Turn Your Radio On

Yesterday my father-in-law sent me a video clip that has been making its way all over the Internet.  It has to do with a thirteen year-old boy (cowboy, actually!) from Nebraska who has a very tender heart.  Watch the following video, then I'll share my thoughts below:

Lots of people tune into Christian radio, but few listeners are "tuned in" to God like Logan.  Now I don't know this boy or his family, but they strike me as people who understand the essence of the gospel, love the Lord, and lead "simple" lives.  That is to say, life on a ranch, or a farm, or some other rural setting gives one plenty of time for reflection.  We think of Isaac in the Old Testament who "went out to meditate in the field in the evening" (Gen. 24:63).  Then there was the shepherd-boy David who wrote, most likely while gazing at the night-sky, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:3-4).  Life out in the country has its advantages!

That's not to say that rural living is essential to spirituality.  Certainly the majority of the population in Isaac's day and David's day, despite their exposure to the beauty and wonder of God's creation, "did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Rom. 1:21).  Their thoughts were futile instead of fruitful.  So the real key to knowing God is not a matter of your residence but your receptivity. 

Still, we who live in the city or the suburbs live at a much faster pace and are surrounded by things that can easily crowd God out of our thoughts, if we let them.  So how can we simplify our spiritual lives?  Well, one thing we can do is purposely build in a little more silence and solitude.  Go for a drive - without turning on the radio.  Take a walk without your 'walkman' or iPod.  Sit outside after dinner and talk or read - instead of turning on the TV.  As Don Whitney says, "Recover the physically and spiritually re-creative power of silence" (Simplify Your Spiritual Life, p. 110).

Finally, let's not forget that this is not only something we should practice as adults; it's something we should instill in our kids.  My guess is that one reason 13-year-old Logan is so spiritually sensitive and receptive is because he has a loving mom and dad who are tuned in to the Lord as well and are rearing their son in the ways of righteousness.  May we do the same!

The Baptist Boys

I don't know that the pastors in our Conservative Baptist Association would appreciate being labeled "the Baptist Boys," but it seemed to be a fun heading for today's posting.  The group I'm referring to are all those men who pastor churches belonging to the Conservative Baptist Association in southeastern Massachusetts and the northern tip of Rhode Island.  Each regional group is called a "cluster," so we are by designation "the southeastern Massachusetts cluster."

Our cluster meets the first Tuesday of every month, except for a two-month break we take over summer.  So yesterday, September 2, was our first cluster meeting of the new year.  I think our cluster has around twenty churches on its roster, but only half of those attend our monthly meetings with any regularity.  Each church takes a turn at hosting the meeting (all of our churches are within an hour's drive of each other).  One of the pastors serves as a moderator for a one-year term and directs the course of the meeting.  Here is a typical meeting schedule:

9:00 Refreshments and informal fellowship

9:30 The moderator opens with prayer

9:35 The moderator shares any pertinent updates from the CBA

9:45 We share prayer requests and spend time in prayer

10:15 We have a devotional and/or discuss some aspect of pastoral/church ministry

11:30 The meeting closes in prayer (some go out for lunch afterwards)

We as a pastoral staff at FBC tend to make about seven or eight out of ten meetings per year.  Though this takes up an entire morning one day a month, I think that it is a worthy investment of our time as pastors.  Let me share just a few reasons why I believe attending these meetings are important:

1. They strengthen the unity of us pastors and that of our congregations.  Ephesians 4:3 tells us that we are to be "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  This is not a superficial unity but a true spiritual unity.  Paul goes on to say in the above passage that there is "one body and one Spirit ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."  The pastors in our cluster all preach the same gospel, embrace the same Scripture, and love the same Lord.  Coming together regularly for the sake of fellowship, prayer, and mutual instruction is a conscientious effort on our part to promote and preserve our unity in Christ.  And, as I mentioned, it strengthens not only our unity but that of our congregations.  In fact, our churches get together once or twice a year for an evening of celebration unto the Lord.  Furthermore, it's inevitable that some folks might leave one of our churches, only to go to another church in our cluster.  It's good for them to know that we pastors love one another and support one another in the work of the ministry.  
2. They strengthen the corporate witness of the church.  Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).  This is true not only of believers in a single church but also of a cluster of churches such as ours.  By loving one another, we are being a greater witness to the world of our oneness in Christ.
3. They serve as opportunities to sharpen one another.  Though we are all unified in the fundamental doctrines of the faith, we don't all cross our t's and dot our i's the same way.  Sometimes it's a matter of preference; other times it's a matter of principle.  When we talk about any given issue in the church (e.g., evangelism, church membership, qualifications for leadership, etc.), there are different perspectives and philosophies of ministry among us.  Gracious interaction helps us to keep one another's "feet to the fire" in a wholesome and helpful way.  Also, we can offer one another practical tips on how to minister more effectively to our congregations in any given area.  We can recommend helpful resources to each other.  There are many practical benefits that we receive by coming together in this way.

Certainly more reasons could be shared.  But my point in sharing the above reasons, and letting you know about these meetings in general, is to stress the importance of our interdependence on the Lord as believers.  Fellowship with other Christians is a critical means of spiritual growth - a means that God Himself has provided for our mutual encouragement as believers.  Pastors are no exceptions!  Furthermore, we lead by example!  So I hope that by making you aware of steps we take to promote and preserve Christian fellowship, you yourself will be motivated to do the same - first with your own church family and then with other believers outside our local community, as God gives you opportunity.

Drawing from the Well of the Hidden Word

My day got off to a rough start.  Instead of waking up to my alarm, I was awakened first (around 5:30 a.m.) by the ringing of the telephone.  Whenever the telephone rings that early, my first thought is: "Somebody died."  Thankfully that was not the case.  The person on the other line was a homeless, pregnant woman needing some help.

"How did she get my number?  Why of all people is she calling me?  What does she expect me to do?  Does she think that we pastors keep a bunch of money around for early morning emergencies?  I'll bet she's just another con artist looking for some quick money. . . ."   Shamefully, these were my initial thoughts.  But then a certain verse came to mind:

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done" (Prov. 19:17).

Almost immediately my mindset changed, and I asked the Lord to give me His grace and wisdom as I dealt with this situation.

What's interesting about this verse is that it did not just "pop" out of nowhere.  I had just read it in a devotional reading before bed two nights earlier!  And it just wasn't a cross-reference, either.  It was the headline verse, and the devotional was a pastor's written meditation on it and what it meant.  At the time I read it, I thought: "That was nice ... some good insight" - but that was about it.  It wasn't until approximately 30 hours later that the relevance of that verse hit me in a very personal and practical way at a critical hour.

This was a great reminder to me of how important it is to digest God's Word on a continual basis.  "Thy Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119:11).  Here I had begun to sin with an unsympathetic, selfish attitude, yet God rescued me from my sin by bringing to mind that Scripture that had been my recent focus of meditation.

You see, at the time we're reading any given Scripture, it may not impress us all that much right then and there.  We may not see its relevance right away.  But the fact is, we are filling the well of our hearts with the water of the Word.  Then later, when the situation calls for it, some key Scripture comes to mind - a promise, blessing, or command that God brings to mind as His Spirit draws from "the well of the hidden Word."  You can imagine how glad I was when God caused that verse to come to mind early this morning.  I thought, "Ah!  Now I see why God had that verse for me!  Thank you, Lord!"

Imagine how much more interesting, blessed, and adventurous life would be if we filled the well of our hearts with God's Word more consistently and conscientiously.  Oh, what we miss when we don't!

By the way, God brought everything together in a marvelous way with that needy woman.  Within a couple hours, we were able to get her the help she needed by expressing the love of Christ to her in a tangible way and, most importantly, by sharing with her the Good News of salvation.

How is your "well," by the way?  Is it deep or running dry?

18 Tips for a Terrific Marriage

This past Monday, August 18, Ruthie and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary.  Although our marriage is far from perfect, it is healthy and thriving.  We can honestly say that we love one another more deeply and passionately than ever before.  

