Calvary Chapel Blogs

The Coming One

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:50:43 -0500

Matthew 11:3 “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

The circumstances of life often cause us to question God. It is hard sometimes to reconcile what we are going through with who God is compassionate and good. This happened to John the Baptist. From the words of Jesus, we know that John was the greatest man to have ever lived. He was a man that preached the gospel to thousands, the man who pointed the way to Christ and the man who baptized Christ Himself. Yet in our text we read that He was also the man who doubted. Lying in a prison cell, the cold, the dampness, the suffering, all seemed to squeeze his faith and cloud his vision of Christ.

The response of Jesus to John’s question of doubt gives us great insight into the solution when we are facing the same dilemma as John.

Matthew 11:4-5 “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’”

In other words, Jesus answers John’s doubt by reminding him of who Jesus is and what He does. I think the solution in times of difficulty and doubt is to go to the Word and be reminded of all that Jesus is.

Pastor Jim

Never Sinned

Carl Kerby — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:23:07 -0500

I’ve been asked a lot of questions recently by high school and college students. I though I’d share part of one of those conversations. Here goes:

Lisa: “In the Bible it states the earth was meant to be perfect before Adam sinned and everything wasn't supposed to die. Wouldn't the earth become over populated?

Carl: Great question so let’s take a stab at it. First, we have to give God the credit He deserves. God is the only one who knows everything, past, present and future. God knew we were going to sin. The Scripture actually makes that point very clear.

Take a look at Genesis 2:17:

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Did you catch that? Notice what’s written there, “for in the day that thou eatest.” God knew Adam would eat from the tree!

Because He knew what Adam was going to do God already had a plan in place that would provide a way of forgiveness and restoration.

Genesis 3:15 says:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Dr. Henry Morris wrote:

This verse is famous as the Proto evangel (“First Gospel”). The Curse was directed immediately toward the Serpent, but its real thrust was against the evil spirit possessing its body, “that old serpent called the devil” (Revelation 12:9). Satan may have assumed he had now won the allegiance of the woman and all her descendants, but God told him there would be enmity between him [his seed] and the [seed of the] woman. [bracketed information added]

Lisa: Thanks for all the great information Carl, but what would have happened if man had never sinned? That would have caused us to eventually over populate the planet and destroy what God had created for us.

Carl: Sorry, let’s get back to your question.

First, it is vitally important that we read the Scripture and understand it in context. We must allow the Scripture to interpret itself and make sure we’re not putting words into God’s mouth.

In Genesis 1:28 God said,

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (emphasis added)

Let’s kill two birds with one stone here. First, let’s deal with another issue that comes up quite often.

“Carl, the Bible clearly says to ‘replenish the earth.’ That means there were people living prior to Adam and Eve and now He’s telling them to fill it back up.”

Not so fast! The word “replenish” is used in a variety of forms over 300 times in the Scripture. Of those uses, it is translated “replenish” only seven times. So, what does the original Hebrew word “re-fill” mean? The answer is, it doesn’t have to mean “re-fill”!

When the KJV Bible was translated into English in 1611 this word simply meant to “fill up”!‘ As a matter of fact, of the more than 300 times this word is used in the KJV it is translated as fill, full or filled 195 times. For example, just 6 verses prior in Genesis 1:22 we read:

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. (emphasis added)

The exact same Hebrew word is used there and it is translated "fill".

So, in Genesis 1:28 when God says to “replenish” it simply told them to “fill up” the earth, not to “overpopulate it”!

But, if Adam and Eve never sinned wouldn’t the earth have eventually overpopulated?

I’d say, No! God could have very easily stopped the reproduction process at the point that the earth was filled up! He could have done this in a variety of ways. God can open the womb, He can also close it!

Admittedly this is all speculative, “What if?” questions always are. Remember, the God we serve, is all-knowing and all-powerful. There is no reason to believe that a God who can create everything with a spoken Word, couldn’t do something to handle something as simple as overpopulation. There are other possibilities as well.

What’s the royal law?

Chuck Smith — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:21:58 -0500

Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40). That’s quite a summary statement! What two is He addressing—and what about the other eight?

When you love God supremely and when you love your neighbor as yourself, you have mastered the fundamental teaching of the entire Old Testament. That’s the heart of the Bible’s message from Genesis to Malachi! All of the Law and all of the Prophets “hang” on loving God with everything you have and on loving your neighbor with the same kind of concern that you naturally show to yourself.

If you live like this, you won’t need the “You shall not steal,” “You shall not lie,” “You shall not commit adultery.” You simply don’t require the laws to tell you how to live to please God. The first table of the law (the first four commandments) is summed up in loving God supremely, while the second table of the law (the last six commandments) is summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself. If you get that, then you’ve got it all. The Ten Commandments are all covered right there. If you do these two things, then you have fulfilled God’s commandments.

As you walk in the Spirit, you will be walking in love—and then there doesn’t need to be a law to regulate your life. Laws, you see, are for unprincipled people. Those who live by godly principles don’t require laws that prohibit evil behavior. Such laws are necessary to restrain unprincipled people. But if you’re walking in love—supreme love for God and supreme love for your fellow man—then no law is necessary. For you, all of the law is fulfilled.

This is what the whole Old Testament proclaimed. The Law and the Prophets—and every holy book in between—hang on these two commands:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

AND

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

You cannot find any greater instruction anywhere in the Old Testament. This is the pinnacle. This is the summit. This is the apex.

Paul was not the only New Testament writer to understand that the Great Commandment represents the whole driving force of the entire Old Testament. James wrote,

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well (James 2:8).

James called it “the royal law.” Remember, this is the same man who just a little earlier in his letter wrote, “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourself” (James 1:22).

And what does it mean for you and me to be “doers” of the Word? In essence, we must love our neighbor as ourselves—and James makes it clear that real love is not manifested primarily by the words we speak. It’s not like Lucy in the old Peanuts cartoon, who said, “I love the world. It’s people I hate.” No, genuine love manifests itself in genuinely loving actions.

And really, isn’t that where the rich young ruler failed? He asked Jesus, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). He wanted to know how he could inherit eternal life—something that should concern all of us—and he thought he had been doing pretty well. He felt sure he had been keeping the law. Still, something ate at him inside. He knew something wasn’t right in his life. He intuitively knew that he hadn’t yet achieved eternal life, but he couldn’t put his finger on the particular reason why. So he asked Jesus to help him identify what he lacked. Jesus didn’t tell the young man to love God more; He told him to love his neighbors as he already loved himself. He said, in essence, “Son, it’s time for you to use some of that wealth of yours to keep the royal law. Love your neighbor as yourself!”

But it’s easy to say and hard to do, isn’t it? Especially when your neighbor doesn’t love you back. You might be able to love your neighbor as yourself when he says, “Why, what a great guy you are! I just love living next door to you!” But how about when he says, “How did I wind up with a rotten neighbor as stupid as you?” That’s quite a different assignment.

And yet James says to us, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.”

How about you? Are you doing well? It’s what the whole Old Testament is all about.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Passport

Fred Field — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:03:04 -0500

As a new believer, songs like “Only visiting this planet” by Larry Norman resonated in my heart. I don’t think I had ever felt like I belonged anywhere, and society had a habit of spitting people out who were different, who looked different or thought differently.

I discovered that this longing in my heart was an indication that my passport, my real and deepest sense of identity, was not American, or from any other earthly nation or state.

Don’t get me wrong: we can also be what I call “terminally unique,” insisting that no one can understand us because we are just so different. “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…” True, no one knows what I’ve gone through, or how my past shaped me inside.

Nevertheless, my life experience led me to some very bitter conclusions. People lie; they cheat and take advantage of us. Even worse, truth be told, I lie, cheat, and take advantage of people.

The Bible teaches that God looks for a people to call His own, and it carefully documents how He picked Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to reveal His ultimate plan of salvation. They were unique, too, with their own sacks full of foibles. He chose them because He loved them. They found God. Rather, He found them.

It can be difficult in today’s cultural milieu to talk about “finding God,” or truth, or anything like that because it can sound so incredibly arrogant. But, I was among a growing throng who, out of dissatisfaction, thought they’d tried everything to find meaning and a sense of peace.

We’d made shattered messes of our lives. So, when I encountered the Living God, it was as a pitiful wreck, who’d been taken hostage by his own self, in a series of spiritual and emotional rabbit holes. I was lost, and I knew it.

The aftermath of this encounter was a profound sense of belonging, and the conviction that I was only visiting this planet—my passport was issued from a heavenly kingdom, where the truth sets us free.

The Twelve

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:01:52 -0500

Matthew 10:2-4 “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.”

These 12 ordinary men were chosen, empowered and sent by Jesus into the world with the simple message of salvation. As a result their lives have transformed the world.

John Foxe records the plight of many of them:

Phillip labored in Asia and was scourged, thrown into prison and crucified.

Matthew served the Lord in North Africa and was speared to death.

Andrew served in Asia and was crucified.

Peter’s ministry to some degree is recorded in the book of Acts. He is said to have been crucified upside down.

Bartholomew spread the Gospel through India and was beaten and crucified.

Thomas preached in India and was speared to death.

Simon the zealot is thought to have taken the Gospel to Britain where he was crucified.

John lived to be an aged man. He faced great persecution but is thought to have died a natural death.

Their brief time on planet earth forever changed the course of human history. D.L. Moody said, “The world is yet to see what God can do through a life completely surrendered to Him.” Oh that we would follow the example of the 12 and live lives committed to Christ.

Pastor Jim

Grace Upon Grace

John Hwang — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:47:37 -0500

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. – John 1:14-18

In John 1:14, the Apostle John stated clearly that God became human – this is the doctrine of Incarnation. From there, he continues his thoughts about the Incarnate Son of God. In verse 15, he interjects a parenthetical thought: (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”). This statement tells us what John the Baptist said about Jesus. He testified to the superiority of Jesus – “He ranks before me”. Being human, Jesus was born 6 months “after John”; but as God, Jesus existed “before him”. John understood and confessed that Jesus is both his God and Maker.

John 1:16-18 continues where verse 14 left off. Verse 16 tells us that the display of Christ’s grace is a display of God’s glory. Christ Himself is the fountain of God’s grace. Because Christ is infinite, His supply of grace is without limit. Grace is for sinners that need salvation from sin and Hell – this includes you and me. It is for God’s redeemed people, sustaining, sanctifying, and strengthening us in our journey towards Heaven. Christ lavishes grace upon His redeemed people – “grace upon grace”. The experience of grace should be continuous and progressive in the life of God’s people. Moreover, the New King James translates “grace upon grace” as “grace for grace”. The only thing that has value of replacing “grace” is more “grace”. In Christianity, our practical theology of grace should never be “condemnation for grace” nor “performance for grace” – “legalism for grace”. It must be and always remain “grace for grace”.

Moving along, in verse 17 John wrote, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Moses represents the Old Testament Law – people relating to God on the basis of rules and regulations. Jesus brought-in a new way of relating to God – GRACE. Besides redeeming us from sin and Hell, Christ saved us from the “curse of the law”. The Law condemns us; Christ liberates us. Besides this, Jesus also revealed the TRUTH about God. This is demonstrated in the next verse…

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. Christ is God in tangible form. In this manner, He revealed God to man: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” If you want to know the truth about God and His heart, then look at Jesus. He is God in human flesh.

Are you living in the fullness of God’s grace and truth today? What is the basis of your knowledge about God? What is the basis of your relationship with God? Jesus alone is the fountain for experiencing the fullness of God’s grace and truth.

Who is my Neighbor?

Chuck Smith — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:25:40 -0500

One day a lawyer asked Jesus, “And just who is my neighbor?”

As He often did, Jesus responded to this question with a memorable story—more than we bargained for. Since we seem to get the point of stories better than we sometimes grasp abstract concepts, Jesus offered a tale with some familiar characters: a Jewish businessman, a pair of religious professionals, and a Samaritan—a hated half-breed despised by most of Jesus’ contemporaries.

To fully appreciate the story, we should remind ourselves of a little history. When Assyria invaded and destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel—often called Samaria, after its capital city—hundreds of years before Jesus’ day, the conquerors deported most of the Hebrew population. The Assyrians replaced the Israelites with foreigners, who intermarried with the few Hebrews left behind. Soon this mixed race had corrupted the Old Testament religious practices of the whole region. More than two centuries later, when streams of freed Jewish people returned to their homeland after the Babylonian captivity, these Samaritans still lived in the north—and the two groups did not get along.

So Jesus told a story about a Jewish businessman who took a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho. Along the way a band of robbers surprised him, beat him up and took all his belongings, leaving him for dead. As he lay bleeding on the side of the road, a priest came by and saw the man in his desperate need—but he pulled his robes tight around him and made his way past the moaning victim.

Soon afterwards, a Levite, another religious professional came by. He also ignored the beaten man and hurried on his way.

But then a Samaritan came riding past the same spot. When he saw the injured man, whom he instantly recognized as Jewish, he got down off his donkey and cleaned the man’s wounds. He placed the man’s injured body on his own animal and stopped at an inn halfway between Jerusalem and Jericho. There he said to the innkeeper, “I have to continue my journey, but take care of this man. Whatever expenses you incur, when I return, I’ll take care of them. Bill it to me.”

When Jesus finished His story, he turned to the lawyer who had addressed the question and said, “Which of these men acted as a neighbor to the fellow in need?” The lawyer got the point instantly.

Who is my neighbor? Whoever is in need.

As Paul would write many years later, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him” (Titus 1:16).

And who was the one character in Jesus’ story who chose to help the dying man? A hated Samaritan. He becomes the hero of the story. The one character sure to raise some hackles is the one Jesus lifts up to the starring role.

Again, more answer than anyone bargained for!

If we’re walking in the love of Jesus Christ, we will reach out to whomever might have a need. Who is a “Samaritan” to you? What class of person or sort of individual makes you uncomfortable? His or her need should touch your heart because it touches the heart of God.

Remember how Jesus described His Father? He said that we serve a loving God who takes special note even when a little sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29). As His emissaries and representatives on earth, we therefore must allow ourselves to be moved by the needs of our countrymen and the “Samaritans” who live among us. We all live in the world created by our heavenly Father, and He expects us to show love to anyone who lives on this planet.

So Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And who is my neighbor? Whoever has a need.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Be of Good Cheer

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:54:18 -0500

Matthew 9:2 “Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you’.”

This chapter introduces us to a man whose is facing one of life’s greatest challenges. He is facing a terrible physical disorder. Being a paralytic would mean that he not only missed out on much the experiences of life that we take for granted, but also that he would be totally dependent upon others. He was not even capable of getting to the home on his own.

I find it interesting and exciting that Jesus says to this man, “Be of good cheer.” with such a difficult trial, what could he possibly have to be happy about? Maybe you feel that way. Maybe the darkness of what you are facing is stealing away your joy. What could you possibly have to be happy about?

I pray these few statements from Jesus will help to restore your faith, hope and joy this morning

“Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Mark 10:49 “So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Take time to reflect today on Jesus the savior, the healer, the protector, the planner and the peace giver

Pastor Jim

The Word was God

John Hwang — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:19:54 -0500

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” – John 1:1-5

Who is Jesus? These verses clearly teach us that He is God. Here, in these verses, “The Word” refers to Jesus. In context, John 1:14 affirms this point: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Also, in 1 John 1:1-2 and Revelation 19:13 Jesus is referred to as “The Word of Life” and “The Word of God”. He is God’s communication to humanity. Someone once said that He is the A to the Z and everything in-between.

Regarding Jesus, John 1:1 clearly teaches us that He is God: “And the Word was God”. This truth is an essential teaching in the Christian faith. There is no room for differences on this point. If Jesus isn’t God, then He can’t save us from bondage to sin and eternal punishment in Hell. If Jesus isn’t God, then His death was in vain, as well as the testimonies about Him in the Bible invalid. Jesus, however, is God! Here, in John 1:2-5, the author presents the evidence to His deity. First, He is the Creator of all things (John 1:3). Genesis 1:1 tells us that “God” created the heavens and the earth. Here, John tells us that Jesus is the Creator of all things. A honest observation of our universe leads us to conclude that we live in a world covered with the fingerprints of a Creator/Designer. The well-known Scientist Albert Einstein wrote: “Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe—a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble.” The conclusion is that Jesus is God.

Second, Jesus is the source of all life (John 1:4-5). Only God has life in and of Himself. He is not dependant on another for His existence. Also, He is the source of life for everything existing. Humanity exists because God exists (not the other way around). In Genesis 2, we discover that God breathed into man’s nostrils and he became a living being. God breathed both spiritual and physical life into man. Sin, however, killed humanity. Spiritually, man died. As a result, physical death followed.

The Good News is that Jesus breathes life into dead souls. The moment a sinner starts believing in Jesus as his Savior, Jesus breathes spiritual life into that person. He forgives all his sins, and re-connects Him with God. Also, being made alive spiritually by Christ to God, we have the assurance that Jesus will give life to our physical bodies at His second coming. Who is the source and giver of life? God is. Who does John tell us is the source and giver of life? The answer is clear; the answer is “Jesus”.

Let this be the thought for meditation today. Jesus is God. Therefore, trust, worship, and serve Him as such.

First Things First

Chuck Smith — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:24:35 -0500

It’s tough to love my neighbor as I love myself. While I naturally want the best for myself, to love my neighbor as myself takes the help and the grace of God. It doesn’t come naturally. In fact, to demonstrate how unnatural it is, ask yourself one simple question: Am I as concerned with my neighbor’s need as I am with my own need?

If you answered, “Yes!” you’re lying.

The only way to develop this kind of love for your neighbor—God’s kind of love—is to ask God to put it in your heart. You don’t naturally have this kind of love, any more than I do. But we really can become conduits of God’s love. We really can allow His love to flow through us to others.

The moment God moves to the center of your life—as soon as you bow to the Lord and submit your life to God as King—you become a conduit to spread His love to others. Through Him you can love your neighbor as yourself. But unless God is at the center of your life, you will never be able to do so.

And God’s love, of course, will work no ill to its neighbor. If you love someone, you’re not going to lie to him, steal from him, or cheat him in any way—especially if you love him as you love yourself.

So Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves strikes at the heart of the self-centered life. You cannot fulfill His command unless you first love God supremely. Only as you love God supremely can you fulfill the second part of the Great Commandment, which is loving your neighbor as much as you love yourself. A loving relationship with God provides the power for you to have meaningful and lasting relationships with your fellow man.

You and I need God at the vertical axis of our lives in order to balance our relationships on the horizontal plane. And if we don’t balance our relationships on the horizontal plane—that is, if we don’t love our neighbor as we love ourselves—then Jesus would call our professed love for God nothing but a sham.

I don’t have to tell you that people get all messed up on this horizontal plane. We seem to have an almost endless supply of methods and tactics to totally mess up our relationships.

To deal with this problem, many of us get an appointment with a shrink. We want him to help us understand ourselves. “Why do I react like this? Why do I respond like that? Why do I yell? Why do I scream? Why do I drive people away? Why do I act in such an anti-social manner?”

And the shrink tries to delve into our psyches in order to tell us, “Now, if you’ll just do this and that, and take this little pill I’ll prescribe for you, then things should improve eventually.” He does the best he can to help us balance out our interpersonal relationships that have gone so badly haywire on the horizontal plane.

But no sooner do we get one relationship in focus and bring some balance to it, than five other relationships slide to the other side of the ship—and before we know it, the whole vessel begins to take on water. We watch one side sink while the other side goes way up, so we sprint over to the high side to balance the thing out—and we spend our whole lives trying to keep things in balance.

But it always remains topsy-turvy to one degree or another.

The only permanent solution is to come back to the center axis. Bad human relationships indicate that our relationship with God is way off track. If our axis is tilted, then the horizontal plane spinning around that axis will continue to fly about in a crazy whirl. And it’ll continue to move up and down, round and round, until we say, “Oh God, stop this thing! I want off!”

We must learn to keep first things first. The first is to know God, get right with God, and love God. When we focus on that, then the second will begin to fall into order. Only then will we find the ability to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Hound of Heaven

Fred Field — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:08:05 -0500

Have you ever felt that someone was following you? It is very uncomfortable, and it feels a little creepy, especially when you start looking in the rear-view mirror to see if anyone is following you. I think most old, ex-hippies recall being a little paranoid from time to time, but we deserved it.

If you’re the kind of person who believes everything happens for a reason, then that feeling can take on entirely different dimensions.

For instance, if you are constantly greeted with “God bless you,” are stopped by people who are just a little too enthusiastic about Jesus, hear Bible verses that stick in your mind, or a song about Jesus that you just can’t shake (like those annoying commercial jingles), then you might start getting that feeling that God Himself is stalking you—like the classic detective, hot on your trail.

Many who’ve met the LORD have had similar or identical experiences. The title “Hound of Heaven” was written to describe this sensation. He is the Spirit of God who anticipates your every move. Sometimes, it seems intermittent, with occasional flurries that seem like ridiculous coincidences. “Is God talking to me?” “Maybe He’s trying to reach me?”

The Bible warns that this feeling may not last forever. He may stop trying to get our attention. The point is, if God is trying to contact you, then find a way respond.

The Bible tells us that God speaks in a number of ways, through His Word—the Bible. He speaks through His people, those who follow Him freely, diligently, and honestly. He can speak through circumstances, for example, when losing or finding a job, or close friend. He can also speak directly, but that is the least common.

One thing for sure is that His voice is quiet and peaceful, not the noisy din of Broadway (“Watch me! Buy this—it will make you beautiful…famous…like the cool kids!). If you have that hunted feeling, pick up a Bible and see what He says.

Why Are You Afraid?

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:41:56 -0500

Matthew 8:26 “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Out on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of a great tempest, we find the disciples fearing for their lives. When they cry out to Jesus for help, He responds with a question. “Why are you afraid?” Naturally, they had much reason to fear. The storm was great, many in the boat were unaccustomed to the sea and its ways, and fear has a way of spreading from one to another. To make matters worse, when they looked to Jesus, He seemed to not care about their plight. He was sleeping while they were suffering. It seems that they had much reason to fear. On the other hand, they had been traveling with Jesus. They lived through the chapter we just read. They saw Him cleanse the leper and heal the crowds. If they had only looked back at what Jesus had done, they would have had great comfort for what they were facing.

Perhaps this morning would be a good time to reflect on the works of God. Think through the pages of Scripture at His mighty deeds in the lives of others. Then think through your life, of all the ways He has been faithful to you

“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Pastor Jim

God "Tabernacled" Among Us

John Hwang — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:33:11 -0500

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

In John 1:1 we read, “and the word was God”. Here, “and the word became flesh”. This is incarnation. This event is not about a man becoming God—that’s impossible—but, instead, God becoming human. This is a mind-bending, worship-inciting truth: “veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail, the incarnate Deity!”

Here in John 1:14, these words carry my thoughts back to the Book of Exodus, specifically to the scene of God’s Tabernacle in the desert. Here’s what I mean: (1) First, the English word translated “dwelt” is the Greek word “eskenosen” which means, “to encamp”; “to pitch a tent”; “to tabernacle”. God encamped among His people in a human body. In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle (“The Tent”) was the point of contact between God and man. In the New Testament, Jesus of Nazareth—the incarnate Son of God—is the point of contact between God and man.

(2) Second, the Table of the Bread of the Presence, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Ark of the Covenant furnished the Tabernacle. These pieces of furniture are shadows of Christ. Jesus is “the Bread of Life”, “the Light of the world”, “the great High Priest who intercedes for God’s redeemed Church”, and “the God that abides in and among God’s people”.

(3) Third, God’s glory is associated with God’s Tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 states, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” The glory of God expresses the worthiness of God. Jesus expresses the fullness of God’s glory. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tell us, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 1:3 states, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person”.

(4) Fourth, here in 1:14, God’s glory is spoken of as, “glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”. This is the same as the description of God’s glory in Exodus 34:6: “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…” During His days on earth, Christ demonstrated God’s grace and truth to lost, needy, and undeserving sinners. He extended God’s grace to people by His actions – He cared for the outcast, healed the broken, fed the hungry, embraced the lonely, and lifted up the downtrodden. He also communicated God’s truth through His teachings – His life and words were both instructive, showing His audience the truth about God.

Jesus continues to show us the fullness of God’s grace and truth today – chiefly through the incorruptible message and transforming effects of the Gospel. By it, He reveals the truth of our sinfulness and need for a Savior. By it, God regenerates us, saving us from sin and eternal punishment in Hell – all this being done solely on the basis of God’s grace! Christ alone is the point of contact for all sinners to experience the fullness of God’s grace and truth. If you want to be the beneficiary of God’s grace and truth, then go to Jesus right now!

Jesus Christ is the all-glorious, incarnate God. This alone is reason enough to trust Him as our one and only Savior, and worship Him as our one and only Lord. Are you living in this reality today?

You Already Love Yourself

Chuck Smith — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:45:24 -0500

When Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, He isn’t saying (as many insist these days), “You have to learn to love yourself first.” No, He’s simply acknowledging that we already do love ourselves. We don’t have to work on that; it’s inborn.

Developing self-esteem is not the greatest need of humankind today. Nor is the lack of self-esteem the greatest sin in the world. The greatest sin in the world is the rejection of Jesus Christ, and the world’s greatest need is submitting to Jesus Christ.

Every one of us, without exception, loves ourselves. So the Bible says, “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church” (Ephesians 5:29).

“You’re wrong, Chuck,” someone says. “I hate myself! I really do. I look in the mirror and I’m so ugly, I just hate myself.”

Wait a minute! This person in the mirror that you say you hate, are you angry because he or she is ugly? Or are you happy because you see such ugliness in your reflection? If you really hated yourself, then you’d say, “Man, that person is so ugly, I just love it! Ha, ha, ha, I’m so ugly. How great! Because I hate me.”

But you don’t do that, do you? Of course not. No one does. Why not? Because we all want the best for ourselves—and that’s what love is, wanting the best for someone. Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher, used to say that even those who hanged themselves demonstrated their self-love, because in taking their own lives, they hoped to improve their difficult situation.

Or think of it in another way. If I were to videotape the congregation coming out of church this week, and then later I were to put up a big screen to show the video, who would you be looking for on the screen?

Maybe I’m different from everyone else, but when I look at a group picture, I always look first for me. I want to see how I look. I want to see if I closed my eyes when the flash went off—and if I did, then it’s a horrible picture. It’s an ugly photo. Tear it up! Even though everyone else may look great, if I look bad, it’s a horrible picture and should be destroyed.

You love yourself enough to see that you get three square meals a day; don’t you?

You love yourself enough to see that you have opportunities for a little luxury once in a while; don’t you? You love yourself enough to see that you have a roof over your head; don’t you? You love yourself enough to see that you’re comfortable; don’t you?

The Lord doesn’t command you to love yourself. He knows He doesn’t have to, because you do that automatically. That’s why I refuse to believe the idea that you have to learn to love yourself in order to love your neighbor. That’s a bunch of baloney. We all love ourselves. This foolishness that, “You have to learn to love yourself so you can love your neighbor” is not scriptural. The Lord recognizes that we already do love ourselves. Certainly that love, like everything else, got twisted in the fall when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden; but it’s still there.

So when Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” He means, “just as you naturally want the best for yourself, so you must want the best for your neighbor.”

Do you think that sounds easy? It’s not.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

What Was Jesus Really Like?

Fred Field — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:51:11 -0500

I think anyone who reads the Gospel accounts of Jesus gets a totally different picture of what he was like from the typical media images. I don’t care much what he physically looked like, but I have considered it. Apparently, he didn’t stand out in a crowd. Most of the scriptures that hint at physical description seem to be nondescript. When Israel chose their first king, they picked a tall and imposing figure in Saul. David may have been a rather dashing chap. But, for whatever reason, even acquaintances didn’t recognize Jesus on the famed road to Emmaus.

What I’ve thought most about is his personality. He seemed to be popular; people invited him to parties (local feasts). Matthew, the tax collector, had a get together for his colleagues where he seemed genuinely excited about introducing his new friend to other tax collectors. Perhaps the most meaningful gathering was with his closest friends, known in Christian circles as the “Last Supper.” It was a Passover (Pessach) dinner where Israel’s deliverance from the slavery of Egypt is celebrated with special kinds of food and drink.

I have a strong mental picture of Jesus as a friend. He always put other people’s interests ahead of his own...a true and compassionate servant. And, he must’ve been an incredibly good listener. I picture him listening to me with both ears, with deep, penetrating eyes. He could tell an awful lot about people by their circumstance, e.g., the woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well. In all his relationships, with those who constituted his network of friends (fishermen, tax collectors, former prostitutes), he wasn’t the least bit perturbed by past indiscretions and lifestyles.

There may be a time when he appears as Judge, and his countenance changes, but, I still think that he will have the kindest face of all, with deepest sorrow for those who’ve slipped away.

Removing the Speck

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:13:50 -0500

Matthew 7:5 “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Often, when we know of a Christian friend who is stumbling in their walk with Jesus, we are not sure what to do. They may have gotten involved in an ungodly activity or into a bad relationship or simply stopped investing into their relationship with Christ. We want to help, but at the same time we fear that saying something will be construed as “judging them.” Jesus gives us, in this passage, a keen insight into how to deal with one another in the body. When you see something amiss in my relationship with Christ, the first place you should look is inward. Is there anything out of place in your relationship with Christ? What you find must be removed. The Biblical way of dealing with personal sin is found in 1John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive . . . and to cleanse…” Once you have “removed the plank”, it is time to look outward to see how you can help me “remove the speck.”

Too often we neglect helping one another out of fear of judging them. It is important to remember that the Bible exhorts us to do all we can to help one another make it to the end of the race, where we will be welcomed by the loving arms of Jesus.

Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Hebrews 12:12 “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees . . .”

Let’s go out today seeking to do all we can to help one another reach the end of our faith and the salvation of our souls.

Pastor Jim

Born of God

John Hwang — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:23:06 -0500

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:10-13

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who trust and receive Jesus as their Savior, and those who don’t. Here, in John 1:10-13, John makes the contrast between the two groups. First, in verse 10, John speaks of the world in general, then in verse 11, a nation specific. In verse 10, John reminds us that Jesus is God the Creator, and He made the world and everything in it. Yet, the general created population of humanity did not recognize Him when He came to earth. Rather than understand His true identity, the world simply regarded Him as either a “good” teacher” or a “religious prophet” or a “crazy man” or a “blasphemer” and continue to worship and serve their pagan idols and deities. In verse 11, we see that the nation of Israel went a step further: ”they rejected Him”. They, of all people, should have recognized and received Jesus since their Old Testament Bible had been announcing His coming since Genesis 3:15. There are over 300 clear predictions about His coming in the Old Testament. Yet, because of the hardness of their hearts, the Jews rejected Him, and continued to live in spiritual darkness.

John 1:12-13, however, turns a corner. Here, John refers to a remnant in Israel that did recognize and receive Jesus as Savior. He describes them as being “born of God”. This is regeneration. In physical birth, people are “born of Adam”, and enter the world as sinners (Romans 5:12). In spiritual birth, people are “born of God”, and become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a miracle: “Children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1-3) become “Children of God” (John 1:12).

Regeneration is a supernatural work of God. This fact is emphasized in John 1:13. We cannot change ourselves: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil” (Jeremiah 13:23 NIV). God, however, can: “What is impossible with men is possible with God”(Luke 18:26-27). God is mighty to save. God alone saves. Psalm 3:8 says, “Salvation belongs to the LORD”. In Isaiah 43:11, God declared, “I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.”

Understanding our need for regeneration, we need to start trusting in Jesus alone for salvation. John 1:12 says, “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. “Receiving” is “believing”, “believing” is “receiving”. The moment this happens, a person is born of God, becoming a child of God.

Question: “Are you a child of God?” “Have you experienced the miracle of the new birth?” If your answer is “no”, then I encourage you to start believing in Jesus today as your one and only Savior. He is God, and He alone saves. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Heaven

Fred Field — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:19:46 -0500

Talking about heaven can be very serious, especially with nonbelievers, probably because it automatically implies its opposite.

For those of us over thirty, life seems incredibly short, and the inevitability of its end becomes ever closer. Years, then decades fly by—and then funerals and memorials, sometimes the only things that join family together. To some, the topic of heaven is fearful, and speculation about what it’s like or who might be there are uttered in hushed tones. It’s simply too deep, fraught with the danger of false hopes. Great sensitivity is required.

To compound things, Bible believers act so joyous, with such confidence, when one of the “saints” passes (into the presence of the LORD). They gloat that their loved one is in a much better place. Most followers of Jesus have vivid images of “In my Father’s house there are many mansions…” It can sound quite sad when the nonbeliever speaks frankly of a person as dead, and buried in the ground.

In the Hebrew Bible, the Prophets (Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel) spoke much about a future existence and new earth. David, the psalmist, wrote longingly of “dwelling in the house of the LORD forever.” The Prophet Isaiah had a stark vision of the throne of heaven, and he was quite undone by it (Isaiah 6). He wrote lengthy passages of God’s promises of future blessings for those who wait on Him.

The New Testament writings go further. Paul wrote of a vision that a man (Paul, himself?) had of the “Third” heaven, where he witnessed things and words too wonderful to utter (2 Corinthians 12:2). He also wrote that no one knows how wonderful those things will be that God has prepared for those who love Him (2 Corinthians 2:9).

Some say that God’s people will surround His throne worshipping Him for eternity—I’m sure some of us have trouble with that, especially when all we know is the cacophony of perfunctory, tone-deaf singing.

But, I doubt that it will be the slightest bit boring. Imagine, no more weeping, no more pain, no more arguing or speculation. We will know the answer, personally. Pray that the Living God of the Bible opens your eyes to this wonderful hope.

Who Do You Really Love?

Chuck Smith — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:42:15 -0500

A wealthy young man we usually remember as “the rich young ruler” once came to Jesus and knelt at His feet. “Good Teacher,” he said, “what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”

“Teacher,” the man answered, “all these things I have kept from my youth.”

Mark tells us that Jesus looked at the man and loved him, and said, “One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me” (Mark 10:17-21).

A stunned man got more of an answer from Jesus than he had anticipated. When this young man heard Jesus’ answer, his face fell, he turned around and he began to slowly walk away, great sorrow filling his heart—and all because he could not let go of his great wealth.

The really amazing thing here is that, apparently, he could tell Jesus with a straight face, “Lord, I have kept all these commandments from the time I was a boy. You know, I haven’t stolen. I haven’t committed adultery. I haven’t lied to anyone about my neighbors.”

Great! Jesus didn’t challenge him on any of those claims. But He did want the man to get to the real heart of God’s Law, which comes down to loving God supremely and loving your neighbor as yourself. Wouldn’t it seem that if such a rich man loved his neighbor as himself, he would have busied himself with helping some of his less fortunate neighbors? After all, he had said, “I have kept all of God’s commandments from my youth.”

Unfortunately, most of us have a view of ourselves that differs significantly from God’s. We’re prone to overlook our flaws and our faults. We justify ourselves. We give good reasons for why we react as we do. But are they valid in God’s eyes?

Notice that in His answer, Jesus mentioned nothing of the first table of the Law. He did not bring up the man’s relationship to God. Jesus did not quote any of the first four commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me,” “You shall not make for yourself a carved image,” “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,” “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:3-8). He dealt only with man’s relationship with other men and women. Why? Because this man was a moralist.

I see the rich young ruler as a typical man, looking to do some good work in order to earn eternal life. He was used to doing good works. Apparently, he spent his whole life up to this point doing good works. And so Jesus focused his attention on his relationship with his fellow men—and when the man realized how much it would cost him to love his neighbor as he loved himself, he left brokenhearted.

The rich young ruler had come to Jesus quite sure of his love for God. He left Jesus, clinging more to his money than to a commitment to love his neighbors as he loved himself.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

I Am a Follower of Jesus

Bill Walden — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:43:22 -0500

Like you, I am faced with choices, desires, options, and possibilities. Some options are obviously contrary to the heart of God, and so I know not to consider them as viable. But what about those other options? What about my desires, dreams, and hopes? Everyone has them, or had them at one time.

As a follower of Jesus, there are many paths that are considered acceptable by my church culture. If I want to pursue something, and it has a "Jesus element" to it, then I usually get approval by most people that I know. There are other activities that are considered good and acceptable by my popular culture, and are not obviously "wrong", and so once again I receive a nod of approval.

Following Jesus is completely contrary to the two scenarios that I have just described. Neither public approval nor my church culture approval is enough to validate a trajectory for my life. My own desires, predispositions, and tendencies are not to be the compass for my existence. Someone has said that, "the enemy of the best is the good". It is incredibly easy to be a few degrees off regarding what one ought to be doing with their life. A few degrees off doesn't seem like much when a pilot first takes off, but obviously, the further he flies, the more off course he gets. Such can be the outcome of a person's life. We can be well intentioned, but way off course. We can "land" in a place that is distant from where we should have landed.

To some I may sound idealistic. To others, legalistic and confined. I have considered those possibilities as well. I have wondered if I ought not allow myself to be more free, to follow the impulses and passions of my heart.

As I understand it, following Jesus is neither a matter of pragmatism, or logic. Pragmatism dictates that we ought to do the things that "works". Logic is the thing that seems obvious.

A Christian man might be a very talented athlete, with a great possibility of a professional career. Pragmatism and logic would dictate that that is the course he ought to pursue, but it may not necessarily be the path that God has chosen for him. Just because a man can follow a path and be successful at it doesn't mean that he should. Two examples of this come to mind: Jim Elliot, and Eric Liddell. Both men were incredibly gifted athletes, but both set aside their athletic pursuits to pursue a greater prize.

People undoubtedly called Elliot and Liddell foolish for choosing Christian service over athletic careers, but both men stayed their courses as they felt led by God, and their lives and deaths have become models of faith for the Christian Church. Pragmatism and logic would have dictated different paths for Elliot and Liddell. Their personal passion for sports, coupled with their athletic talents would have seemed to be evidence of an athletic career, but the Spirit of God had a greater plan.

Let me conclude with some scripture that points to what I am suggesting.

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

John 8:29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.

Both Paul and Jesus could have been incredibly successful in the eyes of the world if they had chosen different paths. Paul would have been a shaper of culture, a great author, and a philosopher. Jesus could have changed the temporary course of history for Israel by driving out the Romans, and He would have been an amazing king.

Aren't we glad that neither of them chose the good instead of the best? Aren't we glad that they did not allow pragmatism and logic to dictate their actions?

Dear reader, if you are a Christ follower, don't miss the best because you choose the good. Don't allow pragmatism or logic to dictate you life path. Just because you can do something well, and because you have a passion for it doesn't mean that those pursuits should be the focus of your life. God may allow you to pursue some things as part time hobbies, but keep the main thing the main thing.

Treasures in Heaven

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:48:42 -0500

The longer I live the more I have come to realize that so much in life is passing. Things that I once coveted and had to have are bundled up and given to the Salvation Army. That “new car smell” has been replaced with “what’s that smell?” Even relationships that were once so close have grown distant. The words of Christ shout a deafening cry,
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Matthew chapter six not only exhorts us to lay up heavenly treasures, it also explains to us the spiritual activities that will help us do it. We are told to give, pray, fast and let go.
One of the great struggles we face is how to live for eternity while living in time. We know that while God could cause manna to appear on our front lawn every morning, He has chosen to call us to “till the ground.” In other words, we all have to work for a living. We need tangible things like cash, food, housing, etc. How do we balance living here with storing up treasures in heaven? I think one of the keys is found in verse 33. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” When we decide to no longer worry, to no longer be consumed with the things of this life, and instead put our full confidence in Jehovah as our provider, we will be able to put Him first. When that happens we will see that He is in fact able to meet our every need.

Today, whether you go to work, school, or stay at home, put Jesus in first place. Seek to please Him with every step, and watch as He uses the details of your day as opportunities to store up treasures in heaven. Pastor Jim

The Armor of God part II

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:39:56 -0500

Previously we began a look at the armor God has provided. Having considered the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, we now come to the boots of peace.

Boots of Peace

We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. The Roman soldier wore a studded sandal in battle that gave him security and helped him stand immovable in the conflict. Those shoes gave him confidence. Likewise, the peace of God gives us security and confidence in battle. It is the peace of God that protects us from discouragement and despair.

But having our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace also speaks of a readiness to share the gospel. As we’re out and about in our daily lives—whether at work, out in the community, or on vacation, wherever we go as God’s people—we need to be prepared to share the gospel! Do you know the gospel? Are you able to communicate it? Do you see how important it is to learn God’s Word, not only for your own benefit, but for the benefit of others as well? The apostle Peter said something similar to what Paul is saying here. He said:

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.

1 Peter 3:15

Shield of Faith

We come now to the shield of faith. The particular shield referred to here was so enormous that the soldier could hide completely behind it. This shield would thoroughly protect him from the barrage of arrows sent by the enemy. What this shield did for the Roman soldier, the shield of faith does for the Christian when we are being bombarded by the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield of faith is an active trust in the nature, character, love, and promises of God—all of which are made known to us through His Word.

We will never be out of range of Satan’s fiery darts. But the shield of faith can quench them. As clever as he is, as vicious as he is, as relentless as he is, we can still have the victory over him through faith, that simple trust in God.

Helmet of Salvation

The final piece of defensive equipment is the helmet of salvation. This helmet protects our minds from attacks against the assurance of our salvation. Satan will accuse us of not doing enough for God and then will call into question the validity of our salvation. Understanding and applying the doctrine of salvation by grace alone is certainly one element of what it means to put on the helmet of salvation. Remember:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.

Titus 3:5a

There is, I believe, another aspect to the helmet of salvation. In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul exhorted them to put on as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8). I think that’s also the idea here in Ephesians. What that means practically for Christians is simply that a time is coming when we are going to be gloriously delivered from this present evil world and taken to Heaven! Our future hope is something Paul wanted us to keep at the forefront of our minds. No matter how tough it gets, there is an end in sight. One day the battle will be over and we’ll settle down forever with our great King and Savior in His unspeakably glorious kingdom. Remember that, and let that thought spur you on.

The True Light

John Hwang — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:45:07 -0500

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” – John 1:9

Jesus is the “True Light”. He is in contrast to all the false lights in the world. There are many people and religious movements in the world that claim to be the light that will lead men and women into spiritual enlightenment. They all, however, prove to be false lights leading humanity to eternal destruction. For this reason, it’s imperative that we make sure that the source of light we are embracing is the True Light.

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The credibility of Jesus’ claim is validated by His life, death, and resurrection from the dead. A honest investigation of His life–all that He is; all that He said; all that He did–will affirm that only He can claim to be the “True Light”.

