He Ain't the Prophet Joel

Last night Joel Osteen was interviewed on 60 minutes. I only saw two minutes of the Osteen segment, but that’s all I needed to see. You can see the video or transcript on the CBS News website.

The part I saw was when host Byron Pitts raised the subject of Osteen’s latest book, To Become a Better You, which gets released today (Oct. 15). In the book, Osteen lays out seven principles that he believes will improve our lives. (This book has already improved Osteen’s life. He reportedly got a $13 million advance for the book.) In commenting on the book, Pitt remarked to Osteen: "To become a better you, you must be positive towards yourself, develop better relationships, embrace the place where you are. Not one mention of God in that. Not one mention of Jesus Christ in that."

Osteen’s response? "That's just my message. There is scripture in there that backs it all up. But I feel like, Byron, I'm called to help people…how do we walk out the Christian life? How do we live it? And these are principles that can help you. I mean, there’s a lot better people qualified to say, 'Here’s a book that going to explain the scriptures to you.' I don’t think that’s my gifting," Osteen says.

Then GET OUT OF THE PULPIT.

How can a preacher set forth "Christian principles" without Christ? The fact is, he can’t. I’m glad that Byron Pitts got Michael Horton’s take on this. (Horton is a professor of theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California.) Horton rightly observed: "[Osteen’s] core message is God is nice, you’re nice, be nice. It's sort of a, if it were a form of music, I think it would be easy listening. He uses the Bible like a fortune cookie. 'This is what’s gonna happen for you. There’s gonna be a windfall in your life tomorrow.' The Bible's not meant to be read that way."

Horton went on to say that he believes that Osteen tells only half the story of the Bible, focusing on the good news without talking about sin, suffering and redemption.

I agree.

Horton goes even further. He levels the harshest charge of all, calling the Osteen method of teaching heresy. "It is certainly heresy, I believe, to say that God is our resource for getting our best life now," Horton says. "Because?" Pitts asks. "Well, it makes religion about us instead of about God," Horton explains.

Yes, that is precisely the problem. America’s motto has become: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." From that flows the commitment: "As for me and my house, we will serve ourselves."

That’s why tens of thousands are flocking to Lakewood Church and why millions are buying Osteen’s books. As one of our church members put it in an e-mail to me this morning: "It is like god lite or the diet coke of the gospel. All the things you love about God without all of that conviction to weigh you down…."

Well, I had intended to write on something different today – putting forth from Scripture a positive alternative to emotionalism. But perhaps this interview with Osteen was just what I needed to press home the dangers of emotionalism. Wait another day or two, and I will show you from Scripture "a more excellent way."

Rock Concerts and Revivals

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, actor Brad Pitt said he’s "at peace with his religious faith," though in high school he had "crises of faith."

"I’d go to Christian revivals and be moved by the Holy Spirit, and I’d go to rock concerts and feel the same fervor. Then I’d be told, ‘That’s the Devil’s music! Don’t partake in that!’ I wanted to experience things religion said not to experience."

Though raised in a conservative Southern Baptist environment, Brad abandoned his fundamentalist beliefs by the time he left for college. The reason? "Guilt ... It's the thing I rail against the most." He went on to say, "Religion works. I know there's comfort there, a crash pad. It's something to explain the world and tell you there is something bigger than you, and it is going to be alright in the end. It works because it's comforting. I grew up believing in it, and it worked for me in whatever my little personal high school crisis was, but it didn't last for me. I didn't understand this idea of a God who says, 'You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, and then I'll give you eternal happiness. If you won't, then you don't get it!' It seemed to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me."

As I read Brad’s story, I was reminded of the dangers of emotionalism. More and more, people are looking for a religion that makes them feel good. Isn’t it interesting that Brad Pitt equated being "moved by the Holy Spirit" with the same sensation he experienced at a rock concert? Yet later he rejects the notion of a God that actually insists that His creation "acknowledge" Him. Pitt found such teaching, well, uncomfortable. So he leaves that to find a religion that "works because it’s comforting."

Brad’s religious history and present spiritual condition makes me sad, because he is missing out on the comfort that could really and truly be his if he would "acknowledge" the God of the gospel and put his faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. But Pitt, like most people, wants comfort without conviction.

That makes me sad. But something else makes me mad. And that is the churches that appeal to people’s emotions in order to produce results. Fearing that people will leave their church if they do not give them the "emotional high" that they crave, these churches – and particularly their pastors – throw out anything that might be distasteful to their congregants (a la Joel Osteen). The "moving of the Holy Spirit" in their churches thus produces the same sensation as a secular rock concert. Of course that’s because people aren’t being truly moved by the Spirit. They’re being moved by the music ... or the drama ... or the sob stories. These churches are giving their people what their "itching ears" want to hear. So they mistake emotional highs for spiritual revival, sensation for salvation. Convinced they’re on their way to heaven, they wind up in hell.

No wonder Paul charged Timothy so strongly to "preach the word ... in season and out of season." He knew – and warned Timothy – that the time would come when people would "not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim. 4:1-5a).

When people don’t like what God’s Word says and start leaving the church, it’s tempting to tell them what they want to hear so that they’ll stay. But to do so is to betray God and to damn men. We give them what they want on earth, only to give them hell hereafter.

For the love of God, let’s not do that. Let’s remember that true comfort comes from the Holy Spirit – the true Comforter who indwells everyone who come to God through faith in Christ, receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. Then and only then will they experience a "high" that no rock concert can produce, for it is supernatural in nature. Through faith in Christ they will come to experience not only genuine comfort, but an abiding and inexpressible joy – one that the world cannot manufacture and that no one can take away.