At the same time, our hearts go out to our friends and fellow church members who are distressed or discouraged over the state of their marriage.  Their relationship is characterized by conflict and frustration rather than love, joy and peace.

In his book, When Sinners Say "I Do": Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage, author Dave Harvey begins by presenting three biblical principles in relation to a Christian marriage.  I have thought about these over and over, and I am convinced that if couples would remember and apply these principles on a consistent basis, their marriage would be transformed:

1.  God's Word is the foundation for marriage.

2.  God's glory is the focus of marriage.

3.  The Gospel is the fountain of marriage.

By God's grace, Ruthie and I can say that we see these three principles actively at work in our marriage.  Again, let me stress that our marriage is far from perfect!  But we are happy and fulfilled in our covenant of companionship. 

As you can see, the three principles stated above are very basic and broad.  While we would encourage you to get the book (wherein Harvey expounds upon these principles), we thought it would be helpful to share with you some personal tidbits on how we apply these principles in everyday, practical ways in our own marriage.

Considering that we just celebrated our 18th anniversary on the 18th of August, we decided to share "18 Tips for a Terrific Marriage."  When I asked Ruthie to help me with this project, she spent some time working on this while I was at a ministry meeting.  When I came home and asked her if she came up with some practical suggestions, she said, "Yes, but instead of eighteen, I came up with twenty-four!"

After some slight revisions, we have boiled down Ruthie's original list to our "quota" of 18 tips, by making the additional suggestions fit as sub-points elsewhere.  I thought you should know, up front, that Ruthie came up with this list.  So while I concur with everything that she said and have included some Scripture references and a few additional comments, these are suggestions coming from a wife's standpoint, with the hearty endorsement of her happy and fulfilled husband.  So here they are, in no particular order:

1. Look for the things you love about your spouse, not the little things that irritate you (Phil. 4:8).
   
2. Make time to talk (even about the everyday things) a real priority.
3. Keep short accounts with one another.  Don't let bitterness or resentment build.  Note:  Timing is everything when it comes to bringing up a sensitive or stressful situation.  Late at night when you're both tired is usually not the best time to resolve a disagreement.  The key to not letting the sun go down on your wrath is to give it to the Lord (Psalm 4:4-5), not to "give it" to your spouse right before bed!
4. Try to discuss things of the Lord and His Word (Psalm 19:165), and pray together as often as possible (Eph. 6:18; 1 Pet. 4:7-8).
5. Be thankful and appreciative for all that your spouse does, whether monumental or mundane (1 Thes. 5:17).
6. Be intentional about keeping courtship and romance alive in your marriage (Song of Solomon 1:15-16; 2:2-6; 7:10):  (a) Take the time and effort to make yourself attractive to your spouse; (b) Make "date night" a regular priority - be creative, it doesn't need to be costly; (c) If at all possible, go to bed at the same time, don't have a TV in your bedroom, and make sure you're clean and fresh - it's conducive to snuggling!  (d) Be sensitive to meeting your spouse's sexual needs (1 Cor. 7:3) - remember it's not all about you ... and you are usually glad you did! :)
7. Be sure both your husband and kids see that he is the final authority in the home.  Husbands, be sure your kids see how much you love and respect your wife.  Insist that they honor their mother as well (Prov. 31:28).
8. Never criticize your spouse to your kids; bring your concerns to him or her in a right spirit, and in private, once you have examined your own heart.  Note:  United, loving parents give a huge sense of security to their children.
9. Don't assume the worst about your spouse in a given situation; remember, love believes the best (1 Cor. 13:7).
10. Make every effort to keep your home - and particularly your bedroom clutter-free and inviting.
11. Make sitting down to dinner together as a family a priority.  In the end, sports and guitar lessons pale in comparison.  If dinner simply cannot work out, then make it some other meal.
12. Don't nag or manipulate to get what you want.  While it may bring short-term results, it will bring long-term damage.
13. Remember to lift up your spouse in prayer daily.
14. Try to make your home as stress-free as possible, so that coming home is a pleasant, not miserable, experience.
15. Don't speak negatively of your spouse to others, and always be ready to defend him or her if someone does.  (This does not mean that you excuse or endorse the sin of your spouse, but that you handle things in a loving, biblical manner, wherein you seek to uphold his or her honor.)
16. Make a conscious effort to encourage and build up your spouse, always being there to help him or her in any way you can.  You should be your spouse's number-one encourager.
17. Don't let money matters ruin your marriage.  Wives, don't complain about what you don't have materially; it makes your husband feel inadequate as the provider.  Besides, we are to set our minds on the eternal, not the temporal (2 Cor. 4:18; Col. 3:1-2).  Do your best to stretch the house-hold dollar.  Be a good steward of what God has already given you.  Be content with what you have (1 Tim. 6:8).  Husbands, be as generous to your wives as possible.  Be more generous to them than you are to yourselves.
18. Make your marriage the central relationship in the home (apart from your individual relationship to Christ, of course).  While children are God's gifts and welcomed additions to the family, they are not the central feature of the family; the marriage relationship is (Gen. 2:24).  Make sure that your schedules and activities reflect the priority of the marriage relationship.  In addition to preserving your marriage, this will bring more benefit and security to your kids than you can imagine.

Well, there you have it!  May these practical tidbits be a help and encouragement to you, as pursue a healthy and vibrant marriage to the glory of God!

"Respectable Sins": A Must Read for Every Christian

I read a lot of books, and a lot of endorsements regarding books.  Many endorsements include the highly complimentary and promotional phrase, "a must read."  Yet this expression is used so liberally, one can't possibly read all the books that he "must."  And let's face it: the only real book that we "must" read is the Bible.  It is the Word of God and the ultimate standard by which every other book must be judged.

Having said that, let me add that Jerry Bridges' latest book, "Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate" is a must read for every Christian.  I say that because its message is both radically and refreshingly biblical.  It addresses head-on the "acceptable sins" that tend to go unchecked in our lives.  While condemning the "major" sins of society, we too often excuse and overlook the more subtle sins in ourselves.  Instead of addressing them, we accommodate them.  Yet the Word of God speaks clearly on those matters where we tend to be silent.  Here are some of the sins that Bridges discusses in his book:

Ungodliness

Anxiety and Frustration

Discontentment

Unthankfulness

Pride

Selfishness

Lack of Self-Control

Impatience and Irritability

Anger

Judgmentalism

Envy and Jealousy

Sins of the Tongue

Worldliness

Now, if you're like me, you look at a list like that and initially think, "Oh, great.  It looks like I'm in for some real beat-up sessions."  But let me assure you that while this book is convicting, it is also very encouraging and motivating.  It didn't leave me feeling "beat up" but highly desirous to get the victory over troublesome areas in my life through the power of the Holy Spirit (in fact, the author devotes a whole chapter to this before addressing any of the specific sins).

I liked this book not only because its message is highly relevant and timely for believers today (particularly those living here in America), but also because of the manner in which the message is delivered.  Three characteristics in particular really stood out to me:

The author is precise.  That is, he does very well in defining and describing the specific sins he is addressing.  Though he says outright that he is not intending to be overly technical, I found him to be very articulate and biblically accurate in his handling of these topics.

The author is personal.  By this I mean that Jerry Bridges is very honest and transparent regarding his own struggles in some of these areas.  Furthermore, he communicates in such a way that you feel like he's sitting in your living room discussing these things in a calm but earnest manner over a cup of coffee.  I appreciated the assessment of pastor/professor Ligon Duncan, who wrote, "I can't think of any partner with whose help I'd rather tackle my own heart sins than Jerry."  I think you'll end up feeling the same way as you read this book.

The author is passionate.  He is passionate about Jesus Christ.  He is passionate about pursuing holiness.  And his passion is contagious.  I found myself not being beat up so much as built up.  Don't get me wrong: this book was very convicting.  But it was also marvelously motivating.  The Lord used it to make me all the more grateful for His grace and for Christ my Savior.  Consequently, I found myself wanting to rid my life of anything displeasing to Him.

