Timely Tonic

Tonic. It's a word that you don't hear much anymore. Kind of quaint, like something you'd see Doc Baker using on a Walnut Grove patient in Little House on the Prairie. Tonic is a "medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being; something with an invigorating effect."

That's what one song did for my soul this morning. It's an old hymn that came to mind the very moment I woke up:

My faith has found a resting place--

Not in device nor creed;

I trust the Ever-Living One--

His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument;

I need no other plea.

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves--

This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul, I come to Him--

He'll never cast me out.

My heart is leaning on the Word--

The written Word of God;

Salvation by my Savior's name,

Salvation through His blood.

My great Physician heals the sick--

The lost He came to save;

For me His precious blood He shed--

For me His life He gave.

I need no other argument;

I need no other plea.

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that He died for me.

It is enough. There's nothing I need to add to Jesus' atoning work. There's nothing I can add. Salvation is all of grace--God's grace. "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" (Colossians 1:22). That's a truth I need to tell myself every day, lest I get discouraged over my frequent failings.

Minutes later I had made my way from the bedroom into the living room, where I sat with the Bible in my lap and a freshly-poured cup of coffee in my right hand. As the text before me came into focus, my eyes settled on Ephesians 3:7-8: "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ."

This was Paul's testimony. This is my testimony. My service to the Lord, like my salvation from the Lord, is a gift of His grace. God didn't call me to preach because I'm great; He did it because He is great--and gracious. I re-read these verses several times. I intend to print them out and post them on the bulletin board by my desk.

Finally, I picked up our family's copy of Spurgeon's classic devotional work, Morning & Evening. I turned to this morning's entry, dated February 13. The text was 1 John 3:1-2: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God." In commenting on these verses, Spurgeon wrote (in part),

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God." That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does you faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now--in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be-- now, as much as in the valley as on the mountain, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." "Ah, but," you say, "see how I am arrayed! My graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory." But read the next: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him." The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.

God has got it all covered, hasn't He? His grace is sufficient, from start to finish. My faith indeed has found a resting place. Thank you, Lord, for mixing that song and Scripture, with a dose of Spurgeon, into a wonderful elixir this morning. It's just what my soul needed.

Crashing Cars and Careless Words

A few nights ago after gulping down my dinner, I jumped into the car and headed off to church for a meeting. I backed out of the garage and went through my little "steering ritual," which requires some explanation. At the base of our driveway there is a drain that is sunk down too deep, so we always back out on the left side of it. But we also park our van on the left side of the driveway, to allow room for the car to back out of the garage. If our daughter is home, she also parks on that side of the driveway, behind the van.

So I backed out of the garage as I always due, looking at both side mirrors to avoid the van on my left and the grass on my right. Once I saw that I cleared the van, I turned the steering wheel to the left so that by the time I got to the end of the driveway, I could avoid the drain.

This ritual has become so common, I don't even think about it anymore. That, however, created a problem. As I continued to back out, I suddenly heard a sound of metal crunching against metal. "NOOOOO!" I yelled. Immediately I knew what happened. I had forgotten that my daughter was home and had parked her itty-bitty Mazda behind the van!

If you have ever made such a stupid mistake as I did, you can relate to the frustration I felt. One careless move, and I created unnecessary damage.

If we are not watchful, we can do the same thing with our words. "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts..." (Prov. 12:18). Rash can be defined as "displaying or proceeding from a lack of careful consideration of the possible consequences of an action." So, here, the Spirit of God is not talking about words that are intentionally mean or destructive, but ones that are given no thought in terms of their effects. Such words include:

• "harmless jokes" (i.e. laughter at someone else's expense - see Proverbs 26:18-19)
• newsy items (gossip)
• critical or sarcastic remarks (I didn't mean anything by it)
• complaining
• arguing

The list goes on and on. Again, we're not talking about intentional words but the kind that come out of our mouth without thinking. Again, that's the problem. We speak without thinking. That's pretty dangerous when you think of Jesus' warning, recorded in Matthew 12:36: "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak." Every careless word! That's sobering! We need to wise up!

How can we do that, i.e. "wise up" when it comes to our words? First, we can ask the Lord for help. We can pray as David did, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Then, working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, we can be purposeful in our use of words, choosing them carefully ... thinking before we speak. We can:

• Choose words of restraint. Proverbs 10:19 says, "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." It's been said that a wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool speaks because he has to say something. I think of what Neal Page (Steve Martin) said to Del Griffith (John Candy), the talkative shower-curtain-ring salesman in the movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles: "Everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate." There's some sound wisdom in that counsel!
• Choose words of truth. "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor..." (Eph. 4:25).
• Choose words of love. One can speak the truth but in a hurtful way. We must choose to be loving in our communication with others. Ephesians 4:15 says that believers in Christ are to be "proclaiming the truth in love."
• Choose words of grace. Again in Ephesians 4 we are commanded, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (v. 29).
• Choose words of forgiveness. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph. 4:32-5:2).

As you can see, Ephesians 4 alone is a chapter filled with rich exhortations regarding our choice of words. Paul David Tripp has expounded on these more thoroughly in his book War of Words, if you would like to delve more deeply into this subject, using that as a resource.

Bottom line: Mind what you say, or you'll say whatever comes to mind -- and do a lot of damage, both to yourself and others.

Putting the Super Bowl into Perspective

Four years ago, after the Patriots lost to the Giants (shudder, twitch, convulse), I posted a blog article entitled, The Superbowl, Brady, Belichick ... and Bread. Given the rematch coming up this Sunday, I thought it would be wise to repost the article before the "big show" this weekend. Of course I'm hoping that history doesn't repeat itself, but regardless of whether you are a Giants' fan or a Patriots' fan, we would all do well to keep this game in perspective. Read on!

Superbowl Sunday was marked by black Monday – at least here in Boston – as Patriot fans licked their gaping wounds from Sunday’s Super-disappointment. One gentleman sent me the following e-mail on Monday morning, which I have posted with his permission:

Good morning, Pastor Matt.
I have to confess, I am coming off a pretty much sleepless night. It is amazing to me how emotionally involved we can become in matters such as Super Bowl wins and losses. I need to find a way to disassociate myself from sports. I get so emotionally distraught when our "home teams" lose….primarily the big games. Have winning and sports become gods to us? Pastor Matt, I don’t understand how we can get so wrapped up in these things. The winning affects my life in no way at all other than the "good feeling" that accompanies rooting for the home team. The flip side seems so unbalanced.
Anyhow, I just thought I’d send you a note and ask that you somehow put this into perspective for me. No family member died…..no one got hurt….all are healthy and there are no debt collectors beating at the door…..and yet after the game, there was this giant sized hole/pain. Why do we take these matters so seriously? It’s silly really.. Have a great day.

