Worship - Gone to the Dogs

Last month, the Pilgrim Congregational Church in North Weymouth made national news when it launched its weekly "Woof 'n' Worship" services on Sunday evenings.  I first read about it not in the local newspaper, but in World Magazine, of which I am a subscriber.  According to World,, the Rev. Rachel Bickford said the idea comes from an invocation in Psalm 148: "Let all wild animals, creeping things, and flying birds give God praise."  That is a paraphrased summary of the psalm, which is actually much more specific in its call for all creation to praise the Creator (a point that I'll return to in just a moment).  In light of this psalm, Bickford thought it would be a "wonderful ting to let all things praise God together and have families bring their dogs to church."  She also noted that those parishioners who do bring dogs to the "Woof 'n' Worship" service will be responsible for cleaning up any mess created by the pets.

Mess created by the pets?  What about the mess created by the minister?  Talk about a convoluted interpretation of the Scriptures!  Yes, it is true that all creation is called to praise God, but certainly not in the same manner!  Even a cursory reading of Scripture itself shows this to be the case.  Take, for instance, the text cited by Bickford - Psalm 148.  Verse 3 says, "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars."  How do the luminaries render praise to their Creator?  By their "shining," by radiating or reflecting light.  Elsewhere the psalmist writes, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" (Ps. 19:1).  All one has to do is gaze at the stars, and he knows that their Maker is powerful, good, creative, and majestic beyond imagination.  The same could be said in reference to "fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word" (Ps. 148:8).  Nature reveals to all observers - people of every tribe and language and nation and ethnic group - the awesome wonder and power of God our Creator.  Puritan commentator Matthew Henry summarizes well this truth in the context of this psalm, saying,

Much of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Creator appears in the several capacities and instincts of the creatures, in the provision made for them and the use made of them.  Surely we cannot but acknowledge God with wonder and thankfulness.

Thus Romans 1:19-20 states, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power an divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse."

"They," of course, refers to mankind, who, unlike the animal kingdom and lower forms of creation, has been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) and has the powers of reason.  So to bring people with their pets to a worship service so that they can all praise God together is a gross misapplication of what the psalmist is saying.  In fact, it comes perilously close to "exchang[ing] the truth of God for a lie and worship[ing] and serv[ing] the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom. 1:25).  Take, for instance, the remark that one parishioner made about her pet joining her for worship:  "I love it.   My life revolves around making my dogs happy." 

Replace "dogs" with "God," and you'd have yourself a Christian worldview.  

Hope for the Dense Husband: Your Selfishness Can Work for You - by Jim Elliff

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her . . . (Ephesians 5:25)

Okay men, we are to love our wives. Most of us do. At least we say we do.

But, the bar for that love to our wives is set so high—so aggravatingly high. Wives, have sympathy for us. God requires us to love you as Christ loved the church! Who can do that?

Notice that the apostle Paul, the author of these words above, tells us to "love" (present tense) as Christ "loved" (past tense). He points first, not to Christ's ongoing love for the true church, but back to His supreme sacrificial act of dying for her. We are to love like that. Impossible!

Certainly, there has never been an act of love to this degree in the history of mankind. The cross was that act of love which presents the Bride, His church, blameless before God, "without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." It washed and pardoned His church once-for-all, so that all believers will be received into God's eternal world.

We can't accomplish what Christ did when He died. But we are to love our wives in the same way that Christ did—by sacrificing for them. That's the point.

Need Motivation?

So, are we men to live in disappointing failure all our lives, constantly falling short of true biblical love for our wives? Who can consistently love like Jesus did when He died? I've often been so disappointed at the inadequate love I exhibit that I can hardly hold my head up. If you are like me, you need motivation.

Merely acknowledging that Christ's sacrificial act of love is our standard will not provide sufficient motivation to love our wives as we should. It may help us for a day or two, but God knows we need more. Thankfully, He has something to say that will make sacrificial love almost unavoidable. How would you like to fulfill your responsibility as a husband to love sacrificially because you want to, not because you to?

Read his logic:

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of Christ. (vs. 28-30)

Here is the way it works: He states that Christ'songoing love for the church is due to the fact that the church has been made His own body. As Christians, we are "members" of Christ—that is, we are His hands, feet, ears, nose, and big toe. For Christ to love us is for Christ to love His own body. His love for Himself is the reason for His unselfish love for you.

Like Christ who lovingly cares for his spiritual Body, the church, we naturally care for our physical body! When we tenderly treat that painful hangnail, we are a living illustration of this astounding truth.

So what does all this have to do with loving our wives?

Simple: Our wife is also our own body, according to the Genesis passage Paul cites in his appeal. He concludes, "He who loves His own wife loves himself."

In fact, the more you love yourself, the more you love her! This principle turns selfishness into love! Because we're experts at loving ourselves, I'm confident that even the worst of us can do this!

Men, God has put the cookies down on the table where we can reach them now. Any old slug who can love himself, can love his wife sacrificially. When you are tempted to demean your wife, or dismiss her needs, say, "I'm doing this to myself!" If our perspective is right, our love will be right!

But, the minute you forget that, you will be the same old creep you've always been.

Copyright © 2008 Jim Elliff 
Permission granted for reproduction in exact form, including web address. All other uses require written permission
www.CCWtoday.org

Doing Deuteronomy

Today's staff meeting was sparse - just Chaplain Fred and myself.  Pastor Nick was at a doctor's appointment (I had met with him earlier), Elaine Allshouse was out sick (still recovering from her last chemo treatment), and Nancy Ahlstrom, our Office Manager, I can touch base with anytime, so I let her continue her work in the office.

So I sat down and started listening to Fred.  I learned a long time ago that Fred doesn't give you a 5-minute, bullet-point summary of his week.  He tells you stories of his visits to various persons and how God is working in each one's life.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows Fred.  He is a lover of people, because he is first and foremost a lover of God.

But today's conversation was extra-special, because we weren't in a rush.  No other staff members were giving reports.  Anything I had to say from an administrative standpoint could wait and would have to be repeated anyway to the rest of the staff.   So I just led Fred talk, and as he shared stories from the lives of others, he recounted his own testimony. . . .

Back in 1932, when Fred was around twelve years old, he attended a Bible study with five other boys (one of which was Uta Gelo's brother Wendell, whom some of you may recall).   Their teacher was Fred's aunt, Ethel Bretten.  Aunt Ethel taught Fred and his friends this verse from the book of Deuteronomy:

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.  Make them known to your children and to your children's children.

