Resolve Recap

Daniel Tomlinson has been attending Webster Bible Church for a few years and is in the process of becoming a member. Recently we had the joy of participating in the Resolved men’s conference at Grace Road Church in Rochester. Daniel took copious notes during the sessions, so I asked him to provide a recap of the keynote sessions. Daniel graciously agreed, so I’m proud to have him as our guest blogger for today!

Nearly 400 men from 40 different churches converged for a two-day conference hosted by the Grace Road men’s ministry with keynote speaker Dr. Carl Trueman. Dr. Trueman is a professor of Biblical & Religious Studies at Grove City College in Pennsylvania and the author or two recent books – The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution and Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution. The lectures centered on these themes.

The conference commenced on Friday evening with a time of worship, prayer, and a short message from Pastor Kevin Maloney about the True Man, Jesus Christ. It must be noted that several hundred men singing “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” is a soul-stirring and beard-curling experience.

Lecture #1: Analysis

Dr. Trueman’s first lecture began by putting his British finger on a major sore spot of American evangelicalism – our temptation to look around at our world and to panic or despair of the future. His ambitious intent was to diagnose our myriad of societal symptoms, revealing the single underlying cultural disease.

This potentially civilization-destroying illness can be called by many names, but Dr. Trueman’s moniker for our malaise is a chronic case of “what-is-man-itis.” Or in plain Queen’s English, we no longer know what it means to be human.

Our culture’s three-part rejection of the necessary ingredients for a stable society, namely 1) limits 2) teleology and 3) natural obligations, make for a bitter brew that sours the spirit and bakes the brain.

By “limits” Dr. Trueman means our society believes we don’t have any. We are unconstrained by rules, ancestry, morality, biology, or the natural world. The TRANSgressor is the only truly “free man.” Anything that keeps us from fulfilling our desires must be cast off and/or deconstructed.

This brings us to teleology, a $5 word for a $5M concept. In sum, tele (end) + logos (reason, or logic). Teleology is meant to answer the question of the purpose of our existence. Western civilization, with the wisdom of a newly hatched velociraptor, has embraced a purposeless existence, a meandering meaningless, and absence of any destination or point to our absurd lives. One creates his own purpose, thereby detaching himself from previous generations and cruelly denying the next generation religious and familial stability, and often even life itself.

When we reject limits and teleological realities, natural obligations go the way of the dodo bird. We were “born free and yet are everywhere in chains.” We divorce sex from marriage, child-bearing from sex, the young from the old, and parents from children. Natural obligations bind us, and we desire liberty from all constraints. The truly “free man” not only transgresses all rules but also ignores all duties.

Despite our culture’s rejection of what makes for a stable society, we can take heart, for the root of this rejection is theological. So argues Dr. Trueman. In his second lecture he lays out the theological truths that help us rebuild what is good, true, and beautiful.

Lecture #2: Solution

With numerical consistency and alliterative adroitness, Dr. Trueman gave a short, sweet, and sweeping three-part solution to our cultural malaise.

He noted that our imaginations will either be filled by cultural forces or by the Church’s message of truth. The three-part harmony that drowns out the siren call of the world must contain 1) creed, 2) cult, and 3) code.

[Perhaps better summarized as word, worship, and way of life.]

Our creed speaks to our teachings about where we came from, how we know right from wrong, who God is, and what it means to be human. Dr. Trueman encouraged pastors to spend more time studying and teaching on anthropology as the battleground for truth in our day. His challenge to parents was to teach their children the “form of sound words” e.g. catechize them with a foundation of ancient truths expressed in ancient words to fortify their souls for the days ahead.

Cult means worship or homage. Dr. Trueman notes that worship shapes, not only our imaginations, but our heart, emotions, and minds. He urged the audience to think through the habit-forming practices of our homes and churches, building meaning and Biblical rationale for each brick in the edifices that shape our souls.

Finally, code. This is our way of life. Our orthopraxy must align with our orthodoxy, or we are a toothless bulldog, all bow-wow and no ow-ow. Dr. Trueman spoke of the power of practicing hospitality, developing deep friendships, and building institutions that impact generations.

After a brief Q&A session, Dr. Trueman thanked the men for participating in the conference and the women for serving behind the scenes. He then dashed out the door. One can only speculate, but hopefully it was to treat his dear wife to the Rochester culinary staple garbage plate! :)

To sum it all up, Dr. Trueman’s cultural analysis was brilliant, insightful, clear, compelling, and best of all, true. The conference participants were blessed by his meticulous and careful methods, courageous research, and his firm and gracious exposing of our ideological enemies, and the spotlight of truth he cast on the moral darkness of our day. Few men can do what Dr. Trueman did so well.

And yet, dear reader, your faithful grandmother Betty is no stranger to the solution Dr. Trueman laid out. Your Jesus-loving uncle Bob lived out the core of his 3Cs. Your patient pastor promotes this very same message in your church week after week.

