Ok, there is nothing of spiritual nature to this post. But, sometimes we just need a good laugh! This humor is a great combination.
First, Jimmy Fallon is one of my favorite comedians. He is extremely talented! Unfortunately, his show is on too late at night. So, I have to find his best clips through youtube.
Second, he is impersonating Bob Dylan. While some think I am too young to have listened to Dylan or Neil Young or the Beatles, this is actually the music I grew up on because of my dad and 3 older brothers. Fallon's impersonations of Neil Young are great too!
Finally, this impersonation has Dylan doing the theme song of "Charles in Charge". Of course, this show was a big hit in the 80's...right at the time I was growing up.
So, this combination cracks me up...hope it does it for you!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Preaching
The past two Tuesday evenings, I have had the privilege of opening the Word of God at a Rescue Mission in our city. I usually do something different at the Mission than what I am preaching currently in our church. These past two weeks, I felt that the messages on Peter's denial of the Lord Jesus and then Jesus' restoration of Peter could be very beneficial to some of these men as well. It has been a delight to see these men respond to God's Word just as I have seen in our own church. It is an immense privilege and responsibility to handle the Word of God in front of anyone but even more so when you know that the listeners are truly coming to hear from heaven. I had an opportunity to talk to a friend last night about the nature of preaching. It brought to mind some of the quotes about the nature of preaching and some of the dynamics that go into preaching. I am going to post a few of these quotes over the next few days and share briefly (yeah, right!) regarding them.
First Quote - "the key to preaching is self-forgetfulness" (John Stott)
Self-forgetfullness is hard to achieve! In fact, I would say that it isnt something that can be achieved or conquered. Much like in our own daily walk, we do not achieve it or conquer it. It is a daily struggle to 'take up our cross and follow Him' or as John the Baptist said 'He must increase, I must decrease'. If I truly want to preach in such a way that He increases than I must decrease! Too many times we say that we want Jesus to increase in the eyes of the listener but we still want to increase as well! We cannot exalt Christ and ourselves simultaneously. It is either one or the other. The preacher has the unique challenge of exalting Christ in preaching while still maintaining his own personality and yet not allowing his personality to stand in the way of the listener seeing Christ. In preaching, God does use the preacher's personality. So self-forgetfulness does not mean that the preacher cannot share a life experience or an illustration from his life or family (although I do think the minister should be careful about how much of this he does). Instead 'self-forgetfulness' is exactly what it says. I have found that preaching at its best for me is almost like an out of the body experience. When it is over, I feel like I was watching what just took place and it wasn't even me that was preaching - which explains why that's best, huh! And the key is this thing of self-forgetfulness. Which means while I am preaching I need to be 'freed up' from the thoughts that are so natural, such as:
'I wonder what he is thinking'
'I hope somebody is getting something out of this'
'Oh man, he just looked at his watch again'
'Is he really sleeping through this powerful message'
Ultimately, all of these kinds of thoughts come from a mind that is occupied with self. How am I coming across? What are they thinking of me? These kinds of thoughts are poison to good preaching because 'self' is still central. When this occurs the preacher is using the 'art of preaching' as a means to an end - namely, self promotion or self exaltation. So, on a good day, when he thinks he has 'hit it out of the park' he walks around with a spring in his step. On bad days, when he thinks he 'struck out' he walks around in despair. Both are wrong because the focus is in the wrong place. Of course, the Evil One loves to get us distracted in this way and it doesn't take much on his part to get our sinful human minds focused here (this is also true during the music portion of our worship service!). This is why it is so important that the content of our worship (Preaching and music) be such that God is central and not man. We are already prone to put ourselves at the center. It isnt just the listener who is prone to this but the preacher or worship leader as well. If you are like me, you forget a lot of things...but one thing I never seem to forget about is myself! There I am...everywhere I turn...dominating my thoughts, my words, my concerns. It is so natural for me to make everything about me. It will take a supernatural work for that to be stripped away...and it doesnt happen overnight. It is part of the life-long journey of sanctification and for the preacher it is a constant battle everytime he stands on behalf of our Great God to speak His Word to His people.
So, whether it is during the worship service or at any other time, we must pray for God to help us keep our thoughts on Him. If our goal is really to glorify God and make much of Jesus than it will come at a price. We must die to ourselves daily! If He is going to increase, then I must decrease! We cannot exalt both Christ and ourselves simultaneously! It will be the One or the other! Which will it be?
sidenote: If your interested, this is one of the reasons I have never listened to myself on cd or watched on video. I have often heard others say that I should do this but I still have not been able to get myself to do it. In fact, it is also part of the reason I have not been very proactive about getting messages online or other various media outlets. While I see nothing wrong with making the messages more readily available for others, I have no interest in hearing it myself. This morning after typing these thoughts, I stumbled upon a short article from John Stott. It actually confirmed what I have always felt and thought. If interested, here it is:
The abundance of audio and video recordings of preaching today tempts pastors to listen to themselves and look at themselves. One might improve a few things that way. But in general it’s a bad idea. John Stott explains why:
If you look at yourself in the mirror, and listen to yourself on tape, or do both simultaneously on videotape, I fear you may find that you continue to look at yourself and listen to yourself when you are in the pulpit. In that case you will condemn yourself to the cramping bondage of preoccupation with yourself just at the time when, in the pulpit, it is essential to cultivate self-forgetfulness through a growing awareness of the God for whom and the people to whom you are speaking.
I know actors make use of glass and tape, but preachers are not actors, nor is the pulpit a stage. So beware! It may be more valuable to ask a friend to be candid with you about your voice and mannerisms, especially if they need correction. An Indian proverb says “He who has a good friend needs no mirror.” Then you can be yourself and forget yourself.
First Quote - "the key to preaching is self-forgetfulness" (John Stott)
Self-forgetfullness is hard to achieve! In fact, I would say that it isnt something that can be achieved or conquered. Much like in our own daily walk, we do not achieve it or conquer it. It is a daily struggle to 'take up our cross and follow Him' or as John the Baptist said 'He must increase, I must decrease'. If I truly want to preach in such a way that He increases than I must decrease! Too many times we say that we want Jesus to increase in the eyes of the listener but we still want to increase as well! We cannot exalt Christ and ourselves simultaneously. It is either one or the other. The preacher has the unique challenge of exalting Christ in preaching while still maintaining his own personality and yet not allowing his personality to stand in the way of the listener seeing Christ. In preaching, God does use the preacher's personality. So self-forgetfulness does not mean that the preacher cannot share a life experience or an illustration from his life or family (although I do think the minister should be careful about how much of this he does). Instead 'self-forgetfulness' is exactly what it says. I have found that preaching at its best for me is almost like an out of the body experience. When it is over, I feel like I was watching what just took place and it wasn't even me that was preaching - which explains why that's best, huh! And the key is this thing of self-forgetfulness. Which means while I am preaching I need to be 'freed up' from the thoughts that are so natural, such as:
'I wonder what he is thinking'
'I hope somebody is getting something out of this'
'Oh man, he just looked at his watch again'
'Is he really sleeping through this powerful message'
Ultimately, all of these kinds of thoughts come from a mind that is occupied with self. How am I coming across? What are they thinking of me? These kinds of thoughts are poison to good preaching because 'self' is still central. When this occurs the preacher is using the 'art of preaching' as a means to an end - namely, self promotion or self exaltation. So, on a good day, when he thinks he has 'hit it out of the park' he walks around with a spring in his step. On bad days, when he thinks he 'struck out' he walks around in despair. Both are wrong because the focus is in the wrong place. Of course, the Evil One loves to get us distracted in this way and it doesn't take much on his part to get our sinful human minds focused here (this is also true during the music portion of our worship service!). This is why it is so important that the content of our worship (Preaching and music) be such that God is central and not man. We are already prone to put ourselves at the center. It isnt just the listener who is prone to this but the preacher or worship leader as well. If you are like me, you forget a lot of things...but one thing I never seem to forget about is myself! There I am...everywhere I turn...dominating my thoughts, my words, my concerns. It is so natural for me to make everything about me. It will take a supernatural work for that to be stripped away...and it doesnt happen overnight. It is part of the life-long journey of sanctification and for the preacher it is a constant battle everytime he stands on behalf of our Great God to speak His Word to His people.
So, whether it is during the worship service or at any other time, we must pray for God to help us keep our thoughts on Him. If our goal is really to glorify God and make much of Jesus than it will come at a price. We must die to ourselves daily! If He is going to increase, then I must decrease! We cannot exalt both Christ and ourselves simultaneously! It will be the One or the other! Which will it be?
sidenote: If your interested, this is one of the reasons I have never listened to myself on cd or watched on video. I have often heard others say that I should do this but I still have not been able to get myself to do it. In fact, it is also part of the reason I have not been very proactive about getting messages online or other various media outlets. While I see nothing wrong with making the messages more readily available for others, I have no interest in hearing it myself. This morning after typing these thoughts, I stumbled upon a short article from John Stott. It actually confirmed what I have always felt and thought. If interested, here it is:
The abundance of audio and video recordings of preaching today tempts pastors to listen to themselves and look at themselves. One might improve a few things that way. But in general it’s a bad idea. John Stott explains why:
If you look at yourself in the mirror, and listen to yourself on tape, or do both simultaneously on videotape, I fear you may find that you continue to look at yourself and listen to yourself when you are in the pulpit. In that case you will condemn yourself to the cramping bondage of preoccupation with yourself just at the time when, in the pulpit, it is essential to cultivate self-forgetfulness through a growing awareness of the God for whom and the people to whom you are speaking.
I know actors make use of glass and tape, but preachers are not actors, nor is the pulpit a stage. So beware! It may be more valuable to ask a friend to be candid with you about your voice and mannerisms, especially if they need correction. An Indian proverb says “He who has a good friend needs no mirror.” Then you can be yourself and forget yourself.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Request for Prayer
Please be in prayer for Daniel Griffith. This is the young man I mentioned yesterday during the service. Today he went through a skin graft procedure. He is a special kid who was in my classical conversations class this past year. You can check out his progress at this link - http://danielupdates.tumblr.com/
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Look Up!
