Lakeview Baptist Church

New Home

2009-06-01T18:06:00.003-04:00

I have moved the blog to our website, so please make the necessary adjustments to your bookmarks:

http://www.lakeviewbaptist.net/wordpress

Thanks for reading and commenting!

The Preparation of Worship!

2009-04-19T16:21:00.001-04:00

As I drive down the road from time to time it is interesting to notice the signs on church properties. One I keep seeing is an additional service being added often times called a “Contemporary Service.” I am assuming it is an effort to make the church service more profitable to a younger audience. Now I don’t want to go into the dangers I see in our effects at a better church service as we fragment our churches but I simply want to address the effort for better church services.

We all want better church services. We all want to leave a service at church and say, “Wow!” We all want church services that leave us with a desire to return. So when I read Nehemiah 8, I could not help but be drawn in to this fantastic church service they had. And I want to, over the next few days, make some comments about this great church service that might be integrated into our services to make them great.

As I read about this church service, I could not help but notice before worship began, there were preparations that were put in motion so that this great service could happen. We have many today who are hostile toward worship preparations instead wanting things to be spontaneous. But clearly here in Nehemiah 8 preparations were made.

There was a Prepared Preacher. Ezra brought the law to the people. No doubt he was well versed in the law. Certainly, this was not the first time he had read the law. But when he stood before the people and read the law, he had prepared himself for the task. The great need of our day is for men of God to submerge themselves in prayer and the study of God’s Word. The preacher should labor for the correct understanding of God’s Word so that he may properly expound it and apply it to the audience. We have far too many preachers who depend on books like, “52 Snappy Sermon Starters” and the like instead of doing the hard work of exegesis and exposition. Worship fails to happen many times simply because the preacher has failed to prepare himself and the word he will bring.

There was a Prepared People. The people gathered themselves as one to hear the Word. There must be the gathering of the people who are motivated to come and hear the Word. So many people come to church out of habit or out of guilt. We need people to want to come so that they may hear the Word of the Lord. Their desire was centered upon God. They were not coming to be seen or coming to see their friends or to hear their favorite music style but coming to hear from God. Their hearts were prepared for His Word!

There was a Prepared Place. Nehemiah says that Ezra stood on a wooden platform that was made for that purpose. This pulpit was made for the prepared preacher to read the word to a prepared people. That was its only purpose. It was not to be used for political purposes. It was not to be used for entertainment purposes. It was not to be used to deliver philosophical ideas. It was for the reading and expounding of the Word of God. If it is His house should we not talk about Him? Who cares who is playing football or what is on television? What God says is of vital importance.

This service was a great service because there were preparations made for it greatness.

"Bad Christians"

2009-04-17T22:42:00.003-04:00

As John Calvin was re-called to the pastorate in Geneva, he was greatly concerned about the lives of the church members there. Here is a quote from his address to them as he considered once again assuming the position of pastor:

“I consider the principal enemies of the Gospel to be, not the pontiff of Rome, nor heretics, nor seducers, nor tyrants, but bad Christians.”

What was Calvin’s problem in the mid 1500’s is still the problem today. We think that the threat to the Gospel and to Christianity comes from the Roman Catholic church or maybe the Jehovah Witnesses or the Mormons or maybe Islam. But they are not the primary enemies of the Gospel. The enemy is not outside the church but firmly fixed inside it. It is those who profess to be Christ-like and then evidence by their life anything but Christ-likeness that are real enemies. It is those who are “Christian” in word only and not in deed.

More people will be dissuaded and disillusioned about Christianity by those who profess a relationship with Christ and then that relationship involves no commitment or change on their part. Yes, they claim Christ as their Savior but then this Savior gets only a small portion of their attention. Usually, when there is nothing else going on or nothing else to do.

Yes, I agree! I shout a loud, Amen! The biggest problem the church faces today, in sharing the Gospel to the unconverted, is “bad Christians.” They are those who profess knowledge but are void of a true relationship with Christ. These “bad Christians” deceive themselves and discourage others. The unconverted have for far too long seen professing Christians who have the same appetites as they do, go to the same places they do, speak the same language as they do, dress the same way they do, and are wrapped up in materialism and pleasure to the same extent as they are. There is no difference between the professor and the unconverted.

May God give us the boldness to deal with this mortal enemy to the Gospel. And may He help us, who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, live lives worthy of our high calling.

The Dangers of Facebook!

2009-03-28T13:37:00.004-04:00

Facebook, the social networking tool, has exploded in the lives of Americans and the church. While I think that things like Facebook and Twitter have the potential to be useful tools of connecting with people for the purpose of sharing the gospel, what normally seems to be the case is that it becomes a self-centered path to vanity. It just seems to feed an already "me" society. While I know there are those who are sharing Biblical truths through this medium, still others are just sharing what they feel or what they are doing at any given time. Like most things, it can be used for good and it has its own dangers. Here is an excellent article that reminds us to take care in our age of technology.

Facebook Faceoff
by Tim Sweetman

I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking as he pulled out his iPhone and took advantage of a new Facebook application — right in the middle of the sermon.

It was then that I realized the narcissistic machine that is Facebook.

