The Evolution Debate

Each week Focus on the Family sends out a Pastor's Weekly Briefing filled with all sort of newsy tidbits.  There were a couple pertaining specifically to evolution that I found interesting:

• A new Zogby poll shows 78 percent of U.S. voters want both sides of the evolution debate brought up in the classroom - up nine points from a similar poll three years ago.  The poll, commissioned by the Discovery Institute, found both Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly support discussion for and against evolution.  "Many Darwinists are trying to paint supporters of academic freedom as some kind of crazy, fringe element.," said Candi Cushman, education analyst at Focus on the Family Action.  "The truth is, the majority of parents want their kids to examine all the scientific evidence, to engage in critical thinking and to have classrooms that are academically challenging - not controlled by political correctness.
• A Gallup poll released this week shows that 39 percent of Americans say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say they do not.  Another 36 percent don't have an opinion either way, CNN reported.  An earlier Gallup poll on this issue, that was conducted in May 2008, found that 44 percent believe God created human beings within the past 10,000 years.

Considering these statistics, it's amazing that the theory of evolution continues to be pushed so hard in the public school system and that creationism or the teaching of Intelligent Design is deemed to be not only religious but ridiculous.  Just recently, comedian Ben Stein backed out of giving the commencement address at the University of Vermont because of complaints about his view of evolution.  UVM President Daniel Fogel, who chose him based on a warm response that Stein got at an on-campus lecture last spring, says he was deluged with e-mail messages from people who find Stein's views of science offensive.  Incidentally, Stein responded by describing the brouhaha over his selection as commencement speaker as "laughable," calling the whole episode "pathetic."  In a phone call to the Free Press, Stein said that describing his views as "antithetical to scientific inquiry" was "a wildly unfair characterization."  Later in an e-mail Stein added, "I am far more pro-science than the Darwinists.  I want all scientific inquirty to happen - not just what the ruling clique calls science."

The suppression and criticism of creationism is not so much a scientific issue as it is a spiritual one.  Darwinism is but a modern manifestation of man's attempt to do away with God.  This is what lies at the heart of evolutionary teaching.  

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they 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.  Professing to be wise, they became fools. . . .

- Romans 1:18-22

Pray for Christian students and teachers who are subjected to criticism and secularism in the classroom.  Pray for their faith not to waver and to remember that God makes the wisdom of this world foolish and saves those who believe the "foolish" message of the cross (1 Cor. 1:18-21).  Pray, too, for those deluded by the lie of evolution, that they would come to a knowledge of the truth.

Stimulus Bill: Milestone or Millstone?

Just for kicks, I'm doing something a little different for this blog posting - something wild and dangerous.  I'm venturing into the political arena (dangerous enough), but more than that, I'm also getting a public opinion poll (more dangerous still).  It has to do with the stimulus package just approved by President Obama and (barely) both houses of Congress.

While catching up on the news, I came across a headline that read "Obama: Stimulus Bill 'Major Milestone' for Economic Recovery."  But when I first glanced at the headline, I thought it read "Obama: Stimulus Bill 'Major Millstone' for Economic Recovery."  Clearly, some see the stimulus bill as a major milestone, whereas others see it as a major millstone!  Without a doubt, the passage of this legislation was a major victory for President Obama.  The economic stimulus is a 787 billion-dollar package that Obama says will "put people back to work doing the work America needs done."  Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, who was a leading architect of the proposal, said that the stimulus package "will create millions of good-paying jobs and help families and business stay afloat financially."  Yet a virtually opposite prediction was voiced by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said, "A stimulus bill that was supposed to be timely, targeted and temporary is none of the above."

So there you have the contrasting opinions of the powers that be. What's your opinion?  

Cassel a Hot Commodity

Though the contract has yet to be formalized, word has it that quarterback Matt Cassel has accepted the Patriots' non-exclusive franchise tag and the one-year, $14.65 million that goes with it.  To put this into perspective, Cassel's new salary is the average of the top five highest-paid players at the QB position.  And of course it's a slight raise over the $520,000 he made last year ... and just a wee bit more than most of us made last year!

Basically the way the "franchise tag" works is that each NFL team can designate one player as its franchise player.  Typically this is a player of great skill and/or of great importance to the team that they don't want to lose when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.  By "tagging" him as their franchise player, the team can retain him while seeking talent through the NFL draft or other acquisitions without exceeding the NFL's salary cap.  

Having been designated a "non-exclusive franchise player," Cassel is free to negotiate with other teams.  If another team makes an offer, the Patriots have the right to match that offer.  If they don't and thus lose Cassel as a player, they are entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Regardless of how you feel about "franchise tags" or the incredible amount of money that professional athletes get paid, this whole scenario with Cassel presents us with some contrasting spiritual parallels worth considering.

We are bought with a price.

God's Word says that we, as believers in Christ Jesus, were "purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).  The apostle Peter reiterates this, saying that we were not redeemed "with corruptible things, like silver or gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19).  We tend to think that $14.65 million is a lot, but it's nothing compared to the infinite worth of Jesus' blood.

The price is not based on our performance.

Starting fifteen games in Brady's place, Cassel led the the Patriots to a 11-5 record.  He threw for 3,693 yards, a club record for a first-year starter, and 21 touchdowns while completing 63.4 percent of his passes.  This performance made Cassel a "hot commodity" in the NFL and a 14-million-dollar man.

Yet the price that was paid for us has nothing to do with our performance; rather, it has everything to do with Jesus' performance.  Scripture informs us that "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are mighty ... that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus. . ." (1 Cor. 1:27, 30).  Elsewhere Scripture reminds us, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).

So much for us being a hot commodity!  The price that was paid for us has nothing to do with our performance or how impressive we are in God's sight.  It has everything to do with God's love and grace toward unworthy sinners like you and me.  

Everyone on God's team is a "franchise player."

Each team in the NFL gets to designate one franchise player per year.  As was already stated, this is the player considered to be one of the most valuable or most important on the team.  But when it comes to God's team, the Church, every player is equally valuable and important.  Each one was purchased with Christ's blood.  God intends nobody to be a bench-warmer.  Everybody has a vital role to play.  The apostle Paul presses this home with the use of an analogy, comparing Christ's body (God's team) to the human body:

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  So it is with the body of Christ. . . .  Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?  Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?  But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  How strange a body would be if it had only one part!  Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you."  The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."

In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.  And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. . . .  So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.  This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. . . .

All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it.

1 Cor. 12:12, 14-25, 27  NLT

Furthermore, unlike Cassel, all the players on God's team are exclusive franchise players.  That is, we cannot negotiate or be bought by another team.  We belong to the Lord who has purchased us permanently and exclusively, forever and ever!

Matt Cassel is amazing.  But to be a Christian is even more amazing.

Waiting on the Lord

I just came back from a conversation where a Christian brother said these refreshing words:  "We're just going to wait on the Lord."  He was talking about a situation in which he and his wife could easily get alarmed, thrown into a frenzy, and start racing around trying to find a resolution.  But seeing the temptation for what it is, they are resisting the impulse of the flesh and listening to the voice of Truth.

