It's a Sink, Not a Urinal

Okay, I admit, it's kind of an odd name for a blog article. But stick with me for a moment, because there really is a "moral to the story."

Every Tuesday I go to a local engineering company where I serve as the corporate chaplain. Rarely do I need to use the restroom while I'm there, but every now and then nature calls. Such was the case today. So I went into the men's restroom and made the same mistake I almost always do. I keep thinking that the large metal trough to my left is some kind of "community urinal" when in fact it is the sink. The first time I went into this bathroom, I approached this trough and was about to micturate (yep, that's the formal term), when I saw a man stick his hands in it, push some kind of petal with his feet, and out came water through holes that I hadn't seen. Whew. That would have been really bad if he had walked in just a few seconds later.

I have to remind myself nearly every time I go into that restroom that the trough to my left is a sink, not a urinal!

What's the point to my telling you all this? Well, I think there's a parallel to the sink and the sanctuary. Both are intended to be resources for cleanliness. A key reason we gather with the saints for worship is to spur one another on to love and good works (Heb. 10:24-25). We go to build up the body of Christ, so that we grow up to maturity in Him (Eph. 4:12-16). We come to pray, confess our faults to one another, hear the preached Word, and press on in our walk with Christ.

Yet if we're not careful, we can treat the Lord's house like a urinal. Instead of cleansing ourselves, we can contaminate others with ungodly attitudes and words. Just as urine and other waste products are undesirable to the body and irritating to the skin and eyes, so are thoughtless words and carnal attitudes to the body of Christ. When we criticize, complain, and gossip, we are "urinating in the sink," so to speak.

Maybe this is somewhat of a crude illustration, but I couldn't let it pass (pun intended). Please take it to heart. When you come to church, treat it like a sink, not a urinal.

Sweet Suffering

Cancer. Just the sound of the word fills our hearts with fear and dread. It's a terrifying diagnosis. For many of us, this disease threatens to rob us of our health, our energy, our vitality, and our sense of well-being. It endangers our ability to provide for ourselves and take care of our families. It may steal our identity, our sense of purpose and significance. It can ruin our best-laid plans, destroy our hopes and dreams. It has taken friends and loved ones from us far too soon.

Cancer is a powerful enemy. But it's not all-powerful. . . .
This is the opening quote of a gospel tract entitled What Cancer Can't Do. I keep a supply of them on hand because I regularly come across people who are suffering from cancer or know somebody who is. Of course the point of the tract is: God is the one who is more powerful than cancer, and He is the one "who comforts us in all our affliction" (2 Cor. 1:4).

Just this morning I was at a local gym working out, when I ran into an older brother in the Lord. He doesn't go to our church, but is a member at another evangelical church closer to Boston. I met this guy some time ago, and as we talked, he informed me that his wife has cancer. I promised to pray for her, and even paid a visit to their house on one occasion.

This morning I asked him how she was doing, and he said she's finishing up chemotherapy treatment that has been going on for about a year. After the first cycle of treatments, the doctors found that the tumor had not shrunk but had actually grown. Needless to say, this news was very disheartening to this couple who have been married for nearly half a century.

Yet as this brother updated me on this difficult situation, he said, "But we have our devotions each morning out in the sunroom. That's been our sweetest time of the day as we read our Bible and pray together. Some time ago my wife told me that she's changed the nature of her prayer. At first she was praying, 'Lord, take this cancer away.' Now we're praying, 'Lord, do whatever You want. We give this cancer to You.'"

He said this with a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. This brother and his dear wife have found a sweetness in their suffering.

This experience is not unique to them, but is the "mournful joy" of every believer in Christ. The apostle Paul said it perfectly:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.... So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
- 2 Cor. 4:8-9, 16-18
Shortly after returning from the gym, I found out that another Christian brother had just died of heart disease. He was in the prime of his life and leaves behind his dear wife and two young boys. Thankfully, his wife knows Christ, as do other members in his family. For them, there is a sweetness in their suffering.

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress, wrote, "In times of affliction we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God."

Thank you, Father, that nothing can separate us from your love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and that we are more than conquerors through him (Rom. 8:37-39).

A Minister's Millstone

Vitriolic minister Fred Phelps and his hate-crazed congregation of Westoro Baptist Church (WBC) have made the headlines once again. This time it was for picketing at the funeral of 20-year-old U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, who died from a non-combat-related vehicle accident in Iraq on March 3, 2006. The WBC members held up placards that said "Thank God for Dead Soldiers, "Semper Fi Fags," "God Hates You," and "America Is Doomed." Though Matthew Snyder was not gay, the Westboro Baptist congregation insists that U.S. military deaths are God's vengeance on the United States of America for its tolerance of homosexuality.

Albert Snyder, Matthew's father, sued Fred Phelps for defamation, intrusion upon seclusion, publicity given to private life, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Mr. Snyder, who said of his son, "He was a hero and he was the love of my life," said of the WBC protesters, "They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family. They wanted their message heard and they didn't care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside."

Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the Westboro congregation was constitutionally protected from Snyder's lawsuit, in light of the First Amendment.