It is good, ‘ol fashioned, never out of style, life-changing, heart-transforming, disciple-making, God-glorifying, and ever necessary faithfulness to our King.

Not complex or unclear. Fear the Lord, obey His commands, trust His word, and follow Him – teaching others to do the same.

Thank you, Dr. Trueman and Grace Road, for a delightful and enriching event.

Spend a Few Moments with Jesus in Prayer

At nearly 88 years old (next month), my dad is still writing poetry! Last Saturday evening he sent me his latest poem, not knowing that it addressed the same topic as the sermon that I had prepared for the following day: prayer! Enjoy the poem, and may it encourage you to pray!

You get up each morning, and what do you do?

First, put on a fresh pot of coffee to brew;

Eat breakfast, then shower and get yourself dressed,

And all the while thinking you needed more rest.

 

Perhaps read the paper, or turn on TV,

Depressed by the news or whatever you see;

Put saucer and coffee cup down in the sink,

Then off to your job, not a moment to think.

 

If that sounds at all like your daily routine,

You’re part of the great All-American team.

In some form or fashion, it’s practiced about

By multiplied millions, day in and day out.

 

This being your plight, you’re in pitiful shape,

Stuck deep in a groove that you cannot escape;

With movements robotic, your mind not in gear,

Well, something alarming is going on here.

 

It’s not you’re engaging in anything wrong;

There’s just no excitement, and where is the song?

The joy of a spanking new God-given day?

That spring in your step as you go on your way?

 

It’s what you’re not doing that makes your life bleak,

Endeavors so cheerless, your outlook so weak.

It’s that which is lacking that robs you of joy,

And marks with such blandness your daily employ.

 

Well, friend, you should know there’s a wonderful truth—

A life-changing principle known from my youth—

A secret incredible I’d like to share:

Just spend a few moments with Jesus in prayer.

 

Engage yourself in it at start of the day—

Before you leave home and you go on your way;

And spend a few moments in God’s holy word—

Be faithful about it, do not be deterred.

 

You must be committed, because you will find

The Devil insisting you don’t have the time—

That other things need your attention as well;

But do not believe it-- that lie is from Hell.

 

Get up, if you must at an earlier hour;

Eat breakfast more quickly, or shorten your shower.

But no matter what, ‘fore that threshold is crossed,

You keep that appointment, whatever the cost.

 

You make it a habit, I promise you this:

Your hum-drum existence will turn into bliss.

Instead now of living your life in a rut--

An outlook that’s healthy, a fire in your gut.

 

Excitement restored to the dawn of your day,

A spring in your step as you go on your way.

A new zest for life, free of worry and care,

By just those few moments with Jesus in prayer.

 

Yes, time spent with Jesus will richly reward

Each one who engages in prayer and the Word.

Such wonderful moments, so precious and rare—

Those moments with Jesus in bless-ed sweet prayer.

 

And maybe, just maybe, some day you will find

Those scriptures you read are now etched in your mind—

And moments with Jesus you took time to share

Have somehow morphed into “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”

How Well Do You Know God's Word?

The other evening Ruthie and I enjoyed a few laughs watching the Nate Bargatze comedy special on Netflix. At the time it was the #1 show on Netflix, which is encouraging given that his comedy routine is entirely clean. (Nate was raised in a Christian home and may be a Christian himself.)   

Nate has a dry, self-deprecating kind of humor that works well for him. For instance, he talked about his lack of reading and how clueless he is of many subjects, especially history. He said, "When I went and saw the movie Pearl Harbor, I was just as surprised as they were."

Funny. I assume (and certainly hope!) that he was exaggerating! But it got me thinking about how biblically illiterate our society has become. If you doubt that, watch how otherwise knowledgeable contestants on the quiz show Jeopardy bomb out on the Bible categories. I've met professing Christians who are ignorant of David, Moses, Daniel, etc. Sad, but true. 

Only by knowing God's Word can we understand the way of salvation, our history as the people of God, how to pray, navigate life, and maintain an eternal perspective. God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). This world as we know it, is passing away, but "the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

While 87% of households in the U.S. own a Bible, only 11% have read the entire Bible at least once. If you have never done this, I’d encourage you to do so this year. Many reading plans are available. For a sample listing, click here.

I'll conclude with the Preface that appears in Gideon Bibles. These words have always moved and motivated me, and I trust that they will have the same effect on you:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. 

Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. 

I exhort each of you to make God's Word, along with prayer, a top priority this new year.

A Pointed, Potent Prayer

The longer I’m a Christian, the more I realize how important prayer is and that there’s no shortage of things to pray for! The apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Tim. 2:1). Elsewhere believers are told to be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18). Whew! That will keep a Christian busy!

Sometimes we don’t know exactly how we should pray, but thank God that the Holy Spirit helps us out in such cases (see Rom. 8:26). But at other times we know exactly how we should pray, because Scripture explicitly tells us.