Faith Comes by Hearing ... Not Seeing

Lately the Lord has been giving me a greater burden for evangelism. What is evangelism?, one might ask. It's presenting Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to sinful people, so that they might turn from their sin, trust in Jesus as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His Church. Or, to define it more succinctly: "Evangelism is communicating the gospel."

I am deeply troubled by the growing number of professing Christians who are under the mistaken impression that as long as we "live out our faith," we don't need to verbalize it. It is true that we are to let our light shine before men (Matt. 5:16) and that we show the genuineness of our faith by our works (James 2:18). But simply living a godly life does not communicate the essential message of the gospel, namely, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

This reminds me of a true story I read about a man who became a Christian at an evangelistic crusade. He was so excited about his salvation, he told his boss about it. His employer responded, "That's great! I am a Christian, and I have been praying for you for years!" The newly saved man was crestfallen. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked. "You were the very reason I have not been interested in the gospel all these years." "How can that be?" the boss wondered. "I have done my very best to live the Christian life around you." "That's the point," explained the employee. "You lived such a model life without telling me that it was Christ who made the difference, I convinced myself that if you could live such a good and happy life without Christ, then I could too."

Do you see how important it is that we not only practice our faith but also to proclaim the gospel? Just this morning I received word that my step-sister suddenly went home to be with the Lord. She was only in her mid-forties and leaves behind her husband and 14-year-old daughter. Had she not heard and believed the gospel, she would be in hell instead of heaven this very moment. What if she had chosen to "live out" her faith instead of also sharing the gospel with her husband and daughter? Then she would have done nothing to offer them the hope of heaven, where they would see her again and be with her and Christ throughout all eternity.

Do you see how important it is that we share Christ with people? How we need to pray for one another as Paul asked others to pray on his own behalf: "... That utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ... that in proclaiming it, I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Eph. 6:19-20).

Holding Things Loosely … If At All

This morning I went for a walk. The weather was beautiful – sunny, blue skies, about 78 degrees. As I walked around the block, I saw many of our neighbors working in their yards or on other projects around their home. Soon I started thinking, “I wish we owned our own home."

Then, as quickly as that thought entered my mind, so did the Scripture I had read in my devotions just hours earlier:

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet , and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement) … sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
-- Acts 4:32-37

Here I was, wishing I owned my own home, and the believers of the early church who already owned their own houses and lands sold them and gave the proceeds to the church! They were more concerned about building God's kingdom than they were their own equity. One of them was even called Barnabas, "son of encouragement." Imagine the blessing these people were to one another, and how blessed they felt by each other!

Instantly I stopped wishing for my own home and started wishing for that spirit to dominate my life and my church today!

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that it is God’s will for everyone to sell their homes and give the proceeds to the church! Indeed, the following chapter makes it clear that this was a voluntary act on the part of these people and that their property or the proceeds they received from their property was theirs to do with as they wished. But the thing that struck me was how readily everyone gave up what belonged to him or her for the sake of the church. Their love for God’s kingdom and His people was so strong, that they saw their possessions as resources to be used in the life and mission of the church!

Notice that during this time there was “great power” in the proclamation of the gospel, and “great grace was upon them all.” What I wouldn’t give to experience such a work of God here and now!

I guess that’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it? Perhaps that statement should be phrased in the form of a question: What wouldn’t I give to experience such a work of God here and now?

How much do you long to experience God’s empowering presence in your life … in your home … in your church? What would you be willing to give up to see such a work of God?

This morning was a great reminder to me to hold material possessions loosely … if at all. What I want more than possessions is God’s manifest presence and power in my life, and in the lives of my wife and children – and in the life of the church that I pastor. May each of us treasure the Lord Jesus Christ, His kingdom, His people, and our home in heaven more than anything else on earth.

Don’t Cheat Yourself

The Patriots’ great start to the 2007-08 NFL season was besmirched by Coach Belichick’s cheating tactics. Yesterday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined the Patriots’ head coach $500,000 (the biggest fine ever for a coach) and the team itself another $250,000 for using a video camera to spy on the opposing team’s coaches. In addition to being fined, the Patriots had to forfeit next season’s first-round draft pick (if they make it to the play-offs) or the second- and third-round draft picks (if they don’t make it to the play-offs).

Webster defines cheating as “the obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth.” It involves sneaky tactics for the purpose of escaping observation. In this case, Belichick’s attempt to do so failed. And now he is paying the price.

God in His Word calls His people to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Romans 12:17). The word “honest” translates the Greek term kalos, which means “noble, admirable, or praiseworthy; beautiful by reason of purity.” There’s something “ugly” about cheating (i.e., “you dirty cheat!”), yet there’s something beautiful about honesty and integrity. “Winners” who cheat suffer loss, whereas honest “losers” have a way of turning out winners in the long run (as their honesty is harnessed with hard work).

When you are faced with an opportunity to cheat – to gain an advantage via deception – remember what is at stake and pray for the courage to do what is right. Whether you’re taking an exam at school, applying for a job, or paying your taxes, make it your aim to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Rom. 12:17). Follow the example of our Lord, “who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). God’s way is always the best way, and those who walk in His ways are the real winners.

“Bring … the books.”

These were among the final words of Paul as he awaited his fate in a Roman prison. Longing to see his young protégé Timothy, he wrote him a letter, urging him to come and visit. Then he made this additional appeal: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Tim. 4:13).

Here Paul was, about to die, and what does he ask for? His cloak to warm his body, and his books to refresh his mind. Regarding Paul’s request, Spurgeon wrote: “He is inspired, yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, yet he wants books! He has seen the Lord, yet he wants books. He has had a wider experience than most men, yet he wants books! He has been caught up into the third heaven, and has heard things which it is unlawful to utter, yet he wants books! He has written the major part of the New Testament, yet he wants books!”