I have no doubt that many of you have found yourself in a similar situation.  Perhaps you are in one right now - a circumstance that can throw you into a dither, get you all worried and worked up inside.  Yet in the midst of your inner storm, the voice of Truth whispers,

Be still and know that I am God . . .

Cast all your care on Me, for I care for you . . .

Trust in Me . . .

Commit your way to Me . . .

Delight yourself in Me . . .

Rest in Me, and wait patiently for Me . . .

Several months ago I posted a song that my cousin wrote with this theme in mind.  I think it is a good time to post it again.  I pray it will help you to wait on the Lord.

Keeping Phelps in Perspective

By now most everybody has heard of Michael Phelps "faux pas" (called such by Austin Murphy of Sports Illustrated), which came to light this past Sunday, when a British tabloid published a photo of him using a bong - a device used for smoking marijuana.  Phelps issued a prompt apology, saying, 

I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment.  I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me.  For this, I am sorry.  I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.

While not wanting to doubt this young man's sincerity, I'm not going to hold my breath regarding his promise that "it will not happen again." Why?  Because in 2004, when Phelps was 19 years old, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.  (He pleaded guilty and was ordered to serve 18 months probation, fined $250, plus had to speak to high school students regarding the dangers of alcohol, and he had to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting.)  When he was questioned about the incident by Matt Lauer on The Today Show, Phelps said this was an "isolated incident."  While smoking marijuana and driving under the influence are not exactly the same thing, they are both irresponsible and reckless acts of behavior.  Therefore, I won't be surprised if such a thing "will not happen again," despite Phelp's pledge to the contrary.

What's so interesting about this is that an athlete that is rigorous in his training for an athletic competition can be quite undisciplined in other areas of his life.  Yet the Scripture makes it clear that such a thing is possible.  Paul wrote to Timothy, "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Tim. 4:7b-8 ESV).

Michael Phelps has won 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian.  By the end of 2008 he held seven world records in swimming.  In 2008 Sports Illustrated magazine honored him with the "Sportsman of the Year" award.  These are remarkable achievements, to be sure.  But they will go no further than this life.  Not to be morbid, but eventually they will rust ... and the body of Michael Phelps will rot.  Bodily discipline is important, and tremendously beneficial, but its contributions to our well-being are temporary.  The bodies of the world's best athletes will eventually return to dust.  

As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field so he flourishes.

When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,

And its place acknowledges it no longer.

But the lovingkindness of the LORD

Is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him

And His righteousness to children's children,

To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts to do them.

- Psalm 103:15-18

However beneficial and rewarding bodily exercise may be, it cannot compare to the eternal worth and value of living to God's glory.  Is God impressed with Olympic gold medals?  No, but He is pleased and delights in each life lived to His glory.  My point here is not to criticize or sit in judgment over young Michael Phelps.  Here is a young man who is beset with more temptations and opportunities to sin than we realize.  He needs the Lord!  Furthermore, his discipline when it comes to physical training serves as a wonderful model of the kind of commitment we should have when it comes to training ourselves for godliness.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's okay to love sports and to admire accomplished athletes.  But in light of eternity, do they matter all that much?  One hundred years from now, will it really matter who won the Super Bowl or the World Series?  Yet how easy it is for us to get caught up in sports fanaticism and to idolize sports heroes.  "The best of men are men at best."  The only real Hero who will never disappoint us is Jesus Christ.  God accepts sinners like us and Michael Phelps because of what Jesus accomplished, not because of what we have accomplished.

The Meek Shall Inherit ... a Massage?

Last evening my wife and I grabbed a bite to eat then went to the mall to hang out for awhile.  We had no intention of buying anything; we pretty much went just to stretch our legs and get a change of scenery.

As we made our way through the mall, we came to one store that is well-known for its creative gadgets.  While browsing through the store, we got separated, and I looked around to see where Ruthie was.  I couldn't see her at first, but then I saw her waving to me from the back of the store.  She was sitting down in what looked like a recliner with her back to me.  When I got to her, she said, "Oh, honey, you've got to try this."  It was a chair with an electronic foot & calf massager.  So I took off my shoes, slipped my feet into place, and started her up.  Man, oh, man, did it ever feel good!  In the meantime Ruthie was in another chair with a different type of foot massager.  So after a few minutes I slipped into that chair, while Ruthie went to the next one.  (There were four of them.)  Finally, after all that, we found off to the side full body massage chairs.  These gave deep rubs all the way from your neck to your feet.  Wow, what a feeling!  We could have stayed all night but were only there about twenty minutes or so.

When we left the mall, one of us remarked, "That wasn't a bad way to spend a date - getting a free massage at the mall!"  We hadn't spent a penny!  Those massage chairs were hundreds of dollars, yet we were able to enjoy them for free!

This reminded me of a study on the Beatitudes that I did years ago, specifically when Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5).  Before focusing on the second half of the verse, I think it's important to understand what is meant by "meek."  It has often been rightly said that meekness is not weakness. This is made clear in the New Testament Greek word translated "meek."  The Greek word is praus, a term that was used of animals to designate those that had been domesticated.  These animals were high-spirited, yet they were "broken in," having learned to accept control by their masters and to behave accordingly.  By extension, the word came to refer to people who behaved properly.  The closest equivalent in English is the word "gentle," or the compound word "gentleman."  ("Gentle" is the word that appears in the New American Standard translation of Matthew 5:5.)

Jesus said that the meek are the ones who are blessed, "for they shall inherit the earth."  What did Jesus mean by this?  Well, if you read your Bible, you'll see that there is definitely a future fulfillment of this promise.  The meek will inherit the earth quite literally, when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, sets up His earthly kingdom.  This is clearly indicated in the Old Testament text from which Jesus was quoting: Psalm 37 (look especially at verses 1-7, 10-11 and compare to Revelation 5:10).

But there is also a present fulfillment of this promise.  There is a sense in which the meek shall inherit the earth now.  Since the meek person looks to God for his sustenance, he is content, for he knows that God has given him "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17).  After all, there are two ways to be rich in life: to have everything you want, or to be content with what you have.  The latter is the only true wealth there is, when such contentment is rooted in Christ.  Paul told Timothy, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6).  Paul really believed this himself and lived accordingly.  Though he owned very little, he spoke of himself - and every believer - as "possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6:10).  To the contentious Corinthians he wrote,

So then let no one boast in men.  For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

- 1 Cor. 3:21-23, emphasis mine

With such a perspective, I can go into the mall and enjoy a nice massage!  I can go to the park, visit a museum, lie down under a big old oak tree and gaze up at the sky - and I can know that these things are mine as much as anyone else's.  And I can thank God for all the people who maintain these things for me!  :)

Admittedly, to a certain extent these last few remarks were made a bit tongue-in-cheek.  But it is true that today we get a taste of what one day will be true in its entirety:  "The saints shall judge the world" (1 Cor. 6:2).  We who have believed on the Messiah as our Deliverer will one day reign with him (2 Tim. 2:12a).  As Christians, we are God's heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.  Though we experience a measure of sorrow and suffering now, we get a glimpse in the everyday pleasures of life of the future glory that is ours.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

- Rev. 22:20 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

As I sit here working at my desk, the snow is piled up outside my window and is now getting dotted and glazed by the falling rain and sleet.  I am watching the weather with all the more fascination (and perhaps appreciation) after reading in the book of Job early this morning.  You see, I'm reading through The One Year Chronological Bible, which has daily readings throughout the course of the year.  After reading today's section, I went ahead and read tomorrow's, because it was part of a continuing conversation between Job and Elihu (one of his friends).  I'm so glad I did, and you'll see why, once you read this portion of the text:

God's voice is glorious in the thunder.  We can't even imagine the greatness of His power.