Here is my most recent article in the Final Word (newsletter of First Baptist Church of Howland):
I don’t know what it is about this time of year but it has always been my favorite. For those of us here in Northeast Ohio, much of it has to do with the break in weather. Of course, we have our traditional snowfall for the Indians opening day, but right after that we begin to look for that great round object in the sky and some warmer temperatures. But as a minister and more importantly a child of God, I have a more meaningful reason for loving this time of year. Spring means Easter – and Easter means we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This year Easter happens to fall at the end of April, which is the latest that I can ever remember. I have to say that I think Easter should be earlier than that but nevertheless I am excited as we turn our calendars to April.
You see there is nothing better for us to fix our hearts and minds on than the Cross and the empty tomb. But if you know me and have been around this ministry for any length of time, you know that I don’t believe it should be any different the other 51 Sundays of the year. Why would we only give prominent place to Christ’s death and resurrection at Easter and not all the time? If Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is really the sum and substance of Christianity than we should be delighting in it all the time. And not just when we gather in church Sunday after Sunday but perhaps more importantly every day of our lives.
The message of the gospel is so simple and yet so profound. Simple in that a child can understand it. There is no pride in understanding its message or articulating its complexities. Yet, the gospel is profound because its message is diametrically opposed to what our nature believes. The gospel says that we are all lost sinners and what we deserve because of our sin is the wrath of God which includes eternal separation from God. But the good news is that God has provided a way for sinners to be forgiven and made right with God. This provision is in the person and work of God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. The way is through His perfect life (or obedience) and sacrificial death (His ultimate act of obedience) on the cross for our sins. You see the gospel is all about what God has done in Christ on my behalf. Notice that the gospel says nothing of who I am or what I have done! At least, not anything good about who I am or what I have done! The only thing the gospel says about me (and you) is that we are sinners and hopeless and helpless left to ourselves. But again, the good news is that God did not leave us to ourselves!
This message is contrary to what we want to believe. We want to believe that we are basically good. We want to believe that we have a self-righteousness that can earn God’s merit or favor. While we may have no trouble admitting that Jesus died for our sins, we at least want to believe that we can do something to contribute to our right standing with God. But it is this kind of belief that rejects the truth of the gospel message. Any self-righteousness rejects God’s grace because it views the sinner as deserving of God’s blessing instead of undeserving. Whether we are speaking of unbelievers (who reject the gospel altogether) or believers (whose sinful natures cause us to quickly go back to our former beliefs), we need the message of the gospel everyday.
We all have a tendency to look within ourselves for the basis of God’s approval (or disapproval for that matter). So, it is critical that we make a daily effort to look to the gospel message. I am reminded of a quote from Robert Murray McCheyne that says "for every one look at ourselves we need to have ten looks at Christ". One of my favorite hymns says it this way:
When Satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within (notice looking at ourselves)
upward I look and see Him there (now looking up to Christ)
who made an end of all my sin
because the sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me!
(Before the throne of God above)
We must daily look outside of ourselves to the work of Christ on our behalf. It is His righteousness alone that is able to bring us into a right standing with God. Listen to Titus 3:5-7:
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
And how does one get this righteousness? By Faith
Paul teaches this in Romans 5 and again here in Galatians 2:16:
“We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we…have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
I hope this message is the sole basis of your approval and acceptance with God and the assurance of your eventual admittance into heaven. It’s about all Him and what He has done on our behalf. That is the message of Easter and that’s the message of Christianity!
So, I would like to invite you to come and be a part of our services this Easter as we celebrate Christ’s finished work on our behalf. And with that said, I would like to invite you to come every Sunday and celebrate these same truths with us!
I don’t know what it is about this time of year but it has always been my favorite. For those of us here in Northeast Ohio, much of it has to do with the break in weather. Of course, we have our traditional snowfall for the Indians opening day, but right after that we begin to look for that great round object in the sky and some warmer temperatures. But as a minister and more importantly a child of God, I have a more meaningful reason for loving this time of year. Spring means Easter – and Easter means we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This year Easter happens to fall at the end of April, which is the latest that I can ever remember. I have to say that I think Easter should be earlier than that but nevertheless I am excited as we turn our calendars to April.
You see there is nothing better for us to fix our hearts and minds on than the Cross and the empty tomb. But if you know me and have been around this ministry for any length of time, you know that I don’t believe it should be any different the other 51 Sundays of the year. Why would we only give prominent place to Christ’s death and resurrection at Easter and not all the time? If Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is really the sum and substance of Christianity than we should be delighting in it all the time. And not just when we gather in church Sunday after Sunday but perhaps more importantly every day of our lives.
The message of the gospel is so simple and yet so profound. Simple in that a child can understand it. There is no pride in understanding its message or articulating its complexities. Yet, the gospel is profound because its message is diametrically opposed to what our nature believes. The gospel says that we are all lost sinners and what we deserve because of our sin is the wrath of God which includes eternal separation from God. But the good news is that God has provided a way for sinners to be forgiven and made right with God. This provision is in the person and work of God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. The way is through His perfect life (or obedience) and sacrificial death (His ultimate act of obedience) on the cross for our sins. You see the gospel is all about what God has done in Christ on my behalf. Notice that the gospel says nothing of who I am or what I have done! At least, not anything good about who I am or what I have done! The only thing the gospel says about me (and you) is that we are sinners and hopeless and helpless left to ourselves. But again, the good news is that God did not leave us to ourselves!
This message is contrary to what we want to believe. We want to believe that we are basically good. We want to believe that we have a self-righteousness that can earn God’s merit or favor. While we may have no trouble admitting that Jesus died for our sins, we at least want to believe that we can do something to contribute to our right standing with God. But it is this kind of belief that rejects the truth of the gospel message. Any self-righteousness rejects God’s grace because it views the sinner as deserving of God’s blessing instead of undeserving. Whether we are speaking of unbelievers (who reject the gospel altogether) or believers (whose sinful natures cause us to quickly go back to our former beliefs), we need the message of the gospel everyday.
We all have a tendency to look within ourselves for the basis of God’s approval (or disapproval for that matter). So, it is critical that we make a daily effort to look to the gospel message. I am reminded of a quote from Robert Murray McCheyne that says "for every one look at ourselves we need to have ten looks at Christ". One of my favorite hymns says it this way:
When Satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within (notice looking at ourselves)
upward I look and see Him there (now looking up to Christ)
who made an end of all my sin
because the sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me!
(Before the throne of God above)
We must daily look outside of ourselves to the work of Christ on our behalf. It is His righteousness alone that is able to bring us into a right standing with God. Listen to Titus 3:5-7:
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
And how does one get this righteousness? By Faith
Paul teaches this in Romans 5 and again here in Galatians 2:16:
“We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we…have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
I hope this message is the sole basis of your approval and acceptance with God and the assurance of your eventual admittance into heaven. It’s about all Him and what He has done on our behalf. That is the message of Easter and that’s the message of Christianity!
So, I would like to invite you to come and be a part of our services this Easter as we celebrate Christ’s finished work on our behalf. And with that said, I would like to invite you to come every Sunday and celebrate these same truths with us!
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Lesson During March Madness!
I live in northeast ohio and somehow in the midst of all the madness of games televised I did not get the Ohio State game on a local CBS channel. Instead the game is televised on TNT or TBS or Tru or False or some other channel that you have to pay for. It's really not that bad because in our day and age I just watch the game on March Madness on Demand or get the scores on my smartphone (amazing what luxuries we have!). But, that's really not my point! My point is...I actually found myself complaining about not getting a basketball game on television. That's right - complaining about not seeing a game! Boy, does that ever reveal my sinful nature. I am complaining about not seeing a game; a first round game against Texas-San Antonio or something like that; a game that involves young men who I do not know and most likely never will; a game that will be forgotten in a year if not in a week (as all games are!).
Now anyone that knows me knows my passion for sports but sometimes we need to be reminded just how out of control our passion for sports has gotten. Sports and the entertainment thereof has become an idol in our American culture and sometimes I find myself bowing down at this altar. Too much of our lives are wrapped around an athletic arena instead of the throne room of God.
Here are some questions that I have to ask myself often:
1. Does my heart leap more for a great play than it does to hear the gospel truth?
2. Am I anticipating a game with more excitement than an opportunity to worship our Great God?
3. Would I rather look up statistics on my favorite team than read and understand God's Word greater?
4. Do I view enjoying a sport as a privilege or a need?
5. Am I inconvenienced when my sports viewing is interrupted by either an opportunity to serve someone or to listen to them? (I think my wife slipped that one in!)
Well, too often my cold heart fails the test of these simple questions.
If sports does not have this kind of hold on you - first thank God that you have been able to escape the madness. Second, be sure and apply the same principles to other idols that you may be prone to bow down to!
Before I close I am sure there is someone of the reformed thought that is saying..."remember God gave us all things to enjoy...there is nothing wrong with enjoying the gift of sport". I couldn't agree more but the challenge is in enjoying it as a gift and not worshiping it as only the Giver is worthy of.
All good gifts come from the hand of God for our enjoyment and blessing. The challenge of sport; beauty of an athletic play; courage of the weary; the sacrifice of a teammate; the strategy between coaches; all of these things are why we enjoy the "games". But, let's remember that they are just that - games!
So, if we are going to remember what the reformers taught - let's especially remember what John Calvin taught us: "our hearts are like idol factories" and "our desires are inordinate".
We are natural born worshipers...we will worship something. So may I remind you and myself to not let sports or anything else take the throne of our hearts that only the Lord deserves (during this March Madness or at any other time!). Watch the games, fill out the brackets, root for your team, remember it's just a game, and guard your heart to be white-hot for God alone!
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.(I John 5:21)
Now anyone that knows me knows my passion for sports but sometimes we need to be reminded just how out of control our passion for sports has gotten. Sports and the entertainment thereof has become an idol in our American culture and sometimes I find myself bowing down at this altar. Too much of our lives are wrapped around an athletic arena instead of the throne room of God.
Here are some questions that I have to ask myself often:
1. Does my heart leap more for a great play than it does to hear the gospel truth?
2. Am I anticipating a game with more excitement than an opportunity to worship our Great God?
3. Would I rather look up statistics on my favorite team than read and understand God's Word greater?
4. Do I view enjoying a sport as a privilege or a need?
5. Am I inconvenienced when my sports viewing is interrupted by either an opportunity to serve someone or to listen to them? (I think my wife slipped that one in!)