This Wednesday, students here on the South Shore of Massachusetts partook in a discussion of this case, with the primary question being: Does the First Amendment right to freedom of speech protect protesters at a funeral, even though they are intentionally inflicting emotional distress on the family of the deceased? The two sides to this debate are summed up by the school administration as "Snyder's (The Dad) Argument" and "Phelp's (The Church) Argument."

The fall-out from this whole fiasco is apparent, summed up well by a Christian friend who serves on the school faculty/staff:
"This church is smearing the name of "Baptist" and more importantly Christianity. Most of the teachers and students will, in my guess, side with the father and will have further "cemented" in their minds that Christians are an intolerant, unloving, homophobic group."
Phelps and his congregation would do well to heed the warnings of the God they think they know so well. Jesus declared,
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the heart of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!"
- Matthew 18:6-7
The "little ones" Jesus refers to in these verses are identified as new, impressionable believers. Jesus compares these spiritual children to physical children, for whom He also cares immensely, saying to His disciples, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14).

In commenting on Matthew 18:7 (quoted above), William MacDonald writes,
"The world, the flesh, and the devil are leagued to seduce and pervert. But if a person becomes an agent for the forces of evil, his guilt will be great."
Indeed, Jesus says it would be better to die a violent death (i.e., having a millstone wrapped tied around your neck and be drowned in the ocean) than to destroy the innocence of another.

If anyone will suffer the judgment of God for such an offense, it will be a "minister" who in the name of God convinces children of his own congregation to carry hateful placards that grossly misrepresent the God of the Bible, and who creates confusion in the minds of school kids who are now convinced that all Baptists are homophobic bigots.

How do we counteract such atrocities? By faithfully living Gospel-centered lives. How important it is to show the world around us the essence of true Christianity! By God's grace we can do this, as we are filled with His Spirit and live according to His Word.

The evil influence of Fred Phelps and his disillusioned followers will be overcome by power of the gospel. May this encourage us and embolden us as Jesus' true ambassadors.

"Though He Died, He Still Speaks"

This quote, taken from Hebrews 11:4, is on my heart this morning.

That's because last night, while lying in bed, before turning the light out, I was reading James Boice’s commentary on Matthew 11, in preparation for my upcoming sermon. Dr. Boice’s insights reflected a robust theology, a pastor’s heart, an evangelistic spirit, and a sensitivity to the human condition.

For a moment my thoughts drifted back to 1999. I was in my first year of ministry at First Baptist Church, and that fall I had attended a Bible conference at another local church less than thirty minutes away. James Boice was the keynote speaker, so I had the privilege of hearing (and meeting) him in person. This was quite an honor for me, for I’ve had a great deal of respect for Dr. Boice over the years. He became the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1968, the year I was born. Moreover, Dr. Boice decided at the age of twelve to become a minister of the gospel. This is exactly how old I was when I sensed God’s call to full-time gospel ministry.

Just months after I had the joy of meeting Dr. Boice and hearing him expound the Word of God, he was diagnosed as having an aggressive form of liver cancer. He found this out on Good Friday, just two hours before he was scheduled to preach. Dr. Boice mounted the pulpit of Tenth Presbyterian Church for the last time on Sunday, May 7, 2000. He announced to his stunned congregation that he was rapidly dying of cancer. He said to them,

Should you pray for a miracle? Well, you’re free to do that, of course. My general impression is that the God who is able to perform miracles--and he certainly can--is also able to keep you from getting the problem in the first place. . . . Above all, I would say pray for the glory of God. If you think of God glorifying himself in history and you say, “Where in all of history has God most glorified himself?” the answer is that he did it at the cross of Jesus Christ, and it wasn’t by delivering Jesus from the cross, though he could have. . . . And yet that’s where God is most glorified.”

On June 15, 2000, at the age of sixty-one, James Montgomery Boice died peacefully in his sleep, just eight weeks after his diagnosis. Exactly two weeks earlier, my own mother had peacefully entered into the Lord’s presence.

How do you think you would react if you were given news of your impending death? Would your heart and mind go immediately to the glory of God as revealed through the cross of Jesus Christ? The apostle Paul lived with the cross always in view. He boasted only in the cross (Gal. 6:14) and made his life count for Christ.

Right now I am forty-two. I may not live to be forty-three. Perhaps I’ll enter the Lord’s presence when I’m fifty-two, as was my mom, or maybe I’ll go to heaven when I’m sixty-one, like Dr. Boice. Whatever the case, one thing is for sure: “Only one life will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

I often think of Moses' prayer, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12). What my wife and I want--and what we want for our children and church family--is to make every moment count for Christ. Our desire is, as Jim Elliot put it, is to live to the hilt every situation we believe to be the will of God. We must repent daily over self-interest, squandered time, vain pursuits, trivial interests and activities. We are put here for a purpose, and we fulfill our life’s mission by our faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Limping Along

Some time ago, our pet beagle Buster injured his right hind leg. Ever since then, he's been walking with a limp. Because he's not using the one leg at all, its muscles are shriveling up. Though the other hind leg has gotten more muscular, the limp is throwing his whole body off kelter. So this is not a good thing.

