person and he was in his letters (v. 11), he know that “it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (v. 18). The purpose of right theology is right living. One cannot exist without the other. There may indeed be many "down-to-earth" preachers along side orthodox theologians who find themselves unknown to Jesus on that final day (Mt. 7:21-23).

Who then does the Lord commend? I cannot help but think of Psalm 24:4, "He who has clean hands and a pure heart." That is, he who has righteous living and righteous motives. May Christ's church always see the divine connection between right theology and practical life.

"The Priority of Prayer"

1 Timothy 2:1-4 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

This week four men have been recruited to lead our congregation in a special time of corporate prayer in practice of the principles we are learning from the exposition of these very verses. In an attempt to encourage the biblical grounding and effectiveness of their prayers I have written them a letter outlining principles that will help in this regard. Because I so desire for prayer to be a growing state of being at Riverview Church and because any one of you may at one time or another be called to lead in public prayer, I thought it would be beneficial for you to also be a recipient of that encouragement. Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Psalm 119:11). Hide it in your heart.

Dear Prayer Leader:

In his book, A Discourse of Delight in Prayer, Puritan Pastor Stephen Charnock said: “Prayer is nothing else but a presenting God with his own promise, desiring to work that in us and for us which he hath promised to us” (Cf. Psalm 37:4). This is what I would like you to lead the people of Riverview in this coming Sunday—presenting God with his own promises and desiring that he work in us, our nation, and the world that which he has promised in his Word. The reason is not primarily because this Sunday is the eve of our nations 229th birthday, but because Paul said to the church in Ephesus: " I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Praying this way is not something we are to do as a church once a year, or every now and again, but as a normal part of our corporate worship. My purpose in writing this letter then is to help you biblically and effectively lead in public prayer, whether it is for our president, our rulers, our military, our country, or the nations of our world.

First, keep these principles from 1 Timothy 2:1 lifted up before you as a guide for public prayer.

1. Pray from deep sense of need. Too often we pray out of a sense of duty, or worse, habit. Many of us pray before we eat out of custom rather than out of necessity. Paul instructs Timothy to offer requests to God. He is referring to pleas or supplications based on the want or need of what one lacks. Because we are great sinners, our sense of need in prayer should also be great causing us to cast our cares fervently on Christ.

2. Pray from an understanding of God’s character. Second, Paul says we are to offer prayers. The basic difference between requests and prayers is that requests can be made to both God and man while prayers are only to be addressed to God. I think sometimes we fail to pray not because we don’t have anything to ask but because we don’t know intimately the one who we are praying to. Pray in light of the character and attributes of God. Pray in light of his sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. Pray in light of his love, justice, holiness, immutability, faithfulness, trustworthiness, and divine providence. Because of whom God is we should approach the practice prayer with a deep sense of reverence and awe. We should not address him flippantly or too casually. We should pray confidently but with wonder and amazement as we come into his holy presence.

3. Pray on the behalf of others. Paul’s third way of prayer is intercession. It comes from a root word meaning “to fall in with someone,” or “ to get involved with them.” Intercession is not only a word of advocacy, but also of empathy, sympathy, compassion, and personal involvement. Therefore, our prayers are not to be cold, detached, or impersonal. In the Greek this noun is plural stressing the fact that we are to offer multiple requests and prayers for the sake of others. Be both general and specific in your intercessions. For example, intercede not only on behalf unbelievers in general, but target a specific region of unbelief or people group praying that the hurdles to faith may be overcome. The two primary examples of intercession for Christians are the intercessions of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Cf. Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:26). Pattern the character of your intercessions for others with their intercessions for you.

4. Pray with attitudes of thanksgiving. Paul ends with thanksgiving as a final way of prayer. Like the plural intercessions, Paul uses the plural noun thanksgivings in the Greek. We are not to be singularly thankful but thankful in everything (1 Thess. 5:18). The three previous ways of prayer describe its character where thanksgiving describes the spirit in which those prayers are to be offered—it describes an attitude that is to permeate prayer of any kind. All prayer is to be hemmed in, behind and before with many thanksgivings.

Second, keep the following principles adapted from Mathew Henry in mind to multiply your effectiveness in public prayer.