As the True Light, Jesus “enlightens everyone”. The truth about Jesus shines in this dark world, yet people must decide what to do with the light they see. When people reject the light, the problem is not with the light, but rather, the condition of the human heart. The same light shines, and people respond to it different ways. One person rejects it; the other person embraces it. The issue is the condition of the heart. Think of it this way: imagine two bowls on a backyard table. One is made of wax, the other of clay. When the sunlight shines down on both bowls, one softens and the other hardens. Same light but different results. The softening and hardening is dependent on the kind of material the bowls were made of. The same is true with the human heart. If you are sincere in knowing the truth about God when His light shines into your mind and heart, you will understand it, and embrace Christ, the “True Light”. If you, however, listen to the truth about Jesus with an anti-Christ bias, your heart will harden, and in the end, the only result will be God’s judgment. The issue for rejecting Christ is not “lack of evidence”, but rather that the human will that has been “twisted and tweaked” by sin and the love for it. John 3:18-21 puts it this way: “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.”

As the True Light, Jesus shines forth the truth and life to everyone who will believe in Him. What are you waiting for? Are the things holding you back from Jesus really legitimate reasons for not trusting in Him as your Savior from sin and hell. He is shining forth His light into your mind and heart right now. My prayer for you is that your heart will melt in His presence, and that you will embrace Him by faith, and experience God’s forgiveness and the assurance of eternal life. Look to Jesus, and start following Him right now.

Love Commanded

Chuck Smith — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:58:17 -0500

Anyone who asks Jesus a question—especially a loaded one—should prepare to get more of an answer than he bargained for.

A lot more.

One afternoon Jesus’ opponents sought to get Him in hot water with the Roman authorities. So they asked Him whether a pious Jew should pay taxes to Caesar. When Jesus’ answer dumbfounded them, other challengers in the crowd asked a question they considered much tougher. And when His brilliant answer silenced them, still other skittish observers said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” At that point the gospel writer Luke adds—I’m guessing with a twinkle in his eye—“after that they dared not question Him anymore” (See Luke 20:20-40).

As I said, when you ask Jesus a question, get prepared for a surprising answer!

That certainly happened the day a lawyer asked Him to name “the first commandment.” Without hesitation, Jesus gave the expected answer: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29-30).

So far, so good. I’m sure a lot of heads in the audience nodded in approval. But then came the “more-than-you-bargained-for” part.

And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:31).

A second commandment like the first? Nobody had asked Jesus about this! Still, He gave it to them anyway. And then to top things off, He made it clear that these two commandments were really just different sides of the same, single commandment. “There is no other commandment”—singular—“greater than these,” Jesus insisted.

Jesus immediately tied love of one’s neighbor to love for God. The two actions are inseparable. Love for God has to come first, but love for neighbors must follow. You cannot love God without subsequently loving your neighbor, and you cannot love your neighbor without first loving God.

The apostle John later wrote, “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:21). The heart of the Christian gospel is love—God loving you, you loving God supremely, and you loving your neighbor as yourself. That’s the heart and the essence of the Christian message.

Our heavenly Father calls you and me to so love Him and one another that we might clearly demonstrate what true Christianity is all about. Even the Pharisees and scribes had a hard time acknowledging this truth. The question Jesus asks us today is: If we say we love God, are we also showing love to our brother?

Never has the world more desperately needed such a demonstration. What too often passes itself off as Christianity today is only another form of hollow religion, woefully lacking in love. God calls us to love as He loves—and that’s not something we can conjure up within ourselves. It will happen only as we ask Him to plant His love in our hearts. Only then will we love as He loves.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Christ, the Church and the Mentally Ill

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:35:32 -0500

The heartbreaking news of the suicide of Rick and Kay Warren’s son Matthew has been followed by, among other things, a public discussion of mental illness. Apparently, Matthew’s death was the end of a long battle with bipolar disorder. But before I talk about mental illness, I want to say that we (our family and our church family) are grieving with the Warrens, praying that the Father of mercies and God of all comfort will comfort them in this time of deep, emotional grief. Please join us in continuing to pray for them.

As I scrolled through Twitter on Monday, there were a number of tweets commenting on the subject of mental illness. In response to those tweets, I posted this:

“I have had the privilege of pastoring and being friends with many who struggle with mental illness over the years. They need lots of love, compassion, patience, understanding, and a continual reminder that God loves them; and medicine is His gift to help them. They need lots of prayer too.”

Why did I say pastoring and being friends with the mentally ill has been a privilege? Because the mentally ill are the weak, fragile, and vulnerable among God’s people, and we know that God has a special place in His heart for the weak, fragile, and vulnerable. It was prophesied of Jesus: “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench” (Isaiah 42:3). Jesus cares for the weak, and we are privileged to care for those whom He cares for.

I’ve experienced wonderful friendships with those who struggle with mental illness. So often, beneath the mental confusion, the fears, and the depression are intelligent, loving, caring, kind, and sensitive people. Even as I write this, I can think of many times of joy and deep Christian fellowship with those who have struggled with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, panic and anxiety disorder, OCD, etc. Yes, God’s people do suffer with these types of afflictions at times, and we need to walk alongside them through those dark valleys.

Ministering to the mentally ill has its challenges, certainly. Sometimes there’s nothing you can say or do to bring them back into reality, out of despondency, or beyond their irrational fears. This is why much love, patience, and understanding is needed. I have spent countless hours over the last three decades listening to and counseling with people who, after the countless hours invested, were no better off than when we started. Such is the nature of mental illness. Yet love endures all things, so you just keep loving them, listening to them, encouraging them, and praying for them. I know from experience that even though many times you can’t totally help those with mental illness, God’s love through you brings enough comfort and peace to take the edge off some of the suffering.

Another factor is medication. As I mentioned, I often remind those afflicted with mental illness that medicine is God’s gift to help them. I am aware that there are many controversies surrounding the use of psychiatric medications. No doubt there is much abuse, and there’s never a guarantee that medication is going to help. But in many cases, medication has and does help, and those who are helped by it should be encouraged to stay on their medication.

Over the years, some misinformed Christians have suggested that taking medicine for mental illness is a sign of a lack of faith or in some way displeasing to God. Therefore, many who could be helped are reluctant to go on medication or they have refused to stay on it. I’ve spoken to numerous people who suffer from mental illness who have either gone off their meds and relapsed, or have tried to get off their meds because they thought they were dishonoring God.

In reality, it is no more wrong to take medication for a true mental disorder than it is to take insulin for diabetes or a thyroid supplement for thyroid deficiency. The brain is a physical organ, like the pancreas and the thyroid gland, and can become diseased and need medication.

I have actually heard people say there is no such thing as mental illness, and those who appear to be mentally ill are just in sin and need to repent. No doubt, some people have been misdiagnosed as mentally ill who are not, and they do need to repent. But to say that there is no such thing as mental illness is both naïve and downright cruel, and can be extremely painful to a person who is already suffering intensely. Those who would say to the depressed, “just snap out of it,” or to those with anxiety, “just stop worrying,” or even worse, “just trust God,” know nothing at all about what the person is actually going through. I know that because I’ve been on both sides of the issue.

For the past thirty years, I have battled off and on with what is called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Those who suffer from CFS quite often experience depression and anxiety disorder because of this disease’s effect on the central nervous system and the brain. It has been through my own experiences that I have come to understand in a very small way the plight of those who battle with mental illness, and the need for God’s love and wisdom in our attempts to help those with these struggles. Sometimes wisdom is the recognition that medication can alleviate unnecessary suffering. I am not in any way suggesting that medication is always the way to go or the only way to go. Even if medication is helpful, which as I’ve pointed out is not always the case, there is still the need for prayer and for the suffering person to be reminded continually of the great promises of God in His Word.

The great English poet and hymnist William Cowper suffered much of his life from mental illness, and on more than one occasion, he sought to take his own life. His pastor and dear friend, John Newton, who wrote the well-known hymn “Amazing Grace,” loved him, patiently encouraged him, and along with his congregation, prayed faithfully for him. After a failed suicide attempt and a long season of prayer by the church, Cowper, without the assistance of medication (there was none back then) was healed to the extent that he never again tried to take his life, and although he still struggled with bouts of depression, they were mild in comparison to what they had previously been.

Maybe someone you know or someone you love suffers from some form of mental illness. What can you do? Love them. Be patient with them. Encourage them to get all the help they can. Most of all, pray for them, entrusting them to the Lord who made them, died for them, and loves them. He will one day heal them; maybe here or maybe in heaven, like Matthew.

Dear Cheryl

Cheryl Brodersen — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:56:14 -0500

Dear Cheryl,

When do we back off and let the Holy Spirit take over when ministering to a person who is depressed and seems to be stuck? What Bible verses can I give to someone in a state like this? Or what Bible verses can I read to give me comfort, encouragement, and direction?

When a person seems unresponsive, resistant, or overly dependent on you, it is time to back off and let the Spirit work. I have found that prayer works better than any lecture I have ever given.

Though Scripture is always a great thing, sometimes it is better to write the Scriptures down and pray them over the person. There is a right time to minister Scripture.

Personally, I love the prayers in Ephesians 1 and 3. These are glorious truths that Paul realized had to be communicated by the work of God’s Spirit in the Ephesians. He had written many glorious truths to these believers but recognized the need for a divine work of God through prayer to take the message of the Gospel to their hearts.

The Bible is filled with great promises, like 2 Peter 1:3. I often will ask the Lord for a specific word or promise for a friend that I am praying for. Usually, during my devotion times in God’s Word, I will come upon a passage or Scripture, and the Holy Spirit will quicken me to pray it over someone or send it to them. I love those times! I would recommend that you ask God to give you a specific word or direction from His Scripture! All Blessings!

Dear Cheryl,

In a recent message, you mentioned Hannah and Samuel. You said that she asked for a son and God gave her a prophet and a priest. My question is: was Samuel a priest? Was he a Levite?

In 1 Chronicles 6:33-34, Samuel’s lineage is traced to the Levitical line, not the High Priest lineage. He was also from Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1). You might remember that when Joshua was dividing the land of Israel to the tribes of Israel, the Levites were to be scattered among the tribes of Israel. This was to ensure the spirituality of the nation. The Levites were in charge of the spiritual instruction, maintaining the tabernacle, the worship leaders, and gatekeepers.

Samuel was also a prophet. This means he was God’s spokesperson to Israel. The High Priest’s line continued through Ichabod, the son born to Eli’s daughter-in-law. His line ended with Abiathar. At that point, Zadok became the High Priest. He was also a descendent of Aaron. The High Priest’s lineage then went to his children. Hope that helps!

It's All About Jesus

John Hwang — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:17:00 -0500

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light” – John 1:6-8

Here, in these verses, we are introduced to John the Baptist. John was God’s messenger who announced the coming of God’s Messiah. The Old Testament prophets, Isaiah and Malachi, predicted his coming, and, here in John 1:6-7, the prophecies are fulfilled.

The objective of John’s ministry and message was to point people to Jesus. God spent him in the proclamation and exaltation of Jesus Christ. What a tremendous call! When people heard him speak and watched him minister, their ears and minds and hearts were directed to the truth about God’s Messiah, Jesus. His message was, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). His joy was the fame of Christ, and that people trusted in Him for salvation. J. Oswald Sanders wrote of him, “he prepares the way, clears the way, and gets out of the way.” John was in every sense of the words, a “Jesus guy”. Question: Is this true about your life? Does your life attract people to Jesus?

John is an example for us. His whole life, identity, and legacy were found in Jesus. He was Christ-centered and Christ exalting. He said, “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30). All he wanted for his life was to attract people to Jesus…and it did. This was his success in life and service. If we have the same passion for the exaltation of Christ, our lives will point people to the beautiful glory and infinite worth of Christ as well. Let’s spend time loving Jesus, and we’ll attract others to Him.

For the Sake of Argument

Fred Field — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:52:55 -0500

I’ll admit that I have pet peeves. One is a style of “discussion” that is much like bullying—all talk and no listen. Another is what I call, “I think; therefore, I’m right.” (I may have “borrowed” this, but can’t remember from where.) The two seem to go hand in hand, or should I say “fist in glove.”

A person with these maladies reasons through an issue and comes to a conclusion. And, because he (or she) assumes that this conclusion is tightly reasoned, and, therefore, correct, he believes that it applies to everyone else. Anyone who disagrees is, therefore, wrong.

So, any other viewpoint is not logical, and anyone who believes this wrong idea is stupid or deceived. This is typical in politics. Regarding the religious or spiritual, the opposite of “good” is “evil.”

Here’s the peeve: Is everyone who disagrees with me stupid? Reason doesn’t work that way. People may seem irrational and not want to see my point, but that doesn’t make them stupid or inherently evil.

When we try to convince someone that our views are right, we need the proverbial even playing field. Argumentation must be delivered in an atmosphere of mutual respect and backed by real, honest-to-goodness evidence—reliable statistics or quotes by real authorities.

(Some remember Mr. Coffee, Joe DiMaggio, a famous baseball player, as an expert on coffee makers.)

Or, the reasoning must be according to accepted principles, while acknowledging that God’s thoughts are higher than ours. I know that I’m fallible, fallen, and prone to error...which is not to say that I can’t recognize truth. (The good tree bears good fruit…)

A controversy is an issue that cannot be proven to everyone’s satisfaction, that splits opinions. They’re fun in debate classes because we know we can’t prove one side right and the other wrong. Some biblical doctrines are like that, and the best we can do is agree to disagree.

Wisdom that is truly from God is first “peaceable, gentle…full of mercy…” (James 3:17). It is not the language of intimidation—of the bully.

Jesus Never Fails

Chuck Smith — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:07:37 -0500

One day Paul and his ministry buddy, Silas, got thrown into a filthy prison for freeing a slave girl from demon possession. The local magistrates ordered them beaten and placed in stocks in the inner dungeon, a place full of rats, disease, and all kinds of filth. Nobody had washed off their dried blood, and now it was caked on their raw backs. In fact, no one did anything to help them. They simply left them in this miserable condition.

Imagine if you were thrown in a Tijuana jail, with no one to bail you out. No one knows where you are; they know only that you went on a ministry trip to Mexico. They have no idea why you haven’t returned. No doubt you’d be wondering, What’s going to happen to me? How long will I be here? And you’d probably ask, “Why, God? Lord, did You really call us to Mexico? Did we make a mistake?” Questions would fly through your mind. But my question to you is: How do you suppose you would react?

Paul and Silas reacted by singing praises to the Lord.

Sitting in those painful stocks, the two men prayed and sang praises. The other prisoners heard them—and you can well imagine the crude remarks they employed to tell Paul and Silas to just shut up. But at midnight the bars began to shake when a strong earthquake rumbled the very foundations of the prison. All the cell doors burst open, awakening the guard. Figuring that the prisoners had all escaped—and fearing his inevitable and severe punishment—the guard took out his sword to commit suicide.

“Don’t do harm to yourself!” Paul called out. “We are all here.”

In the darkness the guard sought out Paul and Silas, and in a trembling voice said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” God used Paul’s miserable condition to bring another soul to Him.

When we find ourselves in difficult, confusing circumstances, what a great opportunity we have to pray and to praise the Lord! You might not be able to praise God for your circumstances, but you can praise Him. Because even though your feet are locked in stocks, your spirit is free. Rather than feeling sorry for yourself because of your physical misery, you can sing praises to your Lord. You never know who might be listening.

But that takes a transformed heart!

As you pray and sing, you will find your faith growing and your worries fleeing. Soon you can find yourself rejoicing in the goodness of God, in the greatness of His power and the immensity of His love, knowing He’s in control and Jesus will not fail.

As a young boy my brother had serious asthma attacks. Whenever he would get one, my mother would come into the room, lift him out of bed and carry him to an old rocking chair that squeaked whenever someone used it. My mother would rock him in that chair, and as I would lay there in bed, I could hear him wheezing and fighting for breath. I could also hear my mother singing: “Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but Jesus never fails.” That song became her anthem.

As my three siblings and I grew up, we often required Mom’s help. She would pray and she would sing, “Jesus never fails.” It became so much her life theme that when she died, we had those words inscribed on her tombstone. If you were to visit my mother’s grave at Fairhaven Cemetery, you would see the words, “Jesus never fails.” And He hasn’t yet, and He won’t.

The really interesting thing is that not long ago I was in Santa Barbara, presiding over a memorial service for a relative. My mother’s mother had been buried at that cemetery. So we asked at the office where we could find my grandmother’s burial place. They showed us its location on a map and after the service we went looking for my grandmother’s grave. I had never been there before, so you can imagine my surprise when we found it and I read her tombstone: “Jesus never fails.”

What a marvelous testimony to pass down from generation to generation. You can put that on my tombstone when I go: “Jesus never fails.”

You may be going through some hardships. There may be some difficult things that you just don’t understand—the “whys” of whatever is happening to you. But know this: He loves you, He’s concerned, He knows all about it, He’s in control, and Jesus will not fail. That conviction, more than anything, will transform you into a follower of Christ whose heart beats wholly for Him.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Happy Belated Easter

Phil Metzger — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:12:59 -0500

Currently I am teaching the gospel of John and so in preparation for Easter I felt the Lord leading me to teach from John 20. What an amazing passage. I felt like I was reading it for the first time. In fact the Lord showed me things that I honestly don't think I have noticed before. Maybe you have seen this, maybe not. Regardless; I pray you experience the same joy from God's Word as I did.

John 20:19-23 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

There are three things that happened on that day that I want to draw your attention to. Keep in mind that this all happened on the very same day Jesus rose from the dead!

Commissioned: As the Father has sent Me even so I am sending you.

On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He commissions His disciples. On the very same day. Jesus wastes absolutely no time at all reminding them of His intentions.

All of history has been building up to this. God the Son has lived a perfect life and died in the place of sinful man. He is the propitiation for our sins. Then three days later He rose from the dead conquering sin, death, hell and the devil. There is now nothing that separates us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. We have total access before the throne of God where we can come boldly asking for mercy.

"Jesus don't you want to take a day or two to recover from dying? NO.

Don't you want to take some time and slowly introduce Your disciples to your plan? NO they have heard Me speak of this for a long time. It's time to begin!"

You are being sent out to share the good news with the world. IT's time- it's time to be who I have made you to be. It's time to be fishers of men because all that is necessary for mankind to be saved has been accomplished!

2. Receive the Spirit: And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He pours out His Holy Spirit in His disciples.

Now in about 50 days from this moment He would again pour out His Spirit. But on that day it was not to receive the Holy Spirit but to have the Holy Spirit come upon them in power.

On this day in John 20 the Holy Spirit came in to the disciples and they were sealed for the Lord. He was theirs and they were His. Jesus wastes no time at all giving His followers His Spirit.

3. Message: If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld

On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He tells His disciples that they are to proclaim forgiveness to the repentant and warning upon the hard hearted. There is no delay, no waiting. Now is the time.

I love the urgency in Jesus here.

This is how Jesus spent His first day risen from the dead. The rest of the New Testament is filled with a sense of urgency. WHY?

Now that Jesus has died and risen there is no reason for anyone to go to hell. Sin has been paid for and death has been conquered. It really is the greatest message in history.

On the day Jesus rose from the dead He declares to us-

I am commissioning you

I am filling you with My Spirit

I am sending you out with a message of forgiveness.

Happy Belated Easter!

Questioning?

Fred Field — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:57:56 -0500

Back in the day of the Jesus Movement, many of us were utterly blown away by the simple revelation that there is a God! We thought everyone would want to know, so we would confront people wherever we went. I’m sure we must’ve looked like fanatics, and our message was a bit simplistic, but we were zealous to tell our friends that they could know God and go to heaven.

Many of us hippies had come to despise the establishment: “Never trust anyone over thirty,” pretty much summed up the mood. “Tune in, and drop out,” was another popular slogan. In our view, the government was corrupt—sending children off to a war that nobody wanted, for greed and power. Organized religion was totally fake—before the child-molestation madness of today.

It was inevitable that many despaired of finding anything that could satisfy the deep hunger we had for meaning. We wanted authenticity and truth, not more empty talk from a man in a clerical collar. We found Jesus, or He found us…

It certainly seems that the culture has come full circle. We’re back at the beginning of the cycle. Many of the “non-denominational” groups spawned during the late 60s-early 70s have become corporate giants, and they have stopped confronting culture altogether, or their focus has turned inward to promoting successful careers and marriages.

In my opinion, we’re even further into the process to despair. One thing that I learned from the Jesus Movement, though, is that God can change the human heart, one at a time…from face to face, and faith to faith.

If you are questioning the meaning of life and searching for a place to belong, the answer is not found on the outside, on circumstances or a change in location, job, or whatever. In a sense, it is found “within,” because we are designed to seek meaning and find real answers to the big questions: Where do I come from? Does my life have meaning?

We won’t have lasting peace and rest until we find the answers. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God…”

Smile and Show Them Jesus

Chuck Smith — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 23:26:49 -0500

I believe that a sour-faced Christian is probably one of the poorest witnesses in the world.

During one tragic period of church history—and there have been many—believers had the idea that laughing was an outright sin. It was taught that Christians should be very sober and somber and never display a jovial spirit. They thought the more solemn you appeared, the more spiritual you were. There was no joy, no laughter, no excitement regarding the things of the Lord. They considered a somber look a mark of deep spirituality.

It was a terrible witness.

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You,” the Bible says by contrast. “Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You” (Psalm 5:11). The Bible describes the Christian life as one of delighted joy: “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

So enjoy your walk with God! The strongest witness you can have is the joy of the Lord, even in the middle of the most difficult situations. Remember the old song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” We used to add a verse to it, “I’ve got the happy hope that heckles heathens down in my heart.” Such joy can really stir up some people.

Imagine you’re facing bankruptcy. Someone is bound to say to you, “I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. I feel so bad for you.” What would happen if you responded, “You know, the Lord is so good; I just love the Lord! I know He’ll take care of it, one way or another”?

He’ll look at you with a furrowed brow and say, “Man, don’t you understand what’s happening? Don’t you get it? You’re broke! What are you going to do about all of your bills?”

When you remain happy with the joy of the Lord in such miserable conditions, you heckle the heathens. They just cannot handle it. But it is a real witness to them that you’re placing your trust in God. And you just never know. God may have allowed an adversity in your life, just so you could be a witness to bring someone to a faith in Jesus Christ. Now, doesn’t that make you smile?

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Sermon on the Mount

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:15:20 -0500

Matthew 5:1-2 “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: . . .”

Matthew 5-7 contains one continuous message that Jesus preached to His followers on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Although it is called a sea it is actually a lake. The Greek word for sea and lake are the same word.

Verse 1 gives us the setting in which this sermon was given. We read, “…seeing the multitude, He went up…” This great message on Christian ethics and Christian living was motivated by seeing the multitude. The word “multitude” simply means a large group of people. It is used in the Gospels to speak of the great number of people who, while being drawn to Jesus, had not yet received Him. The multitude illustrates for us the unbelieving world. The Bible teaches us how Jesus feels about the unbeliever. He loves them so much that He bled and died for them. So here we find Jesus wanting to save the lost; wanting to reach the multitude and as a result He departs from them to spend time with His disciples. A disciple is one who has received Christ and is following Him.

The method Jesus has for reaching a lost world is through the lives of His followers. The more time we spend with Him and the more we become the Christian of the Sermon on the Mount, the greater influence we will have upon the world for Christ.

As you read Matthew 5-7 pray and apply the Scriptures to your daily living and let’s see God use you to reach the world for the kingdom of heaven.

Pastor Jim

The Armor of God

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:44:19 -0500

I want to continue our look into spiritual warfare by considering the weapons available to us as believers. We are in a daily battle against a very real enemy, but many fail to utilize the weapons God has provided or are unaware of them altogether.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:13–17

Every soldier involved in combat must possess a comprehensive knowledge of the weapons of their warfare. In the passage above, Paul paints for us a picture of a Roman soldier fully dressed for battle, and he uses that picture to explain the various pieces that make up the whole armor of God. Rather than getting preoccupied with the type of armor that was used by the ancient Romans, we want to concentrate on the message behind the analogy. What exactly is the armor of God?

The armor of God is the eternal truth of God found in the Scriptures. To put on the armor is to apply biblical truth to our lives. Each piece of the armor represents a different aspect of that truth. The armor is necessary to protect us from the attacks of the enemy as we seek to live for the glory of God and advance His kingdom. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation are all, for the most part, defensive, enabling us to stand without losing ground. The sword of the Spirit and prayer are our offensive weapons. We will look first at the defensive aspect of the armor, and then later on, we will consider the offensive features of the armor.

The Belt of Truth

The belt is mentioned first because it is the foundational piece of the armor. It gave the soldier mobility and support. For us, it is the belt of truth. The truths of the Word of God are the foundation from which our warfare is waged. To be girded with the truth means to know the truth and believe it. The enemy cannot be withstood by human reason, tradition, personal charisma, or any other carnal means. God’s truth alone must shape our thinking and living.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that we live in a world full of lies. It’s hard to get at the truth today. Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers? I hope not. Unfortunately, for most people truth is not a high priority. Here in the United States we have witnessed a major integrity crisis in the corporate world and among some of our leading politicians, not to mention the day-to-day deceit of one kind or another that we have sadly come to expect. We are actually living in a time when the very concept of truth is being challenged and in some cases openly denied. This makes it all the more important that we as Christians are men and women of truth.

Putting on the belt of truth, then, means knowing THE TRUTH, as well as being ourselves full of integrity. There should be no guile or deceit in us at all.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Next, we come to the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate, of course, protected the vital organs— the heart, the lungs, the pancreas, and the liver. The ancients believed this part of the body to be the seat of the emotions. So we speak of sorrow as being “brokenhearted,” or we use the term “bowels of mercy” as a way of describing compassion. Therefore, the breastplate is to protect us in the realm of our emotions. Notice it is the breastplate of righteousness. Satan quite often attacks our emotions in regard to righteousness. We’ve already talked about condemnation— the feeling that God is against us. When condemnation would overwhelm us, an understanding of the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ serves as our first line of defense. That knowledge is obtained through the Scriptures.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21

He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:6

[That I may] be found in Him, not having my own righteousness … but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

Philippians 3:9

Paul was primarily referring to Christ’s imputed righteousness when he spoke of being clad with the breastplate of righteousness. In another sense, putting on the breastplate of righteousness refers to the practice of righteousness. Holy living makes it a lot more difficult for the devil to trip us up. Living right, doing good, and obeying God’s commands will be a sure protection against the attacks of the enemy.

Used by permission of Brian Brodersen
Spiritual Warfare
Copyright © 2009 by Brian Brodersen

Am I Born Again?

Fred Field — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:25:33 -0500

One evening, a leader of the Pharisees came to Jesus. In what has become a very famous passage of the New Testament, Jesus responded, “You must be born again...” Jesus seemed genuinely surprised that a “teacher of Israel” did not know what was meant by being born again.

Nowadays, the term born again is used to represent so many things that it can be difficult to follow that conversation. It is not merely starting over again. In places like Southern California, people routinely change jobs, houses, hairdos, and even identities. Tired of your boss? Quit. Tired of your lifestyle? Get a new one. So, I’m sure that some people come to Jesus thinking—“Maybe I’ll try out Jesus to see how that works for me.” This is potentially dangerous.

The risks are twofold: The first is we might believe that reciting some perfunctory, formulaic prayer at a revival meeting or “evangelistic outreach” is all that is needed for a total life change, one empowered by God. Anyone who has depth of character can see through that. The second is that this is a convenient invitation for opportunists (the tares) to slip into meetings unnoticed (among the wheat).

I’m afraid that many young folks try out lifestyles like the latest fad, and believe that they can start over with a clean slate on a whim, and be “born again” into a new lifestyle.

But, some choices involve behaviors that leave deep and lasting scars, fill us with remorse, and lead to self-loathing and shame. Those who are truly born again will bear good, sweet, and nourishing fruit of the Spirit, fruits like love, joy, peace, kindness, selflessness, and self-control. And, the fruit keeps growing from one season to the next.

A real new start includes an exchange of hearts. We get a brand new heart, one that knows Jesus and follows him exactly where he went, on the same, narrow path. But, we need to abandon the old, twisted ways that can only lead to death.

Love First - Then Service

Chuck Smith — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:40:26 -0500

I’ve heard people complain about the things they “have to do” for the Lord. “Oh, I suppose I have to visit Brother So-and-so,” they grumble. How sad that a believer would try to serve God out of a grumbling sense of duty rather than the fulfillment of love. Too many of us speak of heavy burdens that we must carry.

Do you realize the importance Jesus puts upon your loving Him? He accepts only the works that flow from a heart of love. He’s not at all interested in the works you might do out of a sense of obligation or responsibility. He wants your service to Him to flow out of a heart of love. It must be the overflow of love and the expression of your love for Him.

Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). So if you discover that the burden you’re trying to carry is so heavy that it weighs you down, then you had better take a second look at that burden. It probably isn’t from Him. It may be something that you’ve taken upon yourself or allowed others to lay on you—and that can be a heavy burden.

People try to lay their burdens on me all the time. Someone messes up his life and then comes to me and says, “Fix it, Chuck. It’s your problem.” No, it is not my problem, it’s his problem. “Don’t lay your burden on me,” I say. “The Bible says, ‘Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you’” (1 Peter 5:7). Rather than coming to me, that person needs to cast his cares on Jesus. If you try to take responsibility for lifting someone out of a hole that he’s dug for himself, that can be a terribly heavy burden on you! God allowed that burden to happen to bring that person into a closer relationship with Him—not you.

Remember that one day your works will be judged—and the only kind of works that God will accept are those motivated by love. Don’t try to serve God out of a begrudging sense of duty. Paul the apostle said, “For the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). The compelling love of Jesus Christ within works in such a way that we no longer look upon our service as a sacrifice. We look upon it as a privilege, as a joy, as a blessing. What fun to be able to do things for our Lord who loves us so much. You see, the Lord does not long for our service; He longs for a growing, loving relationship with us. God simply wants a loving relationship with you.

In ancient times, a man who desired to remain the property of his master would say, “I love my master. I don’t want to be free of him. I want to serve him.” The master would then take the servant to the doorpost and pin him with an awl through the lobe of his ear. Ever after, that servant would remain the master’s bondslave.

“I love my Master. That’s why I want to serve Him.” This is the only true motive for any valued service to God. You must have this motivation for whatever you do for Him. It is the only motivation the Lord will accept.

So don’t try to substitute your works for the fellowship He desires! Rather than busying yourself for Him, He would rather that you just sit, relax, and share time and love with Him. Serving the Lord always follows loving the Lord. You serve the Lord because you love Him. That is the mark of the bondslave.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Fighting

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:33:24 -0500

Matthew Chapter 4

People seem to be fascinated with fighting. I can remember being in Jr. High School and hearing the word “FIGHT” resonate across the playground; all activities stopped and the whole student body ran in an attempt to get a front row seat to view the scene. Things have not changed; people gather to watch boxing matches, UFC events and even hockey games all for the thrill of the fight.

Here in Matthew 4 we have a fight for the ages. It is the greatest of fights because it is between the greatest of opponents; the devil and Jesus. It reflects the fight that we all face. I notice in this epic battle a few key elements that will help us as we seek to overcome the temptations that the devil throws our way. First, notice how the devil works. Jesus is hungry and weary and is tempted with food. The devil will always attack where we are weakest. We simply need to understand that. When we do, we can build defenses like accountability to help withstand those attacks. Second, notice how Jesus response to the temptation. He quotes the WORD. Daily Bible reading will give you fresh ammunition to counter-attack the devil’s temptations. It still amazes me how, what might seem like an obscure passage while I am reading it, has tremendous impact on my life throughout the day. Keep in the WORD and you will always be prepared for battle. Third, Jesus understood that we cannot put ourselves in a compromising position and expect to come out victorious. It seems to me when we fail in our walk with the Lord, it is because we were in a place we should not have been. Get off the pinnacle of the Temple! Do not tempt the Lord by putting yourself in a place where all you can expect is failure.

Let’s keep ourselves in the WORD and our eyes on Jesus as we press toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Jim

Taking Pleasure in Tribulation!

Carl Kerby — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:21:37 -0500

2 Corinthians 12:10

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Taking Pleasure in Tribulation!

Make sure to check out the first two installments so this part makes sense. In Part 1 we shared how Lee came to the Lord. In Part 2 we shared about the conversation with Lee the day after he received the Lord. Now, we transition from the river to the real world.

That word “distresses” in 2 Corinthians 12:10 literally means, “troubles, difficulties and challenges.” How can a Grand Canyon river trip help us to take pleasure in troubles, difficulties and challenges? Let me explain and I’ll tie this all together.

After Lee and I had our conversation on the river I had the opportunity to share with Tom. I shared the analogies that I used to try and help Lee understand how he was a new creation. After hearing everything Tom looked at me and said, “Let me tell you how I train a boatman to run the river!” because the parallels are pretty amazing.

Here are the 4 points that Tom uses to teach anyone who wants to be the lead boatman. They must:

Look for the starting point or the “tongue.”

Identify the obstacles.

Plan your course.

Find a point of reference, (a marker rock) to stay on track.

When Tom told me these I was amazed at how these four points apply to our spiritual lives as well. Let me explain how these can be used in dealing with troubles we all encounter.

1. Look for the starting point or the “tongue.” (Because, remember what Lee said, “If you have a good start, most of the time you’ll have a good finish!”)

Deuteronomy 10:12, 13

12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

May I suggest to you that if Christians have this as our starting point, we’re more than likely going to have a good finish!

2. Identify the obstacles.

Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we are totally honest, this passage sounds like the programming that we see on the majority of television programs, movies and video games today. We have unfortunately allowed these mediums to influence us in a dramatic manner. We must identify the obstacles that are keeping us from being the “light” that God has called us to be and then act accordingly!

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Christian, as these verses tell us, when we “lack wisdom” we must “ask of God” for the answers and stop allowing man’s wisdom to usurp the Word of God. When we have the majority of youth who are raised in the church, leaving the church by the time they are 18 we can KNOW that double-mindedness is running rampant.

Parents, begin today teaching your child how to start their thinking from the Word of God to deal with the issues the world is throwing at us on a daily basis.

3. Plan your course.

2 Timothy 3:14

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Now that is a plan! When the body of Christ actually lives what they say they believe, good things happen. The Lord blesses obedience! And finally:

4. Find a point of reference, “a marker rock” to stay on track

Psalm 144:1

Blessed be the Lord my rock

That “Rock”, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Chief cornerstone will never let you down! When we approach the troubles in our lives with these four points, it makes all the difference in the world. Those troubles become times of growth when we have a plan to deal with them. In order to accomplish this, let’s begin with a “good start!”

Please allow me to wrap this up with another story. As I thought about what Tom had told me something occurred to me. As we travel down the river there are certain spots where Tom will turn off the boat’s engines and step up on the boatman’s box and speak with us. Whenever he does this I have the same response every time. My heart jumps!

You may ask, “Why is that?” Well, it’s because I know what’s coming. I’ve been on the river many times with Tom and I know that he does this at very specific points along the river. I look at Tom and tell him the same thing every time, “Get me wet!”

Tom does this just before we’re about to go into the most challenging rapids. He’s giving us instructions on what we need to do to keep safe and enjoy the challenge we’re about to face. I can’t wait to get into the rapid.

Something hit me as I reflected on this. WHY do I get so excited? The answer to that is easy, I trust Tom. We’ve done this many times together and I KNOW he will get us through the challenge.

Something else hit me. What if Lee was the boatman? Remember, this was only his third trip down the river. What if Lee were to step up onto the boatman’s box and start talking, what would my response be?

Well, it would probably be, “Lee, I love you brother, but why don’t you pull over to the side here and let me off. I’ll walk down the side of the mountain and meet you after the rapid!” The reason for a response like that would be because I don’t trust Lee, because he doesn’t have the experience and we don’t have the relationship to give me peace and confidence.

May I say that God is the ultimate boatman in our life. When we have a relationship with Him and trust Him our responses to tribulation will be very different than if we don’t trust Him! When we put everything that we have and everything that we are into His hands we can sit down, hang on and enjoy the ride!

Please allow me to pray for us, Lord, get us wet! Help us to grow in our trust of you not only in the difficult times but in every circumstance and situation. God may we trust you regardless of what is taking place in our lives and give glory to you always. Thank you for your love and grace to a people who truly doesn’t deserve it! In Jesus name.

Stay bold,
Carl & the rforh Team!

P.S. - We are considering doing a raft trip through the Grand Canyon like the one described in this series and would like to know how many might be interested. It would take place in the summer of 2014.

Please email us if you are interested. This is not a commitment. We are just trying to determine if there might be enough interest to schedule a trip. Send an email to info@rforh.com with Grand Canyon in the subject line and we'll let you know if anything develops.

P.S.S. - Also, if you would like some more answer to questions please allow me to make a couple of suggestions.

Q&A Live at CedarCreek with Carl Kerby and Kyle Gray - Filmed live in Toledo, Ohio. The congregation of CedarCreek was encouraged to bring their computers and iPads to the evening service and send their questions to us and they did! For almost and hour Carl and Kyle field questions and share from the Word of God on how to give an answer for the reason for the hope that is within us.
Enjoy the Ride - Raft the Grand Canyon with Carl Kerby! In this DVD Carl compares riding the rapids with handling the trials of life. As Christians, we must trust God’s Word and follow His plan. That gives hope and peace as the rapids of life churn and surge around us.

Just Turn on the Light

Chuck Smith — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:15:12 -0500

When Jesus comes into your heart by faith, He dwells within you and from there He begins to transform you. The old things of the flesh start to fall off and you begin living a life after the Spirit.

That means that if you are truly a child of God, you can no longer live in sin. Oh, you might occasionally fall back into the mud, but you won’t lie there and wallow in it. The Spirit of Jesus within you convicts you and puts you back on the right path whenever you stumble and fall. He works from the inside to bring you back into a right relationship with the Lord. It’s God working within you, not you working hard on the outside to perfect your fallen flesh.

So Jude writes, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling” (v. 24). You see it, don’t you? Personal transformation doesn’t depend upon your ability. The first covenant given to Moses failed because sinful human beings couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain. But Jesus gave a new covenant, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” This second covenant will stand forever because of “Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen” (vv. 24-25).

It is God who enables you to love the Lord supremely as He works within you to transform your heart.

Some people hesitate to enter into the Christian life because they say, “I just cannot live up to Christian standards. I’d like to be a Christian, but I just cannot give up my booze.” Or they may say, “I’d like to be a Christian, but I just cannot give up my women.” Or “I’d like to be a Christian, but I like the excitement I get when I view pornography.” They list all sorts of things that they feel they just cannot give up.

Invariably, these things have captivated them and now hold them hostage. These individuals may really long for a pure, better life—they may even long to be freed from these things—but whenever they’ve tried to free themselves, they’ve failed. And thus they find themselves longing and fearing at the same time, because they know their own weaknesses. Now, it’s true that they cannot give up those old things on their own; but it’s also true that when they place their faith in Christ, it’s no longer their ability at issue, but God’s. These old things will just start falling off when they enter this new covenant with God. It isn’t a matter of driving out the darkness, as we are so prone to think.

When you go into a dark room, do you take a bat with you and swing at the darkness, hoping to drive it out? Of course not. You just flip the light switch. When the light comes on, it automatically dispels the darkness. To light a room you depend upon the dispelling force of the greater power. When the light of Jesus’ love turns on in your heart, the darkness has to go. It simply cannot coexist with the Light. So the idea isn’t to drive out the darkness, but to allow Jesus, the Light of the world, to come into your heart and lighten up everything within. His presence will automatically dispel the darkness.

And it even gets better. The Lord replaces that old, corrupted stuff with such a rich blessing and full experience that you don’t even miss it. The greater love, the greater joy, the greater excitement that you have in serving the Lord far exceeds the ungodly things that used to turn you on. You feel captivated and thrilled with the beauty of this new relationship you have with God. The music of Jesus in your heart is so much richer. This life in Christ is so much better than the old stuff, and soon you lose the desire for sinful things. God works from within to pour into you His love and His grace.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Baptism

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:20:53 -0500

“Jesus answered and said to John, ‘permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’” Matthew 3:15

The baptism of Jesus was a critical event in His life and ministry. It becomes a great illustration for us of Christian living and service. First off, note that Jesus was baptized to fulfill righteousness. Water baptism is a picture of a spiritual baptism that happens the moment a person believes in Christ. Paul wrote, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…” (1Corinthians 12:13) While water baptism is not a requirement for salvation, it is a requirement for obedience. We are commanded upon receiving Christ to make it public with baptism. Jesus, to illustrate the value of this public declaration, submitted Himself to the rite of baptism. Second, note what happened upon His baptism; the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. This is a picture of a second baptism that the Bible speaks of; not of when we are submerged in water, but in the Holy Spirit. I find it of the highest importance, that before Jesus began public ministry, He was baptized with the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that any who asked would receive the Holy Spirit and that along with the outpouring of the Spirit would be power to walk with Christ. Take time right now to ask God to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and empower you to live for Christ and serve HIM. Finally, note that Jesus heard the voice of God. One thing that is abundantly clear in Scripture is that God honors obedience. I believe whenever we take steps of obedience in our lives we will hear the voice of God clearer. Whatever He is asking of you, do it and His voice will become louder and clearer to you.

Pastor Jim

The Weakness Principle

Phil Metzger — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:23:13 -0600

God is not in the business of making us strong. Rather, He is working to make us weak, so that His strength might be revealed in us and through us.

2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What does Paul mean when he writes, "For when I am weak, then I am strong?" I honestly believe there has been a lot of misunderstanding as to what this means.

The problem is in our understanding of strength.

Today, strength is associated with independence. A strong person is able to speak their mind and get what they want. Weakness, on the other hand, is associated with dependence. In the world, a weak person will be taken advantage of and walked all over; for example, they might be passed over for promotions because they were too "weak" to plead their case.

This type of mentality existed in Corinth, and we can all agree it is still prevalent today.

"We hold these truths to be self evident..."

America was built upon the principle of independence. In 1776, Americans declared to the British crown that independence was a God-given right, and many have died to protect that right. As a nation, independence is a treasure.

As parents, we want to help our kids become independent (though certainly not from God).

A mom holding her two-month-old baby is a beautiful sight. The connection between that baby and his or her mom is special. A mom holding her twenty-year-old child, though, is a sign that something isn't right. Maybe that young man is severely handicapped and in need of assistance. In that case, we feel bad that this young man is not able to have the kind of independence that is normal at his age.

We all want our kids to be able to think for themselves and to make wise decisions. Our hope is that when they leave our home, they will be able to survive, and maybe even thrive, in the world. In our parenting, independence is a necessary and good end to work toward. However, in our relationship with God, such is not the case.