I thought of this the other night while talking to one of our faithful nursery workers here at church. She loves the children and has a real heart for that area of ministry. But she shared a prayer request that more church members would serve on the rotation. She then commented, "Doesn't this have to do with that statistic about 20 percent of the people doing 80 percent of the work?" The problem, she noted, is that even the most dedicated servants get tired and discouraged over time when there's no one to help them.

That's when I thought of Buster. It's not good for him not to be using that leg for so long. It signals that there's a problem that needs to be checked out. Perhaps he needs surgery. At the very least he needs therapy. Even though his limp on the one side has made his other hind leg stronger, even that will eventually feel the wear and tear of carrying the burden of his body weight. God designed dogs to walk on all fours, not three out of four. Over time, this limp will affect his other joints as well. Why? Because everything is off balance, due to compensating for his lame leg.

If we're not careful, something similar can happen to the body of Christ. The Bible says that God has given each member of Christ's body certain spiritual gifts so that the body can function properly and grow to maturity as each member does its part (see 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:15-16). Of course the negative implication is that if each member does not do its part, then the whole body suffers. Everyone else is trying to pick up the slack, doing things they weren't intended to. As a result, the other members get worn out, the ministry becomes dysfunctional, and the whole body suffers.

At our church, we strive for an "every-member ministry." That's the way God designed the body to run -- not limp. As I consider our many members and ministries, I'm thankful that most people are plugged in. Yet I can see a few areas here and there that are lacking (or should I say limping), and needlessly so. If we all exercise our spiritual muscles, putting them to good use in the service of our Lord, the body of Christ will not be lacking ... or limping!

So, how are you using your gifts to build up the body of Christ?


We Will Hold On

On Sunday mornings our congregation is working through the Gospel of Matthew. Right now we're in the midst of chapter ten, where Jesus sends out the Twelve to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." He warns them of the persecution that's going to come their way for preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The good news for believers is that when persecution comes, we don't need to panic. All we have to do is follow God's plan.

In one sense that's rather simple, isn't it. But it's by no means easy. In fact, it's impossible apart from God's power. That's why it's so important to hold on to His love. Paul Baloche has a song by that title, which will be introduced to our congregation this coming Lord's Day. But in the meantime, I thought it would be good for our church body--and anyone else who visits this blog site--to understand the central message of the song. We live in a culture which will hate us for the gospel's sake. When persecution comes, will you hold on to His love? I hope you will, for His love is better than life (Ps. 63:3).

My Son's Resolution

My son Ethan is a student at one of our public middle schools. Today he brought home a paper that he had written. The assigned theme was New Year's resolutions.

I was blessed by what Ethan wrote (I had no idea what it was until today), and he granted me permission to share it with the TruthWalk readership. Many of you know my son Ethan, and I think you will appreciate most of all what he wrote. Here it is verbatim:

Many people use New Years to resolve things.

I resolved to do my Devotions faithfully to the Lord. Well I am Reading and praying, I or you should know who we are reading about and who we are talking to well I am praying. The reason I choose this is that I know that it is important to do every single day. When I do my devotions I should always know what I am reading about, and even though we don't like reading that much it is worth it. When I do my devotions I rush sometimes so I can go on the computer or watch TV. But now that I am writing this I really know that I should take my time and just really think of who he is. Where God is right now there is no madness, sadness, arguing, swaring [sic], fighting or Bullying, there is none of that in heaven. So this is why I am picking that should do my devotions and be like him and know him every single day.

What did Ethan's teacher say about his paper? One word: "Good." She also asked where he went to church. Pretty cool, huh? It seems to me a seed was planted. May God be pleased to water it and bring forth fruit.

By the way, how is your devotional life?

"Make Believe"

God has blessed the human mind with the gift of imagination. Young children utilize this gift well, and parents find it marvelously entertaining.

My dad and mom were no exception. Once while watching us children play, Dad recorded his thoughts in the form of a rhyme. More than that, he brought to light the spiritual realities that are at stake when it comes to differentiating fantasy from reality.

Make Believe

I often watch my children play,

And how amazed am I that they

Are occupied for hours on end

With games that start with “Let’s pretend.”


They play at “house”, they play at “store”;

They play at “school”, they play at “war”.

They play at “cops and robbers”, too;

There’s nothing little minds can’t do.


Yes, “let’s pretend” contributes joy

To every little girl and boy;

And drab and dull would childhood be,

If it were not for fantasy.


The thought that weighs upon my mind

Is: Some don’t leave those years behind.

Concerning things “beyond the veil”,

They still let fantasy prevail.


They make believe there is no hell;

They make believe their souls are well;

They reason, under false pretense,

That works will be their sure defense.


Behold, the final, fearful end

Of those, like babes, who still pretend!

For in eternal things, you see,

There is no room for fantasy.


For fantasy oft times conflicts

With that which God on high edicts;

And fiction from the days of youth

Must not displace the written truth.


Because the Bible doth reveal

That mankind’s need for Christ is real.

Imagination has a role,

But not in matters of the soul.


And what of you, good Christian friend?

Do you serve God, or just pretend?

Do you the Holy Spirit grieve,

By service only “make believe”?