Shifting uncomfortably in my chair, I found myself desiring to do the same. I shuddered. Have I really come to this place where I'm more concerned about what's taking place on Facebook than what's going on in this church service? More concerned about a self-serving social networking site than this Bible on my lap?

Later on that evening, I thought more about my internal battle between Facebook and my Bible. I understand that one of my desires as a Christian should be to know God more deeply; the reality is that I spend very little time actually getting to know Him. Too often, my hours are spent pursuing other human beings through convenient electronic means like Facebook. My life can quickly become all about striving to know my buddies better than my Lord.

I struggled with this very battle just yesterday. I woke up early to prepare for an 8:30 a.m. class. The two weeks prior I had spent each morning reading and studying my Bible. But on this day, the first places I went were my blog, Facebook and my e-mail. As the day progressed, I found myself talking to people more through technology than face-to-face. After a few weeks I was losing focus on my goals in life, and focusing on things like my status updates and friends online.

I sit down to finish my paper for class. But instead of opening Word, I open up Firefox, type in the Web address, and check Facebook. Then refresh the page. Then open Word. Then switch back to Gmail. Honestly, my technology can be exhausting.

The signs are everywhere. And I'm growing utterly disgusted with myself. What is wrong with me?

It's not my intention to write a 1,200-word article encouraging others to give up Facebook, social networking, or the Internet. I plan to continue updating my status with random trivialities such as "Tim is attempting to write ... Tim just ate bread with mold ... Tim is heading to the basketball game" and the like. I'm still going to post notes, write on walls, and chat with friends.

But if all of this continues at the expense of getting to know God better, I want to throw it all out. All of it. Drastic, yes, but I've got to be willing to do whatever it takes.
Control and Human Interest

I see two issues at play in the realm of social networking and technology. One is lack of self-control. I should be writing a paper, but I'm online; I should be reading God's Word, but I'm online. The other is a little harder to perceive. It's a notion that holds the words of mere humans as much more interesting to follow than God's Word; the lives of mere humans as much more fun to get to know than God Himself.

Essentially Facebook is just one more thing that has shown me how easily I can lose interest in God's Word, the Bible. The words of J.I Packer come to mind:

How long is it since you read right through the Bible? Do you spend as much time with the Bible each day as you do even with the newspaper? What fools some of us are! — and we remain fools all our lives, simply because we will not take the trouble to do what has to be done to receive the wisdom which is God's free gift. (Knowing God, pp. 101-102)

If I take the newspaper out and insert Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, e-mail and IM ... I likewise "remain a fool." Perhaps even a bigger fool who wastes not just 30 minutes, but hours upon hours a day pouring himself into an often self-serving and ultimately temporary tool.

What puts this whole issue into perspective for me is something I read by Donald Whitney:
Surely we only have to be realistic and honest with ourselves to know how regularly we need to turn to the Bible. How often do we face problems, temptations, and pressure? Every day! Then how often do we need instruction, guidance and greater encouragement? Every day! To catch all these felt needs up into an even greater issue, how often do we need to see God's face, hear his voice, feel his touch, know his power? The answer to all these questions is the same: every day! (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, p. 33)

I check things like Facebook every day. But do I read my Bible every day? I have to respond with embarrassment and a sinking heart that too often I do not.

Do you realize that tape-recorded readings of the Bible have proven that you can read through the entire Book in seventy-one hours? The average person in the United States watches that much television in less than two weeks. In no more than fifteen minutes a day you can read through the Bible in less than a year's time. (Knowing God, p. 33)

Honestly, I don't think I understand the gravity of my distain of daily time with God. It's not an issue of salvation, of course, but I do think that it's essential to my spiritual health and growth. The thing is, I can spend hours upon hours on the internet browsing Facebook or messing with my electronic devices; I find it absolutely disgusting when this takes the place of God.
What is my true priority in life? I need a serious wake-up call.

How Essential Is It?

I've wondered how important reading the Bible daily really is. Is it just some capricious rule that the Church made up? Or does Scripture convey that we need to cherish God's Word by reading it daily?

The essence of impiety is the proud willfulness of "these wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words" (Jer 13:10). The mark of true humility and godliness, on the other hand, is that a person "trembles at my word" (Is 66:2). (Knowing God, p. 113)

Many times I'll fall into a rut of not taking the Word of God seriously. What does it take to pound it into my thick skull that, if I want to get to know God better (which I claim), I need to head straight to the words He's given me (which I often don't do).

Paul instructs Timothy:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Scripture is not only profitable for me, but it's absolutely essential in order to be competent and to live my life well. Within those sacred pages I find everything that God has deemed necessary to tell me. There is so much depth and wisdom within those pages. Yet I somehow buy into the lie that the Bible is just boring and not worth my time. How would my life look if I poured myself into the pages of my Bible instead of pouring myself into the pages of Facebook? Radically different, I think.

I struggle with what to write for my status update; how often do I struggle with the great depths of God?

And I'm reminded of my friend checking up on Facebook during the sermon. I don't want to just single him out. I know I've been in the place where I've allowed the things of this world — and online community is too often a mere "thing of this world" — to form habits in my life that push all other things aside, including the attention that should be focused on God and His Word.