As God's child, independence is toxic.

It has never been God's design to take weak and broken people and make them independently strong. In God's kingdom, strength is not attained by independence but through co-dependence.

Co-Dependency

In our world, a co-dependent person is a weak person. The term almost always has a negative connotation. We have rehabs for those who have drug and alcohol dependency problems. We have anti-depressants for those who need help coping with life issues.

A co-dependent person is often labeled a leech in our society. They drain the life out of something or someone in what tends to be a destructive manner.

But consider the words of Jesus in John 15:5. He says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

Jesus did not suffer and die so that one day we would no longer need Him; He suffered and died because people do and always will need Him. Heaven is full of co-dependent people!

In light of this, God's people need to lean more upon the Lord than ever before. We need to show the world that strength does not mean having your life in perfect order, but rather submitting your life to God’s perfect plan.

Strength is falling upon the Stone and being broken (Matthew 21:44). Strength is abiding in the Vine because apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). True strength is revealed through weak people who cling to the Word of God and the grace of God, because the strong Christian is the one who knows how desperately he needs Jesus.

Strongholds

Phil Metzger — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:29:51 -0500

2 Corinthians 10.4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

A stronghold was a fortified tower. These were considered the most difficult points of a city to conquer. If you were attacking, you would first have to get through the walls of the city—all while its citizens rain hell down upon you from these fortified points. If you succeeded here, you’d still have to defeat those holding out in these strongholds. Clearly, this was not an easy task.

Paul says that there are strongholds in our minds. Thoughts that we have given precedence to and that, in some cases, hold power over us.

Imagine your mind like a fortified city with walls and strongholds and citizens dwelling within!

If our minds are the city, then the walls are those defenses we build up to protect ourselves. The strongholds are thoughts we have entertained and allowed to have control over us. The citizens of our lives are the thoughts that fill our minds on a daily basis.

Paul says that the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. God’s power in our lives can bring down the walls and the strongholds that we build up.

Paul also says that we are to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Once you’ve breached the city, you can go around and imprison its citizens, those unruly thoughts!

I'm not suggesting that all of our thoughts are evil or wrong; but the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I see that most, if not all, of my thoughts are!

Let me mention one stronghold that many build up in their lives.

"I'm a Nobody"

This is a popular one. Its power is crippling. For some, the "I'm nobody" syndrome was born out of being told this by others over a lifetime. Maybe it was mom and dad, a teacher, or just the devil, but after hearing it enough, you have become convinced that you are, indeed, a “nobody”.

This thought that at one time just hurt eventually became the foundation of a stronghold in your life. After hearing it enough, you believed it and made it a part of your identity. I am nobody- I'm not worthy of love and I'll never be important to anyone.

This kind of thinking is destructive for several reasons.

It keeps the focus on us.

If you walk through life constantly believing that you are a big “nobody”, then you will have wasted the life God has given you. You will have spent your energies focused upon who you think you are rather than who you actually are in Christ.

2. It diminishes the promises and the love of God

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

When you focus upon how you are nothing, then in a certain sense you are saying, "God your promises and love aren't enough. I want more."

3. It is true—but in a different way than you are thinking.

It is 100% true that we are nobodies. The Bible tells us so, but not in the way that so many hold to. The Bible tells us that our righteousness is like a filthy rag and that we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory. This is Biblical truth, but there is more to it than that.

Yes, we are guilty, but we are also loved. In fact, it is the knowledge of our guilt that makes God's love that much more beautiful. This is the problem with believing the stronghold of “I am nobody”! Quite often we focus only on what's been said to us or about us and we don't get the full picture of God's truth. He has chosen to love sinful, wretched me. I can't explain it and I don't deserve it, but I choose to receive it. Yes, I am nobody—but I am loved.

If this false thought is not brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, then it will become a stronghold in my life. It will become a part of my false identity that is rooted in false thinking.

We must ask God to help us tear down these strongholds that affect how we see the world, ourselves, and, most importantly, our God.

I challenge you today—consider what strongholds have taken root in your mind. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God. Let’s not forget that!

From the Inside Out

Chuck Smith — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:13:43 -0600

The Ten Commandments spelled out God’s conditions to receive His blessing and to enjoy the benefit of being His people. We call it “the old covenant.” It failed. Not on God’s part, but on our part. So it was necessary that God establish a new covenant.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Hebrews 8:8-10).

In this new covenant, God works from within. He changes our heart and transforms our mind. So the basic difference between the old covenant and the new covenant is that the old covenant rested on the people’s ability to obey external rules, while the new covenant depends on God’s work within our hearts to transform us from the inside out.

Jesus Christ established this new covenant through His work on the cross, as He said at the Last Supper: “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.… This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:19-20). Through Jesus Christ, God established a new covenant that makes possible a transformed life. As you walk with Jesus, God makes you a new person from the inside out.

That is why Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:9-10).

And it explains why he wrote to the Philippians,

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

Since the time of Jesus, God works from within. He changes your mind and your heart. He gives you a new will that desires to please Him, that desires to do His work, desiring to obey Him, so that your own heart desires to love and serve the Lord. God changes you from within so that you do the things that you love to do—for Him.

Some people read Psalm 37 and get really pumped, but for all the wrong reasons. They read verse 4—“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart”—and mistakenly think, Whoa! All I have to do is delight myself in the Lord and I can have a new Mercedes! I can live in a bay-front home on Balboa Island! Oh my Lord, You bet I delight myself in You!

No, no, that’s not what it’s saying. It’s saying, “If you delight yourself in the Lord, He will put His desires in your heart. He will write His law on your heart so that doing the will of God will become the delight and the joy of your life.” Then you will be able to say, along with the psalmist, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).

As God transforms you from within, He plants His desires in your heart so that you delight to do His will. There’s nothing you want more, nothing you like better than doing the will of God. It becomes your longing, your desire, your love. He puts His desires in your heart and then blesses you for acting on them. How can you lose?

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Worshipping Jesus

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:14:57 -0600

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2

Those ancient travelers, who went in search of the Child Jesus, form a valuable illustration of true worship. Their worship included at least five ideas we would do well to imitate.

First, their worship was Spirit led; we read that they followed “His star”. These men, who spent their time observing the heavens, were amazed that a star, which had not existed before, appeared in the sky, and directed them to Jerusalem. Second, their worship was Biblically founded. The leading of the Spirit brought them to Jerusalem. Once there, they searched the Scriptures to find the Child. Jesus said, those who worship Him must worship in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-240). If we want our worship to be well pleasing, we must search the Scriptures to find out who God really is, and what He desires from us. Third, they worshipped with “exceedingly great joy.” In other words, their worship was a celebration. We all vary in personality: some are quiet, others quite loud. When we are not trying to mimic someone else in worship, there is an element where we are celebrating. What could be more amazing than God sending His Son into the world to save sinners? Fourth, their worship included giving. They took of what they had and offered it to Jesus. When we see the value of Jesus, we are willing to give our valuables to Him. Perhaps it is time to give your time, talent and treasures to the Lord. Finally, they were changed by their worship. We are told they departed another way. The way they came was not the way they left. These men who had been star gazers were now witnesses of Christ.

Let’s take some time today to worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth.

Pastor Jim

Learning How To Handle "Distresses"

Carl Kerby — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:10:53 -0600

In the first part I shared Lee’s conversion on the Grand Canyon Raft trip and told you I’d share some life lessons that I learned from this experience. By the way, this information is contained in a DVD entitled, “Enjoy the Ride” (see link below). We will tie all this together, hang on!

The day after Lee’s conversion I intentionally got on his boat. I had not been able to sleep that night. You see, my fear was that Lee would not grow in his faith. I’ve seen many people who “walk forward” and then never see any sign that Jesus is the Lord of their life. So, I wanted to find a way to turn the conversation to spiritual matters.

The one thing that came to my mind as I tossed and turned that night was something a dear friend once told me. He said, “Evangelism is a conversation, not a presentation!” This has stuck with me for a long time.

As we floated down the river I sat next to Lee and started up a conversation. I asked him, “Lee, what do you want to be when you ‘grow up’?” I was messing with him.

Lee responded with, “I want to be the lead boatman!” I then asked him what is the most difficult part of being a boatman and he responded with, “Learning how to run the rapids!” That was especially interesting to me because that is the part that I love the most on the trips! So, I asked him how he was taught to run the rapids. His response provided the opening that I’d been praying for!

He told me that teachers taught him by stopping the boat just before the actual rapids and walking him up the side of the mountain so that they could see the whole rapid.

From that vantage point they could see the beginning, the end and what took place in between. One of the first things they needed to find was what he called “the tongue!”

The tongue is where you want to enter the rapids. He explained, “If you have a good start, you’ll probably have a good finish!” (Remember that statement!)

Once he found the starting point then he had to see what was going on between the start and the finish. One of the things to watch for are rocks. Many times when you’re on the river it’s almost impossible to see the rocks until you are almost on them, so in a rapid you need to know where they are along your path.

In addition to rocks there are things like whirlpools and eddies that you don’t want to get caught in. When you are on the side of the mountain, you can see those things and plan ahead. In addition, you look for waves!

This picture doesn’t do justice to the wave the red arrow is pointing at. You’re thinking, “Big deal, there’s nothing to that.” You couldn’t be further from the truth. That is a 20 foot tall wave and you better be ready for it because when it hits your boat . . . let me put it like this, it’s a rush!

After you check all of this out, you can then make a plan of attack on how to run the rapid and handle all of the challenges. Lee explained that as he stood on the hill he would make a plan for the rapid.

He continued and explained that once you have the plan, you make your way down to the boat, while focusing on the tongue.

“There’s only one problem,” Lee said. “Carl,when I get back to the boat back on the river I couldn’t see my starting point anymore, because my perspective changed!”

I saw my opportunity, “Lee, you’ve just explained the Christians life to me!” He looked at me a little strangely. I explained to Lee that he was a new person, that God had created a new heart and mind in him when he received the Lord. The only problem is that the old sinful self still hangs on. He was going to have to learn how to deal with the challenges of living in a fallen world from a different perspective.

I wanted to illustrate what I was talking about to make sure he understood what I meant. So then my thought was, how do I transition from the river, to the real world. It was at that moment I believe God gave me some insights to connect with Lee.

Carl – “Lee, would you run the river by waking up in the morning and deciding that you were just going to run the river based on your feeling? Would you think, I’m going down the left side of the river because I feel like it?”

Lee – “No!”

Carl – “Why not?”

Lee – “Well, because those rocks are over there and I’d get stuck!”

Carl – “Lee, it’s the same thing in our lives. If we try to run our lives based on our feelings, we’re going to end up in some bad places because there is a way that seems right to us, but it leads to death! What’s amazing to me is that God gives us the freedom to make those choices. The only problem is that we all have to suffer the consequences of those choices that we make, the same way a boatman has to deal with the consequences of the decisions they make.

Lee – (Just looking at me.)

Carl – “Lee, how about this, would you run the river by waking up in the morning and just deciding to follow the first person to come along?”

Lee – “No!”

Carl – “Why not, Lee?”

Lee – “Because I don’t know if that person has done their homework or not. They may not have studied the rapid before running it.”

Carl – “Lee, don’t follow me, I’m a fallen man that can and does make mistakes. Jesus says to follow Him, He’ll never let you down or forsake you.”

Lee – (Just looking at me.)

Carl – “O.K. Lee, what if your best friend in the entire world was up on the side of that mountain and you guys had a two way radio and he’s talking with you. He’s reminding you of where the tongue is and what to look out for. ‘Get a little bit more to the right Lee, good, you’ve got a good line. Remember, hit it hard to the right, that rock’s coming up! Great, a little to the left, here comes the wave!’ Would that make your job easier!”

Lee – “Yes, that would make it a LOT easier!”

Carl – “Lee, that’s the relationship that we have with God. He sees the beginning, He sees the end and everything that goes on in between. He’s given us His Word, the Bible, to help us so that as we go through life we can know where the “rocks” and “waves” are. Because you see Lee, no matter how good of a friend you have on the hill what happens if the radio breaks or the batteries go dead. He can’t communicate with you anymore. But, no one can take you out of Jesus’ hand. You will always be able to communicate with Him. And His Word is true, from the beginning to the end. We just have to learn how to use it!”

Our prayer is that you are using God’s Word for your life to deal with the “rocks” and “waves” in your life. If not, you may end up in some places that you don’t want to be. If you are there, let me encourage you. Turn your life over to the Master Boatman, the one who wants to deliver you from these difficulties. Jesus Christ will never leave you nor forsake you. As a matter of fact, He will reach down and lift you up from whatever you are dealing with. In Part 3, we will transition from the river, to the real world and show the biblical principles of each of the points in this article.

Stay bold,

Carl & the rforh team

Raft the Grand Canyon with Carl Kerby! In this DVD Carl compares riding the rapids with handling the trials of life. As Christians, we must trust God’s Word and follow His plan. That gives hope and peace as the rapids of life churn and surge around us. Go to the rforh store to purchase Enjoy the Ride.

The Work of Prayer

Chuck Smith — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:16:13 -0600

When Calvary Chapel first began growing rapidly, at times I had no idea what to do with it. Never in my life had I pastored a large congregation, yet suddenly here I was becoming the pastor of a large church. Many times when I stopped long enough to consider what was happening, I would get really shaken up inside. What in the world are we going to do? I worried. What has the Lord gotten me into?

I simply wasn’t prepared for the challenge. I would pray, “Lord, what are You doing? What if this should happen? What if that should happen?” And it is at those times the Lord would often speak to my heart. “Whose church is this?” He would ask.

“Well, it’s Your church,” I would reply.

“Then why are you worried?”

“I don’t know,” I’d say.

So I would throw the problem over onto Him. I’d say, “Okay. It’s Your church, Lord, Your problems. You handle them.”

I doubt that I could have survived any other way. If I had tried to carry the weight of all the problems and challenges facing us, it would have wiped me out. The Lord had to transform my thinking. I had to learn that it’s His church.

And what if disaster struck? “Hey, it’s His church.”

What if we went bankrupt? “It’s His.”

What if we went belly-up? “Again, His problem.”

God didn’t allow any of those things to happen; praise His name. And He continues to be the head of the body, His church. I’ve learned to enjoy the ride—not to worry, not to fret, not to get anxious. I say, “Lord, it’s Your church. In Your time and in Your way, go ahead and do what You want with it.”

Do you know that’s one of the best ways we have to show the Lord that we love Him? When we refuse to worry and instead put our full trust in God, we demonstrate our genuine love for Him. Of course, we can only demonstrate such love if God first does a work of transformation within us. It takes a transformed heart to love God to the utmost.

In prayer, God can change our whole attitude about a situation. In just the time it takes to bring our concerns to Him in prayer, the Lord can transform our hearts. He can bring confidence to our souls and new resolve to our spirits. As we pray, we often get a new perspective—heaven’s perspective—on the situations that confront us.

In the very early days of Calvary Chapel, I often imagined I was alone. I thought I was in this fight by myself. Sometimes I thought the Lord had forsaken me—but as I prayed, I found new assurance that God is on the throne. My faith received a lift and my confidence returned as I realized once more, God is going to take care of it!

David knew this kind of transforming experience through prayer. Nobody ever questions David’s love for God—and yet when he found himself in tight spots, his devotion and confidence often wavered, just as ours does. And how did he regain his trust in God and his love for his Savior? Most often, he did it through prayer.

David began Psalm 13 in absolute desperation: “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” He carries on like this for several verses, but then his praying starts to change his heart. And by the end of his prayer he’s singing quite a different tune than the one that began his petition: “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me” (vv. 5-6).

If we want to love God with all of our hearts, we need transformed hearts. And prayer is one of the primary tools we have to cooperate with God in this key process of transformation. Oh, the mighty changes wrought through prayer!

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

A Personal Story

Jim Gallagher — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:44:41 -0600

Matthew 1:1

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham”

I did not grow up going to church. At the age of 15 years old, I had never seen a Bible. A close friend of mine went on a family trip to visit his grandmother, who apparently was a believer, although I had no idea what that meant. Upon his return, he told me he thought we needed to be “better”. He stated, he was going to begin reading the Bible. I decided I would join him in this venture, and when I arrived home that day, I asked my mom to get me a Bible. A few days later, I found a little green book on my dresser. On the front cover it read, “New Testament.” I took the book to my mom, and told her I wanted a Bible, not some modern book. She explained to me that the New Testament was the second half of the Bible. I returned to my room and began to read. Three times I started, and three times my mind wandered away from the pages, not understanding a single word. I tossed the book back on my dresser and said to myself, “I guess this Bible stuff is not for me.”

If this is your first time reading through the Bible, you may have encountered the same difficulty I did. You have found the first 17 verses of Matthew to be a list of names, belonging to people of whom you have never heard, and have a difficult time pronouncing. Allow me to encourage you; it is OK to skip the names. Pick up in verse 18, and begin the most fascinating story, about the most exceptional person, who has ever walked the face of the planet.

A few years later, after becoming a believer myself, I was given some instruction that got me past the first few verses, into an adventure of getting to know God personally, through His word. I want to invite you to join me on that adventure, as we read the Word of God together, and get to know the God of the Word.

Pastor Jim

Life Lessons from the Grand Canyon!

Carl Kerby — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:27:01 -0600

II Corinthians 12:10

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

How can a Grand Canyon River trip help understand how to take pleasure in distresses? You’ll have to read this three-part article to find out!

I’ll never forget what happened a few years ago while floating down the Colorado River. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and hopefully will encourage you as it did me. I’ve been blessed to be able to lead trips down the Grand Canyon. I pray that you’ll be able to join me on one of these trips in the future because it is one of the top five classrooms on the planet!

Depending on the trip we can usually take up to 24 people down the river with us. With that many people we need to take two boats. Two boats means we need two leaders, or boatmen. Each boatman has an assistant called a swamper. The swamper has one of the most difficult jobs on the river. They are the first one up in the morning and the last one to bed at night—and the time in between is WORK, and I do mean work! They are long days that leave you very tired when the sun goes down.

Tom Vail, of Canyon Ministries was one of the boatmen on this trip. Tom is a longtime friend and has over 25 years of river experience. We’ve traveled together many times, but this trip was very special.

He and his wife Paula are sold-out Christians and love the Lord Jesus Christ. That makes him very unique because there are very few boatmen on the river who are Christians. In fact, Tom didn’t know any others until this trip. But on this trip we were blessed to find out the other boatman, Wes, was also a Christian. Praise God!

Wes had never been on a trip where the Bible was used to give answers about the Grand Canyon. We were able to share with him and he asked great questions. We’ve always used the trip as an opportunity to minister to the non-Christian boatmen and swampers. It’s such a unique opportunity because we spend long hours with them and we’re able to break down the stereotypes they may have towards Christians.

So, again, on this trip the two boatmen and one swamper were Christians. That left the last swamper whose name was Lee. Lee was not a believer, but he was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever had the privilege of spending time with. He was also one of the most hardworking young men that I’ve ever met. We truly had a great time together.

On the second day of the trip we were messing around on the boats at the end of the day, throwing each other into the river. It was then that I noticed a huge scar on Lee’s thigh. I asked him what happened. He told me that he had flesh-eating streptococcus the year prior and was lucky to be alive. By the way, I read in the The Arizona Republic newspaper, that 40% of the Arizonans that contracted the disease that year had died.

I couldn’t let the opportunity pass, I said to him, “Lee, your not lucky to be alive, you’re still here because God has a purpose for you.” He just looked at me a little sheepishly and walked off. I thought to myself, “Blew it! I was too aggressive.”

Well, the very next day after we had finished running the river we were sitting around eating dinner and I noticed one of the ladies, Shirley, making a beeline through the camp toward the boat. Now, that might not mean anything to you, but that’s because you don’t know Shirley. She was a retired nurse and a witnessing machine! As a matter of fact she had been witnessing to everyone on the trip. When she witnessed to me I told her, “Ma’am, I know the Lord!” She then told me something that will stick with me until the Lord calls me home. “Carl, I witness to everybody because I’m praying that one of these days I will reach somebody who will in turn reach my daughters. I have two daughters that don’t know the Lord and they won’t listen to me.”

Wow, that hit me. I have loved ones that won’t listen to me either, but they may listen to you. You have loved ones that may not listen to you, but they may listen to me! Are you sharing the Lord with those you come in contact with? Am I sharing? We need to get busy.

Shirley had Lee in her sights and was on a mission! I looked over at Tom who I was eating with and said, “We’ve got to pray for Shirley and Lee.” And we did. Not more than 15 minutes later Shirley stood up on the front of the boat and shouted, “Hey everyone, we’ve got a new brother in Christ!” Praise God! The day before I’d run Lee off, today he’s a brother in Christ!!!

This was the first on-river conversion in all of Tom’s years on the river. Needless to say we were all very excited. Lee actually started attending the devotions and promised to start going to church. He and Wes live in the same town and he told Wes he’d go to church with him. I still pray for these two men, would you please join me and pray for them as well?

As exciting as this is, I can’t wait to tell you what happened the next day on the river! You see, this was a reminder to me that regardless of where we are, we are missionaries for the Lord Jesus Christ. He opens doors for us and places opportunities in our paths. My prayer is that we would humbly say, “Here we are Lord, use us!” Regardless of where we are, help us to recognize the opportunities that we have to have an impact on others.

You’re going to like Part 2 because we will give you some practical points from the Colorado River to apply in our everyday life to deal with difficulties and challenges!

Stay bold,

Carl & the rforh team

Raft the Grand Canyon with Carl Kerby! in this DVD Carl compares riding the rapids with handling the trials of life. As Christians, we must trust God’s Word and follow His plan. That gives hope and peace as the rapids of life churn and surge around us. Go to the rforh store to purchase Enjoy the Ride.

God's Commandments: Easy or Hard?

Chuck Smith — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:53:48 -0600

The Bible provides us with an easy test to determine how well we are cooperating with God’s Spirit in the transformation of our hearts.

How much do we really love God? The apostle John provides us with the quiz:

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

It’s one thing to say that we prove our love for God by keeping His commandments. It’s quite another to say that those commandments “are not burdensome.” For example, you may think that it is very difficult and almost impossible to love your fellow believers as God commands. Maybe there’s one person in particular that you just cannot stand. God still says you are to love that person. “And you’re telling me that’s not hard?” you ask.

The truth is, loving each other as we love ourselves can be very difficult; in fact, it takes a work of God’s Spirit within our hearts. When I have to deal with someone I don’t particularly like, I know I cannot simply say, “I’m just going to love him.”

I’ve tried that. I’ve attempted to reason with myself saying: “He’s not such a bad guy. He may be loud and brash and he says stupid things, but really, he’s not that bad. He’s not horrid. I can tolerate him.” But then this man shows up at our house. As he comes in—loud-mouthed, crude, and saying something stupid—I think, Oh, why didn’t you just stay at home? All my efforts at bringing my mind into a loving state disappear in a tiny puff of smoke.

Yes, it’s true; you are simply incompatible with some people. They’re probably too much like you! It’s amazing how horrible my sins look when someone else is committing them. When I commit them, they don’t seem so bad. But if someone else starts committing them, well, they look ugly and horrible. I cannot stand that person!

To love others as we love ourselves—which proves our love for God—takes a special work of God’s Spirit within us. We cannot do it. We cannot manufacture agape love. We cannot psyche ourselves into agape love. And that’s why the existence of such love in our hearts provides proof that it’s really from God.

God has given me a love for people whom I could not stand in the natural. When I experience God’s love working in me, changing my heart and transforming my attitude, I know it’s God’s love being perfected in me. Many times I’ve had to pray, “Lord, I know You require me to love this guy—but that’s impossible for me. I cannot do it. But Lord, I want You to work in me and give me Your love for him. I know that I don’t love him, but I know that You do. So give me Your love for him.”

It’s extremely important that we be totally frank with God in these matters because He knows the truth, anyway. Many times we try to con God with our prayers: “Oh God, thank You for this great love that You have given to me for everyone! Now Lord, there’s one fellow whom I’m having difficulty loving with the intensity and degree that I should be loving him. So Lord, increase the intensity of my love.” How phony! When you’re not honest with God, He cannot do anything for you. You need to be straightforward and frank.

So you say, “God, I hate him. I can’t stand his looks or anything else about him. And so, God, if there is going to be any love flowing toward him from my direction, You’re going to have to supply it. But I’m willing, Lord, for You to do it. Please work within my heart. Take away my hatred and give me Your love. Transform me into the likeness of Jesus.”

When you’re honest, God can work with you and deal with the problem. But so long as you try to delude yourself, you won’t get anywhere. God knows the truth of your heart—and He knows it needs a work of transformation from the inside out.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

We Need More of the Picture

Brian Weed — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:02:27 -0600

One problem all believers encounter in our walk of faith is facing issues in our thinking we can’t seem to work through. Maybe it’s a “theological” problem we can’t figure out. Maybe it’s some verse we can’t understand. Maybe it has to do with our Christianity, or even our own brains. We’ve all been there.

More and more though, I’ve been thinking about how often these problems in our thinking come from getting caught in one small perspective, one that doesn’t help us solve the problem, and then, just getting stuck there working away at a knot we can’t untie. (Or worse yet, we may just give up.)

This is especially true when it comes to problems in our understanding of God and the Bible. For instance, a couple months ago I was in a conversation with a friend about the Bible’s teaching on God’s wrath against those who die without repenting of their sin and trusting Christ. In the course of the conversation we hit a point where this idea came up: If we are God’s children, and God is our father, how could the traditional understanding of Hell be correct? Some people might say, “Take even someone like Hitler–if I’m his father, I might want him to be punished, but to suffer for eternity? I couldn’t wish that on my son!”

Right here is the crux of the issue. When we frame the question this way (“Would a Father want his son to suffer for all eternity?”), it’s hard to find a way back to what the Bibleclearly teaches. It can seem like the Bible is contradicting itself. Or maybe we just got it all wrong?

But no, here is one of those times when perspective is crucial. Specifically, we’ll help ourselves in our reading and thinking if we realize that, with the difference that exists between who God is and who we are, it is often impossible for us to see all there is to see from a single perspective (or by using a single metaphor, such as “God = Father, Humans = Children”). This is why, for many truths, God uses several pictures to describe what we need to know. These pictures are not identical, but they are complementary. They inform each other. And the more of them we can try to hold in our mind at the same time, the closer we’ll be to the actual nature of things.

Take, for instance, the Bible’s teaching on Hell. In scripture, God is not only seen as a Father to children. There are other images used as well–Judge, King, Bridegroom, and Shepherd immediately come to mind.

So let’s look at the question of eternal punishment from each of these scriptural perspectives (and I encourage you to search the scriptures yourself to see if I’ve misrepresented anything here):

Imagine a Judge presiding over the case of a proven, guilty, criminal. This man has been caught offending in the worst ways, against both the helpless and the highest authorities, and has proven to be incurably, consistently evil in what he does. What’s more, he shows no remorse and gives every indication he’ll continue this life of crime if he is free. What will the Judge do?

Imagine a King who has brought before him a traitor and rebel against his rule. This man has not only publicly refused to acknowledge the King’s authority; he has continually gathered others to stage insurrections and challenges to the King’s administration. If left free, he will certainly continue his campaign to subvert and overthrow the rule of the King. What will the King do?

Imagine a Bridegroom who encounters a man who has been trying to seduce his bride-to-be. This man constantly discourages her from believing in the Groom’s love, or even that he’ll ever come marry her. What will the Groom do?

Imagine a Shepherd, who catches a wolf who has been ravaging his flock. The wolf has stolen and eaten many sheep. What will the Shepherd do?

And while we’re at it, take the biblical image of God as Father. When it comes to final judgment, the picture would not be something like a father casting his children into suffering, but more like: a Father encounter, at his door, someone who wants to force entry into his house and trouble his family. If this man gets in, he’ll bring destruction to the house and the children. What will the Father do?

Do you see how these images are helpful in understanding the depth of Scripture’s teaching on God and Humanity? Now, for even more of the picture, add the attributes of God to each of these images, and imagine that we’re talking about a perfect, totally righteous, all-knowing Judge, King, Shepherd, Groom, Father.

Now, none of this discussion is meant to deny the horrible, gut-wrenching things we should work through when we talk about the subject. But in terms of being able to clearly see God’s truth, we’ll find that the more biblical data we bring to bear on any question, the more we can start to see our way out of some of these hard questions.

Suffering for Jesus

Chuck Smith — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:30:06 -0600

Many lose their love for Jesus when life beats them up. They begin on a high note, but soon stop singing when the air gets trampled out of their chest. Their lives flow along much like Psalm 44, which starts out with tremendous spiritual confidence and ends in a terrible dilemma. The writer goes from, “In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever,” to “Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever”—all in the space of fifteen short verses.

The apostle Paul noticed this drift as he quoted from Psalm 44. He asks several questions designed to increase our spiritual confidence: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (vv. 33-35). Such tremendous encouragement. And yet then the apostle writes, “As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter’” (Romans 8:36). This quote comes from Psalm 44:22—and it sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it, especially in this context?

The early Christians went through heavy persecution despite their love for God. In fact, it was because of their faith in Jesus Christ that they were placed on the racks, that they were fed to the lions, and that they were burned at the stake.

Here’s an uncomfortable truth we need to understand if we are to keep our hearts burning for the Lord: God has not promised us a bed of roses in this life. He has promised us a glorious eternal life with Him in His kingdom, but walking with Him down here is not a popular walk. It’s not going to make you popular—at times it’s going to be deeply unpopular and it’s going to take real courage to live for Jesus Christ. You’re not always going to understand the unpleasant things that transpire. You must trust Him and continue your commitment to Him.

The apostle Peter had to learn this tough lesson. Jesus told him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish” (John 21:18). John explains, “This He spoke, signifying by what death he (Peter) would glorify God” (v. 19). Jesus thus predicted that Peter’s arms would one day get stretched out on a cross. Peter would die as the Lord did, by crucifixion.

The Lord didn’t say, “If you just follow Me, Pete, your life is going to be surrounded by roses. In no time at all you’ll enter into a glorious bliss. You’ll have no problems, no worries, no difficulties. Things are going to be so smooth and nice for you!” Not at all. Instead the Lord in essence said, “It’s a rough road ahead, Peter. The world is going to hate you. They hated Me and you’re not greater than your Lord. You’ll be persecuted for My sake. You’ll be thrown into prison. Even your own family will turn against you. And then you’ll be put to death.” (See John 15:18-25.) Jesus laid it out straight for the cost of following Him. And as strange as it may seem, He did this to give Peter strength, not to take it away from him.

From the Bible’s perspective, suffering is what makes your following Jesus all the more meaningful. It proves your love. The fact that you’re willing to experience difficulties and hardships in order to develop your relationship with Him cements your love for God. Peter, of course, didn’t like the sound of this. Who would? So when he looked around and saw John, he asked Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” (John: 21:21). Jesus didn’t hesitate. “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me” (v. 22). In other words, “Peter, the only commitment you need to worry about is your own.”

The Lord always deals with you and me on a personal basis. The trials and tribulations you may experience are for your own growth. He’s interested in you, so He only allows what’s necessary for you—not someone else. If you want to keep your heart on fire for God, you really have no choice but to keep your eyes on Jesus, instead of those around you.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Wiles of the Devil: Temptation 2

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:21:48 -0600

Avoiding Temptation

We looked last time at the subject of temptation and how to recognize it when it comes. Another important step in dealing with temptation is making every effort to stay away from it. You can avoid temptation first of all by prayer. Jesus said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41).

Second, you can avoid temptation by having a realistic view of yourself. This means recognizing your weaknesses and staying away from those things that pose a special problem for you. If you’ve had a problem with sexual sin, then you must do everything in your power to avoid any situation that could cause you to stumble. It might mean staying away from a certain person or group of people; it could mean avoiding certain sources of entertainment, such as the Internet, the movies, or the TV, especially cable; or it could mean steering clear of the magazine rack in the local convenience store.

If your past sins have been alcohol or drug related, then you need to avoid people, places, or situations that could lead you into compromise. This same principle applies in every area of weakness. If, after all of this, you still find yourself in a tempting situation, like Joseph when Potiphar’s wife threw herself at him, your only recourse is to flee as Joseph did. Knowing your area of vulnerability is actually a step toward victory over temptation.

Remember, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Don’t put yourself in a tempting situation, but rather, “Flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:11–12).

Overcoming Temptation

The only good news about being tempted is that we are guaranteed victory over temptation. It is crucial to know this. Some Christians leave you with the impression that victory is impossible and that backsliding is just another facet of the Christian experience. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth! The Bible tells us that victory is possible. The apostle John said, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin” (1 John 2:1). James, in his epistle, instructs us on how to obtain the victory:

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7–8

Victory begins with total submission to God. If Jesus is not the Lord of our lives, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to be victorious over temptation. Having submitted ourselves to God, we then resist the devil. Resisting the devil means we stand against him with the weapons that God has given to us. Our primary weapon is the Word of God. As we resist, in due time, Satan will flee.

This is beautifully illustrated in the life of Christ in Matthew 4. After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus is met by Satan, who says to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (v. 3). Here our Lord does what we are instructed to do: He resists the devil with the Word of God. “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (v. 4).

Each time Satan came with a temptation, Jesus countered with the Word. We are to do the same. When Satan tempts you to revert to your old habits, resist him with 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” And with Romans 6:11–12, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”

When Satan tempts you with immorality or substances that are forbidden by God, resist him with 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

It is in this practical consideration of temptation that we see the divine wisdom of David’s statement, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Memorized Scripture is a great asset when faced with temptation.

Finally remember:

Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin … and having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:6, 18

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14–16

Brand New Song

Fred Field — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:52:58 -0600

Do you believe in God?

For centuries, philosophers have debated why people believe in God. They reason that it can be a result of upbringing—our parents trained us up and to question them would be immoral. Another is the bandwagon—so many people believe, so it must be true. We may believe on authority—our community leaders (priests, ministers, imams, and rabbis) believe, and they can’t all be wrong. One of the weakest reasons is that I can recognize the existence of God through logical argumentation (apologetics).

Ironically, agnosticism—which claims there isn’t enough evidence—also appeals to reason (you can’t prove a good God exists), bandwagon (all the cool people have rejected God), and authority, only this time it is the word of academics who insist they are brighter, know more stuff, and are, therefore, right. A glance at Nazi Germany makes that a tough position to defend.

These philosophical points argue that no one can know God or absolutes of any kind, so they are left with the belief that all roads lead to truth/heaven, no matter how contradictory. If God is “fair,” he would never condemn good, sincere people. If I insist my way is the only way, then I’m intolerant and mean. Once again, it is assumed that it is impossible to know anything.

But, this makes belief supreme. If I believe something intensely and sincerely enough, then it’s true for me; my belief creates my reality. This is not the picture the Bible paints, that God Himself has reached out to us, humankind.

But, why do people refuse to believe? Yes, we experience great personal tragedies (the death of a child, crippling accidents). We’ve all heard how authority figures take advantage of trusting people. A “loving” God would prevent such things. In a perfect world, people don’t steal, hurt, or deceive. But, this means that we are all born with some sense of how the world should work. Why is the world so corrupt?

The Bible teaches that the world was fashioned by a Creator, and it was “very good.” The mess that the world finds itself in is due to the self-centeredness of humankind, who have rebelled against their Maker.

Keep Yourself in the Love of God

Chuck Smith — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:37:29 -0600

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate … his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). Now He says you’re to love Him even more than you love yourself.

Obviously, we know Jesus doesn’t mean you need to literally hate yourself. That would be impossible, according to Paul: “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church” (Ephesians 5:29). Jesus Himself quoted part of the Great Commandment like this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). God assumes that we all love ourselves; that’s how He designed us. Nevertheless, our love for ourselves is to seem like hate in comparison to our love for God.

And what are we to think of His statement about the need for a true disciple to “bear his cross”? Many ridiculous things have been said and you’ve probably heard someone say: “I have a mother-in-law who really likes to nag. I hate it every time we visit her—but I guess that’s just the cross I have to bear.” No, no, no, no, no! That’s not the cross.

Or someone else says, “I have this arthritic toe and I guess that’s just the cross I have to bear.” Not so! The cross represents a total submission to the will of the Father. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup [the crucifixion] pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

That’s the cross. The cross is the complete surrendering of yourself to the will of God.

Such a total surrendering of your will might involve suffering. It might involve pain. It might even include your premature death—and no one will ever willingly make such a choice without first nurturing a love for God that exceeds all others. Without such a love, such discipleship cannot exist. With such a love, it cannot help but exist.

Some people may respond, “Well, that’s great for some people, but God didn’t make me that way. Frankly, it’s beyond me.” You want to know a secret? It’s beyond me, too—frankly, it’s beyond all of us—in the natural. Left to ourselves, none of us could love God like this. But in His love, God sends His Spirit to live inside of us so that we might start living beyond the natural, in the realm of the supernatural. When we try to love God in our own strength, the Bible says, “Are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3). But when we choose to live by the Spirit, it says to us, “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 1:21).

You see, because God loves you, He wants to bless you and to bestow His goodness upon your life. Unfortunately, it is possible for you to get out of the place of God’s blessing, just as the children of Israel did through unbelief. Their sin kept them from entering into the full blessings that God had intended for them. In a similar way, through pride and rebellion against God, you can keep yourself from the full blessings that God wants to bestow upon you. So Jude instructs, “keep yourselves in the love of God.” It’s a choice.

God will never say, “Look at the way he’s sinning! I won’t love him anymore.” No! God will still love you, but He weeps over your sin. He won’t do for you what He wants to do when your life becomes inconsistent with His nature and His ways.

Like Cain, if you allow hatred to fill your heart, God cannot bless you.

Like Balaam, if you allow greed to fill your heart, God cannot bless you.

Like Korah, if you allow jealousy to master your life, God cannot do for you what He really wants to do. (See Jude 1:11.)

We prove our love for Jesus by obeying Him—and He has said very clearly, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Anyone who says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, is a liar” (1 John 4:20). Only you—and God—know the answer.

So keep yourself in the love of God. Keep yourself in the place where God can do all He wants to do for you because His love for you is infinite.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

God Is Not Impressed

Brian Weed — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:21:54 -0600

In Psalm 2, one of the things we have is an interesting “God’s-eye view” perspective of humanity, especially in terms of cultures, governments, and geo-political events. In the first verse, we see that the nations of the world are “raging.” Their primary issue is an unwillingness to live under God’s authority: “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast their cords away from us.” But this is not only an unwillingness to live under God’s authority, it is also expressed as unwillingness to be under Christ, referred to in verse 2 as God’s “Anointed.” Of course, God is not threatened by their declarations: He “laughs” (verse 4!) and declares, “I have set My King on My holy hill in Zion.” Issue settled.

The nations are given to this King as His rightful inheritance (verse 8) and the former rulers of the nations are instructed to “Kiss the Son”–in other words, show submission and loyalty, fast.

But something else occurred to me recently as I thought through this psalm. The King who is set in Zion, the Anointed, the Son who we all must kiss, the authority that cannot (and will not) be resisted, is not some usurping dictator or palace-child monarch. He is the Man of Sorrow, the Humble One, who washed our feet and carried our sins to the cross.

Has He not earned our allegiance?

To rage against Him is to rage against grace and truth and self-sacrificing love. It is to rage against our only hope, all that will fix the world, and our very life itself.

God is not impressed.

Do You See the Giants or the Grapes?

Brent Wagner — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:32:04 -0600

Numbers 13:25-33

What do you see when trouble arises? After a 40 day scouting trip of the land God had promised to Abraham, the 12 spies returned and gave a mixed report concerning the land and the next steps to take. Ten of the men gave a very scary, negative report concerning the “giants” in the land and their walled cities. We “looked like grasshoppers in their sight” they shared with those listening, “it’s a land that devours its inhabitants”, they reported. Upon hearing the report, the people became fearful and lost their excitement about the future promises God had for them. Two of the scouts, Caleb and Joshua, gave a good report and reminded the people about the promises of God. They reminded the people that this land filled with “grapes”, milk and honey was available to them as God would give them victory over their enemies. They could posses their possession that God had given them through His promise to Abraham.

You and I find ourselves in similar situations as we choose to either see the “giants” or in other words, the problems and obstacles of life or the “grapes”, the promises and victory that Jesus gives us over this world. Fear is the natural response to trials followed by worry and stress. As we stare at the problem before us, it only gets bigger and bigger, before long we have created our own “giants” which become obstacles to living the spirit-filled life. In Christ we have the victory we need over the “giants”, whether it be financial giants, relationship giants, past giants, insecure giants, lust giants, etc. In Christ we are more than conquerors. ”We can overcome by the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of our testimony…” (Rev. 12:11). “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). God is bigger than any problem you face.

Rather than looking at your problems, first, look back to God’s faithfulness in past times of trial. Remember, God said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you, so that we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is My Helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). God sees your giants and is a giant slayer to those who trust in Him. Secondly, look forward to what God wants to do in your life and how He wants to set you free from worry and fear with victory over giants in your life. Thirdly, depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to help you, and by faith believe God will overcome the giants before you. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

After following these three steps, you will find that you see beyond the giants in your life to the grapes, which are the promises of God’s love, joy, peace, and His indwelling presence in your life. See you at the grape vine.

The Wiles of the Devil: Temptation

Brian Brodersen — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:59:53 -0600

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

1 Peter 5:8–9

We will conclude our wiles of the Devil series by looking at the subject of temptation (2 parts). Satan’s most notorious activity is that of tempting mankind. Temptation is the solicitation to do evil and is the common experience of all people, whether they are Christians or not. Yet, Satan puts forth extra effort in tempting Christians. He knows that if he can bring down a Christian, he can, to some degree, discredit the church and bring reproach upon the name of the Lord. As David’s sin with Bathsheba gave “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme” (2 Samuel 12:14), so it is with sinning Christians. This is one of Satan’s motives for tempting believers.

Another reason Satan will tempt you is simply because he hates you and wants to destroy you. He knows that “sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15).

When Peter referred to Satan as “a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” he was no doubt thinking of Satan’s activity in tempting man.

Author John Phillips gives us a very graphic picture of what that looks like:

[Satan] has been studying human nature ever since man was created. Satan helped forge fallen human nature. He is a master psychologist. One person he assails with lusts of the flesh. He has a whole arsenal of darts that can set the senses aflame. Another person he assails with lusts of the eye; someone else with the pride of life. The lust of appetite, the love of applause, and the lure of ambition are among the host of darts Satan uses to kindle fierce fires in our souls.