He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.

Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power.

The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens.

The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.

God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.

He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.

The clouds church about at his direction.

They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.

He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.

Pay attention to this.... Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?...

We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us....  

All who are wise and show Him reverence.

Job 37:5-16, 23-24 NLT

The snow, the sleet, the rain, the storms, the thunder, the lightning - they all speak of God's power ... and of His pardon.  (Look again at the last few lines!)  God takes up quite a chunk of Scripture talking about His sovereign control over all the weather.  Why is that?  Well, consider this:  If God can control the weather, directing this lightning bolt here, moving these clouds over there, causing the rain to fall here but not there, etc., then is there anything else in this world that He cannot control?  Of course not!  If God controls the weather, then it's nothing for Him to control the economy, the powers of government, and the daily situations that we face.

What a comfort this brings!  What amazement!  What a sense of security God's sovereignty brings!  And to know that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called by Him (Rom. 8:28) ought to produce an indescribable exhilaration in our souls!

Surely this is one good reason why Christians should never complain about the weather.  Actually, the Bible says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing" (Phil. 2:14, italics mine).  But this ought to be especially true when it comes to the weather, because of what Scripture tells us what the weather is intended to convey:  God's power to judge or to show love.  And let's face it, more often than not it is to show His love.  "For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45).

Recently my wife told me how amazed she was at just how many people complain about the weather.  Everywhere she went - the bank, the grocery store, or wherever else - negative comments and complaints were made about the weather.  I know I've been guilty of such comments myself at times.  But the portion of Scripture I read this morning reminds me in a powerful way that I shouldn't complain; rather, I should give thanks.  I should revere God because of His power, and I should rejoice in God because of His pardon.

So watch the weather - and worship the God who controls it.  All of it!

A Thank-You Note to President Bush

As our nation's 43rd President prepares to leave office this day, I would like to write him the following note of thanks.  I doubt he will ever read it, but I'd like to write it, just the same.

Dear President Bush,

From the time you took office eight years ago, your administration has faced one battle after another.  Did you ever really have a "honeymoon period" as President?  The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, pretty much set your agenda for two full terms:  protect America whatever the cost.  That is, essentially, your primary responsibility as our Commander-in-Chief.  With that in mind, I would like to thank you for several things:

Thank you for sticking by your convictions.  Whether it had to do with the war on terror, pro-life legislation, or other issues, you didn't waver under pressure.  That's not to say that I agreed with every decision you made, but I respected you for being a man of principle and letting the principle - not public opinion - determine your course of action.

Thank you for being a devoted husband.  To see a President who has eyes for one woman only - his wife - sets a good moral example for America.  On a side note, I also appreciate the manner in which Mrs. Bush respected and supported you as her husband.  From everything I've seen, Mrs. Bush has been a wonderful complement to you in every way.  God bless you both.

Thank you for being a man of integrity.  Not only did you stick by your convictions when it came to making decisions, but you also preserved your character and reputation by avoiding scandal.  You seem to have maintained a high level of personal morality throughout your time in office.  Yet many a president's tenure has been tarnished by moral impropriety, questionable conduct, and unethical behavior.  Thank you for preserving the dignity of the Office of the President of the United States and for setting a good moral example for the American people.

Thank you for not taking yourself too seriously.  Though you were dead-earnest about matters pertaining to our nation's security and well-being, combatting terrorism, cracking down on corporate scandals, defending the life of the unborn, and the like, you had no problem enjoying a good laugh ... at yourself.  That was always a breath of fresh air and made you very likable, at least to me.  I think it reflected a spirit of humility and, in an odd sort of way, upheld your dignity.  You showed people that the hills to die on weren't about you, but about the higher ideals which you were called to defend as an authority appointed by God for our good as a nation.  By laughing at the little things, you endeared yourself to me and my family.

Much more could be said and really should be said by someone much more qualified than I to write such a note of gratitude to such a deserving man.  But I write as a common man to a man of uncommon valor, for whom I will always be grateful.  May our gracious and sovereign God continue to bless you and your dear family in your post-presidential years.

With heartfelt respect and appreciation,

Matt Fletcher 

"Miracle on the Hudson"

That's what New York Governor David Paterson called the landing of the USAirways jet that crashed into the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey yesterday.  It seems that the emergency landing was caused by a massive flock of birds (big enough to be seen on radar) crashed into the jet less than one minute after take-off, killing both engines.  Thankfully, all 155 people on board survived. The pilot of the plane, Chesley B. Sullenburger III, is being hailed a hero for his deft landing of the plane in the frigid waters of the Hudson.

Because I hadn't tuned into the news, I first heard about this incident early this morning while meeting with one of our church members. We had been discussing God's providence, as part of a theological book study we are undertaking, and my friend mentioned this jet crash as a good example of God's providence.  As Wayne Grudem notes, 

... The biblical doctrine [of God's providence] does not teach that events in creation are determined by chance (or randomness), nor are they determined by impersonal fate (or determinism), but by God, who is the personal yet infinitely powerful Creator and Lord.

- Systematic Theology, p. 315

One component of the doctrine of God's providence is concurrence, that "God cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do" (Systematic Theology, p. 317).  This we see vividly demonstrated in the apparent cause of yesterday's crash, i.e., a flock of birds flying striking the jet.  In teaching His disciples about God's providence, Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air" (Matt. 6:26a).  What can we learn about God's providence from birds?  Jesus said, "Your heavenly Father feeds them" (Matt. 6:26b).  Later He said that not one sparrow "will fall to the ground without your Father's will" (Matt. 10:29).  Think about that!  If not one sparrow can fall to the ground apart from God's will, then surely a whole flock of birds can't crash into a plane without His ordaining it!

But, wait.  There's even more wonder at God's providence that can be drawn from yesterday's story.  In reporting this incident during a news broadcast, here's what FOXNews' Shepard Smith had to say:

We are told that the water in the Hudson River is at exactly at 32 degrees.  In fact, if you go north of the city ... a hundred city blocks, ... the river is closed to the ferries due to the ice in the water.  And now we are led to believe that this very cold water ... is part of what allowed this thing to skid rather than tumble, and a tumble could have been catastrophic.

At the same time, near-freezing temperature of the water made it cold enough to keep the plane afloat as the passengers and flight crew made their way to safety.  Job 37:10 declares, "The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen."  Even what we consider to be "natural occurrences" in creation are, in the ultimate sense, caused by God.