So this is definitely a book worth buying.  Read it with an open heart, and you will no doubt be blessed by it as you heed what you read.

Wallets, Worry, and Walking in the Spirit

My day started off wonderfully.  I got up, poured myself a cup of coffee, sat outside enjoying the beauty of God's creation, and opened my Bible to see what the Lord had for me this morning.  It was a wonderful time of communing with my Savior.  For a few brief moments, it was like no one else was in the world but me and my God.

Soon after having my devotions, I had to drive to a location about 15 minutes away to get some work done in a relatively quiet spot.  On the way there, I was singing to the Lord and had a very conscious sense of being filled with the Spirit.  I thanked the Lord for getting my day off to such a good start, for the joy of His presence, and I prayed that this would continue throughout the day.

All went well for about an hour, then came the test.  While walking from one place to another, for some reason I reached back to feel for my wallet in my back pocket.  It wasn't there.  I went to where I was sitting; it wasn't there, either.  I went up to the counter of the coffee shop where I had made a purchase, thinking I left it there.  It wasn't there either, and none of the staff had seen it.  My heart began to race.  You know the feeling!  My driver's license, cash, credit cards, and the like were all in there.  I got all worried and distraught as I continued looking for my wallet.  A couple employees helped me.  Finally, I was able to find it on the floor, having traced back my steps.  It had fallen out of my back pocket (which in this particular pair of shorts is pretty small).  I breathed a sigh of relief as I sat back down and resumed working.

But as I did so, I thought of how quickly I moved from walking in the Spirit to worry.  One quick change in circumstances is all it took!  To be more precise, I found myself struggling between worry (walking in the flesh) and trusting in the Lord (walking in the Spirit).  I know this because even as I was guilty of worrying, I was praying the whole time, asking the Lord to calm my spirit, to help me to give this situation to Him, and to show me where my wallet was!

In this one little incident I was reminded of the great struggle of the Christian life - the struggle to keep my focus on my Savior instead of my circumstances.  Scripture tells me to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication" to let my requests be made known to God, offering them in a spirit of thanksgiving.  This can only come by the Spirit.  In and of myself, I am weak, frail, and always vacillating.

Well, thank God I found my wallet.  More importantly, I praise Him for being so patient with me.  How glad I am that He who started His work in me will complete it till the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6).  Why?  Because the One who calls me is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thes. 5:24)!

Live so as to be missed

Reconnecting with old friends has been fun.  I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now, sneaking in a moment here and there, as I'm able.  Some acquaintances go back more than two decades to my adolescent years.  It's cool to see kids that I've grown up with now married with kids of their own.

But probably one of my greatest joys has been to get reacquainted with the teens that I shepherded from 1991-1994 when I served as Associate Pastor of Student Ministries at Immanuel Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.  One kid that was just coming into high school when I left is now serving in the same position!  What a joy it was to see how far he's come in his theological convictions, philosophy of ministry and such.  "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4).

One of the teens I was able to contact came from a really good family (many of them did, actually).  I especially remember how tight she was with her brother, who was two years older than she was.  They were both in the youth ministry in that same short period of time that I was the youth pastor.  Her brother was a tall, clean-cut kid who loved the Lord and was mature beyond his years.  He was good-natured yet very earnest about spiritual matters.  Without a doubt, he was the best-behaved boy in the youth group (as I recall), and his outward compliance stemmed from his inner character.

So in my correspondence with this young lady, I asked her how I could get in contact with her brother.  You can imagine my shock and sadness as I read her response:

Hi Pastor Matt! 

It was very nice to get your message. I have really enjoyed being able to reconnect and catch up with people through Facebook. I hope you and Ruthie and your kids are all doing well. 
I guess you have not heard yet, but on June 20th this year, God called James home to be with Him. He died instantly of a massive heart attack while on his lunch break. He leaves behind a wife and 2 daughters, ages 2 and 4. It was a huge shock, and our family continues to deal with his loss. However, the Lord continues to prove Himself a good and faithful God. Even in this, we trust His plans and purposes, and we rejoice that [he] is with his Savior in heaven. 

James always spoke fondly of his time with you in the youth group. He loved his trip to New England/Canada that you all went on that one summer. 
If you would like to know more about his life or have any questions, please feel free to ask. I love sharing about my big brother!
Take care and the Lord bless!

Sincerely, 
Sarah

What a great testimony to a life well-lived.  This young man lived only three decades, but what a life he lived!  I wasn't there for the last half of it, but apparently it continued to be lived to God's glory.  

I thought of another young man that died around the same age - only it was nearly two centuries ago.  His name was Robert Murray M'Cheyne, and he, too, lived a very full life within a very short period.  He was a dedicated preacher in Scotland, and he had not completed more than twenty-nine years when God took him.  Andrew Bonar, a close friend of M'Cheyne who wrote his biography, said:

Wherever the news of his departure came, every Christian countenance was darkened with sadness.  Perhaps never was the death of one, whose whole occupation had been preaching the everlasting gospel, more felt by all the saints of God in Scotland. . . .  He himself used to say, "Live so as to be missed;" and none that saw the tears that were shed over his death would have doubted that his own life had been what he recommended to others. . . . His work was finished!  His heavenly Father had not another plant for him to water, nor another vine for him to train; and the Saviour who so loved him was waiting to greet him with his own welcome: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

No doubt my young friend James heard those same words as he was ushered into glory.  And I can't help but notice how the rock-solid theology of his family has been used by God to strengthen them in this time of sorrow.  They attribute all things to the sovereignty of God - the God who loves them and who works all things together for their good, as ones who have been graciously called by Him.  

Here we find a lesson for all of us - to "live so as to be missed" by living a life of service to others for the glory of God, and to know this God intimately so that when tragedies come, "we have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll."

A Father's Love and Joy

At the risk of embarrassing Ed Chisam, a devoted servant of the Lord here at First Baptist Church (and who is probably reading this blog), I am going to use him as a launching pad for today's topic at TruthWalk.

Earlier today, another Christian brother and I joined Ed for lunch to discuss some important ministry items.  Our meeting lasted a little more than an hour, and I praise the Lord for all that we got accomplished in that short period of time.  But I also thank the Lord for the additional blessing He gave me, and that was to see the love of a father for his baby girl Rebecca.  A few things stuck out to me:

- He smiled on her repeatedly throughout the meal.

- He held her closely and played with her gently.

- He informed us that she would be four months old on August 9.

- He told us what a joy she was and how much he loved being a dad.

- As we left, Ed stayed behind an extra moment to tend to his daughter's needs.

I could say more, but these expressions of love were, to me, a wonderful reminder of the love that our heavenly Father has for each one of His children.

- He makes His face to shine upon us.

- He holds us close and has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

- He knows and celebrates the day that each one of us became His adopted son or daughter through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

- He rejoices over us, His children.

- He lovingly, graciously, and patiently tends to our individual needs.

Again, more could be said.  But hopefully you get the point.  

You know, there was something that Ed said near the end of the meal that showed the superiority of our heavenly Father's love over that of the best earthly father's love.  After some concentrated discussion, Ed remarked something like, "Wow, Rebekah has been so quiet, I forgot that she was sitting here!"  Yet it's amazing to think that with millions of adopted sons and daughters all over the world, no matter where they are or what they're doing or not doing, God knows each one intimately.  In the course of directing all human affairs and every molecule in the universe, God never once forgets about a single child of His - not even for a nanosecond!  We are always on His mind; He has us always in His heart.

Often I find myself praying that I would be the kind of father to my children that my heavenly Father is to me.  But today I was also reminded that we can thank the Lord for giving us, through parenting, a reflection of our heavenly Father's love for us.  His is a perfect love, one that is infinite, unconditional, and eternal.  "Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:38-39 CEV).