- Deuteronomy 4:9

With tears in her eyes, Ethel Bretten told this group of boys that as they got older and made their way out into the world, temptations would beset them.  She prayed that they wouldn't go astray.  "But if you do," said Ethel, "remember this verse.  Come back to the Lord and serve Him.  Teach these things to your children and to their children."

As Fred got older, he did drift from the Lord.  But he remembered this verse that his aunt had impressed upon his heart with her urgent words, her tears and her prayers - and Fred came back to the Lord.  Fred has served his Savior faithfully now for more than half a century.  Not only that, but he has taught God's Word to his four children and his many grandchildren.  Fred's been doin' Deuteronomy!  Our brother has been a living demonstration of this verse.

At the end of our session, it was my joy to give Fred a picture that I've had in my possession for about eight years now.  It's a picture of Fred, myself, and three other dear life-long friends of Fred, one of which is now with the Lord (Aiken Gelo).  As Fred looks forward to celebrating his 88th birthday next month, I am already celebrating a life lived to the glory of God.  It spurs me on in my own Christian walk and motivates me to pray, "O Lord, find me faithful!  Help me to finish well!"

By the way, Deuteronomy 4:9 became Fred's life verse.  Not a bad choice.  At the end of our meeting, I highlighted that verse in my Bible.  I have a feeling I'll be turning to it time and time again.

What to Look for in a Spouse

Last weekend our church hosted a Family Conference with Tom Harmon.  The sessions were Scripture-saturated and loaded with personal application.  During one of these sessions, Tom shared with us a "checklist" of sorts that his son developed when considering what kind of woman God would want him to marry.  Later, Tom's daughter(s) came up with a similar list for a husband.  So this is the list that Tom handed to me during the service that is a "composite" of the character qualities his kids wanted in their spouses.  Most of these characteristics are not gender-specific. Nevertheless, because there are a few distinctions, I have gone ahead and put these qualifications into two different lists.

"What to Look for in a Wife"

1. She is not only saved but truly loves the Lord and is committed to Him and His Word (Mark 12:30).
2. She is morally pure and lives a life of high moral standards.  She is a woman of character (1 Thess. 4:3-7).
3. She lives in harmony with authority, i.e. parents, church, government (Eph. 6:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-19).
4. She accepts herself as best evidenced by a meek and quiet spirit.  She doesn't make physical things her focus - clothes, makeup, etc. (1 Peter 3:1-6).  
5. She loves her parents, especially her dad.  If her parents are divorced or she has been wronged deeply, she forgives and honors them (Eph. 6:1-3).  
6. She has a purpose in life that includes a high priority on being a wife and mother and homemaker (Titus 2:4-5).
7. She is fun and light-hearted, and yet can be serious when the occasion calls for it (Prov. 17:22; Titus 2:4).

"What to Look for in a Husband"

1. He is not only saved but he truly loves the Lord and is committed to Him and His Word (Mark 12:30).
2. He is morally pure and lives a life of high moral standards.  He is a man of character (1 Thess. 4:3-7).
3. He lives in harmony with authority, i.e. parents, church, government (Eph. 6:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:13-19).
4. He accepts himself as best evidenced by a humble and contrite heart.  He is temperate and not given to anger (Matt. 11:29; Prov. 22:24; James 1:19).
5. He loves his parents, especially his mother.  If his parents are divorced or he has been wronged deeply, he forgives and honors them (Eph. 6:1-3).
6. He has purpose in life that includes a high priority on spiritual leadership.  He loves children (Eph. 5:24-29; Eph. 6:4).
7. He is honest and self-denying. He cares deeply about the feelings of those he is responsible for (Luke 9:23).

These are helpful lists indeed, but keep in mind that they are not comprehensive.  Further, we must realize that "the best of men are men at best" (the same is true of women).  The godliest of spouses will fail to be all that they should be, could be, and want to be.  As James says, "We all stumble in many ways" (3:2).  One of the best books on marriage I've come by in a long time is entitled When Sinners Say 'I Do.'  That's a great title, because it's true!  Both husband and wife are sinners; they're only hope for life and marriage is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So for marital fulfillment, our trust is in Christ, not a checklist.

But having said that, let us applaud those young people who seek to establish biblical criteria for their mates.  A believer shouldn't marry just anyone who claims to be a Christian, but one who is committed in his/her walk with Christ and spurs on others spiritually.  Paul told Timothy, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22).

And let us be sure to strive after the same biblical standards that we set before our (future) spouse.  Someone once said to me, "Marriage is not so much finding the right person as it is being the right person."  That's wisdom.  God help each of us to take it to heart.

Justification and Christian Joy

I've been "down in the dumps" the last day or two.  It doesn't help that I have a cold, as that has a way of dragging one down.  Also, I find that I experience a bit of a let-down after an exhilarating conference or retreat, such as the one we had last weekend.

But in my heart I knew there was something more.  Something else was contributing to this state of discouragement.  One or two more external factors could be named that I know have come into play, but I also know that the real problem has arisen from within, not without.

So I began to do some heart-searching.  Certain sins and shortcomings came to mind:  I don't pray enough, I don't witness enough, I'm too impatient with my kids, I lack administration skills; I should be wiser than I am - as a husband, a parent, a pastor, and so on and so forth.  I confessed these sins to the Lord and asked Him to forgive me and to help me, acknowledging that without Him I can't do anything.  I thanked Him for His mercy and grace, His love and patience, as I wrapped up my time of meditation and prayer.

Still, the cloud of despondency remained over me.  I didn't feel much better at all.  I went down to my study, and there a pamphlet caught my eye.  It was one that had been given out (along with a bunch of other "freebies") at an expositors' conference I attended in early October.  The title of this particular pamphlet was Honey out of the Rock.  It was a devotional piece by Thomas Wilcox (1621-1687) that could be read in a half-hour or less.  The title appealed to me - sounded like a good "pick-me-up" sort of topic, so I began reading.

What I found was something I didn't expect:  a deliberation on the doctrine of justification.  My initial thought was: "Oh, I already know about that.  In fact, our speaker alluded to it this past weekend.  Justification is an instantaneous legal act by God whereby He declares me to be righteous by crediting my sins to Christ on the cross, and crediting Christ's righteousness to me.  This transaction is made by faith, as I put my trust solely in Christ for the forgiveness of my sins."

I know this, and I wondered why a pamphlet written for the sake of believers would camp out on this doctrine.  But as I read on, I found out why.  Here's what Wilcox said that really hit me:

When a sense of guilt is raised up, take heed of getting it allayed in any way but by Christ's blood; all other ways will tend to harden the conscience.  Make Christ your peace (Eph. 2:14); not your duties, your tears, etc.  You may oppose Christ by duties as well as by sins.