We could go on to demonstrate many more examples of God's providence from this single incident.  Yet the fact is, there are tokens of God's sovereignty over all creation every day at every moment, everywhere we turn our heads.  What a great security this gives us as God's children, for "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).  Even tragedies in life, for the believer, have a good and noble end.  Therefore we can be strong and courageous, knowing that our all-powerful God is accomplishing His eternal purpose in the everyday incidents of life, whether big or small, whether ordinary or extraordinary.  Rejoice in that.  Take refuge in that.  And urge others to do the same.

One Small Leak, One Big Mess

A couple of Saturdays ago, I walked across the street to the church to finish my sermon for the following day.  Upon making my way into the building, I discovered that the hallway from the lobby up to my office was flooded with water.  At first I thought a pipe had burst, but the walls were dry.  Then I noticed that the water fountain was dribbling, almost imperceptibly.  Apparently the drain had been clogged and the faucet had gotten stuck before turning fully off.

It was hard to believe that such a small trickle of water had created such a massive amount of water on the floor.  The faucet must have been on throughout the previous evening and all through the night.  Though people had been in the building (the cleaning crew was there around midnight), no one noticed the dribble, because it had not yet filled the drain pipe and overflowed while they were there.  But eventually it did after they left, and by the time I came in the next morning, the damage had been done.

In fact, the damage was worse than I thought.  When I opened my office door, which is located right next to the water fountain, I discovered that the water had seeped five or six feet into my office area and had completely flooded the carpet.  When I stepped on to the flooded carpet area, the water rose almost halfway up my shoe.  

I took almost an hour to mop up the water in the hallway, then my wife came over with our shampooer to dry-vac my office.  We got as much water out as we could, but it seemed to do little good.  The next day when I came into my office, it had a rotten, mildewy kind of smell.  I left my door open and blew a fan on it all that day ... and the next day.  But it still reeked.  A gentleman in our church who lays carpets for a living came in and assessed the damage, saying that the padding and carpet were wrecked and could not be saved.  The stain couldn't be removed, and the rotten smell would remain:  the carpet and padding had to be replaced.

One little leak, yet such a big mess!  Isn't this the case with the careless words we utter?  One tidbit of gossip here, one little critical remark there ... and yet what damage it can do!  Listen to the testimony of Scripture:

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.  

The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, 

setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

(James 3:5b-6 ESV)

Whereas I used the word picture of water, James uses the metaphor of fire to depict the destructive power of the tongue.  In essence he says that those who misuse the tongue are guilty of spiritual arson!  Remember that old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?"  Well, that's about as false as false can get, according to Scripture.  The tongue has caused more damage and wrecked more lives than all the sticks and stones one could ever hurl at another person.  As I was reminded by the leaking water fountain, a little dribble can cause a lot of damage.  

While meditating on the use of the mouth, I went to BibleGateway.com  and typed into the word search "my mouth."  I came to find out that the Bible has a lot to say about my mouth, and how it ought - and how it ought not - to be used!  You should check out all these verses; they are highly instructive!  One such verse was uttered by David - one we should all pray:  

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; 

Keep watch over the door of my lips.

(Psalm 141:3 NIV)

On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone.  The quaint stone bears an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look closely.  The faint etchings read:

Beneath this stone, a lump of clay,

lies Arabella Young,

who on the twenty-fourth of May

began to hold her tongue.

Don't wait till you're dead to stop the leak.  Start today, with the Lord's help!

I'm Bummed, But Why?

Have you ever felt down, discouraged or depressed, while not being exactly sure why?  Yesterday I read an article by John Piper that a church member sent me, which helped to explain this.  It's not the catch-all answer, but it's worth consideration, because it's a factor that might affect our moods more than we realize.  I'm talking about our values.  Here's the gist of the argument:

• Every person has desires.
• We may define a person's values as that which he desires.
• Our happiness varies in direct proportion to the achievement or realization of our greatest values.
  

For instance, if you value the admiration of others, you may be devastated by their criticisms, yet elated by their commendations.  If you value courtesy and gentleness but find yourself being mean or harsh toward others, you will feel guilty and unhappy.  If you prize physical beauty, yet perceive ugliness when you look in the mirror, then you will be sad, mad, or frustrated.

Inevitably, the issue of what we value goes straight to the heart of self-image.   To state the matter succinctly in the writer's own words, "How you feel when you look at your life will be determined by whether you see it as a true reflection of your values."  If I value industry, I'll feel bad when I'm being lazy, but I'll feel good when I'm working hard and being productive.

Several more examples could be given, but by now most of you catch the drift of what Piper is saying.  But I want to focus primarily on one love, one desire that encompasses every other value that is intrinsically good and wholesome, and that is love for God.  Jesus identified loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind as "the first and great commandment" (Matt. 22:38).  If this is true, then everything that Jesus loves, I will love. Everything that Jesus hates, I will hate.  Everything that results in Jesus' being mad, glad, or sad will result in my being mad, glad, or sad.

Let me share a very personal (and painful) illustration with you.  The other night after the kids went to bed, my wife and I sat down to watch a movie that we had seen more than a decade ago.  On the DVD cover we saw that this movie was characterized by "pervasive language."  We didn't remember language being an issue when we watched the movie years ago; plus, we have TV Guardian, a "foul language filter" that automatically mutes out offensive language when it surfaces during a movie.

The problem is, we couldn't get the TV Guardian to work with this particular movie.  But we decided to watch it anyway, since we didn't remember language being an issue.  Well, the movie proved our memories wrong.  Language was an issue.  Vulgar words and profanities were peppered throughout the movie.  I remember thinking to myself when we were less than thirty minutes into it, "Turn it off.  It's not worth it.  Just turn it off and go to bed.  You'll be glad you did."  That was my conscience speaking ... but I ignored it and kept watching.

We watched the whole movie, and afterwards we both felt very guilty.  We knew better than to keep subjecting our ears to such foul language, but we did it anyway.  As we got ready for bed, we acknowledged our guilt before one another and then before God.  We prayed to the Lord, confessing our sin and asking His forgiveness.  We thanked God for His tender mercies and long-suffering with us.  Before His throne of grace, we renewed our resolve to do that which is well-pleasing to Him.

As we worked our way through our guilt, confession, repentance and renewal, we became very cognizant of something - and this is where our experience ties in to the whole concept of values.  We were amazed that we didn't remember how bad the language was the first time we saw the movie, given how guilty and heartsick we felt at the present.  It was then, in the midst of our guilt, that we saw God's work of grace in our lives.  The fact is, we didn't remember language being an issue back then because it really wasn't an issue back then - at least so far as our own hearts were concerned.  Our heightened sensitivity to such language was all owing to the grace of God in our lives.  Over these many years, God has been continuing His work of sanctification in our hearts.  We love Christ more now than we did back then.  We desire His glory more now than we did back then.  We exalt His name more now than we did back then.

In other words, our failure to uphold our values resulted in our feeling guilty and grieved.  That's why, at other times, we have felt so good in talking about the Lord, praying together, or turning off an inappropriate movie or TV show.  For in such cases, our conduct is consistent with our values.

This accounts for Paul's statement in 2 Cor. 5:14, "For the love of Christ controls us," as well as his lament in Romans 7: "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate....  Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (vv. 15, 24, 25a).  A war rages in the heart of every believer - a war between his values and his vices, which stem from the Spirit and the flesh, respectively.  That's why it's so important that we let the love of Christ control us, for if we "walk in the Spirit, [we] shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).