Sleepless in Massachusetts

Do you ever have trouble sleeping at night? Last night was one of those nights for us. I had trouble sleeping in the middle of the night, as did a few of my other family members. Whenever I have trouble sleeping, I wonder if God wants me to pray about certain things or perhaps simply to contemplate who He is in the quietness of the night. Some things were undoubtedly weighing on my heart and mind, so I gave these to the Lord, knowing that He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). If God keeps us awake at night, then clearly He has something better for us than sleep. Maybe it's to pray ... meditate on a truth of Scripture ... reflect on our life as a family ... or simply listen to hear His voice. Whatever the case, we should take full advantage of these opportunities. Yes, we may be tired, but in those moments, God has something more precious for us than sleep.

I'm sure David had many sleepless nights when he was in the wilderness of Judah, being chased by murderous King Saul. (That would be somewhat stressful, don't you think?) Nevertheless David testified to the Lord,

You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:5-7

May these verses encourage you to think on the Lord and enjoy His fellowship, even as the world around you sleeps.

I Stand Corrected!

Whenever my wife goes away (which is rare), I get a renewed appreciation for all she does here in our home. In a family with four boys (five if you include me), keeping up on laundry alone can be nearly a full-time job!

This is what I was attempting to do last evening with Ethan, one of my younger sons. We brought down from the upstairs the hampers of dirty laundry and dumped it all out on the floor. Ethan helped me separate the white clothing from the colored, and I began throwing the whites into the . . . dryer. After a moment I realized what I was doing, shook my head and sighed, "What am I doing throwing these into the dryer? They go in the washer!" Ethan responded, "Yeah, I know. I wondered what you were doing." To which I responded, "If you knew that, why didn't you say something?" My son replied, "I thought that it wasn't nice for children to correct their parents."

I've thought about that remark several times since. I responded to my son initially by saying, "Well, it's good that you're sensitive to that, and children should certainly show respect to their parents. But even parents make mistakes and need to be corrected. So it's okay to do that as long as you go about it in the right way."

But as I thought on this more, I began wondering if I am as open to correction as I'd like to think I am. On several occasions my children have heard their mother or me apologize and ask for forgiveness if we've done something wrong. But what if we don't see it or acknowledge it? It's still a sin - or at least a mistake (if it doesn't involve wrongdoing) - isn't it? Of course it is. We correct our children all the time!

How important it is, then, to let my children know that I also am not above correction. Parents too are human, and therefore quite fallible and sinful. My children must know that it is commendable to correct me when I'm wrong or to make me aware of my mistakes. Again, children must do so respectfully, in a way that honors the Lord and their parents. But in showing humility, accessibility, and teachability on our part, we are instilling in them by our example the very character traits we want them to possess and express in their own lives.

Even this morning after my oldest teenage son had left for school, I sent him a text message which said - and I quote: "Did u take my good dress belt?! I went to where it and can't find it!!" Now in addition to using the wrong kind of "where" [wear] in my message, I made another mistake. Right after sending the message, I thought, "Great. Now I'll have to wear my older, more casual belt with these dress pants!" As I went to put it on, I made this amazing discovery: I had already put on a belt. My dress belt! I sent my son a second text, saying, "Never mind. I got it. Sorry."

Come to think of it, maybe my daughter didn't take my iPod recharger cord either.

Correction isn't just for kids; parents need it, too. Do your children know that?