I kept reading that last statement over and over.  Usually I think of offending Christ by the bad things I do, not the good things I do!  But if I become fixated with myself -with how good I'm doing or how bad I'm doing as a believer - and fail to look to Christ as my righteousness, then I have lost sight of the gospel, have grieved the Spirit of Christ, and have lost the ground of joy.

Earnest believers, beware of this pitfall!  In our attempts to please Christ, we actually oppose Christ if we focus on how we're doing instead of who we are in Christ.  Here I'm going to quote Wilcox at length, so you can really grasp the practical implications of our justification.  Please take the time to read over the next several paragraphs carefully.

Stand with all your weight upon Christ's righteousness.  Take heed of having one foot on your righteousness, another on Christ's.  Till Christ come and sit upon a throne of grace in the conscience, there is nothing but guilt, terrors, secret suspicions, the soul hanging between hope and fear....  Whoever is afraid to see sin's utmost vileness, and to confess the desperate wickedness of his own heart, suspects the merits of Christ....

You complain much of yourself.  Do your sins make you look more at the righteousness of Christ, less at your own? - that is right; otherwise complaining is but hypocrisy.  To be looking at duties, graces, enlargements, when you should be looking at Christ, that is pitiful, and will make you proud.  Looking at Christ's grace will make you humble.  In all your temptations be not discouraged (James 1:2).  Those surges may be intended, not to drown you, but to heave off from yourself on to the Rock of Christ.

Do not legalize the gospel as if part remained for you to do, or suffer, and Christ were but a half Mediator; as if you must bear part of your own sin, and make some satisfaction.  Let sin break your heart, but not your hope in the gospel.

Look more at justification than sanctification.  In the highest commands consider Christ, not as an exacter to require, but as a debtor, an undertaker, to work in you and for you.  If you have looked at your resolutions, endeavors, workings, duties, qualifications, etc., more than at the merits of Christ, it will cost you dear.  No wonder you go mourning....  Every day your workings, your self-sufficiency, must be destroyed.

Many call Christ Saviour; few know Him to be so.  To see grace and salvation in Christ is the greatest sight in the world.  

Christ's obedience and sufferings, not your sanctification, must be your justification before God....  He that sets up his sanctification to look at for comfort, sets up a great idol, which will but strengthen his doubts and fears.  But do look off from Christ, and presently, like Peter, you sink in doubts.

The Great Physician has spoken!  He has correctly diagnosed the cause of my discouragement!  Self-fixation is my problem; looking to Christ is my cure!

I have already written too much for one blog posting, but allow me to close with these final exhortations from Wilcox:

A Christian never [lacks] comfort, but by breaking the order and method of the gospel, looking on his own, and looking off from Christ's perfect righteousness, which is to choose rather to live by candlelight, than by the light of the sun.  The honey that you suck from your own righteousness, will turn into perfect gall, and the light that you take from that to walk in, will turn into black night upon the soul.  Satan is tempting you by putting you to plod about your own grace, to get comfort from it.  There the Father comes and points you to Christ's grace - as rich, as glorious, as infinitely pleasing to Him, and bids you study Christ's righteousness.  And His biddings are enablings - a blessed power - a sweet whisper checking your unbelief.  Follow the least hint; close with much prayer; prize it as an invaluable jewel, it is an earnest for more to come.  

If you would pray, and cannot, and are so discouraged, see Christ praying for you....  If you are troubled, see Christ your peace (Eph. 2:14)....  You who have seen Christ as ALL, and yourself absolutely nothing, who make Christ all your life, and are dead to all righteousness besides; you are the Christian, one highly beloved, who has found favour with God, a favorite of heaven.

Family Harmony

In his book, Secrets of a Happy Home Life (first published in 1894), author J. R. Miller wrote:

One instrument out of tune in an orchestra mars the music which breaks upon the ears of the listeners.  One discordant life in a household mars the perfectness of the music of love in the family.  We should make sure that our life is not the one that is out of tune.  We do not need to worry about the other lives; if each looks to his own, that will do.

These words are very timely as we head into our weekend family conference here at First Baptist.  How easy it is for me to think, "My kids need to hear these messages and get back on track!"  or "I hope my wife pays real close attention to that message on on marriage!"  Or even as a pastor I could think, "I hope this or that couple comes to the conference because their family life stinks!  Their priorities are way out of line!  They need to come to this conference and get right with God!"

Now some or all of those things may be true, but the one I need to be looking at is ME.  Like the old Gospel hymn says, "It's not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer!  Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer!..."  Whenever we come to the Word of God, our attitude should be, "Lord, wouldst Thou have ME to do?"

May God help me - and all of us - to approach His Word with such a mindset.  Then and only then will we have happy and holy homes.

Election Day Encouragement

I almost hesitated to write anything on today's election, given the plethora of articles that have already been posted.  But I wanted to send along just a brief word of encouragement, straight from Scripture.  This is one that a relative sent me and the rest of my extended family (most of whom are Christians) just yesterday, as part of our Family Day of Prayer, which takes place the first Wednesday of each month.  (We moved it up a day to have a special prayer emphasis for the election.)  Anyway, the Scripture he cited was Psalm 125:

1Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
   which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
   so the LORD surrounds his people,
   from this time forth and forevermore.
3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
   on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
   their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
   and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
   the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel!

Though this psalm was originally written to the nation Israel, it has a comforting message for all of God's people today.  As believers, our hope is not in the next President but in the King of kings and Lord of lords.  In Christ we are secure!  As my uncle put it in his note to the family, "We know the sovereign Lord of the nations will have His way on this Election Day."  Amen!  So let us rest - and even rejoice - in that reality.

If you would like to know how you can pray more specifically for today's election, using Scriptural principles to frame your prayers, I would encourage you to check out today's posting on Dr. Mohler's blog, which is entitled A Prayer for America on Election Day.

Halloween: Hallowed or Harmful?

"Uh-oh, here we go," some of you are thinking.  "Pastor's Matt's going to get on his high horse about Halloween."  No, I'm not.  After all, that wouldn't be much of a treat, now, would it?

I simply want to share with you something that caught my eye nearly twenty years ago and changed my way of thinking.  It was an article in October 29, 1990 edition of the USA Today entitled Satanist 'revival' rumors stir a furor.  This had to to with talk of a satanists' convention that was reportedly going to happen in D.C.  The reports were unconfirmed, with no verifiable data to give warrant to the hysteria that began to spread among evangelicals throughout the area.