Well, too often my cold heart fails the test of these simple questions.
If sports does not have this kind of hold on you - first thank God that you have been able to escape the madness. Second, be sure and apply the same principles to other idols that you may be prone to bow down to!
Before I close I am sure there is someone of the reformed thought that is saying..."remember God gave us all things to enjoy...there is nothing wrong with enjoying the gift of sport". I couldn't agree more but the challenge is in enjoying it as a gift and not worshiping it as only the Giver is worthy of.
All good gifts come from the hand of God for our enjoyment and blessing. The challenge of sport; beauty of an athletic play; courage of the weary; the sacrifice of a teammate; the strategy between coaches; all of these things are why we enjoy the "games". But, let's remember that they are just that - games!
So, if we are going to remember what the reformers taught - let's especially remember what John Calvin taught us: "our hearts are like idol factories" and "our desires are inordinate".
We are natural born worshipers...we will worship something. So may I remind you and myself to not let sports or anything else take the throne of our hearts that only the Lord deserves (during this March Madness or at any other time!). Watch the games, fill out the brackets, root for your team, remember it's just a game, and guard your heart to be white-hot for God alone!
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.(I John 5:21)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Pray for Chad Cole
Here is Chad Cole's blog. This is the man I have been sharing with you all about on Sundays. He lost his wife and unborn baby in a tragic car accident a few weeks ago. Please go back and read from the end of January till current. Pray for this man! Make sure you let your spouse and children and loved ones know just how much you love them and thank God for them!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
He's Always Been Faithful
It was a year ago yesterday that Jennifer and I were taking Jana to Akron Children's Hospital...or a year ago this morning that I was driving back to the hospital (after staying a night at my brother's house in the Cleveland area) to see how my wife and daughter were doing after a night in ICU.
As I was thinking about all of this last night and again this morning, I realize once again just how much I have to be grateful for! In fact, last night I told my daughter that this is a special day that we will never forget - of course, she replied 'oh yeah, real special...the day we found out I have diabetes'. But, I shared with her that this will always be a special day to mom and dad as we remember God's faithfulness to us in the midst of difficulty. The past couple of weeks we have been studying the book of Nehemiah in our small group on Wednesday night. A verse that stood out is Nehemiah 9:33 which says, "yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly". This verse summarized a whole chapter of confession. There couldn't be a more genuine and accurate confession for God's people than this. God has always been faithful to us (sounds like a good song)- even though we have sinned and rebelled. It is God's great mercy that He has not made an end of us or forsaken us, but instead has been gracious and merciful!
My story is full of my failures, disobedience and sinfulness...God's story is about His mercy, grace and faithfulness. Thankfully through Christ and the gift of salvation, His story has become my story! Now my life is no longer marked by my sins and failures (although they still exist!) but instead is marked by His mercy and grace!
So as a family, these couples of dates towards the end of February will always be reminders to us of God's faithfulness. While they include some difficulties...especially for Jana...we will not forget God's sovereign care in the midst of the difficulties.
We are so grateful for Jana's good health and life. She is a gift from God to us as are all of our children. May we be good stewards of these precious gifts that God entrusts to us!
If you would like to read my initial post from the hospital last year, you can find it at http://christinu.blogspot.com/2010_02_21_archive.html
Here is a great song and some good pictures to go along with it:
As I was thinking about all of this last night and again this morning, I realize once again just how much I have to be grateful for! In fact, last night I told my daughter that this is a special day that we will never forget - of course, she replied 'oh yeah, real special...the day we found out I have diabetes'. But, I shared with her that this will always be a special day to mom and dad as we remember God's faithfulness to us in the midst of difficulty. The past couple of weeks we have been studying the book of Nehemiah in our small group on Wednesday night. A verse that stood out is Nehemiah 9:33 which says, "yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly". This verse summarized a whole chapter of confession. There couldn't be a more genuine and accurate confession for God's people than this. God has always been faithful to us (sounds like a good song)- even though we have sinned and rebelled. It is God's great mercy that He has not made an end of us or forsaken us, but instead has been gracious and merciful!
My story is full of my failures, disobedience and sinfulness...God's story is about His mercy, grace and faithfulness. Thankfully through Christ and the gift of salvation, His story has become my story! Now my life is no longer marked by my sins and failures (although they still exist!) but instead is marked by His mercy and grace!
So as a family, these couples of dates towards the end of February will always be reminders to us of God's faithfulness. While they include some difficulties...especially for Jana...we will not forget God's sovereign care in the midst of the difficulties.
We are so grateful for Jana's good health and life. She is a gift from God to us as are all of our children. May we be good stewards of these precious gifts that God entrusts to us!
If you would like to read my initial post from the hospital last year, you can find it at http://christinu.blogspot.com/2010_02_21_archive.html
Here is a great song and some good pictures to go along with it:
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Teach Me Your Paths O Lord
Tonight I had the privilege of speaking at the Warren Family Mission. A few men in our church go to the Warren Mission each Tuesday night to instruct the men from God's Word and to pray with them. Every once in a while I have the privilege of coming and addressing them. Tonight I addressed the men out of Psalm 25 on the subject of 'can we really know God's will?'.
Often our biggest problem with God's will is being obedient to the guidance God has already clearly given. So, out of Psalm 25 we looked at 'prerequisites of a man that knows and does God's will'.
1. A meek and humble spirit
2. An obedient heart
3. Reverence for God
4. Patience to wait
Notice that all of these have to do with the "character" of the man. The man that is able to be taught the ways of the Lord is a man who has these characteristics. So, if we really want to know and do God's will we need to work on becoming this kind of man or woman.
The real issue becomes not so much 'how can I discover?' but 'am I willing to submit to God's Word whatever it may say?' or 'will I yield to God's providence no matter how bitter it tastes?'
We like to set parameters on just how far we will go with God. God, I will do anything as long as I dont have to take a paycut! God, I will go anywhere as long as it doesnt require me to leave the country!
Instead of setting these kinds of parameters, may we be a people that can say:
Oh, let your will be done in me,
In your love I will abide,
Oh, I long for nothing else
As long as You are glorified!
To see the full version of "As Long as You are Glorified"
Often our biggest problem with God's will is being obedient to the guidance God has already clearly given. So, out of Psalm 25 we looked at 'prerequisites of a man that knows and does God's will'.
1. A meek and humble spirit
2. An obedient heart
3. Reverence for God
4. Patience to wait
Notice that all of these have to do with the "character" of the man. The man that is able to be taught the ways of the Lord is a man who has these characteristics. So, if we really want to know and do God's will we need to work on becoming this kind of man or woman.
The real issue becomes not so much 'how can I discover?' but 'am I willing to submit to God's Word whatever it may say?' or 'will I yield to God's providence no matter how bitter it tastes?'
We like to set parameters on just how far we will go with God. God, I will do anything as long as I dont have to take a paycut! God, I will go anywhere as long as it doesnt require me to leave the country!
Instead of setting these kinds of parameters, may we be a people that can say:
Oh, let your will be done in me,
In your love I will abide,
Oh, I long for nothing else
As long as You are glorified!
To see the full version of "As Long as You are Glorified"
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sickness and The Glory of God
With all the sicknesses around us at this time of year (which often leads to discouragement and depression), thought this was interesting. Comes from Octavius Winslow in his morning and evening thoughts:
"The season of sickness is the schooling of the soul. More of God is unfolded then, and more of his truth is learned, than perhaps in any other circumstances. Oh, how the character, and the perfections, and the government of God become unfolded to his mind by the teachings of the Spirit of truth! His dim views are cleared, his crude ideas are ripened, his erroneous ideas are rectified; he contemplates God in another light, and truth through another medium. But the sweetest effect of all is the personal appropriation of God to his own soul. He can now say, "This God is my God, and is my Father, and is my portion forever,"- words of assurance hitherto strange to his lips. The promises of God were never realized as so precious, the doctrines of grace were never felt to be so establishing, and the precepts were never seen to be so obligatory and so sanctifying as now; blessed results of a hallowed possession of the season of sickness!"
Octavius Winslow
"The season of sickness is the schooling of the soul. More of God is unfolded then, and more of his truth is learned, than perhaps in any other circumstances. Oh, how the character, and the perfections, and the government of God become unfolded to his mind by the teachings of the Spirit of truth! His dim views are cleared, his crude ideas are ripened, his erroneous ideas are rectified; he contemplates God in another light, and truth through another medium. But the sweetest effect of all is the personal appropriation of God to his own soul. He can now say, "This God is my God, and is my Father, and is my portion forever,"- words of assurance hitherto strange to his lips. The promises of God were never realized as so precious, the doctrines of grace were never felt to be so establishing, and the precepts were never seen to be so obligatory and so sanctifying as now; blessed results of a hallowed possession of the season of sickness!"
Octavius Winslow
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Here is a very interesting post I came across by Russell Moore. Russell Moore is a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
I think personal testimonies, as part of Christian worship, are a good thing to do. And I think we need more of them. I wonder, though, if sometimes our testimonies might unintentionally empower Satan rather than combat him.
By a “testimony,” of course, I mean a believer’s sharing of the story of how he or she came to faith in Christ. Almost all evangelical churches have something along these lines. If not a verbal testimony from behind the pulpit, these stories still tend to show up. Sometimes they’re in a video shown during the offering or in an illustration in the pastor’s preaching. Sometimes they’re in our evangelical magazines or websites. And, of course, we perhaps most often find our testimonies in what we sing together (from “Amazing Grace” right on down).
The problem is, though, that we often choose to highlight those testimonies that we deem to be “dramatic.” We feature the testimony of the ex-alcoholic who says “Since I met Jesus, I never drink” or the ex-gambling addict who notes that he never missed the poker table. Conversions like this happen sometimes and we ought to give praise to God when they do.
But these kinds of liberation are no more miraculous than the far more typical testimony of the repentant drunk who says, “Every time I hear a clink of ice in a glass I tremble with desire, but God is faithful in keeping me sober.”
Now, I know why we shy away from such seemingly tentative testimonies. After all, the whole point is to give hope to those who are struggling. We don’t want the drunk out there to see his future as, potentially, a lifelong grappling with the temptation to drink. Isn’t it far more freeing for him to hear the testimony of the one who says, with the old gospel song, “It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day”?