He knows our weaknesses and strengths. He sends his legions of evil spirits to titillate our senses, inflame our desires, corrupt our souls, weaken our wills, deceive our minds, deaden our consciences, and distort God’s truth. Satan has a thousand wiles and he never gives up.1

With death and destruction as the aim of the tempter, we cannot afford to take temptation lightly. On the contrary, we must be sober and vigilant in dealing with our adversary, the devil.

Recognizing Temptation

The first thing we need to do in relation to temptation is to learn to recognize when we are being tempted.

One of Satan’s attributes is subtlety. He disguises himself so well that quite often the one being tempted is oblivious to his involvement. In other words, Satan doesn’t manifest himself to you in all of his hideousness, announcing, “I’m the devil. I’m here to lure you into a trap so I can ultimately destroy you. Now watch me work.” No. Instead he hides in the shadows. We don’t even realize that he’s there behind the scenes, pulling strings and manipulating circumstances.

He oftentimes poses as one who is greatly concerned for our welfare. Recall Eve in the Garden of Eden: Satan suggested to her that God was selfish, that He was holding back something that was good for her.

He used the same approach in the temptation of Jesus. Satan came to Him saying, “Now if You are the Son of God, You shouldn’t be starving to death out here. Is that any way for the Son of God to live? Why don’t You take these stones over here and turn them into bread? Satisfy Yourself. You deserve it. After all, You’re the Son of God.”

Like the seasoned angler who knows just the right lure, Satan knows your areas of weakness and tempts you accordingly. He can appear as an angel of light, a damsel in distress, the solution to your financial problems, or the answer to your poor self-image. The list goes on and on. Paul referred to this attribute of Satan when writing to the Corinthians. He said:

I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3–4

Though temptation is sometimes difficult to recognize, you can be sure you are being tempted whenever you are faced with a situation that could lead you to rationalize, compromise, or in any way disobey the Word of God.

We will conclude our look at temptation in the next blog.

1 Phillips, John. Exploring Ephesians & Philippians

(Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), p.

196–197.

Return to Your First Love

Chuck Smith — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:24:23 -0600

The bloom of first love is such a beautiful thing. It gives a special fragrance to your entire life. You don’t want to eat. You don’t want to sleep. You desire to savor every last thought of the one you love.

Remember that first love you had for the Lord when you discovered His amazing love for you? Surely, you recall that sweet feeling when He first lifted the heavy guilt of sin off your back, when you first realized that Jesus loved you so much that He died for you. Your heart naturally responded to that love. In those days, no sacrifice seemed too great to make for the Lord. In fact, you didn’t even consider it a sacrifice. Anything you could do for God felt like sheer joy. Remember the reckless abandonment of your life to Jesus because you loved Him so much?

Some time ago I had a conversation with the members of the music group Love Song—one of the most popular bands of the Jesus Movement. We recalled the early days after they had first come to the Lord. They willingly traveled anywhere, just to sing for Jesus Christ. They had an old van and all they needed was a box of raisins, a pack of oats and some trail mix, and these guys could go on forever. They were willing and eager to go because they loved the Lord so much. The excitement of doing something for Jesus energized their happy, hippy hearts.

How long has it been since you felt a similar bloom of first love for Jesus? Has it been a while? Can you still remember? Too often, the march of life has a way of trampling our early experiences of joy and enthusiasm in Jesus. Bills come due. Illness intrudes. Relationships sour. Cars break down. Tragedy strikes. And before we know it, our love for Jesus shrinks to a cold, dry shell of what it had been before we knew the Lord.

And God weeps.

You can almost feel God’s tears when He asks His straying people, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters?” And you clearly hear His anguish when He says, “Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate. For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:5, 12-13). The Lord lamented over ancient Israel because His people had left Him, their only source of life, in a futile attempt to find satisfaction in the things of the flesh. Predictably, they had become empty.

So often in history, we have seen this sad pattern repeated. Men and women have sought after God and found Him. They began their lives of faith with great joy and excitement, but gradually their devotion waned until they turned their backs on the Lord and walked away. The reasons behind such spiritual wandering vary: misfortune, busyness, heartache, greed, disappointment, ambition, carelessness, and countless more—but there is only one sure cure—come back. We must allow the Lord to reignite our hearts for Him, that once more we might warm ourselves in the glow of His love.

As God told His wandering people so long ago: “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).

So may it be with each of us.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Blind Men and the Talking Elephant

Brian Weed — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:43:14 -0600

This summer I read God is Not One by Stephen Prothero. Written by a professor of religion (who is a non-believer), it's an interesting primer on seven of the world’s most important religions: Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Yoruba, (modern), Judaism, Daoism (Taoism) and even the new Atheism. He does a great job of pointing out the basic differences in all of these.

However, I wanted to post the book’s ending in order to highlight some points for us to consider, since they represent a thread of the common way of thinking in our culture. So here are the book’s last five paragraphs, and below I’ll respond with some biblical push-back (I’ve bolded what I think are the key points he makes):

There is a famous folk tale about blind men examining an elephant. It likely originated in India before the Common Era, but it eventually spread to East and Southeast Asia and then around the world. According to this folk tale, blind men are examining an elephant. One feels his trunk and declares it to be a snake. Another feels his tail and declares it a rope. Others determine that the elephant is a wall, pillar, spear, or fan, depending on where they are touching it. But each insists he is right, so much quarreling ensues.

Among true believers of the perennial philosophy sort, this story is gospel. In their eyes, the elephant is God and the blind men are Christians and Muslims and Jews who mistake their particular (and partial) perspectives on divinity for the reality of divinity itself. Because God is beyond human imagining, we are forever groping around for God in the dark. It is foolish to say that your religion alone is true and all other religions are false. No one has the whole truth, but each is touching the elephant. So, concludes the Hindu teacher (and inspiration for many perennialists) Ramakrishna, ‘one can realize God through all religions.’

But this folk tale also demonstrates how different religions are, since it has been told in various ways and put to various uses by various religious groups. Among Buddhists, it shows that speculation on abstract metaphysical questions causes suffering. Among Sufis, it shows that God can be seen through the heart but not the senses. Hindus read it as a parable about how ‘God can be reached by different paths.’ Finally, modern Western writers such as the British poet John Godfrey Saxe turn it into a tale of the stupidity of theology:

So oft in theologic wars The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen!

For me, this story is a reminder not of the unity of the world’s religions (as Ramakrishna and the perennialists would have us believe), or of their shared stupidity (as Saxe and the New Atheists would argue), but of the limits of human knowledge. It is commonplace to think of religions as unchanging dogmas demanding unqualified assent. And there are no doubt fundamentalists inside most religions who see things just this way. But one function of the transcendent is to humble us, remind us that our thoughts are not the thoughts of God or the Great Goddess – to remind us that, at least for the time being, we see through a glass, darkly. Yes, religious people offer solutions to the human predicament as they see it. Yet these solutions inevitably open up more questions than they close down. This is definitely true of Confucius and Hillel, who, perhaps more than any of the figures discussed in this book, followed Rilke’s admonition to ‘love the questions themselves.’ But it is also true of Muhammad, who once said, ‘Asking good questions is half of learning,’ and of Jesus, whose parables seem designed less to teach us a lesson than to move us to scratch our heads.

When it comes to safeguarding the world from the evils of religion, including violence by proxy from the hand of God, the claim that all religions are one is no more effective than the claim that all religions are poison. Far more powerful is the reminder that any genuine belief in what we call God should humble us, remind us that, if there really is a god or goddess worthy of the name, He or She or It must surely know more than we do about the things that matter most. This much, at least, is shared across the great religions.

I give Dr. Prothero credit for not falling into the classic traps he outlines when commenting on the elephant story, but I wonder if the position he espouses really amounts to much more than the positions he seeks to overcome. As the bolded sentences indicate, he is willing to grant that the elephant story is basically true, and that the problem is that each of us possesses limited knowledge about God. In other words, he accepts that “blind” is the appropriate metaphor for human knowledge – the “limits of human knowledge” define the issue before us. In doing so, he basically affirms the story as an adequate description of the world’s religious situation.

So, in Prothero’s thinking (and most non-believers in our culture) the question of which belief is right is determined by epistemology. (If you don’t know that word, you really should learn it–it’s the study of knowledge, or how we know what we know. It deals with how we can know anything at all.) To sort through this type of thinking, it is necessary to see the epistemological assumptions that he makes, and those made by the elephant story. Learning to do this is essential in sharing the gospel with people, since we are often called on to give answers to people who hold this same basic set of epistemological assumptions.

The basic assumption being made in this story is simply that the elephant can’t communicate. It is just a big, dumb thing that stands there while people feel it. Once you make God an elephant, and make the people blind, you have the two basic epistemological assumptions made by almost every non-believer in secular western cultures. But assumptions like these need to be proven, and I know of no one who has ever successfully done so. Instead, they are simply assumed. If I’ve lost you here, try imagining the story differently. Imagine it ends this way:

When the elephant heard the men arguing, he spoke up and said, “You’re all wrong, I’m an elephant. Here–start to move around me and feel all the different parts.” And the men followed his instructions, and agreed, “Yes, this is an elephant.”

See the difference a communicating elephant would make? We do not believe that the God who made our world is a dumb, non-communicative elephant. He is able to speak to the people He has created in ways they can understand. He can tell them about Himself. Why should we assume there is such a being as this elephant–who can make us, but is unable to talk to us? Is this reasonable? Is it logical? Can we expect such amazing things as communicating, investigating human beings to come from a mute, inert, animal-like being?

So we need to retell the story:

There once was a group of blind men who happened upon another man who could see. The blind men began to feel the man to see what he was. He said, “Guys, I’m a person, and my name is Bill. Let’s talk; you don’t need to touch me to get a sense for who I am.” The blind men ignored the voice. One felt Bill’s arm and said, “It is a snake!” One felt his Bill’s hair and said, “It is a rug!” One felt Bill’s leg and said, “It is a tree!” But finally one man said, “No, why don’t we just listen to the voice coming from him. He is a man!” The other men laughed at this last man. Clearly his certainty was misguided. Could they believe the voice? Were they really hearing it? But Bill reached out and touched this last man, and restored the man’s sight. The man said, “Now I see. Now I know!” The men who were still blind left, confident that they knew enough to know that no one could truly see. But Bill and the last man went away together, now friends.

If Prothero’s assumptions are true, and the limits of human knowledge are all we have, than the original elephant story may be correct. But if, as the Bible explains, we are not limited to what we can figure out with our own minds, but have access to what our Creator has communicated to us, then we are in a very different situation.

If the elephant talks, it’s time for us modern humans to rethink some of our cherished assumptions.

Letting Go of Your Kids

Bill Walden — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:37:36 -0600

My wife and I have three children. They are now 29, 27, and 25 but the memories of their teen and young adult years are not forgotten.

All of us, as Christian parents, try to raise our kids to make good decisions. We pray that they will make good decisions, and most importantly, that they will follow Jesus. The process of our kids making their own decisions starts earlier than we think. Even as pre-teens, our kids begin to discover their own identity. They have their likes and dislikes. They want to dress a certain way, do certain things, and explore different areas of life. God has made them to eventually become adults, and we need to remember that the seeds of who they will become begin to grow early in life.

Sometimes our kids need us to step in, and correct them from wrong or dangerous thinking. When our children are young, we are the main source of input for their lives. We teach them about God, His ways and truths. We do our best to live out the Christian life in front of our kids.

As our kids get older, they begin to “push back” a bit. They begin to feel constrained by mom and dad, and the occasions of disagreements seem to increase. This is when many parents clamp down, become stricter, and try to control the situation. We parents often sense that the trajectory that our kids seem to be choosing doesn’t look good. Our wisdom is sometimes right, but other times we over-react. I know. Been there, done that.

I believe that it takes a great deal of spiritual wisdom and discernment to know how to “let go” of our kids. Some say that all that should happen at age 18. I couldn’t disagree more. We as parents need to sense when to allow our kids to make their own decisions, as they get older, or when to hold them back. Eventually, there is no holding them back, as they become adults and go off on their own.

I think one of the best things that we can do as parents is to gradually let go of our kids. It has been said that when our kids are young, we walk in front of them, but as they get older, we walk beside them. I believe that that transition should be seamless. I believe that it is best to let go of our kids very gradually, and to gradually go from the position of overseeing parents to trusted counselor. We need to allow our kids to make some mistakes, so that they will learn from those situations. I don’t think that it is wise to protect our kids at all costs. That isn’t natural. I believe that it is far wiser to realize that our kids will eventually be out from under our oversight. They need to develop the skills, wisdom, and spiritual insight to make their own decisions. A wise parent allows that to begin happening early in life, so that when their child goes off on their own, they already have godly decision making skills in place.

WARNING: I have seen Christian parents that are so worried for their children, that they become legalistic and suffocating. Often times, the result has been that their kids seek to escape all things Christian, and all things concerning their family. They run from mom and dad, and they run from church. Those kids had never been allowed to think for themselves, and when they finally do leave home, they often crash and burn out from the results of bad decisions that were fueled by the resentment of feeling controlled for so many years.

Parents, if you are in that worrisome stage of life when your kids are in transition, the best thing to do is to pray for them, and seek God about when or when not to take charge. I also suggest that as your kids begin to explore the world, give them the freedom to think contrary thoughts to what you believe. Instead of telling them they are wrong, help them think through what they are exploring, and help them come to their own conclusion, instead of telling them what the conclusion should be.

I am not at all advocating a “hands off” approach to parenting. I am, however, suggesting that we do well to help our children become who God made them to be, instead of trying to control them into becoming what they think they should be.

I have included a short video with some additional thoughts.

Of Love and Hate

Chuck Smith — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:23:24 -0600

What does it mean to love God supremely? Jesus made a startling comparison in Luke 14 that both clarifies the issue and confuses a lot of readers.

“If anyone comes to Me,” He said, “and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters … he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).

You see the problem, don’t you? Here we have been talking about the love of God and loving Him supremely, and now Jesus starts talking about hate as a good thing.

Fortunately, the problem is easy to overcome. We struggle because in the United States, our words love and hate lie at opposite extremes. They are opposed to one another. In the Middle Eastern mind and thought, however, they serve as comparative words, not opposite words. So Jesus is not commanding us to hate everyone who means a great deal to us; in fact, He’s saying that our love for them must pale in comparison to our love for God. We should love God so supremely that any other love looks like hate by comparison.

You can be sure He’s not instructing you to actually hate anyone because the Bible explicitly commands the contrary:

• “Love your enemies” (Luke 6:27).

• “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (John 13:34).

• “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25).

• “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Obviously, Jesus is not saying that to follow Him you must hate your mother and your father, your sisters, your brothers, your family members, your children, and your friends. He is saying that your love for Him must exceed your love for your mother, your father, or your wife, or your children, or your brothers and your sisters, or your friends. Your love for Him must reign supremely.

That means that if your parents tell you, “It’s either your love for Jesus or your love for us,” then you must choose to love Jesus. If your wife says, “I’m not going to stay with you anymore if you insist on this Christian obsession,” then your love for Jesus has to exceed your love for your wife. If your husband says, “I cannot stand this religious stuff anymore! If you keep it up, I’m leaving,” then you must let him leave. Paul wrote, “If the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases” (1 Corinthians 7:15). Your love for Jesus has to be first and paramount.

Matthew’s gospel makes this intense comparison very clear. There Jesus says, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). So don’t worry that to love God supremely you must start hating your wife, kids, and anybody else you hold dear. Not so! God instructs you to love them, and through His Spirit He enables you to do so; nevertheless, your love for the Lord must rise above every other love.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Why Are We Losing Our Youth?

Carl Kerby — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:44:12 -0600

Another book has been published supporting what I’ve been speaking about for many years now… young people are leaving the church in alarming numbers.

David Kinnaman*, in his book ‘You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving the Church and Rethinking Faith” takes an interesting approach in identifying those in the current generation who are leaving the church. He divides them into three categories, labeling them as nomads, prodigals and exiles.

Nomads are those who at one time were involved with a church or faith community, but have drifted away. They may still identify themselves as Christians, but do not attend church on a regular basis. They’re likely to consider going to church or Christian fellowship as optional.

Prodigals are those who have given up on, or rejected, the faith in which they were raised. Unlike the prodigal that Jesus described, they do not return and are likely to claim that Christian beliefs don’t make sense and they are therefore ex-Christians.

Exiles are those who struggle with the conflicts of the “church world” and the “real world.” They may understand their calling to be a witness but desire to “find a way to follow Jesus that connects with the world.”

Whatever we call them, we need to recognize the alarming fact that a mass exodus of young people from the church is taking place. And, we must ask the question “why?” What makes them prone to wander from their upbringing in the church? When does the danger of drifting begin?

I address this in many of our rforh resources, and in my talks. But it all boils down to the simple solution that the Bible gives:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Although this is not a guarantee, we must take these words very seriously. Parents need to take action and get involved with the Christian education of their children.

Jesus was clear in his teaching that unless your house is built upon a rock, a firm foundation, it will fall. He warned of the dangers when a storm comes, saying that a only a firm foundation will stand. Let’s read the passage:

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Mat 7:24-27, emphasis added)

Jesus says the wise man, whose house is built on a solid foundation, is the one who hears His sayings and does them. Teach your children to be wise. Help them to understand what they believe and why they believe it. Equip them with biblical answers so they can defend their faith when confronted by the skeptics of this world. As Proverbs say…“Train them up.”

Let it begin in the home. Moms and Dads, don’t relegate this responsibility to the church or the Sunday School. Be intentional and purposeful in teaching biblical truths to your children...for their good and God’s glory.

Stay bold,

Carl and the rforh team

*If you’ve read my book, Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life, you might remember that I referenced David Kinnaman. He defines the group of young people born between 1984 and 2002 as “Mosaics” (and sometimes called Millennials, Generation Y, Echo Boom or Generation Next). These young people are the future leaders of our country. We must take seriously our responsibility to reach them for the Lord Jesus Christ. For more information, read beginning at page 19 of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life. If you don’t have the book, we’d love to send you chapter 1, compliments of rforh. Email mosaic@rforh.com with “chapter one please” in the subject line.

Eternal Significance vs. Eternal Loss

Brian Weed — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:21:43 -0600

If you’ve read the Gospels, you’ve run into the story of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus’ feet several times (Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 12:2-8). It’s an arresting story. There are several layers of significance to it–here’s one that worked me over the other morning as I sat with Mark’s account:

What set Mary apart? Unlike the others in that room (disciples included), she had actually listened to Jesus. (He had been saying that He was going to die soon!) She allowed the words He said to penetrate—to “sink down into her ears” (Luke 9:44)—and so she was aware of what was really going on, and what the moment called for from disciples. Her love to Him, then, was not misguided or filled with false ideas and hopes. It was love for the real Jesus—the one who was about to die. So she loved Him in His impending death. She loved Him—who raised her brother but wouldn’t save Himself, and she thought that someone needed to acknowledge what was going on (!). And she must have realized that she—with her spikenard there in her room— was able to do it.

And so she did—“she did what she could.”

Maybe it seemed small to her as she came. The disciples gave audible voice to what may have already been in her head—but she had heard His word! He was going to die—and soon!

Shouldn’t someone honor this Jesus?

So she seized her moment, received her commendation, and wove herself inextricably with the Gospel itself—she became woven into His story, and therefore received true, and everlasting, significance.

How will you be woven into His story?

Evil Thoughts and Imaginations

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:34:17 -0600

Another manifestation of the “wiles of the devil” is evil thoughts. Have you ever been in prayer and had your mind suddenly assaulted by blasphemous thoughts? Have you ever been worshipping and had pornographic images flash across your mind? Have you ever gone through a period of time in which your mind was consumed with deplorable thoughts—thoughts that sickened and oppressed you, thoughts that you longed to be delivered from, thoughts of sexual immorality, murder, or suicide? If so, you are not alone. You know firsthand what the apostle Paul was referring to when he spoke of the “fiery darts” or more literally “the flaming arrows” of the wicked one.

An important question to ask at this point is: How can I tell the difference between the flaming arrows of the wicked one and the sin of evil surmising? Evil surmising originates from within, as Jesus said, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts” (Matthew 15:19). Evil surmising is within your power to control and has an element of delight in it. The flaming arrows of the wicked one, on the other hand, come from outside of you and are, to a certain degree, beyond your power to control. They are also offensive to you. You not only do not want to think these thoughts, you consciously reject them.

Another experience from the life of Charles Spurgeon serves as an illustration. Having gone through a prolonged period of blasphemous assaults upon his mind and being near the point of despair, he began questioning even his salvation (after all, how could a true Christian think such thoughts?). He finally confided in an aged godly man who asked him one simple question: “Do you hate these thoughts?” Young Spurgeon replied: “I do.” The man replied, “Then they are not yours; … Groan over them, repent of them, and send them on to the devil, the father of them, to whom they belong—for they are not yours.”

The devil is subtle; he plants a thought in your mind and wants to make you think it’s your thought. But don’t own it; instead reject it and realize who is behind it. You can even turn the enemy’s weapons back upon him by using those occasions as an opportunity for prayer and worship. You can be like Benaiah who wrested the spear out of the enemy’s hand, and killed him with his own spear (2 Samuel 23:21).

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

As nature abhors a vacuum, so our minds cannot long remain empty. Good thoughts leave no room for bad thoughts.

Depression

Depression is perhaps the most devastating of the “wiles of the devil” inasmuch as the devil gathers up all of the things we’ve discussed (condemnation, doubt, fear, evil thoughts and imaginations), wraps them in despair, and leaves us with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

Many of God’s people throughout the ages have known firsthand what it is to be depressed. You might be surprised to find that both the psalmist and the apostle Paul experienced depression. Listen to their words:

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Psalm 77:2–4

We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 2 Corinthians 1:8b

Church history provides many examples as well of those who have suffered from depression. William Cowper, the great English poet and hymn writer, battled manic-depression throughout his life.

Charles Spurgeon said, “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to.”

So we see that God’s people are not exempt from depression. Everyone suffers from depression from time to time, some more frequently and more severely than others. The question then is, how do we deal with depression?

First, we need to know what is causing it. There are basically four types of depression. There is depression that is organic in nature (resulting from a bodily malfunction, i.e., hormonal or chemical imbalances). Then there is circumstantial depression; the problems of life have gotten you down. Some depression is directly related to sin. And finally, there is depression that is the direct result of satanic activity.

Determining what type of depression a person is dealing with is not always easy. However, God has promised wisdom for those who ask (James 1:5).

Once we discern the cause, we can proceed with the treatment. If the cause is organic, the treatment will be primarily medical. If the cause is circumstantial, the treatment will be getting a biblical perspective on your circumstances and trusting God. If the cause is sin, repentance is necessary. If the cause is satanic, the spiritual weapons of the Word of God and prayer are the only things that will avail.

Back in the days before there were anti-depressants, William Cowper was prayed out of a deep, dark, suicidal depression by his faithful friend and pastor, John Newton. Although treatment with medications can be beneficial, these treatments should never be used to the exclusion of the Word of God and prayer. It is my opinion that regardless of the root cause of depression, there is a satanic aspect to it. Therefore, I believe that all depression, regardless of its source, should be treated through biblical counseling and intense prayer.

If you have been plagued by depression, remember, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Don’t believe the devil’s lie that your situation is hopeless so you might as well just end it all now. Look to the Lord! Call upon His Name! Stand upon His Word! Pray, and ask others to pray for you. Seek godly counsel from a pastor or a mature Christian friend. Finally, know that “the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20).

In the next blog, we will consider one final aspect of the devil’s war against us—Temptation.

How to Get Out of Spiritual Ruts

Carl Kerby — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:24:49 -0600

In January, 2010 I flew into Minneapolis to speak in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Fergus Falls is a long drive from Minneapolis and, to make matters worse, I was making this trip right after a significant snowstorm! I know what you’re thinking, “Surprise, Surprise, snowstorm in Minnesota in January!”

Anyway, I started driving and quickly found out that only one lane of the interstate was navigable. There were deep ruts formed in the snow, so I knew that as long as I stayed in the ruts I’d be ok. About an hour into the drive a thought came to mind. If I set the cruise control maybe I could let go of the steering wheel, set my alarm and take a nap. Ok, ok….bad idea. I quickly dismissed that thought, even though a quick nap sounded so good.

As I continued driving I noticed lots of cars had gone off the road and into the ditch. That usually happens when a driver loses control trying to turn out of the rut and begins to slide. It can be difficult getting out of the ruts.

Reflecting on the situation, I began to think about how this is similar to something that happens to many Christians. Many are in a spiritual rut! They even settle into their rut, put their spiritual life on “cruise control” and maybe even take a nap (remember I said that was a very bad idea — and it is, both for driving and in our spiritual lives).

What do I mean by “cruise control” or a “napping” spiritual life? I’m talking about those who aren’t actively growing in their faith and aren’t sharing their faith with others. When it comes to walking out into the world, opening their mouths and sharing what the Lord is doing in their lives, they just aren’t doing it...they’re asleep at the wheel.

I don’t say this to condemn anyone. Remember, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). But we should all want to serve Him fully. I’m just a fellow pilgrim on this journey of life and when I fall into a rut, I need my brothers and sisters in Christ to challenge me to get out. So today I challenge you.

There are over 400,000 churches across the nation of America and I dare say that many of the Christians sitting in the pews are in a rut. Even if they want to do something to make an impact for the Lord, with the moral and ethical decline in our culture they are discouraged or worse fearful. In some ways it’s similar to the car that starts to turn out of the ruts and onto the snow covered road — it needs to be done with care and courage, trusting in your ability to navigate the car and not end up in the ditch. But just like we need to navigate the car of the rut and cross over to the exit in order to reach our destination, we need to get out of our rut and believe and trust in the ability we have to move forward and share our faith.

It starts with saying, “Here am I Lord, send me!” (Isa. 6:8). And then trusting, that He will equip us for what He commissions us to do. Remember, God doesn’t always call powerful to do His work, but He always empowers the called!

I want to discuss three things that might be keeping you in a rut and then encourage to get out of the rut, using God’s Word:

Unbelief

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Make sure that you’re sold out for the Lord Jesus Christ and that it’s not just a social relationship that you’re trying to get by on. Remember that He is your Lord and Savior and not your buddy. The old man is dead and the new man now lives.

Do you believe that? Then live your life in a way that reflects it. When lack of faith keeps you in a rut...ask for His help...Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

Sin

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46)

You aren’t in the dark. You can see clearly now because the light of Jesus Christ dwells in you. Believe that! And, if you’re still in a rut, examine yourself.

Is there a sin that you need to deal with before you can more fully serve the Lord? Remember: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Doubt and fear

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Is it fear of man that keeps you from fully serving the Lord? Remember the Lord’s words…

….fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul…(Matthew 10:28)

Don’t fear any man. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Back to my snowstorm driving experience. Whenever I find myself in situations like that, I like to remember something I heard in a country song ….

“Jesus take the wheel, take it from my hand, cause I can’t do this on my own!”

So, whether it’s unbelief, sin, doubt or fear that’s keeping you in a rut, believe that you have His power living in you to help you over come it. Turn the “wheel” of your life over to the Lord and trust that He is in control and will direct your life. He gives you His strength and remember that He promises to never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

He can and will get you out of any rut’ in your life and He put you on a road to an amazing journey!

Stay bold,

Carl Kerby

www.rforh.com

P.S. - One way to avoid ruts is to remember! Remember who God is and who we are because of Him. We just released a new book about “remembering” called, “Why The Butterfly?” This book isn’t about butterflies... it’s all about Jesus and why rightly remembering is important.

Wiles of the Devil: Fear

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:26:54 -0600

Another of the devil’s wiles is the use of fear tactics. He threatens evil consequences upon those who would trust and obey the Lord. When the 18th century revivalist George Whitefield called upon his friend John Wesley to take over his open-air preaching ministry, Wesley was suddenly struck with the impression that if he were to do so, he would die. Having sought divine guidance by randomly opening his Bible on four different occasions, the Scriptures seemed to confirm his impending death. But those fears proved to be nothing more than the work of the devil seeking to prevent him from entering into the work to which God had called him. It was actually through the acceptance of that invitation that John Wesley entered his evangelistic career, which lasted more than 40 years and resulted in the conversion of tens of thousands and the formation of the Methodist Church.

The enemy’s fear tactic is vividly seen in the story of Rabbi Leopold Cohn, a Hungarian Jew who through various circumstances came to believe that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. When he received Christ, he realized that he needed to choose a day on which to make a public confession of his faith by being baptized. His story of the events that transpired on the day of his baptism amply illustrates the devil’s attempts to hinder God’s work in us through fear. The rabbi said:

Early that morning, about daybreak, I awakened with a shiver and it seemed as if someone spoke saying, “What are you doing today?”

I sprang out of bed and walked up and down the room like one suffering from high fever almost not knowing what I was doing. I had been anxiously waiting to be baptized as I was looking forward with joy to the time when I could publicly confess the Lord Jesus Christ before men. But now a sudden change came over me. The voice that was talking to me was that of the great enemy of mankind, though of course he was so sly that I could not perceive at the time that it was Satan.

Many questions were proposed to me rapidly one after another and perplexed me so that I felt ill mentally and physically. He questioned thus: “You are going to be baptized, aren’t you? Do you know that as soon as you take this step, you will be cut off from your wife whom you love so dearly? She can never live with you again. Do you realize that your four children whom you are so fond of will never call you Papa or look in your face again? Your brothers, sisters, and all your relatives will consider you dead and all their hearts will be broken forever.

“How can you be so cruel to your own flesh and blood? Your own people will despise and hate you more than ever before. You are cutting yourself off from your people. You have no friends in this world. You will be left alone to drift like a piece of timber on the ocean. What will become of your name, your reputation, your official position?”

These thoughts put to me in the form of the most audible questions by Satan, whom I, for the first time, met as a personal enemy, distressed and almost unbalanced my mind. I could not sleep, neither could I eat. My friend who was with me, noticing this, tried to strengthen and encourage me in every possible way, but nothing availed. I knelt down in prayer to God but the satanic delusion was as strong as before.

He continues his story by describing what happened when he conceded defeat to the enemy. Feeling mentally and physically sick, he went to inform the pastor that he would not be able to be baptized. About that same time, another pastor, namely Dr. Andrew Bonar, along with his congregation, felt impressed to pray for this man, knowing he was to be baptized that day. As they began to pray, suddenly the oppression lifted, and instead of canceling his appointment, he was baptized and made his public confession of Christ, just as he had desired to do.

Rabbi Cohn went on to become a powerful witness for the Lord, forming what became known as the American Board of Missions to the Jews. He led many of his fellow Israelites to faith in the Messiah, Jesus.

Did you notice how the devil threatened evil consequences if the rabbi were to obey the Lord? Yet it was nothing more than an idle threat just as it had been with John Wesley. Satan will threaten you just as Saul threatened David, or Tobiah and Sanballat threatened Nehemiah. But that is all he can do because “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV). Again, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Don’t let the enemy keep you out of the will of God through fear. Remember, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Our heavenly Father has our eternal best in mind. So yield to Him without fear. Watch what He will do. Father knows best.

The Love of God in Christ

Chuck Smith — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:16:32 -0600

Jesus came to this world to show us what God is really like. He especially came to reveal the love of God that made a way for us to live with Him forever in heaven. When people saw Jesus, they saw God’s love. And when they gazed upon the cross of Christ, they saw that love poured out to its greatest extent.

“Yes,” someone says. “That was great 2,000 years ago. But Jesus isn’t around today. I cannot fly over to Israel and see Him whenever I feel discouraged. How does Jesus coming in the flesh so long ago help me to believe in the love of God today?”

I think a man by the name of Paul can answer that little question.

Paul never saw Jesus “in the flesh,” either. Yet while he never saw Jesus walking around the villages of Judea or speaking in the temple courts of Jerusalem, he had heard all the apostles’ stories about the amazing love of God as displayed in Jesus’ life. He had experienced that love for himself through God’s Holy Spirit. And he believed so firmly in this divine love—demonstrated by Jesus the Son and rooted in God the Father—that in the eighth chapter of Romans he gave us some of the most precious verses found anywhere in Scripture.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Paul asks. “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution …” (Romans 8:35). He doesn’t mean that we will never have to face those terrible things. Jesus Himself said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). The early church experienced a lot of tribulation. So can that separate you from the love of Christ?

It intrigues me that as I consider the early church, and even as we observe the suffering church today, Satan has never done a good job of destroying the church through persecution. In fact, the church usually becomes stronger and grows under persecution. The devil’s most effective weapon is joining the church to bring in compromise, prompting the church to make ungodly concessions in order to gain the world’s favor. But can persecution separate you from God’s love?

And what about famine or nakedness or peril or sword? What about horrendous natural disasters, homelessness, mortal danger or war? Surely those things have the power to send God’s love scurrying away from you! For even Paul says, “As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter’” (Romans 8:36). What about that?

As you might expect, Paul has an answer for you: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

That’s quite a phrase, “more than conquerors.” What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? We all know what it is to be a conqueror. You go in, you fight the battle, and you win. You are a conqueror. So what is it to be more than a conqueror? That’s to go into the battle victorious. It is to have the victory even in the midst of battle. While bullets still zip around your head—while the outcome still seems very uncertain—nevertheless, you alreadyhave the glorious victory and the glad rejoicing that comes with it. That’s what it means to be “more than a conqueror.”

So as you go into the battle against forces of darkness, against the powers of evil, you go in as a victor. You go in the victory of Jesus Christ. You have already conquered in the middle of the fight. You have victory already in the midst of the conflict. So you can rejoice even in the heat of battle, for you already know the outcome. If God is for you, who can be against you? You know who wins. And thus you are more than a conqueror through Him who loves you.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Enemy Within

Danny Lehmann — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:38:17 -0600

“The Bridge Over The River Kwai” is an Academy Award winning film loosely based on the Japanese construction of a bridge across the Khwae Yai river during World War II using Allied prisoners of war as slave labor. Alec Guinness won an Oscar for his portrayal of Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson, the British Commander.

As the film proceeds, the torturous treatment of the soldiers begins to take its toll on the Allies and especially on Nicholson. He begins to instruct his men that contrary to sabotaging the building of the bridge (which they had been previously doing- mixing bad concrete and collecting white ants in large numbers to eat the wooden structures), he decided to build the bridge to the glory of the British and also to boost his men’s morale over a job well done.

At the climax of the movie a train full of Japanese soldiers was heading toward the bridge. Meanwhile a team of Allied saboteurs had hidden explosives under the bridge. Nicholson spots the wire to the explosives that had been exposed by the receding river. He then alerts the Japanese commander, Colonel Saito, and together they hurry down the river bank pulling up and exposing the wire, much to the horror of the Allies hiding in the bushes. A firefight erupts and Saito is killed as is one of the American saboteurs. Nicholson, mortally wounded finally comes to his senses and realizes who the real enemy is. “What have I done?” he exclaims when in his last dying gasp (much like Samson of old) he fell on the plunger, the bridge was blown up and the Japanese transport train plunges into the river.

I first saw this epic film as a boy but I have never forgotten the misplaced priorities of Colonel Nicholson and how he was temporarily duped into setting his priorities wrong and thereby sabotaging the war efforts of his own country. He had taken the British work ethic, a good thing, pushed it to an extreme and became an "enemy within".

The Bible is big on Christian unity. We are told that God blesses and commands it (Ps 133, 1 Cor. 1:10, Phil. 2:1-2) and that Jesus prayed for it (John 17:21-23). When we pray for and work for unity we are on God's side. When we allow our Enemy to push us to extremes it brings confusion and destruction within our ranks (1 Cor. 14:33, Jn. 10:10) and we become like the deluded Colonel-- an enemy within God's Army.

There is the danger of overemphasizing organizational, institutional and doctrinal unity (denominationalism) to an extreme and under emphasizing the relational unity demonstrated in the Bible by people like David and Jonathan, commanded by Jesus himself (John 13:34-35) and taught by the Apostles (Eph. 4:3,13, Jas. 2:1-10, 1 Pet.1:22, 1 Jn.2:7-11,3:11-17). The challenge for us is this: How can we maintain relational unity as we develop friendships with those outside our primary ministry circle? After all, the word "denominate" means "to divide"!

Must we let our position on the Second Coming hinder our unity with those who are attempting to reach the 2 billion who have yet to hear that He came the first time? If some among us prefers to take the Song of Solomon literally and not as a prophetic, allegorized, spiritualized, romantic picture of Christ's love for the church can they still be on the team? Does this mean they are not "intimate" with God?

Extremes breed heresy and division. In the Early Church when the humanity of Christ was pushed to an extreme at the expense of His Deity, Arianism was the result. Apollinarianism and Docetism emerged when His Divinity was pushed at the expense of His humanity. If we allow prayer to be pushed at the expense of preaching we will become a monastery. If we push preaching at the expense of prayer we will become powerless. If we push mercy, justice, social transformation and relief and development at the expense of gospel proclamation and church planting we are in danger of sending well fed, healed, and socially transformed people into a Christ-less eternity. If on the other hand we push evangelism at the expense of social action we are in danger of obeying the Great Commission (preach the gospel) while disobeying the Great Commandment (love your neighbor).

Extremists kill abortion Doctors, start wars,(including religious ones - James 4:1-3), split churches and more often then not, become the enemy within. Let’s be careful that we don’t shoot ourselves in the collective foot by wounding our friends in the house of God with "friendly fire". I am convinced that controversy and disunity are not simply theological or methodological problems but are an actual spirit that invades our camp, pushes us to extremes and divides us. If Satan can’t destroy us from the outside with persecution, he will certainly try to harass us from the inside by turning us on one another.

What Is Jesus Like?

Chuck Smith — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:35:13 -0600

What kind of things did Jesus say and do to reveal to us the heart of God? Consider Luke 6:27-28: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.”

And He wasn’t finished! Jesus then added: “… do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful” (Luke 6:35-36).

That’s tough, isn’t it? How do we naturally respond if someone curses us? Be honest! And yet, God blesses those who curse Him. Do you remember Jesus’ prayer after His enemies had nailed Him to the cross? “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). He prayed for those who mistreated Him. And so, in Jesus, we see what God is really like. God’s love is so great that it overcomes all opposition and clears away all obstacles. As the Scripture says, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4). You see, so often it has been the goodness of God that has brought me to my knees.

Jesus declares, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). These are the glorious traits and characteristics of Almighty God. And so John could write, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Jesus came to forgive us our sins—and He expects His disciples to follow His example and continue to reveal God’s loving nature to the world.

Of course, all of these things irritate and oppose our fleshly nature. We don’t naturally like loving our enemies, and refusing to judge or condemn. On the other hand, why wouldn’t we want to do the things that Jesus commands us to do? What do we find so objectionable about them? Don’t you think it would be a much better world if everyone followed His commandments and lived by His instructions? Wouldn’t you like it if everyone treated you as you’d like to be treated?

Imagine if a real estate development advertised that a new community was selling houses only to loving people, absolutely committed to doing unto others as they would like to have done to them. None of the houses would have door locks. There wouldn’t be police departments or jails, for all of such issues would be resolved in love and consideration. You wouldn’t have to pay councilmen to tell you what you could do and couldn’t do—no one telling you that you cannot put up a nativity scene at Christmastime on public property. No one enforcing that you cannot sing Christmas carols in the public schools. It costs a lot of money to hire people to enforce such rules. That’s why our taxes are so high. I would be the first to sign up to buy a house in that community.

And yet the media is obsessed with portraying how horrible it would be if we lived by Christian principles. “Oh my, Christians might try to impose their value system on everyone. They will teach our children that they shouldn’t fight, that they shouldn’t cheat, that they shouldn’t have sex outside of marriage. And they would probably want to outlaw pornography, adultery, and alcohol. Christians might even impose censorship! They wouldn’t allow rap groups to have graphic lyrics and foul language in their songs. Oh, my! We would probably have to spend time with the family. We couldn’t hang out all night and drink beer at the nightclubs.” Can you imagine how things would be if Christians had their way in society? What a concept!

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

How Does God Feel About Human Tragedy?

Brian Weed — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:41:54 -0600

Sometimes we waste time philosophizing, when the Bible holds out clear answers…

For instance, our clearest window for seeing who God is to look at Jesus:

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18)

And what do we know about how he reacted in the face of human tragedy?

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. “For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, “and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” (John 11:32-36)

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3)

If we don’t see the significance in verses like these, and if we need to immediately begin to get “theological” to “figure it out,” we’ve missed something.

The Jesus we preach is the only One who knows perfectly what Humans suffer, and who came to show us God’s reaction to the matter…

Updates From Connecticut

Calvary — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:37:40 -0600

[Editor's Note: When we heard about the shooting in Newtown, CT, we reached out to the local Calvary Chapel in Southbury. They are minutes from the elementary school where the shooting occured.]

Update 12/29/12

Friends,

We are asking everyone to please be in prayer for our community here in Southbury. In response to the recent tragedy in Newtown, we are hosting a guest speaker on Sunday morning: Columbine survivor Crystal Miller. The response from the community has been huge and we have added a third service to accommodate the crowd. Lord willing, we will have 1,000 people pass through our doors on Sunday (we normally have 250) to hear about the hope we have in Christ. Please keep us in prayer. Especially be praying that the Lord would rebuke the storm that is starting to hit us this afternoon. Pray for the safe arrival of our speaker tonight. Pray that people would not be discouraged by the weather, but that they would come, hear and find Jesus.

Also, be praying for Newtown. Last night, the town authorities removed the memorials that were set up in the center of town and near the firehouse. We are concerned that this will keep the community and all who were affected by this tragedy from being able to grieve. Pray that God would heal, that He would do the work.

God Bless,

Calvary Southbury

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Update 12/20/12

We have been able to minister to a steady stream of broken people coming to our Memorial Tent set up in Sandy Hook. The tent is conveniently set up near the highway exit ramp, about half a mile walk from the school where the shooting occurred. We have grief counselors in the tent at all times. We also have people walking the streets between the Memorial Tent and the School, open to the Holy Spirit as to whom they should be reaching out to and praying with.

Many people continue to flood into Sandy Hook, feeling the need to visit, to help make sense of this terrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for a breakthrough here in New England. Our hearts are broken for these lost people, raised in an area of the country known for its spiritual apathy. Please do not stop crying out on their behalf.

We've had teams of people from Calvary's all over the country. It has been a true blessing. If the Lord has put it on your heart to send a team or support the ministry in some other way please reach out to the Church.

God Bless

Calvary Southbury

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Update 12/15/12

Brothers and Sister, here’s what’s happening at CC Southbury as we work to minister to the community effected by the shooting in Newtown, CT.

Saturday night prayer service 7-9 PM at the Church
Sunday morning Services 9 and 11 AM
Sunday evening grief counseling training led by staff from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team. 6:30 PM at the Church.