You know what? I think I'm finally ready to change that. Today. I think I'm finally ready to take some time away from the ultimately unsatisfying sterility of the Web, to examine the real needs of my heart, and to dive into the invigorating depths of the Word of God.

Revival?

2009-03-23T22:21:00.006-04:00

The question is complex. Is a series of meetings, where certain results are reported and certain crowds attend, a REVIVAL? Is it real or is it religious, emotional and psychological? How can we discern what is truly the work of the Holy Spirit. It is not easy! And it is sure not a present discernment. We have heard of revivals in Brownsville, Lakeland and other places only to see what was believed to be the working of God at the time turned out to be something less.

I know this! Revival, if it is real, will come from the exaltation of the truth of the Word of God. It is difficult for me to believe that people can be spiritually overwhelmed without the exposition of scripture. Not just reading a text and departing from it to say what you want to say but a solid teaching of the doctrines of the whole council of the Word of God. I can find no historical account of true revival that happened without the Scriptures clearly being taught.

The only way to say if a series of meetings and the claims of certain results was a true revival is to wait. What happens three months after the revival is over. Where are those who made professions a year after they walked the isle? What is the spiritual temperature of those who crowded in the church six months later?

Charles Finney was considered the “Great Revivalist.” He manipulated the wills of men and he dealt in the realm of emotionalism. Under Finney’s tactics thousands upon thousands were said to come to Christ. Everywhere he went, there were crowds and there was “the stirring of the Holy Spirit in revival.” But when the “revival was over” what were the true results?

When people went behind the scenes to check into what was left after Finney did his work, his fellow workers couldn't help realize the small number of converts who ever remained faithful. In a letter to Finney dated December 25, 1834, James Boyle asked these questions:"Let us look over the fields where you and others and myself have labored as revival ministers and what is now their moral state? What was their state within three months after we left them? I have visited and revisited many of these fields and groaned in spirit to see the sad frigid carnal contentious state into which the churches had fallen and fallen very soon after we first departed from among them."

In fact, many who evaluated the ministry of Finney were convinced that sinners emotionally but not spiritually awakened became hardened and skeptical. The sinner, for example, who made an objective commitment to Christ in some emotional experience but soon, found out that contrary to the revivalists' or the evangelists` promise, nothing changed, and his heart was the same. And the wave of emotional release that he experienced made no change. That discovery that didn't solve anything in his life made the sinner more hardened in his sin, more skeptical of the gospel, more skeptical of other people's Christian profession, believing that he who had been deceived was a member of groups of others who had been and were being likewise deceived.

Here is Finney’s own evaluation: “"I was often instrumental in bringing Christians under great conviction, and into a state of temporary repentance and faith…[But] falling short of urging them up to a point, where they would become so acquainted with Christ as to abide in Him, they would of course soon relapse into their former state”

B. B. Warfield, one of Finney's contemporaries made a similar assessment: "During ten years, hundreds, and perhaps thousands, were annually reported to be converted on all hands; but now it is admitted, that real converts are comparatively few. It is declared, even by [Finney] himself, that "the great body of them are a disgrace to religion"

Pragmatic results do not signal the work of God. They could very well signal the work of emotional manipulation. Time will tell. Time will tell.

Avoiding Meaningless Worship!

2009-03-20T11:37:00.002-04:00

As we continue moving through the book of Ecclesiastes on Wednesday evenings, I am constantly amazed at the wisdom contained on the pages of that book. Not just wisdom but relevant wisdom. For example, this past Wednesday night we engaged the subject of worship. Worship is hard for us to define because it means different things to different people. To some it’s the singing that makes it worship and to others it is the emotional outbursts that make it worship. But if worship happens, and it rarely does, it must be on God’s terms and not ours. And the writer of Ecclesiastes deals with the idea of avoiding worthless worship in chapter five.

He begins by teaching that worship begins long before the worship service starts. He says we need to guard our steps on the way to the house of the Lord. Before we arrive at the house of the Lord we need to have prepared our hearts to worship. Most of us show up at church and we have not spent one minute of preparatory time to see that worship happens. We must begin worship before we get the event itself. Also, worship needs to a priority in our lives. Solomon, who I think wrote Ecclesiastes, said WHEN we go to the house of the Lord. So, all of life should be moving toward these opportunities of corporate worship. Nothing else gains the priority in my life over me worshipping the Lord. Nothing!

He continues his thoughts on worship by reminding us that worship behaves in a certain way. He says be more ready to listen than to offer. Worship is primarily an act of receiving or hearing. Most times we are attentive without attention. Sometimes that is the service’s fault. We sing about ourselves and then the preacher preaches on “Six Ways to Deal with Stress.” When everything focuses on us, worship is not going to happen. There must be talk about Christ. There must be songs that tell of his work, his attributes, his grace, his mercy, his compassion, his blood, his sacrifice, his glory, and so on. We must hear of Him if we are going to be able to worship. Plus, worship needs a response. We must do something with what we hear about him instead of ignoring it and just going on. There must be some commitment on our part toward what we hear about him. The Word requires a response on the part of the hearer.