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

Crises can be very rude.  They rarely tell you in advance when they're going to pay you a visit.  They just show up, and usually at the most inopportune times.

That's how it happened this past weekend when a dear friend and colleague in ministry was candidating for an Associate Pastor position at my church.  This is a weekend that I, along with the rest of the church, had been anticipating for some time.  It was a big stepping stone in terms of our long-term vision.

Yet it was at the outset of this monumental weekend, indeed, on the very day it began, that a close family member had (and continues to be) steeped in an immoral lifestyle.  Worse than that, he has all but turned his back on God, now doubting the existence of God, the reality of the Gospel, the veracity of Scripture.  This is a man who, for the most part, had the same advantages of a godly upbringing that I did.

How could such a thing happen?

Before you answer, let me say that my question is more emotional than it is mental.  I know theologically how such a thing can happen, based on what Scripture says about the depravity of man, the deceitfulness of sin, etc.  It's just that sometimes we are stupefied over the sudden change of course that life can take.

It was right around this time (I think it was the same day, in fact), that I discovered that the family business might go belly-up due to the economic (and more specifically, the mortgage) crisis.  Imminent bankruptcy looms before my loved ones.

Years ago, I read an article wherein a pastor wrote, "Our tendency in the midst of a crisis is to ask, 'God, what is the meaning of this?', when the question we ought to be asking is, "God, what is the meaning in this?" - A subtle change in words represents a big difference in the dynamic of the question.  Right now, I'm looking to learn whatever lessons God has for us in these crises, and encouraging my family members to do the same.

On the back of the sermon hand-out last Sunday was the following poem by William Cowper.  As always, God's timing is impeccable.  I have been drinking in the theological richness of this rhyme since the moment these crises hit.  May it fortify your faith in the midst of whatever trial you might be enduring this hour:

GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY

By William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

A Walk in the Park

Yes, and a long walk it was!  The park referenced in the title was none other than Busch Gardens, the well-known theme park in Williamsburg, Virginia.  While on vacation last week, our family spent a day getting "Busched."

It was great!  Despite the hot weather (the temps soared into the upper nineties), we were able to take in a lot of rides and other attractions.  One of my sons said this was best theme park he had ever been to.  If you were to ask my kids what they found so impressive, they would tell you the roller coasters (especially the Griffon and Apollo's Chariot) as well as the 4-D attraction at Corkscrew Hill.

But if you were to ask us as parents what impressed us most about the park, we would say it was the creativity of the park's layout (it's divided into the different countries of Europe, with each section having the flavor of that particular culture) and especially the service of the staff.  Regarding the latter, we were amazed at how consistently friendly the staff, especially in light of the fact that they go through the same routines with thousands of people day after day after day.  When they thanked us for visiting Busch Gardens and wished us a pleasant and fun experience, it sounded like they really meant it!  On one occasion, our family was one of the very few in line to get on a train, and the worker at that station offered to refill our water bottles from the staff's private water cooler.  (I think he pitied our family of seven, knowing the park charged nearly $4 for one bottle of water!)

The workers were not only courteous, they were also conscientious.  Not once did I see any of the staff horsing around while tending to their duties.  Oh, they were good-natured and all, but at the same time they took their jobs very seriously.  They checked and often re-checked every seat on ever ride to make sure every passenger was secure.  The operator would wait for the "thumbs up" safety signal from every worker before "throwing the switch" to start the ride.  There was no goofing around when it came to their jobs, and we appreciated that.

The icing on the cake was the cleanliness of the facilities.  Thousands upon thousands of people made their way through the park that hot summer day, and you know that many are not careful to throw their litter where it belongs!  Yet we were hard-pressed to find any trash on the grounds.  The staff was composed of a "leadership team" who were very conscientious about keeping their facilities clean for their customers' enjoyment.  This was quite apparent to us, and we were pleased with their standard of excellence.

As I thought about all these impressive qualities, I began wondering how the Busch Gardens management train their staff.  Do they convey to them the importance of people's safety, that lives are literally on the line every time a machine is in operation, that their type of work allows no room for careless mishaps?  Is there some kind of incentive program like "Employee of the Month" for whoever shows the most diligence in their duties or courtesy to customers? Whatever they do, it is effective ... and makes quite the impression.

Finally my thoughts shifted to our service as a church.  As the Lord brings folks across our path, how courteous are we?  How conscientious are we in serving them?  How much diligence is given by each member to keep our facilities looking clean, efficient, pleasant and inviting?  After all, "they do it to obtain an imperishable wreath, but we an imperishable" (1 Cor. 9:25).  That is to say, we as ambassadors for Christ have far more incentive to serve with excellence than unregenerate staff members at a theme park!  No wonder Scripture says, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve" (Col. 3:23-24).

We went to Busch Gardens for entertaintment.  But we also got an education.  Considering that the tuition was worked into the cost of the ticket, I guess it wasn't so expensive after all.

The Conversion and Calling of a Pastor

Last Monday evening, the Board of Elders at First Baptist hosted an Ordination Council for Nick Jones, our Assistant Pastor of Student Ministries.  This is more or less our "endorsement" of Pastor Nick for ministry abroad, not just here under the auspices of First Baptist Church in Weymouth.

The council proceedings included hearing Pastor Nick's testimony regarding his salvation and sense of God's call to the gospel ministry.  I found this to be so well-written and down-to-earth, that I asked Pastor Nick if he minded my posting it here at TruthWalk.  He consented, and I believe that by reading this, you will get a more "personal" look at Pastor Nick and how our Lord has led him thus far. 

By the way, Pastor Nick survived the elders' barrage of doctrinal questions very well!  After a 150-minute examination, the elders affirmed Pastor Nick's call to the gospel ministry.  We laid hands on our brother and had an encouraging season of prayer, asking God to bless his life and ministry for His glory.

Hopefully after reading Pastor Nick's testimony, you'll feel as if you know him a little more personally.  When you're done, feel free to leave a comment.  We'd love to hear from you.

I was raised in the metro Houston area in southeast Texas by my mom and stepdad. We were not religious, we didn’t go to church, and the only time I heard God’s name was in a curse word. My real dad took me to church when I was with him every-other weekend, but I hated it and tried to get out of it.

I was a lonely, nerdy little kid who always sought to overcome the verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse from my stepdad, by trying to get people to like me. I thought that if I could make them laugh at my jokes or believe I was cool by telling them lies, then I would be happy. I failed miserably.

As I made my way through Jr. High, I continued in my endeavors of acceptance. I began drinking and smoking and became an expert at cutting people down so that my friends would think I was cool and funny. I only became more isolated. In my eighth grade year I was lost in a sea of depression. I hated my life, but didn’t know why. I couldn’t understand why people didn’t like me and why I was so disconsolate.

Then I met Brad Barnes. Brad was a senior and I was an incoming freshman. He played the same instrument I did in band and even though I was so much younger, he would talk to me and take me to lunch during summer band. One afternoon he invited me to his church. I said, “no way,” but he pressed on. I finally relented when he told me that there was free pizza.

At the church that night, the preacher was preaching on Hell. He was fire-and-brimstone and roared from the pulpit that without Jesus I would suffer forever. I didn’t like the sound of that and I walked down the aisle. Afterward I called home to tell my mom that the reason I was late was because I got saved, but she cussed me out and told me to get home.

That freshman year of high school was rough for me. I called myself a Christian, and tried to stop doing all the bad things I was a part of, but something was missing. I still didn’t like going to church, but I thought I was doing good if I wasn’t cussing or drinking; I was also still extremely lonely and depressed. Then the breakthrough came.

My dad signed me up for a summer camp at his church. I didn’t want to go and fought against it, but my dad (Mr. Pushover) amazingly stayed firm and made me go. Of course, now I am eternally grateful. The preacher at this camp taught us that Jesus was more than a “get out of Hell, free – card.” He showed us that Jesus was the Son of God who is the only one worthy of our praise. He helped us understand that we were (and are) so sinful that we can never do enough good things to earn God’s favor. Even if we could stop sinning (we can’t), that’s still not enough for God. He requires perfection – and that’s why Jesus is necessary. He’s the only perfect one, and he lived and died, and now lives again, not so we can merely get out of Hell (although we do!), but so we could have a relationship with him now.