But what caught my eye was one of those "blow-up" quotes that you'll often see in the midst of a newspaper or magazine article.  This quote was by Bryan Jordan, a Washington witch, who said,

"(Christians) don't realize it, but they're celebrating our holiday with us. . .  We like it."

What do we make of such a statement?  Jack  Kelley, the author of the USA Today article, wrote just prior to Jordan's remark, "While children typically trick-or-treat for candy on Halloween, it's a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer circles or meals for the dead."  Now, please remember, this is not Moody Monthly, Christianity Today, or World magazine putting out his article.  This is the USA Today - not exactly a bastion of conservative Christianity!  

If you do some research, you'll find that Samhain, the "original" Halloween, was a festival that marked the eve of the Celtic New Year, which began on November 1.  The Celts believed that during Samhain the "veil" that separated the living from the dead was at its thinnest.  They believed that on the evening of October 31, evil spirits and the souls of the dead passed through the barrier and entered the world of the living.  Such a thought created fever-pitch excitement ... and fear.  That night, the Celts would leave out food for the spirits, hoping that a "treat" would prevent a "trick."  You can probably see how the modern-day version of Halloween evolved from there.

In the 700s the Church decided to combat this festival with their own celebration of the Lord of life.  Instead of appeasing evil spirits, they chose to honor the saints - those who had lived godly lives.  In essence, Christians were saying, "Fine, if you want to have a holiday for the dead, let's celebrate the lives of faithful saints who are now with the Lord."  So November 1 became known as "All Saints' Day" or "All Hallows' Day."  The evening before was called "All Hallows' Eve," from which we get the modern name "Halloween."

Okay, then.  So we have two different paths of tradition concerning this holiday.  How should Christians handle Halloween?

First, we should realize that this is a matter of individual conscience and liberty.  Don't go against your conscience, and don't judge those who have a different conviction than you.  But having said that, let me offer a few alternatives to celebrating Halloween the way that the world does.  Instead of focusing on activities that are preoccupied with fear and death, let us celebrate the One who gives life.  Here are some ways that we can do this. 

1.  Celebrate All Saints' Day

Protestant Christians tend to shy away from honoring saints, for fear that admiration or respect will evolve into worship.  Indeed, we are to worship God alone.  But in Hebrews 11 and other passages, godly men and women are given "honorable mentions" for their faith in God, so that Christians who are reminded of their legacy will imitate their faith and so honor their Lord.

So there are saints in biblical history we can appreciate as well as saints in church history.  Incidentally, October 31 is also known as Reformation Day, for it was on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church.  God used Martin Luther and faithful men like him to reawaken the Church to the true gospel, especially the doctrine of justification by faith.  These are great truths to celebrate.

2.  Have a different kind of party.

Our family hosts a fall harvest party.  We've belonged to churches that have had a Noah's Ark party, where the children dress up as different sorts of animals and hear the story of Noah, which reminds us of God's judgment against sin as well as His saving mercy and grace.  Others might have a costume party where the children (or adults!) dress up as Bible heroes or famous men and women from Christian history.  (One year here at First Baptist, we hosted such a party, and I came dressed as Billy Graham.)

3.  Use trick-or-treating as an opportunity to share the gospel.

Give a tract along with a treat!  Show the love of Christ in demonstrable ways to those whom God brings to your door.

These are just a few suggestions.  I'm sure you can think of some more.  What some mean for evil, we can use for good.  Whatever your convictions about Halloween, let's remember the exhortation of 1 Corinthians 10:31:  "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God."

Abortion: More Than a Political Issue

Abortion is more than a political issue.  It is a personal issue.  Too often we get desensitized to the abortion issue because we hear discussion on it without seeing a demonstration of it.

Don't get upset - the following video is not an actual demonstration of partial birth abortion (PBA); it is a gynecologist explaining to a classroom of adolescents the procedure, using a fake baby.  Yet this alone caused my heart to race, my palms to sweat, and my eyes to tear as I realized what this murderous act entails.

Yesterday my family and I participated in the Walk for Life, this particular one being a peaceable and prayerful Christian protest against the evils of abortion, regardless of when it takes place (first, second, or third trimester).  I am not a "political activist."  But as I said, I believe abortion to be far more than a political issue; it is indeed a very personal issue - one for which we will all give an account.  Hear the word of the Lord:

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.  If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?  Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

- Proverbs 24:11-12 ESV

With election day fast approaching, make sure you know where political candidates stand on the issue of abortion.  The President of the United States, in particular, has a tremendous amount of power and influence over this issue and how it is reflected in the laws of our land.  So be informed, and vote your conscience.

Avoiding the Sunday Morning Meltdown

Have you got seven minutes to spare between now and Sunday?  I hope you can carve out the time to watch the following video and then read my remarks afterwards.  I promise that it will be seven minutes well invested!  Watch the video, then return to read my comments.

We all have experienced what a friend of mine has referred to (jokingly) as "Sunday morning pychosis."  Sometimes the hour before coming to church is the most hectic and carnal hour of our week.  As James says, "My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (3:10b).

In dealing with this problem, we have to realize that ultimately it is a matter of the heart.  Hectic schedules, uncooperative kids, and unironed shirts do not "make" us react the way we do; they simply draw out the sin that already resides within our hearts (Matt. 15:18-20).  So we need first of all to repent of our ungodly attitudes, behavior, and words.

But having repented, what can we do to remedy the situation?  The answer lies in Romans 13:14:  "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  For the sake of applying this verse, each of us should ask, "What can I do to honor the Lord Jesus and promote a spirit of worship in my heart, especially as I prepare to worship Him publicly with His people?"

With this in mind, I would like to offer five suggestions to help you get "READY" for worship.  As you can see, these are presented in the form of an acrostic to help you remember them:

Retire early.  Don't stay up late on Saturday night if you can avoid it.  Get a good night's rest so that you awake refreshed on the Lord's Day.

End the day with scriptural meditation and prayer.  As we sleep, our  mind tends to mull over the last things we thought about before going to bed.  So what better way to end the day than to meditate on Scripture and commune with the Lord in prayer?

Arise early.  Figure out how much time you'll need to get ready for church, then add an additional thirty minutes as a buffer.  Having gone to bed at a decent time, it shouldn't be difficult to get up at a decent hour to prepare your body, soul and spirit for worship.

Delight yourself in the Lord.  Turn on some good Christian music that will help to cultivate Godward thoughts and a spirit of joy in your soul.  Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord!