Public prayer should not overuse certain favorite words and set forms of expressions. Avoid over repeating God’s name, saying “uh” and “uhm,” or any other nervously familiar word or expression.

Public prayer should abound in the language of scripture. Sometimes the best way to pray is to string verses together using the very words and promises of God to beseech him. Even if you do not use the language of scripture exactly, be diligent to adapt scriptural promises and principles as the language of your prayer.

Public prayer should be well-ordered. Plan ahead what you are going to say. This doesn’t mean that you must ignore the spontaneity of the Spirit, just that you have a plan when the Spirit remains silent.

Public prayer should not be too wordy or lengthy. Take care not to attempt to pray on too many topics, or in too great detail. The heart and mind of each individual in the congregation must be able to follow and echo your very words.

Public prayer should contain petition for the advance of the gospel. Paul’s whole point in outlining the ways of prayer as he has in 1 Timothy 2:1 is because it “is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (vs. 3, 4).

Thank you for being a bearer of God’s truth as well as a representative of our corporate heart for the will of God through prayer. Remember, as someone once said, prayer is not something we do for the work of God; prayer is the work of God. Therefore, may we ask great things, expect great things, and attempt great things for our great God and Savior!

Unceasingly,

Pastor Dave

"Who's Apt to Teach?"

The following are important questions to ask yourself, regarding whether a you are qualified and prepared to teach. I don't know where I received these points, but obviously much thought and experience went into writing them. I have found them to be a helpful tool for self-evaluation as well as in the training of future teachers.

1. Was I in fellowship with the Lord? Do I see those I teach/work with/labor for as more important than myself (Phil. 2:3)?
2. Was my attitude that of a learner and servant, or did I expect others to see me as the expert?
3. Does the Text own me and did I own the Text before I instruct others with its truth?
4. Did I take time to create a thirsty atmosphere--with an "anticipatory set" introduction, or did I dive in without sensitivity to their mindsets?
5. Did I talk down to them?
6. Did I teach to their level, or did I discern incorrectly where they were?
7. Did I use different learning styles?
8. Did I prepare inadequately?
9. Was I flexible enough to consider creative alternatives when time barriers and geographical problems are difficult?
10. Did I use appropriate examples so they could apply what was being taught in their own lives?
11. Did I pre-establish relationship so they would hear the material I had ready to help them learn?
12. Do I view myself only as a teacher or as an instrument/channel of God to help them learn?
13. Who is the focus of the teaching-the teacher or the students?
14. Could there have been physical problems: e.g., Was I well groomed (i.e., did my messy hair or poor choice of clothing become what they focused on, so they didn't hear what I had to say)?
15. Was the room set up correctly: chairs, room temperature, lighting, etc., so that the audience is in a good environment for learning?
16. Did they not do homework because my directions were unclear and inappropriate to their level, or could there have been an emergency in their home?
17. Do I value them so highly that I am willing to identify with them right where they live, so that I "hurt when they hurt?" Did the love of God compel me to share God's comfort and mercy with them so they could hear the message?
18. Am I concerned about my own reputation and accolades for being known as a great teacher? If so, I know nothing of Calvary love!
19. Am I willing to decrease-have a servant's heart- so that the Lord will increase and others will be encouraged and promoted even at my own expense? In other words, who is going to receive the glory? - For God will not share it with another.
20. Is the class really "just a bunch of heathens," or, "They just don't care and don't want to learn?" or "They don't care--they won't take time to learn." If I've made those comments, they indicate that I did not respect or love the learners. Would Jesus have said things like that to His disciples?
21. Was it my demeanor or was it the message that hindered learning? It's so easy to denounce the "audience" or to think we're persecuted because of the message, when in reality it is our demeanor or attitudes barring communication to others. It may be our lack of love and respect for those to whom we long to minister that hinders learning. Ultimately, the lack of love and respect for his body is lack of love and respect for the Lord.

Only after self-analysis of what you may have done to hinder learning can you consider that the students may have been the problem.