This was all so new to me. I thought being a Christian just meant managing a list of dos and don’ts, but this guy spoke of freedom. I came to understand the truth of who God is and who I am and what grace is. This brought joy where there was only sorrow. This brought acceptance where there was only rejection. This brought peace where there was only strife. Instead of hate, I was filled with love: love for Jesus, love for my stepdad, love for the church, love for scripture. And sin, instead of being something I liked but was supposed to avoid, became something I loathed.  I trusted in Christ as my Lord and Savior that evening (it was a Thursday), and I was baptized the very next morning in the Gulf of Mexico!

From that point on, I was a changed boy. I was still only allowed to go to church when I was with my real dad every other weekend, but we somehow convinced my mom to let me go on Wednesday nights as well. Aside from that, things at home didn’t get any better – they actually got worse, especially with my stepdad who hated Christianity. But this battleground provided great soil for growth. I was pressed into dependence on God. He was teaching me that He had a plan and that He was totally in charge, and that if I was going through hard times, He had a good reason for it.

A few years later I found myself leading our school’s Youth for Christ group. Although looking back I can tell that I wasn’t anywhere near ready for such a position, God blessed me during that time and began to impress upon me that He had given me some sort of leadership skills. I assumed that I would teach a Sunday School class at church or something similar, but had no idea or desire to go into the ministry.

After graduating from High School and moving on campus at Houston Baptist University, I threw myself into everything I could at my church (Second Baptist – Houston). With my parents no longer restricting me I made myself available for everything. I still had no intention of working at the church; I just wanted to help. Soon I was teaching High School Bible study classes, directing a college-age Sunday School class, and leading worship for both. After two years, they asked me to come on staff as a summer intern with the Jr. High ministry. I thought that was the coolest thing ever, to be paid for working at a church!

As the summer ended, the church asked me to stay on full-time with the Jr. High ministry. While I loved being in the ministry, I still had no thoughts of doing it beyond graduation. My friends and co-workers, however, saw things differently. Starting with little comments and teases that eventually led to lengthy discussions, they began to voice their opinion that I was called to the ministry. I fought against it for a while, although looking back, I can’t recall why. Slowly, over the next two years though, while teaching and leading worship week-in and week-out, I began to get the internal confirmation of what my friends had been trying to assure me of.

This had been perfect timing because by then end of that time I was engaged to my lovely wife-to-be and just a few months from graduating with a BA (double-major in Christianity and Speech Communications) from HBU. I was still far from perfect, but had an incredible pastor/boss who patiently worked with me, sharpened me, and helped burn out some of my impurities. He, along with the other ministry staff, encouraged me in my spiritual giftedness and challenged me areas that needed help. I knew I still needed to grow, but I also knew that God called me to be in ministry full-time, for the rest of my life.

The church, however, could only keep me at an intern’s salary, and I was not able to support a family on that income, so I soon found myself looking for a ministry position at another church. Since that time, Amanda and I have been through a mountain range of experiences. We’ve been a part of some good ministries with some great men of God, and we’ve been in some valleys, that have stretched our faith in ways unimaginable. Through it all, however, God has confirmed in us, again and again (sometimes through tears), that His place for us is in ministry. And thus we will stay in the strength and grace He provides.

Wise in Grace

The other evening I was meeting with a couple who, along with me, are working their way through a wonderful Gospel-centered book for married (or about-to-be-married) couples.  In the particular chapter we were studying, the author used a certain phrase that caught our attention:

"WISE IN GRACE"

We mulled that over in our minds for a moment, even repeating the phrase aloud as we did so.  We asked ourselves, "What exactly does he mean by this?"

To give you a fair shot at answering the same question, I should give you the context in which it appeared.  The book is entitled When Two Sinners Say, "I Do":  Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage.  The chapter in which the phrase "wise in grace" appears is the one on how to deal with a spouse in sin.  Comparing confrontation to surgery, the author, Dave Harvey, said:  

To be wise in grace is to see that a well-considered word carefully applied is good medicine.  This is a soul you're slicing open.  Go very slowly.  Cut very gently.

What does it mean to be "wise in grace"?  Here's what we came up with, based on the context in which the phrase was used, as well as the biblical concept of wisdom and grace:  it's applying the truth of Scripture in a constructive way in any given situation through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Notice how the author said that one wise in grace would "see that a well-considered word carefully applied is good medicine."  Well, how would one "wise in grace" see that?  How would he know that?  He would know this by knowing God's Word, for that's what Scripture clearly conveys:  "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Prov. 12:18).  

So to be "wise in grace," one must know the Scriptures.  But scriptural knowledge means nothing, if it is not accompanied by love.  Paul told the Corinthians:  "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up," and "If I ... can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge ... but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor. 8:1; 13:2 NIV).  If I wield the sword of truth in a reckless, unloving manner, I am not using God's Word rightly.  After all, "the word of God" is "the sword of the Spirit" (Eph. 6:17), and "the fruit of the Spirit is love" (Gal. 5:22).

In fact, it's interesting that Ephesians 5:18 says, "Be filled with the Spirit," and the corresponding passage in Colossians says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (3:16).  So Scripture equates being filled with the Spirit as letting God's Word dwell in us "richly" (abundantly) in such a way that we teach and admonish one another in a way that exudes grace.  Ephesians 4:29, another great cross-reference, says:  "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  This requires wisdom, which is the skillful application of truth in any given situation.

So that teeny-weeny phrase, "wise in grace," speaks volumes, doesn't it?  May this quality characterize our dealings with each person the Lord brings across our path, especially those who are of the household of faith (Gal. 6:10).

Americans Devout but not Dogmatic?

"The United States is a nation of believers...."  This was the opening line of an article in the June 23 edition of The Boston Globe.  The statement was premised on "a massive new study of religion in America conducted by the Pew Forum and Religion & Public Life," which was released earlier the same day as the Globe article.

You can read the statistical details of the study by reading the article for yourself.  In fact, it even shows some interesting correlations between New England and the nation as a whole.  In short, New Englanders are the least likely to say they are religious.  (Surprising . . . not!)  But the one statistic that grabbed my attention more than any other is that fifty-seven percent of Evangelical Protestants believed that "many religions can lead to eternal life."  

Of course such a belief flies in the face of Scripture's teaching, as a few quick references will reveal:

John 14:6: "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes unto the Father, except by Me."

Acts 4:12: "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

John 3:36: "He who believes on the Son has life; he who believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

Galatians 1:8, 9:  "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."

Do you understand the implications of these verses in light of the above statistic?  What needs evangelizing is not only the unbelieving world but the "believing" church - because what the majority of professing Evangelical Protestants believe concerning the way of eternal life is wrong!  

My guess is that most if not all of the TruthWalk readership do not need to be convinced of this.  We believe in the true gospel.  We affirm the exclusivity of Christ.  We believe that Jesus really is the only way to salvation.  Solus Christus!

But we are faced with a real challenge, and that is proclaiming the true gospel to this post-modern generation.  In a culture where the most fundamental truths are questioned, a world in which there are no absolutes, this may seem virtually impossible.  Yet we must remember that in all cultures of every age, the challenge has been the same, as has the solution.  The challenge is to get sinners with blind eyes and stony hearts to see and receive the message of the gospel.  Yet the solution is, and always has been, the power of the preached Word.  

Romans 10:17: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

1 Corinthians 1:21: "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."

Jeremiah 23:29:  "'Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?'"  (This verse is posted in the right-hand margin of TruthWalk.)

We are incapable of convincing people of God's truth through persuasive words of human wisdom or fancy rhetoric or savvy marketing.  Stone hearts are made flesh by the transforming power of the Gospel itself.  As Paul the apostle stated and knew so well, "It is the power of God to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [Gentile]" (Romans 1:16).