I’m glad this brother wrote what most others are probably feeling but perhaps wouldn’t say. He raises some good questions, like why is it that we get so "emotionally distraught" over a simple game? Why do we take these matters so seriously? And perhaps the most important and revealing question of all: Have winning and sports become gods to us?

I think they have. After all, what is an idol but the object of our desires? "Worship is basically adoration, and we adore only what delights us" (John Piper, Desiring God, p. 19). Bear with me for a moment, as I paraphrase a few verses from the Psalms:

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for the Patriots. My soul thirsts for the Patriots, the undefeated Patriots. When can I go and watch the Patriots?

"O Patriots, how sweet are your wins to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

"My soul thirsts for a Superbowl win, my flesh yearns for one, in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

My intent is not to be sacrilegious, but to engage in hyperbole for the sake of making a point. Isn’t it ridiculous that our enthusiasm and sentiments for a sports team comes even close to paralleling our affections for God?

The problem is not that we’re pursuing pleasure but that we’re trying to find it outside of God. The prophet Jeremiah put it like this:

"My people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate," says the Lord; "for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that hold not water." (Jer. 2:11-13)

Like C. S. Lewis said, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

We settle for football instead of Christ. If it’s not football, then it’s something else: clothes, computer games, a higher income, the approval of others, a great sex life, etc. The tragedy is that we have seen our worship of God as something separate – and perhaps even in opposition to – our pursuit of happiness. This is what John Piper has rightly called "the moral enemy of worship." Says Piper, "When worship is reduced to disinterested duty, it ceases to be worship. For worship is a feast."

Isn’t this precisely the point that our compassionate Lord makes in Isaiah 55:2, when He says, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." You see, "the great hindrance to worship is not that we are a pleasure-seeking people, but that we are willing to settle for such pitiful pleasures" (Piper). We think that football or sex or popularity or more money or a better marriage or physical fitness or the affirmation of others can satisfy the longings of our soul. The fact is, they can’t; only Christ can.

Even those who "follow Christ" must be careful to seek their pleasure in HIM, and not just His gifts. Remember what Jesus told the crowds when they followed Him after He fed the five thousand? He said, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval" (John 6:26-27 NIV).

Rather than seeing Jesus as the object of their desires, they saw Him only as a means of fulfilling their wants. Recently I read an outstanding lesson on John 6 by Paul David Tripp in his book, The War of Words. In a chapter entitled "Following the King for All the Wrong Reasons," he asked: "If you had to write down your dream for your life, what would you write? What is your ‘if only,’ ‘if I could just have,’ ‘if God would just give me. . . then I would be happy?’"

Think about that for a second. What would your answer to that question be?

Tripp goes on to share insights from John 6, centering on our struggle betweenphysical bread and spiritual bread: "In the middle of this struggle is the Deceiver, who would have us believe that life is all about physical bread, that spiritual things are of little consequence." Tripp then goes on to share four subtle but persuasive lies that Satan puts before us. Time and space forbid me from expounding on all four lies, but they all culminate in the fourth deception, which is: Life is found in physical bread. Read carefully Tripp’s comments on this vital point. It will be well worth your time:

This is the lie of lies–that somehow, some way, life can be found outside of a relationship with God. This was the lie told by the Deceiver in the Garden, and it is the lie told countless times again every day. Feeding on physical bread only leads to more hunger. It is only as you feed on Christ by faith, receiving his life, that you can ever be satisfied. He is the Bread. He is life! All other offers of life outside of Christ lead parched people to drink at dry wells. He is the True Bread. He is the river of life. Follow him and within you will flow rivers of living water (John 4:13-14). Without him you are dead, even though you physically live (Eph. 2:1-10).

It is so easy to buy into the lie that life can be found in human acceptance, possessions, and positions. It is so easy to have your life controlled by dreams of success in your career. It is so easy to believe that nothing else satisfies like romantic love. It is so easy to fall into pursuing the idol images of Western culture–big suburban house, luxurious car, lavish vacations, etc. When we do this, we quit feeding on Christ. Our devotional life begins to suffer. We pray less, and when we do, we pray more selfishly. We find our schedule doesn’t leave much time for ministry, and we spend more time with our colleagues at work than we do with brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Functionally, we are feeding on the world’s bread, not on Christ.

Our entire life will be determined by which bread we pursue. There are no more dangerous lies than the ones that lead us away from a loving hope and surrender to the Creator we cannot see, and toward a bondage to an endless, unsatisfying pursuit of what is passing away....

We fall into spiritual depression when [Christ] removes the physical bread so that we would hunger again for the Bread that really satisfies....

To the degree that you have based your life on something other than the Lord, to that degree God’s love and the hope of the gospel will not comfort you. You will not be comforted because you are hungry for another kind of bread. You long for a king who will give you the bread you crave....

As we look at our own lives and all that we are living for, we need to ask, Whose dream, which bread do we seek?...

Perhaps many of us, even though we have not physically forsaken the King, have lost our enthusiasm for his grace and mercy because following him has not led to the fulfillment of our dreams....

This can be something as "silly" as a Superbowl win or something more subtle but just as superficial. You can find your satisfaction in physical bread, or you can find it in Christ, the living Bread. You can pursue your own dream, what you think will make you happy – or you can pursue Christ and His dream for you -- "the good portion, which will not be taken away from [you]" (Luke 10:42).

SOHL Surfer

As most of you know, January 22 was Sanctity Of Human Life (SOHL) Sunday. I preached on this theme from several texts in Scripture. As a follow-up, I'd like to share two helpful links that would be good to check out the next time you're surfing the Web.

The first is a free download of John Piper's book, Exposing the Dark Side of Abortion. This is based on three sermons that Piper preached on this theme. Some of the statistics are a bit outdated, but God's truth is timeless, and the way Piper presents it packs a punch. To find more about this free download, go to http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/a-short-free-ebook-on-abortion.