Books are stones upon which we can sharpen our minds and tools with which we can shape our spirits. No other book can educate your mind and train your heart like the Bible. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Challenge yourself to read the Bible daily, as well as other helpful, biblically-based books such as meaty devotionals, commentaries, Christian periodicals, and the like. Cultivate a love for other books, too, such as biographies of great men and women throughout history (both inside and outside the church), classic novels, short stories, and other great works of literature. Feed your mind with the wonders of science and the world of mathematics.

God has blessed each of us with the ability to reason, meditate and learn. Use that ability to be all that you can be for God’s glory. After all, you are to love the Lord your God with all your mind (Matt. 22:37). But also remember that a great mind is of no worth if it is not accompanied by a loving heart. All knowledge plus no love equals nothing in God’s eyes. So use the knowledge you glean from God’s Word and other books to be a blessing to others and to build them up. As you do, you will find that God will return those blessings to you (Prov. 11:25b).

Want Assurance? Ask Yourself These Questions!

Recently I just finished an outstanding book by Donald S. Whitney entitled How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? What the Bible Says About Assurance of Salvation. This is a terrific resource for any person struggling with assurance of salvation. This book takes you straight to God’s Word for the answers to our most troubling questions on this topic.

In one particular chapter, Whitney does a survey of First John, reminding us that John wrote this letter for the sake of those “who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Using this text as his guide, Whitney poses ten questions to help folks like us to determine the validity of our faith. So if you want to know if you’re going to heaven, examine yourself in the light of these evidences of true Christianity.

1. Do you share the intimacies of the Christian life with other believers?

“If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6-7

2. Do you have a deep awareness of your sin against the word and love of God?

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. . . . If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has not place in our lives.” - 1 John 1:8,10

3. Do you live in conscious obedience to the Word of God?

“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.” - 1 John 2:3-5

4. Do you despise the world and its ways?

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” - 1 John 2:15

5. Do you long for the return of Jesus Christ and to be made like Him?

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.” - 1 John 3:2-3

6. Do you habitually do what is right more and sin less?

“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. . . . This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; neither is anyone who does not love his neighbor.” - 1 John 3:7-8,10

7. Do you love Christians sacrificially and want to be with them?

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.” - 1 John 3:14

8. Do you discern the presence of the Holy Spirit within you?

“This is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. . . . We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” - 1 John 3:24; 4:13

9. Do you enjoy listening to the doctrines the apostles of Jesus taught?

“We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” - 1 John 4:6

10. Do you believe what the Bible teaches about Jesus Christ?

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” - 1 John 5:1a

These are good questions that everyone professing to know Christ as Savior should ask him/herself. Please note: None of the attitudes and actions referred to in these questions do anything to earn salvation; rather, they are evidences of salvation. Certainly there are other evidences as well, such as the inner confirmation of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). But these attitudes and actions set forth in 1 John are what we could call “signs of the saved.” They are evidences of true Christianity, proofs that one has indeed been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-8; cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).

May the Lord help each of us answer these biblically-based questions honestly and humbly, that we might know for sure that we are truly saved and on our way to heaven.

Sex and the Evangelical Teen

The following post is the reprint of an article by Gene Edward Veith that appeared on page 9 in the August 11, 2007 edition of World magazine (http://www.worldmag.com/). Read it carefully, as there are some provocative statements made that may challenge your way of thinking! (I have highlighted some of these in blue font.)

Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: Evangelical teenagers are just as sexually active as their non-Christian friends.

In fact, there is evidence that evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. Statistically, evangelical teens tend to have sex first at a younger age, 16.3, compared to liberal Protestants, who tend to lose their virginity at 16.7. And young evangelicals are far more likely to have had three or more sexual partners (13.7 percent) than non-evangelicals (8.9 percent).

What about abstinence pledges? Those work--for awhile--delaying sex on an average of about 18 months, with 88 percent of pledgers eventually giving up their vow to remain virgins until marriage.

These are the findings of sociologist Mark Regnerus, himself a Christian, published in his new book Forbidden Fruit: Ses & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007).

It isn't that evangelical teenagers do not know any better. Some 80 percent of teenagers who say they have been "born again" agree that sex outside of marriage is morally wrong. Still, as many as two-thirds of them violate their own believes in their actual behavior.

We can blame the culture. Regnerus gives evidence that correlates the sexual activity in the schools that Christian kids go to with their own behavior. Peer pressure is real, and Christian teenagers are not immune.

But might we also blame the culture of the church? Not only because so many of today's evangelical churches follow the path of cultural conformity as a way to grow bigger and bigger. It is deeper than that.

Churches used to teach and exemplify self-control, the necessity of keeping one's emotions in check, the discipline of self-denial and mortification of the flesh. Today the typical evangelical church, in its example and practice, cultivates "letting go," emotionalism, self-fulfillment, and an odd religious sensuality.

The Bible is utterly realistic about the weakness of our fallen flesh. The law alone and external restrictions cannot make anyone righteous. We need Christ for that. An encouraging finding of Regnerus is taht the 16 percent of American teenagers who say that their faith is "extremely important to their lives" are living chastely.

Evidently, many "evangelical" and "born again" teenagers still need to be evangelized. They need to be brought closer to Christ, so that a growing faith can bear fruit in better conduct.

And the Bible does offer a direct solution for people who are burning in lust: marriage (1 Corinthians 7:9). Adolescence--that time when a person is physically an adult but socially a child--is a modern invention. In the past, people married much younger, as soon as they were sexually ready. Today's culture postpones marriages while stretching celibacy to the breaking point.