A puffed-up, prideful, self-oriented teacher will turn the focus of blame everywhere but on himself. Self-oriented people want to control what they want to give, when and how they want to give it and to whom they want to give it; the flesh always wants to do it "my way." Humility, meekness, creativity and power from the Lord rather than the flesh, characteristics of a God-glorifying spirit, will usually find a faithful remnant that wants to learn our Lord's ways.

"More Than Bread"

Job 23:12 "I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread."

If you have been a Christian for any length of time you probably have heard your share of Bible thumping sermons designed to guilt you into spending more serious time reading your Bible. If you are like me, you know that no matter how many vows you’ve made to start new Bible study habits, you get distracted and your times with God and his Word can easily take an artificial or mechanical turn. More than just reading His Word God wants us to be changed by it—to live it. Therefore, I want to share with you something that has changed the way I approach the Word of God. Puritan pastor, Thomas Watson, has put together twenty-four suggestions that will help us get the most out of reading our Bible. I encourage you to read them, meditate on them, and pray that God would use His Word to change your life because it is more necessary than our daily food!

1. Remove hindrances. (a) remove the love of every sin (b) remove the distracting concerns of this world, especially covetousness (Matt. 13:22) (c) Don't make jokes with and out of Scripture.
2. Prepare your heart. (1 Sam 7:3) Do this by: (a) collecting your thoughts (b) purging unclean affections and desires (c) not coming to it rashly or carelessly.
3. Read it with reverence, considering that each line is God speaking directly to you.
4. Read the books of the Bible in order.
5. Get a true understanding of Scripture. (Ps 119:73) This is best achieved by comparing relevant parts of Scripture with each other.
6. Read with seriousness. (Deut 32:47) The Christian life is to be taken seriously since it requires striving (Luke 13:24) and not falling short (Heb. 4:1).
7. Persevere in remembering what you read. (Ps. 119:52) Don't let it be stolen from you (Matt. 13:4,19). If it doesn't stay in your memory it is unlikely to be much benefit to you.
8. Meditate on what you read. (Ps 119:15) The Hebrew word for meditate means ‘to be intense in the mind'. Meditation without reading is wrong and bound to err; reading without meditation is barren and fruitless. It means to stir the affections, to be warmed by the fire of meditation (Ps. 39:3).
9. Read with a humble heart. Acknowledge that you are unworthy that God should reveal himself to you (James 4:6).
10. Believe it all to be God's Holy Word. (2 Tim 3:16) We know that no sinner could have written it because of the way it describes sin. No saint could blaspheme God by pretending his own Word was God's. No angel could have written it for the same reason (Heb 4:2).
11. Prize the Bible highly. (Ps. 119:72) It is your lifeline; you were born by it (James 1:18) you need to grow by it (1 Pet 2:2) (cf. Job 23:12).
12. Love the Bible ardently (Ps 119:159).
13. Come to read it with an honest heart. (Luke 8:15) (a) Willing to know the entire and complete will of God (b) reading in order to be changed and made better by it (John 17:17).
14. Apply to yourself everything that you read, take every word as spoken to yourself. Its condemnation of sins as the condemnation of your own sin; the duty that it requires as the duty God would require from you (2 Kings 22:11).
15. Pay close attention to the commands of the Word as much as the promises. Think of how you need direction just as much as you need comfort.
16. Don't get carried away with the minor details, rather make sure to pay closest attention to the great things (Hosea 8:12).
17. Compare yourself with the Word. How do you compare? Is your heart something of a transcript of it, or not?
18. Pay special attention to those passages that speak to your individual, particular and present situation. e.g. (a) Affliction -- (Heb. 12:7, Isaiah 27:9, John 16:20, 2 Cor 4:17. (b) Sense of Christ's presence and smile withdrawn -- (Isaiah 54:8, Isaiah 57:16, Ps. 97:11) (c) Sin -- (Gal 5:24, James 1:15, 1 Peter 2:11, Prov 7:10&22-23, Prov 22:14) (d) Unbelief -- (Is 26:3, 2 Sam 22:31, John 3:15, 1 John 5:10, John 3:36).
19. Pay special attention to the examples and lives of people in the Bible as living sermons. (a) Punishments (Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Num 25:3-9, 1 Kings 14:9-10, Acts 5:5,10, 1 Cor 10:11, Jude 7) (b) mercies and deliverances (Daniel, Jeremiah, the 3 youths in the fiery furnace).
20. Don't stop reading the Bible until you find your heart warmed. (Ps 119:93) Let it not only inform you but also inflame you (Jer 23:29, Luke 24:32).
21. Put into practice what you read (Ps 119:66, Ps 119:105, Deut 17:19).
22. Christ is for us Prophet, Priest and King. Make use of His office as a Prophet (Rev 5:5, John 8:12, Ps 119:102-103). Get Christ not only to open the Scriptures up to you, but to open up your mind and understanding (Luke 24:45).
23. Make sure to put yourself under a true ministry of the Word, faithfully and thoroughly expounding the Word (Prov 8:34) be earnest and eager in waiting on it.
24. Pray that you will profit from reading (Is 48:17, Ps 119:18, Neh 9:20).