Finally, he deals with the burden of worship. In other words, if worship has taken place then there is something for us to carry outside of the worship experience itself. Firstly, I must be faithful to the commitment I make to God in worship. Whatever response I make to God’s Word must be carried out in the world in which we live. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. Secondly, now having worshiped God I must live in the fear of God. I must live in the sphere of being in awe of this magnificent God in which I have just worshipped. It is impossible not to be changed by a real and genuine worship experience. May we desire to experience real worship and not meaningless worship.

God's Care For Us!

2009-03-15T08:41:00.003-04:00

John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, is a good friend of mine. We talk almost daily and I value his advice and his friendship so very much.

Now, don’t misunderstand me. John Piper is unaware of our friendship. Yes, we have met and I have talked with him and shaken his hand but he would not know me from Adam. But that does not change the friendship we have. It is through his sermons, blog writings, and books in which he skillfully advises me. I can’t tell you how many times that I have needed a good word and God has used John to encourage me. I love John and thank God for him and his friendship.

This morning John offered some much needed and edifying thoughts. He spoke to me about how God cares for his children. Or “The Two Stages of God’s Care for Us” is how John put it. How he both fetters and frees. This is what John wrote to me:

In this age, God rescues his people from some harm. Not all harm. That’s comforting to know, because otherwise we might conclude from our harm that he has forgotten us or rejected us.
So be encouraged by the simple reminder that in Acts 16:19-24 Paul and Silas were not delivered, but in verses 25-26 they were.

First, no deliverance:

“They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace.” (v. 19)
“The magistrates tore the garments off them.” (v. 22)
They “inflicted many blows upon them.” (v. 23)
The jailer “fastened their feet in the stocks.” (v. 24)

But then deliverance:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God...and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (v. 25-26)

God could have stepped in sooner. He didn’t. He has his reasons. He loves Paul and Silas.

Question for you: If you plot your life along this continuum, where are you? Are you in the stripped and beaten stage, or the unshackled, door-flung-open stage?

Both are God’s stages of care for you.

If you are in the fettered stage, don’t despair. Sing. Freedom is on the way. It is only a matter of time. Even if it comes through death.

Thanks John, I needed those words today and I can’t wait till we talk again!

Updated Website!

2009-03-11T21:00:00.004-04:00

Many thanks to Aaron Butner for his work on the website to get it updated and for keeping it up to date. It is a great addition to our church outreach. You can find the latest news about the church, school information, sermon audio and much more. Plus, many other things are coming.
Go by and check it out everyday!

http://www.lakeviewbaptist.net/

Music!

2009-03-11T10:03:00.005-04:00

I was thinking about singing in the church today. Not me singing but singing in general. It is amazing how many choose a church based on the type of music the church presents. I had a lady tell me one time that she just could not worship unless she was singing "Praise and Worship" songs. Others, can't worship singing the "Praise and Worship" songs. Some want hymns and others want contemporary. Some desire bluegrass and others want something more pop oriented. It seems that no matter what course you choose you are going to alienate some people.

But here is the deal. You can worship God without music! You really can! Abraham did it when he went to sacrifice Issac. Abraham told the men they were going to the mountain to worship. So you can worship God in the absence of music. But you can certainly worship God with music. And you can fail to worship God with music. Yes, you can have your brand of music and still miss out of truly worshipping God. How?

There are too many songs, regardless of genre, that simply do not magnify God. We sing about ourselves, what we experience or what we anticipate. We sing about our pains, our sufferings, our mansions, our reunions, us, us, us! How can we worship God singing about us? Countless people go to church each Sunday and never worship God. Sometimes church is the most self-exalting place on earth.

How do we know if a song will aid or hinder worship? It's the words. Look at the words. Do they exalt the greatness of God? Do they magnify the redemptive work of Christ? Do they highlight his character? It's not the type of music, it's the words!

For example, here is a song that no matter what music you put to it will promote true worship:

I will glory in my Redeemer

Whose priceless blood has ransomed me

Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails

And hung Him on that judgment tree

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who crushed the power of sin and death

My only Savior before the Holy Judge

The Lamb Who is my righteousness

The Lamb Who is my righteousness

I will glory in my Redeemer

My life He bought, my love He owns

I have no longings for another

I’m satisfied in Him alone

I will glory in my Redeemer

His faithfulness my standing place

Though foes are mighty and rush upon me

My feet are firm, held by His grace

My feet are firm, held by His grace

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who carries me on eagle’s wings

He crowns my life with loving-kindness

His triumph song I’ll ever sing

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who waits for me at gates of gold

And when He calls me it will be paradise

His face forever to behold

Fireproof!

2009-03-09T16:58:00.002-04:00

I wanted to thank all those who came to see “Fireproof” last Friday evening and a big THANK YOU to Shirley Hanson for the wonderful dinner. After seeing the movie I wanted to offer my thoughts and observations.

I thought there were several strong points communicated including: A marriage desperately needs God to thrive and survive. A marriage is a covenant for life and divorce should not be an option. We must wait on God in the restoration process and while we wait we must worship and serve. That we have disrespected, dishonored, and disobeyed God and yet he still loves and pursues us. And finally, the radical change that salvation brings to a person’s life. Overall, the message of the movie was clear, good, and needed.