The Christ life never promises freedom from temptation. The Christ life promises freedom from slavery to sin, and from the condemnation that comes with it. This is presented in the gospel as a skirmish, from now until resurrection from the dead. If the Scriptures are this honest, we should be too.
Moreover, there are multiple people in our audiences, and we ought to protect them with the vision of the gospel we project. The repentant drunk who still wants to drink might conclude he’s not really received by Jesus; that his temptation is evidence that he’s predestined to alcoholism. That couple who have cut up all their credit cards, because they know they’ll spend every line of credit they have if they don’t, might conclude they’re not “spiritual” enough to follow Christ because they’re still at war with their appetites.
If Satan cannot draw people into sin, and thus into death, he’ll draw them into despair because their fight against temptation hasn’t dissipated. Don’t leave those people with a message of condemnation, when the gospel promises freedom.
Yes, celebrate those who have escaped the grip of sin. But don’t just pretend that this means an escape from temptation. Even the ex-drunk who doesn’t want alcohol anymore (and there aren’t many) just has his temptation moving to some other area. Let’s celebrate too the sinner who wants what he doesn’t want to want, but who dies to self, picks up his cross, and follows Christ.
It might be that God frees someone instantly from the appetite for whatever he or she is drawn toward. But typically he instead enables one to fight it. This might go on for forty days, for forty years, or for an entire lifetime. That’s all right. In the meantime, we’re going to be there to bear burdens for one another.
Satan hates the gospel, and he hates the testimony of grace. Let’s make sure our people (and their demonic accusers) hear the whole message. Temptation isn’t instantly nullified by conversion. Even our sinless Lord Jesus was tempted. The grace of God leads us to Christ, and then joins us to him in the war zone.
That’s painful. Crucifixion always is. But it’s grace, and, however strong the fight, it’s amazing.
I think personal testimonies, as part of Christian worship, are a good thing to do. And I think we need more of them. I wonder, though, if sometimes our testimonies might unintentionally empower Satan rather than combat him.
By a “testimony,” of course, I mean a believer’s sharing of the story of how he or she came to faith in Christ. Almost all evangelical churches have something along these lines. If not a verbal testimony from behind the pulpit, these stories still tend to show up. Sometimes they’re in a video shown during the offering or in an illustration in the pastor’s preaching. Sometimes they’re in our evangelical magazines or websites. And, of course, we perhaps most often find our testimonies in what we sing together (from “Amazing Grace” right on down).
The problem is, though, that we often choose to highlight those testimonies that we deem to be “dramatic.” We feature the testimony of the ex-alcoholic who says “Since I met Jesus, I never drink” or the ex-gambling addict who notes that he never missed the poker table. Conversions like this happen sometimes and we ought to give praise to God when they do.
But these kinds of liberation are no more miraculous than the far more typical testimony of the repentant drunk who says, “Every time I hear a clink of ice in a glass I tremble with desire, but God is faithful in keeping me sober.”
Now, I know why we shy away from such seemingly tentative testimonies. After all, the whole point is to give hope to those who are struggling. We don’t want the drunk out there to see his future as, potentially, a lifelong grappling with the temptation to drink. Isn’t it far more freeing for him to hear the testimony of the one who says, with the old gospel song, “It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day”?
The Christ life never promises freedom from temptation. The Christ life promises freedom from slavery to sin, and from the condemnation that comes with it. This is presented in the gospel as a skirmish, from now until resurrection from the dead. If the Scriptures are this honest, we should be too.
Moreover, there are multiple people in our audiences, and we ought to protect them with the vision of the gospel we project. The repentant drunk who still wants to drink might conclude he’s not really received by Jesus; that his temptation is evidence that he’s predestined to alcoholism. That couple who have cut up all their credit cards, because they know they’ll spend every line of credit they have if they don’t, might conclude they’re not “spiritual” enough to follow Christ because they’re still at war with their appetites.
If Satan cannot draw people into sin, and thus into death, he’ll draw them into despair because their fight against temptation hasn’t dissipated. Don’t leave those people with a message of condemnation, when the gospel promises freedom.
Yes, celebrate those who have escaped the grip of sin. But don’t just pretend that this means an escape from temptation. Even the ex-drunk who doesn’t want alcohol anymore (and there aren’t many) just has his temptation moving to some other area. Let’s celebrate too the sinner who wants what he doesn’t want to want, but who dies to self, picks up his cross, and follows Christ.
It might be that God frees someone instantly from the appetite for whatever he or she is drawn toward. But typically he instead enables one to fight it. This might go on for forty days, for forty years, or for an entire lifetime. That’s all right. In the meantime, we’re going to be there to bear burdens for one another.
Satan hates the gospel, and he hates the testimony of grace. Let’s make sure our people (and their demonic accusers) hear the whole message. Temptation isn’t instantly nullified by conversion. Even our sinless Lord Jesus was tempted. The grace of God leads us to Christ, and then joins us to him in the war zone.
That’s painful. Crucifixion always is. But it’s grace, and, however strong the fight, it’s amazing.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Today, I happened to go back and read a post on Brian Main's blog (one of my close pastor friends and my assistant coach in Upward!!)
This post was so good and so relevant, so I decided to copy and paste here.
By the way, this post was his last - from last June - which also made me feel good! :)
here it is:
I've asked this question to myself and to my kids: Would you rather be perfect or forgiven? My natural instinct is to prefer to be perfect. I feel better about myself when I am perfect - when I don't make any mistakes (at least not any that people know about). But I am not perfect. And my failures frustrate me. But I realized a while back that my failures bring me an opportunity to experience something better than being perfect - being forgiven. You see, if I was perfect, people would probably always treat me okay - just because they'd have no reason not to. But when people treat me well when they have a reason not to - when they forgive me - then I know I am loved. And, when I stop and think about it, I would rather be loved and know it than be perfect and wonder if anyone really loves me. Would I rather be perfect or forgiven? I thank God that, in His wisdom, He did not make me perfect. Because as an imperfect person I have the opportunity to know that I am loved - by other people, and most of all by God.
Another way for God to remind us that even our sin is part of God's sanctifying process. I am reminded of a quote that says "till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet". For those of us who know our sin well and have tasted just how bitter it is...Christ is becoming sweeter and sweeter!
This post was so good and so relevant, so I decided to copy and paste here.
By the way, this post was his last - from last June - which also made me feel good! :)
here it is:
I've asked this question to myself and to my kids: Would you rather be perfect or forgiven? My natural instinct is to prefer to be perfect. I feel better about myself when I am perfect - when I don't make any mistakes (at least not any that people know about). But I am not perfect. And my failures frustrate me. But I realized a while back that my failures bring me an opportunity to experience something better than being perfect - being forgiven. You see, if I was perfect, people would probably always treat me okay - just because they'd have no reason not to. But when people treat me well when they have a reason not to - when they forgive me - then I know I am loved. And, when I stop and think about it, I would rather be loved and know it than be perfect and wonder if anyone really loves me. Would I rather be perfect or forgiven? I thank God that, in His wisdom, He did not make me perfect. Because as an imperfect person I have the opportunity to know that I am loved - by other people, and most of all by God.
Another way for God to remind us that even our sin is part of God's sanctifying process. I am reminded of a quote that says "till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet". For those of us who know our sin well and have tasted just how bitter it is...Christ is becoming sweeter and sweeter!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Gospel vs Religion
Recently I was asked by someone, “what is the difference between being gospel centered and being religious”? Well, in order to answer that question, we must define these terms. What is the Gospel? The word gospel simply means “good news.” The central message of the Bible is the gospel, or good news, about the person and work of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, Paul provides the most succinct summary of the gospel: the man Christ Jesus, who is also God, died on a cross in our place, paying the penalty for our sins; three days later He rose to conquer sin and death and give the gift of salvation to all who believe in Him alone for eternal life.
The great reformer Martin Luther (who we will talk about more on Reformation Sunday – October 31st) rightly said that, as sinners, we are prone to pursue a relationship with God in one of two ways. The first is religion/spirituality and the second is the gospel. The two are antithetical in every way.
Religion says that if we obey God He will love us. The gospel says that it is because God has loved us through Jesus that we can obey.
Religion says that the world is filled with good people and bad people. The gospel says that the world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant.
Religion says that you should trust in what you do as a good moral person. The gospel says that you should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person who will ever live.
The goal of religion is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control. The goal of the gospel is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.
Religion is about what I have to do. The gospel is about what I get to do. Religion sees hardship in life as punishment from God. The gospel sees hardship in life as sanctifying affliction that reminds us of Jesus’ sufferings and is used by God in love to make us more like Jesus. Religion is about me. The gospel is about Jesus.
Religion leads to an uncertainty about my standing before God because I never know if I have done enough to please God. The gospel leads to a certainty about my standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus on my behalf on the cross.
Religion ends in either pride (because I think I am better than other people) or despair (because I continually fall short of God’s commands). The gospel ends in humble and confident joy because of the power of Jesus at work for me, in me, through me, and sometimes in spite of me!
I hope that you can see that there is a major difference between the gospel and religion. While we may not consider ourselves to be “religious” it is a matter of life and death that we know and receive the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The great reformer Martin Luther (who we will talk about more on Reformation Sunday – October 31st) rightly said that, as sinners, we are prone to pursue a relationship with God in one of two ways. The first is religion/spirituality and the second is the gospel. The two are antithetical in every way.
Religion says that if we obey God He will love us. The gospel says that it is because God has loved us through Jesus that we can obey.
Religion says that the world is filled with good people and bad people. The gospel says that the world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant.
Religion says that you should trust in what you do as a good moral person. The gospel says that you should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person who will ever live.
The goal of religion is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control. The goal of the gospel is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.
Religion is about what I have to do. The gospel is about what I get to do. Religion sees hardship in life as punishment from God. The gospel sees hardship in life as sanctifying affliction that reminds us of Jesus’ sufferings and is used by God in love to make us more like Jesus. Religion is about me. The gospel is about Jesus.
Religion leads to an uncertainty about my standing before God because I never know if I have done enough to please God. The gospel leads to a certainty about my standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus on my behalf on the cross.
Religion ends in either pride (because I think I am better than other people) or despair (because I continually fall short of God’s commands). The gospel ends in humble and confident joy because of the power of Jesus at work for me, in me, through me, and sometimes in spite of me!