The second link worth checking out is the home-page for CompassCare, a non-profit organization that provides expert service in helping women facing unplanned pregnancies. To find out more, visit http://www.compasscare.info/.

Thinking Some More About the Lord's Day

If you haven't read the previous post, "Thinking About the Lord's Day," you should read that before reading this, as I'm picking up here where I left off there.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the Lord's Day lately, especially considering the "buzz" over starting a Saturday night service. The funny thing is, the question I posed to the Community Groups on that subject had nothing to do with any intention on my part to launch such a service! But since many churches have gone that direction, I thought I'd throw that scenario out there in light of our study of the Sabbath, its fulfillment in Christ, and the resulting implications for believers today, both individually and corporately.

In thinking further on this whole issue of a Saturday night service, I'm mindful of what my friend, Dr. Timothy Tennent, declared at the September convocation at Asbury Theological Seminary: "Only a sustained theological reflection is able to penetrate and unmask the pragmatic, market driven assumptions which largely go unchecked in today's evangelical churches." Tennent then goes on to cite just a couple of examples that, in his opinion, lead us into the very heart of the issue. I've highlighted what I consider to be particularly striking statements.

Somewhere in America at some church meeting a decision was reached to change the name of the place they worshipped from the word "sanctuary" to "worship center" or "celebration center." Furthermore, they decided to build a space which could be used as a gymnasium during the week and a place of worship on Sunday. Having a dedicated space only for worship seemed like a shocking waste of money. Indeed, they had at least 5 reasons for doing this. What concerns me is that they probably never stopped to reflect theologically that there just might be 6 reasons not to do it. Of course, maybe there were only four and the "celebration center" in the gym would have carried the day. The point is, that reflection never happened.

Somewhere in America on some Sunday morning the first man or woman walked into a worship service with a baseball cap and a cup of coffee in their hand. It is now quite common. The pastor would surely offer three or four impressive reasons why this was the "missional" way to go, but I can assure you that when the decision was made, serious theological concerns were not invited to participate.

These examples all seem so small and insignificant. Yet, that's how all drift happens. You see, liberal Protestants never woke up on morning and said to themselves, "Hey, let's adopt an Arian Christology, shall we?" No one said, "Wouldn't it be just wonderful if we could devote the next 50 years to undermining the apostolic faith." No! I've read their writings. They were deeply concerned, as we are, to make the gospel relevant to modern people. Evangelicals have not openly abandoned apostolic Christianity. No one sets out to cheapen the gospel, diminish God's holiness or downplay the cost of discipleship. It's just happening. A baseball cap here, omitting the word "wretch" from Amazing Grace there. The pressure to bring in new members made it best to just drop the required confirmation class for membership. Besides, people are just too busy to attend a new members class and it might hurt our annual membership goals. The call to career missions slowly became short term missions which slowly became vacations with a purpose. It all happened so seamlessly. We brought in a new youth director. He doesn't have any biblical or theological training, but, oh, how the youth love him. You should see the new worship leader we have! He doesn't know any theology, but he's just picking the choruses each week, and he can really play the guitar! You see, it happens in ten thousand small skirmishes, rarely in any big. bloody battle.

Note: I think Tennent's whole article is outstanding and well worth the time it takes to read. To see the whole convocation address, click here.)

Now, you might think by reading this, that I'm opposed to Saturday night worship gatherings. Not necessarily. The issue for me is that we give ourselves first to biblical and theological reflection before pragmatic considerations.

For instance, have you ever considered why the first day of the week is so significant, from a theological standpoint? O. Palmer Robertson has. In an article entitled Why Worship on Sunday?, Palmer invites us to "consider carefully the following evidence that the redemption accomplished through Christ's resurrection determined the day for Christian worship":

1. Jesus Christ arose on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1). He entered into his rest from labor, not on Saturday (the seventh day), but on Sunday (the first day of the week). As Jesus entered into his rest on the first day, so he encourages us to begin the week by resting in the confidence that he will provide for all our needs for seven days with only six days of labor.

2. Jesus Christ appeared to his assembled disciples on the first day of the week, as well as to Mary and to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (John 20:10; Luke 24:13). By these appearances on the first day of the week, the resurrected Lord set a pattern for meeting with his disciples. They began expecting to meet with him on the day of his resurrection, which is the first day of the week.

3. Jesus appeared to the assembled disciples one week later on the first day of the week, with doubting Thomas present this time (John 20:26). Already a new pattern of assembly for worship was emerging. God's new covenant people were making it a habit to assemble together on the first day of the week, the day of Christ's resurrection. Jesus honored these assemblies by appearing to the disciples at this time, and encouraged their faith in him as the resurrected Lord.

4. The resurrected Christ poured out his Spirit on the assembled disciples exactly fifty days after the Sabbath of the Jewish Passover, which was the first day of the week (Acts 2:1; cf. Lev. 23:15-16). The word Pentecost means "fifty," referring to the fifty days after the Sabbath of the Passover. Forty-nine days would span seven Jewish Sabbaths or Saturdays, and the fiftieth day would then fall on a Sunday, the first day of the week. So it would appear that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came on the first day of the week, when God's new covenant people were assembled for worship. So the pattern would be established more firmly. Both the resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit occurred on the first day of the week.

5. As Paul spread the gospel of Christ among Jews and Gentiles throughout the world, the first day of the week was used as the time for Christians to assemble for worship. In Greece, Paul and Luke assembled with the people of God to break bread and to hear the preaching of God's word on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). This was the day that the people of the new covenant assembled to hear God's word.

6. Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth to establish the pattern for their presenting of offerings for the service of the Lord. He ordered the Christians in Corinth to follow the pattern that had already been set with the churches in Galatia (1 Cor. 16:1). On the first day of every week they were to consecrate their offerings to the Lord (1 Cor. 16:2). This schedule for honoring the Lord had become the pattern for God's people throughout the churches. The churches were not to present their offerings any time they wished. Rather, on the first day of each week, all the Corinthian Christians were to follow the pattern that had already been set among the Galatian churches. The first day of the week was the designated time for the presentation of offerings to the Lord.