Such is the case when it comes to sharing the gospel with others. After telling believers in Colossians 4 to “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (v. 2), Paul goes on to say, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on a count of which I am in prison — that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (vv. 3-4). In Ephesians 6, Paul writes, “[pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, … that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (vv. 19-20).

These two corresponding Scriptures lay out some specific prayer items for sharing the gospel:

  1. Opportunity. We need God to “open to us a door for the word.” Most likely, gospel-sharing opportunities will come up in the course of our daily routines as we’re running errands, talking to our neighbors, having lunch with a co-worker or classmate. We will be much more likely to recognize such opportunities to share the gospel if we’re praying for them.

  2. Boldness. It’s one thing to recognize an opportunity, it’s another thing to act on it — to walk through the door that God has opened for the word. If you wait to speak until you feel bold, you’ll fail to take advantage of most opportunities that God sends your way. But if you step through that open door in faith, believing that God will grant you the boldness as you speak, then you will find that he will grant you the courage to do so.

  3. Clarity. Since God wants us to go everywhere in the world and share the gospel with everyone (Mark 16:15) — men and women, girls and boys, rich and poor, educated and uneducated — then the message must be simple. In a sermon titled, “Plain Gospel for Plain People,” Charles Spurgeon quipped, “It should be clear as the sun, and simple as the A-B-C, that they may see it, and then hold it in their memories.” Spurgeon went on to say,

The gospel of our salvation saves the feeble-minded as well as the clever; it reaches the slow and dull as well as the quick and bright. Is it not well it should be so? The Lord has given a gospel which he may grasp who can scarcely grasp anything else.

What if you only had a minute to share the gospel with someone — on your street, in the grocery store, at the gym, or over lunch? That’s what I ask our prospective church members to do — to share the gospel in a minute or less. I got this idea from Mark Dever, who wrote a helpful little book titled, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism. To demonstrate his point, here is how Mark summarizes the gospel:

The good news is that the one and only God, who is holy, made us in his image to know him. But we sinned and cut ourselves off from him. In his great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law himself and taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us had been exhausted. He now calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.

Of course, you don’t have to use those exact words. In fact, you might be able to explain the gospel more simply than that! (To read more on this point, read my article, “The Gospel in a Minute.”)

One final note: While it is good to pray each day that God would give us ourselves opportunities, boldness, and clarity for sharing the gospel, we want to pray for our fellow believers in this regard, too. That’s what Paul did in both Scripture passages that I cited above. He wrote, “[pray] for me" (Eph. 6:19) and “pray also for us” (Col. 4:3). Elsewhere Paul wrote to fellow believers, “you help us by praying for us” (2 Cor. 1:11). We think of Paul as a great evangelist and church-planter, and rightly so. But how much of his success was owing to the prayers of many on his behalf? Only God knows.

But what we do know is how to pray for one another with respect to sharing the gospel. Pray for opportunities, for boldness, for clarity.

And let us pray for conversions. “For God, who said, ‘Let light sine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

A most encouraging message on pastoral ministry

The most encouraging message I’ve heard on pastoral ministry was titled “Endurance Needed: Strength for a Slow Reformation and The Dangerous Allure of Speed.” This sermon was preached by Mark Dever (Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church) at the 2016 Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference.

In this sermon, Dever contrasts the joys of the spotlight (doing ministry which places great emphasis on the gift of the preacher — things that we can see and know now) versus the joys of the elder’s chair. (The elders’ chairs are often in older churches. They are lined up at the front of the sanctuary, sometimes on the platform, facing the pews. They symbolize the elders’ loving and faithful oversight of the congregation that God has entrusted to their care — a ministry that emphasizes the power and promises of God and is therefore marked by faithful endurance.)

“The joys of the elder’s chair” include:

  1. The joy of resting in the sufficiency of Scripture.

  2. The joy of seeing people converted (1 Tim. 4:16).

  3. The joy of knowing your congregation well enough to see God’s work in their lives.

  4. The joy of watching the assembly sing God’s promises and relish and live off the hope that they are given.

  5. The joy of knowing that the state of your members is more important than their number (e.g., Acts 15:36)

  6. The joy of hearing others preach better sermons than you

  7. The joy of being more excited about God’s work than your own

  8. The joy of knowing that the weight of the world is on God’s shoulders, not on your own

  9. The joy of longing for heaven together

  10. The joy of waiting together on the promises of a faithful God (Hab. 2:3)

Dever asserts, “A vision that sees only what can be accomplished immediately artificially constricts our view of the action of God. And that can lead to discouraged Christians and churches and pastors.” So, don’t be misled. Don’t be discouraged. Focus on the power and promises of God as you faithfully serve the flock of God.