We’ve seen an outpouring of support from Believers across the country. Please be praying as we are working to reach out to our broken-hearted community. A memorial will be established by Sunday evening and we are planning on having chaplains on site 24/7. We are going to offer mourners hot beverages, candles, cards, Bibles, prayer, anything they need. For Calvary’s interested in sending ministry teams, please reach out to the Church.

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12/14/12 CC Southbury Update

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68) Our Body and Community has been struck by a tragedy and we can do nothing more than throw ourselves on Him. There is no Healer besides Him. Please pray for our body as we seek to minister to our friends and neighbors – to point them to the Light of the world in the midst of darkness.

We are hosting on-going prayer at our Church and we have chaplains on the ground ministering to those affected by the shooting in Newtown, CT. Please also be praying for the Police, Fire, First Responders and others who are continuing to serve at the scene of this terrible crime. We will continue to update as we have information. Pray that the Lord will work mightily in the upcoming days and weeks.

For more information about Calvary Chapel of Southbury you can view these sites:

Condemnation and Doubt

Brian Brodersen — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:50:31 -0600

Wiles Part 2: Condemnation & Doubt

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at Satan’s attacks on our minds and emotions. In this second installment, we will consider two very specific ways that Satan attacks our faith.

Condemnation. A common tactic of the devil is to make you feel cut off from God’s love and forgiveness. This occurs most often after some failure on your part. Maybe you did something that you knew you shouldn’t have done or you didn’t do something that you knew you should have done. That’s when condemnation usually strikes. However, it is important to distinguish between conviction and condemnation. Conviction is a legitimate work of the Holy Spirit that produces guilt over our sins, which then leads us to the Cross to receive forgiveness. Condemnation produces guilt and leaves its victim with a sense of hopelessness.

The devil might suggest that God is finished with you by saying, “You’ve gone too far this time.” He implies that forgiveness is no longer available. You might even have overwhelming feelings that God has abandoned you and that He no longer loves you. All of this is typical of the “fiery darts of the wicked one.” These darts of the enemy can only be fended off by taking up the shield of faith—which is the Word of God. The power of condemnation lies in Satan’s ability to deceive us into thinking that God is the one condemning us. After all, if God is against us, who can be for us? What a vile distortion of the truth!

In Romans 8:1 Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. …” Then in verse 31 he says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” In verses 33–34 he asks:

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Those reproachful thoughts and those condemning feelings come from the “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). It is only by confidence in the blood of the Lamb that we can overcome satanic condemnation.

If you’ve sinned, don’t let the devil drive you away from the Lord through condemnation! Instead, confess your sin, and remember, “He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness” (see 1 John 1:9).

Doubt. The devil sometimes shoots fiery darts of doubt into our minds. He will try to get you to doubt everything from God’s existence to your salvation. But his fundamental objective is to cast doubt on the Word of God. An important thing to remember, though, is that there is a difference between the temptation to doubt and the sin of unbelief. It’s possible to be plagued by doubt and yet innocent of the sin of unbelief.

The great English preacher Charles Spurgeon was acutely familiar with this particular form of temptation. He said, “My peculiar temptation has been constant unbelief. I know that God’s promise is true. … Yet does this temptation incessantly assail me—‘Doubt Him. Distrust Him. He will leave you yet.’”¹ Spurgeon, of course, resisted the temptation, but his statements indicate that he struggled constantly in this area.

So once again I remind you that you are not sinning when you are oppressed by the temptation to doubt. Doubt only becomes sin when it is acted upon and allowed to control us. Satan tempted Eve to doubt God’s Word. However, it wasn’t until she submitted to his suggestions that she sinned. Just because you’re tempted to doubt doesn’t mean that you’ve sinned. You can refuse to give in to those suggestions.

When I was a young Christian, I had heard that certain scholars and theologians questioned the validity of some of the books of the Bible. At that point Satan sought to plant doubt in my mind concerning the Word of God. The thoughts went something like this: “These men are theologians who have studied the Bible for years. They know the Hebrew and the Greek. I know nothing. How can I possibly think I’m right and they’re wrong?” Does that sound familiar? Or maybe you’ve had an experience in which you’re reading your Bible and your mind is suddenly flooded with questions like: “Are you sure Jesus Christ even existed? Could those miracles really have happened? How could someone rise from the dead? What about all the other religions? Isn’t it a bit arrogant to think that Jesus is the only way to God?” The list goes on and on.

Satan will suggest these thoughts to you. He is always trying to undermine the Word of God. He tried it with Eve in the Garden, “Has God really said? …” (see Gen. 3:1). He tried it with Jesus in the wilderness, “If You are the Son of God …” (Luke 4:3). You can be sure he’ll try it with you. The Word of God is both our compass and rudder to guide us through this stormy Christian life. If the devil can get us to doubt even the smallest truth, he can get us off course. If he can get us to doubt the greater truths, we can end up shipwrecked. That is his goal. Don’t give in to doubt. Recognize it as one of the devil’s tactics and stand firm on the Word of God.

One last thing—don’t confuse honest questions with doubt. Consider the difference between Zacharias’ response to the angel Gabriel and Mary’s response (Luke 1:18, 34). Both seemingly asked the same question, “How shall this be?” It was not the question “How?” but rather the attitude with which the question was posed that differentiated the two. Zacharias asked in unbelief as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding? No way!” Mary, on the other hand, was asking in what manner God would accomplish such a wonder. Her humble faith is evidenced in her final statement to Gabriel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Mary was not guilty of doubting God’s Word; she was submitting to His plan!

There is nothing wrong with asking questions. That’s how we learn. Honest questions can turn your temptations to doubt into opportunities to grow in your understanding of the Lord, His Word, and His ways. At the end of every honest question you will find that God is true, even as Paul boasts in Romans 3:4, “Let God be true but every man a liar.”

¹ Spurgeon, C. H. (November 17, 1861). “The Roaring Lion.” www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2010/03/16/roaring-lion (December 5, 2012).

A Lot of Bad Ideas

Chuck Smith — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:19:26 -0600

Over the centuries, human beings have developed innumerable false ideas and concepts of God. The Greeks believed gods controlled and governed the passions of men. They had a god for each emotion, a deity for each passion. They worshiped the planets, the sun, the moon, and the constellations. They worshiped many gods, all of whom they believed to be selfish and self-centered, interested only in using their powers for their own ends.

The Romans adopted the gods of the Greeks, as well as many other deities from the far-flung lands they conquered. If you go to India today and look at the Hindu temples, you’ll get an idea of what it means to worship hundreds and even millions of gods—some of whom look horribly grotesque.

So what is God really like?

The Bible says that God committed the revelation of Himself to only one nation: Israel.

So Paul asks in his letter to the Romans, “What advantage then has the Jew…? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1-2). That is, in history God had spoken exclusively to one nation, the Jewish people, and revealed Himself to them.

God entrusted ancient Israel with His revelation so that His people might share that revelation with the rest of humanity. Unfortunately, they became very clannish and failed to share that revelation of God with the world; instead, they kept it pretty much to themselves. By the time Jesus came to earth, they had so misused God’s revelation that Jesus told them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17).

Jesus called the religious leaders of the time “blind” and warned they were leading the blind straight into a ditch (Matthew 15:14). He also said, “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23).

In this way, even God’s chosen people had developed a false concept of God. They came to believe that God was very exacting and cruel. They thought of Him as harsh, unreasonable, and demanding. They thought God required far more from them than anyone could produce; and so multitudes turned away from God and began to hate His ways—and all because of the exacting, punctilious ways by which they sought to apply their false interpretations of the laws of God.

In such a skewed context, it is easy to see why most people felt they could never draw close to God. They never had a hope of growing intimate with Him—and really, because of their warped concept of God, they didn’t especially want to draw close to Him.

Unfortunately, in many places this remains true even to the present day. God still is badly misrepresented. So we see little demigods standing before large crowds and declaring their distorted concepts of God, which are actually just a reflection of themselves and their desire to control their followers. They too represent God as demanding and requiring sacrificial support—in truth, only because the leader wants to maintain a lavish lifestyle. And so they make a farce out of God.

Do you see why it was so necessary for Jesus to come and give us a true revelation of God? That little Babe lying in the manger is God incarnate, in human flesh. He would grow up to be a man and would travel around Israel to reveal the truth about the Father. Jesus came for that purpose. If you want to know God and understand the truth about God, then you have to look at what Jesus said and did, for in Him you will find the revelation of God.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Wiles of The Devil

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 13:11:25 -0600

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil … above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:11, 16

The “wiles of the devil” and the “fiery darts of the wicked one” cover a broad range of activity but no doubt include Satan’s attack upon our mind and emotions. Experiences such as condemnation, doubt, fear, evil thoughts, and depression emanate from his attacks. Now, I do not claim to understand how it is that Satan can access our mind and emotions, but that he can is clear both from Scripture and from the testimony of many of God’s servants throughout the long history of the church. Let’s consider two examples of “the wiles of the devil,” one from Scripture and one from church history.

The first involves the apostle Peter and is recorded in Matthew 16. Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answers, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus commends him for his response, “Blessed are you Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Then as Jesus proceeds to tell them about His coming rejection by the leaders at Jerusalem and His subsequent death on the cross, Peter, well-meaning but misguided, takes Jesus aside and begins to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

Jesus turns and says to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Jesus’ response to Peter illustrates my point. In the first instance, Peter’s mind was influenced by the Lord. A few minutes later Peter was under the influence of Satan and his thoughts were satanically inspired.

The second striking example of the enemy’s attack on the mind of a believer is seen in the life of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Describing his experience in the book Grace Abounding, he writes:

“For about the space of a month … a very great storm came down upon me, which handled me twenty times worse than all I had met with before; it came stealing upon me, now by one piece, then by another; first, all my comfort was taken from me, then darkness seized upon me, after which, whole floods of blasphemies, both against God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These blasphemous thoughts were such as also stirred up questions in me, against the very being of God, and of his only beloved Son; as, whether there were, in truth, a God, or Christ, or no? and whether the holy Scriptures were not rather a fable, and cunning story, than the holy and pure Word of God?

“The tempter would also much assault me with this, how can you tell but that the [Muslims] had as good Scriptures to prove their [Mohammed] the Saviour, as we have to prove our Jesus is? And, could I think, that so many ten thousands, in so many countries and kingdoms, should be without the knowledge of the right way to heaven; if there were indeed spiritual warfare a heaven, and that we only, who live in a corner of the earth, should alone be blessed therewith? Every one … [thinks] his own religion [right], both Jews and [Muslims], and Pagans! and [what] if all our faith, and Christ, and Scriptures, should be [the same thing] too?

“Sometimes I have endeavoured to argue against these suggestions, and to set some of the sentences of blessed Paul against them; but, alas! I quickly felt, when I [did this], such arguings as these would return again upon me, though we made so great a matter of Paul, and of his words, [how do I know that Paul himself was not a deceiver and out to destroy his fellow men?]

“These suggestions, with many other which at this time I may not, nor dare not utter, neither by word nor pen, did make such a seizure upon my spirit, and did so [overwhelm] my heart, both with their number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt as if there were nothing else but these from morning to night within me; and as though, indeed, there could be room for nothing else; and also concluded, that God had, in very wrath to my soul, given me up unto them, to be carried away with them, as with a mighty whirlwind.

“Only by the distaste that they gave unto my spirit, I felt there was something in me, that refused to embrace them. But this consideration I then only had, when God [gave me brief moments of relief], otherwise the noise, and strength, and force of these temptations, would drown and overflow; and as it were bury all such thoughts or the remembrance of any such thing. While I was in this temptation, I should often find my mind suddenly put upon it, to curse and swear, or to speak some grievous thing against God, or Christ his Son, and of the Scriptures.

“Now I thought, surely I am possessed of the devil; at other times again, I thought I should be bereft of my wits; for instead of [praising] and magnifying God the Lord with others, if I have but heard him spoken of, presently some most horrible blasphemous thought or other would bolt out of my heart against him; so that whether I did think that God was, or again did think there were no such thing; no love, nor peace, nor gracious disposition could I feel within me.

“These things did sink me into very deep despair; for I concluded, that such things could not possibly be found amongst them that loved God. I often, when these temptations have been with force upon me, did compare myself in the case of such a child, whom some [abductor had by force taken up and carried from family], friend and country; kick sometimes I did, and also scream and cry; but yet I was as bound in the wings of the temptation, and the wind would carry me away. I thought also of Saul, and of the evil spirit that did possess him; and did greatly fear that my condition was the same with that of his (1 Samuel 16:14).

“In these days, when I have heard others talk of what was the sin against the Holy Ghost, then would the tempter so provoke me to desire to sin that sin, that I was as if I could not, must not, neither should be quiet until I had committed that; now, no sin would serve but that; if it were to be committed by speaking of such a word, then I have been as if my mouth would have spoken that word, whether I would or [not]; and in so strong a measure was this temptation upon me, that often I have been ready to [clasp] my hand under my chin, to hold my mouth from opening; and to that end also I have had thoughts at other times, to leap with my head downward, into some … hole …, to keep my mouth from speaking.”¹

What a vivid description of the kind of brutal warfare that we sometimes experience as God’s servants! More than a single “fiery dart,” Bunyan was assaulted with a continuous barrage of them. But he is not alone in this experience, for though we might not like to admit it, many of us have faced similar attacks. Having established that the enemy frequently attacks our mind and emotions, we will take a closer look next time at some of the “wiles of the devil” so that we can avoid being ensnared by them.

¹ Bunyan, John. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. URL: www.johnbunyan.org/text/bun-abounding.htm (January 23, 2004).

The Purpose of His Coming

Chuck Smith — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:53:22 -0600

It happens every year. As the calendar approaches its last page, interesting things start taking place. People begin clearing out a special spot somewhere in their homes to put up a tree. Colored lights get strung high on buildings, sparkling in the night sky. Fat men in red suits appear almost everywhere, while commercial radio stations play tunes you simply don’t hear during any other time of year.

Christmas is coming.

For believers in Christ, this season means much more than tinsel, presents and nostalgic viewings of classic holiday movies. We remember the nativity, the little babe lying in the manger as shepherds look on in adoration. The virgin has brought forth her firstborn son—Emmanuel, “God with us.”

Why did Jesus come that first Christmas? While the Bible gives many reasons for His advent, one of the most basic purposes was to reveal to the world the truth about God. Jesus’ heavenly Father sent His Son into this world to give us a firsthand, totally accurate revelation of the only true and eternal God.

The gospel of John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). A little later the evangelist writes, “And the Word became flesh and He dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus truly was Emmanuel, God wrapped in human flesh.

The book of Hebrews opens with these words:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Although God had revealed something of Himself through the prophets of old, He most completely and perfectly manifested His true nature through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus could tell one of His disciples, “Have I been with you so long, and yet have you not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Earlier He had said, “He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me” (John 12:45). When you observe Jesus, you look into the very soul of God. So the apostle Paul insists that Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).

Jesus came to earth to reveal to us what God is really like. As you look at the life of Jesus and study His teachings, you discover His heavenly Father’s true nature. Jesus had to come, for as John declares,

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him [or revealed Him to us] (John 1:18).

Since no one on earth had ever seen God at any time, people had mixed ideas concerning Him and His nature—many of them quite peculiar. And that is why Jesus came, to clear away the misunderstandings and to declare to us the whole truth about God, His heavenly Father.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

I Love The Church

Danny Lehmann — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:59:55 -0500

I love the church. It is the Body of Christ. It seems wherever I look, the very term "church" has become a punching bag for critics both in and outside it's walls. Loving Jesus while bashing the church is cool while loving Jesus and His church seems to be way uncool. Perhaps the disdain is a leftover of the "steeple and people" perception from times past. We now prefer synonyms. Those of us converted in the Jesus Movement liked the term "fellowship." Some Pentecostals settled on the Old Testament word "temple." Today's postmodern church likes the new buzz term "missional community."

The semantics are not important but the substance is. In every generation there seems to arise some bright lad or lady who wants to return to that elusive "New Testament Pattern" of the church (we now have 33,000 denominations!), often at the expense of what has gone before. First on the chopping block are church buildings, programs, liturgies, tithing, the sacraments, icons (except maybe Jesus tatoos!), and anything else that smacks of being "churchy" gets the axe. I've even seen the Lord's Supper being observed with the same amount of holy reverence as a ping-pong game! Many creative innovators champion a "just me and Jesus" theology and don't much care for spiritual authorities over them regardless of how Jesus-servant-like they are. They like to just meet very organically as the Spirit leads (see Barna's "Revolution" [subtitled "Worn-out On Church?"], which opens with two fellows "having church" on Sunday morning at a golf course).

The oft-repeated challenge is heard, "Where does the Bible say I have to go to church?" Anything resembling an "institution" or "organized religion" (some more uncool words!) is off-limits. A favorite, though worn-out expression, is, "The church is not an organization, but an organism." Much of such language is a sincere quest for authentic spirituality, but one wonders how much is a combination of an American spirit of independence combined with some leftover flower-child vibes from the 60s where our favorite bumper sticker reminded us to "Question Authority!"

There are many types of churches. First, there is the normal breakdown of Evangelical, Fundamentalist, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Liberal, and Mainline churches. Then there are seeker, simple, missional, peace, green, house, indigenous, online, emerging (not to be confused with Emergent), Messianic, justice, Reformed, Catholic, Orthodox, mega, liturgical, neo-Calvinist, multi-site, "Back to the Bible," and even "invisible" churches (I'm not kidding!). There is even a church in my city called "The True Jesus Church". Does that mean the rest of us are in a "false Jesus" Church?!

While globe trekking, I have attended most of the churches mentioned above. I have not found the perfect church and still can't even define the perfect church. It has been said if I found the perfect church then I shouldn't join it because then it wouldn't be perfect anymore. Ironically, I have found a lot of people who are so sold on their church brand that they freely criticize others who are not in their camp while they sport "Christians Aren't Perfect, Just Forgiven" bumper stickers on their cars.

Traditional Bible churches tend to think that seeker churches are shallow and superficial. Seeker churches tend to think that Bible churches get stuck in ruts and are short on applying the Bible. Some Pentecostals accuse the Baptists of being too dry while some Baptists think the Pentecostals are all wet and proclaim "repent and be Baptist!" The younger "missional" churches take issue with the more established churches because they aren't "incarnational" enough and fail to bring "transformation" to their communities. The Emergent churches (who are shrinking almost as fast as they grew) preached "deeds, not creeds," disdained "doctrine," and became increasingly intolerant of those they considered intolerant. Unfortunately their cure may have been worse than the disease.

Smaller churches accuse the mega-churches of compromising quality for the sake of quantity, and on and on it goes. One mega-church pastor told me he was criticized for pursuing excellence, and shouldn't be so "professional." He then turned to his critics and asked, "What would you suggest we pursue; non-excellence?"

Not long ago I asked a traveling musician if he ever found one type of church that seems to produce a better quality of obedient disciples than other types of churches. He immediately replied, "No, all churches have good, bad, and ugly things going on." I had to nod my head to concur.

I wonder what would happen if somehow we could call a moratorium on all in-house judgment of Christ's body and begin to highlight the positive contributions each church/denominational label brings to the Lord's table. What would happen if we celebrated the light instead of curse the darkness? Case in point: I spoke at a church not long ago and made a reference to the church I had been at the week before. Someone came up to me and confidently asserted, "That church doesn't get into the Word." My reply: "Well, they weren't using the Koran, and yes, they did get into the Word but maybe not in the same way that you think a church should 'get into the Word.'" Then I naively enquired: "Have you ever been to that church?" "No, but that's what I heard," was the reply. I lightly exhorted the brother that even in secular court of law hearsay evidence is not admissible. The biblical standard is much higher: Just don't judge! (Mt. 7:1-5; Rom. 2:1-3 14:4, 12-14; Jas. 4:11-12). Sorry I'm criticizing the critics, but somebody's got to do it.

Paul warned us very clearly not to divide over personalities: I am of Paul ... Cephas ... Apollos ... see 1 Cor. 1:10-13,3:4-5. While there is nothing wrong with honoring leaders or even being "proud"(in an appropriate sense) of being a part of a church or movement, we must recognize there are simply different strokes for different folks and we need to cut others some slack, or to use a biblical term, extend "grace." Are there times to sound a trumpet, warning about false teaching? Yes, but there is a difference between heresy and personal taste.

Local Church vs. Para-church

Back in the 70s, there was much controversy about "para-church" organizations. (An unfortunate term as "para" means "alongside of" and misrepresents structures that are not simply local churches. Hence I have chosen the term "mission-church"). It was even declared by some that these organizations have no right to exist because they are not "biblical" and existed only because the local church was not doing its job. Most of these judgments have subsided because the critics have realized the ludicrous nature of their assertions. Without these mission-church structures there would be no Christian schools, hospitals, orphanages, denominations, Bible colleges, seminaries, radio/TV ministries, mission agencies, Christian bookstores, rescue missions, aviation ministries, justice ministries, relief and development programs, etc., not to mention Paul's traveling teams who were not "local."

Now the shoe is on the other foot. People from some mission structures have in some circles rendered the local church irrelevant. Some have told me they "do church" all weeklong where they get fed and experience God and see no need to serve in or even attend church on Sundays. I spoke with one worker who said he searched but couldn't find a church good enough for him (this was in a city with hundreds of churches!). Remember, it is a church service, not a self-service!

It is my humble opinion that every mission-church worker should not only attend, but give to and serve the ministry of the local church where they live. There will always be exceptions (i.e. - those doing church planting or where there are no biblical churches available), but the exceptions further emphasize the rule.

I am grateful that as a new believer coming off the beach I had a good church to care for me and teach me the value of a local church. Joining YWAM did not change my commitment to serve the church. Time and space will fail me to tell of the incredible blessings I have received because I have been committed to my local church and served under my pastor.

When people tell me that they are too busy to serve at or even attend church, I simply say, "then you are too busy!" I like to point out that most of the folks who serve in local churches are already working 40+ hours a week, doing chores around the house, and various other "soccer mom"- type activities, and yet they still find the time to serve.

All this to say... I love the church!

How To Clear A Room In Five Minutes

Carl Kerby — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:31:27 -0600

Before

After

John 15:18-19

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

RIIIIIING! I have to admit, the sound of the fire alarm caught me totally off guard. I was speaking at a public high school assembly and the youth were locked-in on what I was saying. And then it happened. I just couldn’t believe it!

Let me back up and start at the beginning.

I was in Pennsylvania and didn’t know until we pulled up to the school that it was a public school. My talk was to be, “Where Did Cain Get His Wife? And Other Questions About Races!” When I found out it was an all-school assembly at a public school I asked the host what the restrictions were. He said it was only that I not preach!

Well, in answering questions about races, I would have to preach! So in order to not break the rules, I changed to another topic. The talk I chose would challenge the students to look at fossil evidence and evaluate it critically without using the Bible or talking about God.

It was a full-house and I was given 30 minutes to speak. I was really excited to be able to speak with these public school students, but by the time the students were seated and introductions were made I was left with about 25 minutes to share. Although the students were very attentive, I had a feeling only five minutes into my talk that something was up.

Ten minutes into the talk the fire alarm sounded. Interesting timing! One student hollered out, “Are you kidding?” All of the students started filing out of the auditorium and as they passed me some said, “Thank you!” It took less than five minutes to empty the whole auditorium!

My son, who works for rforh, was with me on this trip and he suggested I gather up my computer and take it outside with me. He then told me that he had overheard a heated discussion in the hallway. An adult was yelling at the principal, saying that what I was doing is illegal and that he would record it and file a report.

Something strikes me as I think about this experience. The public schools have these students for more than 900 hours each year and I was only going to speak to them for 25 minutes.

Many in the secular world accuse Christians of being, "close-minded, intolerant and bigoted." Well, just because people say that, doesn’t make it true.

“Close-minded?” No, we aren’t “close-minded.” We seek after truth. We just know that truth is only found in God’s Word.

“Intolerant?” No, we aren’t intolerant, unless something defies the commandments and truth of God and that is not intolerance — it’s standing firm in our faith and we have the freedom to do that in this country.

“Bigoted?” No, we aren’t “bigoted.” We know that there is only one race, the human race, and that there are only two kinds of people — those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and those who do not. In part it’s because we abandoned the Word of God and allowed “man’s opinion” to reign supreme that we have such a problem with racism in our world today.

As Bible-believing Christians we know it is our duty to love all people and to share the precious seed of the Gospel with a lost and dying world. So why would public schools worry about a 25 minute talk that presents biblical teachings? Remember, I didn’t use the Bible at all in this presentation. The only answer is because it is a threat to their secular beliefs.

Think about it, if the evidence that I was presenting is so “ignorant,” as one teacher told me, then anyone should be able to easily refute it! Seems to me they protest too much. Perhaps deep down they know the truth. Oh yeah….God said it’s written on everyone’s hearts, but some will suppress it.

Friends, this isn't a battle over who’s evidence is correct, this is a battle over the interpretation of the same evidence. The world will scorn and ridicule you (even have a fire drill) in attempts to stop you from speaking God’s truth.

Remember what Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) And what the apostle John said, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) We don't need to fight fire with fire (fire drill pun intended), the Word tells us to not repay evil with evil (1 Peter 3:9). Please love the lost enough to study to show yourself an approved workman for God (2 Timothy 2:15), and be prepared to give an answer why you believe what you say you believe (1 Peter 3:15).

So, how do you clear a room in under five minutes??

Just bring up information that contradicts the prevailing paradigm of the world today, which in this case was revealing truth about fossil evidence.

Of course we also know it depends on the room. We can also FILL a room in five minutes with those who know the Lord and are hungry to hear His truth.

Remember...there is a spiritual battle going on in our culture and it’s time we get active. Make sure to do it the way that God commanded though, “with meekness and fear.”

Stay bold!

Carl & the rforh Team

P.S. - If you’d like to see the full unedited version of the talk that the plug got pulled on you can obtain a copy from our website. It’s entitled, “Answers to Difficult Issues”. God Bless!

Where Is Your Spiritual Treasure?

Chuck Smith — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:50:43 -0600

The Lord once told the ancient church of Laodicea that it had grown lukewarm—and He didn’t mean it as a compliment. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot,” He said to them. “I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

The Lord cannot tolerate a lukewarm spiritual condition. He doesn’t want a divided heart. He doesn’t ask to be just a part of your life. He doesn’t want you to include Him among the other gods you worship. He desires that you give Him your whole heart, soul, mind, and body—everything.

You may try to split your devotion between God and something or someone else, but it cannot be done. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). You cannot maintain divided loyalties. You cannot live after the Spirit and walk after the flesh at the same time. It simply won’t work. These things are mutually exclusive. You have to choose one or the other.

When ancient Israel became spiritually lukewarm toward God, the Lord didn’t sit idly by. He said, “Their heart is divided; now they are held guilty.” And how did He respond? “He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars” (Hosea 10:2).

Had George Gallup lived in that era and conducted a poll, he probably would have discovered that 95 percent of the people believed in the existence of God; 87 percent of them attended a worship service sometime during the year; 92 percent of them felt religion was important in a person’s life; and 90 percent believed they should have prayer in the public schools. Yet almost 100 percent of the people of Hosea’s era had a divided heart.

Despite a general belief in God, their hearts had become divided, disloyal, and lukewarm toward God. This had occurred even though God had greatly blessed Israel and it had become a very prosperous nation. Sadly, the people used their prosperity to make ornate altars to other gods. They used the goodness of the land, which God had given them, to create and worship dead idols. God kept giving, but nothing came back to Him. In fact, the more God gave, the more they turned to other gods.

The Israelites used their surplus funds to buy large screen TVs, season tickets for Red Sox games, and a condo in Aspen. No, the Bible doesn’t really say that; but had they lived today, the text might well have said exactly such a thing. They simply offered their sacrifices to the puny, worthless things that had captured their hearts.

So they made images to Molech, the god of pleasure—and thereby acknowledged that pleasure had mastered their lives. They made images of Ashtoreth, thereby acknowledging that their sexual desires had grown paramount. At least they were honest about it! By their actions they said, “Yes, these are our top priorities. They rule our lives.” And they continued to go to synagogue every Sabbath, where they read from the Torah and said a few prayers. Then for the rest of the week they pursued their own pleasures and desires. They had divided hearts. God forbid that the Super Bowl should come on a Sabbath, for then they would have to miss synagogue!

What did God do about the divided hearts and lukewarm attitudes of His people? He promised to break down their altars and spoil their images. It’s as though He said, “These things of the world that you have given your heart to—these trinkets that have taken your heart away from Me, these possessions that you have striven to acquire— I will strip them all from you. I am about to take away your altars and destroy your images. They have attracted you away from Me and created your divided hearts, so I will utterly destroy them.”

Look at the world around you. Observe all the material things you find so attractive—and realize that they’re all going to burn. God will destroy them all. Only one kind of treasure is eternal, the spiritual treasure you lay up in heaven. The rest is wood, hay, and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). It’s all going to burn.

God reserves the non-flammable stuff for those with undivided hearts.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

An Undivided Heart

Chuck Smith — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:14:23 -0600

A believer may have a heart to serve the Lord, but if he also has a heart for the trinkets of the world, in practice he will often get caught up in worldly activities.

He has given a place in his heart to the Lord, but he hasn’t given his whole heart to Him. He feels drawn by the Spirit after the things of God, but he also feels drawn by his flesh after the things of the world. While you’ll usually find him in church on Sunday, the rest of the week God has very little place in his life. He seldom communicates with God. He gets so busy in the activities of daily life that God gets squeezed out. And thus, his heart is divided. He feels drawn toward God and the things of the Spirit, but also drawn toward the world.

So often we can feel so pulled by the attractions of the world that our devotion to God becomes something less than total. Do you ever struggle with this? I confess that I sometimes do. And as I feel drawn by this attraction and pulled by this desire, my heart is divided. Such a person has enough of the Lord in his heart to feel very uncomfortable in ungodly surroundings—so he cannot enter fully into the “fun.” He has a check in his spirit that keeps him from plunging totally into the world. And yet he has too much of the world in his heart to be fully happy in Jesus, to have real joy in the Lord. And so he’s miserable. Misery—it’s just one result of a divided heart.

A divided heart will do more than make you miserable. It will make your life difficult and cause an endless stream of problems for you. Think about this from the other side for a moment. What do you know about people with divided hearts? I can think of at least three major weaknesses they all have.

1. A divided heart often will not stick around.

Imagine you are a woman looking for a husband. You certainly don’t want some fellow with a divided heart. He’s likely to say, “Oh yes, I love you—as well as every other little doll on the block.” No way! You want his heart to be single toward you. You cannot afford to constantly question his devotion.

First Chronicles 12:33 describes how fifty thousand men of Zebulun once gathered before David to present themselves as loyal soldiers. These experts in war would not break rank. In the heat of battle, when the pressure was on, David could count on these men to stand together. The King James Version of the Bible declares, “They were not of double heart.”

True strength never lies in numbers. It doesn’t lie even in abilities. True strength always lies in singleness of heart.

2. A divided heart is not committed to winning.

No coach is apt to choose players with half-hearted attitudes toward winning. He won’t select guys who come prancing onto the field saying, “My, what a beautiful day! I suppose we should practice. Isn’t it nice that it doesn’t matter whether we win or lose?” Any decent coach would say, “Get out of here!” He wants his players completely devoted to winning. That’s why you may hear him quote the old saying, “Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing.” He certainly doesn’t want any divided hearts.

The Bible says that a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways (James 1:8). In other words, you cannot trust him. When things get tough, he may just give up since it doesn’t matter much to him whether you win or lose. True commitment never lies in words or intentions. It lies in singleness of heart.

3. A divided heart is unsure of who he or she is.

People with divided hearts do not have a clear idea of where they stand with the Lord. Therefore, whenever it feels convenient and advantageous, they can put on the Christian shield and sing the choruses of the church. They’re spiritual chameleons suffering from a divided heart.

However, when dark days come, they don’t know how best to ask the Lord for His help. They don’t know Him well. They don’t know His Word. They don’t remember His promises. So they grow fearful, anxious, and discouraged—and at that moment, all the chameleon skin in the world doesn’t bring them an ounce of comfort.

True confidence will never lie in fitting in and it doesn’t lie in adaptability. Faith and true confidence will always lie in singleness of heart.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Peril of the Armchair Quarterback

Ken Sutton — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:51:22 -0600

Have you noticed that everyone is an expert nowadays about something? It used to be that in order to become an expert you had to be fully engaged in your “area of expertise” but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Before the internet and the proliferation of mass media someone had to actually immerse themselves in a culture to become an expert on it. Now we have endearing titles for people who become experts without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. If you watch C-Span all day, you are a “political junkie”. If you watch the Food Network all day we call you a “foodie”. If you watch the football all day Sunday, we call you an “armchair quarterback”.

Let me explore the mindset of the armchair quarterback for a minute. I have many friends who love football and many of them are not content with being a mere fan. No, they want to be a General Manager (GM) of their own franchise! And what better way to be a GM then to join a fantasy football league, where you can draft your own team and make trades with impunity. Yes, fantasy football is real and it is hugely popular. Fans are now experts on almost every facet of statistical analysis, so when they scream at the TV screen they are more educated than ever before. “His completion rate was only 47% against the pass rush today!”. By the way, screaming at a TV screen while people play sports is a right of passage for most men, we are passionate about these things.

The key to armchair quarterbacking though is to never get delusional about it. A fan has to realize he is merely a fan and leave it at that. Just because a man is a GM in his fantasy league, it doesn't make him a real GM. It is called a fantasy league for a reason. 99.99% of the fans are not experts at moneyball, salary cap restrictions, or union negotiations. A football fan can’t run the 40 very fast, can’t take a hit from a 300 pound lineman, and he can’t read an offense without the aid of an instant replay. These are important factors to remember when you are yelling at the screen. If you don’t, there is a big disconnect in your life and you need help. Get some help man!

In the church, we also have our fair share of armchair quarterbacks.

The church in America has more access to information today than in any other. If the adage is true that a person doesn't even have to leave his armchair to become an expert on something, then it is true for the Christian. We have access to more online Bible commentaries, podcasts, and video teaching than ever before. We can download the newest Christian book on Kindle without ever leaving our house. We can watch our favorite Bible teacher online and then hit their “like” button on Facebook (becoming a fan) all within an hour. If that is not enough we can follow them on Twitter. You can see why, for some in the church today, that the height of spiritual warfare is a slow internet connection.

Never has there been a time when being a Christian “expert” is more in our reach. Never have we held the Christian consumer in higher regard. Never has the Christian pallette been more sophisticated. The Apostle Paul alludes to this issue in 1st Corinthians 8:1 when he says “knowledge (for the sake of knowledge) puffs up but love builds up”. The motive behind why we know what we know makes all the difference in the world.

When consumerism becomes the mindset of the church it can begin to resemble an episode of Siskel and Ebert...You know the old program where two film critics sat in a balcony of a cinema and argued over whether a movie should get a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Whenever I watched that show, I always wanted to state the obvious “If you guys are such experts on filmmaking, why don’t you direct your own movies?” Siskel and Ebert were classic armchair quarterbacks. We do the same when we walk away from church judging the quality of what we have received rather than taking hold of it and allowing it to transform us.

Here is the problem with being a Christian armchair quarterback...Unless all of our knowledge has an outlet in personal service (and genuine fruitfulness) for the Lord, it will always morph into something that resembles two men arguing in the balcony. It will lead you to critique ministry rather than receive it. James the Apostle addressed this issue in James 1:22 when He said “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”. Real faith and character requires Spirit filled action. James knew that unless each person continually acts upon what they know to be true...the church would become overpopulated with opinionated people who merely judge the quality of ministry while taking no personal responsibility for it. When that happens in the church it can begin to look like a fantasy football league more than anything else and that is why James calls it a deception.

There is only one remedy for the armchair quarterback. Repent. Get out of your armchair. Renounce your expert status. Go serve somebody with the love of Jesus Christ. I will unpack this idea further in my next post entitled “The Original Amateur Hour”, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I am rooting for my undefeated Oregon Ducks to become National Champions in football!! Go Ducks!

Lucy, Part 5

Carl Kerby — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:55:46 -0600

Thank you for sticking it out!! We’ve covered a lot of information about evolution and fossils. If you missed any of the past articles, I hope you’ll go back and take a look at them.

Our prayer is that when the topics of human evolution or fossils arise, you will be better equipped to discuss and refute unbiblical thinking. Of course we remind you that in giving an answer for the reason of the hope that is in you...always do it with meekness and fear.

We’ve covered the claims made about the eyes, hips & knees and the hands & feet, of Lucy! Using only secular material we’ve shown that what is seen in museums and on television programs, depicting Lucy as an upright walking apelike ancestor, is not what the observational evidence shows. So, with no further delay, let’s finish the study on Lucy.

In order to answer, once and for all, the question of whether Lucy was a missing link between apes and humans, I will once again use secular sources. This time we’ll go to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

In 2008 I spoke in Shrevesport, LA. Five hours away at that time, the Houston Museum of Natural Science had an exhibit of the fossil evidence for Lucy called “Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia”. Many Shrevesport school children had been taken to Houston to see Lucy’s bones.

Some that had seen the exhibit shared with me how they felt it was almost like going to a church service. The students were told to be on their best behavior, and to be very quite and respectful as they looked at these bones. Children were shushed by docents, even if they spoke quietly, in the vicinity of the bones.

The experience relayed by the children brought to mind my early experiences in the church. They were nearly identical. Now, please don’t think that I’m advocating not being respectful or being loud and obnoxious in a museum. That’s not the case at all. But, to not be allowed to speak because we are looking at monkey bones just strikes me as being wrong.

What first came to my mind was, We’re not going to wake Lucy up! That monkey’s been dead for a long time!

Anyway, the Houston Museum of Natural Science produced a “Teacher’s Curriculum Guide” that corresponded with the “Lucy” exhibit.

I was able to obtain a copy of this guide and will allow them to answer once and for all if “Lucy” is one of our ancestors. Here’s what it said:

“For many years, Lucy was thought to be a direct human ancestor, but we now see her as belonging to a separate group of hominids from those which became our species, Homo sapiens.” ("ifest 2008, Out of Africa: The Three Journeys" page 20)

Just so you don’t think I’m cherry picking, here’s another source stating the same thing. In April 2007 The Jerusalem Post featured an article with this headline:

“Israeli researchers: 'Lucy' is not direct ancestor of humans”

Well, so much for our supposed ancestor, Lucy.

In a later series we’ll take a look at the bones of a few other supposed ancestors that are on exhibit at the David Koch Hall of Human Origins at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. We’ll see again how easy it is to give answers to those claims as well.

For now please allow us to say, “Thank you” again for your time. It’s been a lot of material to cover and if this has whet your appetite we encourage you to do further study on fossil evidence. Feel free to share with us anything of interest that you might “unearth.” (pun intended!)

Stay bold,

Carl & the rforh Team

P.S. – Please remember, all of this information plus much more is available in the talk, “Human Evolution: Is That All You Got?” which is contained in the 5 DVD series entitled “Becoming Bold Know it! Live it! Share it!”. This series is available at the rforh store or thechapelstore.com. You may also purchase a single DVD of this talk at the rforh store.

Idol Worship

Chuck Smith — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:08:15 -0600

Too often, I fear, we put part of our trust in Jesus and part in our Wall Street stock—and so our hearts are divided. I’d go so far as to say that one of the greatest problems today is a double heart. With part of our heart, we want to serve the Lord; and with another part of our heart, we want to follow after the flesh. I know that pull, and I’m pretty sure you do, too.

So many things of this world attract us. I’m personally attracted by intellectualism. I have a strong desire to spend my time studying and learning. Some individuals have so given themselves over to their intellectual prowess that they spend every moment learning, seeking knowledge, and working to pile up facts. It becomes an obsession. It takes over their daily lives until they spend all their time searching and learning. The Bible describes them as “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). As I said, I find this a very attractive allurement for myself.

Others are attracted by pleasure. They live for a thrill, a rush, a wild sensation. They surround their whole lives around moments of exhilaration. Maybe it’s that last-minute field goal or a ninth-inning homerun. Many will spend any amount of money in order to experience that one special, fleeting moment of thrill.

Still others feel attracted by power. They want control, to make others grovel at their feet or beg them for their favor. And so they run for city council, and then state assembly, then state senate, then for the governor’s office, and then finally for the Presidency. All the while they’re thinking, What will the people say? How will they respond? Will they vote for me in the next election? And so they spend an entire lifetime absorbed in developing ever-greater positions of power.

Long ago, people who worshiped pleasure recognized pleasure as their god, and so they carved out a little image and said, “This is Molech. He is the god of pleasure, the god of thrills and excitement.” And so they sat little Molech in their homes and burned incense before him. They lit candles around him and prayed: “Let the surf be up!” They were acknowledging Molech as the god of their life. They were saying, “I live for pleasure. This is more important to me than anything else.”

The only thing they did that we fail to do is to give their desire a physical shape—they made a wooden or stone idol out of it. Those who worshiped power carved a different little idol called Mammon and put him in their homes, built him altars, and offered him their worship. They came and knelt before him and prayed for power over others. Since they recognized they had deified their obsession for power, they were honest about it and said, “I worship power, represented by this little idol.”

Men and women obsessed with intellectual pursuits recognized knowledge as their lord, so they called their god Baal (Baal means “lord”). They made their own little idol, bowed down to him, prayed to him, and burned incense as an acknowledgment of their chief goal in life: to gain knowledge.

Back in Bible days, when God spoke to all these folks about their idol worship, they knew exactly what He was talking about. Today, however, when we read Bible verses about idolatry, we tend to get very smug. “I don’t have any idols,” we say. “I can take you to the family room or the entryway and you won’t see any little god sitting on the table.” And so we proclaim, quite self-righteously that we don’t worship idols—when in reality, we do worship the very same principles that ancient people once personified with little wood or stone gods. Like them, we also prioritize our whole lives around learning, around pleasure, around power, or around some other obsessive desire.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Heart of Apologetics

Dave Rolph — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:17:26 -0600

1 Peter 3:15 is the verse we most commonly refer to as we discuss the topic of Apologetics. The verse says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." The Greek word that is translated "defense" is "apologia" (the same word that is the source of the English word apology.) Thus, we call the practice of defending the faith "apologetics."

Most Christians, especially when they are new Christians, become enamored with the topic of apologetics. Our passion for reaching the lost drives us to study the various approaches for winning people to Christ. We suppose that winning arguments will win people. We soon learn how hard it is to win people by winning arguments.