7. The apostle John, now aged and perhaps the only living member of the original twelve apostles, had been banished to the island of Patmos. In this circumstance, he could not assemble for worship with the people of God. But the apostle informs us that "on the Lord's Day" he was "in the Spirit" (Rev. 1:10). The significance of his being "in the Spirit" seems quite clear. He had entered into the presence of the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was offering his adoration to him.

But what is the meaning of the phrase "on the Lord's Day"? In one sense, it may be said that every day of the week belongs to the Lord, and so might be called the "Lord's day." But John is referring to something more specific. He does not speak merely of "a" day that has been consecrated to the Lord. Instead he speaks of "the" Lord's Day.

That one day that may be called "the Lord's Day" was the day in which he proved to the world that he was Lord. On one particular day, Jesus made the universe understand that he was Lord of all. That day was the day of his resurrection. On that day, he conquered the last of the sinner's enemies, which is death. On the first day of the week, he showed that his power could overcome all enemies, even death itself. That day is "the Lord's Day."

So by the end of the lifetime of the first apostles, Christians knew about one day of the week that was called "the Lord's Day." On that day, they celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That day became the time for their assembly as they rejoiced in the resurrection of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So it is the same today. The original commandment to honor God by worship one day in seven still holds, since this requirement was a part of the Ten Words laying down the moral standards of God for men. One day in seven must be consecrated for worship and service to him. Both creation and redemption show that God must be honored in this way.

From the creation of the world until the coming of Christ, that day was the last day of the week. People in the days of the Old Testament were looking forward to the rest that the Savior would bring.

But now Christ has come. He has risen victoriously over all his enemies. This victory he won on the first day of the week. On this day he meets with his disciples as they assemble to commune with him.

So we are to celebrate the rest he has won for us. We are to taste and anticipate his rest by offering our worship on the first day of the week. For it is the only pattern demonstrated in the Scriptures of the new covenant for the worship of God's people today.

Those sound like pretty good arguments to me as far as making a case for the church to meet on Sundays for corporate worship. But on the other hand, arguments could be made for meeting on some other day for worship:

1. Worship for the Christian is to be a way of life (1 Cor. 10:31); therefore, we are to worship the Lord individually--and can do so corporately--any day of the week.
2. Saturday evening services may be implemented for evangelistic purposes. So long as he didn't compromise Scripture, Paul accommodated his ministry to those he was trying to reach, so that he might "with more of them" (1 Cor. 9:19). Paul's custom was to attend the Sabbath synagogue service to reason with the Jews from Scripture (Acts 17:2). Many Catholics in our day are used to attending Saturday night mass. So perhaps an evangelical might be more successful in inviting a Catholic friend to church on Saturday evening than on Sunday morning.
3. God commands Christians not to forsake the assembling of themselves together (Heb. 10:24-25). But some Christians, by nature of their jobs, have to work on Sundays. A Saturday night service actually affords them the opportunity to obey the Lord in this area and to enjoy the blessings that result from being an active part of the church body.

More arguments could be stated, probably on both sides. Here's how I come down on the whole issue personally:

1. I think it's fine to host a service on Saturday (or any other day of the week for that matter), so long as such a service is in addition to and not in lieu of Sunday worship.
2. Motive matters. If a church launches a Saturday night service for the sake of evangelism or to accommodate those with unavoidable conflicts on Sunday, then so be it. But if it is simply to satisfy our idolatrous priorities, then may it never be!

This second point is one of crucial importance. I believe it grieves the heart of God when Christians make little of him and make much of themselves ... when the Lord takes a back seat to the real loves of people's lives. A Saturday night service for many people is a means of getting worship out of the way and freeing up all of Sunday to do what they most desire: sleeping in, playing sports, going to the beach, watching TV, etc.. The sin is not in these activities themselves but counting them as more important than expressing our love and adoration to the God who has created us and redeemed us.

Imagine if you had a child who spent as little time with you as possible, let's say an hour or so a week, and that hour was spent at a time that was least intrusive to the things they really wanted to do. You took a back seat to everything else, and you always sensed they came to spend time with you not because they really wanted to, but because they felt they had to. How would you feel? How do you think God feels about our worship habits as His children?

I want God to know that He is my first love, has first dibs on my schedule, has first place in my affections. I want this to be true of me personally and of us as a church corporately. Motive matters. Worship matters. "Great is the Lord; He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness" (Psalm 145:3).

Thinking about the Lord's Day

My most recent sermon was an exposition of Mark 2:23 - 3:6, wherein Jesus declares, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Put another way, the Sabbath was instituted to be a blessing to people, not to put them under bondage. The Pharisees thought they had the final word on this issue with all their extra-biblical rules and regulations, but Jesus proved otherwise. After declaring His lordship over the Sabbath, Jesus "went on from there and entered their synagogue" (Matt. 12:9). He took the battle to them, demonstrating his lordship "on their turf" by healing a disabled man in the synagogue. Yes, the Sabbath was instituted to bring blessing, not bondage.

As a follow-up to the morning sermon, we posed some specific questions in our Community Groups that evening, narrowing our conversation to one particular line of discussion which had to do with our observance of the Lord's Day. Here are the questions we raised:

• What were Sundays like for you growing up, in terms of how it was observed by your family or community? Was it considered a "day of rest"? If so, what was and wasn't allowed?
• Consider the following statement by Fred Zaspel: "For those who rest in Christ, every day is a Sabbath." Do you agree? Why or why not?
• In Scripture, the first day of the week (Sunday) is referred to as "the Lord's Day," obviously because it was on this day of the week that Christ rose from the dead. Even if one does not regard Sunday as the "Christian Sabbath," do you think there are practical considerations that should make this day different from any other day of the week? Why or why not?
• What do you think of a church's having a Saturday night service in addition to, or in lieu of, a Sunday morning service? Would this be appropriate? Why or why not?

In an effort to help the TruthWalk readership to continue to think through these issues, I recommend that you read Pastor Steve Weaver's paper, "Is The Lord's Day the Christian Sabbath?: A Biblical and Theological Examination." I do not know Pastor Weaver personally but thought that his synopsis of this issue was well-researched, pointed, and concise. (You can give the paper a careful reading within a span of 15 minutes.)

Bottom line: As Lord of the Sabbath, Christ redirects our attention from the Sabbath to himself. The Sabbath finds its fulfillment in Him, as does all the law. Therefore, Sabbath requirements are no longer morally binding on Christians. Christians should make worship of Christ alone a requirement for this day.