The critical question each of us should answer is:  What do you value?  Our guilt after the movie, despite how awful it was, also evidenced our love for Christ.  The reason we feel so miserable when we sin is because we prize our Savior so highly.  What about you?  

• If you value possessions more than Christ, you will lay up treasures on earth instead of heaven.
• If you value the love of your spouse more than the love of Christ, you will be more interested in what you are getting out of your marriage relationship than what you are giving to it.
• If you value the affirmation of others more than that of Christ, you will be given to flattery and hypocrisy, and you will certainly be a poor witness for Christ.
• If you value "body image" over Christ, you will care more about how you look on the outside before others instead of what you look on the inside before God.

ON THE OTHER HAND . . .

• If you value Christ more than possessions, you will be a generous, cheerful giver.
• If you value Christ more than your spouse, you will love your husband or wife unconditionally, demanding nothing in return.
• If you value Christ more than the admiration of others, you will speak the truth in love at all times, regardless of people's response.
• If you value Christ more than your physique, you will focus more on sculpting your character than your body.

May the love of Christ so control us, that we experience the perpetual joy of having Him as our preeminent Value and supreme Desire.

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

- Psalm 73:25, 26

How to Survive Your Pastor's Sermons

This was the title of a free sample booklet I received in the mail some time ago.  While I do not know the author personally, I have found his booklets to be very biblical, practical, and well-written.  The author is Dr. Robert Spinney, who serves as Assistant Professor of History at Patrick Henry College.  Formerly, Dr. Spinney served as one of the pastors at Grace Baptist Church in Hartsville, Tennessee.  The full title of Dr. Spinney's booklet is HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR PASTOR'S SERMONS:  Six Ways to Make Pulpit Messages More Profitable to Your Soul.

In light of last Sunday's sermon on Nehemiah 8, wherein we observed the people's high regard for Scripture, I found this booklet to be wonderfully beneficial.  It is a quick read (24 pages) and costs only two and a half bucks.  You can order it and other such helpful booklets at www.tulipbooks.com.

For the sake of today's blog, I wanted to highlight Dr. Spinney's first piece of advice in "surviving your pastor's sermon," which is:  Listen to the weekly Sunday sermon as if your life depended on it.  I found this bit of counsel quite interesting, given one of the cross-references to yesterday's text.  Here it is again:

Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, and he said to them, "Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe - all the words of this law.  For it is not a futile thing for you, for it is your life. . . .

- Deut. 32:45-47a (emphasis mine)

While Dr. Spinney does not quote this text, he presses home its principle quite clearly with the following illustration:

Imagine that you are a passenger on an airplane.  You are cruising along at 30,000 feet when you hear explosions.  You look out the window and see three of your airplane's four engines in flames.  The plane noses downward and begins a dive toward the earth.  The plane's captain comes across the intercom:  "Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that we have lost our engines.  We cannot land safely.  This plane will crash to earth in fifteen minutes.  The good news is that there are parachutes located over your seats in the storage compartments.  We all have time to parachute to safety.  Listen carefully and I will explain how to use the parachute."

If you found yourself in such a situation, my guess is that the pilot would have your full and undivided attention!  Why?  Because your life depends on it!  You would be all ears as he voiced his instructions!  Says Spinney,

If someone's words are truly important, you will find a way to listen to them, understand them, and apply them.

Even if the airplane pilot is a tad boring, excessively serious, somewhat disorganized, or not a gifted speaker, you will find a way to comprehend his instructions - if indeed you regard his words as vitally important.

How important is it to you that you understand and apply God's Word?  Do you really believe that you need God's Word in order to live successfully?  Is understanding what God says a matter of life or death for you?  Is hearing God speak in His Word on the Lord's Day the highlight of your week?

The Lord Jesus Christ said that man does not live by bread alone, but rather on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4)....

If God's words are truly important to us, then we will find a way to listen to them, understand them, and apply them.

Such earnestness clearly characterized the citizens of Jerusalem on that day that they "assembled as one man" to hear the Word of God.  May such zeal resonate within our own hearts as we come together as a church body to hear the Word of God each Lord's Day.

Jesus: The Logos, or Just Another Logo?

The cover of this month's edition of Christianity Today features a well-written article by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson entitled Marketing Jesus: How to evangelize without turning God into a brand.  I've done quite a bit of reading on this topic over the years, so I was curious as to what the author had to say, especially since I was unfamiliar with him.  Upon turning to the article itself, I saw that it bore a more direct and provocative caption -  JESUS IS NOT A BRAND.  

I couldn't help but smile.  I knew where this guy was going before ever reading his article ... and I liked it.

The gist of Tyler's article (and that of his book, I'm sure) is that though we live in a market-driven culture, in which "organizations identify and shape the wants of target consumers and then try to satisfy those consumers better than competitors do," the truth is that "evangelism and sales are not the same."  There is a categorical difference between the Truth of God and a "truth" you can sell.  To substantiate his point, Tyler exposes four key conflicts between a consumerist mindset and the Christian life.  I'll piece together several of Tyler's own statements so that you can understand the essence of what he's saying:

1.  "I am what I buy" vs. the lordship of Christ.

In a consumerist society, my identity comes from what I consume.  The main focus of a consumerist society is me. . . .

Spiritual consumers, therefore, will approach the church with the same narcissism they bring to other brands.  What am I expressing about myself if I buy Brand Jesus?  How will Christianity fulfill my vision for me?

The theological implication: I belong to myself.  I am my own project, my own product to do with as I will.  This is an enacted rejection of the honor due God as Creator. . . .

The danger is that the church will subtly contort the gospel into mere personal fulfillment.  Preaching and evangelism that focus on the benefits of becoming a Christian present a message not fundamentally different from commercial advertising about the existential benefits of this car or that soap.

This attitude inhibits the disciple's growth into living a God-centered, neighbor-focused life.  Yes, the Christian life brings fulfillment beyond imagination.  But such fulfillment will be strangely elusive if it is your main priority as a Christian.  Indeed, it comes only when we seek God instead of ourselves.

2.  Discontent vs. the sufficiency of Christ.

Perversely, though consumerism promises personal fulfillment, the economic cycle depends entirely on continual discontent. . . .  Consumer discontent also carries twin spiritual pitfalls.  First, our perpetual quest for comfort and happiness-inducing products actually kills any chance of satisfying our wants.  The pleasure of purchasing a new product will last a short while.  then it wears off, and we hanker for something new.

Second - in a perverse corollary - we can't handle discomfort any better.  We seek new products at the first hint of irritation. . . .

Of course, having all of our needs met at all times is the precise opposite of what a disciple should expect.  Paul expresses an indifference to circumstance that is born of spiritual maturity:  "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:11b-13).

Consumerist habits drive us in an endless and endlessly dissatisfying quest for new and different things.  But discipleship, pursued in Christian community, is about becoming satisfied with just one thing: the Lord who gives us strength.

3.  Brand relativism vs. the supremacy of Christ.

A good marketer seeks to create the sorts of people who identify so strongly with a certain brand ... that another form of consumption is unimaginable.  