Bible Quiz Answers

ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUIZ

1. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
2. Psalms.
3. Luke.
4. Romans 6:23.
5. 8. Noah and his wife, their 3 sons and their wives (I Peter 3:20).
6. “All things whatsoever you would that men would do to you, do you also unto them” (Matt. 7:12).
7. Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, Paul.
8. 66 (39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament).
9. Adam and Eve.
10. You shall have no other gods before me, you shall not make any graven images, you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, remember the Sabbath day, honor your father and your mother, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, and you shall not covet [abridged wording].
11. Invisible beings created by God.
12. Esau.
13. David.
14. Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, the Sower, the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep, the Treasure in the Field, the Pearl of Great Price, the Great Feast, etc.
15. Three.
16. A doctor (Col. 4:14).
17. Levi.
18. The Old Testament.
19. Greek.
20. Trust in what God says.
21. Jesus (Acts 20:35).
22. True.
23. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
24. Tower of Babel, Tabernacle, Temple, Church.
25. “You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. . . . You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37,39).
26. Saul, David and Solomon.
27. No.
28. Michael, Gabriel, and Satan (fallen angel). Some add Wormwood (Rev. 8:11).
No other angel is named in the Bible.
29. Moses.
30. Both, on separate occasions (Matt. 14 and 15).
31. Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Could you have named them?
32. John 11:25.
33. A tax collector.
34. John 2.
35. Neither. It is not in the Bible at all. There is no such book.
36. Reuben, Judah, Issachar, Levi, Dan, Zebulon, Benjamin, Simeon, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, and Joseph (which was divided into Ephraim and Mannaseh).
37. Methulseleh – 969 years (Gen. 5:27).
38. A Christian. All Christians are saints.
39. Psalm 119. It has 176 verses, far longer than any other chapter.
40. Genesis, Exedus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
41. John the Apostle.
42. The Devil, the Temptor, Beelzebub, the Serpent, the Dragon, the Evil One, the Prince of the Power of the Air, Lucifer, Prince of Demons, etc.
43. Lamb.
44. Praise the Lord.
45. The Book of Judges (chapters 13-16).
46. Greek. The Old Testament was translated about 200 BC.
47. John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”
48. Peter, James, John, Andrew, James the Younger, Matthew (Levi), Simon the Zealot, Philip, Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot), Bartholomew (Nathaniel), Thomas, and Judas Iscariot.
49. Flood, Exodus, Babylonian Captivity, Dispersion, and the Crucifixion.
50. Enoch and Elijah.
51. All men (I Cor. 15; Daniel 12:2). But only Christians get perfect bodies.
52. False.
53. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John, Jude, and Revelation.
54. Yes. See Matthew 5:8.
55. Our inheriting Adam’s sin. See Romans 5.
56. Turning water into wine, feeding the 4,000 and 5,000, raising Lazarus, walking on water, stopping the storm, healing the blind, etc.
57. This saying is not in the Bible. A similar proverb is in Proverbs 13:24.
58. Hebrew and a few chapters in Aramaic (mainly in Daniel).
59. The New Testament.
60. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome.
61. Anointed.
62. False. We are not saved by good works at all.
63. Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
64. Solomon.
65. Genesis 1:1.
66. Judah.
67. Passover (or Unleavened Bread), Pentecost (or Weeks), Tabernacles, Sabbath, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Purim. Hanukkah is not in the Bible.
68. John the Baptist. See Matt. 11:11.
69. Daniel 5.
70. Caesar Augustus.
71. False. Moses died in the Wilderness. Joshua led Israel into the Land.
72. Regeneration.
73. This is in Poor Richard’s Almanac by Benjamin Franklin, not the Bible.
74. John 1:1, 8:24,58, 20:28, Rom. 9:5, Titus 2:13, I Tim. 3:16, etc.
75. Matthew, Chapter 2.
76. All of these.
77. Heaven.
78. The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (or Writings). See Luke 24:44.
79. God chose only some to be saved. See Eph. 1, Rom. 9, John 15:16, etc.
80. No errors at all. See John 17:17, "Thy Word is truth.".
81. It is not in the Bible at all.
82. Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter.
83. Called-out assembly.
84. Rom. 3:20,28, 5:1, Gal. 2:16, 3:11, Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, etc.
85. Love. See I Cor. 13:13.
86. Luke 10.
87. A real place. Also known as Hades, Gehenna and the Lake of Fire.
88. Eve, Sarah, Ruth, Esther, Mary, and Lydia.
89. John 10.
90. Only the High Priest.
91. Faith alone. See answer to question 84 above.
92. This is the term for the Five Books of Moses. It is also known as the Torah.
93. Luke 15.
94. Ephesians 5:22,25; Col. 3:18-19 (cf. Also I Peter 3:1,7).
95. Fallen angels.
96. Mary.
97. Acts 16:31.
98. Samson.
99. John the Baptist.
100. Matt. 28:19, Luke 3:22, II Cor. 13:14, Eph. 2:18, I Peter 1:2, etc.

100 Questions

The following Bible questions were sent to me from a pastoral colleague. They were originally compiled by Curt Daniel.

Why not carve out some time to take this quiz? I'll post the answers soon.