Whatever conclusions and convictions you arrive at on this issue, I think it behooves all of us to consider the following testimony and exhortation by Don Whitney:

One example of how the Lord has been shaping my life is to conform more to His Word has to do with my beliefs and practice on the Lord's Day. Most conservative, Bible-believing Christians I know seem to make few choices about their Lord's Day activities based on Scripture. Rather they base their choices on their culture--their family culture, church culture, or the culture of society at large. So whether they go to the mall, watch football, play golf, eat out, take a nap, work in the yard, or whatever, they do what they do more because of the traditions of their family, church, or community than because of what the Bible says. If everyone in the church talks about or watches the big NFL game on Sunday, they probably will too. Or if they do not watch the game, it's only because they don't like football or have something else they would rather do or must do. Regardless, the decision is not made for biblical reasons.

As I examined the Scriptures pertaining to this issue, my habits on the Lord's Day were transformed. The Bible has directed me on this matter in ways that are refreshing, restorative, and recreative for my soul, mind, body and family. In summary, I have understood the Bible to teach that my greatest privilege and first responsibility on the Lord's Day is to worship Him with His people. Also, because the first day of the week is called in Scripture "the Lord' s Day" (Revelation 1:10), the day should be observed uniquely for the Lord, and every activity should be evaluated by that fact. However you choose to spend the Lord's Day, I appeal to you to base your decisions and actions on the revelation of God.

- Don Whitney, Ten questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, pp. 36-37

This blog post will not be the final word on this issue. I myself continue to wrestle with some of the questions posted above, thinking through their practical implications for me personally and for us as a church collectively. May God help us to grow in wisdom, that we might walk with the Lord in the light of His Word.

Romney, the Olympics, and Church Ministry

Mitt Romney, who just won the Iowa caucuses by the slimmest of margins, is going all out in his pursuit of the U.S. Presidency. Whether or not Romney will win the election and make a good President remains to be seen, but by all accounts he appears to be a good manager.

In last Sunday's edition of the Democrat and Chronicle, Sharon Cohen of the Associated Press reminded us that

Romney tasted defeat in his first campaign [for President] but found a new outlet for his management skills. He took over the floundering scandal-ridden Salt Lake Olympic Games and is credited with turning them into a financial success.

Gillespie, his former aide, says Romney bucked up a demoralized staff, recruited people with Olympic experience, and tackled problems with an orderly management style that involved asking probing questions.

"When somebody says, 'Look this is the way it's always done,' his first reaction is going to be, 'Not necessarily. Let's talk about why,'" she recalls. "There's a really intense challenging of the status quo."

I love that approach and can't help but wonder how much more effective and fruitful the local church would be if we were willing to ask the hard questions. And lest someone think, "Wait, that's incorporating worldly business practices into the life of the church," let's not forget that when Jesus told His disciples not to do what the Gentiles do, He was speaking in terms of lording it over people, i.e. using your position of leadership to serve yourself rather than others. Jesus was not denouncing the practice of asking probing questions and challenging the status quo. After all, the record of Scripture shows that Jesus himself asked probing questions and challenged the status quo as much as anyone!

Some church programs need to die. We can give them a good funeral, but let's let them die! In some cases, a swift execution would be an act of mercy to many.

Just because we may criticize other churches for doing things wrong doesn't mean that we're doing things right. Moreover, I concur with Harry Reeder that "true effectiveness is never achieved at the expense of faithfulness." But let's not confuse biblical truth with stubborn traditionalism. Faithful stewardship demands that we look at where our church resources (personnel, finances, time, energy, etc.) are being expended, and if this is the most effective means of pursuing a biblical vision for ministry.

In his immensely helpful book, The Deliberate Church, Mark Dever rightly states, "When it comes to building a people for His own name and glory, God cares how we go about participating in His redemptive purposes." How we "do church" says a lot about our theology and our faith (or lack thereof) in the power of the gospel.

It all boils down to the goal of Christian ministry, and that is to make disciples. Are we doing this effectively? That's the bottom line. And it's a question that even the most conservative evangelical churches must be willing to ask themselves. Colin Marshal and Tony Payne put it this way:

Even among those godly, faithful pastors who avoid the trendsetting fads of Christian marketing, there is confusion--most especially between what Christian ministry is in the Bible, and what Christian ministry has become in the particular tradition or denomination of which they are part. We are all captive to our traditions and influenced by them more than we realize. And the effect of tradition and long practice is not always that some terrible error becomes entrenched; more often it is that our focus shifts away from our main task and agenda, which is disciple-making. We become so used to doing things one way (often for good reason at first) that important elements are neglected and forgotten, to our cost. We become imbalanced, and then wonder why we go in circles.

So, You Want to Lead?

Back in 2001, I attended the Heart-Cry for Revival conference, a biennial event sponsored by Life Action Ministries. The Lord did a great work of conviction and renewal in my heart, for which I will be forever grateful. Prayer and the preaching of the Word brought about a defining moment of repentance and renewal for me, one that significantly impacted my life and ministry from that point forward.

It's been ten years since I attended that conference. Over the course of the past decade my wife and I have continued to be blessed through Revive magazine, a quarterly publication of Life Action Ministries. Its stated mission is "to ignite movements of revival and authentic Christianity." We have found each issue to be filled with biblical, practical articles written by leading Christian men and women.

In fact, leadership is the key theme of the magazine's most recent issue. Leadership is influence If we want to influence people for God, if we want to impact people for Christ, we must possess the distinctive qualities of Christian leadership. With this in mind, pastor and author Crawford Loritts laid out several "Guiding Principles for Godly Leadership." I have found these to be scripturally based and practically beneficial, which is why I'm sharing them here on the TruthWalk blog. Here they are:

• Do not tell God how to use you. Stay open. Stay flexible.
• Do not compete or compare. No mortal being can take from you waht God as for you. Just pursue what God places in front of you.
• Do not live by your rights, but respond to what is right. People who live by their rights only grow to the level of their demands.
• Do not operate from giftedness; operate from brokenness. Your gifts are not a statement of your identity--they are only something God uses. Your real identity is found in Jesus.
• Do not make decisions based foremost on your gifts. God wants to grow you and bring about new things. He may want you in a situation outside of your gifts so He an do something greater in your heart and life.