However, there were a couple of things that caused alarm. I would have hoped that the Gospel would have been presented more clearly than it was. It was better than most but still left me wanting a better emphasis on repentance and faith. Another danger is that people may misunderstand and want Christ so that their marriage will be repaired. This idea of Jesus, the fix it man, is popular today in Baptist circles and not just with the prosperity crowd. I would like to have seen a clearer picture of Christ as Caleb’s treasure whether the marriage worked out or not.

Even with these concerns, I thought seeing the movie was beneficial and trust that God was and will be glorified through it.

Change! Yes, You Can!

2009-02-28T19:05:00.006-05:00

In the forward to the the book "Total Church" Ian Coffey wrote these convicting words,

"As uncomfortable as it may sound, people form their views about Jesus by looking at those who wear his name as a badge. Hiding behind the defense 'Don't look at us--look at Jesus' just won't wash. Truth be told, judging by church attendance statistics in the United Kingdom, for example, they are looking at us, then choosing not to bother with Jesus."

Why is the church in America not making a bigger impact on our country and in the world? Why are attendance, giving, and conversions all down in American Christianity? What impressions do people arrive at about Jesus by watching me? Why do we expect others to consider Christ relative in their lives when he doesn't seem to be in our own lives? Why do we expect others to treasure Jesus above all things when our materialistic appetite is just as great as theirs? Why are most Christian conversions happening outside of America and why are those converts looking at American Christianity with disgust?

The biggest change needed in America today is not political, economical, or foreign affairs. The need of the hour is that the church change. The church needs to challenge those who profess the name of Christ to live a life worthy of that calling. The church needs to confront those who profess the name of Christ and constantly live in a way that degrades Christ and the church. And the church needs to celebrate with those who do live Christ glorifying lives. The church needs to disciple, discipline, and be devoted.

This hour of our existence screams for Christians to be salt and light and to do good works so that men may glorify the Father. May God grant us the grace to be the means of a soul becoming thirsty for Jesus. May God grant us the grace to shed the light on the dark path that points people to Christ. And may God grant us the grace to love Christ and love each other in such a way that only God can possibly get glory from it.

I pray God will raise up God fearing and God glorifying men who will lead their churches toward much needed change. And for sheep to follow their God appointed shepherds even in change!

A Prayer For Those Who Want To Know God

2009-02-23T07:45:00.003-05:00

From A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God:

O God, I have tasted Your goodness,

and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.

I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.

I am ashamed of my lack of desire.

O God, the Triune God,

I want to want You;

I long to be filled with longing;

I thirst to be made more thirsty still.

Show me Your glory, I pray,

so I may know You indeed.

Begin in mercy a new work of love within me…

Give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland

where I have wandered so long.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

http://theologica.blogspot.com/

Quote!

2009-02-17T14:05:00.003-05:00

“If God does not exist, then nothing matters.

If God does exist, that is all that matters.”

--The words of an unnamed skeptic

Sunday's Sermon

2009-02-15T16:20:00.005-05:00

Sunday morning's message centered on Mark 8:26-30 where Jesus' carefully leads His disciples toward the question of who they say that he is. At the conclusion of the sermon, to puncuate my point that the Messiahship of Jesus means that he not only is Prophet and Priest but that he must be the King of our lives, I used S.M Lockridge's "That's My King." Several wanted to see it again, so here it is.

Pastor's Conference Continues!

2009-02-03T19:58:00.006-05:00

Tuesday began at 8:30am as Matt Chandler, pastor of the Village Church outside of Dallas, TX spoke from 1 Timothy 4 about the Greek imperatives in the text directed at pastors, imploring him to make sure the Gospel is presented and protected. It certainly was a great and challenging sermon.

Mark Dever was at 10:00 and he continued his thoughts on evangelism by offering five misunderstandings of evangelism. Evangelism is not manipulation, our personal testimony, social action, Apologetics, nor visible results. He also shared several things we can do that is evangelism. Again, an excellent sermon!

John Piper again supplied the pastor's with an biographical sketch--this year George Whitfield was the topic. It reminded me how little I knew about Whitfield. God mightily used Whitfield for 30 years to proclaim the Gospel and thousands of souls were saved and God was glorified on both sides of the ocean.

All sermons can be seen, watched, and/or read at http://www.desiringgod.org/

Why Do Evangelism?

2009-02-02T23:45:00.004-05:00

Mark Dever, pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and founder of 9 Marks began the 2009 Desiring God Pastor's Conference that is centering on the theme of Evangelism. Denver spent much of this initial sermon establishing a foundational and unified understanding of the Gospel. With much misunderstanding and further watering down of the Gospel, Dever worked systematically through this important truth. To summarize, the Gospel is God's redemptive work, for fallen humanity, through the substitutionary and voluntary atonement of Jesus Christ, obtained through repentance and faith of the the recipient.