BIBLE QUIZ

This test is designed to help Christians discover how much they know about the Bible. There are no trick questions, nor questions about small details. Please do not use your Bible when taking the test. An answer sheet is provided, together with Scripture references where appropriate.
1. Name the four Gospels.
2. What is the longest book in the Bible?
3. Who wrote the Acts of the Apostles?
4. Which book says, “The wages of sin is death”?
5. How many people were on Noah’s Ark?
6. What is the Golden Rule?
7. Put in chronological order: Daniel, Noah, Paul, Moses and David.
8. How many books are there in the Bible?
9. Who were the first two people?
10. Name the Ten Commandments.
11. Angels are: ghosts of dead people, children who died in infancy, genies, or invisible beings created by God?
12. Who was the brother of Jacob?
13. Who wrote Psalm 23?
14. Name three of Jesus’ parables.
15. How many epistles were written by John?
16. Was Luke: a fisherman, an apostle, a doctor or a shepherd?
17. Which tribe did Moses belong to?
18. Is Daniel in the Old or the New Testament?
19. In what language was the New Testament written?
20. Faith is: a leap into the dark, trust in what God says, believing in something you know isn’t true, or a religious feeling?
21. Who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”?
22. True or false: James and John were brothers.
23. Who were the three patriarchs?
24. Put in chronological order: Temple, Church, Tower of Babel, Tabernacle.
25. What did Jesus say were the two greatest commandments?
26. Name the first three kings of Israel.
27. Is Santa Claus in the Bible?
28. Give the name of at least one angel.
29. Who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy?
30. Did Jesus feed 4,000 or 5,000 people with the loaves and fishes?
31. How many Minor Prophets are there?
32. Which book says, “I am the resurrection and the life”?
33. Was Matthew: a carpenter, a centurion, a tax collector, or a priest?
34. Which Gospel records Jesus turning water into wine?
35. Is the Book of Hezekiah in the Old or the New Testament?
36. Name the twelve tribes of Israel.
37. Who was the oldest person in the Bible?
38. A saint is: a sinless person, an apostle, a pope, a Christian, an angel?
39. What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
40. Name the Five Books of Moses.
41. Who wrote the Book of Revelation?
42. Give three names or titles for Satan.
43. What kind of meat was eaten at the Passover?
44. Hallelujah means: I believe, hosanna, wow, praise the Lord, or amen?
45. Which book tells us the life of Samson?
46. What was the first language the Bible was translated into?
47. What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
48. Name the twelve apostles.
49. Put in chronological order: the Dispersion, the Crucifixion, the Flood, the Babylonian Captivity, and the Exodus.
50. Name someone who went to Heaven without dying.
51. Who will be raised from the dead: all men, Christians only, or angels?
52. True or false: We are saved by being baptized in water.
53. Name the Books of the New Testament.
54. Will we see God in Heaven?
55. Original Sin means: demon possession, Adam and Eve having sex, Eve eating the Forbidden Fruit, or our inheriting Adam’s Sin?
56. Name three of Christ’s miracles.
57. Which book says, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”?
58. In what language was the Old Testament written?
59. Is the Book of Hebrews in the Old or the New Testament?
60. Put in chronological order the nations that held Israel captive: Greece, Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Assyria, and Persia.
61. Christ means: Master, High Priest, Annointed, Savior, Lord, or Redeemer?
62. True or false: God will save someone if he has more good works than sins.
63. Where are the 10 Commandments located in the Bible?
64. Who wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes?
65. Which book says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth”?
66. Which tribe of Israel did Jesus belong to?
67. Name 3 of Israel’s feasts or festivals.
68. Who was the greatest man before Jesus: David, Abraham, Solomon, John the Baptist, Moses or Adam?
69. Which book mentions the handwriting on the wall?
70. Who was Caesar when Jesus was born: Herod, Caesar Augustus, Pilate, Nero, or Julius Caesar?
71. True or false: Moses led Israel into the Promised Land.
72. Being born again means: reincarnation, regeneration, redemption, or restitution?
73. Which book says, “God helps those who help themselves”?
74. Give a Bible verse that explicitly says that Jesus is God.
75. Which Gospel mentions the Star of Bethlehem?
76. Was David: a prophet, a shepherd, a soldier, a musician, or a king?
77. When a Christian dies, he goes straight to: Purgatory, Heaven, Hades, unconscious sleep in the grave, or back to Earth?
78. What are the three divisions of the Old Testament?
79. Election means: God chose only some people to be saved, our parents dedicated us to God, or God chose those He knew would believe in Jesus?
80. Does the Bible contain many, a few, or no errors at all?
81. Is the Book of Enoch in the Old or the New Testament?
82. Put in chronological order: Jeremiah, Elijah, Samuel, Peter, Isaiah.
83. Church means: Temple, Christian building, called-out assembly, or nation?
84. Give a Bible verse that teaches justification by faith alone.
85. Which is the greatest: hope, love or faith?
86. Which Gospel has the Parable of the Good Samaritan?
87. Hell is: a real place, a myth, here on Earth, Purgatory, or nowhere?
88. Put in chronological order: Sarah, Lydia, Ruth, Mary, Eve, and Esther.
89. Which book says, “I am the Good Shepherd”?
90. Who could enter the Holy of Holies: the pope, Moses, a priest, an apostle, the High Priest, only angels?
91. We are saved by: faith, good works, or faith and good works?
92. What is the Pentateuch?
93. Which Gospel records the Parable of the Prodigal Son?
94. Which book says, “Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives”?
95. Demons are: goblins, fallen angels, ghosts of dead people, or myths?
96. Who was Jesus’ mother?
97. Which book says: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”?
98. Who was the strongest man to ever live: Hercules, Samson, or Goliath?
99. Who baptized Jesus?
100. Give a verse that teaches the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Simplicity of God

Recently I attended the Expositors’ Conference in Mobile, Alabama, with Drs. Steven Lawson and R. C. Sproul. What a blessing it was to sit under the preaching of the Word by these godly pastors for two full days! (Afterward I got to spend a couple of days with family in Tennessee, which was also nice.) While introducing one of his sermons, Dr. Sproul stated that one of the most neglected doctrines in the church today is the simplicity of God. By this we mean not that God is easy to figure out or comprehend, but that God is not composed of parts. Whereas humans are compounded creatures, such is not the case with our Creator. God is love (1 John 4:8), and God is light (1 John 1:5), but nothing in Scripture suggests that God is part love and part light. Rather, God is Himself both love and light. The same is true in refer-ence to all of God’s other attributes. For instance, in Exodus 34:6-8 we read,

The LORD passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.

God is His attributes; He is entirely loving, entirely merciful, entirely just, and so forth. Thus when we emphasize some of God’s attributes to the exclusion of others, we misunderstand and misrepresent who God is and wind up with a god of our own choosing. This is idolatry.

On the other hand, if we embrace God’s simplicity and seek to understand His unity, we come to know, love, and worship Him for who He really is, even as Moses did. We see that different attributes of God are emphasized at different times for specific purposes. We come to appreciate God’s individual attributes while celebrating the unity of His divine essence. Our God is an awesome God! May we worship Him by being consistent in our own character - not only as individual believers but also corporately as the body of Christ.