A counter-cultural church may do well to encourage younger marriages. The young couple may still need the financial support of their parents and the social support of their fellow Christians. But this would be better than the current hypocrisy and guilt. And it would fulfill God's positive purpose for sexuality.

Well, that's the end of the article. What say you? Think it over and leave a comment!

Redemptive Relationships

In March of this past year, Vision New England published the results of their "Recent Convert Study," wherein they interviewed 200 converts who had come to faith in Christ within the last two years. Two statistics made quite an impression on me:

(1) Seventy-one percent (71%) of the recent converts came to Christ through the witness of a personal friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member.

(2) Eighty-six percent (86%) of the recent converts said that the process of coming to faith took months to years.

Neither of these statistics surprise me, because they are very consistent with what I've seen for myself here at First Baptist Church. The vast majority of folks who have come to faith in Christ began their spiritual journey as a result of a friend or family member who took a personal interest in them and extended a personal invitation to come to a Sunday morning worship service, Bible study, or some other church-related function.

Furthermore, virtually every person who has come to know the Lord as his or her Savior over the last few years did not come to faith immediately, but over a period of time, as they sat under the teaching of God's Word, and were prayed for and befriended by caring Christians.

While there are many avenues in which evangelism takes place, certainly on of the most effective means is the formation of redemptive relationships. Just recently, a bicycle/car accident resulted in the death of a ten-year-old boy who had attended First Baptist Church many times at the invitation of one of our member-families. The driver of the car who hit him happened to be a neighbor whose children have also been to our church -- again through the invitation of this same church member-family. Who knows how this network of relationships will work out to the glory of God and the good of these families in the wake of this awful tragedy?

We never know how God might use our feeble attempts to befriend others with the love of Christ to make a difference for eternity. What a great reminder to be faithful in forming redemptive relationships with every person that God puts in our path! Remember, "the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30).

Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?

This past Tuesday, the Vatican said that Christian denominations outside Roman Catholicism were not full churches of Jesus Christ. This was really a re-statement of the controversial document "Dominus Iesus" (Latin for "Jesus is Lord"), issued by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000. The 16-page document says that Christendom suffers from a "wound" of disunity because non-Catholic Christian churches do not recognize the primacy of the Pope. Under Section 4, "Unicity and Unity of the Church," the document reads:

Just as there is one Christ, so there exists a single body of Christ, a single Bride of Christ: “a single Catholic and apostolic Church”. Furthermore, the promises of the Lord that he would not abandon his Church (cf. Mt 16:18; 28:20) and that he would guide her by his Spirit (cf. Jn 16:13) mean, according to Catholic faith, that the unicity and the unity of the Church — like everything that belongs to the Church's integrity — will never be lacking.
The Catholic faithful are required to profess that there is an historical continuity — rooted in the apostolic succession — between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: “This is the single Church of Christ... which our Saviour, after his resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care (cf. Jn 21:17), commissioning him and the other Apostles to extend and rule her (cf. Mt 28:18ff.), erected for all ages as ‘the pillar and mainstay of the truth' (1 Tim 3:15). This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in [subsistit in] the Catholic Church. . . .

Basically, this document asserts that the Church Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16:18 was and is none other than the organized Catholic church. "This is," according to them, "the single Church of Christ," the historical continuity of which is "rooted in the apostolic succession."

Is this what Jesus meant when He said, "Upon this rock I will build My church"? Was the rock Peter? If this was the case, why didn't Jesus just say to Peter, "Upon you I will build My church"? (After all, Peter was standing right there!) The reason is that Peter was not the rock on which Jesus would build His church, but rather the truth that Peter had just uttered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). Hence, as J. C. Ryle wrote:

It was not the person of the Apostle Peter but the good confession which the Apostle had just made! It was not Peter, the erring, unstable man, but the mighty truth which the Father had revealed to Peter. It was the truth concerning Jesus Christ Himself which was the rock. . . . It was the blessed truth, that Jesus was the promised Saviour . . . the real Intercessor between God and man. This was the rock, and this the foundation, upon which the Church of Christ was to be built.

The Catholic hierarchy has woefully forgotten this vital fact. They have twisted Jesus' words to mean something He never intended. Nobody is saved or becomes a member of Christ's body by being Catholic ... or Baptist, or Methodist, or Presbyterian, or becoming a member of any other ecclesiastical society or denomination! The Bible says that the true Church consists of all those who have trusted in Jesus Christ the Son of God to save them, by relying fully on His substitutionary death and resurrection on their behalf. To quote Ryle again:

It will not save your soul to be an outward member of any ecclesiastical body whatever, however sound that body may be. Such membership will not wash away one sin, or give you confidence in the day of judgment. There must be personal faith in Christ, -- personal dealings between yourself and God, -- personal felt communion between your own heart and the Holy Ghost. Have you this personal faith? Have you this felt work of the Holy Spirit in your soul? This is the grand question. If not you will be lost.

Second Timothy 2:19 says, "The Lord knows those who are His." The members of Christ's body may belong to a diversity of denominations here on earth, but they all believe in and belong to one Lord: Jesus Christ. He alone is "head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body" (Eph. 5:23). Don't let any Pope, priest, church council, or self-proclaimed prophet tell you otherwise.

When Unbelievers Die, How Do You Comfort the Living?

Following last Sunday's sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, one of our church members sent me the following e-mail: "Here's a question for you regarding the topic of sundays sermon: How do you deal with a new believer that has realized that someone they love died without Christ? How do you comfort THAT, or try and combat their rejection of Christ because of that? I've come across it a couple times already with people close to me, so I am looking for some fresh insite. Seems to be bound to come around again!"