But I think we are frustrated by our apologetic efforts because we've missed some important concepts that are taught in 1 Peter 3:15. First of all, apologetics is first and foremost, a work of the heart. Our readiness comes from having hearts that are set apart for God. Sanctifying God in our hearts is what prepares us for the opportunities and encounters that God presents to us. Apologetics that starts with the head instead of the heart is doomed for failure. Secondly, the defensive opportunities are centered around the hope that is in us. In other words, when people see how hopeful and optimistic we are, this should spur them to wonder how we can be so hopeful, in such a hopeless world. Sadly, the non-Christian world probably sees most Christians as being pessimistic, doom and gloom, frightened people. We run around like Chicken Little, screaming that the sky is falling. No wonder people aren't coming up to us to ask us about why we are so hopeful and positive. Thirdly, we also often miss the words "with meekness and fear" that conclude this verse. There is certainly a place for bold, confident, shameless preaching. But the place for that isn't generally in our personal encounters with those who don't yet know Jesus. Those encounters will benefit greatly from meekness, and even a healthy dose of fear. Humility is simply more attractive than prideful bluster. Few people have been won to Christ by arrogance.

If we will truly prepare our hearts, by taking on God's heart, then live a hopeful life before people, some of them will wonder about us. They might even ask us why we are so peaceful and positive. This can lead to some great apologetic moments, if we handle ourselves with meekness balanced with fear. Let's win people, not just arguments.

A Heart of Flesh

Chuck Smith — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:20:32 -0600

The first time you travel to Jerusalem, get prepared to see a lot of rocks. Many first-time visitors feel overwhelmed by the number of rocks scattered around the city. It’s easy to see why the ancients practiced stoning for capital crimes. I’ve never seen so many rocks in one place. You also might hear quite a few stories about how these rocks got there. One says that God commissioned two angels to scatter rocks across the globe. One angel flew all over the world, scattering the rocks, but the other was lazy. He just dumped them all on Jerusalem.

My favorite story is the one I heard from our tour guide in Israel. He said that God has placed in the heart of every individual a desire to see Jerusalem. Through the years, as time goes by, a person begins to worry that this desire may never be fulfilled. The person’s heart begins to grow heavy as that old desire to see Jerusalem remains unfulfilled. It grows heavier and heavier until it becomes like a stone.

But one glorious day, God gives the individual an opportunity to visit Jerusalem. As he approaches the city of God, he feels such joy and elation that he takes that old heart of stone and casts it aside. At last his dream has come true! Before him, with his own eyes, he drinks in the holy city of God.

So all those rocks you see piled around Jerusalem are actually the stony hearts of countless visitors.

Many of us have stony hearts made hard and bitter through difficult experiences, bitter disappointments, and terrible injustices. Our hearts grow hard against the Lord until they become like a stone. The good news of Jesus Christ is that God can take those hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh—sensitive, tender, loving. He can melt all the bitterness and take away all the hardness and leave behind a beautiful work of His Spirit. That is the only way to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. And it is the only way to discover and to enjoy God’s loving purpose for you.

Your life and mine each has a center point. The big question is: where does that center point lie? What do our lives revolve? What is the access point upon which our days turn? Jesus told us that that the only way to find purpose and meaning is to orient our lives around God. Why? Because he is the only center point worth having. The Lord Almighty must become the center of our existence, the very hub around which the rest of our lives revolve—and that begins to happen for all of us when we willingly and with joy choose to pursue a loving relationship with Him.

Love God supremely! This is the first major step on the road to a life well-led and well worth living.

“We know him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

A Special Kind Of Joy

Bill Walden — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:22:06 -0500

Psalm 21:1 The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Sometimes we Christians take a low view of what we should be joyful over. We rejoice in our new cars. We rejoice that we got to attend a particular event. We rejoice that the weather suits us today. As such things happen, we proclaim “God is good”, and we are happy for the moment.

Please don’t misunderstand me…I agree that the blessings of God come to us in many ways, and none of the aforementioned items are wrong to be happy about. And yet, there is a special kind of joy that only some experience.

The joy of which King David spoke is never experienced by those who maintain their “comfort zone”. (Did you know that phrase is not in the Bible?)

The joy that David experienced is never known by those who live for the weekend, who work so they can take a vacation, and who live as spectators of the great spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.

David experienced the joy that only a soldier knows: He knew the joy of experiencing God’s strength and salvation in battle. Put yourself in David’s place, and imagine what he faced many times throughout his life.

Except perhaps for archery, David and his men fought hand to hand with their enemies. People always died when they went out to battle. David and his soldiers lived intense lives…lives that most of us will never experience.

In Psalm 20, David and his people asked for victory, and for their lives to be spared. They made freewill offerings and commitment offerings to God, and then determined within themselves that they would not trust in horses or chariots, but in God. David would not trust only in his God given abilities as a warrior. He had killed a lion, a bear, Goliath, and tens of thousands, but David determined to trust in God for victory, and for his life.

Psalm 21 speaks of David’s return from battle. Imagine coming home from such military campaigns, and knowing that God had been strong on your behalf, and had saved you.

I submit to you…David’s joy was much greater than the joy of the average Christian. We are happy about our new flat screen T.V.’s; David rejoiced over God’s deliverance. We are happy that God cleared the commute traffic for us; David rejoiced that God had been present with him in battle.

I don’t mean to minimize our lives of faith. I do mean to magnify David’s life and faith. Those who win in battle rejoice in a way that spectators will never experience.

May I encourage and exhort you to remember that we too are in a battle. Warren Wiersbe is quoted as saying, “The world is not a playground, it is a battleground”.

As a Christian, you are in a fight. God really means it when he says that we are in a war.

Ephesians 6:10-12 ¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We don’t fight like David did, but we do fight. At least, we ought to be fighting. Fighting takes courage. Fighting takes discipline. Fighting requires a deep conviction. Fighting is messy and costly. Fighting can be lonely. Many Christians leave the fighting to others, and then offer their critique of the battle from the bleachers.

Christians that are not willing to engage in the spiritual battle will never experience the kind of joy that David knew. He fought, risked it all, and experienced the joy of God’s strength and salvation.

So what does the fight look like for us? How do we get engaged in the battle? Here are some suggestions.

Fight for the Biblical thinking that you and everyone around you needs. Commit to reading the Bible, and let God transform you by renewing your mind. (Romans 12:2) Quit thinking carnally because you only think carnally.

Fight for the salvation and sanctification of others through acts of love. Sacrifice your time for them. Give up your agenda, and spend your life for others. Fight against the self-focus that prevents us from blessing others. Nehemiah told the people, “Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” (Nehemiah 4:12)

Fight in prayer. James 5:16 tells us, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. There are many people that need our prayers. There are many situations that need our prayers. Either we believe that verse or we don’t. Prayer requires discipline and conviction, and we need to fight against our flesh and against Satan, for neither wants to see us pray.

What then will be the result?

Like David, we will come back from the battle having seen God’s strength and salvation, both in our lives and in the lives of others. We will see people saved. We will see lives and situations changed. We will see the hand of God moving in situations that we were powerless to affect.

The Christian who engages in spiritual battle knows of victories that the Christian in the bleachers can only read about. The bleacher Christian is just as saved, but they do not know the joy of having spent their lives in the Great Battle, and they will not experience the joy that King David and the One Greater Than David knew.

Everyone you know needs you to be fighting. There is no exception in that statement. We fight for God’s purposes, and for the sake of others, and as we do, we see God in the battle, and experiencing His strength and salvation.

What's In Your Heart

Chuck Smith — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:48:55 -0500

How can a man be changed? Can a leopard change his spots? How can a man have a whole new life when he is old? How can these things be?

A man named Nicodemus had these very questions for Jesus. The Master spoke to him of new life, of new birth, of a new dimension of life after the Spirit—and Nicodemus simply didn’t understand. “How can this be?” he wondered. “How can a man be born again when he is old? He cannot return to his mother’s womb to be born a second time; can he?” (John 3:1-21). Jesus replied, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; but that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” In other words, “It all has to start with God, Nicodemus; that’s why My Father promised to give His people a new heart and a new spirit.

But how could such a remarkable transformation take place? John explains in the most famous verse of the Bible: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). When you believe in Jesus Christ—when you choose to ask Him to come into your life and to change you—God gives you that new heart and new spirit.

I don’t understand the ways of the Spirit, but I do know He works to put a new spirit within you. And at that moment, your life is transformed. You’re changed forever. The things you once hated, you now begin to love. And the things you once loved—the activities and attitudes that felt so important to you—you begin to abhor. Why? Because now you see them for what they really are: instruments of destruction.

Where is your heart today? Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). God responded to the prophet’s question like this: “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” (v. 10). God searches your heart in order to know it thoroughly. And when God judges, He will base His judgment on the deepest issues of your heart.

So then, when God says you are to love Him alone with everything within you, how does your own heart stack up? In the secret recesses of your heart, do other issues take precedence over your relationship with God? Do you consider some things more important than the things of the Lord?

Paul told the Romans, “Look, just because you are doing the expected religious things—just because you observe the Sabbath, just because you read the law, just because you’ve been circumcised—does not make you a child of God. God looks at your heart. It is what’s in your heart that counts” (Romans 2:17-29).

The ancient Jews had a very interesting way of expressing grief or sorrow when some great calamity overtook them. They would rip their clothes—just shred them. When bad news came, they’d say, “Oh, no,” and rrrrrrrrip. It was their way of expressing their deep feelings of sorrow. Through the prophet Joel, God said to them, “I want you to tear your heart, not your garments. Let your heart be ripped! I want a change there. This outward display of torn clothing, that doesn’t count for much. What matters is what’s going on in the heart. That’s what really interests Me” (Joel 2:13).

Don’t deceive yourself. God already knows what is in your heart. If you will just allow Him, God will search your heart and lead you into His path. He will show you, if you’re really interested, what is in your heart. It might shock you. It might surprise you—but you need to know the real condition of your heart.

If you have not already done so, I urge you to surrender your heart to God today. Ask the Father to give you a clean heart, a pure heart, a heart of flesh as promised in Ezekiel 11:19-20. Only then will you be able to love Him with all of your heart.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

All Things Become New

Chuck Smith — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:34:14 -0500

I’ve observed with keen interest how God changes the heart and attitude of a person who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior. As the Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I’ve seen some of the hardest characters imaginable—people with tough, bitter hearts—become tender and even affectionate once they accept Jesus Christ as Savior. It’s a beautiful thing to observe.

Decades ago when we lived in Tucson, we had some marvelous next-door neighbors named Jim and Jan. Jan was the first to receive the Lord. God’s Spirit started working in her heart in a marvelous way and she had a terrific conversion. What a thrilling moment when she accepted Christ! She had a very bubbly kind of personality and the Lord just enhanced her whole identity. Immediately Jan wanted to tell her husband that she had accepted the Lord. But he was a hard man, especially against the things of the Lord. So she felt she ought to wait for a more appropriate time to tell her story of conversion.

That evening when Jim came home from work, however, their youngest daughter started jumping up and down with great excitement. “Mama,” she said breathlessly, “are you going to tell Daddy what happened when Chuck came over today?” She kept it up until Jim finally said, “What in the world goes on when I’m not at home?” So Jan told her husband how she had received Jesus Christ. She described how she had instantaneously felt a wave of peace and joy flood her spirit. She didn’t completely realize it yet, but this is the work of God’s Spirit—giving a new heart.

At first, Jim reacted very negatively. But some time later when we began to talk about it, I had the privilege of kneeling down with him as he, too, accepted the Lord. Shortly afterwards he and Jan got transferred to Alaska. And just a few days later I received a letter from Jim that I will cherish forever. In it he thanked me for sharing Jesus with him and for introducing him to a brand new life in Christ.

“Chuck,” he wrote, “it used to be that I hated children, even though I had three beautiful daughters. I said children were the scourge of the earth. I felt trapped in my marriage and with my children—but I cannot describe how God has changed my heart.”

Jim had to leave for Alaska before the rest of his family could join him, and he wrote the letter to me before his loved ones had arrived at their new home. “I’m up here finding myself missing them desperately,” he wrote. “I cannot wait for them to get here so I can embrace them and have them with me.” And then he added the clincher: “I cannot understand myself—but I’m such a different person.”

That’s exactly what God said He was going to do! He promised to take out the stony heart and replace it with a heart of flesh. Remarkable changes would come from within, not from some outward and oppressive kind of legal bondage. God doesn’t want to sign you up for some lifeless contract. Unlike what many people think, He doesn’t “play the game.” Whenever you miss some detail, He doesn’t say, “C’mon, Bud, you didn’t read the fine print!” He has no desire to keep you in a binding, legal arrangement. He’s interested in a loving relationship with you. That’s why He wants to give you a new heart, a heart that truly loves God and the things of God.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Will You Accept Me?

Bob Coy — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:49:22 -0500

It started out as most Sundays do for me. As is my normal custom, I entered our Church’s sanctuary and began to greet a few of those who had gathered to worship. But this time, I was surprised to say the least as I was met by a man fully made-up as a woman. He introduced himself as “Cheryl”, and he was wearing a dress and enough makeup to cover over his facial hair.

This person had a question for me, “Pastor Bob, I want to know, will you accept me here at your church for who I am?” I answered his question with a question of my own, “Let me ask you, will you accept me for who I am?” A confused look crossed his face, “What do you mean?”

I replied, “I’m a Pastor and this is a Bible-teaching Church. And while you’re certainly welcome here, at some point in time I’m going to address the lifestyle that you’ve chosen. Based on what God has revealed in His Word, I’m bound to share this isn’t His plan or purpose for you or anyone else. So while I certainly welcome and accept you as a guest, I need you to consider if you’re willing to accept me for who I am and what I stand for?” He quietly listened and considered what I had just said.

It was a couple of weeks later that I saw him again. This time, however, he was wearing jeans and a shirt instead of a dress. The makeup was gone and he now wanted to be known as “Mike”. I’m glad to say that Mike has been growing in His walk with Christ ever since, and has faithfully served as part of our church staff for the past eight years.

Why do I share this with you? In part, it’s to celebrate God’s grace at work in Mike’s life. But let me also use it to pose this question; what were my other options? Instead of affirming my own identity and values as a Christian, I could have kept quiet and so sanctioned a way of life that unquestionably cuts against the grain of God’s heart. But that wouldn’t have helped Mike, and it certainly wouldn’t have been healthy for me.

Yet, as the world becomes more brazen and bold to assert its values, I’m seeing a troubling tendency within the Body of Christ to placate this mounting pressure to keep quiet as “wrong” is being promoted as “right”. Many Christians have become so conscious of the Bible-thumping stereotype we all want to avoid that they’ve become an opposite yet equally ungodly example.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “More than ever, the Church needs to act like the Church.” But those words have never been truer. In fact, if the Church doesn’t collectively correct this tendency, if it doesn’t stand for God’s truth, stand up for what He deems as right, and stand out from the world…I wonder how many of our churches will actually be churches.

So how did this all happen and how does it get fixed? I’ll submit that it’s happened because we’ve forgotten three important things, and the remedy resides in remembering them.

For starters, we’ve forgotten our place. The Bible couldn’t be clearer when it comes to the Christian’s place in this world. It’s a transient and temporary one. We’re pilgrims passing through on our way towards the enduring and eternal Kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:11, Hebrews 11:13). Our earthly lives are like a vapor, gone before you know it (James 4:14).

But I believe we lose sight of this. We get lulled into the lie that we should preoccupy ourselves with this world and we put all of our eggs in earth’s basket. When that happens, we start caring more about what other people think about us than what God thinks.

This world is rapidly passing away and soon we’ll all stand before the One to whom we will give an account (Romans 14:12, Hebrews 9:27). He won’t care how accepted we were in this world or how popular we were with people who needed to know His salvation. That’s not our place on this planet. It’s to reflect His righteousness in the short window of time that we’re here (Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 5:1).

Secondly, we’ve forgotten our power. If we’re brutally honest with ourselves, a lot of times we’re really just scared to stand for what’s right. We know it’s the right thing to do but the prospect of actually doing it fills us with a paralyzing fear.

Peter had that same problem. When the time came to take a stand for the Lord he caved into his personal fears and insecurities (John 18:17, 25, 27). But then something happened. He received supernatural strength from God’s Holy Spirit to be a witness to the world for Christ’s sake (Acts 1:8, 2:4). And the difference was as dramatic as any that’s ever existed (Acts 2:14).

In the very same way, God wants to empower our lives with His Spirit so we can effectively point the world to His truth and salvation (Ephesians 5:18). Understand, this is not an optional aspect of the believer’s life. Just as faith in Jesus is necessary in order to become a Christian, the filling of the Holy Spirit is necessary in order to live as a Christian (Galatians 5:16). And when we simply ask God to fill us with His Spirit’s presence, we receive the supernatural power needed to overcome our natural fears (2 Timothy 1:7).

Finally, we’ve forgotten our past. It’s interesting how we can lose touch with just how miserable we were when we were living in the world and apart from Christ. In many ways, a life of sin is its own punishment. I know from my own experience, I was so empty, so lonely, and so desperate for something without even knowing what it was.

Listen, “it” was the forgiveness and freedom from sin that can only be found in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Romans 5:18). But someone had to be bold enough, loving enough, to tell me that my life was filled with sin (Romans 3:23). I had to hear that I needed help before I could receive help (Romans 6:23).

Whether they admit it or not, the worldly people we know aren’t any different. And yet we often go out of our way to not offend them in the name of “love”. Are we really loving them or doing them a favor? Wouldn’t the most loving thing be to identify sin as sin so they can actually be set free from it? Shouldn’t the emptiness in them produce empathy in us? An empathy that remembers what it was like to be rescued from a lifestyle that was destroying us daily. And shouldn’t that motivate us to compassionately confront (2 Corinthians 5:14)?

Here’s what I hope you hear from me; as God’s people, we’re way past the time of pretending we can keep quiet as our society strays further and further from His truth. God has called us out of this world so we could play a part in His plan to save it (Romans, 10:15, 2 Corinthians 5:19). We can and we will when we remember our place, our power, and our past.

Originally published in Decision Magazine, September 2012: http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=8893

A Better Song

Chuck Smith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:14:11 -0500

In the book Odyssey, the author Homer illustrated how Odysseus left his home to fight in the Trojan War, despite great reluctance. After the war had ended, it took Odysseus twelve long years to return home.

At some point Odysseus and his fellow sailors would have to cruise past a magical island inhabited by half nymph/half women called sirens. These creatures sang so beautifully—and yet so murderously—that their songs enchanted all men who dared to sail past their island. The enchanted sailors would inevitably drive their ships into the rocky shore, killing everyone on board. The sirens prided themselves on the fact that no mortal had ever shown the strength to resist their song.

Since Odysseus wanted to hear that gorgeous melody, he directed his men to put wax in their ears and then to chain him up to the mast of the ship—his own ears wide open. As his ship sailed past the enchanted island, Odysseus heard the impossibly beautiful music of the sirens. He begged his men to turn the ship toward the shore. He screamed, he threatened, he railed, he cursed. He nearly went mad. But the wax in their ears prevented them from hearing not only the sirens, but also his lunatic commands. And so they sailed on. Odysseus survived, but nearly lost his mind.

Ancient mythology also tells another story about the sirens, this time about a gifted musician named Orpheus. This man and his crew also sailed by the island of the sirens. As their bewitching music wafted over the waves, the enchanted sailors began to turn their ship toward shore. Once Orpheus grasped their peril, he immediately took out his flute and began to play music so far superior to that of the sirens that his men lost all interest in the enchanted song. And so they rowed safely by.

We all know religious people who, like Odysseus, feel chained to the Lord. They long for the songs of this world. So they struggle and whine and wish with everything in them that they could just cut loose and plunge into the dark world of the sirens. “These laws have chained me to God.” they complain.

That’s a miserable place to be; I don’t recommend it to anybody. When your heart longs for the things of the world, but you feel chained to righteous principles, then you’re stuck in a legal relationship with God. And you feel utterly downcast.

How much better to hear the infinitely more beautiful song of the Lord! How delightful to feel so attracted by His love and His beauty that the world loses its appeal. Once you have genuinely gazed upon His splendor and experienced His glory, then the call of the siren loses its allure. A desire for the things of this world no longer has a hold upon you. You gladly turn your ears to the beautiful music of the Lord, at the same time turning away from those who would lure you to your death.

This is exactly what God said He was going to do in the hearts of His people. He promised to give them a new heart, a heart of flesh. He would take away the stony heart so that they could enjoy a loving relationship with Him. Their new heart of flesh would desire to keep His statutes and want to keep His ordinances.

God will never force you to serve Him or to love Him. But if you will ask Him, He will change your heart and give you a new longing for the things of the Spirit.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Lucy, Part 4

Carl Kerby — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:40:46 -0500

In this 5 part series you may have been wondering, why I would take so much time to focus on some bones? Well, the answer is because these bones are being used to create doubt about the Word of God. And the only reason they can be used with such success is because Christians:

Don’t know what the actual evidence is!
Don’t critically evaluate what the evidence!
Think it doesn’t matter!

This is why we’re spending so much time on this. This is real world evangelism and Christians must take this seriously. By the way, when it comes to point number 3 above, it absolutely does matter! Remember, 50% to 88% of young folks raised in the church are walking away at age 18!

Our heart at rforh is to reduce that number and we’re trying to accomplish this by educating Christians on what the Word of God teaches and training them to use critical thinking when evaluating current issues.

So, with that intro, let’s move onto the teaching. We’ve covered Lucy’s skull reconstruction and the hips and knees. We’ve shown that regardless of the big claims that say Lucy is an apelike ancestor to humans the observational evidence doesn’t quite back that up.

In this article we’ll deal with the hands and the feet! Now, since we don’t want to be accused of using Christian/creationist sources, I’ll make my case by showing you a picture from Vanderbilt University (there’s another picture of Lucy’s remains here if you’d like to check it out).

Have you noticed that the observational evidence for Lucy’s hand and feet is . . . . nothing? That’s correct, nothing!

Please remember, Lucy is a single specimen within the Australopithicus afarensis “kind” and they did not find any hand or foot bones for the specimen called Lucy.

Consider the reconstruction below.

Pretty loving couple, don’t you think?

Now, notice the human hands and human feet on not only Lucy, but on her mate as well! And take a look at the reconstruction of Lucy at the London Natural History Museum below.

Another example. Look below at the way the hands are depicted at the St. Louis Zoo exhibit entitled the Living World.

It looks as if Lucy’s thinking about, “What’s for dinner?”

These are just a few of the thousands of false reconstructions that we see in museums, on TV, in magazines, etc. — and they are deceiving people. Christians, as well as non-christians, need to know the truth so let’s address it.

Now this is important, remember they did not find any hand or foot bones from Lucy — but they did find hand and foot bones from other Australopithecines. So, the real question is, “Do the fossil hand and foot bones they found from other Australopithecines support the claim that Lucy had human hands and feet?”

Ahhh, that’s a very fair question so let’s see where the observational evidence takes us.

Not too long ago I had the privilege to take more than 150 young folks through the David Koch exhibit on human evolution at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. (more about that in the next article). We looked at all of the supposed evidence for human evolution. Lucy was the star, and yes, she was depicted with human hands and human feet.

Of all the exhibits in the world on human evolution, the one of Lucy in the Smithsonian is supposed to be the latest, greatest and most up-to-datest! And we can show that it’s inaccurate.

So, what’s the truth? Below is a chart comparing the curvature of the fingers between, Bonobo (type of chimpanzee), Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Human and AL333 (the australopithecines specimen of hand and feet bones that they did find — remember, none were found with Lucy’s bones). The further to the right the dark line is, the more curved the finger.

(J. Stern & R. Susman, 1983, Am. J. Phys. Anthropology 60:279-212)

Note that the circle with the dot inside is evidence for AL333 (australopithecines specimen) and that it shows that the fingers were just as curved, if not more curved than a chimpanzee. Hmmm! That isn’t what we saw in the other pictures.

Let me give you another source showing that Australopithecine hand bones are NOT human. Take a look at the write-up beneath the picture below. (Thank you Rich for this!)

“This cast of an Australopithecus afarensis hand shows the characteristic long, curved finger bones. These are more like the hands of living apes than they are modern human hands. The cross section of the finger bones is also squarish, indicating either a partly arboreal lifestyle or that this is a primitive feature retained after they moved into a more terrestrial lifestyle.” reference: australianmuseum.net.au

Anything jump out at you?? How about the line, “These are more like the hands of living apes than they are modern human hands.”

That statement tells that observational evidence of the hand bones is most likely that of a dead ape. So, why do they show human hands and feet on Lucy when the observational evidence that they found (remember, they aren’t Lucy’s bones) were more curved than a chimp?

By the way, the exact same thing is true when it comes to the toes of Lucy. Take a look at the picture below to see how Lucy’s foot is depicted at the St. Louis Zoo exhibit entitled the Living World.

Look familiar? Seriously, a little Nair and pedicure and it would look exactly like a human’s foot.

Well, what’s the truth? Let’s go back to the secular sources and see what we can find. Notice that the chart below shows that the toe bones they found (AL333, not Lucy) were more curved than a chimpanzee.

(J. Stern & R. Susman, 1983, Am. J. Phys. Anthropology 60:279-212)

I know that some will still not agree, so I’ll give one more secular source on this issue to support the fact that Lucy did NOT have human hands and human feet.

Ian Tattersall, who is not a creationist, in his book, Extinct Humans states the following:

Did you catch that last part? “In keeping with Lucy having had long and strongly curved finger and toe bones, as do chimpanzees and orangutans”! I rest my case. If you see human hands and human feet on Lucy, you are being deceived!

Well, we’re almost finished with this series on Lucy. We’ll wrap it up with the next article. It’s my hope and prayer that you are being encouraged to look closely at what the world is teaching and to not just blindly accept the words of man, including me. Search for the truth in all things.

All of this information, plus more was captured on DVD at the Becoming Bold Conference last year. “Human Evolution: Is That All You Got!” is one of five educational and motivations DVDs in the Becoming Bold set. You can purchase the Becoming Bold DVD set at the Calvary bookstore or the bookstore at Reasons for Hope website. The videos will equip and encourage you to Know it! Live it! and Share it! — all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stay bold,

A New Heart

Chuck Smith — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:50:00 -0500

A fatally serious problem such as a dead, stony heart requires some serious intervention. And just as expected, we discover God had something big in mind from the very beginning. He first mentioned it in the brief, mysterious prophecy of Genesis 3:15, but began to unfold it much more clearly in the time of the prophet Ezekiel.

Ezekiel lived in an age of rampant wickedness, even among his own countrymen. So spiritually dark had the little Hebrew kingdom grown that God announced He was about to destroy the nation through the vicious army of Babylon. There would be no escape, no reprieve. And yet, out of the gloom, a bright ray of hope broke through. Out of His own overflowing love, God promised His people something new:

“I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:19-20).

The hearts of many of us have grown so hard against God that they’ve become like stone—untouchable, unmovable, without compassion. We have become so set in our sinful ways that we have no intention of changing for anyone. We greet all of God’s pleadings and entreaties with stony resistance.

Hearts of stone!

But God said He would exchange those stony hearts for hearts of flesh; soft and pliable hearts that could at last respond to God with all the love and devotion that He had designed for them. Just before Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry, Jeremiah prophesied of the day when God would no longer write His Law on tablets of stone, as He did with Moses, but upon the fleshly tablets of a man’s heart. “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts,” God said, “and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Hebrews 8:7-13).

You see what God is really looking for; don’t you? He wants a meaningful, loving relationship with you. God doesn’t want a legal relationship with you. He has no interest in binding you to Himself through laws. He doesn’t want to chain you up. No! He wants a close relationship with you based upon love. He doesn’t want some outside law to force you to obey Him; He wants your love for Him to prompt your obedience.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

1 John - The Plan

W. H. Griffith Thomas — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:14:24 -0500

[Editors Note: This is part two in W. H. Griffith Thomas' comments on 1st John. Part one can be found here.]

The Epistle of 1st John is confessedly difficult to analyze. Professor Law, in his fine book, "The Tests of Life," thinks the key to the interpretation is that the Epistle gives certain tests by which the question of the Christian life may be settled. These are three—doing righteousness, loving one another, and believing in Christ. They are dealt with respectively in 1:5; 2:28; 2:29; 4:6; 4:7; 5:21. Dr. Law suggests that there are three cycles of thought running through the Epistle. First, we have the idea of walking in the light as tested in three ways—by Righteousness, Love, Belief. Then comes the thought of Sonship, tested in the same threefold way. And last of all come the inter-relations of Righteousness, Love, and Belief.

It is suggested that the sections as given above by Dr. Law reveal an ethical and a doctrinal test in each case. Thus, from 1:5 to 2:27 we have the ethical test of walking in the light (1:5 to 2:17) and the doctrinal test of faith in Christ (2:18-27). In the second section we have the ethical test of doing righteousness (2:28 to 3:24) and the doctrinal test of the Spirit confessing Christ (4:1-6). In the third section we have both the ethical and the doctrinal tests combined. Love is shown to be based on life (4:7-21), and life is proved to be based on faith (5:1-12).

The essential feature of the Epistle is that it affords three proofs or tests of assurance, and in this respect it is particularly valuable as guarding against that purely emotional variableness that tends to seek the ground of assurance within. The old introspective verse was sadly at fault in the light of this Epistle: 'Tis a point I long to know. Often causes anxious thought, Do I love the Lord or no? Am I his or am I not?'

There is nothing like a thorough study of this Epistle to enable the soul to answer this question with confidence and certainty without once looking within or giving itself "anxious thought." The following is a brief outline suitable for this purpose:

1. Introduction (1: 1-4)

2. First proof of the Christian life. Obedience (1:5 to2:6)

(a) Negative. Sin must be out.

(b) Positive. Righteousness must be in (2: 3. 5)

3. Second proof of the Christian life. Love. (2:7 to 3:24)

(a) Negative. Love not the world.

(b) Positive. Love the brethren (3: 14, 19)

4. Third Proof of the Christian life. The Holy Spirit. (3: 24 to 5:l2.)

(a) Negative. The false spirit.

(b) Positive. The true Spirit (3:24; 4: 13)

5. Conclusion (5:13-21)

It will be seen that these three proofs refer in turn to God, to others, to ourselves, and this is the proper order of the spiritual life. Obedience is the first result of faith. Love comes next. Then the possession of the Holy Spirit is the third, last, and in some respects the deepest.

They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:34:35 -0500

I was speaking to a group of men recently and looking at Paul’s word to the church in Rome where he tells them to “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law … And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Roman 13:8-11).

As I shared with them, I felt compelled to exhort them in the area of love among themselves, for other Christians and churches, and for those outside the body of Christ, reminding them that Jesus said the great distinguishing mark of His disciples would be their love for one another. This is what I believe the Holy Spirit is calling us to today. The single greatest failure of the church throughout its long history is the failure to love.

I’ve been reminded of that again in looking at the past, and I still see it all too often in the present. Reading once again some of the church’s history, it’s unbelievable what Christians have done to one another over the centuries. We’ve not only failed to love one another, we’ve even killed each other in the name of Christ and the gospel.

The First English Civil War (1642-1646) and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) are both examples of this colossal failure of Christians to love one another. According to Alister McGrath, theologian and church historian, “Whatever else it may have been, the English Civil War was fundamentally a battle for the soul of English Protestantism. Both sides (Anglican and Puritan) regarded themselves as embodying the true ideals of Protestantism. Their soldiers found passages in the Bible that seemed to support their cause … The Thirty Years’ War was both an international religious conflict and a German civil war, involving Lutheran, Reformed, and Catholic regions and nations. The populations of many regions were decimated by this war of attrition, and their economies brought to the brink of total collapse.”

We look back on those and similar tragic events in the church’s history and assure ourselves that we would never have behaved like that. Yet we dislike fellow Christians sitting right next to us in church, criticize other ministries for not doing things to our liking, get mad because some other church had the audacity to move into our territory, and refuse to fellowship with those who don’t hold to our exact theological view.

These attitudes are killing the witness of the church, and it’s time that we stop all this childishness and take seriously the command of Jesus to love one another, regardless of denomination or affiliation.

I have to say that I’m encouraged by some of what I see happening today. There are several Evangelical leaders who are “reaching across the aisle,” so to speak, in an effort to build relationships and establish fellowship with those who hold different views on non-essential doctrinal issues. This is one of the healthiest things that I’ve seen happen in a long time. But sadly, there are still those who insist on majoring in the minors and refuse to recognize that the body of Christ extends beyond the walls of their own churches or the boundaries of their own denomination or movement.

I firmly believe that the Spirit is moving to bring a greater unity to the body of Christ. But those who insist on isolating themselves in the belief that they are “unique” in the body of Christ, or in other words, a notch above other believers, churches, or movements, will be left out in the cold while the rest enjoy the warmth of the love, joy, and peace that is found when brothers dwell together in unity.

How To Be Content

Chuck Smith — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:28:20 -0500

What does God demand? That we reverence Him, walk in all of His ways, and love Him and serve Him with all our heart and all our soul. That’s a lot, isn’t it? And yet, clearly, we haven’t done it. And so you say, “I failed in that. What now?”

The failure of your confession to love God fully doesn’t take God by surprise. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So does that mean that it’s all over; that there’s no hope for us? No, thank God! Our loving Lord has an alternate plan.

Some men once came to Jesus with the question, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (John 6:28). It’s the same basic idea: “What does God require of us?” And Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29).

Praise God, I can do that! Though I failed in the ideal requirement, yet I can fulfill the actual requirement, through faith. What does God require of you and me? That we believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

As you believe in Jesus Christ, you receive a new dynamic for life. Christ comes in and begins to indwell you. By His indwelling power and presence, He begins to give you the strength and the ability to live according to God’s divine ideal. He gives you the strength to walk in the ways of righteousness. He gives you the love for God that you lack. He begins to work in you, doing for you what you cannot do for yourself.

But I suppose I should back up a bit. Although God made us to revolve around His axis, we crash-landed when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden. Ever since then, people naturally choose self-centered lives.

And what’s so wrong with that? Well, the Bible assures us that a self-centered life is destined for emptiness and frustration. In fact, the book of Ecclesiastes gives us a classic example of the problem of self-centeredness.

King Solomon lived a wildly self-centered life. He said, “Whatsoever my eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy.” He did everything for himself—and ended up with that plaintive cry, “Vanity, vanity,” or “Emptiness, emptiness, everything is empty and frustrating!” He did it all and he had it all. But because he centered his entire life around himself and his desires, by the end of his days he found life unfulfilling, disappointing, and eventually ended up as a bitter cynic.

You won’t find things any different if you live for yourself. When you get to the end of the road you will say, “It wasn’t worth it. Life is a mistake, a tragic mistake. It’s a farce. There’s no meaning nor purpose. I began as an accident and I’ll go out as an accident. And there’s no reason for my existence.” How empty! How futile! And if you wind up there, it will be because you placed yourself at the center of your life.

The only solution is to place God at the very center of your being. That’s what Jesus was getting at in urging us to love God with everything we are. “That’s the most important thing,” He says. “That’s primary. Get God at the center of your life and begin to enjoy a growing, loving relationship with Him.”

Have you ever stopped to realize that the first four of the Ten Commandments all deal with your relationship with God? And as Jesus explained, each of those four can be summed up in loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength—that is, giving the Lord your full and complete devotion.

This shouldn’t be hard, should it? It sounds like the easiest thing in the world. And it really would be—if only we hadn’t all followed Adam and Eve straight into disobedience. The problem is not with God’s command; the problem is with our rebellious hearts. And that means if we are ever to find our purpose and fulfill our divine design—and so enjoy God and His universe as He intends—then something has to be done about our hard hearts.

Leave it to a loving God to do exactly that!

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Accepted and Accepting

Bill Walden — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:10:27 -0500

From what I have seen, a great need among us humans is the need to be accepted. Translate that loved, valued, understood, noticed, heard, appreciated, etc. For now, let’s use the word accepted.

For many years of my life, I struggled desperately with wanting to be accepted. I wanted to be able to accept myself, and I wanted others to accept me. I was extremely unhappy with myself, and quite self-condemning. It was crippling, it held me back, and at times, it felt consuming. I suppose that I am still predisposed to this sentiment, though God has done an incredible work in me.

I have noticed from my life, and from the lives of others, that the person who is desperate to be accepted will do “whatever it takes” to be accepted. They will commit crimes, they will give themselves away to others in damaging relationships, they will demean others in order to gain approval, they will anesthetize themselves; the list goes on. Some will even demand that you accept them no matter what they do, and will continue to push the boundaries to make you prove that you accept them.

The Christian has a great advantage that isn’t always understood or received, but yet remains. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus…

“…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:4-6

The Christian who is desperate to be accepted by people they can see, will run past the God they can’t see. They will generally relate to life on the visible plane. Though there is sufficient faith for salvation, it has stopped there, and satisfaction and purpose is sought from that which is tangible.

They overlook the very truth that can liberate them.

The work of God’s Spirit in directing the Believer away from what is seen, and on to that which is unseen, is the critical experience that needs to transpire.

We worry about people’s opinions of us, when the Highest Opinion is the one that really matters. When I understand and experience the fact that the Highest Opinion accepts me because I am in Christ, I can rest.

God tells us that he has made us acceptable unto Himself, as we are forgiven and united with Christ through faith. God really does love me and accept me. As I grow in this truth, I am free to accept others, even though they may be acting out in some of the aforementioned manners. I am free from my desperate need for approval, because I am walking in the acceptance of God, because of what Christ has done, and continues to do in me. I can increasingly not worry about what others think, about where I should be in life, about the failures I have made and do make.

The path of this truth becoming a liberating reality can be difficult. I speak from personal experience, and from 20 plus years of pastoral observation. How it happens, how long it takes, etc., is different with everyone, but I do know this: The person that experiences the liberating acceptance of God is the one who will not let go of God, and continues to pursue God in faith, and seeks to “live by faith and not by sight.”

The person who struggles with acceptance is in pain, and can believe that pain in and of itself is reason enough to not try to push forward in faith. “Can’t you see that I am hurting”, they ask. “How can I push forward in faith when I feel so bad”?

I have said and felt those same things, but my question to them is this: “How can you NOT push forward towards faith and the promises of God?” It is God who heals, but we must pursue Him will ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, even though we might be in debilitating emotional and mental anguish.

The distance from feelings to faith can indeed seem like an endless journey, but the Truth is still there for us to apprehend, and it is the best rewarded effort that one can put forth.

C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (The Problem of Pain, 1940).

Lucy Part 3

Carl Kerby — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:13:24 -0500

An Honest Question

Chuck Smith — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:36:22 -0500

Can you tell the difference between an honest question and a dishonest one? An honest question seeks a bona fide answer. A dishonest question, on the other hand, is not looking for an answer; it wants an argument because it has a point to prove.

At this stage in my life, I can tell fairly quickly whether I’m being asked an honest or dishonest question. Since I don’t much care for silly controversies over Scripture, the minute I identify a dishonest question, I quit talking. I’m just not interested in getting into a foolish dispute or argument. The Bible says, “If anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38). Of course, that verse can apply to me as well as to the next fellow!

One day a young man approached Jesus with a question. He had just watched a group of religious leaders ask the Savior a dishonest question and get roasted for it. He, however, had a genuine one: “Which is the first commandment of all?” he wondered.

You could tell this fellow had an honest question burning in his chest. In fact, this question should concern every man or woman who has ever become convinced of the existence of God. The man was asking, “Jesus, what is the most important thing in life?” He didn’t try to play a trivia game with Jesus. Nor was he asking about the first commandment God ever gave; that would be the order not to eat of the tree of good and evil in the middle of the garden of Eden. No, he wanted to know about the first commandment in order of importance. What was it?

Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29-30).

Jesus went clear back to Deuteronomy 6:4, to what is known as the Shema. This is the portion of Scripture that the Jews used to roll up and wear in little boxes on their wrists or place on their foreheads. On their feast days they would chant it when they gathered in the temple courts. The song would build and build as they called out together, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.”

When Jesus calls us to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength, He means that the primary, most important and most basic purpose of our lives is to know and love the true and living God. That’s first, above everything else. We are to love and worship only the true and the living God—no one else.

And what a love He requires. Jesus says we are to love the one true God with all of our heart (the deepest area of our life), with all of our soul (the conscious area of our life), with all of our mind (the intellectual area of our life—an area that Jesus added to the list), and with all of our strength (the physical area of our life). In other words, He wants us to love God with everything in us, holding nothing back. In fact, we were made for exactly that purpose. God designed us in love that we might love Him in return. It’s the whole reason for our existence.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Absence of God

Danny Lehmann — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 10:31:57 -0500

“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of His servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.”

Joe came to me one day looking very discouraged. He explained to me that he thought he should break his commitment to serve as a staff member in our Discipleship Training School. When I inquired as to the reason for his departure he explained to me, “I’m just dry. I don’t feel God anymore.” He proceeded to explain that his quiet times were dry, he didn’t get excited during worship times like the others, he didn’t sense God’s affirmation on his work and he wasn’t getting much out of his Bible reading.

After an hour or so, we came to the conclusion that his spiritual dryness was not the result of personal sin in his life, satanic attack or bad circumstances. I showed him the above verse and diagnosed his problem as, “the dark night of the soul”, a term coined by John of the Cross, a 16^th Century Carmalite monk. Using the above verse and many others I explained this common experience that many of us go through but few like to admit. It is when a God-tailored darkness encompasses our soul through no fault of our own. In fact, it could be our very seeking of God’s presence that moves Him to lead us into what some have called, “the ministry of absence”.

If God’s main objective is to help us to walk by faith (without which it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6) and without which we cannot overcome the world (1 John 5:4) then we should not be surprised when even the greatest of saints are led into a time of “darkness”. Leaders are often especially good candidates for such a spiritual tunnel because those who follow us go through dark times and look to us for how we will respond in the dark.

As I travel around the Christian world, especially the Charismatic/Pentecostal world, where books like The God Chasers, Wild at Heart, and Your Best Life Now are flying off the shelves, I cautiously suggest that there may be an unhealthy, ye, almost toxic addiction to what we have perceived to be abiding in the presence of God. The question has to be asked, what do we mean by this “presence”? Is it a “feeling” or a sense or an impression? Is it simply believing that He is always with us and will never forsake us? Is He there when we lack this feeling? When we don’t have this feeling do we therefore not have “intimacy” with God? Have we created certain hoops in our mind and a certain percentage of time that God needs to “show up” in our lives in order for us to continue to serve Him? I do not ask these questions to be cynical or to doubt that God sometimes “shows up” more manifestly than others (see 2 Chron. 5:15).