Beautiful Words for Beleaguered Parents

For many years, the writings of Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) have been a perpetual source of encouragement to me. Next to the Holy Scriptures themselves, no other writings have so enriched my walk with God. In my darkest moments, Spurgeon's scriptural reflections and applications have been a tonic to my soul.

No doubt one of the reasons that Spurgeon's words brought such great comfort to his hearers was because he himself struggled with depression. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1 that we as believers are able to comfort others with the same comfort we ourselves have received from God.

One such word of comfort is extended to parents who find themselves disheartened in their child-rearing efforts. Parenting is one of the toughest challenges we face as believers on earth. We face many hindrances, not the least of which is our own fallenness and susceptibility to sin. Recall Jesus' words in Matthew 7 when He said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall our Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (italics added). Compared to our holy heavenly Father, we earthly parents are evil. Still, we love our children and know how to give good things to them.

Yes, our own sinfulness as parents creates a hindrance in our attempts to shepherd our children. But provided that we are making it our aim to please Christ in all that we say and do, fighting the good fight of faith, the battle grows weary when our children persist in their sin. Nothing is more painful than when our children refuse the best that we can offer them: the gospel and all the promise it holds forth for their lives. Some reject the gospel altogether, showing no interest in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Others "claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him" (Titus 1:16). Still others are like the Galatians: after starting their Christian lives by the Spirit, they're trying to become perfect by their own human efforts - and failing miserably.

Be encouraged by what Charles Spurgeon writes in the September 17 morning entry of his devotional classic Morning & Evening. These are beautiful words for beleaguered parents, based on Jesus' words in Mark 9:19, "Bring him unto me."
Despairingly, the poor, disappointed father turned away from the disciples to their Master. His son was in the worst possible condition, and all means had failed. But the pitiful child was soon delivered from the evil one when the parent, in faith, obeyed the Lord Jesus' word, "Bring him unto me." Children are a precious gift from God, but much anxiety comes with them. They may be a great joy or a great bitterness to their parents. They may be filled with the Spirit of God or possessed with the spirit of evil. In all cases, the Word of God gives us one prescription for the curing of all their ills, "Bring [them] unto me." Oh, for more agonizing on their behalf while they are yet babies! Sin is there, so let our prayers begin to attack it. Our cries for our offspring should precede those cries that announce their actual advent into the world of sin. In the days of their youth, we will see sad indicators of that dumb and deaf spirit that will neither pray aright, nor hear the voice of God in the soul. Still, Jesus commands, "Bring [them] unto me." When they are grown up, they may wallow in sin and display enmity against God. Then, when our hearts are breaking, we should remember the Great Physician's words, "Bring [them] unto me." We must never cease to pray until they cease to breathe. No case is hopeless while Jesus lives. The Lord sometimes allows His people to be driven into a corner so that they may know how necessary He is to them. Ungodly children, when they show us our own powerlessness against the depravity of their hearts, drive us to flee to the Strong One for strength, and this is a great blessing to us. Whatever our ... need may be, let it, like a strong current, bear us to the ocean of divine love. Jesus can soon remove our sorrow. He delights to comfort us. Let us hasten to Him while He waits to meet us.

No Distinction

This morning I came across a great quote by Charles Spurgeon in his devotional classic Morning and Evening. He said, "God makes no distinction in His love for His children."

As soon as I read that, the glorious reality of it was impressed on my heart. God loves all His children equally. This means that God loves me every bit as much as He does Billy Graham, John MacArthur, Chuck Swindoll, Joni Eareckson Tada, the most committed missionaries, Bible expositors and Christian authors. God loves me as much as the precious orphan in the third-world country that has given his or her heart to Christ.

The Bible teaches that God loves all people, but He does not love all people equally. There is a great divine love that God has for all humanity. "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son . . ." (John 3:16). Yet the love that God has for His elect is so far greater than the general love He has for the world in general, that the latter is hatred by comparison. "As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated'" (Rom. 9:13; cf. Mal. 1:2-3). God's love toward His people, as suggested by the term "elect," is a love of choice. It refers to God's sovereign grace, His special favor that He bestows on those whom He chose in Christ
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
- Ephesians 1:4-5; italics added
We see from this text of Scripture (and numerous others) that our adoption is based not on our performance, our personality, or anything else that made us more worthy than the non-elect. Scripture makes it clear that God's choice to love us, redeem us, and make us His people was all according to His purpose and therefore "to the praise of His glorious grace."

My children have different gifts, skills, personalities, failures and successes. But I love them all the same. Nothing will ever change the fact that they are my children. If this is true of me as a very imperfect parent (even an "evil" parent compared to God the Father - see Matt. 7:11), then how much more so is it true of our heavenly Father?

Yet how prone I am to think that God loves other of His children more than He loves me. Actually, I suppose that I don't necessarily "think" this so much as I feel this, especially when I fail (which is often!). How glad I am to be reminded that God loves me as much as He does any of His other children. That love is unconditional and will never cease. Indeed, in the ages to come, God will continue to show me, and every blood-bought child of His, "the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).