Yearn to be a blessing to others.  Begin with your own family members as you get ready to go to church.  Serve one another in love.  Come to church in the same spirit, desiring to build up the body of Christ and to be a blessing to as many people as possible (including people you haven't met or don't recognize).

May the Lord impress these things upon our hearts and help us put them into practice as we seek to worship Him in spirit and in truth!

Beware of Study Bibles

Beware of Study Bibles

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Author: Steve Burchett

I like resources that help me understand the Bible. My collection of commentaries grows yearly. The amount of books I own addressing various areas of theology numbers in the hundreds. There are a couple of websites that I visit regularly where numerous Bible study tools are offered. I also own four "Study Bibles," which include not only the biblical text, but introductions and outlines for each book of the Bible, notes that explain verses, maps, articles about major concepts, and a large concordance at the back. I have been strengthened by all of these resources, and I'm confident others could testify likewise. However, every good gift from God can be abused. Of all the study tools, perhaps in our day the Study Bible is the resource that is most often misused. For example, many who have taught the Bible have felt the frustration when, instead of meditating on the passage of Scripture being taught, several in the group were busy reading and then sharing from the study notes at the bottom of the page! Perhaps some might respond, "But at least these people are trying to understand what the Scriptures say." Indeed, their motives may be pure, but excessive reliance on study notes actually removes them from what a Study Bible intends to promote: The study of the Bible! James tells us to receive and live out the Word of God (James 1:21-22), not what somebody else says about the Bible. The Lord has given the church teachers (Ephesians 4:11), but we should follow the example of the Bereans who not only listened eagerly to Paul's preaching, but were known for "examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (emphasis mine). Maybe you are not convinced that you can really understand Scripture apart from the significant aid of others. Perhaps you have been led astray by certain preachers or writers who seem to imply that you have to be an expert in Hebrew or Greek (the original languages of the Old and New Testaments) in order to "really comprehend the Bible." Yes, a knowledge of the original languages is quite valuable, but it is not required. Peter does admit that "some things" in Paul's writings are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). Commentaries, Study Bibles, and conversations with other believers are a valuable tool when we come across these places in Scripture. But Peter didn't say everything is hard to understand! In fact, with a careful and contemplative reading of a verse or passage and its surrounding context, and with the help of the Holy Spirit (see 1 John 2:27), we can grasp what God is saying. Probably our larger struggle is living out what we clearly see. Does this mean you should throw away your Study Bible? No, but consider three ways to guard against misusing this tool: Don't use a Study Bible as your primary Bible. Regular Bible reading, group study, and personal study should be out of a Bible without study notes. This eliminates the temptation to look away from what God has said. Before you pull your Study Bible(s) off the shelf, force yourself to think hard about the text of Scripture alone. The person who "looks intently" at God's Word and lives it out is "blessed in what he does" (James 1:25). You may even want to purchase a Bible with wide margins in order to write down your thoughts, or maybe a notebook or journal. When you struggle to figure out what a verse or passage means, ask the Lord for help. You'll be amazed at what He helps you comprehend. If you still don't understand what you are reading, ask Him again and meditate longer. How often do we skip this vital step of depending upon the Lord? Who is more resourceful, a biblical scholar or God? Consider your Bible study methods: Do you spend more time focusing on the text of the Bible, or the words of non-inspired writers who are seeking to explain the Bible? When we are overly dependent on study notes, a subtle shift takes place from living "on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4) to living "by the words of Bible teachers." As I write, I'm aware of another Study Bible soon to be unveiled. It has been endorsed by a large number of well-known pastors and ministry leaders, and it includes over 20,000 notes, over 50 articles, and over 200 color charts. I'll probably buy one. More, and even better, Study Bibles will surely follow. There is no doubt that they will shed much light on the text of Scripture. But we must beware: They may also distract us from the very thing they are intended to illuminate. Copyright © 2008 Steve Burchett  Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc. Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in unedited form including author's name, title, complete content, copyright and weblink. Other uses require written permission. www.CCWtoday.org

Every Life Is a Leaf

A few days ago I was down in Alabama for a preachers' conference, and one of the keynotes had a Q&A session with the pastors gathered.  In response to a question that I posed, the speaker made reference to a positive trend he saw among pastors, to which he added (while looking at me), "And not just pastors such as yourself, but young pastors, too."

What?  I thought I was one of those young pastors!  Do I really look that old?  Typically I don't think of myself that way.  But apparently to this speaker I did not appear to be in the category of "young pastors."  

The next day, after I had flown home from the conference, I took a long walk during which I listened to a podcast sermon by Alistair Begg.  His text was 1 Peter 1:24-25a:

All flesh is as grass,

and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls, 

but the word of the Lord remains forever.

As I listened to Pastor Begg's exposition of these verses (which are a quotation from Isaiah 40:6-7), I noticed something that drove home the truth I was hearing.  All along the street where I was walking, there were brown, crumpled leaves against the curb.  They had fallen from the trees and had been pushed by the breeze against the concrete edging.  That's my life, I thought.

Actually, that's every life.  The withering grass, fading flower, and falling leaves each autumn season are intended by our Creator to remind us of how quickly we age and eventually die.  Romans 1 tells us that "since the creation of the world [God's] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that [people] are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (vv. 20-21).

Usually when we look at creation, if we think of God at all, we think of His power, His creativity, His ability to make beautiful things.  These things might come to mind especially during the autumn season as we behold the magnificent fall foliage here in New England.  And certainly our minds should reflect on these wondrous attributes of God.  But there is another attribute that should come to mind whenever we see the fallen leaves, and that is God's wrath against sin.  Going back to the first part of the original quote in Isaiah we read:  

The grass withers, the flower fades,

Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

Here God tells us that we are the grass; we are the flower.  Just as God causes their death, so He causes our death.  Why?  Isaiah 64 gives us the answer:  "But we all are like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.  And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself to take hold of You; For you have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities."  The penalty for our sin and our failure to honor God as our Creator is death.  The apostle Paul reiterates this in Romans 5:12:  "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

We all grow old and die because we all sin.  That's the sad reality of life.  But God in His mercy has not left us without hope.  Going back to the passage in 1 Peter, we read:

All flesh is as grass,

and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls away.

But the word of the Lord endures forever.

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

God's Word, unlike man's life, endures forever.  This Word, in addition to telling us of our sin and the consequences it brings, also conveys to us the gospel - "good news" from God.  What is that good news?  That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and raised to life again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  Though sin brings death, Jesus Christ brings life to all who believe in Him.  Indeed, Jesus Himself said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26).