I hope that you can see that there is a major difference between the gospel and religion. While we may not consider ourselves to be “religious” it is a matter of life and death that we know and receive the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Another article from the Final Word
Do you ever read the religion section in the newspaper? Well, it is not my usual custom to do so but just recently I stumbled upon an article in ‘The Review ’. There is a section called “Give Me The Bible” with a weekly biblical thought. I was intrigued by the title and the subject for the week – Original Sin. I didn’t have to get very far to see that the author of this little article was not going to do what the title suggests. You see the title suggests that the author is going to give his readers “the Bible”. But two sentences into his article he says, “I do not believe this is a doctrine taught in the Bible, but is popular in the religious community”. May I suggest that both parts of that sentence are erroneous.
#1. The idea that this doctrine of original sin is not taught in the Bible
#2. The idea that this doctrine of original sin is popular in the religious community.
While it is true, unfortunately, that many things that are popular in the religious community are not necessarily taught in the Bible, this is not one of those teachings. First of all, there is nothing more misunderstood and therefore not accepted as the doctrine of original sin.
Pastor John MacArthur laments the widespread loss of biblical reality among the religious community when he says, “we are rapidly losing sight of sin as the root of all human woes. And many Christians are explicitly denying that their own sin can be the cause of their personal anguish. More and more are attempting to explain the human dilemma in wholly unbiblical terms: temperament, addiction, dysfunctional families, the child within, codependency, and a host of other irresponsible escape mechanisms promoted by secular psychology. The potential impact of such a drift is frightening. Remove the reality of sin, and you take away the possibility of repentance. Abolish the doctrine of human depravity and you void the divine plan of salvation. Erase the notion of personal guilt and you eliminate the need for a Savior.”
As MacArthur explains, the church (the religious community) has lost sight of the doctrine of original sin. It is not popular in the world and therefore it is no longer a popular teaching in the church. But, this is where our problem lies – we are taking our cues from what is popular in the world or what is accepted among the majority instead of what the Word of God says!
The author of the article in the paper goes on to try and defend his position that original sin is not taught in the Bible. But nothing could be further from the truth. All of God’s Word teaches this very important doctrine. The Bible tells us that sin is not simply the wrong things that I do or even not doing the things that I should. We are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. The Bible describes sin as a nature that manifests itself in the sins that we commit. Our very nature, the internal character that is the essence of who we are as persons, is sinful.
So, where did this nature come from? Well, our answer lies in the title “original sin”. Its origin comes from the fall of man recorded for us in Genesis chapter 3. It was here in the garden where Adam (as the representative for all mankind) sinned by rejecting the Creator God as Lord and Authority over his life. While Adam’s sin plunged us all into ruin, you and I have often made the same irrational decisions of rejecting God and wanting to be our own authority. This is what was intended by Friedrich Nietzsche when he once stated, “if there is a god, how can I bear not to be that god?”. What a tragic statement and yet maybe Nietzsche was more willing to be honest about his own heart’s battle than the average person. He was revealing that he wanted to be god and lord and ultimately this is the sin of every man and woman. If we think it is unfair that Adam’s sin is part of our being even before we are born, just remember that our constant rebellion against God demonstrates that we too have voluntarily committed many actual sins for which we are guilty. In Psalm 51, David cries out to God for mercy upon his sin. He is so overwhelmed by his sin (a specific act that he had committed) that as he looks back on his life and realizes that he was sinful from the beginning. As far back as he can think of himself, he realizes that he has had a sinful nature. In fact, when he was born or “brought forth” from his mother’s womb, he was brought forth in iniquity. Some have mistakenly thought that the sin of David’s mother is in view here, but this is incorrect. The entire context has nothing to do with David’s mother but all to do with David’s personal sin.
But there is good news with this message as well. While we are all born “in Adam”, God has devised a way for us to be saved or redeemed from our sin. The Bible says that there is a second Adam. And just as we are represented by Adam in his sin, God has sent a Man to represent us in “His righteousness”. Adam, our first representative sinned – and God counted us guilty. But Christ, the representative of all who believe in Him, obeyed God perfectly – and God counts us righteous. One of my favorite verses is Romans 5:8 that says “even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. The question has to be asked, when did Christ die? Was I even alive yet? Of course not, but notice how the Bible considers me already a sinner when Christ died for me. I hadn’t committed any actual sins but I was already guilty and in need of a Savior. Jesus died in my place, the innocent for the guilty.
Many of you are old enough to remember when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon. I have seen newspapers the day after that great event that declared “We landed on the moon!”. The newspapers are not just American newspapers but newspapers from all over the world. Why would they say “we” and not just simply Neil Armstrong? There was an understanding that what he did represented all of mankind. In fact, we still quote his words today – “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. In the same way, Adam in his sin took all mankind down with him. But, in the most glorious way, Christ defeated sin and death and hell when he died and rose again. So for all of those who believe and trust in Christ, we are made alive with Him and our “original or inherited sin” is defeated!
For further study read:
Rom. 5:12-21
I Cor. 15
Psalm 51
#1. The idea that this doctrine of original sin is not taught in the Bible
#2. The idea that this doctrine of original sin is popular in the religious community.
While it is true, unfortunately, that many things that are popular in the religious community are not necessarily taught in the Bible, this is not one of those teachings. First of all, there is nothing more misunderstood and therefore not accepted as the doctrine of original sin.
Pastor John MacArthur laments the widespread loss of biblical reality among the religious community when he says, “we are rapidly losing sight of sin as the root of all human woes. And many Christians are explicitly denying that their own sin can be the cause of their personal anguish. More and more are attempting to explain the human dilemma in wholly unbiblical terms: temperament, addiction, dysfunctional families, the child within, codependency, and a host of other irresponsible escape mechanisms promoted by secular psychology. The potential impact of such a drift is frightening. Remove the reality of sin, and you take away the possibility of repentance. Abolish the doctrine of human depravity and you void the divine plan of salvation. Erase the notion of personal guilt and you eliminate the need for a Savior.”
As MacArthur explains, the church (the religious community) has lost sight of the doctrine of original sin. It is not popular in the world and therefore it is no longer a popular teaching in the church. But, this is where our problem lies – we are taking our cues from what is popular in the world or what is accepted among the majority instead of what the Word of God says!
The author of the article in the paper goes on to try and defend his position that original sin is not taught in the Bible. But nothing could be further from the truth. All of God’s Word teaches this very important doctrine. The Bible tells us that sin is not simply the wrong things that I do or even not doing the things that I should. We are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. The Bible describes sin as a nature that manifests itself in the sins that we commit. Our very nature, the internal character that is the essence of who we are as persons, is sinful.
So, where did this nature come from? Well, our answer lies in the title “original sin”. Its origin comes from the fall of man recorded for us in Genesis chapter 3. It was here in the garden where Adam (as the representative for all mankind) sinned by rejecting the Creator God as Lord and Authority over his life. While Adam’s sin plunged us all into ruin, you and I have often made the same irrational decisions of rejecting God and wanting to be our own authority. This is what was intended by Friedrich Nietzsche when he once stated, “if there is a god, how can I bear not to be that god?”. What a tragic statement and yet maybe Nietzsche was more willing to be honest about his own heart’s battle than the average person. He was revealing that he wanted to be god and lord and ultimately this is the sin of every man and woman. If we think it is unfair that Adam’s sin is part of our being even before we are born, just remember that our constant rebellion against God demonstrates that we too have voluntarily committed many actual sins for which we are guilty. In Psalm 51, David cries out to God for mercy upon his sin. He is so overwhelmed by his sin (a specific act that he had committed) that as he looks back on his life and realizes that he was sinful from the beginning. As far back as he can think of himself, he realizes that he has had a sinful nature. In fact, when he was born or “brought forth” from his mother’s womb, he was brought forth in iniquity. Some have mistakenly thought that the sin of David’s mother is in view here, but this is incorrect. The entire context has nothing to do with David’s mother but all to do with David’s personal sin.
But there is good news with this message as well. While we are all born “in Adam”, God has devised a way for us to be saved or redeemed from our sin. The Bible says that there is a second Adam. And just as we are represented by Adam in his sin, God has sent a Man to represent us in “His righteousness”. Adam, our first representative sinned – and God counted us guilty. But Christ, the representative of all who believe in Him, obeyed God perfectly – and God counts us righteous. One of my favorite verses is Romans 5:8 that says “even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. The question has to be asked, when did Christ die? Was I even alive yet? Of course not, but notice how the Bible considers me already a sinner when Christ died for me. I hadn’t committed any actual sins but I was already guilty and in need of a Savior. Jesus died in my place, the innocent for the guilty.
Many of you are old enough to remember when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon. I have seen newspapers the day after that great event that declared “We landed on the moon!”. The newspapers are not just American newspapers but newspapers from all over the world. Why would they say “we” and not just simply Neil Armstrong? There was an understanding that what he did represented all of mankind. In fact, we still quote his words today – “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. In the same way, Adam in his sin took all mankind down with him. But, in the most glorious way, Christ defeated sin and death and hell when he died and rose again. So for all of those who believe and trust in Christ, we are made alive with Him and our “original or inherited sin” is defeated!
For further study read:
Rom. 5:12-21
I Cor. 15
Psalm 51
Article from the Final Word!
Whether you are home-schooling your children or not, we can all agree that God’s Word teaches that our homes should be the center of our children’s learning. The home is where it all begins and any education that our children might receive should be secondary to what they receive from us as parents. If it is true that God expects us as parents to be constantly teaching and training our children then it is critical that we are good educators. But how can we be good educators unless we ourselves are good learners? This is where the “classical” model has been so helpful. The goal of a classical education is to teach students “how” to learn by equipping them with the tools of learning. An early emphasis is placed upon basic learning skills, followed by formal instruction in logic and finally by development of clear verbal and written mechanisms of expression in each subject studied. In other words, the classical model uses a model of education called the Trivium. The Trivium divides the education process into three stages: grammar, dialectic and rhetoric. Students begin by learning the fundamental facts and rules of each subject. This is how we usually teach our children from the earliest ages up until approximately fifth grade. Teaching methods such as singing, drilling, chanting and recitation are emphasized. The second stage of learning is the dialectic stage. Here students are taught how to analyze, reason, question, evaluate and critique. The third and final stage of the Trivium is rhetoric. In the study of rhetoric, students learn how to express what they know and what they are learning. Debate, apologetics, speech and writing are emphasized during this stage.