"Putting Christ First"

Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? Do you put a robe on? Make a mad dash to the bathroom? Stagger into the kitchen for a fresh cup of coffee? Whatever you do, it must be important for it to be the first thing you do to begin each new day.

I was on a business trip with my employer and we had the awkward privilege of sharing a hotel room together after each day’s work. Besides learning that he snores like a troll, I learned one thing about him that I still admire. Every morning when the alarm clock sounded, he would sit up in bed, turn the light on, reach for his Bible on the nightstand, and read from God’s word. I was humbled that while I was seeking coffee as a matter of first importance, he was seeking intimate fellowship with God.

I don’t tell you that story to infer that in order to be godly you must read your Bible before you brush your teeth or have a cup of coffee. However, in the midst of life’s “important things,” and there are a lot of them, the things we should seek most are the priorities of God’s Kingdom. We should put Jesus and his purposes first in our life.

Jesus told us to seek, that is, to be absorbed in the search for something. Jesus told a story about a man who upon finding a hidden treasure in a field, hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44). He was willing to give up everything to take possession of the treasure. We may have moments of that level of passion but the verb form reminds us that Jesus means for us to “be constantly seeking” (Colossians 3:1). Yet, for many, God is just one of many equally important pursuits. Therefore, Jesus told us to seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness first. He wants us to give them the priority that they deserve (2 Corinthians 4:18). What place do they occupy in your daily agenda? Remember, these things are not items on a task list that we just elevate to the top and scratch off when they are complete. Not at all. At all times and in all places we are to pursue his Kingdom and righteousness as top priority.

My wife and I have tried to stimulate Kingdom thinking in our life by writing on our kitchen window this simple question, “Lord, what’s your agenda for my day?” This helps us remember that as we approach the day our ultimate priority is to seek God’s priorities for our marriage, parenting, employment, ministry, finances, leisure, etc. When we do that, Jesus said, then all these things will be given to us. What things he is talking about? Contextually, Jesus is referring to what we will wear, eat and drink (v. 28-32). When we clothe and nourish ourselves on Kingdom priorities we will never lack the basic necessities of life. In a sense, Jesus promises God’s “Social Security” program for all who trust in him.

In recent years the future of “Social Security” in America has been uncertain. Many are worrying about whether or not there will be a safety net for the next generation. As strangers in this world, as citizens of a heavenly kingdom (1 Peter 1:1; Phil. 3:20), we have no reason to worry about tomorrow as long as we are seeking the right things today's. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own and so we are not to worry about tomorrow’s also. God has not given us strength for tomorrow’s trouble, only today. Yet, when tomorrow’s troubles become today’s, God’s strength will cover us in abundant measure.

Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Psalm 119:11). Hide it in your heart!

"Only One Way"

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Inclusivism is the belief that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not fundamentally necessary for salvation. This idea which was first conceived by liberal theologians who intentionally sought to redefine the faith has been growing among some Christians for decades. Inclusivism now fits the cultural mood, and allows people to concurrently claim to be believers in Christ and deny His gospel. But why would anyone want to be an inclusivist? The logic is quite simple: If the historical Jesus was God in human flesh, and if He made atonement for our sins, and is therefore the only means of salvation, then all other religions are false and lead to death (John 3:16-18). This reasoning does not sit well in the belly of our pluralistic culture. An inclusivist prefers the argument of Catholic theologian Karl Rahner who simply sees those that deny the exclusivity of the gospel of Christ as “anonymous Christians.” In other words, those who follow the light of other religions will eventually be included in Christ's work of salvation.