Good point! Most likely, all of us will eventually encounter such questions. What do we say? How do we comfort Christians (or non-Christians) regarding unsaved loved ones who have died?

This is without question a very delicate subject and must be handled very carefully and prayerfully. I think it's very important that we not give them a sense of false hope. That is, if we have no reason to think that they are in heaven, don't give others the impression that they are. This would undermine the authority of God's Word, minimize a person's need for salvation, and create confusion over the nature of true conversion, among other things.

As Christians, we are to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). I think there is a way to offer a measure of comfort without compromising the Scriptures. Personally, I would keep in mind and draw into our conversation three key points from Scripture:

1. The Righteousness (or Rightness) of God

Abraham said in Genesis 18:25, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" This was a rhetorical question; that is, Abraham was stating a fact by way of a question. Yes, the Judge of all the earth will do right. We can count on that.

This verse reminds us that, ultimately, God is the Judge, not us. "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jer. 17:10). God sees everything perfectly and will deal with everyone appropriately. God is utterly just and righteous; therefore, nobody will suffer any injustice with God. Nobody will be treated unfairly. This we can affirm with great confidence and utmost sincerity, based on the truth of Scripture.

2. The Rich Man and Lazarus

This goes directly to the second question that was asked: How do you deal with a person that is tempted to reject Christ because his or her unsaved loved one died apart from Christ? Truly, "love is as strong as death." Therefore, someone might say, "If my loved one isn't in heaven, then I don't want to be there either. I'd rather be in hell where they are."

This is where I think the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) would be a helpful reference. Remember that the rich man cried out, "I am tormented in this flame." Then he said to Abraham, who was in Paradise: "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him [Lazarus] to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment" (vv. 27-28). Clearly, the rich man did not want his loved ones to join him in hell.

Years ago, the heavy-metal rock band AC/DC came out with a song entitled "Highway to Hell," wherein they said:

Living easy, livin' free
Season ticket, on a one - way ride
Asking nothing, leave me be
Taking everything in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing I would rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too.

I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell.

Folks, hell is no joke. It is a place of horrific torment, where "there will be weeping and ganshing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30). Nobody who loves anybody would want that person in hell.

3. The Rest that Christ Offers

We must realize that there is only so much comfort we can genuinely offer to those whose loved ones have died apart from Christ. That's precisely the point of 1 Thes. 4:13 -- We as Christians do not sorrow as those who have no hope.

However, it is when a person is overwhelmed by such grief, that we can extend to them Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28-29: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

There is no greater remedy that we can offer to the bereaved. Christ alone "heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3). To have Him is to have hope. This is the good news of the gospel.

Having Hope

Last Sunday, July 1, I preached on the Christian meaning of "hope" as used in the New Testament. It's not wishful thinking but rather a joyful and confident expectation believers have in their final, eternal salvation.

My wife Ruthie came across an excellent illustration of this in Mary Somerville's book, One with a Shepherd: The Tears and Triumphs of a Ministry Marriage. Mrs. Somerville writes, "We can get up in the morning with hope and we don't need to fear what may happen next in our congregation, family, or world. What is the worst that can happen to us as believers? Our last and worst enemy is death. We will have power over the worst enemies we have to face."

Somerville goes on to share that her own mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer when she was in her fifties. Yet her faith and hope in the Lord remained strong. She was confident that she would dwell in His house forever. So great was her faith in the face of death, that her own husband wrote the following letter to his home church three months after she went to heaven:

Dear Pastor Dick and Family and Beloved Friends,

Enclosed is a little Thanksgiving gift to the church in appreciation for the blessing that you and your people have been to my family and me through the years -- through times of joy and through times of bereavement.

I thank God at this Thanksgiving season for sins forgiven, for a great Priest touched with a feeling for my infirmities, for the privilege of being a small tool in His mighty hand, for His guidance, for His ear that hears my prayers, for His arm on which to lean, for His precious Word in which He speaks to us explicitly and for the blessed, blessed hope of His soon coming!

I thank Him, more than all else, for utter safety. In the past I have known what it was to be afraid, but now I know that I am entirely and perfectly secure. I feel that I have come into a safe place, a safe harbor. Nothing, absolutely nothing, not my own deeds nor those of others, not the works of devils, or circumstances, or so-called fate, nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. Sorrow and bereavement can come, death can even put my body and that of my beloved in the grave, but whatever comes, it passes first through His tender hands, and so I can love it because it comes from Him!

Nothing can keep me out of heaven. I am safe now as though I were already there. Just a few years to live, a few tasks to be done and then to be forever with Him and our beloved gone on before, our daily portion glory beyond infinite glory! Thankful? My cheeks are often wet with happy tears. Why He gives all this to a poor creature like me I don not know, but I know that I shall need all eternity in which to thank Him for it!

As you fellowship in Him ... may your expectation and ever desire be found in Him and the Blessed Hope.

Affectionately yours till he comes,
-- Robert L. Gates.

What a great legacy of faith! Somerville goes on to say that her dad finished his "few years to live" at the ripe age of 90, then he, too, went home to be with the Lord. That's where we will ALL be some day, those of of who have trusted in Jesus Christ as our precious Savior and Lord.

This is the kind of hope Christ gives us and heaven holds for us! Remember, Christian: When there is no hope on the horizontal level, there is always hope on the vertical level!

Needed: Friends!

The Old Testament book Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon near the end of his life. Solomon is about to pass off the scene, so he passes on words of wisdom to help others avoid the same mistakes he made.