Could it be that it is possible for us to become addicted to, what we perceive to be, the presence of God and are constantly seeking for some type of pleasurable spiritual experience?

A deeper question needs to be asked: Did God make us in such a way that we are to be “up” all the time? Although books sell well if they promise if you do x-number of principles you will always be up. If you’ve been a Christian very long (no – if you’ve been alive very long!) you know that life has its ups and downs. As Job lamented, “Man is born for trouble, sure as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Most historical characters in the Bible, if they are given much press, experienced these dark nights. No less than 58 Psalms have some type of lament or cry for help in times of trouble. “God whom I praise, break your silence” (Ps. 109:1). “I say to God my rock, why have you forgotten me?” (Ps. 42:9). “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1). As Scripture says, “God left Hezekiah to test him and to know everything that was in his heart” (2 Chron. 32:31). While Isaiah declared, “Truly you are a God who hides Himself…” (Is. 45:15).

Recently I was invited by law enforcement officials to attend a neighborhood board meeting to discuss crime. Upon arriving to the school, at which the meeting was held, I discovered the parking lot was full and I had to park two blocks away on the other side of a barren field. I arrived shortly before dusk, made my way up a flight of stairs, went across the field and into the meeting. When the meeting was over, darkness had fallen and I made my way across the lighted parking lot and across the dark field to where my car was parked. When I got to a certain spot in the field I remembered that there was a flight of steps along my way somewhere and proceeded to gingerly feel my way until I came to the top step and then felt my way down and went to my car unharmed. If I wouldn’t have remembered what I had learned in the light, I would not have been able to navigate my way through the darkness and down the steps without perhaps falling and injuring myself. This, I believe, is an apt description of the dark night of the soul. While we are in the light we seek to be disciples – learners who learn all that we can for those inevitable times when darkness comes. Sometimes it comes by satanic attack, reaping what we have sown or the injustices inflicted on us by others. Often, however, the darkness is designed by God to help us grow in our faith which is “the substance of things we cannot see” (Heb 11:1).

I close with a couple of tips from Peter the apostle who wrote his first letter to Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor who were suffering the dark night of persecution.

What To Do When In The Darkness

“Prepare your mind for action, be self controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you” (1 Peter 1:13) – Practice plain old mental discipline and don’t focus on the darkness but on the next big thing God has given you to do.
Serve and love others (1 Peter 1:22) – Stay busy and work hard to serve others. Occupy your time with good things and don’t allow yourself to go into “over-think” about the state of your darkness.
Beware of “false comforts” when in darkness. Whether going through sickness, physical or spiritual trials, fruitlessness in ministry or unanswered prayer the temptation is to resort to alleged comforting activities that never satisfy (food, alcohol, excessive television watching, pornography, etc). Let God be your comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Stick with the family (1 Peter 3:8). Lean into others who may not be in the darkness themselves who can help provide some proper perspective when you’re in the darkness. Disorientation is common when in darkness so reach out and let others lead you by the hand.
Commit to God’s will. “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19).

One more thing, remember the darkness will pass. It is temporary. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Danny Lehmann

Christians, Mohammed, and Muslims

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:07:05 -0500

All across the Muslim world, we see buildings burning, mobs pressing in on security forces, men and boys chanting anti-American slogans, and the American and other Western nations’ flags being burned. And all this is happening, so the media says, because of a YouTube video that portrays the prophet Mohammed in a negative light.

Whether or not this video initially caused these outbreaks of violence is uncertain, but one thing we know for sure: fundamentalist Muslims don’t take kindly to people mocking things they hold sacred. For that matter, I’m sure Muslims of all stripes would be offended by their religion being mocked.

Now it is understood that these reactions are over the top and unacceptable under any circumstances. Additionally, they show us something of the inherent problem with Islam itself: It is violent. It has been from Mohammed’s time until now. That’s not to say that all Muslims or even most Muslims are violent; they aren’t. I believe most Muslims are peace-loving people who just want to get on in life like everyone else: pay their bills, raise their kids, enjoy their family, and be happy. That is certainly what I’ve found to be the case with my Muslim friends. Yet, sadly there is this element within Islam that believes hating and even killing the enemies of Allah is a noble and righteous obligation. The reality is we have at least two different types of Muslims: those who are peaceful and willing to coexist with people of other faiths or no faith and those who are hostile and at war perpetually with the enemies of Allah.

Since we have Muslims with different worldviews—some friendly, some hostile—we need to be careful not to generalize and give the impression that all Muslims are the same, i.e. hateful and hostile toward all things Western or not Muslim. And we need to do our best through friendship and love to show them the beauty, glory, and supremacy of Christ over all other gods.

This brings me to my main point: Although these reactions throughout parts of the Islamic world are inexcusable and intolerable, we as Christians should never intentionally provoke others to wrath. A video portraying Mohammed as a womanizer, a buffoon, and a child molester will only serve to hinder our attempts to bring Muslims to faith in Jesus. Burning the Quran and attacking the traditions of Islam are to me as counterproductive to our goal of winning people for Christ as was someone telling me (when I was a Roman Catholic) that the Pope was the antichrist, the Mass was an abomination, and Mary wasn’t a perpetual virgin. Quite frankly, those were fighting words, and when I heard them it only caused me to dig in my heels and resist any attempt to get me to “accept Jesus” and be saved.

Think about it. Islam is both a religion and a culture with strong family connections. What is one of the easiest ways to offend a person? Say something disrespectful and derogatory about their religion, culture, or family. That will do it. You’ll lose them in an instant. We need wisdom, grace, and winsomeness as we approach those of other faiths if we expect them to make any progress toward the gospel. Of course, at some point, we will have to say things that will be potentially offensive and difficult for Muslims to accept, but their receptivity will have a lot to do with how we approach them in the first place.

On this very point, we can learn a great lesson from the apostle Paul. When sharing with the idolatrous Greeks on Mars Hill, he did not start with accusing them of blatant idolatry, but rather after observing the many idols in the city he said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23).

He commends them for their religious fervor and devotion and then proceeds to tell them about the true God. Paul was not disrespectful of their culture or even of their false religion. He was sensitive, seeking to draw them in rather than push them away. God, help us to be more like that in our day!

So here’s the word: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders [Muslims] … Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought answer each person” (Colossians 4:5-6).

Remember. Return. Repeat.

Chuck Smith — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:02:31 -0500

First John 3:18 says, “Let us not love in word or in tongue.” Words are cheap; anybody can utter them. But we are to love with deeds and in truth. Your actions show where your devotion truly lies, and God wants your undivided devotion. He wants you to give your time and your heart wholly to Him.

So take an honest look at your own heart. Would you classify it as united or divided?

“Well, I serve God,” you say. “I go to church.” Good! But is there any division there? Think back over this past week. To what did you devote yourself? What activities took up most of your time?

“I devoted a lot of time to my garden,” someone says. “I devoted a lot of time to the beach,” somebody else says. To what did you devote your time? It can be quite an eye-opener to look around and see what is absorbing your energies, your time, and your mind.

The truth is, those are the things to which you are devoted.

Attending church week after week is no guarantee of singleness of heart. Even as you sit there, your mind can roam. You may be in the house of the Lord on Sunday morning, but thinking about going to some bar that night. You may spend Sunday in church, but have no other contact with God the rest of the week.

That’s a divided heart.

Again, make an honest personal inventory of yourself. Would you describe your relationship with the Lord as hot? Are you fervently following Jesus Christ? Is He truly the Lord and Master of your life? Is He first and foremost? Is He above everything else? Do you esteem Him above everything else? Or do you have more of a casual relation- ship with Jesus—it’s nice, but you could easily do without it?

If you cannot say, “Yes, I have a fervent relationship with the Lord. He is everything to me,” then most likely you have a divided heart. You’re lukewarm. And God is calling you to make a change. So what can you do about a divided heart?

After Jesus commended the church of Ephesus for all of its marvelous activities and works, He said, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). The Savior accused them of a divided heart. Somehow they had drifted away from their former burning love of God—but then He gave them the remedy, a cure with three parts.

First, He said, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen” (v. 5). Can you remember those days when you first discovered the glorious love of God in Jesus Christ? Recall the delightful time when you realized the grace of God had washed you and cleansed you of all of your sins. You felt so excited and so thrilled about the Lord. You were so in love with Him when you realized how much He loved you. You just couldn’t get enough! Every time the church doors opened, you were there with your Bible, hungering after God and thirsting after the things of the Spirit. And oh, how your life bubbled over with joy and excitement as you walked with Jesus in close fellowship!

Secondly, Jesus says simply, “Repent” (v. 5). That is, turn around! You’ve drifted so far away that now you’re way out to sea. Turn again! Ask God to forgive you for the coldness you’ve allowed to come into your relationship. Don’t let things stay as they are. Repent!

And finally Jesus advised them, “Repeat.” That is, “do the first works” (v. 5). Go back to the things you were doing when you were so in love with Him. Maybe it was regular Bible study. Maybe it was evangelism. Maybe it was helping out at the local rescue mission. Whatever it was, repeat what you once did.

Remember. Repent. Repeat.

Ask God to give you a singleness of heart toward God. Do not come to a place of deception, where you think that attending church on Sunday morning is okay.

Ask God to unite your heart to serve Him. Pray, “God, just take away this divided heart. I know I cannot serve two masters. I know I’m being divided; I’m being pulled. Give me a united heart, that I might love and serve You.”

When God unites your heart, then you too will praise Him with all of your heart. Once more your heart will overflow with love for God and you will gladly serve Him with everything within you. God yearns for that kind of undivided love from us.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Planting Power

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:38:04 -0500

Discerning whether or not Jesus has called you to church planting is essential if you’re thinking about becoming a church planter. There is more to have than a clear sense of calling though before you step out into the adventure of church planting. The mission of church planting is a spiritual offensive on the kingdom of darkness. You come against powers beyond yourself on the mission field. That reality makes it necessary for the church planter to access a power beyond himself that is even greater than that of the kingdom of darkness if he wants to survive the mission. He needs the very power of God through the reception of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Only then will he even be able to begin to be truly effective in the mission of Jesus.

The Need

Jesus spoke of the need for His missionaries to access the power of the Holy Spirit for their mission as much as anyone else did in the New Testament. Consider a couple texts and their implications for the call to missionary church planting:

“And being assembled together with them He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘Which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

These verses describe the last interaction that Jesus had with the apostles before He ascended into heaven. This is what He wanted to leave fresh in their minds as He was sending them out into the world to continue the ministry He had started during His time on earth. They were about to go preaching the gospel, discipling believers, healing the hurting, and church planting as the kingdom came on earth. They were to start in Jerusalem and not stop until Jesus had a witness in every nation, even to the ends of the earth. But they were to attempt none of this until they received the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! Without the Holy Spirit leading and empowering every aspect of their missionary lives they would be absolutely helpless to successfully accomplish the work to which Jesus had called them.

Expressing the concern Jesus had that His men understand their need for Holy Spirit empowerment at the end of his gospel account, Luke wrote:

“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

The importance of experiencing the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for the work of church planting is clearly something that Jesus wants us to thoroughly understand. If we think that we can be clever enough, cool enough, strong enough, strategic enough, or inspiring enough to bring people from spiritual death to life and beat back the gates of hell, we are at best naïve, biblically uniformed, prideful, and far from the heart of Jesus. The work of God requires the power of God. It is that simple. As we venture out to the front lines where the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light meet in battle, which is exactly what we do when we enter into the work of church planting, we must consciously, prayerfully, dependently, and daily receive and rely on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to make our mission fruitful. If you don’t believe that, or aren’t prepared to walk in the power of the Spirit by God’s grace, DON’T PLANT A CHURCH!

Horses vs. Tanks

I once heard a story of a cavalry unit that charged into battle against an armored tank division. The cavalry unit was the last resort of defense for a country not as advanced militaristically as their invaders. I’m sure it goes without saying that the cavalry unit was utterly destroyed! Why? They didn’t have the adequate fire-power or equipment to even come close to overpowering the enemy they faced. I would submit to you based on the words of Jesus Christ that if we try to be victorious in church planting over the opposition we face in the demonic realm without relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, we are a billion times more foolish, and will be far more fruitless than that cavalry unit ended up being as they challenged that armored tank division.

Ten days after Jesus ascended back into heaven from where He came, the disciples did in fact experience the promised empowerment of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. As they prayed in the upper room the Holy Spirit came upon them in power. First, He manifested His power through them by enabling them to worship God in languages unknown to them, and later through the powerful preaching10 of the gospel, where 3,000 people became born again.11 Since that time, all followers of the biblical Jesus have access to the empowerment and various gifts of the Holy Spirit which He distributes according to His will as we seek and desire them.

Summary and Exhortation

As believers, pastors, elders, and church planters, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is an absolute must in our lives! If you’re not seeking the power, don’t attempt the work. If you want to experience the daily empowering of the Holy Spirit all you need to do is continually meet with Jesus in the word of God, pray over the mission you’ve received from Jesus, and ask to receive a fresh work of the Spirit in your life from the Father. It’s a gift. We don’t have to beg for it, just receive it. May we not have dead words! May we have powerful, biblical messages to share as we preach the Bible to the church and the gospel to the world because we depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit alone for our success, just like Jesus and Paul did!

Weak Men, Weak Excuses

Ken Sutton — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:14:49 -0500

Years ago I ran into a man at a retreat that I hadn't seen for quite a while...As we sat down across from each other I asked him what he was doing nowadays and what ministries he was engaged in (he had been actively serving in his church when I saw him last). His answer went something like this..."I have been going to the men's ministry and the pastor even asked me if I would be a men's small group leader, but I said no".

So, I asked him "Are you pretty busy at work right now?" His reply? "No, I haven't been working lately actually, I lost my job...I just said no to leading a small group because I thought that none of the men could relate to me since I am single and currently jobless." So, as you can imagine I walked over to his side of the couch, gave him a big hug and said "what a lousy situation...I am so sorry for you, I totally understand".

No, I didn't do that. Instead, I told him to seriously rethink his decision. I understand what this brother was going through. Every person reading this can empathize, to some degree, with a man who is out of work. It is very hard on a man to be unemployed. For many men, being without a job is just a small step toward falling into depression. Men need to work. Christian men also have a need to serve their Master. That is why I was so up-front with my brother; I knew the value that he could bring to that small group. God was providing a way out of his funk (by being a blessing to others) but he wanted no part of it. At the end of the day, he lost a wonderful opportunity to serve other men.

That brings me to the point of this post. I am hearing variations on this theme over and over lately. Men who defer. Men who refuse to take responsibility in the church. Men who excuse themselves. Excuses come easy to us men because men are weak...and weak men use weak excuses. I speak from experience, I use them myself. As all men of God have learned though, making an excuse doesn't mean that we are excused. I am not excused. God will not allow that.

Can I be so bold? Men of God need to step up and quit making sinful excuses that ultimately keep us from doing God’s will. The church is suffering because of it. The world is suffering because of it. Operative definition of an excuse? Telling God He doesn't know what He is doing when He calls on us to do His will.

Yet God can relate to us and our excuses...Have you ever noticed how many great men throughout the Bible were visited by God and they excused themselves from His call? What is played out multiple times in Scripture is a scenario where God comes to a man (often an obscure individual) and tells him that He has a mission to fulfill. The man will then think through God's call to action, size himself up for the task and then the man will give God his best “reason” as to why he cannot do it. The Bible contains a long list of excuse makers. On that list are names like Adam, Jeremiah, Moses, Gideon, Samson, Jonah, Elijah and Peter. People greatly used of God...but only after God (through various means) showed them that He meant business.

Why does the Bible depict such deeply flawed heroes in all their depravity? Well, of course the answer to that is God only uses weak men and it seems the weaker the better. Paul sums it up like this “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty...that no flesh should glory in His presence” 1 Corinthians 1: 26-29. The only way that God can be glorified is by using imperfect and foolish men. Is that you? It is definitely me. We are in good company. So, rethink those excuses you have been throwing at God.

You may be asking, if a man is self aware and he has a serious understanding of his limitations isn't that called humility? The answer to that is yes; a humble man is acutely aware of his weaknesses but he still trusts God and His resources. The humble man knows all of His failures but still says “YES” to the call of God. If God is calling you and opening a door for you, be assured that He will enable you as you trust in Him.

God is a master at dealing with our excuses. He has heard them all. The Lord wants us to know the difference between humbly understanding our limitations and making excuses for them. He wants us to know that even though we lack the skill, He has supernatural ability. He wants us to know that even though we are weak, He is omnipotent. The Lord is actually looking for men to acknowledge their weakness and still move forward into the call that He has on their lives. So, when a friend gives you an excuse as to why He cannot minister to other needy men don’t pat him on the back and help him wallow in his pity. No, encourage him to trust in the almighty power of God.

And He (the Lord) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong”. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Are We Called To Live A Balanced Life

Bill Walden — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:07:58 -0500

Are We Called To Live A Balanced Life?

The idea of living a balanced life makes sense to us. When I hear people talking about having a balanced life, I understand them to be saying the following:

I need to be sure to keep my priorities straight.
I need to be careful to not neglect my husband, wife, kids, family, etc.
I need to be careful to spend an appropriate time in daily devotionals, in prayer, at church, and serving in Gods kingdom.
I need to be sure to schedule some recreational time, etc.
I need to take care of my material possessions, etc.

Another mantra that I have heard said many times is this: God first, family second, work third, etc.

This is often heard among my pastoral colleagues, as these men are concerned to not neglect their families, not get caught up in spending too much time at church, in ministry, helping others, and so on.

While I appreciate this wise concern that many Believers have, I think the idea of having a “balanced” life can be misleading and inaccurate.

Here’s what I mean.

By having a balanced life, some may view their life as a pie that needs to be appropriately sliced into sections, according to the importance of a particular section. Some may mark their calendars regarding what they are going to do and with whom, in order to maintain balance.

I applaud the intentions of such thinking…I really do. That being so, I think that something can sometimes be askew in people’s thinking. Let’s consider a few things.

Are there any passages in the Bible that instruct a Christian to live a “balanced” life? No, there aren’t. Not even one scripture tells us to live a balanced life.

Instead, we are told to love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Matthew 22:37) We are also encouraged to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18; Romans 8:1b, 5b, 14)

Life is fluid. It is organic, and not stagnant. Life is constantly changing in us and around us. We can never set a schedule that is permanent, regarding how much time and attention to spend here or with whom.

I believe that if a Christian is walking in the Spirit, they will be paying the proper amount of attention to the different people and responsibilities of their life. I believe that if a Christian is being led by God, that God will never lead them into unhealthy extremes. If a Christian is being led by the Spirit of God, instead of by logic or emotion, then everyone and everything will get the attention it needs.

Let me share from my personal life:

I have been a pastor since 1989, and been in ministry since 1980. There have been seasons where I have spent many hours and days away from my family. Music tours, mission trips, church duties. Times when I felt emotionally guilty for being gone, but spiritually approved of by God to be away long or often. I believe that when I have had to leave my family by the leading of God, that God has always given extra grace for my family.

Other times, I have been away from them by my own will, and those times have proven to be neglectful on my part. I have sometimes realized that I was indulging myself in times that supposedly were for service to God.

The examples and applications abound, but let me end here by saying this: Are Christians called to live balanced lives, or obedient lives? Are we called to create proportions for life, or are we called to go with the flow of the Spirit? Are we called to do (only) that which makes sense, or are we called to have a sense of spending our time where and with whom God is calling us to?

Different seasons of life may require “unbalanced” amounts of time doing only one thing, with the supposed neglect of everything else, but if God is leading, everyone and everything will have all the attention that is needed.

The True God

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:06:09 -0500

With so many religions in the world, how could anyone identify the true God?

And so for a time I studied Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. I also began to make a serious study of the Bible. If God did exist, I reasoned, and if He had created me for a purpose, then He must have revealed Himself to humankind early in history. And of necessity, He would have to perpetuate that revelation to the present day.

Therefore, I immediately rejected all the religious systems of the past that had fallen by the wayside. I didn’t bother to look into Greek or Roman mythology or other religions that had long ago made their way into history’s dustbin. If any of them were true, that would be an admission that God could not keep the required revelation alive to the present time—and that would suggest that God had no interest in modern man, that He didn’t care what happens to us today. Clearly, that option was unacceptable.

For a similar reason I also rejected the new religions that have made their appearance in relatively recent times. I dismissed the “prophets” who claimed to have received some “true revelation” of God, hidden for ages until the world found itself blessed by this prophet. I therefore quickly rejected all modern cults, because they essentially condemn all men and women who died before the new “prophet” arrived, as if God didn’t care about them—but for some reason had suddenly taken an interest in the human race. I just couldn’t buy that idea. I reasoned that any genuine revelation of God had to begin early in history and had to continue to the present day. That’s why I chose just these faiths to study: Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity.

But the more I studied, the more I became convinced that the Bible alone was indeed the genuine revelation of God. I saw that it stands separate, apart, distinct—and in many cases, in direct opposition to the religious systems of man. It appeared to me that while religious systems represented human attempts to reach out to God, Christianity was God’s attempt to reach human beings. Religion tried to show men how to become good enough to be accepted by God; Christianity alone claimed that no sinful human could ever be good enough to be accepted by God. Christianity alone focused on trusting exclusively in the grace of God. It bypassed the whole idea of a system of saving works and said instead, “You can do nothing to be worthy of God. You can only receive His grace, His love and His mercy, extended to you through His crucified and risen Son, Jesus Christ.”

In addition, the more I read of the Bible, the more fascinated I became with its prophetic aspects. I learned that the Bible itself declares fulfilled prophecy to be the built-in proof of its divine origin. God tells us about specific events before they happen, so that when they occur we might know He is God and there is no one else like Him (see Isaiah 44:7-8). Jesus repeatedly spoke in this way to His disciples: “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe (John 14:29; see also Matthew 24:25; Mark 13:23; John 16:4).

Today I have no doubts, no qualms, no reservations about the unique, divine origin of the Bible, or about faith in Jesus Christ as the only road to a dynamic relationship with God.

Today I know what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14-16).

The most important thing in the world for anyone to discover is the true and living God for himself or herself. It’s vitally important that you know who God is. And the only absolutely reliable guide you’ll find anywhere is the Bible—both the Old and New Testaments.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Called to Plant

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:33:17 -0500

The work of church planting must begin with the calling of a man of God. Church planting isn’t merely something you wake up one day and choose as a new career move. At least this is not God’s desire for church planters. The call to church planting is the call to apostolic missionary work. With that said, we will begin by considering what the call of God will look like in the life of a man truly called to the work of church planting in the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom.

A Few Good Men

Turning to the first chapter of the book of Acts, we see that one of the first things emphasized is that Jesus hand-picked the men He wanted to use as the first church planters. Luke, the human author of Acts and church planting missionary assistant to Paul, wrote that Jesus, “was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles He had chosen…”

OUR CALL MUST BE OBJECTIVE

The first thing that should be noted on the subject of calling is that the call of God on a man has an objective side to it. Paul speaks of some qualities of a called man that can objectively be evaluated in two of the Pastoral Epistles.8 Let’s consider the ob¬jective qualifications of a man called to lead in Jesus’ church from First Timothy 3:1-7:

“(1) This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the posi¬tion of a bishop, he desires a good work. (2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, tem¬perate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; (3) not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; (4) one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (5) For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); (6) not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the Devil. (7) Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.”

Paul tells us that the call to lead in Jesus’ church begins with desire in verse one. There must be a driving inward conviction and desire to serve as an overseer of Christ’s people. And yet, a strong desire is not enough. Paul goes on to give his readers a list which provides objective standards by which we can assess ourselves and other men when determining if we are the kind of man Jesus calls to plant or lead His churches. This means that though a desire to plant is necessary to consider yourself called to plant churches, this desire by itself is insufficient to determine whether you have truly been called by Jesus for that mission. You must meet the other qualifications of a called man given in the text.

Mark Driscoll summarized the other qualifications this way:

“Relation to God

1. A man: a masculine leader, a dudely dude

2. Above reproach: without any character defect

3. Able to teach: effective Bible communicator

4. Not a new convert: mature Christian

Relation to Family

5. Husband of one wife: one-woman man, sexually pure (this does not require a man to be married as Paul, Timothy, Jesus, and widowed men could qualify)

6. Submissive children: Successful father

7. Manages family well: provides for, leads, organizes, loves

Relation to Self

8. Sober-minded: mentally and emotionally stable

9. Self-controlled: disciplined life of sound decision-making

10. Not a drunkard: without addictions

11. Not a lover of money: financially content and upright

Relation to Others

12. Respectable: worth following and imitating

13. Hospitable: welcomes strangers, especially non-14 The Spirit-Led Mission Christians, for evangelism

14. Not violent: even-tempered

15. Gentle: kind, gracious, loving

16. Not Quarrelsome: peaceful, not divisive or contentious

17. Well thought of by outsiders: respected by non-Christians”

The General Reality of Your Life

Now, if you’re anything like me you read that list and think, “Who do you think I am? Jesus?” We all know that it would be impos¬sible to completely live up to every qualification Paul lays out for us in this passage, at every moment of every day. The point is that these things must be the general reality in the life of a man who is genuinely called by Jesus to lead in His church. We will stumble and fall as all men do.10 However, the general portrait and continual pursuit of our lives will reflect the qualities listed above if we are called to lead in the church of Christ.

One Necessary Gift

One particular qualification should be singled out for a minute before we move on. The qualification of being, “able to teach,” is what separates overseers in Christ’s church from deacons, whose qualifications Paul goes on to list in this same chapter in First Timothy. The other qualifications primarily have to do with per¬sonal character and the treatment of others. The ability to teach has to do with spiritual gifting. It is the spiritual gift of teaching that a man must have to be any kind of elder/overseer in Christ’s church. That would include functioning as a church planter. It is implied that one who would serve as a pastor or church plant¬ing pastor needs to go through a season of being observed and assessed as they take opportunities in which they can test and demonstrate their ability to teach the word of God effectively. This is the only way to confirm whether or not a man is gifted to teach; they must be given chances to teach, and the fruit must be evaluated.

If the gift of teaching isn’t confirmed in him, than in spite of a man’s desire to plant or pastor, and regardless of his integrity, he cannot possibly be called to church planting. This doesn’t mean he is worthless; it simply means he must have a different role to play in the body of Christ.

This also doesn’t mean that he has to be the best Bible teach¬er in the world. Sometimes we act as though men should be discouraged from pursuing the obvious call of God on their life just because they aren’t as good of a Bible teacher as Greg Laurie, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, or Chuck Smith. This is stupid, to put it bluntly! Every Bible teacher has weaknesses whether we recognize it or not. The important thing is that the prospective planter is capable of communicating the word accurately, growing in their gift, and that the people of God are maturing spiritually under their ministry.11 Drawing on an analogy from baseball, I once heard Mark Driscoll say in regard to evaluating a man’s gift of teaching that a guy doesn’t need to hit it out of the park every time, but they do need to hit singles and doubles pretty regularly. I think that’s a good idea of what it means to be able to teach.

OUR CALL MUST BE SUBJECTIVE

In addition to the objective call of God on a would-be church planter, I believe there must also be a timely and accompanying subjective call given by the Holy Spirit. Prior to listing the charac¬ter traits and gifting a man must have before being a leader in the church, Paul said, “If any man desires the office of an overseer it is a good work he desires to do.”12 Paul moves from desire to qualifications, not the other way around. Again, this is because a man may have the character and even gifting needed to be a leader in the church, and yet not be called. His character and gifting must accompany an intense desire for the work! Called by God 17

Men Without Heart

Huge amounts of damage has been done to Christ’s people be¬cause men who had good character and gifting took leadership roles in the body of Christ for which they had no heart desire to fulfill. The ministry to the called is a necessity, not merely an option. A called man will have a passion for the work the Holy Spirit is leading him into. If you don’t have a Holy Spirit given passion for church planting you will never be able to obey the command given through Peter to Christ’s leading men: “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly, not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”13

Two important applications can be made from Peter’s instruc¬tion. First, if you are a strong Christian man who is aware that you generally have good character and also the gift of teaching which is required for elders, you need to make sure you still don’t take on the task of functioning as an elder or lead church planter UNLESS YOU ALSO HAVE THE DESIRE! You will only end up hurting yourself, your family, and the church if you don’t have a Holy Spirit implanted intense desire for the work. The ministry isn’t to be something you do by compulsion. You will hinder what Jesus is doing in the church, not help it. So please don’t feel the need to pull your bootstraps up and proverbially take one for the team by merely being a warm body in a needed area of ser¬vice. You will only deal a deadly blow to the team!

Secondly, those in leadership who want to be instrumental in training elders and church planters need to continually fight the temptation to empower good and gifted men who lack personal desire for the work. Gifted men with good character and no desire for ministry will be unproductive, unmotivated sources of huge frustration for you. You will hurt them, Christ’s people, and the mission by putting them into a place of leadership for which God hasn’t given them a burden. Keep waiting on the Lord and He will raise up the right leaders with the right character, gifting, and desires in His own time.14 Jesus will equip, mold, and inspire the men He calls from the inside out.15

OUR CALL AND THE AFFIRMATION

OF SPIRIT-LED LEADERSHIP

When Jesus is calling a man into the war of church planting, an¬other way He will confirm His call is by speaking His will clearly through the Holy Spirit to the leaders in the prospective planter’s life. Ample biblical texts demonstrate this principle. Saul (Paul) and Barnabas’ call to church planting was confirmed when the Holy Spirit spoke prophetically through another leader as they were gathered together in a time of worship and prayer before God.16

Paul wrote reminding Timothy of a time when a prophecy given by the Holy Spirit regarding his call to pastoral and church planting ministry was spoken over him by the elders in his life.17 Jogging Timothy’s memory about that charismatic moment was intended by Paul to reignite confidence in his heart in regard to his calling, enabling him to continue on when the mission had become almost unbearably difficult for him. The memory of Timothy’s Spirit-led leaders confirming his call would serve to en¬courage the young pastor and church planter to persevere being confident of the Lord’s will for him based on that moment.

Later on in his ministry Paul would command both Timothy and Titus to take on the role of being the lone men who would evaluate multiple potential church leaders for placement in lead¬Called by God 19

ership roles over the new church plants they’d established.18 They were to make the decision about whether or not to utilize these prospective leaders on their own with just the leading of God and the foundation of what they’d learned already serving with Paul as the basis for their decisions. Clearly Paul believed that as men already proven to be God-called missionaries, the Lord would use them to confirm the same call in other men’s lives. Paul specifi¬cally instructed Timothy on two separate occasions to view the role of identifying, training, teaching, and mobilizing other men for leadership in the church as something he was to take very seri¬ously as a pastor.19

Again, this all serves to demonstrate that God delights to make His call on future elders and church planters clear through giving confirming insight through those already successfully serving as elders and church planters. A man’s call to church leadership and church planting will be confirmed by the Lord through the encouragement of Spirit-led men already serving in those roles.

OUR CALL AND THE

AFFIRMATION OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

If a man is called, not only will Spirit-led leaders be able to iden¬tify and confirm the call, but so will the wider body of Christ with which the man is locally associated. This is why Paul told Timothy to give himself to fulfilling his function as pastor/teacher in such a way that his progress would, “be evident to all.”20 When a man is Spirit-gifted for what he is doing, it will be obvious not only to those he is assisting, but also to those he is leading. Paul knew that, and he also knew it would encourage Timothy to see people affirming his growth in what Jesus had obviously designed him to do. That is why Paul told him to persevere and grow in his gifts. He knew that as people saw Timothy’s growth and received from God through him that they would be able to affirm his calling.

In the book of Acts, we see the apostles looking to the af¬firmation of the local church to confirm the call of God on the lives of certain men to help take care of local churches. This is the case in Acts six, where we find the appointment of seven men by the apostles to take care of some physical needs in the church in Jerusalem.21 This is also clear in Acts sixteen where Paul pays attention to Timothy’s reputation with the body of disciples in his hometown before officially bringing him onto his church planting team. He knew that Timothy’s leadership potential would either be validated or brought into question based on the observations of the local believers that knew him best.22

An Important Issue

The affirmation of our calling through leaders who have gone before us and other believers with whom we are in consistent community is more important than we sometimes admit. I have personally seen people ignore the warnings received from their leaders and other Christians in this area to their own detriment. Perhaps pride hinders them from humbly receiving exhortation. What I do know is that we need to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through the wider body of Christ about our desire to pastor and plant churches. There is wisdom in a mul¬titude of counselors.23 Specifically regarding the call to church planting, God’s people will see it if we have it. Men Jesus has already used in that role will see it. If they don’t see it, you’re probably not called, at least, not yet.

If you’re not called to church planting, than know that Jesus has something better for you that will glorify Him and bring sat¬isfaction and purpose to your life if you let Him have His way! Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up at the proper time. In the meantime, rest in His will for your life today!

Revival, Part 4

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:00:18 -0500

Creating a Spark

Is there a worldwide awakening coming? Could a national revival be just around the corner? I don’t know. But this I do know: A personal revival will take place in any man or woman who says, “Jesus, be Lord of all.” For some people, their prayer might be expressed this way: “Lord, I want to get back to where I was in those early days as a Christian. I want that passion and that fire. I want You to be the priority in my life once again.” Revival will come for us individually if we seek Him. And inevitably, if it comes for us individually, it’s going to touch others.

There have been Great Awakenings and there have been lesser moves of the Spirit, not necessarily impacting the whole nation or the world, but impacting certain regions. So it is possible that you might have a Los Angeles or New York City revival; or, a London, Tokyo, or Beijing revival. Revival could start in some obscure place and spread around the world. You never know what God might do!

Personal revival is indeed guaranteed. So where does it start? It starts with you and me. It starts with our determination to get right with God completely. We can pray:

“God, if there’s anything that has come into my life that’s not of You, then I pray You would remove it. And God, if there’s anything lacking in my life that You want to instill, I pray You would bring it.”

If you pray that sincerely, God will do it, and revival will begin.

The Welsh revival of 1904–1905 began with a young woman named Florrie Evans publicly proclaiming, “I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart.” A few months later, over 100,000 people from all walks of life were proclaiming the same thing. The initial spark, however, was one newly converted young woman standing up in a meeting in absolute purity and sincerity, expressing what had happened within her: “I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart.” That sparked a fire and changed the course of history for many people. Not only was Wales transformed, but many other nations were as well because that powerful move of the Spirit spread out from there.1

This is the searching question to consider: Do you love Jesus Christ with all your heart? Can you affirm that? Not around your peers, not to impress anyone publicly, but standing alone before God, can you affirm, “I love Jesus Christ with all of my heart”? Can you say honestly, “Lord, to the best of my knowledge and to the best of my ability, I am completely sold out to You and committed to doing Your will”? If you cannot say that with conviction, then I suggest you need revival.

The Urgency of the Matter

As we look out at our world we often wonder, how bad is it going to get? We ask, “Is there anything we can do to bring about a significant change in our society?” Some people emphasize the need for social reform and political involvement. As helpful as that can sometimes be, we need more. We need a drastic change in our culture. The only way we will see such a transformation is if large numbers of people have a radical change of heart. And the only one who can re-make a heart is Jesus Christ! Here’s the good news: He’s doing that!

We are presently seeing growing numbers of young people who, not that long ago, were caught up in the party scene. Some of them were into drugs, alcohol, and sexual immorality; others were just wasting their time, sitting around listening to music, watching movies, and basically entertaining themselves to death. But something is happening. God is moving! Now these young people are gathering together and instead of filling their minds with the perverse ramblings of some dead cultural icon, they’ve got their Bibles out, they’re sharing Scriptures with each other, they’re worshipping the Lord, they’re writing their own music, and they’re praying that God would touch their friends. And, He’s doing it! All of this tells me God is on the move, and I believe that there are greater things to come.

1 J. Edwin Orr. The Flaming Tongue. Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1973, p. 3.

Part three in this series can be found here.

See Breezes and Mud Pies

Danny Lehmann — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:08:45 -0500

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak! 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. --C. S. Lewis

The beach, by God's providence, has been a part of my personal culture for most of my life. I live in Hawaii, a land where both Hawaiian and Kama'aina (those of us non-Hawaiians who share the land with the locals) also share our love for the ocean. Fishermen, sailors, surfers, boogie boarders, bodysurfers, "suppers" (stand up paddlers), windsurfers and plain 'ole beach lovers continually keep attuned to the weather patterns, especially looking for wind directions. We have tradewinds, variable winds, "victory at sea" (high winds), both on and off-shore winds. Surfers favor light off-shore breezes and the beloved "evening glass off."

Lewis, well-known for his brilliant mind and sharp metaphors once said that one of the best ways to keep our spiritual senses sharp is to, "keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds. This can only be done by reading old books." He wasn't saying that "old books" are the only source of reading that will refresh our souls, but to supplement our diet on a regular basis by reading books from centuries past.

Most heresies arise when the Scriptures are misapplied by someone who either does not or will not read and heed the writings of those who have gone before. The independent "God told me" (some 'new truth' ) has been the mantra of every cult leader, false teacher and religious whack job that has ever soiled the straight and narrow highway. If they would have simply kept in mind to whom, when, and why a text was written and see through the eyes of the original readers, the early church fathers, Reformers, revivalists and scholars throughout history, they would have been less inclined to fall into error. There is a body of truth that all true believers through the centuries are told to know and "contend for," called "the faith which was once for all entrusted to the saints."(Jude 3).

We stand on the shoulders of giants and we must read what these giants had to say. Wesley warned his preachers that "No one could ever be a deep preacher or even a thorough Christian without extensive reading." "No man in the eighteenth century did so much to create a taste for good reading and to supply it with books at the lowest prices than John Wesley." * Hans Nielsen Hauge changed the nation of Norway by his incessant promotion of Bible reading and Christian books over a period of 30 years. Jesus is the Divine "Logos" - the "Word" in human flesh. Why did God use the word "Word" to describe Jesus? Because God is a Communicator and words communicate! No wonder OM founder George Verwer said "Readers make leaders."

Treasures Old and New

John Robinson, one of the early American Pilgrim Fathers, announced upon arriving in New England that "God would have much more light to break forth from his Holy Word." Young Robinson and every pioneer in every age had experienced light breaking forth out of God's Holy Word for their generation. Martin Luther, whose writings led Wesley to Christ, said, "If you preach the Gospel in all respects but to fail to address the issues of your time you are not preaching the Gospel at all."

God spoke a contemporary word to the new generation of Israelites approaching the promised land but encouraged them that, in addition to listening to what God was saying now, were told to, "Ask your fathers and they will tell you, ask your elders and they will explain it to you" (Deut. 32:7). Jesus also encouraged the blending of the old with the new when he said, "Every scribe which is instructed into the kingdom of heaven reaches in and brings out of this treasure things both old and new" (Matt. 13:52).

Readers Make Leaders

So along with these exhortations to healthy reading from both old and new sources, let me suggest a few practical ways to let God's fresh sea breezes blow through your soul and be the spiritual equivalent of a day on the beach, complete with wind blowing through your hair, salt air in your nostrils and sand between your toes!

Deal with distractions - Our time is a precious gift God has given us. We are told to "redeem" the minutes and hours of everyday (Col. 4:5). There may not be anything intrinsically wrong with television, movies, video games, Facebook, Twitter, and other "innocent amusements" (Charles Finney's term), but these things can be severe distractions to our spending time at the spiritual beach. We need to deal with them ruthlessly. Having a case of severe ADD, I have learned to put my laptop in another room while I'm having my quiet-time, lest I feel compelled to have to look at the latest Facebook offerings of my "friends" (I now have nearly 2000 of them!), rob myself of "God-time" and thereby make mud pies.

Read a variety of "genres" (types of books ). Early Fathers (i.e. Irenaeus, Athanasius, Tertullian), medieval and modern mystics ( Thomas A'Kempis, Teresa of Avila, Madame Guyon , Brother Lawrence, Andrew Murray), Reformers (Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, Knox), Revivalists (Wesley, Whitfield, Finney, Moody), missionary biographies (William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael) and great saints of the past (William and Catherine Booth, Wilberforce, Spurgeon), Bible commentaries (Stott, Wiersbe), specialty books (books revolving around your passions--(i.e. for me evangelism, missions and spiritual discipline), and devotional classics (Pilgrims Progress, Mere Christianity, My Utmost For His Highest etc.)

Read "on-purpose," Read intentionally, for instance, books on reaching the world for Christ, whether missionary biographies, strategy, history or basic Missiology. I would propose that in our Discipleship Training Schools, for instance we take more of a spiritually militant stance and read books that have to do with our task of making disciples of all nations. Ron Boehme's recent book, The Fourth Wave is an excellent example of what I have in mind. In a well written 200 page volume, Ron has compiled missions history, strategy, challenge, and emphasis on youth. I would recommend his book to any DTS.

* Read books from outside your culture. As an American I can be blind to American slants, blind spots and cultural bondages that exist in my nation, as in all other nations. Writers like Vishal Mangalwadi (India), Ajith Fernando (Sri Lanka), Orlando Costas (Costa Rica), John Mbiti (Kenya), Bong Rin Ro (Korea) and many others have refreshed my soul much like the salty air of the Pacific. Asians should read Latin Americans. Africans should read Pacific Islanders etc. You get the point.

The prophet tells us to "Look into the book of the Lord and read..." (Isa. 34:16) while Paul told Timothy to give attention to "reading"( 1 Tim. 4:13). So use your imagination. Put away your computer games, Christian romance novels, obsession with "reality" TV and relentlessly pursue real reality. Drive to the ocean, place your beach chair in the sand, have a seat, close your eyes and let the gentle sea breezes of God's spirit and the wisdom of the ages blow through your soul. You'll be glad you did. Don't waste your time making mud pies. You'll not only get your hands dirty but you'll also lose a lot of ground!

* Encyclopedia Britannica

Divine Design

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:03:51 -0500

As I have mentioned before, I grew up in a very godly Christian home.

I believed in Jesus Christ from day one. From the time I was thirteen days old, my parents carried me to church. I slept in the pews and grew up in a God-honoring environment. Yet, as all teenagers must, I came to a place in my spiritual growth and development where I had to create my own relationship with God. I had to develop a spiritual foundation and work through a personal theology. You might say I had to construct my own house of faith in the Lord.

As I moved through that period, being challenged intellectually by my studies—especially my philosophy and biology classes—I came to a short period when I questioned everything. I even began to question the existence of God. I wondered if I really believed in Him at all.