Again, the goal of a classical education is to teach students “how” to learn and to give them the proper tools to do so. My biggest disappointment with education (my own and when I was on staff in a Christian school) has been in this very critical area. While most educators attempt to at least take their students through the grammar stage of learning (driving home truths), what I saw missing greatly was the second and third stages. It is in the area of “logic” that so many of our educators and churches are failing. While we may pour out information to our students and children, we have not taught them how to reason and logically think through ideas yet alone to be able to articulate these truths and reason with others in a persuasive manner.
In fact, it seems to be that most educators do not even see these stages as important parts of a student’s education. But, as we look at Scripture, these are critical parts of what God requires us to do as we teach our children. Our first priority as parents is to pass on the faith to our children. If we desire to do this, we must help our children walk through all three of these stages. We must pour truth into them (using tools like the Heidelberg Catechism), then help them when they have questions to reason and think logically. Then finally to be able to take these very truths and present them to others in a way that is winsome and persuasive. So much of what I am describing is wrapped up in God’s mandate to parents to pass on the faith to their children.
In conclusion, let me make a couple of important points. First, please do not see these stages as age-related. It is not as if you move from one stage to another when you go from elementary school to middle school or high school to college. In fact, you and I are constantly going through all three stages all the time. Anytime we learn something new or take on a new project (remodeling the house or gardening) we learn in this same manner. The only way we can truly say we got to the final “rhetoric” stage is when we have mastered the material enough to be able to put it into action or to teach it to others. Second, the most important tools in educating our children (and ourselves) are good books. Of course, for the Christian this begins with God’s Holy Word. Reading is absolutely critical and unfortunately, we are battling our culture at every turn in this area. Years ago it was normal for children to take a good book along with them on a long trip in the car. But, as you know, this is not the case anymore. Our culture has now moved to an electronic and image-based culture which has altered our sensibilities. We no longer read to cause ourselves to “think” but we quickly skim over to get needful information. Since God’s Word is God’s means to salvation, we ought to take very seriously the importance of reading and thinking through text (and no, not text messages). If you and I believe that knowing God is the most important thing for this life and the next, then knowing God’s Word (which is His means of making Himself known) is critical. So, if you and I have no taste or attention span for reading and mulling over texts of Scripture we have a serious problem that can affect our spiritual walk. Finally, there is one final element that I think must be emphasized in our educating of our children. Men, God calls us to be the “leaders” in this area. Whether it be in our church or in our homes, we are to model this to our wives and to our children. We must take the challenge to be “learners” first and then to teach others also.
Again, the goal of a classical education is to teach students “how” to learn and to give them the proper tools to do so. My biggest disappointment with education (my own and when I was on staff in a Christian school) has been in this very critical area. While most educators attempt to at least take their students through the grammar stage of learning (driving home truths), what I saw missing greatly was the second and third stages. It is in the area of “logic” that so many of our educators and churches are failing. While we may pour out information to our students and children, we have not taught them how to reason and logically think through ideas yet alone to be able to articulate these truths and reason with others in a persuasive manner.
In fact, it seems to be that most educators do not even see these stages as important parts of a student’s education. But, as we look at Scripture, these are critical parts of what God requires us to do as we teach our children. Our first priority as parents is to pass on the faith to our children. If we desire to do this, we must help our children walk through all three of these stages. We must pour truth into them (using tools like the Heidelberg Catechism), then help them when they have questions to reason and think logically. Then finally to be able to take these very truths and present them to others in a way that is winsome and persuasive. So much of what I am describing is wrapped up in God’s mandate to parents to pass on the faith to their children.
In conclusion, let me make a couple of important points. First, please do not see these stages as age-related. It is not as if you move from one stage to another when you go from elementary school to middle school or high school to college. In fact, you and I are constantly going through all three stages all the time. Anytime we learn something new or take on a new project (remodeling the house or gardening) we learn in this same manner. The only way we can truly say we got to the final “rhetoric” stage is when we have mastered the material enough to be able to put it into action or to teach it to others. Second, the most important tools in educating our children (and ourselves) are good books. Of course, for the Christian this begins with God’s Holy Word. Reading is absolutely critical and unfortunately, we are battling our culture at every turn in this area. Years ago it was normal for children to take a good book along with them on a long trip in the car. But, as you know, this is not the case anymore. Our culture has now moved to an electronic and image-based culture which has altered our sensibilities. We no longer read to cause ourselves to “think” but we quickly skim over to get needful information. Since God’s Word is God’s means to salvation, we ought to take very seriously the importance of reading and thinking through text (and no, not text messages). If you and I believe that knowing God is the most important thing for this life and the next, then knowing God’s Word (which is His means of making Himself known) is critical. So, if you and I have no taste or attention span for reading and mulling over texts of Scripture we have a serious problem that can affect our spiritual walk. Finally, there is one final element that I think must be emphasized in our educating of our children. Men, God calls us to be the “leaders” in this area. Whether it be in our church or in our homes, we are to model this to our wives and to our children. We must take the challenge to be “learners” first and then to teach others also.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Vast as the Ocean!
Here is love, vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love cannot remember
Who can cease to sing His praise
He can never be forgotten
Throughout heaven's eternal days
Well, this has always been one of my favorite hymns but the first line has taken on greater meaning these last couple of days. That's because I am making this post from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on vacation. Where we are staying, I am able to see the ocean from our deck. So, this morning I started the day with God's Word and worship with the ocean in view. And, I couldnt help but sing this song!
As vast as the ocean is and how it can so easily swallow up the largest boat, the hymn writer reminds us that God's love is greater still! It is wider, higher and deeper than this massive body of water and it also exceeds in its power and strength. As powerful as these waters are...it is no comparison with God's love. God's love is so powerful that it was able to overcome the enemies of sin, death and hell. The Bible tells us that God's love is demonstrated to us 'in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Rom. 5:8). Or as this song says, 'when the Prince of life, our Ransom, shed for us His precious blood. Or as the second verse puts it:
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains flowing deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
Heaven's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love!
Well, a couple more quick thoughts from Myrtle:
#1. I thank God for Pastor Ron Starcher. Again this morning he is preaching for me and it is such a privilege to have such a humble servant of God fill the pulpit. I do not believe that there is another pastor in our area who handles the Word as carefully and structures a sermon as efficiently as this man. It is a great blessing to have him as a part of our church and to hear from him as he opens God's Word!
#2. Anytime I am away from First Baptist, I feel something is missing. In fact, it isnt something but someone - the body of Christ "locally" that God has called me to and has allowed me to be a part of. The Bible describes every local church as a "body" and that some of us are "eyes" or "hands". So, it only makes sense that while I am away...it feels like a part of me is missing. Everytime I feel this void, I stop and thank God for it...cause it reminds me of the unique situation that I have with the church that God has called me to. Not every pastor has this "love" relationship with his congregation and I do not take it for granted!
So, to quote Paul from Philippians 4:1
"Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love cannot remember
Who can cease to sing His praise
He can never be forgotten
Throughout heaven's eternal days
Well, this has always been one of my favorite hymns but the first line has taken on greater meaning these last couple of days. That's because I am making this post from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on vacation. Where we are staying, I am able to see the ocean from our deck. So, this morning I started the day with God's Word and worship with the ocean in view. And, I couldnt help but sing this song!
As vast as the ocean is and how it can so easily swallow up the largest boat, the hymn writer reminds us that God's love is greater still! It is wider, higher and deeper than this massive body of water and it also exceeds in its power and strength. As powerful as these waters are...it is no comparison with God's love. God's love is so powerful that it was able to overcome the enemies of sin, death and hell. The Bible tells us that God's love is demonstrated to us 'in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Rom. 5:8). Or as this song says, 'when the Prince of life, our Ransom, shed for us His precious blood. Or as the second verse puts it:
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains flowing deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
Heaven's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love!
Well, a couple more quick thoughts from Myrtle:
#1. I thank God for Pastor Ron Starcher. Again this morning he is preaching for me and it is such a privilege to have such a humble servant of God fill the pulpit. I do not believe that there is another pastor in our area who handles the Word as carefully and structures a sermon as efficiently as this man. It is a great blessing to have him as a part of our church and to hear from him as he opens God's Word!
#2. Anytime I am away from First Baptist, I feel something is missing. In fact, it isnt something but someone - the body of Christ "locally" that God has called me to and has allowed me to be a part of. The Bible describes every local church as a "body" and that some of us are "eyes" or "hands". So, it only makes sense that while I am away...it feels like a part of me is missing. Everytime I feel this void, I stop and thank God for it...cause it reminds me of the unique situation that I have with the church that God has called me to. Not every pastor has this "love" relationship with his congregation and I do not take it for granted!
So, to quote Paul from Philippians 4:1
"Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Thursday, May 6, 2010
National Day of Prayer
As many of you know today has been set aside for prayer for our nation. This morning I had the privilege of starting the day in prayer with 15 other believers. Among this group was my mother, my wife's parents and two of my own children. It was a unique experience to be praying with the generation before me and the generation behind me.
I pray that my parents trust in Christ will be faithfully passed on to my children through me. I thought again this morning about the importance of passing on the "baton" of faith. I pray that even this morning's prayers will "mark" my children and help them to see that there is only one place that is worthy of putting our faith and trust. With the days to come being so uncertain, pray that the next generation will learn of God's Holy Name and trust in Him and love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Please pray today for the leaders of our nation! Here is a prayer written by R.C. Sproul to help guide us in our prayers today:
"Our Father and our God, indeed You are our God, and Your sovereignty extends over all things. That as God, Your relevance and Your dominion can never be restricted merely to the realm of the spiritual or the religious, but that your sovereignty extends over all creation, over every aspect of our life and of our culture, over our government, over our church, over our schools, over our health, over our wealth, over our thinking, our planning, and our crying. And so we, as your people, are pleading with you to have mercy upon us, to give us leaders who have a regard for You, who will regard Your name as holy, and who will understand that in whatever office they hold, they are to be your servants, for you have ordained them. And we ask that you would bring new life to your church and that we may begin our repentance at our own house and in our own churches as we plead with you to have mercy upon us as a nation, as a people, as a culture that the light of Christ may be rekindled with great glory and intense brightness in our land, and that there would be a revival of a knowledge of Thee without which our land will mourn and our people will perish. And we ask these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."