The teaching of Ecclesiastes essentially is this: Any life not centered on God is a waste. Without God, wisdom is a waste, work is a waste, riches are a waste, pleasure is a waste. Without God, these things aren’t worth a lick! They serve no point! They are absolutely meaningless!

But that’s not all that’s meaningless. Consider what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12:

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Here is the picture of a man who has no friend. He continues to pile up profits, but there is no one with which to share the rewards of his labor. Friendlessness makes life futile. How much better it is to have a partner and friend who can assist (v.10), warm (v.11), and protect (v.12). Three friends together form an even stronger bond (v.12).

Of course Jesus Christ is the greatest Friend of all. And the more we imitate Him, the better friends we’ll be to others. It has been said that the best vitamin for making friends is "B1."
In his book, Acts of Love, David Jeremiah shares F. W. Borham’s analogy of friendship – one of the best I’ve ever read:

The highest art in dominoes lies in matching your companion’s pieces. Is he glad? It’s a great thing to be able to rejoice with those who rejoice. Is he sad? It’s a great thing to be able to weep with those who weep. It means, of course, that if you answer the challenge every time, it won’t be long before your dominoes are gone. But it is worth remembering that victory in dominoes does not lie in accumulation, but in exhaustion. The player who is left with empty hands wins everything.

As a pastor, I am truly thankful for those in our church who truly befriend others with the love of Christ. There is no way I could possibly meet the spiritual, emotional, and relational needs of everyone in our congregation. But I know men and women who, often behind the scenes, write that encouraging note ... make that extra meal ... run that helpful errand ... give that needed hug ... offer that needed prayer.

This is what the body of Christ is all about. As Bill and Gloria Gaither exclaimed, "I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God!"

The Blessing of Being Forgiven

Today's blog comes in response to a conversation I had with one Christian brother following this past Sunday's sermon on sexual purity.(To see the manuscript, go to http://www.fbcweymouth.org/images/10000/1000/383/user/PleaForPurity2.pdf. It does not include a few of the anecdotes I included in the audio version of the sermon, but it gives the gist of the sermon.) This brother shared with me that some believers might be overcome with guilt in relation to sexual sin -- that even though they've repented of it, they fall back into it, or at least emotionally they can't seem to "forgive themselves."

I understand this dilemma and realize that many believers have struggled with it. At the Sunday night prayer meeting, I told those who were gathered that nowhere in Scripture do we find any command to forgive ourselves. God forgives sinners, and we forgive others, but there is no verse that talks about us forgiving ourselves. My guess is that the real issue for people who are truly repentant is that they have failed to grasp the awesome wonder of God's forgiveness. For such folks I offer three points of encouragement regarding forgiveness, each point being taken from the second half of 1 John 1:7: "The blood of Jesus Christ [God's] Son cleanses us from all sin."

1. The Cost of Our Forgiveness

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Our sin cost the Son of God His very life, for "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The sacrifice had to be without spot and without blemish; therefore Jesus is the only One who qualified (see Hebrews 10:1-4, 11-14). Like the old hymn says:
What can wash away my sin? – Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again? – Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know – Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

2. The Continuance of Our Forgiveness

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." The text does not say "did cleanse" or "shall cleanse," but "cleanses." The forgiveness we have in Christ isn’t a past experience or future hope; it is a present reality, a privilege that is ours today; a joy that is ours this very hour! The moment a sinner trusts in Jesus, he is fully forgiven. Daily sins need to be confessed for the sake of our fellowship with Christ, but not our abiding relationship with Him. Why is this? Because our forgiveness rests on His work, not ours ... His righteousness, not ours ... His grace, not our goodness. This leads us to a third and final point to consider:

3. The Completeness of Our Forgiveness

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." The great Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, said: "The blood of Jesus Christ is as blessed and divine a payment for the transgressions of blaspheming Peter as for the shortcomings of loving John; our iniquity is gone at once, and all gone forever. Blessed completeness! What a sweet theme to dwell upon. . . ." – While I was praying through this text (1 John 1:7), I heard on my CD the tune to the words:
My sin--O the bliss of this glorious thought--my sin not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bare it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
If you have truly repented of any known sin and are still experiencing guilt, give it to God. Remind yourself from Scripture that His grace is greater than your sin. (We must never minimize our sin or the depth of our depravity. Rather, we should acknowledge and rejoice over the wonder of God's love and grace.) Trust the unchanging facts of God's Word over your own ever-shifting feelings.

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity." -- Psalm 32:2

Yearning for Genuine Spirituality

In John 4:24, Jesus said that the Father is seeking true worshipers, those who worship Him "in spirit and truth." Finding Christians and churches that incorporate both elements into their worship experience is becoming an increasingly greater challenge. It seems that people have a "zeal but not according to knowledge," or they have full heads with cold, unfeeling hearts. Yet God wants us to love Him with all our soul and with all our mind (not to mention with all our heart and strength) -- i.e., the totality of our being!
Joel Beeke has written an excellent article on the essence of true "experiential Christianity." It bears the title that appears at the top of this blog posting, and I print the article here for your consideration and edification. . . .

Spirituality is a subject much on the minds of people today. With its prevailing secularism and materialism, modern culture has failed to satisfy its consumers. Many are coming to realize the truth of what Moses said to the children of Israel, “Man doth not live by bread only” (Deut. 8:3). With Christ in His Sermon on the Mount, they ask, “Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?” (Matt. 6:25). The result is a new interest in discovering and nurturing the inward, spiritual dimensions of human life.