I think the greatest challenge I face as a preacher is cultivating true love and understanding for people stuck in a postmodern mindset.  I tend to view them with disdain and frustration rather than pity and compassion.  In his book, Preaching to a Post-Everything World, Zack Eswine writes:

I am convinced that biblical preaching will meet this challenge [of reaching people with the gospel in today's world] only when a generation of preachers remembers where they have been.  Until we remember that God drew us to himself and nourished us before we even knew where to find the book of Exodus in the Bible or that such things as Arminianism and Calvinism even existed, we will withhold from others the same mercy that was required for us to learn what we now know.

In this light, the prayer of many of us is that God would raise up a generation of expository evangelists; preachers who understand biblical exposition in missional terms; preachers whose hearts burst with love for sinners; preachers who no longer dismiss biblical exposition when they think of engaging culture; preachers who no longer expound the Bible with disregard for the unchurched people around them.

Read those last two clauses again.  That's where I'm at, seeking a balance between biblical fidelity and cultural relevance.  And while it is true that God's Word is relevant to every culture of every age, it is incumbent upon us as proclaimers of God's Truth to show that the Holy Scriptures are just as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago.  That takes hard work and the Holy Spirit.  Careful preparation and constant prayer.  

"And who is equal to such a task? ... Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God" (2 Cor. 2:16b; 3:5).

Concerned about Corporate Worship

A couple of days ago, a church member expressed to me in an e-mail message her sadness over the spirit of corporate worship during our Sunday morning services.  I asked if I could share her thoughts on TruthWalk in the hopes of generating some discussion.  She agreed if I did so anonymously, so that the readership could focus on the content of what was said rather than the personality behind it.  I can say as pastor that this person is growing in her faith, has been honest about her own struggles, and loves First Baptist Church.  So don't think of this Christian sister as looking down her long, self-righteous nose at the rest of the congregation.  She is simply sharing a concern in the hopes of correcting the problem as she perceives it.

So give this a read, and let us know your thoughts on the issue.  Worship is our highest priority as Christians, for whatever we do is to be for the glory of God.  How that is expressed may vary, but Scripture says a lot about even our expressions in worship.  So read these comments in light of Scripture, and share your own thoughts by leaving your personal comments.

Hi Pastor Matt,

I have been very sad about something that I have noticed in our church, Praise and Worship time.  It makes me so sad that I am, one of but so few that even move, never mind sing during this time.  I tried to tell myself that well, maybe that is just how Conservative Baptists churches are or maybe the Northeast is just a little different but I no longer think this is so.  I think it may be something else.  

This is from Mike Cleveland's study today in The Lord's Table:

This verse tells us that our God is a consuming fire. Fire in Scripture often speaks of judgment, but may also refer to fervency. Fervency may be defined as an ignited spirit aflame with passion for the living God. It is truly amazing to note that God desires this passion for Him in you and in me. In fact, God is nauseated at the "Laodicean" spirit that is unenthusiastic, indifferent and half-hearted in its love for Him.

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, says this: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:14-16

This scares me when I read it and I think of so many who merely stand during the songs and not even whisper the songs. 

The definition of Praise  and Worship from Dictionary.com:

Praise:

to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.

to offer grateful homage to (God or a deity), as in words or song.

Worship:

1.	reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.

2.	formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.

3.	adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.

4.	the object of adoring reverence or regard.

This verse also clearly captures worship to me:

Revelations 5:8-14

I am just so sad that I don't see this.  I get upset with myself when I am uncomfortable being the only one who is clapping and I stop because I feel 'silly'.  

It isn't just that.  I have also been burdened by the shortage of giving.  I wondered how come this is so despite the letters pleading, the powerpoint presentations of the damage to the building and the explanation of taking care of the property, etc.   Then I went to my old church a couple of weekends ago. Their praise and worship is much different than ours. The songs are about the same except the praise and worship team moves, smiles, claps and so forth.  The church sings, claps and moves.  Some sway their hands in the air. It seems like a celebration at times and then when the song gets slow and more serious, people seem to honestly feel the words.  Why do I mention this?  It's their giving. They give more than they have a budget for every week. The church is over its yearly goal and it is July.  Is there a correlation between the praise  and worship of the church and the giving? I submit that there is. I don't mean a good show put on by the team is what we need to do but an honest and heartful praise and worship of our Lord during this time may bring about change. How do we do this? I really don't know but I will pray, pray, pray. 

Pastor Yusef on WEZE said something astonishing today. He wanted to know why the people who will scream themselves hoarse during an athletic event, stand, shout, clap and have no care in the world what a fool they make of themselves can't seem to even open their mouths or move a finger during praise and worship.  I know it struck me pretty hard.  I immediately thought of our praise and worship and it made me sad.   

Maybe some senseless rambling of a tired person who should be in bed right now but it was on my heart to bring it up today.  I probably should have just emailed this to Pastor Nick but I don't have his email address so you are the lucky recipient.

Okay, folks, what are YOUR thoughts on all this?

Stand Firm in Your Faith

Tuesday's blog posting featured Peter Hadden's valedictory address, which he delivered a couple of weeks ago at The Master's Academy's graduation ceremony.  Today's article is a reprint of the salutatory address given by Rachel Burke at South Shore Christian Academy's graduation ceremony last Saturday.  Rachel and her family have been part of our church family for about five years.  Her father, Tony Burke, is an elder, and both Tony and his wife Anne serve as leaders in Student Ministries.  Rachel has ministered in a variety of ways, one of the most notable being her active involvement in children's ministries.  Rachel has served as a summer missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship and has also served as assistant teacher in children's Bible School class on Sunday mornings.

Rachel has been gifted with a great mind.  Part of the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our mind (Matthew 22:37).  Rachel's speech conveys the importance of doing this not only by knowing the Scriptures, but by obeying them (see John 13:17). How great it is to see one of our own graduates challenging her peers to live for God's glory.  God bless you, Rachel, and all our other graduates, that you might serve the purposes of God in your generation.  

Without further ado, here is Rachel's address:

Both Emily and I had difficult times writing speeches for today. From this time last year, as we watched the Class of 2007 receive their diplomas, we dreaded our own graduation, for we had no idea what we should say at it. We wanted to speak about something meaningful but not cheesy, applicable but not overdone. For weeks we pondered the infinite realm of topics but could not find anything that felt right. Finally, Emily thought of something very simple, but very suitable- what could be better to discuss than the foundation of this school, the Lord Jesus Christ.

SSCA is grounded in and centered upon the Lord. Throughout my time here, each teacher and staff member has displayed a life devoted to Christ. They ensured that each student firmly understands the truth of Scripture, and more importantly, they taught us through both their counsel and their example how we can live to serve God. Everyone graduating today has been privileged and blessed to have this opportunity for encouragement and instruction, so that we may better follow the Lord in our own lives.

However, merely learning how to follow the Lord has little lasting benefit. What we do with that knowledge is far more important. Many of us know a parable that Jesus told about a wise man who built his house on a rock. Throughout storms and floods and winds, his house remained secure, for it was built on a firm foundation. Another man built his house on sandy ground, without a foundation. At the first sign of water, his house collapsed and crashed to the ground, for it had nothing to stand upon. I have known this story for years, but until recently I did not notice whom Jesus was really talking about through it.

When Christ describes the man who built his house on a firm foundation, he is not speaking of those who are “good people;” he is not even speaking of Christians, those who claim to know him as Lord. The man who remains secure is he who hears the word of Christ and follows it. Likewise, the man whose house crumbles does not represent those whom we view as horrible sinners, but those who hear Christ’s word, and know it, but do not follow it. Not only will these people lose what they build; Christ says that “the ruin of that house is great.”