Scripture teaches that the whole posture of the Christian life is one of waiting for Christ’s return (Rom. 8:22-23; James 5:7; Titus 2:11-12), and that we should live this day in light of that Day. For pastors to endure, what we need are not the joys of the spotlight, but the joys of the elder’s chair.

“If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12a).

The King and His Attendants

One devotional resource that I have come to enjoy is Flowers from a Puritan’s Garden: Illustrations and Meditations, by Charles Spurgeon. He loved reading the Puritans and was frequently struck by how well Puritan Thomas Manton communicated biblical truths with simple illustrations.

To Manton’s thoughts Spurgeon added his own. Or, as Spurgeon put it: He cleared Manton’s house of all his pictures and then hung them in frames of his own. Each devotional in this book begins with an original statement by Manton that is then followed by thoughts from Spurgeon.

For example, here’s the devotional I read this morning:

THE KING AND HIS ATTENDANTS

Those who entertain a king, reckon upon receiving his train.

It is not fit that he should come alone. So those who receive Jesus by faith into their hearts, receive also his church, his ministers, his word, and his cause. They take the Saviour and all his belongings. As the old proverb hath it, “Love me, love my dog,” so they love all who belong to Jesus for their Lord’s sake. Where Jesus comes with pardon, he brings all the graces with him, and we are right glad to entertain them all: not only faith, but love, hope, patience, courage, zeal, and the whole band of virtues. It would be idle to say, “Christ is in me,” if none of the graces of his Spirit lodged within our souls.

Come in, great Lord, and dwell in my heart, and bring all thy disciples with thee, and all thy belongings, yea, and thy cross itself.


God Loves My Pitiful Prayers

I love getting up in the morning, grabbing my cup of coffee, easing into my chair, and opening God’s word. My favorite way to read the Bible is straight through, and that’s what I’m doing this year.

By God’s grace I can truly say that I love his Word. I desire it, I delight in it, and I depend on it! On most days, I am significantly impacted by what I read and am often moved to tears. That’s because “the word of God is alive and powerful” (Heb. 4:12)!

Is it any wonder, then, why my prayers feel so pathetic? What are my words compared to God’s words? Though I am helped by praying through Scripture itself, the formulation of my own petitions, requests, and expressions of praise and thanksgiving seem so weak, so superficial, so insubstantial, so unworthy of God.

Such thoughts plagued me again this morning as I fumbled through prayer. Then I thought of multiple Scripture verses which make it clear that God beckons his children time and time again to pray to him. Once when Jesus had finished praying, “one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord teach us to pray….’ And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father….”’” (Luke 11:1).

Amid my muddled prayer in that moment, it occurred to me that I am praying to God as my Father.

What was it like when my children were young and had a very limited vocabulary, at one point just learning to talk? How did I react when they could say nothing more than “Da-da?”

Did I rebuke them? Did I chide them for their infantile language? No! Far from it! I delighted to hear them call my name, to talk to me with whatever words they knew – simply because they were my children. I loved them, and I knew they loved me.

If that’s true of us as human parents, how much more so is it true of our Father in heaven? “Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” (Ps. 66:20).

God hears my prayer not because of how eloquent it is or deserving I am but because of who Christ is and what he has done to bring me to God (1 Pet. 3:18). I can approach the throne of grace confidently, knowing that I have been reconciled to God through faith in his Son (Heb. 4:16). Because Christ is my brother (Heb. 2:10-11), God is my Father, and I am his beloved child.

The same is true of you, fellow believer. So, go to God in prayer. Focus not on how good your prayer is, but on how good our God is.

God's Lifesavers

Fellow Christian, have you considered the significant role you play in God’s mission to rescue humanity? Consider Paul’s words to Timothy:

Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach. Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you. (1 Tim. 4:16).

Read those words again and let them sink in. Does it strike you as weird or even wrong for Paul to say, “you will save both yourself and your hearers”? Some might retort, “It is God alone who saves!” Paul wouldn’t argue that point, but he would add that God does so through human instruments. Paul used similar language in 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.”

After I preached on 1 Timothy 4:16 this past Sunday, I received an email from a dear brother in Christ who thanked me for the sermon and proceeded to share a wonderful analogy, saying,

Your comments on the idea of “you will save yourself and your hearers” sparked a thought. God uses His ministers as sort of life-preservers. He fashions us and tosses us out into the sea to be the means of rescue. He aims us, holds the rope, and draws us back in with those He sent us to. The salvation is all of Him, yet we are truly used to “save.” Our part? Never to cut the rope, and never to get water-logged. Submit to His tossing in place and time, and let the others hang on to us until He reels us back in.

Jesus employed a similar illustration when he said to his disciples, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). Early last week I read a superb article by Tim Challies titled, “How Evangelism Is Kind of Like Fishing,” in which he offers some practical insights based on Jesus’ analogy. To read that article, click here.

Don’t minimize the significant role you play in God’s mission to rescue lost humanity. Jesus and Paul sure didn’t!