The cultivation of a spiritual life has been addressed in different ways by different Christian traditions. Roman Catholicism has offered a spirituality of ritualism and sacramental administration, and, alternatively, the disciplines of monastic life and the pursuits of mysticism. The Wesleyan Methodist tradition, the Holiness movement, and, more recently, Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement have offered a spirituality with less ceremonial or intellectual content and a great deal more emotion and subjectivism.

The problem with much spirituality today is that it is not closely moored in Scripture and too often degenerates into unbiblical mysticism. In contrast, Reformed Christianity has followed a path of its own, largely determined by its concern to test all things by Scripture and to develop a spiritual life shaped by its teachings and directives, which, in turn, is buttressed by biblical doctrinal standards. Reformed spirituality is the outworking of the conviction that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). In dependence on the Holy Spirit, it aims to achieve what John Murray called “intelligent piety,” wedding scriptural-doctrinal knowledge and heartfelt piety. Of the preachers, scholars, and writers who fostered this kind of biblical spirituality, none have excelled the English Puritans and their contemporaries in Scotland and the Netherlands. Their legacy excels in basing all spirituality, experience, and affections on the Bible and supporting confessional standards.

The dual emphasis of nurturing both the mind and the heart is sorely needed today. On the one hand, we confront the problem of dry Reformed orthodoxy, which has correct doctrinal teaching but lacks vibrant, godly living. The result is that people bow before the doctrine of God without a vital, spiritual union with the God of doctrine. On the other hand, Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity offers emotionalism in protest against a formal, lifeless Christianity, but it is not rooted solidly in Scripture. The result is that people bow before human feeling rather than before the Triune God.

The best of Reformed spirituality emphasizes the experimental side of faith. Because experimental faith has to do with the actual process of conversion, it is a great help both to understanding the process itself and in determining just where an individual person may be in that process. It also helps put more emphasis on the fact that conversion involves a daily encounter with God through His Word and providence and is not limited to a one-time experience. Experimental faith helps explain, in terms of biblical truth, how matters do go (Rom. 7:14-25) and how they ought to go (Rom. 8) in the Christian life. Such faith applies to all the experience of the believer – as an individual and in all of his relationships in the family, church, and the world (Col. 2:6-7).

By publishing and distributing Puritan and Reformed writings that consider the experiential side of Christianity, we hope that a vibrant Reformed spirituality will make greater progress among the people of God.

P.S. You can check out the publications referred to by Beeke at www.heritagebooks.org.

Imagine the Pain

Last month, five young Muslim Turks entered a Christian publishing office in Malatya, the southeastern province of Turkey, and murdered three Protestant Christians, who were found tied hand and foot to chairs. Their throats had been cut and their bodies marred by multiple stab wounds.

One of the victims was a 36-year-old man named Necati Aydin, a Turkish convert from Islam. He left behind his wife Shemza and their two children -- a son and a daughter, ages 3 and 7 respectively.

When Shemza was asked during an interview, "What do you most remember about your husband?" she responded, "What I most remember is that he was full of love and he was a holy person. He loved us so much and made us happy. He was a close friend of my spirit, body, and soul. It’s torture for me to live without him. There are times that I miss him most. For example, yesterday my son Elisha fell down and hit his head. He began to cry. In that moment, I pictured what Necati must have suffered. Because I saw his body twice after he died, I know they beat him badly on his head. When Elisha cried I imagined Necati’s pain too.” (Resource: FoxNews.com)

Consider again the words of this widow: "I pictured what Necati must have suffered.... When Elisha cried I imagined Necati's pain too." How many times do we imagine the pain that Christ endured for us when we see a Christian brother or sister endure some affliction for following Jesus? In reference to his own suffering, the apostle Paul spoke of filling up in his flesh what was "lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Col. 1:24). The author of Hebrews exhorts us to "go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach" (Heb. 13:13).

What amazes me is how Christ Himself identifies with the suffering of His people. Remember when Jesus appeared to Saul (before he became Paul) on the road to Damascus and said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul had been persecuting the church, but by doing so he was persecuting Christ Himself, because Jesus identifies with the pain of His people.

Do we, in turn, identify with the suffering of our Lord? When we encounter pain or see a fellow Christian endure some form of suffering, do we imagine the pain our Bridegroom endured for us even as Shemza imagined the pain her husband endured for Christ?

Alas! and did my Savior bleed? And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

But drops of grief can ne'er repay the debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee, -- 'Tis all that I can do.

Farewell to Falwell

Yesterday one of the most prominent figures in evangelicalism -- Dr. Jerry Falwell -- went home to be with his Lord. Here is the official announcement that was posted on his ministry website www.falwell.com:

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, Founder and Chancellor of Liberty University and Founder and Pastor of the historic Thomas Road Baptist Church, died May 15, 2007. He was 73.
Rev. Falwell was found unconscious in his office around 11:30 a.m. by members of his staff and received immediate resuscitation efforts there, again in the ambulance and at Lynchburg General Hospital. He was officially pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m.
Rev. Falwell’s family, including his wife Macel and sons Jerry Falwell, Jr. and Jonathan Falwell, were with him at the hospital at the time of his death.
Ministry officials called a special 2:00 p.m. meeting in the Thomas Road Baptist Church auditorium and on less than an hour's notice over 6,000 faculty, staff, students and church members attended the announcement of the passing of their Pastor and Chancellor.
Rev. Falwell established the Thomas Road Baptist Church in 1956 where he pastored for over 50 years. He founded Liberty University in 1971 and oversaw its rise to prominence as the largest evangelical University in America.