Can you think of some references and real-life examples and incidents from Scripture that validate these principles? Why not write them down next to your own reprint of this list?

The Christ of Christmas is the Christ of the Cross

The following article was originally published on December 19, 2008:

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!

"Let Freedom Ring"

So go the lyrics of the hymn, My Country 'Tis of Thee, which served as the de facto national anthem of the United States before the adoption of The Star-Spangled Banner as the official anthem.

Years ago our family lived in Richmond Virginia. The church where I served as an associate pastor was located on Monument Avenue, so named because every few blocks there is a statue that has been erected in honor of an American hero. One such hero is Patrick Henry, a living symbol of America's struggle for liberty, who in March of 1775 uttered those time-honored words, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."

For many Americans, this is exactly what they got. Thousands of common people possessing uncommon valor sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom. On this 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we commemorate the 2,402 Americans who lost their lives on that "day of infamy." Like so many other soldiers who have fought for our freedom, including those who are fighting the war on terror today, countless Americans have sacrificed their lives so that their children and succeeding generations might live as free men.

This is the same reason that Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. "It was for freedom that Christ set us free" (Galatians 5:1). Yet it wasn't political freedom that Christ won for us, but spiritual freedom. Jesus himself declared, "If you abide in my word, they you are truly disciples of mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" (John 8:31-32).

What are the practical implications of this? We don't have to guess, for Scripture tells us: "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as slaves of God" (1 Peter 2:16). Here in America, one cannot be a free-man if he is a slave. But in the kingdom of God, the only way one can be truly free is to become a slave of Christ.

William Penn wrote, “Men must be governed by God, or they will be ruled by tyrants.” Sin is the cruelest of tyrants. How wonderful it is to know, experience, and declare the Good News of Christmas: "She will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Kids Can't Sit on Santa's Lap? - A Sad Consequence of Child Sexual Abuse

While watching the news this evening, I noticed that much of it was dominated by the child sexual abuse scandals and allegations. Accusations against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky continue to mount, the most recent charge coming from one of his own grandchildren. Now allegations have been raised against Bernie Fine, assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University.

Then there was the news on the sentencing of Michael Jackson's doctor, who administered a deadly dose of a powerful sedative to treat the pop star's insomnia. Yet most would readily agree that lack of sleep was far from being the greatest of Michael's problems. Rather, it was the child molestation charges that followed Jackson till the day he died.

Our family was living and ministering in the Boston area when Cardinal Law resigned in 2002 over the sexual abuse crisis that Law came to symbolize. At that time many parishioners became disillusioned with the Roman Catholic Church and either abandoned religion altogether or began to check out various Protestant churches that formerly were considered anathema.

Going back to the allegations against the college coaches, my wife made a key observation, saying that she would have never guessed that a football coach or some other guy who comes across as "a man's man" would be involved in such a scandal. It raises the question 'Whom can you trust?'

Apparently not Santa. At least that's the way that the British Department of Education sees it. The Telegraph reported that "parents who have offered to don the red suit have been told that they must not allow youngsters to sit on their laps...." While some consider this restriction as going too far, school officials are standing by their decision, saying that they would rather err on the safe side.

While I'm convinced that heavier restrictions should be placed on coaches, priests and teachers rather than Santa (whose time with children is spent with swarms of parents and other adults standing right there), I can appreciate the growing national and international concern for protecting children from sexual molestation.

The Washington Times divulged some unnerving statistics:

As victims of childhood molestation boys face significant and unique barriers in reporting what they intuitively know is inappropriate behavior. Approximately 1,460 children died in 2005 due to child abuse or neglect. Seventy-nine percent of these children were under the age of 4 years old.

Statistically one in eight males are a victim of abuse and a child has to tell seven adults of suspected abuse before he or she is taken seriously.... Rates of suicide among male victims of childhood sexual abuse are 14 times higher than the norm and they are 38 times more likely to die from a drug overdose.

Male victims are also prone to more aggressive behavior than female victims. A male victim is 53% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile compared to others and 38% more likely to be arrested for violent crime as an adult. Victims face a lifetime battle with depression, anger, addiction and possibly suicide....

Statistics and news stories such as these all remind me afresh of just how vital children's ministry is in the local church. I am thankful to have pastored churches that take this ministry seriously by screening all workers, establishing strict guidelines, building trust with parents, keeping one's integrity in tact, and, best of all, showing the pure and holy love of Christ to the children under their care. Despite the many tragic news stories aired daily, there are also unreported acts of genuine love and kindness, not one of which escapes the Lord's attention.

After all, it was Jesus who said,

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but 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 depth of the sea....

See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

- Matthew 18:5-6, 10-14

A Song and a Prayer

Last Friday we had the privilege of seeing our oldest son Matthew graduate from USMC boot camp in Parris Island, SC. This was the culmination of nearly 13 weeks of intense and often grueling training, during which time the only means of communication between us and our son was through "snail-mail" (the U.S. postal system). No phone calls, e-mail, facebook, or Skype - just handwritten letters. Not being able to talk with our son was one of the most difficult aspects of our separation during this training time. At times Matthew's letters had a touch of humor; sometimes they expressed real discouragement and anxiety. In each and every letter, Matthew expressed his continuing need for prayer.

So, like I said, we were thrilled to be reunited with Matthew at his graduation from boot camp, and to bring him home with us for the Thanksgiving holiday. Soon into our long drive home (almost a thousand miles), Matthew asked if he could use my iPod to play some songs over the van speakers. The first song he played was "I Know You're There," by Casting Crowns. The words of the chorus are as follows:

I know You're there,

I know You see me;

You're the air I breathe,

You are the ground beneath me;

I know You're there,

I know You hear me;

I can find You anywhere,

I know You're there.

Matthew said that he thought of this song all the time as he was going through training. Many other Christian songs came to mind as well. This surprised me, as Matthew did not listen primarily to Christian music throughout his high school years, even right up until the time he left for boot camp. Once in a blue moon he would listen to such songs, but in most cases he heard them when we (his mother and I) played listened to them in the house or car.

So I asked Matthew, "Did you remember all the lyrics to this song and the others?" "Yes," he replied. I thought this was really odd, since I had listened to these songs far more than Matthew yet couldn't remember many of the lyrics. Matthew shared that he was equally amazed at this; he wondered how on earth he remembered all the words.