A Lesson from Little Roger

A baby boy that lived over two hundred years ago taught me an important lesson.

This summer I’ve been reading my favorite missionary biography, To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson, by Courtney Anderson. Adoniram was born in 1788 in Massachusetts, and he was the first American to serve overseas in foreign missions, accompanied by his dear wife Nancy (a.k.a. Ann).

Two years after arriving in Burma (modern-day Myanmar), on September 11, 1815, Adoniram and Nancy were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, whom they named Roger. (Their first baby had been born dead at sea on their way to Burma and was buried in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.)

Baby Roger brought much joy to Nancy and Adoniram. The biographer notes,

The baby flourished from the start. He fed well, never cried except when in pain, and to his doting mother and father seemed unusually sensitive to his surroundings. Nancy felt better than in years, “almost in a new state of existence.”

Adoniram was working harder than ever before, immersed in his study of the Burmese language. “Little Roger, who still flourished, was almost his only relaxation.” But there is something else the biographer notes, drawing from the Judsons’ own recollections of little Roger, that made an impression on me:

The baby seemed to show an unusual desire to be with his parents. Sometimes when they went by his cradle without picking him up, “he would follow us with his eyes to the door, when they would fill with tears, and his countenance, so expressive of grief, though perfectly silent, that it would force us back to him, which would cause his little heart to be as joyful as it had been before sorrowful.”

“He would lie for hours on a mat by his papa’s study table, or by the side of his chair on the floor, if only he could see his face.”

… If only he could see his face. As I read those words, I thought, “Do I seek the face of my Father in heaven with such child-like love and adoration?”

In her article, “What Does It Mean to Seek God’s Face?”, Danielle Bernock notes, “the Bible verses for seeking the ‘face’ of God are all found in the Old Testament” and have to do with experiencing “deep intimacy.” Consider, for instance, the two different translations of Psalm 105:4:

“Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.” (Psalm 105:4 NIV)

“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.” (Psalm 104:4 ESV)

God wants us to seek his face so that we can experience the joy of knowing him intimately. We seek the Lord by reading and meditating on his word, by talking to him through prayer, by worshiping him privately and also publicly with the gathered church.

When he was only six months old, little baby Roger became terribly sick and died. “Even though he is dead, he still speaks” (Heb. 11:4). He teaches us to long for the Lord the way a baby longs for his or her parents and brings them immeasurable joy.

“You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, LORD, will I seek.’” — Psalm 27:8

Big Lessons from Little Critters

Earlier this week I shared with our staff some big lessons we can learn from little critters. Proverbs 30:24-28 states,

Four things on earth are small,
    but they are exceedingly wise:
the ants are a people not strong,
    yet they provide their food in the summer;
the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
    yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
the locusts have no king,
    yet all of them march in rank;
the lizard you can take in your hands,
    yet it is in kings' palaces.

First, how did these creatures become “extremely wise”? Were they taught by human instructors? No, they gained their wisdom from their Creator. How much more should men and women, boys and girls, who have been created in the image of God seek his wisdom? (See James 1:5)

Ants, rock badgers, locusts and lizards don’t learn from us, but we sure can learn a lot from them! Each of these critters model a virtue and a valuable lesson attached to it.

Ants model the virtue of industry and teach us that hard work can overcome individual weakness. They store up food all summer, knowing that winter is coming. As some might put it, they “make hay while the sun shines.” Are you a hard worker? Do you make the most of your time?

Rock badgers understand the value of resourcefulness. Although these small creatures are weak, they make their homes in the cliffs, thus making the cliffs’ strength their strength. In Psalm 18:2, David testified, “The Lord is my rock … in whom I take refuge.” Have you made the Lord your refuge? Do you make good use of other resources the Lord has given you (people, time, money, skills, opportunities, etc.)?

Locusts benefit from cooperation. They know that their is strength in unity and that teamwork wins the day. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Are you a team player? Do you work well with others?

Lizards show remarkable ambition. They take advantage of God-given opportunities. “A lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces” (Prov. 30:28). What amazing opportunities might we miss, simply because we’re not looking for them?

There you have it — four valuable life lessons from four small, seemingly insignificant creatures. Let us watch and learn and live accordingly!

"Where's My Bible?"

For the last few days I've been at Parkside Church (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) attending the Basics Conference with Alistair Begg. As he approached the pulpit on Tuesday morning, he began fiddling with his microphone pack, realizing that he forgot to turn it on.

Then Alistair began looking all about the pulpit for something, confessing a few seconds later, "I can't find my Bible. I thought it was up here." He then make some sort of joke about how impressed everyone now was with the host pastor! His assistant quickly brought him a Bible. Alistair looked at it and said, "But this isn't my Bible." Everyone laughed. Alistair cracked it open, then handed it back to his assistant and said, "This won't do. I need large print." More laughter.