In light of inclusivism, Bible believing Christians must answer this question, “If all religions lead essentially to the same divine reality, why should we go to the trouble of sharing Christ when that person can be saved without placing explicit faith in Christ? Why waste our time?”

The truth of the matter is that inclusivism stands in stark contrast to Scripture, which points us to the claims of Christ. According to John 14:6, Jesus Christ claimed to be "the way, the truth and the life." Furthermore, Jesus added, "no one comes to the Father except through Me." Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has this to say: “Christ is a stone of stumbling that modern secular intellectuals cannot tolerate. Their rejection of historic and biblical Christianity comes precisely at this point, for Christianity claims not only to be a superior revelation, but insists that the only means of salvation is personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the only way to God, precisely because he is the truth of God (1:14) and the life of God (3:15). Therefore, it is totally insufficient to say that one knows God apart from Christ; for, apart from Christ there is no life (1 John 5:11-12). Let us then humbly and exclusively live for the gospel of Jesus Christ, because in him alone we are graciously included in the family of God.

Remember, God’s Word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin. Hide it in your heart!

"Risk It All"

Mark 8:34 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

We live in a society that says to itself, “Get as much as you can with as little work as possible.” For example, we hear, “Take this pill, loose weight, and eat what ever you want.” Unfortunately, many are led to believe the kingdom of God works the same way. Jesus told some very committed followers that if they truly desired to be a part of God’s program they needed to take up their cross, not their pills. Pills are taken to relieve pain; however crosses represent pain, suffering, and death. Cross-bearing is at the very heart of the Christian message. Yet, the only part many people hear is, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” Who wouldn’t accept a message like that when there’s nothing to loose? Yet, Jesus said that anyone who desires to follow him must deny himself and take up his cross. The cost of discipleship and eternal life is death to self. Anyone unwilling to deny himself cannot legitimately claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

But what does it really mean to follow Jesus? How high and how far do you have to carry your cross? Bearing your cross means denying yourself to the point of death if necessary. Self-denial doesn’t save you, but a sinner who is aware that he can’t save himself reaches the point where he is willing to risk it all. Some will risk a lot; many will risk almost everything, but almost isn’t enough. One upstanding young man found himself face to face with this reality when Jesus said to him, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mt. 19:21). When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had a great deal of money he wasn’t willing to part with.The motto of our day says, “The one with the most toys in the end wins.” Yet, in the kingdom of God, the last man or woman standing has nothing because they stand firm in Christ’s grace alone. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Give all that you are for all that he is! This is the gospel according to Jesus.

"Every Christian's Responsibility"

Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you willfulfill the law of Christ."

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN a fellow Christian living in a way or caught in a behavior that is dishonoring to Christ and His church, but said nothing to them about it? Have you ever watched someone self destruct because of harmful and sinful patterns in their life but been afraid to confront them because you’re convinced their response will be negative or simply because you could never do something like that? After all, you’re a sinner too. Wouldn’t it be hypocritical to confront someone else when you have struggled with similar things before? Wouldn’t it be better to leave all this confrontation/restoration business up to the pastoral staff of the church or to those who are really spiritual? Besides, Jesus said, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Mt. 7:1). Wouldn’t it be better to let the Lord deal with it? Thankfully, the Lord was not prohibiting confrontation or passing judgment but delivering a warning about the way in which we judge. We must be careful to judge righteously for in the way we judge others God will judge us.

One of the reasons we may shy away from warning or correcting a fellow believer is because we view it as judgmental, confusing confrontation with condemnation. It is true that there is a law that the believer obeys; it is the law of love in Christ. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). In his letter, Paul describes the problem in the Galatian churches. He speaks of "biting and devouring each other" (5:15) and "provoking and envying each other" (5:26). We are not to use our liberty for selfish purposes but to serve others. In this case, serving means gently restoring a fellow Christian caught in sin.