I pray that my parents trust in Christ will be faithfully passed on to my children through me. I thought again this morning about the importance of passing on the "baton" of faith. I pray that even this morning's prayers will "mark" my children and help them to see that there is only one place that is worthy of putting our faith and trust. With the days to come being so uncertain, pray that the next generation will learn of God's Holy Name and trust in Him and love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Please pray today for the leaders of our nation! Here is a prayer written by R.C. Sproul to help guide us in our prayers today:
"Our Father and our God, indeed You are our God, and Your sovereignty extends over all things. That as God, Your relevance and Your dominion can never be restricted merely to the realm of the spiritual or the religious, but that your sovereignty extends over all creation, over every aspect of our life and of our culture, over our government, over our church, over our schools, over our health, over our wealth, over our thinking, our planning, and our crying. And so we, as your people, are pleading with you to have mercy upon us, to give us leaders who have a regard for You, who will regard Your name as holy, and who will understand that in whatever office they hold, they are to be your servants, for you have ordained them. And we ask that you would bring new life to your church and that we may begin our repentance at our own house and in our own churches as we plead with you to have mercy upon us as a nation, as a people, as a culture that the light of Christ may be rekindled with great glory and intense brightness in our land, and that there would be a revival of a knowledge of Thee without which our land will mourn and our people will perish. And we ask these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."
Friday, March 26, 2010
Passover Customs and Traditions
This is one of my favorite times of the year. For the Christian, our minds and hearts are fixed upon the person and work of Jesus Christ all year long. But, this time of year allows us to do so with even more passion!
I would like to take a moment to invite you to some of our services that are intended to help us fix our eyes on Christ!
First, this Sunday is Palm Sunday. We will be celebrating God's plan to bring salvation to sinners and then we will take communion together.
Second, there is a Good Friday service at 6:30 pm. Ron Starcher will be preaching and helping us to consider the death of Christ on our behalf.
Third, we invite you to our services on Easter Sunday. We have a service at 8:30am and again at 10:45am. There is also a fellowship breakfast in between if you are able to stay or come early. Easter Sunday is always one of the most worshipful services of the year as we meditate upon our risen Savior!
Finally, right in the middle of this Passion Week we will be having a very special and unique service. On Wednesday evening at 6:30, we will be meeting in the fellowship hall for a Passover Sedar Service. We will be led through a Passover meal together by one of our missionaries. So, do not eat dinner before you come and plan on taking advantage of this unique opportunity to worship our Lord for His great work of redemption!
I asked my friend to write an article to help us to prepare our hearts for this occasion...so here it is:
"There are traditions and customs that we clearly identify as Jewish and there are those that we label as Christian. Those customs derived from the Bible often have various or changing meanings depending on who observes them and in what context. For example, most churches observe Communion or the Lord's Supper on a regular basis. We follow this custom according to Paul's command in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 in order to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again. We might even relate it to the Last Supper that Jesus ate with his disciples prior to his crucifixion. Do you have DaVinci's famous painting in mind? Most Christians identify this as a distinctly Christian custom. How often, however, do we think of either of these in light of their Jewish origins in relation to the yearly Passover sacrifice that the Jews have observed since their deliverance from Egypt 1500 years before the advent of Christianity?
When rabbi Yeshua gathered his disciples together for that last meal, it was in observance of the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread. Mark, in his gospel, writes, "on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, 'Where do you want us to go and make preparation for you to eat the Passover?'" (Mark 14:12). Later in the chapter, Mark tells us that while they were eating, Jesus took matzo (unleavened bread), gave thanks and broke it.
While living in Jerusalem, a Jewish family from our son's school invited us to eat a Passover meal with them. The father, acting as priest and king of the family, lifted up a cloth sack containing 3 pieces of matzo. He removed the middle piece of unleavened bread and broke it in half. He placed this broken matzo, known as the afikomen, in a separate cloth and hid it. Traditionally, after the meal, the children will search for the hidden afikomen. The one who finds it is often rewarded with money or chocolate.
One Jewish tradition tells us that the three pieces of matzo represent the three divisions of the Jewish people--the Priests, Levites, and Israelites. Another says that they represent the three patriarchs--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why is the middle matzo, the afikomen, removed and broken? We are told that it represents the Passover lamb that is to be sacrificed just like Isaac was taken to the mountain as a sacrifice by his father, Abraham. Jewish tradition says that God will send a Messiah at Passover to redeem his people through the prophet Moses. Afikomen is a Greek word that translates as that which is coming after or he who is coming after. Modern Jewish tradition tells us that this refers to the dessert, the hidden piece of matzo that will be eaten after the meal.
As rabbi Yeshua lifted up the afikomen at the Passover meal and broke it he said, "take and eat; this is my body." He was hidden for a time--crucified and buried, only to be revealed on the third day. Is he the one that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15, "the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers."? Is he the one that John the Baptist, coming in the spirit of Elijah, announced as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world--the Passover lamb without spot or blemish?
I hope that you will join us next Wednesday evening at First Baptist of Howland as we enjoy a Passover meal together and see Christ, the Messiah, in the Passover."
I would like to take a moment to invite you to some of our services that are intended to help us fix our eyes on Christ!
First, this Sunday is Palm Sunday. We will be celebrating God's plan to bring salvation to sinners and then we will take communion together.
Second, there is a Good Friday service at 6:30 pm. Ron Starcher will be preaching and helping us to consider the death of Christ on our behalf.
Third, we invite you to our services on Easter Sunday. We have a service at 8:30am and again at 10:45am. There is also a fellowship breakfast in between if you are able to stay or come early. Easter Sunday is always one of the most worshipful services of the year as we meditate upon our risen Savior!
Finally, right in the middle of this Passion Week we will be having a very special and unique service. On Wednesday evening at 6:30, we will be meeting in the fellowship hall for a Passover Sedar Service. We will be led through a Passover meal together by one of our missionaries. So, do not eat dinner before you come and plan on taking advantage of this unique opportunity to worship our Lord for His great work of redemption!
I asked my friend to write an article to help us to prepare our hearts for this occasion...so here it is:
"There are traditions and customs that we clearly identify as Jewish and there are those that we label as Christian. Those customs derived from the Bible often have various or changing meanings depending on who observes them and in what context. For example, most churches observe Communion or the Lord's Supper on a regular basis. We follow this custom according to Paul's command in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 in order to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again. We might even relate it to the Last Supper that Jesus ate with his disciples prior to his crucifixion. Do you have DaVinci's famous painting in mind? Most Christians identify this as a distinctly Christian custom. How often, however, do we think of either of these in light of their Jewish origins in relation to the yearly Passover sacrifice that the Jews have observed since their deliverance from Egypt 1500 years before the advent of Christianity?
When rabbi Yeshua gathered his disciples together for that last meal, it was in observance of the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread. Mark, in his gospel, writes, "on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, 'Where do you want us to go and make preparation for you to eat the Passover?'" (Mark 14:12). Later in the chapter, Mark tells us that while they were eating, Jesus took matzo (unleavened bread), gave thanks and broke it.
While living in Jerusalem, a Jewish family from our son's school invited us to eat a Passover meal with them. The father, acting as priest and king of the family, lifted up a cloth sack containing 3 pieces of matzo. He removed the middle piece of unleavened bread and broke it in half. He placed this broken matzo, known as the afikomen, in a separate cloth and hid it. Traditionally, after the meal, the children will search for the hidden afikomen. The one who finds it is often rewarded with money or chocolate.
One Jewish tradition tells us that the three pieces of matzo represent the three divisions of the Jewish people--the Priests, Levites, and Israelites. Another says that they represent the three patriarchs--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why is the middle matzo, the afikomen, removed and broken? We are told that it represents the Passover lamb that is to be sacrificed just like Isaac was taken to the mountain as a sacrifice by his father, Abraham. Jewish tradition says that God will send a Messiah at Passover to redeem his people through the prophet Moses. Afikomen is a Greek word that translates as that which is coming after or he who is coming after. Modern Jewish tradition tells us that this refers to the dessert, the hidden piece of matzo that will be eaten after the meal.
As rabbi Yeshua lifted up the afikomen at the Passover meal and broke it he said, "take and eat; this is my body." He was hidden for a time--crucified and buried, only to be revealed on the third day. Is he the one that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15, "the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers."? Is he the one that John the Baptist, coming in the spirit of Elijah, announced as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world--the Passover lamb without spot or blemish?
I hope that you will join us next Wednesday evening at First Baptist of Howland as we enjoy a Passover meal together and see Christ, the Messiah, in the Passover."
Thursday, February 25, 2010
God Over All
As many of you know by now, our family has had a crazy week. On Tuesday, my wife took my daughter Jana to the doctor. After running a couple of tests, the doctor came in and told my wife that our daughter has juvenile diabetes. She told us to go to the Akron Children's Hospital immediately. She was admitted into ICU on Tuesday evening with a blood sugar level over 600. We have spent the last 48 hours learning more about what all this means and how we need to care for Jana going forward.
Today, Jana is doing much better and the doctor has told her that she will be able to go right back to normal activities as soon as we arrive home. Most likely we will be heading home this evening but we are still waiting for an official word. (I am typing this from the hospital room.)
Many thoughts have run through my mind this week...but I will just share a few:
1. God's hand of providence is all over this. It is times like these that I "rest" in our God's Sovereign care. I am reminded of Romans 8 that teaches us that God (the Father) did not spare His own Son...so if he would not spare His own Son (the greatest gift and treasure that He could possibly give) than He will not withhold any good thing. Since we know this is true, than even when difficult times come our way...we know that God is good and intends good for us in anything He brings our way!
2. This has been a great teaching opportunity with my daughter. A major part of my role in life is to be a "priest" to my wife and children. I hope that I always take advantage of the opportunities God gives me to lead them, but sometimes the opportunities are greater than others. This trial has given me more opportunities to teach her about our Great God and how He intends to use this for His glory!