Stalling for time, Alistair made some off-the-cuff in his usually winsome way. After a few moments, his assistant approached him with another Bible. Alistair looked at it and said, "But this isn't my Bible." We all laughed again. Hey, at least it was large print! So, he settled for that one.

Alistair had us turn to the book of Jude and was about to say how it related to the theme of the conference — only he couldn’t recall the theme! Some of the pastors yelled it out, reminding him what it was.

Alistair went on to preach a terrific message on the book of Jude. As I wrote down notes from the sermon, I drew a little box near the top of the page, and in it I put three bullet points:

  • Mic not turned on

  • Couldn't find Bible

  • Couldn't recall conference theme

Next to the box I wrote, "Even the best can bungle things up!"

One of the many qualities I love about Alistair Begg is that while he takes the task of preaching seriously, he does not take himself too seriously. This is a sign of spiritual maturity, for it shows one’s self-awareness that everything doesn’t revolve around him. 

Doing everything to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31) means not only doing our best but also laughing at ourselves when we bungle things up. 

Wait ... what? Another Resurrection celebration?

When I was thirteen years old, my grandmother died. The date was March 14, 1982. Her death wasn’t the first in our extended family, but it was the first one that hit me really hard. I remember that she died on a Sunday, so every Sunday marked another week since her passing. I remember thinking, “It’s been one week since Grandma died … It’s been two weeks since Grandma died … It’s been three weeks …” and so on and so forth.

This “weekly remembrance” continued for nearly four months. Then it went from weekly to monthly. Then from monthly to yearly. I still miss Grandma, but for years I’ve commemorated her death annually, not weekly or monthly.

On the brighter side, parents tend to celebrate their child’s birthday in weekly cycles, at least in terms of remembrance. “Our daughter is three weeks old today!” Soon thereafter, the accounting turns to months, which is easy to do since babies have their one-month, two-months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months check-ups. The one-year birthday celebration is a big deal. For some families, every birthday celebration thereafter is a big deal. Other families keep it low-key.

The point is that we tend to mark significant events such as birthdays and deaths in weekly increments — at least initially — because of their impact on our lives.

If that’s true about birthdays and deaths, what about a resurrection? Jesus’ disciples thought that his resurrection was a pretty big deal. So significant, in fact, that they began gathering for worship on the first day of the week, dubbed “the Lord’s Day” in light of the Resurrection.

Two thousand years later, this weekly celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is still taking place — every Lord’s Day.

This is due not only to the miraculous nature of the event itself but because of what it means for us who have embraced Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It’s been well said that the Resurrection is God’s “Amen!” to Jesus’ declaration, “It is finished.” By raising Jesus from the dead, God the Father vindicated his Son, proving that he is who he claimed to be, that he lived a life of perfect obedience, and that God had accepted his Son’s atoning sacrifice on behalf of all who would believe in him. Therefore, and furthermore, Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our own (1 Cor. 15:12-23).

That’s why Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus not only at Easter but every single Lord’s Day. We hope you’ll be joining us or another local church for this week’s celebration!


A Perpetual Feast

Ruthie and I were blessed to spend Thanksgiving with all our children and grandchildren in Williamsburg, Virginia. To say we had a "turkey dinner" would be an understatement. Our turkey was supplemented with mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn, green bean casserole, hot rolls and butter, fruit salad, pumpkin dessert, and more.

Our Thanksgiving feast serves as an analogy of the Christian faith. Just as we complemented our turkey with other Thanksgiving fare, so Scripture says, "Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone" (2 Peter 1:5b-7 NLT).

My wife and daughter worked hard to put our Thanksgiving feast together. But they displayed marvelous teamwork that benefited everyone. In the same way, as each believer gives diligent effort, partnering with the Holy Spirit to develop godly qualities, the more we will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 8).

Read over those qualities again. Which ones need more cultivation in your life? Work hard to develop them in humble reliance on the Lord. The results will be a perpetual spiritual feast for you and those around you.

Blue Skies, Benevolent God

This morning I went on a walk. I must have looked weird to my neighbors, because most of the time I was looking up. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). As I beheld the wonder of creation, my eyes brimmed with tears of joy. It was one of those moments I didn’t want to end. I took this picture moments later.

I thought, “How sad that people enjoy this gift without having a relationship with God who gave it to us?” It brought to mind something that atheist Richard Dawkins said years ago:

When I lie on my back and look up at the Milky Way on a clear night and see the vast distances of space and reflect that these are also vast differences of time as well . . . it’s a feeling of sort of abstract gratitude that I’m alive to appreciate these wonders . . . .

“Abstract gratitude”? What a silly, meaningless concept! For gratitude pre-suposses a gift-giver! Immanuel Kant rightly observed, “The duty of gratitude consists in honoring a person because of a benefit that he has rendered to us” (italics added). As one ethics professor put it,

Gratitude without a benefactor is as incongruous as a refund without a payer.