Suppose a believer is suddenly caught by the enemy and falls into sin. Or suppose the one being caught in sin is found out by other believers. God places the responsibility for restoring a sinning believer on the shoulders of the members of His Church, “you who are spiritual.” Yet, you may think that you are not mature enough or equipped to be a restorer. Well, though your maturity as a Christian is judged by your progression and growth in the graces of Christ, your spirituality is not. Spirituality is a reality unrelated to growth. In other words, you are either spiritual, walking in the Spirit, or fleshly, walking in the deeds of the flesh. In this context, “spiritual” is used to describe anyone who is saved and walking in the Spirit, led by the Spirit, bearing fruit through the Spirit. Therefore, no matter where you are in your spiritual growth, God desires to use you as an instrument of change in the lives of fellow believers who succumb to the desires of their flesh.

But what does it mean to “restore”? In Paul’s day, the word was sometimes used metaphorically of settling disputes or arguments. Literally, it was a medical term meaning “to mend” or “repair,” and was used to describe setting a broken bone or repairing a dislocated limb. Though the bone setting process is never pleasant and can be very painful, it is necessary. Yet, it must be done with “gentleness.” When confronting or disciplining a sinning member, the members of the church should always be quick to “forgive and comfort” the one who has been disciplined, “lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (2 Cor. 2:7). That person should never be regarded “as an enemy, but [admonished] as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:15). To ensure gentle treatment of a sinning believer, Paul warns: “watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” Unfortunately, too many churches shoot their wounded. We must then, be on guard against arrogance, pride, and all forms of selfishness. We must remember that the point of confrontation/restoration is “carrying each other’s burdens.” Some people’s burdens will be very heavy and we must bear their load and endure their trespass no matter how long the process of restoration takes. Remember “love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8).

What is the result? By God’s grace, and in many cases, the sinning believer is gloriously restored and returned to effective service. Unfortunately, not every so called brother repents and some sink deeper into deceit and sin. In those cases, the church must be obedient to the commands of Christ and follow through with restorative measures of church discipline (Mt. 18:15-17).

When done in love and for the glory of God, the process of restoration and the bearing of burdens do indeed “fulfill the law of Christ.” In chapter five, Paul said that, "The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”" (Gal. 5:14). This is the law of love which fulfills the entire law (Cf. Rom. 13:8, 10). As we love our sinning brother or sister, we are loving Christ, and no matter the sinners response, God is glorified by our obedience to love like Him (Cf. Heb. 12:6).

Next time you see a fellow Christian living in a way or caught in a behavior that is dishonoring to Christ and His church, don’t remain silent! Do your duty. Restore him gently. Watch yourself carefully. Carry his burden. Fulfill the law of Christ and saturate the sinner with the law of love.

Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Ps. 119:11). Hide it in your heart!

"Lasting Impressions"

Galatians 6:10 "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Did you know that because the moon’s surface is not affected by wind or water the footprints left there by the Apollo astronauts will almost never fade away. Some scientists project that those footprints will remain for at least 10 million years. That’s what I call a lasting impression.

Most of us will never get the opportunity to walk on the lunar surface, but each one of us has the opportunity to use our life as a tool to make a lasting impression on someone else. God wants us to use our “opportunity” (our entire life) as an instrument of change in the lives of others. Yet, because our life span is limited, so is our opportunity. Approximately, 10,800 people turn 50 years of age every day. That’s more than half the average life expectancy. If you haven’t reached that milestone already, God willing, you will one day. The question is, what is your strategy for “doing good to all people” going to be?

Paul’s exhortation, “let us do good,” means to be active, to work effectively and diligently. No soldier engages in battle, and no athlete enters his race with a passive plan or casual attitude. Neither should you. You must work hard and capitalize on every opportunity to sow seeds of good for God’s glory. Also, remember that the good that God desires from us is not limited to physical and temporal good, but to the goodness of moral and spiritual excellence that is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). In other words, let us speak and do goodness to “all people” as an expression of our undivided love for and obedience to Jesus Christ.