One logo might do a better job of capturing hearts and minds; products might have competing technical merits.  But to declare the inherent superiority of one brand over another is as ridiculous as saying that Bostonians are better than Chicagoans.  By what standards? 

The consumer who buys our marketing may well make Jesus his or her chosen brand, and the resulting zeal will look like passionate faith.  Appearances deceive.  Genuinely passionate faith is rooted in recognizing who Christ actually is.  Brand zealotry, by contrast, is self-centered, because the supposed superiority of one brand over another depends on the brand devotee's enthusiasm.  The zeal of the endorsement masks the inherent arbitrariness of the choice.

But the choice for Christ is not arbitrary.  If a disgruntled Chevy man switches to Ford, Chevy loses and Ford gains; if we desert Christ in favor of another god, he is not diminished.  Brand superiority is in the mind of the consumer, but Christ's divinity and worth are his own, regardless of what we think of him.

Spiritual shoppers have no reason to think that Christianity is anything but one option among many.  But the life of a holy church is a powerful witness to the contrary - perhaps most evidently in our celebration of the Lord's Supper, when we remember that the one we consume has already consumed us.  The church reveals the supremacy of Christ in a world that denies his power when - crediting it all to God - we love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable, reconcile seemingly intractable hatreds and rejoice even in sorrow, persevere in hardship and serve to the point of sacrifice, and baptize and teach instead of consume and discard.

4.  Fragmentation vs. unity in Christ.

The key to successful marketing is niche segmentation: dividing a population into identifiable groups who behave in predictable ways based on consumer preferences. . . .  Because niche segmentation enables marketers to target their messages to narrower audiences, it is reflected in advertising.  Moreover, it has allowed us to live lives that are increasingly tailor-made to suit our personal preferences.

We must therefore be concerned about market segmentation infiltrating the church.  It has resulted in two unacceptable outcomes:  utterly homogenous churches representing consumer-based "clusters," and homogenous groupings within larger churches.  

Both divide us along racial, socioeconomic, and age- and gender-based lines, each of which predicts consumer behavior.  This is certainly a "pattern of this world" (Rom. 12:2). . . .   If we treat the gospel like a commodity, can we fault nonbelievers for thinking that the cross is just another logo?

Spiritual consumers will come to Christianity as do window shoppers at a mall, wanting a spirituality tailor-made to their preferences.  They will want this because consumption is the only salvation they have ever known.  They will bring all of their riches and perversely be unable to conceive of grace because they cannot imagine a thing that cannot be bought.

The question for us in our time is whether seekers will find the world-transforming body of the Lord, formed by the Spirit - whether, expecting something new to buy, they will instead be surprised by God.

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson has raised some excellent points, from both an analytical and an applicational standpoint.  His propositions resonate quite well with something pastor-teacher John MacArthur wrote several years ago in his book, Ashamed of the Gospel:  "The Great Commission is not a marketing manifesto.  Evangelism does not require salesmen, but prophets.  It is the Word of God, not any earthly enticement, that plants the seed for the new birth (1 Peter 1:23).  We gain nothing but God's displeasure if we seek to remove the offense of the cross (cf. Gal. 5:11)."

The problem with the market-driven approach to evangelism is that it is man-centered, not God-centered.  It focuses on what people want, rather than what God demands.  It views the church as something that exists to entertain and gratify the crowd rather than to exalt and glorify Christ.

My purpose in raising this issue is not to look down my long, self-righteous nose to those who don't do evangelism the way that I do.  Quite frankly, I need to be a better witness than I am, and I thank God for my Christian brethren who are zealously seeking to win others to Christ.  What concerns me isn't so much their motives but rather their methods.  We don't need clever methods to win people to Christ (1 Cor. 1:21); all we need is the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).  As we plant the seed of the gospel, watering it with our prayers, we can be sure that the soil that God has prepared will bear fruit for His glory and that our Lord will add to His church day by day those who are being saved (Acts 2:47).

Worshiping with Your Children

Our Christmas Eve service, like our Thanksgiving Eve service, is one of the few times during the year when we don't offer nursery or childcare.  The reason is primarily two-fold:  (1) Everyone likes to participate with their family in the service, so they don't want to do "nursery duty"; (2) The parents want their children with them (usually!), so they can enjoy the service together.

Question:  How come this isn't the case every Sunday?  Don't get me wrong, just hear me out.  Believe me, I can only begin to imagine the tremendous challenges that a lack of childcare would create.  In fact, what prompted this blog posting was my own apprehensions about trying to preach a devotional at the Christmas Eve service with a sanctuary teeming with children torked up for Christmas!  I'm simply trying to think through this issue and am asking you to think through it with me.

Let's go back to the issues raised in paragraph one.  We don't have nursery or children's church at our Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve services, because these are deemed to be "special family times" in God's presence.  So my question is, why wouldn't that be the case each Sunday as we gather together in God's presence for corporate worship?  Shouldn't that be a "special family time" in God's presence?

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to Nick Jones, our Assistant Pastor of Student Ministries.  He mentioned that Noel Piper (wife of prolific author and pastor John Piper) had written on this subject in her book, Treasuring God in Our Traditions.  Nick let me borrow the book, and I enjoyed reading the appendix, which addresses this topic of families worshiping together in the same service on Sunday mornings.  

The first part of this section is written by John Piper, who presents his thoughts on worship.  Essentially, he believes that parents should keep their kids in the main service with them rather than send them off to "children's church."  He shares several reasons why he feels this way, and I have summarized them below, using my own headings:

1.  The Solidarity of Families

John writes, "Worshiping together counters the contemporary fragmentation of families.  Hectic American life leaves little time for significant togetherness."  Wouldn't you agree?  I sure do.  We have five kids that get pulled every which way through school (our kids attend three different institutions), church ministries, sports and other extra-curricular activities.  We treasure the times we get to spend together as a whole family.  Isn't worshiping God together one of the times that we ought to treasure the most?

2.  The Spirit of Worship

Read Scripture, and you will see throughout the Old and New Testaments that parents bear the primary responsibility for teaching their children how to worship.  Certainly in some aspects, worship is better caught then taught.  What a great thing it is for kids to see their parents bow their heads in reverent prayer, sing with joy to the Lord, listen attentively to the preaching of God's Word.  As Piper says, "The cumulative effect of 650 worship services spent with Mom and Dad between the ages of four and seventeen is incalculable."

3.  The Submission of Children

Sitting still for 60-90 minutes in a worship service is not unreasonable for a normal, healthy school-age child IF he/she has been properly disciplined to do so by his/her parents.  After all, teaching our children obedience and submission to authority is one of our primary objectives as parents during their early formative years.  Beyond the worship service itself is the broader principle of raising our children to be "submissive and respectful in every way" (1 Timothy 3:4 RSV).

4.  The Sense of Awe

In our worship services here at First Baptist, we seek to present and maintain a high view of God.  While we recognize our Lord's immanence (He is with us), we also acknowledge His transcendence (He is above and beyond us).  "A deep moving of the magnificence of God" is more likely to be experienced in the corporate worship service than in children's church.  