That's the question each of us must answer.  Do we believe the truth about Jesus Christ?  Whether or not we do will determine our eternal destiny.  "He who believes the Son has life; he who believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).  

Dear reader, please give serious consideration to your condition before God.  It is literally a matter of life and death.  I urge you to receive the One who died for sinners like you and me so that we could live forever in heaven with Him.  Just as Jesus lives forever forever and His Word abides forever, so will we if we put our faith in Him.

The Tightrope of Christian Parenting

This morning I read Psalm 78, which rehearses God's dealings with rebellious Israel.  He did wonderful things for them - "marvelous things" (v. 12).  Yet the more He did for them, the more they rebelled against Him (v. 17).  They "tested" Him and "spoke against" Him (vv. 18-19).  So the Lord was "furious" and kindled a fire of divine, disciplinary wrath against them (v. 31).  But even then "He did not destroy them.  Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again" (vv. 38-39).

God is the only perfect parent.  Our best attempts as parents to use the rod while remembering mercy are flawed by our own fleshly impulses.  At times mercy gives way to excessive leniency, permissiveness, or passivity.  Or we can gravitate toward the opposite extreme and "stir up" too much wrath and apply the rod too severely.

At the end of the psalm, we are reminded that God chose David - out of the sheepfolds - to shepherd His people Israel.  Likewise, God has chosen us parents - as weak and frail as we may be - to shepherd the hearts of our children.  Certainly David had his failures.  Nevertheless, God Himself described David as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).  "So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfullness of his hands" (Psalm 78:72).

May God grant me such character and competence, that my children "may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments" (v. 7). 

Everything Looks Good, But. . .

My office looks pretty good.  Better than it did, anyway.  

You see, yesterday my two oldest sons, a couple of staff members and myself went to pick up some free used office furniture that was donated to the church and Christian School.  This included a desk, cradenza, and large filing cabinet.  The desk was huge and HEAVY, as was the credenza.   Thankfully, we got it transported back here to church without a problem.

Once we got back to the church, we had to do some shifting around.  A smaller desk that was in my office was to go to one of the teachers, whose desk was to come downstairs and into the Christian Education resource room.  Filing cabinets also had to be taken out of my office and put upstairs, which meant they had first to be emptied of their contents.

Long story short, my office was a MESS by the time all this switching around took place.  I worked as hard and as fast as I could to get things situated well enough that I could devote this day to studying.  

This morning, one of our staff members walked into my office and said, "Oh, this looks nice!"  To which I responded, "Yeah, well, all the junk is hidden."  That was an understatement, to say the least.  Virtually all my desk, credenza, and filing cabinet drawers are jammed full of miscellaneous notebooks, papers, computer accessories, binders, and other paraphernalia.  So, everything looks good, but everything is not what it seems.

That's how it is in the life of many Christians.  For the sake of appearance, they hide their sins very adeptly so as to appear righteous before others.  But just as I knew the true condition of my office, they know the true condition of their hearts.  

Apart from the sin of hypocrisy and the consequences it brings (see Matthew 23), there is an additional danger.  Hebrews 3:13 reminds us that we can "be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."  I suppose that if I sat in my office long enough, looking at how "tidy" it is while refusing to open the drawers to deal with the junk, I could convince myself that it really is as neat and clean as it appears to be.  But I would have only deceived myself.  The junk is going to go away by my ignoring it.  The same is true of the hidden sins of the heart.

So don't be deceived.  Don't be a hypocrite.  Instead, attack each sin with a holy determination to root every evil out of your life.  This may seem like a job that's too big for you.  You're right, it is.  But it's not too big for God.  "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).  So don't make excuses.  Make progress.  You'll be glad you did. 

Wasting Away Again in MatthewFletcher-ville

Sorry, I couldn't think of a better title.  This is what comes to mind as I sit here stiff and sore from last night's scrimmage.  Tonight my son Elijah is trying out for the Weymouth Junior Basketball Traveling League, so last night after dinner we went over to the church gymnasium to shoot hoops for awhile.  

What started off as a casual shoot-around turned into an intense scrimmage, first one-on-one with between my son and me, then two-on-two as my others sons joined us.  As the game wore on, I found myself asking questions like: How did he get so fast?  How did I get so slow?  Why do I hurt so much?  

Admittedly, it had been awhile since I had handled a ball.  And it showed.  Though I was able to recover a few impressive moves from my glorious past, these were few and insufficient to convince me that I was anywhere near being "king of the court."

After we were done, my joints got sore and stiffened up pretty quickly.  My "bum" knee (the right one) got swollen as it always does after any sort of athletic activity.  The discomfort in my lower back caused me to toss and turn during the night.

All that to say:  I'M GETTING OLDER AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT.  Here I am saying this at age 40, and I can't help but wonder how I'll feel at 80 (if the Lord allows me to live that long)!  My heart goes out to all our octogenarian readers!

The aging of my body could cause me to get discouraged (and frankly, sometimes it does), but it doesn't need to.  There is a spiritual antidote to the emotional ailment that physical aging brings.  The apostle Paul testifies to this in 2 Corinthians 4:16:  

Therefore we do not lose heart.   Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Paul goes on to expound this principle in the verses that follow (4:17 - 5:8), explaining that the culmination of our earthly pilgrimage is to be absent from the body and to be present (at home) with the Lord.  

I feel sorry for those who bank all of their enjoyment and sense of self-worth in the here and now, particularly as it relates to their physique or athletic prowess.  I go to Planet Fitness to work out a few days a week.  But there are people who practically live there.  That's their life.  Others make a god out of sports, and their happiness is derived from their athletic achievements.  Even when they're beyond their prime, they relive the glory days.  That's their life.  It revolves around their body, their looks, their image before others.

But the fact is, we're all growing older.  Our bodies are getting worn out like a weathered tent.  That's why Matthew Henry said, "Even the best of men have need of further renewing of the inward man, even day by day."  Only as we nourish the inner [spiritual] man, can we be kept from discouragement as we see the decay of the outer [physical] man.

So as much as I'll try to take care of my body and win a few basketball games here and there, my over-arching goal will be to keep my soul healthy and fed on the things of God.  

And if you're wondering who won the scrimmage, well, thankfully, we didn't keep score!

Beatitudes or Bad-Attitudes?

Just yesterday, one of our elders at First Baptist Church forwarded me this message.  It's a little blunt, but take it for what it's worth:

You've heard the Beatitudes?  Well, below are some of Satan's Bad-Attitudes:

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend
an hour once a week with their fellow Christians.
They are my best workers.

Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked.
I can use them.