Once establishing what the Gospel is, Dever shared three reasons why we need to share the Gospel. First, we share the Gospel because we want to obey the command of our Lord. Obedience to the Great Commission is essential in our motives for sharing Christ. Secondly, we share the Gospel because we love the lost. We understand that lack of purpose is not man's problem but the wrath of God, condemnation, eventual accountability to God and eternity in the torments of Hell ARE man's problems. A love for the lost evidences itself in telling them about Jesus Christ, who is the only answer to those problems. Thirdly, we share the Gospel because we desire to see God glorified. God does everything for his glory, especially the salvation of lost sinners and he uses the Gospel to bring glory to himself and we desire that more than anything.

It was a great beginning to what should be a challenging conference!

Don't Waste Your Recession!

2009-02-01T22:40:00.006-05:00

John Piper had a good word this weekend at Bethlehem. He spoke from 2 Corinthians 1:1-12 concerning the God designed impact of the current economic recession. Piper continued his "Don't Waste," thoughts--Don't Waste your Life, Don't Waste your Cancer, and now Don't Waste your Recession.

As he unpacked five Godly purposes of the current recession, his first point centered upon the truth that God intends to expose hidden sins and bring us to repentance with this recession. In the midst of the application of this truth both individually and corporately, he emphasized that God brought Paul to his very depth to take him yet deeper. That thought overwhelmed me as I sat through the rest of the message.

In the text Paul says that he was so afflicted that he thought he was going to die. God took affliction and used it to bring Paul to the bottom of himself. But God was only bringing him there to take him even deeper in his relationship with Christ.

The truth is that it takes a recession to reveal to us our hidden sin of self-reliance. This awful sin lies on the bottom--never fully exposing itself but it is there nevertheless. But when a little recession comes into our lives, our reliance in our money, our jobs, our stocks, our retirement fund and a hundred other things is exposed. We see that our joy has been coming in the abundance of these things and not in God's grace.

May we not waste this recession. May it cause us to see our hidden sins and may we hate our sin and repent of it and may this recession take us to the bottom so that that we can go deeper with God. May God grant us the enlightenment to see this recession as a precious God anointed gift to his people to move them deeper with him.

Thank you, John Piper for the good word!

Silence!

2009-01-24T12:17:00.010-05:00

The book of Hebrews begins this way,

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"

This verse clearly is teaching that God has spoken in the past to our fathers by the prophets and to us by His Son. As the Old Testament people were to hear and obey the words of God's prophets, we today are to hear and obey the words of God's Son! God has revealed Himself and His will in His Son.

What we almost miss here is that between God speaking through the prophets and God speaking again through His Son, there were 400 years of silence. Four centuries where God said nothing, revealed nothing, and commanded nothing--nothing but silence.

Have you ever earnestly prayed for some need to only be met with silence. You expect God to answer any moment but each day only brings more silence. Each night you go to bed with hope that God will speak tomorrow but then tomorrow only offers more silence. Silence is discouraging. Silence is depressing. Silence is demanding.

But learn from this passage that while God chose to be silent for 400 years between His prophets and His Son, he did speak again. He had not forgotten nor forsaken His people. The silence did not mean that God would not speak. His silence did not negate his speaking again through His Son.

Today's silence does not mean tomorrow's silence. This week's silence does not mean next week's silence. This month's silence does not mean next month will be silent. Be faithful, be patient, be obedient....he will speak to your heart. His silence is not final. He will speak to you again. And how glorious it will be when he does.

Disturbed!

2009-01-19T09:27:00.010-05:00

Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, who advised Barrack Obama on gay issues, offered his prayer during the inauguration ceremonies this morning. Besides the obvious problem of the lifestyle of the man who offered the prayer there was one part of his prayer that particularly caught my attention. He offered this petition,

"Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world."

There are two problems that immediately jump out at me. Firstly, there seems to be the implication that there is either a plurality of Gods or that all religions, although vastly different in their beliefs, address the same God. None of the three major religions would believe that. All three would hold to a single God and would not agree that all ways lead to the same God. Jews would place the essential emphasis on the law and natural descent. Muslims would place the essential emphasis on Muhammad. And Jesus would be essential for Christians.

The second, and more troubling statement says that God will judge us "by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community." The truth of the matter is, God will not judge us by how we have treated each other but how we have treated God. Our sins, while certainly having implications on humanity, are offenses against a holy, gracious, and righteous God, first and foremost. It is not forgiveness from our fellow man that is of primary importance, but forgiveness of God. It is not the salvation from the wrath of man that we need but saving from the wrath of God. It is not the pleasing of men that is vital but the pleasing of God.

How can a man who is given the responsibility of sharing the Word of God, give such a humanistic viewpoint? It is disturbing. It will only add to the countless number of people who go about doing good deeds for humanity while ignoring the need to have their sins forgiven by God.

There is nothing here about God being angry, God being offended, or God punishing the sinful. Just a good works based salvation, that makes us feel better about ourselves but unable to help us one bit with God. May we search the scriptures and see that our sins have alienated us from God, his wrath hangs over our sinful heads and eternal punishment is our destiny unless we receive the free gift of his Son as the substitutionary sacrifice that appeases God's wrath against us.

Lukewarmness!