I remember Vance Havner saying that we should not make someone larger in death than they were in life. Dr. Falwell was by no means perfect. Like the apostle Peter, he sometimes spoke before thinking, but that same voice was also a bold witness for Jesus Christ and did the world alot of good. Unlike many church leaders, Dr. Falwell not only started well, but he also ended well. His life and ministry were marked by integrity and intense love for the Lord and for people. This is the legacy that he has left us, and "though he is dead, he still speaks" (Heb. 11:4).

Hats off to all our hard-working moms!

Certainly every day should be one in which we "honor" our mothers (Eph. 6:2). But Mother's Day affords us the opportunity to show Mom in a special way just how much she means to us. We who have been blessed with godly mothers can think of many things about them that make us thankful. But one I'd like to focus on particularly is a mother's hard work.
A godly mother plays a very key and constructive role in the home. According to Scripture, this requires at least three things:

1. The Lord
Psalm 127:1 reminds us, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." In building her home, a godly woman relies first and foremost on the Lord's strength and not her own. Thus she ends up being a conduit of God's power to her husband and children.
Note carefully what Proverbs 14:1 says: "The wisest of women builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands." I think there are two significant things worth noting. The first is the phrase "with her hands." The verse doesn’t say she builds her house with her hands, but it does say that she "pulls it down with her hands." That’s because anything good that’s built is owing to God’s hands but whatever is pulled down is owing to our hands. And we pull down what God would love to build through us when we rely on our strength instead of His.
The second thing worth noting is that there’s no neutral ground, no effort of non-effect. Mothers--and people in general-- are either builder-uppers or a tearer-downers. Which are you?
Read Proverbs 31, and you will be amazed at the strength, energy, and productivity of the virtuous woman described there. But that’s nothing that you and I can’t have, for if we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have His Holy Spirit indwelling us. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:7).

2. Labor
Again, this woman in Proverbs 14:1 is by no means passive in the building process. Because God is the One who is at work within her, she gives it all she’s got! "She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness" (Prov. 31:27).
For Mother’s Day, two little kids put their money together and presented their mom with a houseplant. Of course she was touched by their token of love. The older one then said with a sad face, "We wanted to give you a nice bouquet that we saw at the flower shop, but we couldn’t afford it. It had a really neat message on it that we thought would be perfect for Mother’s Day. It said, "Rest in peace."
-- Godly mothering is hard work! So what keeps a mom motivated in all the good that she does for her family? . . .

3. Love
This is certainly a prerequisite for building anything that’s of eternal value. First Corinthians 16:14 commands us, "Let all that you do be done in love." All the labor in the world doesn’t amount to anything if it’s not motivated by love. Paul said as much in 1 Cor. 13. The great thing about love is that it "never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8a). Why? Because "God is love" (1 John 4:8) "And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7b). And so whatever is built out of love will last.
So, we tip our hat and say "Thanks!" to all those hard-working moms that love and serve their families to the glory of God. "Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates" (Prov. 31:31).

"Be Thankful to Him, and Bless His Name"

One of the first chapters of Scripture I ever memorized is Psalm 100, and it is still one of my favorite portions of Scripture, because it extols the greatness of God and why He is worthy of our praise. While I would encourage you to read it -- and even memorize it -- in its entirety (it's only five verses), consider for now the simple exhortation in the second half of verse 4: "Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Scripture informs us that mankind in general is becoming increasingly unthankful, among other things (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Although we live in a thankless generation, ingratitude is not to be the mark of a Christian. God’s Word tells us, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. 5:18).
In addition to thanking the Lord, we are also to "bless His name." The Hebrew word translated "bless" literally means "to kneel." The idea is to show honor and pay homage to God, acknowledging that His name is higher than any name on earth.
The Masai tribe in West Africa have an unusual way of saying thank-you. Whenever the Masai express thanks, they bow, put their foreheads on the ground, and say, "My head is in the dirt." When members of another African tribe want to express gratitude, they sit for a long time in front of the hut of the person who did the favor and literally say, "I sit on the ground before you." – These Africans understand well the essence of thankfulness and why it comes so hard to us: Because thanksgiving, at its very core, is an act of humility. It is acknowledging that, apart from God, we can do nothing. To lift up high the name of the Lord, we must lower our opinion of ourselves! We must "not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think" (Rom. 12:3). Then, and only then, will our worship be genuine and pleasing to the Lord.
May the Lord fill each of us with His joy as we "thank" and "bless" Him for who He is and all that He has done for us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Pull, Buddy, Pull!"

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area.
Fortunately, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.
He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!"
Buddy didn't move. Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!"
Buddy didn't respond.
Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing...
Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.
The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.
The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"

Never underestimate the power of teamwork! God certainly doesn't! Think of the Trinity -- the "Tri-unity" of God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in perfect harmony to accomplish God's eternal purposes. In the very first chapter of the Bible, where we find the divine record of creation, God says, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. . ." (Gen. 1:26; emphasis mine).

Or think of God's work of re-creation, that is, His saving His people from their sins and giving them a new heart through faith in Christ. The Bible teaches that God the Father planned our salvation (Eph. 1:3-6), God the Son purchased our salvation (John 10:11; 1 Peter 1:18-19), and God the Holy Spirit personalized our salvation through His work of regeneration in our hearts (Titus 3:5). Truly, this is "amazing grace" in three-part harmony!

The cooperative work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our salvation reveals not only the unity and oneness of the Godhead, but also the unity and oneness that we have as the body of Christ (Eph. 4; Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12). The ordinance of communion celebrates not only our oneness with Christ through the cross, but also our unity with one another in the Lord. The body of Christ gets built up and becomes all the more beautiful as each member does its part, doing its share.

If a blind horse like Buddy can understand and appreciate the value of teamwork, how much more the body of Christ!