We concluded that the Lord brought them to mind, and that this was in response to the prayers of so many that Matthew would be reminded of, and feel a keen sense of, God's presence throughout his time of training. In his loneliest, most difficult hours, Matthew's heart was renewed and strengthened through the song quoted above, plus the following song entitled "God Will Lift Up Your Head":

Give to the wind your fear

Hope and be undismayed

God hears your sighs and counts your tears

God will lift up, God will lift up, lift up your head.

Through waves and clouds and storms

He gently clears the way

Wait, because in His time, so shall this night

Soon end in joy, soon end in joy,

soon end in joy, soon end in joy.

God will lift up your head.

God will lift up your head.

God will lift up your head.

The above song is based on Psalm 3, wherein David describes God's protection, faithfulness, and encouragement in the face of insurmountable difficulties. Despite his overwhelming circumstances, David testified, "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head (Psalm 3:3).

How good it is to know that God is always there for us, His children. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5), and He has made good on that promise. His Spirit brings to mind such promises and renews our heart as He fills it. What an amazing thing it is also to see the connection between being filled with the Spirit and making melody in our hearts to the Lord (see Eph. 5:18-20).

So much more could be said, but I'll stop here and thank the Lord once again for His abiding presence and for answered prayer. May we all rejoice in these wonderful truths this Thanksgiving season as well as through each and every day.

Happy Birthday, Billy -- and Thank You

Yesterday Billy Graham celebrated his 93rd birthday. I still remember the time that I got to meet Dr. Graham in person at a mutual friend's home. What an unforgettable experience that was.

Over the course of his life, Billy Graham has met personally with twelve U.S. Presidents and has preached the gospel in person to more people than any other person in history. By the time he had turned ninety, Graham's lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion.

According to the BGEA staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to Billy's invitation at the crusades to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Countless others have received Christ upon hearing the Gospel preached by Billy over the airwaves or other means of communication.

One such man was my dad. Yesterday I asked him to share how he personally came to faith in Christ through the preaching of Billy Graham. Here's the story, in my dad's own words:

Billy Graham will always have a warm place in my heart, since he was the human vehicle through whom I came to Christ.

It was September 1958, and I had just been discharged a month early from the U.S. Marine Corps in order to attend college at the University of Richmond. My brother and sister-in-law, both Christians, had invited me to stay with them until I could find a place. One afternoon after class, I was sitting in a corner of their living room, thinking about nothing in particular. Then my sister-in-law began recording a radio message by Rev. Graham, intending to send the tape to her unsaved father. So far as I know, her father never received Christ, but God had someone else in mind. The message being preached that day was about King Agrippa, and I can remember to this day the Word smiting my heart when Agrippa told Paul "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." The Holy Spirit did His convicting work, I repented of my sin, and was saved then and there.

Countless others have been won to the Lord by Billy Graham, but I'm sure he was never aware that in September, 1958, a young college freshman received forgiveness from the Lord who used that message intended for someone else.

"The Exorcist" Turns Forty

This Halloween I discovered something that might surprise most people: The Exorcist was not intended to frighten its audience.

You're probably thinking, "Yeah, right. It only scared the living daylights out of how many people?"

Still, it's true -- at least according to William Peter Blatty, the guy who wrote both the novel and the screenplay. Before writing The Exorcist, Blatty had been a comic novelist. But while he was a student at Georgetown University in 1941, he got wind of an actual case of demonic possession going on nearby. Blatty remembers thinking, "Someday, somebody's got to write about this, because if an investigation were to prove that possession is real, what a help it would be to the struggling faith of possibly millions, for if there were demons, I reasoned, then why not angels? Why not God?"

Blatty's intention was to write a "novel of faith in the popular dress of a thrilling and suspenseful detective story -- in other words, a sermon that no one could possibly sleep through...." Well, my guess is that most who have seen The Exorcist have not slept through it!

When I was a freshman in Bible college, the professor who taught the angelology/demonology course showed excerpts from The Exorcist to the class. I remember little to none of it -- probably because I had my eyes closed. I had always questioned his wisdom in showing the film, but now that I understand more of its backdrop, I get his reasoning. That's not to say that I agree with it, but I do get it.

Having just preached on Mark 1:21-34 this past Lord's Day, I'm convinced that the record of Scripture provides all the fascinating, factual accounts that we need to understand that demons are both real and powerful. They can completely overcome a person, dominating his thoughts, speech, and behavior. People tormented and possessed by demons tend to be the most repulsive and pitiable. Yet one word from Jesus, "the Holy One of God" (Mark 1:24), sets the demons packing and the people free.

Interestingly, Blatty discovered in his research "that in every period of recorded history, and in every cluture and part of the world, there have been consistent accounts of possession and its symptoms going all the way back to ancient Egyptian chronicles." We who know the Word of God should not be surprised at this, for since mankind's fall into sin, "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:1). But "for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). Melvin Tinker has noted, "Nowhere in the New Testament are believers ever depicted as living in servile fear of demons, that is precisely the state from which they have been delivered by the gospel."

That's "good news" worth celebrating.

Following Jesus: Is It Really a Sacrifice?

This past Lord's Day I preached on Mark 1:14-20, wherein the Gospel writer recounts Jesus' proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom and His call to four fishermen. We saw that the call to discipleship is a summons to follow Christ, which demands commitment. In considering this point we reflected on how these fishermen left their nets as well as their families "immediately" in order to follow Jesus. We think of their sacrifices and sufferings. Indeed, they gave up a lot. But we also thought about what they gained -- eternal life, forgiveness of sins, the joy and peace that characterizes God's kingdom, plus abilities and opportunities to make a global impact for the sake of the Gospel. In short, they became God's world-changers!

After preaching on this theme Sunday morning, I was doing some light reading later that same day from a book a friend had lent me. In it I found the following quote from the famous missionary David Livingstone. This is an excerpt from a speech he delivered at Cambridge University on December 4, 1857:

People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa.... Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.

Livingstone realized that serving God is a win-win situation; we'll always end up with far more than we gave up. Jesus Himself promised, "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matt. 19:29).