It is true that some aspects of the service or sermon will be over our children's heads.  But they will absorb more than we think they will.  "For example," says Piper, "to learn a new language you can go step by step from alphabet to vocabulary to grammar to syntax.  Or you can take a course where you dive in over your head, and all you hear is the language you don't know.  Most language teachers would agree hat the latter is by far the most effective."  (This is the reason that Bo and Michele Columbine, our missionary appointees to Senegal, are headed for a year of language school in France before heading to the field in Senegal.)  Similarly, argues Piper, "Sunday worship is not useless to children just because much of it goes over their heads.  They can and will grow into this new language faster than we think - if positive and happy attitudes are fostered by the parents."

Having read some of the reasons for having children accompany their parents to the corporate worship service, let us now consider some practical suggestions for training our children to worship with us.  The following is a summary of Noel Piper's suggestions (which, according to my calculations, she wrote while still in her thirties and mothering three children).  Again, the following is a summary of Noel's suggestions, yet under my own headings:

1. Begin in the home.

Noel writes, "We discovered that the very earliest 'school' for worship is in the home - when we help a baby be quiet for just a moment while we ask God's blessing on our meal; when a toddler is sitting still to listen to a Bible storybook; when a child is learning to pay attention to God's Word and to pray during family devotional times."  If you think about it, family worship is corporate worship in a smaller context.  It's been said that "charity begins at home"; doesn't corporate worship as well?

2. Prepare throughout the week.

Certainly one way in which we as parents prepare our children for the Sunday morning service is to have our own "mini-services" (i.e. family devotions) throughout the week, as noted above.  But beyond that, Noel offers some other helpful suggestions:

• Help your child become acquainted with your pastor.  Let them shake hands with him at the door and be greeted by him.
• Talk about who the worship leaders are; call them by name.
• Suggest that your children's Sunday School teacher invite the pastor to spend a few minutes with the children if your church's Sunday morning schedule allows for that.
• If you know the sermon text for the upcoming Sunday service, read it with your children several times in advance.  A little one's face really lights up when he hears familiar words from the pulpit.
• Talk about what is "special" this week:  a friend singing, a missionary guest that you have been praying for, the welcoming of new members into the church family, etc.

3. Assist during the service.

In addition to preparing our children throughout the week for the corporate worship service, there are things that we as parents can do during the service itself to help our children to worship God with His people the way that they ought:

• Provided there are enough copies, let your child have his or her own bulletin.  This helps your child to feel like a welcomed participant right from the very start of the service.
  
• Encourage your children to take notes.  Don't just let them randomly doodle, but draw a picture relative to the sermon or even to take notes, if they are old enough to do so.
• Have your children sit or stand or close their eyes when the service calls for it.
• Make sure they sit up straight and still - not lounging or fidgeting or crawling around, but respectful toward God and the other worshipers nearby.
• Look toward the worship leaders up front.  No people-gazing or clock-watching.
• Create an environment in your pew that makes worship easier.  Sit between children that are tempted to talk.  Sit near the front of the sanctuary.  Let your child place the offering envelope in the plate as it is passed.  When your children are old enough, encourage them to put in their own offering (from their allowance, gift money, etc.).  Share a Bible or songbook with them.

4.  Follow up after the service.

Noel writes, "When the service has ended, my first words are praise to the child who has behaved well.  In addition to the praise, I might also mention one or two things that we both hope will be better next time.

"But what if there has been disregard of our established expectations and attempt to behave?  The first thing that happens following the service is a silent and immediate trip to the most private place we can find.  Then the deserved words are spoken and consequences administered or promised."

Conclusion

Sunday services provide excellent opportunities on a weekly basis for families to worship God together in the broader context of the church community.  My own parents raised their children in this fashion, and we are all the better off for it.  Granted, there are some logistical hurdles to jump, and certain families will face some unusual challenges that warrant special care and attention.  But I hope that today's posting will generate some worthwhile discussion on this vital topic.  I welcome your feedback and hope that you will make use of the "Comments" section.

One final note:  After reading the appendix in Piper's book, I noted the familiar title, The Family: Together in God's Presence.  I wondered why it looked so familiar.  Then I remembered that a couple of years ago, I read essentially the same article in a published brochure, and I had ordered a couple hundred copies ... which up till now were still sitting in my office!  These brochures have now been placed on the Information Table in the narthex of our sanctuary.  Feel free to pick up one or more copies for yourself, your family and friends!

 

A Reminder by Rhyme

My dad has always had a knack for writing good poems.  Some of them are hilarious.  Others are rather profound.  All of them convey a wonderful talent that Dad has put to good use over the years.  

One of my dad's earlier poems centered on Christmas.  In it, Dad encourages his readers to keep their focus on Christ - not in the sense that the world does this time of season but with the knowledge of who He really is and what He came to do.

Many folks have liked the evangelical thrust of this poem so much, that they have placed miniature copies of it in their Christmas cards. Whether you keep this to yourself or pass it on to others, I pray that you will heed its vital message.

The Christ of the Cross

by James W. Fletcher

Amidst all the tinsel and trappings,

The holiday glitter and gloss,

God help us to see past the wrappings,

Remembering Christ and the cross.

While many grow tear-eyed and tender

When scenes of the stable they see,

To little Lord Jesus they'll render their thanks

But not the Christ of the tree.

Now marvel we must at the manger,

The Babe, and the Bethlehem birth.

But, oh, let us stay not a stranger

To why Jesus entered this earth.

For Christ in the cradle could never

Have saved us from infinite loss;

But praise Him forever and ever -

He's also the Christ of the cross!

The Heavenly Surgeon

This morning a dear friend and colleague is undergoing surgery.  Over the summer she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and for the last four months she has been receiving chemotherapy treatments.  The cancer was advanced enough to require a mastectomy.  This procedure, as extensive as it is, will still have to be followed by radiation treatments.

How glad I am that my friend and colleague is also my sister in Christ - a woman who loves the Lord and is loved by the Lord.  Her husband, too, is a marvelous Christian man who also serves as an elder in our church.  It was my joy to visit this fine couple last evening for just a bit.  After showing me some of their home improvement projects (I was impressed with their handiwork!), we sat down and talked just a bit.  Then we read Psalm 103, a precious chapter that ought to comfort and encourage the heart of any saint.  After reading this Scripture. we knelt in prayer together, calling on our heavenly Father and Great Physician to care for His child as only He can.

Later that evening, while doing a little bit of reading in bed before turning out the lights, I came across this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

The knife of the heavenly Surgeon never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary.  A father smites no harder than duty constrains.  "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men."  A mother's heart cries, "Spare my child!"; but no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God.  When we consider how hard-mouthed we are, it is a wonder that we are not driven with a sharper bit.  So much rust requires much of the file; but love is gentle of hand.   The thought is full of consolation, that He who has fixed the bounds of our habitation, has also fixed the bounds of our tribulation.

What's Spurgeon saying?  That God disciplines His children with absolute precision, based upon His perfect knowledge of them and His perfect love for them.  