3. I am so thankful for the two ladies who live in my home. My wife is an incredible mom who always puts our needs before her own. As I watched my daughter this week, I saw the same characteristics in her that are in my wife. Determination, strong will (which is good most of the time!!), courage, commitment and faith in God! I am truly blessed to have these 2 daughters of God in my life!
4. Finally, my wife and I (and Jana) would like to thank everyone for their prayers, concerns and acts of kindness during these past few days. We have always known that God's plan for how the body of Christ works...works! But, it is another thing to experience it! We have experienced it this week. This is one of the reasons why God created the church and His plan is best!
Btw, I am really looking foward to worshiping together in church this Sunday. As we planned music for our services (6-8 weeks ago), here are a couple of the songs that we chose for this Sunday:
- This is my Father's World
- It is well with my soul
- Thy way, not mine
And last week we sang "God over all" and one of my favorites by Fernando Ortega, "I will praise Him still".
The reason I bring this up is to show how much God is in the details of our lives, even when we do not realize it. These songs will minister to us this coming Sunday, assisting us to praise Him on our best and our worst days!
Thanks again and please continue to pray!
Today, Jana is doing much better and the doctor has told her that she will be able to go right back to normal activities as soon as we arrive home. Most likely we will be heading home this evening but we are still waiting for an official word. (I am typing this from the hospital room.)
Many thoughts have run through my mind this week...but I will just share a few:
1. God's hand of providence is all over this. It is times like these that I "rest" in our God's Sovereign care. I am reminded of Romans 8 that teaches us that God (the Father) did not spare His own Son...so if he would not spare His own Son (the greatest gift and treasure that He could possibly give) than He will not withhold any good thing. Since we know this is true, than even when difficult times come our way...we know that God is good and intends good for us in anything He brings our way!
2. This has been a great teaching opportunity with my daughter. A major part of my role in life is to be a "priest" to my wife and children. I hope that I always take advantage of the opportunities God gives me to lead them, but sometimes the opportunities are greater than others. This trial has given me more opportunities to teach her about our Great God and how He intends to use this for His glory!
3. I am so thankful for the two ladies who live in my home. My wife is an incredible mom who always puts our needs before her own. As I watched my daughter this week, I saw the same characteristics in her that are in my wife. Determination, strong will (which is good most of the time!!), courage, commitment and faith in God! I am truly blessed to have these 2 daughters of God in my life!
4. Finally, my wife and I (and Jana) would like to thank everyone for their prayers, concerns and acts of kindness during these past few days. We have always known that God's plan for how the body of Christ works...works! But, it is another thing to experience it! We have experienced it this week. This is one of the reasons why God created the church and His plan is best!
Btw, I am really looking foward to worshiping together in church this Sunday. As we planned music for our services (6-8 weeks ago), here are a couple of the songs that we chose for this Sunday:
- This is my Father's World
- It is well with my soul
- Thy way, not mine
And last week we sang "God over all" and one of my favorites by Fernando Ortega, "I will praise Him still".
The reason I bring this up is to show how much God is in the details of our lives, even when we do not realize it. These songs will minister to us this coming Sunday, assisting us to praise Him on our best and our worst days!
Thanks again and please continue to pray!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
On Handling Criticism
This past Sunday I preached from Luke 16 (yes, I'm still in Luke) and read these words: "The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him." The few words "and they ridiculed him" stood out to me. There is much more to this text that I tried to draw out in the sermon on Sunday, but I thought I would post a few of my thoughts on these 4 words.
First of all, I recently have found myself dealing with criticism and what I would consider 'being misunderstood'. Is it not amazing how God's Word always speaks to us in our time of need? The very week in which I find myself dealing with this issue, I turn to the next passage in Luke's gospel and I find Christ being ridiculed. I then began to examine myself in this area of dealing with criticism. Here are a few of my thoughts and I hope they are helpful to you (if not, feel free to criticize!).
When you find yourself under criticism or ridicule, first evaluate your heart and mindset. If we find ourselves getting angry or desiring to get even, this is not a good sign! Stop and ask yourself why you are feeling this way (yes, this is permission to talk to yourself). Is your anger truly a righteous anger over God and His glory or is it because you have been misunderstood and possibly not appreciated?
Think about Moses as he was leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. Often during this journey, the Israelites rebelled and forsook their God and as a result God threatened to wipe them out and begin again by making a great nation from Moses. This is what led Moses to pray those great intercessory prayers on behalf of his people. In those prayers, Moses pleaded with God and reminded Him of His covenant and His name. Moses was concerned first and foremost with the name of God. Moses chose for God's name to be great and not his own! An average football coach (best known for his mantra: "hello, you play to win the game!) once said 'I know my guys are getting it when they care more about the name on their helmets than the name on the back of their jerseys'. In the same way, a sign of God's people 'getting it' is when they care more about God's name being exalted than their own. Moses in his prayers (much like the Lord's prayer) displays that he is getting it and I hope to be growing in this process as well.
Which brings me to my second point on 'dealing with criticism'. Remember that God will use all things (including criticism, ridicule and being misunderstood) for our good. The greatest good that God always has in mind for us is to make us more like Christ. This is called sanctification. While we may find it difficult (what is being said of us) or disappointing (who is saying it), if we receive it in humility God will bring forth growth in our lives.
Next, if you are under criticism remember that you are in good company. Christ often reminded his disciples of this fact. As I teach through the gospel of Luke, I am amazed by how many times Christ was misunderstood and ridiculed. Christ warned His followers that this would be their lot as well.
Finally, if criticism or being misunderstood is 'as bad as it gets for me' than I have it really good. Christ endured criticism, ridicule, rejection, suffering, sorrow and ultimately crucifixion because of who He was and what He taught. His disciples were martyred for their faith and many of the heroes of the faith down through the ages suffered and paid a dear price for their convictions. If the greatest battles I face are "not being liked" or "being misunderstood", I have it pretty easy!
Here are a few more points on handling criticism that come from Kevin DeYoung's book 'Why we love the church':
"How should we handle these criticisms? Well, it's always a good idea to start by listening. As Christians, and especially for those of us who are leaders, we need to take an honest look at ourselves and our churches. We all have imbalances. We all have specks to remove, and some of us have planks. We're kidding ourselves if we think our churches don't have weaknesses. Every preacher has to learn to handle criticism. In addition to a lot of encouraging comments, I've been told my sermons are too long, too boring, too light, too heavy, too Reformed, not Reformed enough, too focused on application, and too light on application. A hard-hearted pastor shuts all this out because he's sure anyone who critiques him is a spiritual nincompoop. That's bad. But so is the people-pleasing, damage-control pastor who rewrites the week's message to make Susie-Ticked-Off feel better. I haven't fully figured out how to handle criticism, but first I try to listen and understand what my critics are saying. Then I consider the source - their attitude, their track record, their motives. Finally, I ask the Lord for wisdom to know if I should pay attention or forget about the conversation." (Why we love the church, pgs. 74-75)
First of all, I recently have found myself dealing with criticism and what I would consider 'being misunderstood'. Is it not amazing how God's Word always speaks to us in our time of need? The very week in which I find myself dealing with this issue, I turn to the next passage in Luke's gospel and I find Christ being ridiculed. I then began to examine myself in this area of dealing with criticism. Here are a few of my thoughts and I hope they are helpful to you (if not, feel free to criticize!).
When you find yourself under criticism or ridicule, first evaluate your heart and mindset. If we find ourselves getting angry or desiring to get even, this is not a good sign! Stop and ask yourself why you are feeling this way (yes, this is permission to talk to yourself). Is your anger truly a righteous anger over God and His glory or is it because you have been misunderstood and possibly not appreciated?
Think about Moses as he was leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. Often during this journey, the Israelites rebelled and forsook their God and as a result God threatened to wipe them out and begin again by making a great nation from Moses. This is what led Moses to pray those great intercessory prayers on behalf of his people. In those prayers, Moses pleaded with God and reminded Him of His covenant and His name. Moses was concerned first and foremost with the name of God. Moses chose for God's name to be great and not his own! An average football coach (best known for his mantra: "hello, you play to win the game!) once said 'I know my guys are getting it when they care more about the name on their helmets than the name on the back of their jerseys'. In the same way, a sign of God's people 'getting it' is when they care more about God's name being exalted than their own. Moses in his prayers (much like the Lord's prayer) displays that he is getting it and I hope to be growing in this process as well.
Which brings me to my second point on 'dealing with criticism'. Remember that God will use all things (including criticism, ridicule and being misunderstood) for our good. The greatest good that God always has in mind for us is to make us more like Christ. This is called sanctification. While we may find it difficult (what is being said of us) or disappointing (who is saying it), if we receive it in humility God will bring forth growth in our lives.
Next, if you are under criticism remember that you are in good company. Christ often reminded his disciples of this fact. As I teach through the gospel of Luke, I am amazed by how many times Christ was misunderstood and ridiculed. Christ warned His followers that this would be their lot as well.
Finally, if criticism or being misunderstood is 'as bad as it gets for me' than I have it really good. Christ endured criticism, ridicule, rejection, suffering, sorrow and ultimately crucifixion because of who He was and what He taught. His disciples were martyred for their faith and many of the heroes of the faith down through the ages suffered and paid a dear price for their convictions. If the greatest battles I face are "not being liked" or "being misunderstood", I have it pretty easy!
Here are a few more points on handling criticism that come from Kevin DeYoung's book 'Why we love the church':
"How should we handle these criticisms? Well, it's always a good idea to start by listening. As Christians, and especially for those of us who are leaders, we need to take an honest look at ourselves and our churches. We all have imbalances. We all have specks to remove, and some of us have planks. We're kidding ourselves if we think our churches don't have weaknesses. Every preacher has to learn to handle criticism. In addition to a lot of encouraging comments, I've been told my sermons are too long, too boring, too light, too heavy, too Reformed, not Reformed enough, too focused on application, and too light on application. A hard-hearted pastor shuts all this out because he's sure anyone who critiques him is a spiritual nincompoop. That's bad. But so is the people-pleasing, damage-control pastor who rewrites the week's message to make Susie-Ticked-Off feel better. I haven't fully figured out how to handle criticism, but first I try to listen and understand what my critics are saying. Then I consider the source - their attitude, their track record, their motives. Finally, I ask the Lord for wisdom to know if I should pay attention or forget about the conversation." (Why we love the church, pgs. 74-75)
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