Blessed are those easily annoyed.  With a bit of luck, they may stop going to church.
They are my missionaries.

Blessed are the troublemakers.
They shall be called my children.

Blessed are the complainers.
I'm all ears to them.

Blessed are they who are bored with the preacher's mannerisms and mistakes,
for they get nothing out of the sermon.

Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church,
for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.

Blessed are they who gossip,
for they shall cause strife and divisions, which please me.

Blessed are they who are easily offended,
for they will soon get angry and quit.

Blessed are they who do not give their offering to carry on Gods work,
for they are my helpers.

Blessed is he who professes to love God, but hates his brother and sister,
for he shall be with me forever.

Blessed are you when you read this and think it applies to other people and not yourself.
I've got you.

Blessings!
    Lucifer

I remember years ago when an elderly saint told me, "Sometimes when I'm not sure what God would have me to do, I think of what the devil would have me to do - and then I run in the opposite direction!"  Thankfully, we do not have to guess as to what God would have us to do when it comes to our attitudes and actions toward others.  Let us hear the real Beatitudes, that come from the very lips of our Lord:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn, 
      for they will be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, 
      for they will inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 
      for they will be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful, 
      for they will be shown mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, 
      for they will see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, 
      for they will be called sons of God. 

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In case you didn't know, the word beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus, which means "happy."  The pathway to true joy and blessedness is Christ.  He Himself is the way (John 14:6), and as we walk in His Spirit in accordance with His Word, we will take on His character.

God save us from the Bad-Attitudes and produce in us these Beatitudes, so that - as Jesus would go on to say - others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Christian Communication

This morning while at the breakfast table with my son Timothy, I asked him, "So, Timothy, what is your favorite subject in school? - And it can't be lunch, recess, or gym!  It has to be an academic subject."  After a few seconds, Timothy responded, "I can't think of any."

"Okay," I said, changing gears.  "Then what is your least favorite subject in school?  What do you like the least?"  Timothy's answer?  "Language."  And as he said it, he backed up his answer with an affirming nod.

Yet I can't think of a more relevant subject, can you?  Language is something that we use on a daily basis for the rest of our lives.  I'm wondering if that's why language is at the heart of this year's Desiring God National Conference, which begins a week from today.  

Right now there's a lot of controversy in Christian circles regarding the right use of language.  So yesterday I forwarded to my fellow elders an article by Nathan Busenitz that appeared in Pulpit Magazine.  You can check it out here.

The elders responded with some very helpful feedback.  Since this correspondence was initially private, I'll leave it to them as to whether they want to copy and paste their remarks in the Comments section.  Certainly I would love to hear from you, too.  So after you read Busenitz' write-up on Harsh Language, be sure to come back to TruthWalk and leave a comment.  No doubt we can get a good discussion going on this vital topic!

Christ and the Economy

Today's headlines include:

Dow Plummets 504 Points

Lehman Files for $639B Bankruptcy

AIG Keeps Silent on Restructuring as Stock Plummets

Bank of America to Pay $50B for Merrill Lynch

Then here's a headline and photo from The Boston Globe that sums it up well:

Bottom to Crisis Nowhere in Sight

"A picture is worth a thousand words."  No doubt, we are in the midst of tough economic times.  One Christian brother who has worked on Wall Street for decades, wrote this to me just yesterday:  

[I] have seen many ups and downs, even a market crash in 1987, yet I'm seeing people more concerned than ever before....  Life savings in many cases have dwindled and people don't know what to do....  I believe the saints are getting caught up in worry about their finances, fear of tomorrow, concern about job losses and the like.  It's time for those who call Jesus Lord to trust His Word, possibly like never before."

I couldn't agree more.  The fact is, Christians are giving way to worry, and the statistics show it.  Earlier this summer, the Dallas Business Journal reported, "Nearly half of Christian adults in the United States have reduced their charitable giving because of the economic downturn, according to a recent survey commissioned by Dunham & Co."  The two main factors were the sharp rise in fuel and food costs, according to the survey.  Forty-six percent of Christian adults surveyed indicated that they have reduced their giving to charity.

Contrast that strategy with the one employed by the impoverished Macedonian churches in Paul's day:

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonia churches.  Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.  Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.  And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.

- 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

If I'm reading this correctly, it seems that the the poorer these people got, the more generous they became!  How was this possible?  Paul says it was "the grace that God" gave them.  That was His part.  And they, on their part, "gave themselves first to the Lord ... in keeping with God's will."

Now, keeping those two things in mind (God's part and their part), let's jump over to Jesus' words in Matthew 6:

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.  That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And why worry about your clothing?  Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Jesus' words require no amplification.  They are crystal clear.  The core issue is what matters most to us:  God or money.  If money matters most to us, we will live to make more of it ... we will worry when we don't have it ... we will derive our sense of security from it.

But if we value God more than money, we will adopt the mindset of the Macedonians.  Having given ourselves first to the Lord, we will trust Him to provide for all our needs.  This frees us to give above and beyond our own ability.  Why?  Because God gives His grace to those who give themselves to Him.  People of faith trust God with their finances.  They trust God with their future.  And they prove this by their generous giving to the Lord's work.

Look again at what my Christian brother wrote:  "It's time for those who call Jesus Lord to trust His Word, possibly like never before."  Could it be that this economic crisis is a gift of God to His church?  Could it be that this is a God-given opportunity to step out in faith and trust His Word like never before?

The natural tendency in all of us is to put giving off until we feel able to give.  Such thinking keeps many from ever giving ... and from ever experiencing the power and provision of God.  I encourage you to step out in faith by going before God and asking Him what He would have you to give on a consistent basis and with a joyful heart.  I guarantee you that it will be more than you think you can afford.  But that's where our faith meets God's grace.  The result?  An abundance of joy and liberality (2 Cor. 8:1).

I write this as the pastor of your church - Christ's church, really - "not because I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account" (Phil. 4:17).

Radiating God's Glory

Have you ever used or heard a word quite often that you don't tend to think about a whole lot?  Probably one such word in Christian circles would be the word glory.  As believers we say that we exist for God's glory.  We talk about doing everything for the glory of God.  We sing songs about God's glory.  We pray that God would be glorified in our lives, our home, our church.