2009-01-13T14:35:00.005-05:00

I am currently reading "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chen and in chapter four he is dealing with what we call "lukewarm Christians." In America, lukewarmness is not only accepted but is the norm in Christian churches. It is almost the preferred state among Christians. But while we marginalize lukewarmness, God does not. God would rather you be hot or cold and lukewarmness makes him sick. Actually "lukewarm Christians" is an oxymoron--there really is no such thing. Churchgoers who are lukewarm are not Christians and they will not be in heaven. God wants all (hot) or nothing (cold). What "Crazy Love" does is to challenge the reader to examine themselves and to see if they are good soil and not just assume they are. This is done by describing what these lukewarm, halfhearted, distracted partially committed people can look like. As you read these, search yourself and take a honest look at your life. Not who you want to be one of these days, but who you are now and how you are living today.

1. Lukewarm People attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe "good Christians" do, so they go. (Isa. 29:13)

2. Lukewarm People give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right? (1 Chron 21:24, Luke 21:1-4)

3. Lukewarm People tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives. (Luke 6:26, Rev 3:1, Matt 23:5-7)

4. Lukewarm People don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful like. (John 10:10, Rom 6:1-2)

5. Lukewarm People are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call "radical" what Jesus expected of all His followers. (James 1:22, 4:17, Matt 21:28-31)

6. Lukewarm People rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion. (Matt 10:32-33)

7. Lukewarm People gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street. (Luke 18:11-12)

8. Lukewarm People say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him as section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives. (Luke 9:57-62)

9. Lukewarm People love God but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn't really possible for the average person; it's only for pastors and missionaries and radicals. (Matt 22:37-38)

10. Lukewarm People love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective and generally comes with strings attached. (Matt 5:43-47, Luke 14:12-14)

11. Lukewarm People will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give. (Luke 18:21-25)

12. Lukewarm People think about life on earth much more often then eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today's to do list, this week's schedule, and next month's vacation. Rarely, this, C. S. Lewis wrote, "If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." (Phil 3:18-20, Col 3:2)

13. Lukewarm People are thankful for their luxuries and comforts and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible. They are quick to point out, "Jesus never said money is the root of all evil, only that the love of money is." Untold numbers of lukewarm people feel "called" to minister to the rich; very few feel "called" to minister to the poor. (Matt 25:34-40, Isa 58:6-7)

14. Lukewarm People do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be "good enough" without it requiring too much of them. They ask, "How far can I go before it's considered a sin?" instead of "How can I keep myself pure as a temple of the Holy Spirit?" They ask, "How much do I have to give?" Instead of "How much can I give?" They ask, "How much time should I spend praying and reading my Bible?" instead of "I wish I didn't have to go to work, so I could sit here and read longer!" (1 Chron 29:14, Matt 13:44-46)

15. Lukewarm People are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God. (1 Tim 6:17-18, Matt 10:28)

16. Lukewarm People feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a "Christian nation." (Matt 7:21, Amos 6:1, Luke 12:16-21)

17. Lukewarm People probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong. (Matt 23:25-28)

May we obey 2 Corinthians 13:5 and examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. On to chapter five.

Incomprehensibility!

2009-01-10T13:05:00.006-05:00

One responsibility of the under shepherd is to scout future feeding opportunities for the sheep under his leadership. While we are currently feeding on The Gospel According to Mark on Sunday mornings and evenings and Ecclesiastes on Wednesday nights, there must be some work done on where we are going next. The book of Hebrews could be the next Wednesday night study. And I am beginning work on a needed series on the Attributes of God for either Sunday morning or Sunday evening. I don't want to make it a long series covering all the attributes at one time but a series that covers several of them each year. So we may cover 3 or 4 in a series this year, 3 or 4 more next year and so on. All that is up to the providence of God, of course.

In a pursuit to know God, the first truth to come to grips with is that you can't know God. Philosophers say that God can't be known so that all we can know about God is what he is not. Gnostic's claim that God is absolutely unknowable and we should be silent. What I mean is that God cannot be known--fully. We cannot know God in his essence. Every description or name for God is inadequate, for human language struggles even to say what God is not. Theologians call this limitation the incomprehensibility of God. While God certainly and infinitely surpasses our understanding, imagination and language we can know him in terms of what and how he has chosen to reveal himself to us. Through the gift of revelation we can have some knowledge of God. We know God through his works and in his relation to us, his creatures. And this knowledge of God is relative and finite rather than comprehensive. God can be known but only as he reveals himself to us and only by the means he reveals himself to us.

Worship!

2009-01-08T20:20:00.002-05:00

I have come to see that there are two types of worship. There is vertical worship and there is horizontal worship. Further, I have learned that a person's theology determines what type of worship they find attractive.

Many are interested in worshipping on a horizontal level. Horizontal worship is centered on man and his relationships. It is worship that involves worship that somehow leaves us feeling good about ourselves. We come together, we fellowship, we share, we sing songs about our experiences, and we hear sermons about us: becoming better fathers, better mothers, better husbands, better wives, better children, better employers, better employees, ... better whatever. It centers on what we are doing and not doing. It is worship that is primarily about US and our relationship with God.

Other people are interested in worshipping on a vertical level. Vertical worship is centered on Christ and his greatness. It is worship that speaks of Him, emphasizes Him, treasures Him, sings about Him, speaks on what He is and what He has done and we hear sermons that instruct us about Him. It is a worship that centers and focused on GOD! It is not making much of us but it is a making much of Him.