Everyone graduating today knows how to act like a perfect Christian. We can do all the right things and give all the right answers. But does that really matter? We are leaving this school, our parents, and our churches. As we go on to college, few people will care that we know how to behave like proper Christians. What others will notice is if we have taken all that we have learned and made it a part of who we are.

God is asking each of us to serve him with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our soul, and all of our strength. He has given each of us different abilities and desires, that we may use them to glorify him. The years that we will spend in college are not meant to be used as playtime while we wait for real life to start. If we are willing to allow God to use us, the next four years can be a time of radical, life-changing experiences. In Jeremiah 1:7, the Lord says, “Do not say I am only a youth, for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” God wants to use these years to do mighty things in us and through us.

As we leave this school, and travel from the watchful eyes of our parents and teachers, I encourage my classmates to devote their lives to God, and to use all they have for his glory. For as it says in Isaiah 7:9, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”

Called to Be Different

Today's blog posting is a reprint of a Valedictorian Speech that one of our students at First Baptist Church delivered during his graduation ceremony at The Master's Academy.  Peter has become a real spiritual leader among his peers.  He is kind, generous, helpful, and wanting to become more like Christ.  To Peter and our other graduating seniors, we say:  "Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone, and may our Lord richly bless you!"  Here's what Peter had to say:

Conformity is defined as the action or behavior in association with socially accepted standards. As we have been growing up we have been living according to the standards that our parents and our schools have set up, but as we leave this place and our families, what are we going to conform to? Is it going to be what society says is acceptable and do what everyone else is doing or are we going to strive to be different, to be a light in this already darkening world?

We live in a time where it is no longer the individual but the group. People are classified by what group they follow not by what they; themselves, have done. We have to break the cultural norms and not be just another group, but individuals that have a love for what they do and a desire to serve God with the gifts He has given us. If the cultural norms cannot be broken, then we have to be a group that is different from the rest. A group that isn’t here in world with all its desires but one that is laden with the truth of scriptures. As Christians, we are called to be different. To live a life apart from the world. A life that is full of sacrifice and enrooted in Christ.  Luke 9 says that we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Christ. At times that might seem hard to do but we have to remember that this life is temporary along with its pleasures, but living for God brings rewards that are eternal, beyond the here and now.

        As we go into the university world, I hope that we don’t believe in the false teachings of some of the teachers and their ideologies, but rather we believe in what Christ teaches. As we listen in class we have to ask ourselves; “Is what the professor saying based in Scripture or is it a part of his worldview?” There are going to be those who go against the Bible, teaching what they see is right, but we must remain in the Word. Colossians 2:8-10 says: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”

As we are in the work place we are going to be bombarded with ridicule because of what we believe, I pray that we won’t lose faith because of it but rather we would be a testimony to those around us. Not being like everyone else but different. Different because we all possess different gifts, that make us unique. We aren’t to squander these gifts but use them to the full extent possible.

 So what are we going to do? Are we going to be like everyone else in the world or are we going to be different? Taking what we know and our gifts and using them to bring glory not to ourselves but to God.

I want to thank the parents for the upbringing that they have given us and the influence they have been. I also want to thank the teachers for making sure that we were provided with and education that’s foundation was the Bible.

... Guys, we made it!!

From Larry Bird to the Big Three

Last night, the pre-game show for Game One of this year's NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers included footage from the 1980s' rivalry between these teams.  The Lakers had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and other notable players.  The Celtics had Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale, and Danny Ainge as some of their most dangerous weapons.

This brought back many memories of my childhood.  We lived on a cul-de-sac (just like we do now, only it was at the end of a longer street).  There in front of our driveway, on the edge of the circle of grass in the cul-de-sac, my dad had set up a really nice basketball board.  My brothers and I would play there for hours on end.  We would identify ourselves as famous players.  I was always Larry Bird.

Of course, when Michael Jordan joined the Bulls, I had to be him. After all, we did live in Chicago!  I was a basketball fanatic (sort of like my son Elijah is now!).  Just as the eighties belonged to the Celtics and Lakers, the nineties belonged to the Bulls. 

I remember getting ready to watch Game One of the 1991 NBA finals. It was the first time the Bulls had made it to the championship series with Michael Jordan.  (They would end up winning the championship that year as well as 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998!  Phil Jackson was the coach that whole time, by the way.)  Well, getting back to my story, we had just moved to Richmond, Virginia, a month earlier and here I was in our little town-home, getting ready to watch my beloved Bulls in their first NBA championship series.  The tip-off was minutes away, when all of a sudden - BLIP! - the screen went blank. The picture tube on our old floor-model, the only TV we had - was toast!  I jumped in the car and ran to the nearest appliance store and bought a $300 TV.  I was back home in minutes, ready to watch the game.  That move went totally against my frugal nature.  After all, that was about all the money we had in reserve, and I just went out and spent it on a television set - in a matter of minutes!  But that's how badly I wanted to watch the Bulls.

Fast forward to seventeen years later: June 5, 2008.  The Celtics and Lakers are matched up for the first time in two decades!  The Big Three are going up against Kobe and crew!  What do I do?  Turn off the TV after the first quarter and go to bed!  Why?  Not because I wasn't thoroughly enjoying the game, but because I knew I had to get up early the next morning, and there's no way I'd end up watching the whole thing anyway, so why not go to bed now?  (It was shortly after 9:30 p.m.)

Knowing myself and what I used to be like, it's hard to believe that I went to bed like I did last night.  Of course I woke up and was anxious to see if the Celtics won or not, but the fact was, I had reached a point in my life when I valued sleep over sports.  The choice was entirely mine.  I had no parents telling me to go to bed.  I was simply tired and chose to go to bed instead of staying up to watch the game.

The funny thing is, I have no regrets.  I'm glad the Celtics won, and I'm glad I got my shut-eye.  I'm not sure what the lesson is in this!  I'd like to think that I've simply matured and come to the realization that sports, while fun, are not the primary substance of life.  If our lives revolve around sports, then we have lost the Center and our sense of what is really important.  Yes, I'd like to think that this whole matter of my going to bed after the first quarter is an indication of the fact that "when I became a man, I put away childish things."

But part of me knows better than that.  That's what I'd like to think. But it's probably only partially true at best.  The fact is, I'm getting older, and I'm feeling a bit more tired at the end of each day.  This is pretty sorry to say, considering that I haven't turned forty yet!  Still, I don't rebound as quickly as I did at age twenty, or even thirty.

Regardless of how late we stay up, or whether we watch the game or read God's Word, the bottom-line is: "To everything there is a season, a time for ever purpose under heaven" - and certainly that includes a time to watch the game and a time to read God's Word, a time to play and a time to pray.  And in the freeness of His grace, God "has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  Our response to this reality ought to be the prayer of Moses, recorded in Psalm 90:  "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  

Amen.

Go Celtics!

Pool Slime and Pet Sins

Yesterday after dinner, we began the necessary but dreaded task of taking off the tarp which covers our above-the-ground pool.  It's almost always more complicated that it should be.  Only once has the process gone smoothly.  Something nearly always goes wrong.

Yesterday was no exception.

As six of our seven family members surrounded the pool (our daughter Megan was working), we reminded one another of the cardinal rule:  Do not let any edge of the tarp fall down into the pool!  Because once that happens, all the slime on top of it (decomposed leaves, bird droppings, dirt, algae, and the like) can easily make its way into the nice, clean water underneath it all.  

Well, we no sooner started pulling the cover off, then part of the tarp's edge started going under.  "Quick!  Grab it!" we yelled to the kid who was closest.  Whew!  Catastrophe avoided.  So the process continued.  Slowly but surely we made it from one end of the pool to the other.  Now the final heave to get that last little part OVER the edge of the pool without ANY of the slime slipping into the water.  

Problem was, there was too much water on top of the tarp, and now it was all gathered into one place.   It smelled to high heaven.  It was grotesquely green.  The sickening aroma was sapping our strength as we tried with all our might to get that last little bit over the edge.  