But what does all this mean?  What exactly is the glory of God?  In what I would call his magnum opus, Wayne Grudem offers a very helpful and well-thought-through explanation:

In one sense, the word glory simply means "honor" or "excellent reputation."  This is the meaning of the term in Isaiah 43:7, where God speaks of His children, "whom I created for My glory," or Romans 3:23, which says that all "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." ... In this sense, the glory of God is not exactly an attribute of his being but rather describes the superlative honor that should be given to God by everything in the universe...." (Systematic Theology, p. 220)

But in another sense (and this is the main topic I want to touch on), God's glory is the bright light that surrounds His presence.  Using Scripture as his base, Grudem explains what this means in a little more precise detail:

Since God is spirit, and not energy or matter, this visible light is not part of God's being but is something that was created.  We may define it as follows:  God's glory is the created brightness that surrounds God's revelation of himself.

This "attribute" of God is really not an attribute of God in the sense that the others [are], for here we are speaking not of God's own character but of the created light or brilliance that surrounds God as he manifests himself in his creation.  Thus, God's glory in this sense is not actually an attribute of God in himself.  Nevertheless, God's glory is something that belongs to him alone and the appropriate outward expression of his own excellence.

This is an interesting concept and one I believe is consistent with Scripture.  For instance, the psalmist exclaimed, "O LORD my God, you are very great!  You are clothed with honor and majesty, you who cover yourself with light as with a garment" (Psalm 104:1-2).  This sense of God's glory is also spoken of in the New Testament, when news of Jesus' birth was heralded to the shepherds on the hillside:  "And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear" (Luke 2:9).  In Revelation we are told that the heavenly city will have "no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Rev. 21:23).

When we consider the indescribable magnificence of God's attributes, it makes sense that they would be manifested by such brilliance.  God's glory - the visible manifestation of the excellence of His character - is so great, we can never fully gaze upon it or comprehend it.  But it is our privilege as God's people to stand in awe of it and worship Him in light of it.

The subject of God's glory is astounding enough, but here's another aspect of it that completely boggles my mind, and that is that we who know and love Jesus Christ will share in His glory "when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe" (2 Thess. 1:10). 

Imagine that!  Yet here's something still more amazing:  Even now in our Christian lives we all are being "changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another" (2 Cor. 3:18).  I know exactly what Grudem means when he writes, "Though we do not now find ourselves surrounded by a visible light, there is a brightness, a splendor, or a beauty about the manner of life of a person who deeply loves God, and it is often evident to those around such a person."  Certainly, this "glow" will be intensified to the nth degree when Christ returns, for all our imperfections will be done away.  "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).  Yet how amazing to think that, even now, as we yield ourselves to God's Spirit, allowing Him to do His work in our hearts and through our lives, there is a "glow of God" about us.  I've seen this myself as I have beheld the Lord's joy, His compassion, His love, His truth, His zeal - in committed believers.

On Sunday mornings, we've been studying the New Testament principle of "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 13:14; cf. Col. 3:12-17).  The more we allow the Lord to have His way in our lives, the more we reflect His glory in the here and now.  No wonder Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

I don't know about you, but meditating on God's glory fuels my desire to radiate that glory in the here and now.  This brings to mind an old Steve Green song, with which I'll close.  It is entitled We Have Seen God's Glory.  May these lyrics challenge your heart:

There they are again,
The witness of Jesus take their stand -
Twelve amazing men,
Their testimony spreads across their land.
Such a story told -
How can they believe
That God has walked upon the earth?
Could they be deceived?

But how their words persuade!
The truth is in their eyes!
And many hearts are won to faith
As they testify:

"We have seen God's glory!
We have lived and walked with Christ the King!
We have seen Him heal the wounded,
We have heard the brokenhearted sing.
We have seen God's glory!
We have seen Him dead and raised to life!
We will worship Him forever -
We have seen God's glory, Jesus Christ!"

Here we are again
The witnesses of Jesus take their stand
May it never end
Through us let God keep stretching out His hand
Reaching those who doubt
Touching those who cry
Lifting up the word of God
As we testify

Walking with our God
In such a living way
That when we share our faith in Him
We can truly say: 

"We have seen God's glory!
We have lived and walked with Christ the King!
We have seen Him heal the wounded,
We have heard the brokenhearted sing.
We have seen God's glory!
We have seen Him dead and raised to life!
We will worship Him forever -
We have seen God's glory, Jesus Christ!"

This Little Piggy Went ... Sideways

Yesterday morning I got a call from my wife Ruthie, who calmly said, "I hurt myself, and I think I might need to go to the hospital."  She proceeded to explain that she had been in a hurry, and while rushing to get into the shower, she slammed her littlest toe into my dresser.  (We had just rearranged the furniture in our bedroom last week, putting my dresser right next to the door to the bathroom.)  Well, I got home as soon as I could, and as soon as I looked at her piggy, I knew it had to be broken.  It was bent to the side and swollen, and it also had what looked like a "divot" in the middle of it.

We called a nurse in our church, who advised us to go get it treated.  So we made our way to the Urgent Care center in Bridgewater.  Praise the Lord, no other patients were in the waiting room, so Ruthie got right in.  The X-rays showed that she had suffered an evulsion fracture, which occurs when the ligament gets so badly strained, it pulls away from the bone, taking some bone chips with it.  This "forcible extraction,"or evulsion, is what causes the fracture.

Ruthie is now at home and in a fair amount of pain.  The doctor has instructed her to rest her foot and keep it elevated as much as possible for the next couple of days.  My wife is no wimp (her pain threshold is much higher than mine!), yet she is amazed at just how much her little toe hurts!  She is severely hampered by this injury!  Again, she's trying to rest her toe as much as possible, but when she does need to get up for whatever reason, she hobbles around like crazy!  Yesterday she said something to the effect of, "I never knew how much I depended on my little toe!"

This reminds me of what 1 Corinthians 12 says about the body of Christ, using the human body as a word picture:

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."  No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

- vv. 20-22 (emphasis mine)

Some church members have ministries that are less prominent and visible than other ministries.  Because this is the case, we may be inclined to think that they aren't all that significant or important.  But they are!  To lose them would have a crippling effect on the church.  Our ministry as a whole would be severely hampered were it not for these less-prominent members of our church body!  Indeed, the church is blessed and built up only as "every part does its share" (Eph. 4:16).  That's why the apostle Paul goes on to say, "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor" (1 Cor. 12:23).  May we be characterized by the same attitude!

How can we do this?  How about writing a note of encouragement to someone who ministers "behind the scenes."  Or next time you pass such a person, simply say, "Thanks for all you do for the Lord and His church.  You're a great blessing to our church body."  And certainly we should thank God for all who serve faithfully in whatever capacity.  Finally, each of us should ask himself or herself, "What am I doing to build up and bless the body of Christ?"   Be thankful for the gift(s) that God has given you, and exercise them faithfully to bring Him glory in His church!