Pastor Mark Batterson reminds us, "There is an old aphorism: 'No one ever bet too much on a winning horse.' I know this for sure: The only regrets we'll have at the end of our lives will be that we didn't seek God more or seek God sooner."

I agree. Now I'm sitting here wondering why I ever referred to this as "light reading." Actually, it's pretty heavy-duty stuff! And immensely practical, too. The bottom line is: if this is true, what difference will it make in my life? What difference will it make in yours?

Five Minutes That Could Help Your Marriage

This past Lord's Day, I had the difficult task of bringing before the congregation an unresolved sin issue involving a marriage. When such an issue is raised publicly (in accordance with Matt. 18), it has a way of waking people up to the painful challenges they're facing in their own marriages. Christian husbands and wives realize that if they do not get serious about resolving trouble and tension in their relationship, they may wind up estranged from one another, the Lord, and the church fellowship.

I struggled with the title of this particular post because I don't want to give the impression that I advocate a "quick-fix" approach to serious problems in marriage. Real, lasting change takes time and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit, as we trust Him to help us learn and live out God's truth as revealed in Scripture.

Still, the following five-minute video might be just what you need to re-focus and recommit yourself to the covenant of marriage. Three theologians, who have been married to their wives for a combined total of 116 years, offer some valuable biblically-based counsel on the covenant of marriage. I found it helpful and hope that you will, too. For more information and helpful resources, visit The Gospel Coalition website.

Piper, Carson, and Keller on Sustaining the Covenant of Marital Love from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

A Prayer for "The Family"

The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions by anonymous authors. I use this resource to "beef up" my own prayer life with greater biblical substance. You should never read these while in a rush, for at least two reasons: (1) the language is a bit antiquated, which requires the reader to slow down a bit to grasp what's being said; (2) virtually every line is so rich with scriptural truth and theology, that to read it superficially or casually would seem to be inappropriate or irreverent.

This morning I read slowly, deliberately, and meditatively on the following prayer entitled "The Family." I found it to be wonderfully convicting, comforting, and challenging. It resonated with the desires of my heart to seek out God's best for those whom I love. I share it with you in the hopes that it will stir your heart as well.

O sovereign Lord,

Thou art the Creator-Father of all men, for thou has made and dost support them;

Thou are the special Father of those who know, love, and honour thee,

who find thy yoke easy, and thy burden light,

thy work honourable,

thy commandments glorious.

But how little thy undeserved goodness has affected me!

how imperfectly have I improved my religious privileges!

how negligent have I been in doing good to others!

I am before thee in my trespasses and sins,

have mercy on me,

and may thy goodness bring me to repentance.

Help me to hate and forsake every false way,

to be attentive to my condition and character,

to bridle my tongue,

to keep my heart with all diligence,

to watch and pray against temptation,

to mortify sin,

to be concerned for the salvation of others.

O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred.

Let those that are united to me in tender ties

be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.

Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,

instruction, discipline, example,

that my house may be a nursery for heaven,

my church the garden of the Lord,

enriched with trees of righteousness

of thy planting, for thy glory;

Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive,

fall short of heaven at last;

Grant that the promising appearance of a tender conscience,

soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word,

be not finally blotted out,

but bring forth judgment unto victory

in all whom I love.

Music to a Pastor's Ears

The other day one of our former church members was in town and stopped in to see me. In the course of our conversation, I asked how her extended family was doing, which prompted her to tell me about an incident that took place a few years ago.

Her aged father-in-law, who lives in town but attends a theologically liberal, mainline Protestant church, came to our church one Sunday morning. As one of our associate pastors opened the service with a Scripture reading, the lady's father-in-law asked, "What's that sound?" She listened carefully but couldn't hear anything but the pastor's voice coming over the sound system. "Is it a buzzing in the speakers?" she asked. "No, it's not really a buzzing sound," he replied. Then he immediately proceeded to say, "Wait. It just stopped. What was that?"

She didn't have a clue.

Later on in the service, the father-in-law heard this "sound" again and told his daughter-in-law so. Again, she couldn't hear anything and began wondering if he was "losing it." After a few seconds he said, "There! It just stopped again! You couldn't hear it?" "No," she replied, just a bit concerned.

When I got up to preach and announced the sermon text, the aged gentleman turned to his daughter-in-law and said rather emphatically, "There it is again! Listen! Can't you hear it?"

It was then that she heard it. What her father-in-law had been hearing on-and-off again throughout the course of the service was people turning the pages of their Bibles!

This man was not used to hearing this sound, for in his church, people for the most part did not bring their Bibles, and the minister did not preach from the Bible.

How blessed I am to hear the rustling of pages each Lord's Day. It is music to this pastor's ears, and a sound I don't ever want to take for granted. Biblical exposition is cherished in my church, and for that I praise God.

Who's Making the Flat Cakes?

While reading through the book of First Chronicles, I came across the following section that described the responsibilities of some of the Levites:

Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out. Others of them were appointed over the furniture and over all the holy utensils, also over the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices. Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices, and Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with making the flat cakes.

- 1 Chronicles 9:28-31

One of those mind-blowing passages, right? Actually, if you're like me, you were probably wondering, "Who cares? What's the big deal? Why all the boring details?"

Yet the other side of my brain says, "Wait. The Bible assures us that 'all Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable ..." (2 Tim. 3:16). So what benefit might the above passage bring us? The ESV (English Standard Version) study note provides some wonderful insight along these lines:

The responsibilities of vv. 28-31 may strike the modern reader as obscure and dull. Perhaps they seemed so to the ancient reader as well. Nevertheless, the whole work of the sanctuary depended on the faithfulness of these men; and all of God's people may take comfort from this reminder that God both notices and remembers those who faithfully perform routine tasks in service to him. The mention of these servants was probably a source of pride to their later descendants.

Isn't that great? I love that! What an encouragement! Church ministry can involve any number of seemingly mundane tasks, such as changing diapers, trimming bushes, raking leaves, running the sound system, passing out bulletins, serving snacks to kids, collecting the offering, and numerous other acts of service. And God takes note of each one! He faithfully rewards every person who serves others in His name.

While others may overlook, fail to acknowledge or appreciate our acts of Christian service (and we all do, because no one is perfect), we can carry on our work with joy because God knows who's making the flat cakes!

No wonder Scripture tells us, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Christ" (Col. 3:23-24). Amen!

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.