No wonder the apostle Paul earnestly prayed that every believer would "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:18).

George Matheson, a godly 19th century pastor and hymn-writer, was born with an eye defect that resulted in his becoming blind by the age of eighteen. Shortly thereafter his fiancee left him, deciding that she wouldn't be content to be married to a blind man. Having been spurned by what he thought was true love, Matheson lifted up his broken heart to heaven and found solace in the unchanging love of God. As a result, Matheson penned one of his greatest hymns, O Love That Will Not Let Me Go. The first stanza goes like this:

O love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee.
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean-depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

May we, like Matheson, find our solace and security in the love of God. There is no greater love, and to have it is to be filled with all the fullness of God.

A Mosque Near Ground Zero?

As you've probably already heard, "a New York City panel voted unanimously to reject landmark status for a building in downtown Manhattan, paving the way for its demolition -- and for the construction of a 13-story, $100 million mosque near the World Trade Center site" (via Fox News).

This has created quite a stir among Americans. Though I usually steer clear of politics on this blog site, I thought it would be good to take an opinion poll from the TruthWalk readership, to get an idea of where you stand on this issue. Most of us would claim to have a "Christian worldview" which would affect our political views. As a Christian, and as an American, what are your thoughts on this matter?

I'll borrow the same question and options put forth by the Fox News poll:

Should New York Allow Mosque Near Ground Zero?
  1. No, of all the places to build a mosque, don't allow one there.
  2. Yes, the Constitution protects freedom of religion, so government can't stand in the way.
  3. Don't prohibit it, but work with the mosque backers to find a more appropriate location.
  4. Other (leave a comment).
In the 'Comments' section below, simply put 1, 2, 3, or 4. Then, if you wish, add any comments to further explain your position or rationale (especially if you chose option #4).

I broached this subject with one of our associate pastors this morning and discovered that we held essentially the same view. Once we've received some significant feedback, we'll add our two cents.

Ambitious for the Church

I just finished reading a terrific book by Dave Harvey entitled Rescuing Ambition. The main idea is that ambition has gotten a bad rap over the years. While Scripture clearly warns us against selfish ambition, there is such a thing as spiritual ambition. We are all "glory-chasers"; God has wired us this way. Says Harvey, "We will always pursue glory. The only question is, Where will we find it?" The fact is, we pursue what we value. Mankind fell into sin when he pursued his own glory ("you will be like God") instead of his Creator's. "But the good news of the gospel," Harvey declares, "is that we aren't trapped by the tragedy of misplaced glory. While our ambitious impulses led us to vain pursuits, the Lord of glory has come to rescue our ambition. He has come to redeem us and recapture us for his glory."

The remainder of the book explores at a deeper level the above themes and goes on to speak of ambition's path, contentment, failure, and a host of other related issues. One of my favorite chapters, which appeared near the end of the book, was "Ambitious for the Church." Though Dave Harvey has served for two decades as a pastor, he is not speaking primarily to pastors but to God's people as a whole. The basis for our ambition for the church is Christ's ambition for the church. He gave His life for her. He promised His disciples, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).

As we live in community with God's redeemed people, we exalt Christ's purposes. We see for ourselves what Scripture clearly conveys:
Though sin once isolated us, the cross now unifies us. As citizens of a new kingdom and members of the household of God (Eph. 2:19), we're not longer merely individuals concerned only with ourselves. We're now "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9). . . .

Christ's promise introduces us to a radical, countercultural idea: the satisfaction of individual ambition is linked to our collective identity as the people of God. The individual Christian simply cannot understand his purpose, and therefore his ambition, in purely individual terms.
Did that last paragraph sink in? Perhaps you should read it again! The New Testament knows nothing of isolated Christianity. The local church occupied an essential place in the life of God's people:
  • The very first believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. . . . And all who believed were together" (Acts 2:42, 44).
  • Teaching and preaching were experienced publicly. Timothy, as a pastor, was commanded to devote himself "to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching" (1 Tim. 4:13).
  • Believers were exhorted "to meet together . . . encouraging one another" (Heb. 10:25).
  • They were repeatedly called to "serve one another" (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:10).
Our commitment to the local church - or lack thereof - is indicative of our ambitions. In his book, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, Donald Whitney warns us against being "spiritual hitchhikers" who want "all the benefits but no responsibility; all take and no give; no accountability, just a free ride."

Instead, why not commit yourself to the church that Jesus loves? Be faithful in attending its worship gatherings. Encourage your fellow believers. Serve others to the glory of God! Also, while doing so, beware of the "My-Church-Is-for-My-Ministry" mentality. In making this point, Dave Harvey quotes the psalmist, who testified to the Lord, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Ps. 84:10). One guy captured the point well by saying, "What you're a part of is more important than the part you play."

That's a good principle to keep in mind, isn't it? Dave Harvey reminds us that such an attitude stirs ambition for the church and frees us to "savor the fruit that accompanies the doorkeeper's devotion: first in, last to leave."

If you are looking for a good book to read before summer's end, I would heartily recommend Rescuing Ambition. You'll be glad you read it, as will others who will benefit from your godly ambition.