As important as doing good to unbelievers is, however, it is especially to be demonstrated to “those who belong to the family of believers.” John MacArthur has said, “The first test of our love for God is our love for His other children, our brothers and sisters in Christ.” The apostle John said, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers" (1 John 3:14). "If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:20-21).

Take a few moments to thankfully consider the things that others have done which have made a lasting impression on your life.

Who made an impression on you? What did he or she do?

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Now ask God to help you think of a way that you can make the same kind of lasting impression on the lives of others. Begin by thinking of someone within our own church and then stretch it to those outside our body.

Who might you influence? What could you do?

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Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Psalm 119:11). Hide it in your heart!

"Assurance of Prayers Answered"

1 John 5:14, 15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

I have heard it said that prayer is not a way of overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness. Sometimes we pray as if we are trying to convince God that he should do what we think is best, but prayer is not about our will, it’s about his. If we know God’s will, we can pray with boldness. This is the confidence that the apostle John writes about: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

It is a simple fact that God listens to the prayers of believers. Therefore, we have confidence, or literally, freedom of speech, to speak boldly to him. Our heavenly Father is glad to hear us and he is always listening.

His example makes me evaluate how attentive and open my ears are to the pleas and supplications of my own children. Responses like, “Can’t you see I’m on the phone!” Or, “daddy is busy right now kids,” can be common words from my mouth. Worse yet, is when my children are conditioned to say in a crescendoing fashion, “Daddy…daddy…daddy…DADDY!” in order to get my attention. However, believers never need to bulldoze our way into God’s presence or compel him to pay attention. The fact is, he is more willing to listen than we are to pray. Therefore, we are free to confidently approach His throne of grace (Heb 4:16). God doesn’t want us to timidly approach him any more than we want our children to approach us with fear and intimidation.

Though this is true, there is a right and a wrong way to approach God. The principle of prayer given in this passage is that if our prayers are going to be answered they must be asked according to his will.

The same is true with my children; there is a right way for them to approach me when I’m busy at work, on the phone, or in the middle of a conversation with their mother. The practice in our home is that, unless it is an emergency or someone is in danger, my children are to place a hand on my arm or leg and wait quietly and patiently until I acknowledge their desire for my attention. In a sense, this is a condition of communication in my home. At least four times in John’s writings, he lays down what William Barclay called conditions of prayer:

1. Obedience. Earlier in his letter, John said that we “receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:22). When we ask with sinful intentions or out of a life that is caught in sin, we forfeit the confidence to ask God anything because we cannot ask according to his will (v. 21). The Bible makes it very clear that God does not hear or answer the prayers of those who: ask with wrong motives (Ja. 4:3); live in sin (Ps. 66:18; John 9:31); offer unworthy service to God (Mal. 1:7-9); doubt God’s faithfulness (Ja. 1:6-7); are hypocrites (Job 27:8-9); are proud (Job 35:12-14); or are self-righteous (Lk. 18:11-12, 14).
   
2. Abiding in Christ. Jesus said that if we abide in him and his words abide in us, we can ask whatever we wish and it will be given to us (John 15:7). The principal is this: the closer we grow to Christ, the more we pray according to his will; the more we pray his will, the greater the answer we receive.
   
3. In Jesus name. Jesus also said that if we ask anything in his name, he will do it (John 14:14). However, he does not mean that we are free to evoke his name like a cosmic genie to grant our wishes. On the contrary, we pray “in Jesus’ name” because we are committed to his will and his word so that God’s glory be put on display as he answers. C.H. Dodd said, "Prayer rightly considered is not a device for employing the resources of omnipotence to fulfill our own desires, but a means by which our desires may be redirected according to the mind of God, and made into channels for the forces of his will."
   Jesus made the purpose of prayer in his name very clear when he said: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (emphasis added, John 14:13).
   
4. According to God’s Word. In a very practical sense, this is what it means to pray according to his will. We know and understand God’s will as we immerse ourselves in his Word (cf. John 14:21, 23; 15:7). Warren Wiersbe has said: "True prayer is much more than saying words to God. It involves searching the Word, letting the Spirit search the things of God (Rom. 8:26–28), and yielding to God’s will as we share our requests with Him."