Gratitude that is not deliberately aimed at a person . . . whose gifts or favors deserve it is not gratitude at all, but complacency, conceit, pride, pleasure, or wonder and awe at best.

Scripture attests that God’s “eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made, so they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:20-21).

It’s easy to shake our heads in disgust at such ingratitude on the part of unbelievers. Yet Scripture also says, “The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). Unless God had opened the eyes of our hearts, we too would never have believed in him (2 Cor. 4:6).

Now that our eyes are open, we can worship God for who he is and thank him for all that he has given us. That’s what I did this morning. As I looked up at the beautiful blue sky above me, I joined Chris Tomlin (via Spotify) in singing, “You’re a good, good Father.”

The apostle John testified to his fellow believers, “I write to you, children, because you know the Father” (1 John 2:13). Jesus prayed, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The richness of the Christian life is found in having a personal relationship with God.

As we praise the Lord, let us pray that all peoples would come to know him for the great and awesome God that he is, so that they can join us in singing, “You’re a good, good Father.”


Some Tidbits on Baptism

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been preaching on Christian baptism as part of our sermon mini-series on “Understanding the Ordinances.” In part one of this series, I emphasized the essence of baptism as follows: Baptism is the church’s act of affirming a believer’s profession of faith in Christ with the symbolic application of water.

In part two of this series, I addressed some key errors pertaining to the ordinance of baptism, as understood and practiced by various churches and denominations. I sought to show that Scripture gives no warrant for infant baptism. Even though baby boys in Jewish households were circumcised to mark their entrance into the Old Covenant community (the people of Israel), this does not mean that babies should be baptized to mark their entrance into the New Covenant community (the church).

To learn more about believer’s baptism (credobaptism), and infant baptism (paedobaptism), you can listen to my sermon.

After yesterday’s worship service, our deacons chairman Tracy Thieret offered some encouraging feedback as well as share a few tidbits on the matter of circumcision and baptism. I found them interesting and asked Tracy to share them in a a brief article (max 500 words) that I could share on my blog site. Here it is.

I was blessed by our Pastor's message this past Lord's Day listing errors held about baptism by religious groups over the years and teaching what our church believes is the proper mode (immersion) and timing (following faith in Christ). While listening to the sermon, I was reminded of a couple things that have occurred to me recently on the subject.

Under the Old Covenant Law of Moses and in fact beginning with God's covenant with Abraham (Gen 17, John 7:22, Acts 7:8, Rom 4:11-12), God first commanded all males in Abraham's household and afterward in Israel to be circumcised. If they refused, they were excluded from the covenant community because they violated the covenant. This physical symbol was designed to represent the spiritual reality of a painful surgery (Gen 34:24-25, Matt 5:29-30) of the heart (Deut 10:16, 30:6, Jer 4:4, Rom 2:29) to vow allegiance to God by obedience of his commands.

But what about women? Women under the Old Covenant were excluded from participating in the same way as men from the physical sign but not from the spiritual reality. Men and women alike were bound by the Old Covenant commands, laws, and statutes, and enjoyed the benefits (e.g. Lev 18:1-5, 19:1, 37, Deut 4:1, 6:3-4, 9:1, 28:1-68, Jer 2:4, 10:1, Hos 4:1, Amos 3:1).

However, the Apostle Paul (a Jew himself) surprisingly states that under the New Covenant the question of circumcision or uncircumcision is irrelevant. What does matter is being a new creation (Gal 6:15) and keeping God's commands (1 Cor 7:19). Under the New Covenant the inequality is erased and both men and women participate equally in its blessings and responsibilities (Gal 3:28-29) as they did in the original creation (Gen 1:27, 5:2).

On another related subject, some prople have resisted believers baptism by relying on their past "baptism" as an infant or as an unbelieving adult upon admission to some religious group. Our Anabaptist forebears, while holding some doctrines we would deny, did get the command to be "rebaptized" in situations like this correct – for which they were severely vilified and persecuted. They followed the example of the Apostle Paul in Acts 19:1-7. These "about twelve" who came to Paul had been baptized by John in the Jordan. They were "rebaptized" by Paul in obedience after hearing about Christ.

Consider their prior baptism. They had repented of their sins under John's ministry. They were immersed in the same river as Jesus, by the same prophet as Jesus, and at nearly the same time as Jesus was. Surely such a distinguished baptismal context like theirs would have been sufficient, but it was not and so they were, without argument, re-baptized in the name of Jesus and received the Spirit as a result.

If it was important for these people to receive another baptism after the very significant one they had previously received, certainly those who have not yet received believer’s baptism since trusting in Christ should consider following in their footsteps.

Nothing More Than Feelings

Recently a friend recommended a book by Dale Ralph Davis titled The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts. Since I am planning to begin a new series in the Old Testament this fall, I purchased a copy of Davis’ book and began reading it.