My guess is that if the doctor could have spared my friend from a full mastectomy, he would have.  But radical surgery was required to root out a deadly cancer.  If that is true in the physical realm, how much more essential is that in the spiritual realm?  "For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18).  This morning my friend is subjecting herself to the surgeon's knife, because she believes that he/she knows what's best for her and is qualified to perform this deep and delicate procedure.  How much more so is this true of the Great Physician, the Grand Surgeon, of our souls?  May we, in faith, submit ourselves to the scalpel of divine discipline, so that "after [we] have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called [us] to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish [us]" (1 Peter 5:10).

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus;

Life's trials will seem so small, when we see Christ!

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrows will erase,

So bravely run the race till we see Christ!

Newsweek's Bible Libel

Technically, libel occurs against a person, not a book.  But since the Bible is the Word of God, it's fair to say that Newsweek's cover story, The Religious Case for Gay Marriage, is an act of libel against the Author of Holy Writ.  Libel is any written statement that brings undeserved credit on a person by misrepresentation - and that's exactly what Lisa Miller of Newsweek (in this case NewsWEAK) has done with this cover story.  In fact, the misrepresentations are so numerous, it's hard to know where to begin.

How about at the beginning?  Here is Miller's opening paragraph:

Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does.  Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his wife Sarah was infertile?  Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)?  Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel - all these fathers and heroes were polygamists.  The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better.  Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments--especially family.   The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust.  "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered.  Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple--who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender quality and romantic love--turn to the Bible as a how-to script?

Of course not, yet the religious opponents of gay marriage would have it be so.

Miller gets immediately off-base from the very start by looking to polygamous unions as the biblical definition for marriage!  Not only is she wrongfully using a description as a definition, but also she is using descriptions that were sinfully inconsistent with the scriptural definition/standard for marriage.  Having nearly completed a two-year study of Genesis in our church, I can attest to the fact that each time we came to one of the instances cited above, we appropriately labeled it as a sinful union that was inconsistent with God's blueprint for marriage.

Speaking of which, Miller went on to say that neither the Bible nor Jesus "explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman."  Hello!  Did God stutter when He said way back in Genesis 2 - immediately after creating the woman and bringing her to the man - "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24).  Far more than a mere description, that is a divine directive!  And what about when Jesus answered a question on divorce and remarriage in Matthew 19?  He immediately pointed His listeners back to "the beginning" (Matt. 19:4, 8) -- God's standard as recorded in Genesis 2:24.  Read Jesus' dialogue with the Pharisees in Matthew 19, and you will come to the conclusion that He clearly understood marriage to be a one-man, one-woman, strong-bond, one-flesh, God-ordained, no-divorce union!  

What about the apostle Paul?  Did he really see marriage "as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust"?  Hardly.  He did see the sex-drive as something that could be properly fulfilled only in marriage.  He did say that marriage came with concerns that a single person does not have.  But he also acknowledged that "each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that" (1 Cor. 7:7) - i.e. marriage and celibacy.  But far from seeing as marriage as "an act of last resort," Paul sees it as a marvelous mysterious union that is to reflect the eternal covenant of love between Christ and His Bride, the Church (see Ephesians 5:22-33).  Furthermore, the author of Hebrews (who may well have been Paul) affirms, "Marriage is honorable among all" (Heb. 13:4).

So, as you can see from the opening paragraph, the Divine Author of Scripture has been grossly misrepresented by Newsweek magazine. Such falsity continues throughout the entire length of the article.  Yet such "Bible libel" is nothing new.  God's Word has been maligned, misrepresented, criticized, mocked and scorned throughout human history.  That's because "the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no man.  For 'who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:14-16).

"Let God be true, and every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4).  We who know and love the Lord also know that "every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him" (Prov. 30:5).

Note:  For a more detailed commentary on the Newsweek article, visit Dr. Albert Mohler's blog.

Got Game?

He was incredible.  Perhaps the greatest to ever play the game.  Unstoppable.  Unbeatable.  Absolutely unbelievable.  He would dazzle you with his high-flying dunks and take your breath away with his acrobatic jump shots.  He was consistent throughout the game and killer in the clutch.  There was something almost magical about watching him play.  You always had the sense that something phenomenal was about to happen when he took the ball in his oversized hands.  He redefined the game of basketball and was arguably the greatest player ever to step on a basketball court.  He simply dominated.  His name?

Matt Fletcher.  No, actually it was Michael Jordan.  The above quote is taken from chapter two of Game Day for the Glory of God, a book by Stephen Altrogge that is sub-titled "A Guide for Athletes, Fans, & Wannabes."  Given our own family's involvement with sports, I am finding this to be a practical resource that helps me to keep sports and ballgames in proper focus.  Most of my kids are involved in one sport or another.  (Just last night we attended two of our kids' basketball games.)

Sports are fun and can be marvelously instructive and helpful in teaching our kids about discipline, teamwork, and life in general.   But more than anything sports should point us to God, whether we're players, coaches, or fans.  If you want a good practical resource for yourself or for your kids, you'll find this to be a quick and engaging read (the book is just over 100 pages).  If you'd like to know more about it, click here.

Back in the Saddle Again

... And I'm not horsing around!  I'm talking about hiding God's Word in my heart through the discipline of Scripture memorization!  It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was praying for the congregation, using Philippians 1:3-11 as my guide.  I didn't want to read as I prayed.  I wanted to KNOW this prayer, so that I could pray it with fervency and with great feeling from my heart.  I've almost got it memorized!

I'm also currently working on memorizing Psalm 8.  I joined a Scripture memory group who work on memorizing the same passage, having a targeted deadline and holding one another accountable in an encouraging way.  This is a great way to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (Heb. 10:24).  I can hardly wait to finish memorizing that psalm (I have till December 14!), for then I can pray or sing it as a song of praise to the Lord from my heart.

It's been said that "old habits die hard," but I have found that NOT to be the case when it comes to Scripture memory.  When I was a kid, I memorized Scripture like crazy - as an Awana clubber, then a Word-of-Lifer, as a Christian School and Bible College student, etc.  Even early on in my ministry as a pastor, I remained faithful in my commitment of Scripture memorization.  But over the years I've become lax in this vital discipline.  Yet recently the Lord has impressed upon me the importance of hiding His Word in my heart.  It provides me ammunition in battling temptation; it cheers my heart when I'm discouraged; it shows me the way to go when I need direction; it enables me to offer godly counsel to others; it forces me to meditate on God's Word, discovering gems that I would otherwise miss in a cursory reading of Scripture.

When one well-known pastor and author was asked why he spends so much time memorizing Scripture, he replied

I spend this much time on Bible memory because I believe in the power of the indwelling Word of God to solve a thousand problems before they happen, and to heal a thousand wounds after they happen, and to kill a thousand sins in the moment of temptation, and to sweeten a thousand days with the "drippings of the honeycomb."  I am jealous for you, my readers, that you would "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16).  This is the path to solid joy and all the service of love that it sustains.  Christ will be seen as the fortune he is when we treasure His Word more than money, and when the joy it wakens overflows with sacrificial love (2 Cor. 8:2).

What a timely word to keep in mind as we enter the holiday season and stand on the threshold of another year.  I challenge you to make Scripture memory a priority in your life.  You won't regret it.  Whatever investment you make will be well worth it, both in this life and in the life to come.

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.