The clear truth of 1 John 5:14 is that we can be confident God hears and answers our prayers. In addition, verse 15 introduces a new idea—that because God is faithful to answer our prayers we have what we pray for now. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him The Greek verb translated have is in the present tense. Consequently, the promise here is not simply that we have what we pray for, but what we pray for we have already. To help us understand, it is like God finishes our sentence for us and hands us what we are going to ask at the same time. Our heavenly Father hears and answers; in fact, he has answered already. Oh, what confidence this brings to our heart as we pray!

Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Psalm 119:11). Hide it in your heart!

"Assurance of Eternal Life"

1 John 5:11, 12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

When I was growing up my dad was somewhat of a High School sports big-shot in the state of Illinois (or at least that’s what I thought of him). In fact my cousins used to refer to him as UBS or “Uncle Big-Shot”. For many years, he was the executive director of the Illinois High School Association, which administers all the state wide sports seasons, officials, coaches, tournaments, etc. He was like the head of the NCAA only on a much smaller scale.

The state tournaments, especially football and basketball, became annual family outings, and being related to the man in charge came with lots of perks. One of them was having an all-access pass. That meant I could get into the team locker rooms, mingle with the press and eat the complementary food set up in the hospitality room, which was always better than paying five dollars for a bag of peanuts. But what I coveted most was being able to watch the game court-side or from the side line with the team. Yet, my access to these privileges was determined by my relationship to the man in charge.

On a much grander scale, 1 John 5:11 and 12 make it very clear that our relationship with Jesus Christ determines whether we have access to eternal life or not. Early in his ministry Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24). Like moving from the nosebleed seats to court side, passing from death into life requires a pass.

As a nine year old, I was confident to walk right down to the field gate, flip my pass like I was from the FBI, and enter into a young sports fan’s paradise; all because I knew the right person. The "testimony" John speaks of is quite similar. All believers not only possess a written record of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection but also a subjective witness (a confidence if you will) of eternal life. That witness or testimony to eternal life is secured by our possession of an all-access pass to that life, Jesus Christ the Righteous (or rather, His possession of us). Everyone who "has the Son" (i.e. a personal relationship fashioned by the Holy Spirit through faith) "has life." Indeed, "God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son."

I do remember during the state basketball final one year, I followed my father courtside, but without my pass. Halfway through the game he was called away for a television interview, leaving me alone momentarily. It didn’t take long for security to identify me as someone who wasn’t supposed to be there. A stern voice said from behind me, “How did you get onto the court young man?” All I knew to do at that moment was to point to my father saying, “I’m with him. He’s my dad.” But just think what would have happened to me if my father had not been there, or worse, if he had not been the man in charge? I would have had no right to the privileges contained in an all-access pass.

The stumbling block for so many is the last statement of this verse, "he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." This statement is a stumbling block because it brings people to a point of decision. Let me ask you, if you were to die today, would you be able to point to Christ and say in a sincere and confident way, “I’m with Him. He’s my Savior”? Tragically, many "do not have life" because they "do not have the Son."

We must make sure that we don’t superficially treat Christ like an all-access pass to heaven. Professing Christ to receive “access” to eternal life should not be done without considering the cost. Jesus also said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, emphasis added). If we "have the Son" and "eternal life," then we should manifest it by our love for Him. Listen to this powerful testimony of what it means to "love the Lord Jesus Christ" from puritan pastor, Thomas Brooks.

Look that you love the Lord Jesus Christ with an excellent love, with an overtopping love. No one has suffered so much for you as Christ; no one could ever suffer so much for you as Christ has. The least measure of that wrath that Christ has sustained for you, would have broke the hearts, necks, and backs of all created beings.

O my friends! Only an excellent love is suitable to the transcendent suffering of dear Jesus. Oh, love him above your lusts, love him above your relations, love him above the world, love him above all your outward contentment's and enjoyments yes, love him above your very life.

If you have the Son, live a life that reflects your access to eternal life and an overtopping love for Christ. If you don’t, embrace his love for you today. Remember, God’s word is your greatest weapon in the fight against sin (Psalm 119:11). Hide it in your heart!