Horizontal worshippers think that vertical worship is boring and vertical worshippers think that horizontal worship is superficial. These two kind of worshippers rarely can co-exist together over any length of time. So we must decide not what worship appeals to us but what worship type is commanded in Scripture and what kind of worship brings glory to Him?

How To Pray For Your Pastor!

2009-01-07T21:26:00.003-05:00

1. For my Pastor to love God’s Word and have a desire to meditate on it continually (Psalm 119: 97)

2. For my Pastor to preach nothing but Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2)

3. For my Pastor to proclaim God’s Word with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power (1 Cor 2:4-5)

4. For my Pastor to comprehend the realities of God’s presence; the appearing and judgement of Christ Jesus, and in that light ‘preach the Word.’ (2 Tim 4:1-1)

5. For my Pastor to patiently and carefully correct, rebuke and encourage via the instrument of the Word of God, whatever the hostile climate to sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:2-3)

6. For my Pastor to boldly proclaim the gospel (Eph 6:19-20)

7. For my Pastor to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18)

8. For my Pastor to be clear in his proclamation (Col. 4:3-4).

9. For my Pastor to prepare God’s people for works of service through the teaching of the Scriptures (Eph 4:11ff)

10. For my Pastor to see some fruit for his preaching and teaching: some becoming wise unto salvation by the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:15), others being sanctified by the truth (John 17:17)

Choices!

2009-01-06T15:24:00.002-05:00

Due to the strife that had risen between them, Abram presented Lot with a choice. The choice was which direction he would go? He had the option of going any direction he wanted to and Abram would go the opposite way.

We are told what it was that influenced his decision. Lot looked and saw a well-watered land that reminded him of Egypt. To Lot it was a direction of ease, of comfort, and of plenty. The other directions did not carry with them the potential of this way. Even though this way was the way where great wickedness was being manifest. Abram let Lot choose for himself and he chose the wrong direction. This choice would eventually cost him his wife and would bring he and his daughters into a terrible sin.

Abram on the other hand went the opposite way and he and his family were blessed by the Lord. Although the way he took did not look like it would be prosperous or easy, the Lord made it so for him.

We need to be careful that we make wise and Godly choices this year. We should not look to taking the easy route, the comfortable road, nor the way that gives us the greatest advantage. The hard way, the uncomfortable way, the poor way is the best way if God choose to bless it. My God help us with our decisions in 2009.

Listening!

2009-01-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Genesis 3 details for us the fall of Adam and Eve and in consequence the fall of all humanity. We are all affected with depravity because of the disobedience of the first man and woman. How did this happen? Created, placed in paradise, and in fellowship with God on a daily basis-how did this tragic thing happen?

It began, it seems, by listening to wrong voices. God had spoken to them specifically concerning this tree. He had plainly told them to not eat of this one tree. All other trees were in play but not this one. But Eve listened to a strange voice. It was the voice of the serpent, which was in reality the voice of Satan. Notice that his voice always casts doubt, "Did God really say you could not eat of the tree?" Then he distorts the Word of God, "God said don't eat it and don't touch it." Of course, this just brings confusion to Eve. Then finally, he just straight out deceives her, "If you eat of this tree, you will a God."

Eve never looked at the tree the same way again. She viewed it with new desires in her heart. Desires that moved her to disobey God and eat of the tree. As a result Adam listened to the voice of his wife. He clearly knew the boundaries that God had set, yet willingly stepped over them and sinned.

Sin always begins by listening to the wrong voice. It manifests itself in some action or thought but it begins by listening to a wrong voice. Instead of listening and obeying God we entertain other voices that muddy the waters and stimulate fleshly desires and before you know it there we are standing with a piece of fruit in our hands and a bitter taste in our mouths.

As we begin 2009, let's be careful what voices we listen to.

Beginnings!

2009-01-02T13:02:00.003-05:00

As I began reading Genesis 1 and 2 yesterday, I was struck afresh with the Sovereignty of God. In the creation account we see God commanding things to be and they are. He separates things from each other, and he gathers things together. All things submit to his power and do whatever he wishes them to do. There are no arguments, no reluctance, and no hesitation. He begins His Word and His world with the truth that He is the designer and He is the sustainer of all that is.

May we begin our year this way, as well. All things this year will be according to his design and all things will continue to exist because he causes them to endure. Everything we will face in 2009 will be subject to his power and his will. As our world began with thoughts of Him, so too, may our new year begin with thoughts of His greatness.

Resolutions

2009-01-01T11:39:00.007-05:00

David Pawson has defined resolutions as a "coming to a firm and determined decision to do something, to behave in a certain manner, to abide by certain principles." There are certainly a number of changes and determinations that we should make as we begin this new year. Things that need removed and other things that need added. Of course, weight-loss and exercise tend to top most people's lists of New Year Resolutions but one we should should determine to do is to read the Bible through this year. There are a number of plans that encourage us do this and we will post readings from the OT and NT on this blog each week. I can not think of a more needed resolution in our churches than those in the pew becoming more familiar with God's Word and in the process becoming more familiar with our great God.