Davis’ take on one section in Jonah provides some especially good insight. When God told Jonah to go preach in Nineveh, Jonah hopped on a ship and sailed in the opposite direction. Davis picks up the narrative at this point, drawing out a powerfully relevant lesson from the next two verses:

“But Yahweh [emphatic] hurled a great wind on the sea” (1:4). Jonah disobeys and God starts throwing things! … The ship looks destined to smash up, the sailors are scared out of their wits, “but Jonah had gone down below deck, had lain down, and was sound asleep” (1:5). Kind of disposes of the myth of the tortured conscience, doesn’t it? Perhaps we’ve heard someone warning that one can turn one’s back on God’s call but “you’ll never have peace about it.” Didn’t seem to affect Jonah’s sleep. … He seems to have perfect peace about running away from God’s call. Sometimes, to be sure, one of the Lord’s fleeing servants may be in great turmoil over such disobedience. But not necessarily, not always. Have you ever had a church member who’s leaving his wife for another woman tell you that he’s having the best “quiet times” he’s ever had? I have. Blatant disobedience and subjective peace can bed down together. … Jonah’s peace is no accurate indicator of the true state of affairs. That can be a bit scary.

Indeed. What a warning this is to us! Feelings are feelings but “[God’s] word is truth” (John 17:17).

Our feelings can’t be trusted because they are constantly in flux and are affected by sin. “But the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa. 40:8). So, trust in him! Do what’s right regardless of you how you feel. Biblical counselor Lara d’Entremont correctly states,

In the end, it is God and His Word that should inform our feelings, not the other way around. When you are tempted to listen to your feelings or your feelings are overwhelming you, stop and look to God’s Word. Compare what you are feeling to what He says.

Do your feelings line up? Great — follow what God’s Word says. But if your feelings contradict God’s Word, you need to say “no” to them. … Though they may feel strong, they’re not trustworthy. God’s Word is your source and foundation. Live by it, not your feelings.

What If Jesus Asked You . . .

Pastors Sean DeMars (6th Avenue Community Church, Decatur, AL) and Mike McKinley (Sterling Park Baptist Church, Sterling, VA) have written a wonderfully helpful little book titled Health, Wealth, and the (Real) Gospel: The Prosperity Gospel Meets the Truths of Scripture.

In the opening chapter, the authors expose the four most prominent problems with the “prosperity gospel” (hereafter ‘PG'):

  1. PG: God wants to bless you materially! The Problem: It puts our focus on the gift more than the Giver.

  2. PG: God wants us to speak with power! The Problem: It confuses creatures and their Creator.

  3. PG: God doesn’t want us to suffer! The Problem: God promises his people will suffer in the world.

  4. PG: God wants us to live the victorious, prosperous life! The Problem: Scripture teaches the faithful Christian can’t be reduced to a few themes.

Of course the authors define these problems in more detail and direct our attention to Scripture in dismantling such popular claims. But you’re going to have to read the book yourself to benefit from such insight. (The book is an easy read — just 105 pages.)

The part of the book that caught me a bit off guard (in a helpful way) was the final chapter, which bore the heading, “The Prosperity Gospel Among the Orthodox.” As DeMars and McKinley begin drawing their book to a close, they state,

We want to suggest one more important fact: it’s possible to believe in the prosperity gospel and not even be aware of it. More specifically, we might reject the PG as a set of doctrines, yet unwittingly embrace it in how we live and relate to God. We may reject this constellation of false teachings in theory but actually adhere to them in practice.

Years ago comedian Jeff Foxworthy became a household name with his “You Might Be a Redneck If…” jokes. For instance, “You might be a redneck if you’ve ever cut your grass and found a car.” Even though the Prosperity Gospel is no laughing matter, you might be a PG practitioner if Jesus asked you to give up something that you wouldn’t be willing to let go.

What if Jesus asked you:

  • To cut your salary in half in order to take a job that would serve His Church more effectively?

  • To move elsewhere so that you might spread the gospel (see Heb. 11:8)?

  • To give away a big chunk of your retirement savings because He knows that security is an idol for you?

  • To sacrifice some of your peace and convenience to serve your neighbors?

  • To leave your normal social circles in order to befriend people from another culture living in your town?

  • To open your home to a recovering addict even if there’s a possibility he might take advantage of you?

  • To lend your second car to a missionary family who has come home on furlough?

  • To give more of your time to your local church and be actively involved in loving that body?

  • To show the glory of the gospel by adopting an orphan?

  • To stand up for a particular person or issue, even if doing so will cost you your job?

  • To be mocked and ridiculed as backwards and bigoted for following Jesus?

These are good, practical questions that DeMars and McKinley have put before us. How would you answer such questions? The authors are right when they say, “If we’re only willing to follow Jesus if we can have what we would want anyway, then we’re disciples of the PG, not Jesus Christ.”