"Somebody needs to get in the pool and help us lift this from underneath the tarp!"  Our son Matthew bravely volunteered.  He got into the pool and got his arms underneath the sagging portion of the tarp filled with 300 pounds worth of sludge, as the rest of us held on to the surrounding edge of the tarp, pulling with all our might.

The smell was getting stronger.  Our arms were getting weaker.  Then, to our horror, we saw some of the slimy, green sludge seeping through an unguarded segment of the tarp.  "Quick!  It's seeping into the pull!  Who's not grabbing the edge?  Pull, everybody, pull!"  And pulled we did - with all our might.

Then it happened.  Somehow, some way, somebody lost their hold.  The tarp caved under the weight, and the whole of the slime rushed into the pool - every single drop of it.  A thick green, algae-infested cloud spread its filth throughout what had been, seconds earlier, a clear and clean pool, until all of the water was contaminated with dirt, leaves, algae, and bird poop.

Who wants to swim in that?

So now we (mainly Ruthie, our pool expert) are left with the challenge of trying to filter all that filth out of our pool.  Later I was kicking myself, knowing that we should have emptied out some of that filthy water bucket by bucket, until the remaining amount was light enough to gather up in the tarp and throw over the edge.

Okay, somewhere in this mess there is a lesson for us.  I think it has to do with the pet sins that are left untouched in our lives.  Our heart, like the pool, can be freed from all other impurities.  We let the Lord deal with those.  But those little pet sins, like an algae-infested puddle, are left alone.  We figure that, when the time is right, we'll get rid of it without a problem.

But there already is a problem.  The sin is bigger than we think it is.  It's not as easy to get rid of as we thought it was.  We think it's no big deal when it's a very big deal.  Because we didn't let the Lord take care of it, we try to root it out ourselves, in our own strength.  And what happens?  Everything falls apart, and that sin spills all over, contaminating our whole heart.  Our whole person becomes polluted because of that one permitted sin.  And, oh, the price we pay.  If only we had gotten rid of it in the right way when we had the opportunity!

Well, getting back to our situation, we called "the pool guy," and he basically said that while our pool is not beyond help, it will take a lot of time and effort to get things back where they should be.  

Unaddressed sin leads to the same result.  The damage it does does not put us in a hopeless or helpless condition.  But it will take a lot of time and effort to get things back the way that they should be.  

Thankfully, we have a long-suffering and gracious Lord who is ready to help us in our time of need.  He is the "expert" at solving the sin issues in our lives.  The best thing we can do when we have made a mess of things is to go to Him, admit our failures, and ask Him for His help.  He will gladly give it.  Oh, it will indeed take a lot of time and effort on our part, but we can be assured that our great Savior will give us the grace to do what we need to do.

So, what slimy sin is sitting there in the recesses of your heart?  Root it out!  Ask God to help you; He will.  Then enjoy a good swim in the cool and refreshing waters of His grace.

Music to My Ears

Yesterday my wife and I went to Chapman Middle School to hear our son Ethan sing, with all the other fifth graders, the songs that they had been learning throughout the year.  Exactly one week earlier, we had attended the spring musical hosted by First Baptist Christian School, where two of our other sons are enrolled.

The differences between the two programs were noticeable to say the least.  At the FBCS musical, there were about 130 kids performing, with the grades ranging from pre-school through grade 7. At the CMS program, there were over 300 kids performing, all of them fifth-graders!  All of the songs at the FBCS musical were gospel-oriented, whereas all the songs at the CMS program were all secular, American folk songs (unless one counts "God Bless America" as being a "Christian" tune).  The FBCS musical opened and closed in prayer.  The CMS program began and ended with a few simple remarks.  The FBCS musical included a verbal presentation of the gospel.  The CMS program had all music but no message.

More differences could be cited, but there are two main thoughts that we took home with us as we left the program yesterday.  First, we were reminded of how privileged we are to have a Christian School at First Baptist Church, and to have had all five of our children as students there at one time or another.  (Two of our children are still enrolled at FBCS.)  Second, we were reminded that kids are kids, and it's important that unsaved kids in the public school system rub shoulders with saved classmates.  Though initially we were reluctant to send any of our children to a public school (let's admit it - there are many down sides to it), we are happy to see three of our five children "slugging it out" in the secular sphere.  They are learning - much sooner and better than I did growing up - what it means to be salt and light in practical terms in a worldly society.  They are discovering that delicate tension of being in the world but not of the world.  There have been some bumps and bruises along the way - and there will be more to come - but God is teaching them some great things through their experience.  I'm proud of them, and I'm praying for them.

God in His providence has worked things out in such a way that we have experienced just about every type of schooling option:  public school, private Christian school, homeschool, and special education in a public school setting.  We have come to see "the good, the bad, and the ugly" in each of these situations.  For the most part, it's all been good - to the praise of God's grace.

I say this to encourage any parents out there who might be wondering if your kids are in the right school.  While we want to do what's best for our kids in consideration of their particular needs, be assured that wherever you have them enrolled, God can use them (and you) in that environment to bring Him glory.  God can use any person in any place to accomplish His purpose.  That's what's so amazing about grace.

The Cyclone that Hit Burma - 200 Years Ago

Yesterday I received the May 31/June 7 issue of World magazine.  On page 127 there was an outstanding article by Andree Seu entitled "Gospel Cyclone."  Recalling to mind the cyclone that hit Burma earlier this month, Seu recalled another "cyclone" that hit Burma two centuries ago through the ministry of Adoniram Judson.

Ever since I read Courtney Anderson's biography on Judson a number of years ago, he has become one of my favorite missionary statesmen from yesteryear.  Exactly 200 years ago, Judson was studying at Andover seminary right here in Massachusetts.  It was during this time that he read Puritan Thomas Boston and grew passionate in his love and service for Christ.

In her article, Seu brought back to mind some of the interesting tidbits on Judson's life -- like the fact that he started his own mission board, since there was no mission board to send him.  My uncle, Ted Fletcher, followed that same path thirty years ago.  Because he didn't have the necessary number of Bible credits required by most mission boards, Uncle Ted didn't "qualify" as a missionary with those boards.  So he started his own mission, which he started with his wife Peggy.  Their basement served as their headquarters.  Eventually, this mission of humble beginnings grew to become Pioneers, which now has 1,700 international members serving on 178 teams in 80 countries among 130 unreached people groups -- in partnership with more than 2,000 churches.  Amazing!  Only God!

Similarly, Adoniram Judson's missionary venture had a very humble beginning.  Seu sums up for us the difficulty of Judson's work:

Judson knew Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, but Burmese was a tough case.  He retained a tutor and studied 12 hours a day.  Ann [his wife] leaped ahead in fluency.  Four years later Judson held his first worship service.  He experimented with different customs for the gospel's sake (before anyone was emphasizing "contextualization").  He built himself a zayat of bamboo and thatch by the roadside.  He would sit in it and cry out in his best Burmese, "Ho!  Everyone who thirsteth for knowledge!"  The message was mostly met with total indifference.  Judson baptized one convert in 1819.  The couple's second child died.

More trials with increasing intensity challenged the faith of this young missionary.  In addition to spending 17 months in a "vermin-infested death prison," Hudson lost his wife Ann in 1826 and his third child six months later.  Just about the time he was ready to call it quits, Judson's faith was renewed when he got word from the States that his alcoholic brother had received Christ as his Lord and Savior.  When Judson died, there were 8,000 believers and 100 churches in Burma (now called Myanmar).  Today, this country has the third largest population of Baptists in the world!

May God give us the same tenacious faith as that of Adoniram Judson and other faith-filled servants of the Lord, many of whom "were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.  They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - of whom the world was not worthy" (Hebrews 11:35-38).  They were fools for Christ (1 Cor 4:10).  They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev. 12:11).

Thank you, Andree, for reminding us of these "heroes."  We praise You, Father, for saving us by Your grace and filling clay pots like us with Your empowering presence.  

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!

Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee;

This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee,

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!