Maybe there is something to atheism, I thought. Maybe all this spiritual stuff is nothing more than the creation of man. I went through a period of real misery, almost sinking from the weight of my oppressive thoughts. Maybe God doesn’t exist. Maybe it is all man’s concepts and ideas, since man appears to need to believe in something. The more I entertained thoughts like these, the more I sank emotionally. And then I thought, Maybe God doesn’t exist—but it’s easier to believe that He does exist than to believe that He doesn’t. As I looked at the world and the universe, I found it much easier to believe in the existence of God than to believe that everything I saw came into being by sheer chance.

If you don’t believe in the existence of God, then you have a lot of explaining to do!

How can you see? How can you hear? How can you walk? How can you feel? How can you remember? Can you really have all of these capacities just by random, blind chance? Not believing in God left too many unanswered questions for me.

My belief in God strengthened as I observed creation. As I studied nature, I saw design and purpose everywhere. I saw delicate balances in nature. I noticed the oxygen/nitrogen cycles. I saw crucial water/dry land proportions, two-thirds to one-third. So it became easier for me to say, “Okay, I believe in God.”

You may say, “Well, Chuck, that’s not much in the way of proof.” And in one way, you’d be right. But in another way, if you’re sinking, then it’s awfully reassuring to feel your foot landing upon something solid! So I thought, Yes, I do believe in God.

But I couldn’t stop there. How could I stop with a limited belief in the existence of God? I had already seen that creation seemed to reveal a consistent divine design and purpose. I reasoned that all of these delicate systems and necessary balances existed because they were required for man’s existence—and if God had a design and a purpose for all created things, then He also must have a design and a purpose for me. And for you too.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

At The Punk Rock Show

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:39:29 -0500

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children.” (Matthew 11:19)

A few weeks ago I found myself at a punk rock show at a bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. Admittedly, it was one of the last places most people expect to find a Christian pastor. I’m not saying that to make myself look cool, edgy, or controversial. It’s just the truth. And many Christians and Christian pastors have a hard time swallowing the idea of a pastor hanging out in such a place. Some standouts for the evening included the headlining band mockingly reciting what we commonly call the Lord’s Prayer, young men with pentagrams and morbid pictures of Jesus dead and rotting tattooed on their bodies, and the celebration of personal autonomy and being the God of one’s own life. In addition there were the staples of punk shows which include men and women getting totally plowed on booze, weed, and other drugs, and trying to convince each other to sleep with one another during, or after the show. Again, the above incomplete list of overtly sinful and sad things makes many Christians wonder if any follower of Jesus should ever be found in such a place, perhaps particularly Christian pastors. Let me throw out some reasons why I went and perhaps from there you can share your thoughts on why you would or wouldn’t go to such a place or event.

Why I Go to the Punk Rock Shows

1. I like the musical style and its worship to my ears

Having played in punk, metal, and hardcore bands, I still have an affinity for the styles. And whether people get it or not, I believe punk, metal, and hardcore music to be God-originated. I don’t mean in the sense that He inspires the specific progressions and so on that the bands play, but in the sense that He is the originator of creativity and all music in general. The largest book in our Bible is a book of songs (Psalms). In the Psalms our creative God who has made us creative in His image is praised page after page through music, lyrics, and poetry. Most of the lyrics sound like they’d be found on an Oh Sleeper or As I Lay Dying Album than a Christ Tomlin or Michael W. Smith album. Our ability to create any kind of music, including those found in radical subcultures, comes from God. All music is an amoral vehicle which can be used to worship the creature or Creator. When I hear music I enjoy of whatever style my enjoyment of it never terminates on the music itself, but on the creative God who made the music possible in the first place when He made human beings creative in His image. That means I personally am able to go and listen to an otherwise pagan metal band and yet worship God through the experience, because whether the band understands where the capacity to play the awesome music they do comes from or not, I do. And what’s more, I can share that truth with them or anyone when I’m in the right context for opportunity.

2. It’s where I come from

As stated above, the punk, metal, and hardcore music scenes are where I come from. I’ve grown up playing in and listening to those kinds of bands. And even though I’m a follower of Jesus now, I don’t want to forget where I come from, or where He found me. Much of my time is spent at these shows praying and weeping internally (mostly) over the kids I see in those places who don’t know Christ. The shows are places full of pagan worship and humanism. And when I’m there I often feel like Paul did when he saw the man-centered and destructive pagan worship going on in Athens. Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.” That’s how I feel at those shows. I feel provoked, not against the people, but against the sin, darkness, and evil that has consumed them, which also once consumed me. That spiritual provocation compels me to be there with them praying for them, and remembering I’d be one of them but for God’s amazing grace.

3. These people aren’t coming to church any time soon

The idea of “going to church” to most people in these scenes is laughable. They see organized religion as suspect. It isn’t uncommon to see shirts and hoodies at shows these days with the slogan God Free proudly displayed. Put simply, these people aren’t going to come to us, so we must go to them. I believe that is one reason why Jesus, as noted in Matthew 11:19 above, drank with and hung out with “sinners.” He never got drunk or sinned in any way, but He was with them! He was a friend to them. He went to them when they weren’t going to otherwise come find Him. And when Jesus’ people go to the lost in the darkest places, Jesus continues to do that incarnational work today through us in those contexts. I for one am glad Jesus didn’t look at this lost and dying world and say, “Oh man, I’d like to save them but I can’t be seen in that world, with those people, who do those things. What will the angels think if they see me drinking wine and eating with sinners? What will they say if they see me talk by myself with that adulterous woman who goes from man to man and bed to bed at the well? I’d better just stay in My heavenly cul-de-sac where I won’t get crucified or misunderstood for what I do while trying to reach people.” No! Praise be to our Christ that He came into the sickest places and talked to the sickest people. Otherwise, I for one would not be saved.

4. To reach out to old friends

Some of the people at that show who wouldn’t darken the door of a church unless circumstances obligated them to do so were old friends of mine. I ended up hanging out with two guys I used to play in bands with and another old friend and his new wife who were there that night. This is the only kind of context in which I would ever be able to see them all at once. The opportunity to start rebuilding a relationship with them through this old connecting point (the punk rock show) was worth the entire experience alone.

5. I know my weaknesses

There was a time when it wouldn’t have been good for me to go to such an environment even for ministry. When I was first a Christian I wasn’t strong enough or mature enough spiritually to be in that kind of place without succumbing to temptation. For that reason, it is good I spent some years growing in a church instead and separated from my old scene. And I recommend any Christian who has a heart to reach those in the subcultures where Jesus found them to be careful about timing. You need to be able to handle what you’ll face in those old environments before charging back into them. But on the other hand, you do need to charge back into them when you’re strong enough and the time is right. Jesus didn’t save you to live in the Christian subculture where you’d never be around “the bad people” again. That’s religious foolishness. If you won’t go to and relate to them while displaying the heart and grace of Christ, who will? Walk in wisdom, know your weakness, grow in grace, and storm the gates of hell from which you were saved.

Sound Off

What kinds of people, places, or things represent your time of sinful living and separation from God? What do you think about hanging out in places like bars, punk shows, etc. for the sake of worship and mission? And remember, be nice. We’re all friends here.

Note- For more discussion of art/music and culture in worship visit: www.the-incarnate.com

Revival, Part 3

Brian Brodersen — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:29:18 -0500

Reasons to Hope

Mercy—God’s Delight

There are three reasons why I believe that we should hope for revival.

First, God delights in showing mercy. He takes pleasure in it. He enjoys it.

Sometimes when I’m praying for revival and for God to show mercy on this sin-sick world, I find myself thinking, “Lord, You ought to just judge this planet!” But then I have to stop and remember, “I was just like these people.”

You could say the same thing. We were just like them at one time, living for ourselves, having no regard for God or the things of God. Not the slightest bit interested, living in sin, rebelling against God, and frankly not really caring about any of it at all. Yet what did God do? He extended mercy to us. Amazing!!! So, because God delights in showing mercy, we as God’s people ought to anticipate that perhaps at this dark hour, He might still choose to graciously pour out His Spirit.

The Promised Outpouring of the Spirit

Second, I believe that we should hope for revival because the Scripture speaks of the Spirit being poured out in the last days. This promise is found repeatedly in the Bible. “In the last days, I will pour My Spirit on all flesh, says the LORD” (see Joel 2:28). Therefore, we can biblically anticipate outpourings of the Spirit of God as we get closer and closer to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unfinished Business

The third reason I believe we should hope for revival (and this is purely subjective) is because it seems that God is moving in that direction. Although there are many things that appear to point in the direction of the Second Coming—whether it be international situations or the Middle East crisis—as I look at other events, I get the sense that there is still something that God is going to accomplish before Jesus returns.

I believe this because of my own experience of what God is doing in and through the ministry of Calvary Chapel. I am not saying that Calvary Chapel is the only ministry through which God is moving today. He’s working through many ministries, and we thank God for that. But I’m not involved in those other ministries so I don’t know the details. I do know the details, however, of what He’s doing with Calvary Chapel. And as I look at what He is accomplishing through the ministry of Calvary Chapel, it seems that the Lord is moving, and He is preparing to do something significant in the future.

As a ministry, we’ve grown to over twelve hundred related churches in the United States and hundreds more internationally. New churches are being planted, and men are continuing to be raised up to spread the Gospel.

We have the Bible colleges and extension campuses both in the States and overseas where literally hundreds and hundreds of young men and women are preparing themselves for service to God. I look at that and think, “Okay, Lord, it looks like this is all preparatory for something in the future.”

When I first went into Europe many years ago, our ministry was limited to evangelizing on the streets and meeting in people’s homes. Today, we have conference centers, Bible colleges, and various training centers in England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Hungary; as well as new churches emerging regularly. Now, I look at all of this and think, “Lord, You have laid the groundwork, You have laid a foundation. It is hard for me to believe that You would have laid the foundation without intending to erect the structure.” “‘Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?’ Says the LORD” (Isaiah 66:9a).

These are just the things we see happening in Europe, but I could go on talking about similar kinds of things all over the world. The point is God is on the move, He’s working, and personally I believe there’s more work to be done.

I could be dead wrong. But, because of what I see happening in our own ministry, I am convinced we ought to be hoping and praying for revival and spiritual awakening. Is a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit guaranteed? Can we say dogmatically, authoritatively, “If we do A, B, and C, then God is obligated to bring about revival?” Let me quote A. W. Tozer to answer that question:

“What God in His sovereignty may yet do on a world-scale I do not claim to know. But what He will do for the plain man or woman who seeks His face I believe I do know and can tell others. Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped [for] in his leaner and weaker days.”1

1 A.W. Tozer. The Pursuit of God. Christian Publications, Inc., Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 1982, 1993, p. 66.

He Just Waits

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:58:45 -0500

It’s excruciating to watch your children make serious mistakes, despite your counsel and warnings. You can see what they cannot—the destruction and excruciating pain that will surely follow.

I think tough situations like these give us some insight into God’s experience with us. He sees us doing ungodly things that He knows are going to bring us pain. They invite suffering. And so He does everything short of violating our will to dissuade us from our foolish choices. He wants us to change. But we get stubborn and headstrong and so we go ahead and do what we want anyhow.

Then He just waits.

When we arrive at the crushing part of the story, the painful part, He comes to us once more, full of compassion. He is so gracious and He helps us to put together the broken pieces. Had we only obeyed and listened to Him, He would have helped us to avoid the whole ugly scene. Even though we do foolish things in our own headstrong will that bring us pain and hurt, God remains gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger and full of great mercy. In other words, when we go ahead and do something stupid despite His Word, He doesn’t just cut us off and say, “All right, that’s enough. I’ve had it with you! Forget you; I disown you. Never call on Me again!”

You don’t do that with your children, do you? You feel their pain and hurt; and then, at the right time, you help them pick up the pieces and put everything back together. God is just like that. Even when He disciplines us, even when He has to chastise members of His church, He does so with compassion, grace and love. Even in God’s justice, He displays great love. But why suffer terrible pain and deep sorrow when you don’t have to?

In the Old Testament we encounter a God of grace and mercy, a longsuffering God who offers to forgive all the truly repentant. At the same time we observe a holy God who can never merely wink at sin. In the New Testament we find a righteous God of judgment and wrath, but one who urges us in love to escape the wrath to come through faith in Jesus Christ.

They are one and the same God. There isn’t one God of the Old Testament and a different God of the New Testament. People may read into the Bible what they want, but in reality both Testaments reveal God as gracious, loving, kind, merciful, and forgiving. And in both Testaments we see Him as a God of judgment and wrath, who by no means will clear the guilty—that is, without genuine repentance. God never says to anyone, “Well, you seem like a nice enough person. I know you’re trying! You’re forgiven.” Jesus emphasized repeatedly, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).

God is a God of love—yes! He is a God of mercy—yes! He is a compassionate God, a merciful and gracious God—yes! A good God—yes! He is also a God of justice—correct! A God of judgment—correct again!

Our loving Lord is all that the Bible declares Him to be. And Scripture says that He longs for you to enjoy a vital, growing relationship with Him, and discover for yourself all that He is.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Do The Next Thing

Bill Walden — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:02:45 -0500

When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God dried up the Jordan for them, and they crossed over on dry land.

God then told them to set up Memorial Stones in Gilgal, so that when their children asked about those stones, they would tell their story of God’s faithfulness to them.

I want to share some of my story regarding my experiences in Mexico.

The Story…

I was on staff at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa from 1989-1991. During that time, I was singing in a band called The Mirrors. The Iron Curtain fell, and Eastern Europe opened up to the West. We traveled with Brian Broderson (then pastor of CC Vista, CA) to Yugoslavia and Hungary, and sang and shared about Jesus. Lots of young people got saved, and churches were birthed.

I traveled back to Yugoslavia and Hungary for a number of years, speaking at conferences that those young churches held. Eventually, I also taught some in Austria. Eastern Europe was my mission field for a time.

One year while serving at a conference in Budapest, I became increasingly uncomfortable with my involvement in Eastern Europe. Nothing was wrong, and I loved the people, but I felt out of place. As I prayed one night, the Lord spoke to my heart, and gave me the impression that my new mission field would be in a Spanish speaking country. There were no more details than that. I immediately planned to not re-visit Eastern Europe and participate as I had done for a number of years.

I began asking around about missions opportunities in Mexico. I was directed to La Posada in Rosarito, Baja. I felt like I had found my place regarding foreign missions. We visited La Posada three times a year for a number of years.

One year, Victor Mayoral, who was the director and pastor at La Posada, invited me to go with him to Vizcaino, Baja Sur (South). It’s 500 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border. He said that not a lot of outreach was happening there. We went, and a few months later, took a group of pastors to tour the area. During that first pastoral tour, I was impressed with the need for us to offer a Leadership Conference for pastors in the region. We talked with them, and discerned that they needed encouragement and support. The Municipality of Mulege takes 5-6 hours to drive across. Vizcaino is located in the middle of the municipality.

Long story short: We bought 3 1/2 acres there, and built a missions base with the help of other Calvary Chapels. In January 2012, we celebrated out 9th Annual Leadership Conference, with pastors and leaders from many different denominations. We have planted a church which is pastored by a Mexican national. We have two full time missionaries living on our property. As many as 10 churches are now or have been involved in ministry in Vizcaino. God has added many workers to this effort.

There is much more to the story, but take note of this: Our walk with the Lord is a journey, a process, and progressive revelation. As we obey what God is telling us, and as we take the next step and do the next thing, He shows us more of His plan. We can never see the 2nd or 3rd step until we have taken the next step. A favorite phrase of mine, originally coined by Elisabeth Elliot is this: “Do the next thing”.

Don’t try to figure out the big picture. “Do the next thing.” Then share your story with others regarding God’s leading and His faithfulness.

No Wasted Scars

Kellen Criswell — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:49:53 -0500

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, NKJV).

Anyone who has been a follower of the biblical Jesus for more than five seconds knows at least one thing—Christians still suffer. Unlike some popular teachers, theological streams, and spiritual movements would teach, becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that all of your pain, struggles, challenges, trials, and pressures just go away. And this makes sense because the biblical Christian life is about following Jesus who suffered more than any other person who ever has, does, or who will exist. In Isaiah 52 and 53 we get a bit of a biographical synopsis of the life of Jesus. It describes Him as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). And surely Jesus’ grief included everything from not being physically attractive (Isaiah 53:2) to being ostracized and rejected by those He loved (53:3), bearing the weight of wrath due to every sin that has or will be committed (53:4-6), and being unjustly accused and convicted of crimes of which He was not guilty (53:7-9). And yet, though His life was full of the most intense suffering imaginable, Jesus gladly went through it all so that His scars, hurts, suffering, and death could ultimately provide a bridge of escape for us from sin, shame, and guilt. He endured it all because He knew His suffering and death was the only pathway to the possibility of our ultimate healing and forgiveness.

What the passage above in 2 Corinthians tells us is that the early Christians followed directly in the footsteps of their suffering Savior. They experienced many scars physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually in their life with Jesus. And yet, they weren’t about to let those scars go to waste. First, they allowed the Lord to bring them through extremely difficult seasons of suffering. They experienced all of His “comforts in all . . . tribulation.” They knew what it was to feel at the edge of death, persevere by God’s grace, and still be standing on the other side of the crucible. And second, they then used their experience of enduring suffering by the grace, empowerment, and comfort of Christ to comfort other’s they would meet who were then currently going through the kinds of suffering they’d previously endured. And as they shared their hurts and the way that Christ had sustained them and strengthened them through their suffering, their very experiences of suffering became instruments of nourishment, perseverance, and grace in the lives of those to whom they were relating. As they let their scars become bridges of healing and ministry to the suffering people in their lives, they became a living picture of Jesus, who has suffered the most, that the world might receive the best kind of spiritual healing—regeneration (the new birth) and salvation.

And thus, one of the greatest realities of biblical Christianity shines forth from the example of Christ and His early followers. And that is the truth that for followers of the biblical Jesus there are no such thing as wasted scars. God teaches us through them. He comforts us through them. He shows us our dependence upon Him and His care for us through them. He convinces us that He is still the God who heals the feeble, raises the dead, and gives life to the lifeless. And further, He then desires to use our suffering and healing to produce healing in the lives of others as we share our testimony, avail our lives to the hurting, and help them apply the gospel to their situation.

Thrice is one of my favorite bands, and Dustin Kensrue (of Mars Hill Church), who is their singer, is one of my favorite song writers. In the song For Miles, Kensrue wrote one of my favorite lines, which relates to what we’re thinking about: “And as long as we live every scar is a bridge to someone’s broken heart” (by Thrice from the album “Vheissu”).

That’s true for followers of Jesus. He gave His life that we might have life. He comforts us through our suffering that we might be instruments of comfort and perseverance in the lives of others who are suffering through the kinds of things we’ve experienced.

Let me leave you with two practical applications:

1. Share your scars for the sake of others.

If you don’t share your suffering and shame, you can’t be an instrument of healing to your greatest potential for others who are going through similar issues. Because he knows that when Christians get real about their dark pasts and how Jesus has healed them and people begin to be set free from his power, Satan will do all he can to keep you quiet. He will use shame and lies to get you to keep a lid on it, and if he is successful, who knows who is missing out on the healing comfort of God because Jesus wants to comfort them through you, but He can’t because the enemy has a muzzle on you. Are you sharing your scars?

2. Shift your focus to others.

Many times we miss out on chances to be God’s comfort to other people because we are so focused on our own pain. There is a time to weep to be sure. But the enemy would prefer we continue to wallow in self-defeat and shame so he can keep us shackled. If you start asking, “who can I help through my testimony?” rather than, “why does this have to happen to me?” you will find deeper healing for yourself, and greater use in the kingdom of God and His healing work. Do you need to shift your focus to asking who you can help instead of asking “why did this happen?”

Here’s a final text of encouragement for you:

“Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us . . .” (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, NKJV).

Revival Part 2

Brian Brodersen — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:39:26 -0500

We come to the subject of revival. What is revival? First, let us address what it is not. Revival is not something that we can conjure up. Perhaps you’ve driven past a church advertising, “Revival this Week – 7:30 p.m.” Revival certainly applies to the church, but it cannot be planned by the church. We don’t dictate how and when God will bring about revival. There are things we can do that will lend themselves to revival, but ultimately, it is the sovereign work of God.

Revival has been defined as, “a special season of refreshing when many believers simultaneously experience a deep, Holy Spirit conviction of sin. It results in their confession and renunciation of sin (sometimes publicly). It culminates in a renewal of their dedication to the Lord.”1 Revival leads to a new commitment to holiness, a fresh evangelistic zeal, and a missionary vision.

You see, revival is something God does for His people when we have backslidden and grown cold to the things of the Spirit. Maybe we’re still going to church, still carrying around our Bibles, still going through the motions, but in our hearts, we’ve moved away from that place of intimacy and total commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In The Spiritual Awakeners, author Keith Hardman said this about the conditions leading up to revival: “Revival is usually preceded by a time of spiritual depression, apathy, and gross sin, in which the great majority of nominal Christians are hardly different in any substantive way from the members of secular society.”2

Isn’t this the situation we find ourselves in today? Many conversions appear to be taking place, new churches are being started, and in some cases, people are coming in by the droves. When the facts are analyzed closely, however, it becomes clear that, although many churches are filling up with people, the lifestyles of those within the churches and those outside of them are not significantly different. That tells me we need revival!

The Need for Another Great Awakening

An awakening is something that comes alongside revival and impacts those outside the church, bringing them to a saving faith in Christ. Generally speaking, revival and awakening happen simultaneously. As God begins to move in His church by His Spirit, bringing a fresh conviction of sin and a fresh call to commitment, God also begins to work in the society outside, convicting people of sin.

Isn’t that the great need in our world—for people to come under the conviction of sin? When you talk to people about sin, they dismiss the whole idea, saying, “There’s no such thing.” How can you convince a person who doesn’t believe in absolute truth that truth exists and that all men are in fact sinners? We need something more than our ability to argue—we need the power of the Spirit of God!

Hardman concluded, “Awakenings begin in periods of cultural distortion and grave personal stress, when we lose faith in the legitimacy of our norms, the viability of our institutions, and the authority of our leaders in church and state.”3 Doesn’t that describe where we are today? We are ripe for judgment, certainly, but we are also ripe for revival. We are ripe for an awakening. And I believe that as the people of God, we ought to anticipate it and cry out to God to bring it.

1 Richard W. DeHaan. How to Have Revival. Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, pp. 2–3.

2 Keith J. Hardman. The Spiritual Awakeners. Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1983, p. 21.

3 Ibid, p. 20.

Love in Justice

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:54:18 -0500

I must say, that even in God’s justice, He displays His love. In love, God warns us against destructive decisions and activities. He seeks to protect us from our fallen nature, which is bent toward the things that can destroy us.

Certain activities carry a certain, built-in judgment. If you do certain ungodly things, then as a natural consequence you are going to suffer certain nasty repercussions. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7). Particular activities and actions automatically bring corresponding consequences.

As you study God’s laws as given in Scripture, you see that, in essence, God prohibited destructive choices—choices that are destructive to your health, to your relationship with your spouse, with your family, with your friends, and destructive to your relationship with God. He outlawed those things that naturally destroy you. On the other hand, He mandated the things that build you up, that make you a better person and enhance your relationships with others and magnify your relationship with God.

So you cannot fault the law of God. “The law of the Lord is perfect,” the Bible says, “converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). You cannot fault God’s law—and yet we often rebel against it. My flesh wants to do things that God’s law prohibits, the things that by their very nature destroy me. And if I do those things despite what God tells me, I’m going to suffer the inevitable consequences of my rebellion. And so God plainly warns us of the consequences of violating His law—and He does so because He is gracious, not because He isn’t.

I can often do destructive things—and yet God remains compassionate. He sees me in my turmoil. He sees me in my sorrow. He sees me in my grief. He wants me to avoid the things that would destroy me—and He even helps me to avoid them—but I can rebel. I choose to do them anyhow. And so I suffer the consequences.

Even then, however, God is gracious and merciful and full of compassion: “Oh, you poor little child; why would you do that?” He seems to say. And then He reaches down, lifts me out of the pit and sets me on my feet again.

Have you ever had to sit back and watch one of your children make a serious mistake? I think that has to be one of the most frustrating things parents ever have to face. When young adults reach an age when they start making their own decisions, and you see them about to make a choice that you know is wrong and destructive, your heart breaks. You know their decision is going to bring them pain and hurt. And so you do your best to keep them from it. You do everything you possibly can, within the limits of the law. You want to prevent them from injuring or destroying themselves. You want to spare them the terrible pain and sorrow you know is coming. You want so desperately to shield them from all of that—but sometimes they get headstrong. They get stubborn and rebellious and they act against your good judgment, against your pleas, against your advice and counsel and even threats. They go ahead with their plan and there’s not one thing you can do to stop them.

You just have to stand by and wait for the awful cycle to complete itself. When their plans blow up and you find them in horrible pain—the very agony you wanted to spare them from—you step in to pick up the pieces and to help them put their life back together. If only they had listened, they could have avoided all of that!

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Jesus the Nazarene

David Guzik — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:39:55 -0500

Despite the speculations and legends through the years, we know little of the boyhood of Jesus. One of the few things we do know is that Jesus grew up in the city – a village, really – of Nazareth. Matthew said this was so “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23)

After Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Egypt to escape the murderous jealousy of Herod, Joseph did the unexpected – “he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), their hometown. It was remarkable because Nazareth was an unremarkable town, and because it was the place where everyone knew Mary and Joseph and the strange circumstances surrounding their birth of their son.

Nazareth was an unprotected town with a somewhat bad reputation; Nathaniel wondered if anything good could come from Nazareth (John 1:46). Every region has some place that is somewhat despised and made fun of. There is always some city or town where the people are mocked by others, made the objects of jokes and scorn. The people of these cities and towns are thought to be uncultured, behind-the-times and not very smart. That was the kind of place Nazareth was.

Would it not be better for the Messiah to grow up in Jerusalem, in the shadow of the temple and surrounded by the smart and suave people of His day? Yet in God’s plan, Jesus came from small, insignificant place that, if it had any reputation, it was a bad one. This is where Jesus grew up and matured into adulthood.

Think about it: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” In the plan of God the Father, inspired by the God the Spirit, and embraced by God the Son, the Messiah grew up in the somewhat despised town. Indeed, Jesus would become known as “Jesus of Nazareth” and His followers “Nazarenes.”

When Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus – obviously after His resurrection and ascension and seating at the right hand of God the Father in glory – He introduced Himself to Paul saying, “I am Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 22:8). He was still the Nazarene.

In Acts 24:5, the prosecutors of Paul said this to his judge: “We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” They were still identified by their association with the Nazarene.

Growing up in Nazareth, Jesus would mature in boyhood and then in His young adulthood. He would fulfill the responsibilities expected of an eldest son; and then at some time Joseph disappeared from the scene and Jesus became the man of the family. He worked His trade, supported His family, loved His God, and proved Himself utterly faithful in a thousand small things before He formally entered His appointed ministry.

Yet no one would be intimidated to meet a man from Nazareth; the tendency would be to immediately think one’s self better than a person from Nazareth. So that you and I and everyone would freely come to Him, He took a despised title and made it something glorious in its humility: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

An Unfair View Of Spiritual Growth

Bill Walden — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:29:00 -0500

I have seen a troubling occurrence among the Body of Christ. It is that we approve or disapprove of people’s journeys of faith, but use unbiblical standards. We consider that some Christians are growing in the faith in a healthy manner, while with others we are all but ready to disavow their salvation.

I submit that we artificially prop up some struggling Christians in an unhealthy way, while others are scolded and lectured ad nauseam.

2 Peter 3:18 tells us... “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.

Christians are to grow in understanding and experiencing the grace (divine favor and assistance) of Jesus Christ. God’s grace is poured out upon every Christian to assist them in daily living. Grace is given to help us through temptation, and to comfort us when we fear.

Knowledge is accumulated through reading the Bible and experiencing God. Knowledge is something that is gained over time.

My main point is that growth takes time. While people grow, they still do things the wrong way. They are unfamiliar with God’s grace, and live in panic when stressors come. One young Christian may deal with a stressor by acting out in some culturally approved way, while another acts out in a culturally disapproved way.

Let me illustrate.

There is a televisions show called “The Biggest Loser”. Overweight people are challenged to exercise and lose weight. Imagine a 400 lb. man going on that show. He is obese, and in danger of shortening his life by many years. He has used food as a crutch, and has been an emotional eater for years. He uses food to deal with stressors.

If he loses 25-50 lbs., he is still obese, but people are excited for him. Maybe during that weight loss, he used food to cope, but overall, some progress has been made. We applaud his efforts and encourage him, as we should. We don’t focus on what he has yet to accomplish, but what he has accomplished.

By the way, using food and obesity is not considered to be a problem among some in the Body of Christ. We even joke about it, calling it fellowship….but make no mistake….some people use food as a coping mechanism.

Another person uses drugs as a coping mechanism. I have dealt with more than a few of such people. I am always excited when a person accepts Jesus and as a result, uses fewer drugs less often. Some would shake their head, and scold such a new Christian, perhaps even suggesting that they weren’t saved. They would be lectured about “hurting their temple”, etc., and any progress that they had made would be overlooked, because they were not yet completely clean and sober.

One man is still obese, but we applaud his progress, though he may still falter. The other man is still addicted, but we don’t recognize his progress. We only recognize that he still uses. We say of the obese man, “He is losing weight”. We call the other person an addict.

I am well aware that one behavior is lawful, while the other is a crime. I am also very aware that obesity probably won’t kill you as suddenly as a drug overdose would.

Those are valid points, but they are secondary. The main point is this: both people are making spiritual progress, and both should be applauded, acknowledged, and encouraged.

Though these people may continue to some degree in their sinful coping practices…

The one who gossips less and the one who self mutilates less should both be acknowledged.

The man who gets angry less, and the man who looks at less porn, should both be encouraged.

The young lady who flirts less and the young lady who binges are purges less, should both be applauded.

I understand that for each of us, some sins are extremely offensive.

I am not suggesting that all sins are the same.

What I am suggesting is this:

We are less critical of some sinful behavior, while other sinful behavior we rush to condemn.

I pray that we might have eyes to see any spiritual growth in a Christian’s life, though their sin may offend us. I pray that we would rejoice over any progress made as people struggle forward in faith. I pray that we would jettison our lists of acceptable and non-acceptable “behavior/problems, and see people’s spiritual efforts the way that Jesus does.

Finally, I pray that we/I would understand that growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ takes time. May we/I extend grace to those who need to grow in grace.

The main point isn’t that the obese man loses weight, or that the junkie gets clean. The main goal for such people is that they would trust Jesus in every situation, and not use coping mechanisms to artificially deal with life.

Lucy Part 2

Carl Kerby — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:17:53 -0500

“My, What Beautiful Eyes You Have!”

In the first installment of this series we set the stage to deal with some very specific claims about the most famous of all the supposed evolutionary ancestors, “Lucy”. In this article we’ll apply the simple principal of asking, “Where’s the beef?” to the “evidence” found in the reconstruction.

First, take a look at the picture of Lucy below and observe it critically. Keep in mind, you won’t become famous in the world of paleontology by finding human or monkey bones. It’s finding the bones of “apelike” ancestors that gets the attention of both the media and the scientific community. In order to be considered bones of apelike ancestors there must be features of both humans and apes. Sure enough, Lucy fits that requirement. Just look at the reconstruction of her face!

Lucy Reconstruction

Chimp

Take a look at Lucy’s eyes. The iris and the sclera (the white of the eye) look human! This would lead you to believe thatLucy was an apelike, human ancestor because of the human and apelike characteristics.

Notice Lucy’s brow ridges as well. It’s not nearly as pronounced as a normal chimpanzee. That would lead you to believe that Lucy was an apelike ancestor, because it is much less prominent than an ape’s.

In addition, notice the coloring of Lucy’s face— it’s much darker than a chimpanzee’s face. Put all of this together and you have a perfect “ape-like” ancestor.

So, the question is, “Where’s the beef?” or what’s the truth? Always ask, what does the observational evidence? Below is the actual evidence that was found.

Notice that a fossilized eyeball was not found. So how would anyone know that the sclera was white, which would cause it to look more human. The reconstruction is pure speculation about how Lucy’s eye looked.

As for the brow ridges, does the observational science (the bones discovered) show that Lucy had smaller ridges than a chimp? No, all they have are fragments. Search the internet for “australopithecsu afarensis” & “skull” & “reconstruction”. Classify the search for “images” and see what comes up. Below are two different reconstructions:

Even without a PhD the difference is obvious. One is much more apelike than the other.

The reason the reconstruction varies so much is because of what was actually found — only FRAGMENTS! When all you have is fragments you must create the rest of the reconstruction with your own thinking, which is influenced by your beliefs and world view. If you believe man evolved from apes, you’ll fill in the missing information with that mindset.

Ask yourself, which reconstruction is closer to the observational evidence (the actual bones discovered)? Watch this video clip from, “In Search of Human Origins”.

&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There is one thing that all of these reconstructions have in common — none of them have human eyes!!!  We’ve already dealt with that, so let’s move on!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Perhaps you are thinking, “Carl, You’re a creationist.  You’re biased!”  Well, you’re right, I am biased.  My presupposition is that I believe what God said in His Word.  So let’s look at only the observable evidence, the “beef”, and follow  it to a logical, testable conclusion. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;To support my claims, I’ll share additional quotes from Don Johanson, the man who discovered Lucy.  In the same documentary, he spoke about what they found and described what it looked like.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;DON JOHANSON: “We think Lucy's skull might have looked something like this, with a receding forehead and a prominent face. And with a brain case no larger than a chimps, this was no smart ape.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;DON JOHANSON: “And what about Lucy, herself. What did she look like? We know from the teeth, the jaw and now the skull fragments we found, that Lucy had an ape-like face with a brain just a little larger than a chimps. She may have had dark skin and patchy hair to protect her from the sun.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;(Emphasis mine)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;So, according to the man who discovered the bones and reconstructed them she had an “ape-like face, with big protruding brow ridges, very ape like.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;We’ve already addressed both of those claims by looking at the observational evidence.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lastly, let’s deal with the “dark skin” to protect her from the sun.  Is there any evidence to support that depiction?  And the answer is, NO!  No one knows the color of Lucy’s skinn.  They just supposed it to be dark.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;That being the case why do we see the human-like features on Lucy?   I’ll let the sculptor who created one of the depictions answer that:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p align="center"&amp;gt;“I wanted to get a human soul into this ape-like face, to indicate something about where he was headed.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p align="center"&amp;gt; John Gurche, sculptor, National Geographic 189(3): 96-117, March, 1996 &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Well, I beg to differ.  The observational evidence shows an “ape-like face” (Don Johanson’s very words) so the depiction should be ape! &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Let’s address getting “a human soul into this ape-like face.”  All the sculpting in the world can’t create a human soul.  Only God can create a soul! Remember… “in the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In the next article we’ll deal with the human hips, hands and feet!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you’d like more information on some of the other supposed ape-like human ancestors , check out the “Becoming Bold:  Know it! Live it! Share it!” DVD series.  The talk “Human Evolution: Is That All You Got?” deals with Ida, Ardi and Lucy!!  Another talk, “Jurassic Park of Jesus?” deals with how our worldview influences the way in which we interpret observational evidence.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Stay bold! &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Carl Kerby &amp;amp;amp; the rforh Team&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

There is one thing that all of these reconstructions have in common — none of them have human eyes!!! We’ve already dealt with that, so let’s move on!

Perhaps you are thinking, “Carl, You’re a creationist. You’re biased!” Well, you’re right, I am biased. My presupposition is that I believe what God said in His Word. So let’s look at only the observable evidence, the “beef”, and follow it to a logical, testable conclusion.

To support my claims, I’ll share additional quotes from Don Johanson, the man who discovered Lucy. In the same documentary, he spoke about what they found and described what it looked like.

DON JOHANSON: “We think Lucy's skull might have looked something like this, with a receding forehead and a prominent face. And with a brain case no larger than a chimps, this was no smart ape.”

DON JOHANSON: “And what about Lucy, herself. What did she look like? We know from the teeth, the jaw and now the skull fragments we found, that Lucy had an ape-like face with a brain just a little larger than a chimps. She may have had dark skin and patchy hair to protect her from the sun.”

(Emphasis mine)

So, according to the man who discovered the bones and reconstructed them she had an “ape-like face, with big protruding brow ridges, very ape like.”

We’ve already addressed both of those claims by looking at the observational evidence.

Lastly, let’s deal with the “dark skin” to protect her from the sun. Is there any evidence to support that depiction? And the answer is, NO! No one knows the color of Lucy’s skinn. They just supposed it to be dark.

That being the case why do we see the human-like features on Lucy? I’ll let the sculptor who created one of the depictions answer that:

“I wanted to get a human soul into this ape-like face, to indicate something about where he was headed.”

John Gurche, sculptor, National Geographic 189(3): 96-117, March, 1996

Well, I beg to differ. The observational evidence shows an “ape-like face” (Don Johanson’s very words) so the depiction should be ape!

Let’s address getting “a human soul into this ape-like face.” All the sculpting in the world can’t create a human soul. Only God can create a soul! Remember… “in the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1)

In the next article we’ll deal with the human hips, hands and feet!

If you’d like more information on some of the other supposed ape-like human ancestors , check out the “Becoming Bold: Know it! Live it! Share it!” DVD series. The talk “Human Evolution: Is That All You Got?” deals with Ida, Ardi and Lucy!! Another talk, “Jurassic Park of Jesus?” deals with how our worldview influences the way in which we interpret observational evidence.

Stay bold!

Carl Kerby & the rforh Team

The God of Righteous Judgment

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:51:26 -0500

Those who think that the God of the Old Testament is wrathful and judging and the God of the New Testament is all forgiveness, kindness, patience, sweetness and universal salvation for everybody—regardless of their commitment to Jesus Christ—had better reread several large portions of the last twenty-seven books of the Bible. If they read a bit more carefully, they’ll find out that He is also a God of judgment. Those who rebel against Him and set their heart against Him will one day have to face a day of terrible judgment. And who will be able to stand?

The New Testament frequently speaks of the wrath of God. Listen to Paul: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). The apostle then further describes the coming judgment of God.

The writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? … For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people” (Hebrews 2:1-3, 10:30).

Jesus Christ demonstrated grace and truth, but to those who reject that grace and truth there remains: “A certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? … It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God … For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 10:27-29, 31; 12:29).

Remember, that wasn’t the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah thundering out fearful threats! That was the New Testament writer of the book of Hebrews, declaring the judgment of God that shall come upon those who reject His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

The final book of the New Testament, Revelation, fixes an almost blinding spotlight on the wrath and justice of God. It predicts the response of ungodly men caught in the crosshairs of God’s judgment: “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!’ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17).

Oh yes, God is a God of love. He is longsuffering, full of compassion, merciful, gracious and patient. Thank God for that! But He is also a God of righteous judgment and unblinking holiness. He is both. And He always has been.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Assessment Points Part 2

Kellen Criswell — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 10:28:44 -0500

In this series of posts we’ve been discussing the assessment points (or qualifications) of pastoral ministry. The first two can be found here if you aren’t caught up on the context. But whereas in the last post we talked about what you are if you successfully pass the biblical assessment points for pastoral ministry, today we’ll consider what you aren’t. Surveying the assessment points once more in 1Timothy 3:1-7 we learn that qualified church leaders aren’t the following six things:

What You Aren’t

1. Not given to wine (3)

The idea behind being “given” to wine is that you’re not addicted to wine (or any alcoholic substance). It should be pointed out that this requirement does not and cannot be intended to communicate a trans-cultural restriction of church leaders from drinking alcohol in any absolute sense. It isn’t saying drinking in itself is sin, but that being “given” to it is a sin. I want to belabor this a bit because too many in my tribe want to take their cultural and conscience-driven practices regarding alcohol, and make those things a standard to which all others are held. Where our conscience restricts us on things the Bible doesn’t strictly forbid, we must follow conscience or we are sin, because whatever is not from faith is in fact sin (Romans 14:23). And whatever is strictly and explicitly forbidden in the Bible is to be avoided by all believers. But alcohol is not in this latter category. Consider a few thoughts:

First, Jesus made, drank, and gave wine to others. The first miracle He performed for the purpose of proving His messianic identity was turning 180 gallons of water into wine at a wedding. After that much had apparently already been drank by the attendees. It wasn’t just any wine, but the best wine the participants had tasted to that point (See John 2:1-11). Jesus was in no way condoning the sin of drunkenness, but if drinking alcohol was inherently a sin, making and distributing 180 gallons of great wine would be a curious way to begin His public ministry and prove He is the sinless Christ. In fact, that first act would’ve disqualified Jesus from being the sinless Christ from the get-go.

Second, some say the alcohol in the New Testament was non-alcoholic. But this is suspect partly because commands like “be not drunk with wine” would be needless if becoming intoxicated through drinking it was impossible (Ephesians 5:18). Additionally, Paul got mad at the Corinthians for getting drunk on the communion wine at their love feasts which would’ve been impossible if the communion wine was really Welch’s grape Juice. And further, it is noteworthy that the apostle’s solution to their drunkenness in this cast wasn’t mandated abstinence from alcohol, but self-control and introspection regarding their use of wine, food, and the Lord’s Supper.

What’s the point? Drinking is not a sin, but drunkenness is a sin. If you’re conscience prevents you from drinking, fine. But don’t make your conscience an extra-biblical standard of righteousness which you impose on others. Additionally, if like me and Jesus you don’t have a problem with drinking alcohol, make sure you have a problem with drunkenness and that you teach people how to wield that freedom in a God-honoring way. But if you’re an alcoholic or have a tendency to go too far with the booze, you don’t meet the qualifications of an elder.

2. Not Violent (3)

A pastor can’t be a loose cannon. He can’t be the guy with a proverbial itchy trigger finger when it comes to dealing with people in general. Now there are times pastors need to be fighters, not in the sense of choke-slamming people, but in the sense of being protective of people’s hearts and theology. They need to courageously refute false doctrine and protect people from wolves (Acts 20:29; Titus 1:9-10). But a pastor shouldn’t be eager to get into it with people. Paul described a godly pastor to Timothy this way: “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and [that] they may come to their senses [and escape] the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to [do] his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Check your bull-dog meter. Jesus was bold and blunt, but only when necessary.

3. Not Greedy for Money (3)

First of all, if you think becoming a church leader or church-planter is the path to riches, you’re kind of being a moron. I mean that with all the love I can scrape together in my sinful little heart. Generally speaking, pastors are overworked and underpaid. God gives grace, and where God guides He does indeed provide. But ministry isn’t the path to material riches, though it is always a great path to spiritual richness.

What this means is that if you struggle greatly with materialism and stuff-alotry, that needs to be honestly confronted and assessed before entering into formal pastoral ministry. Generally, your areas of greatest personal temptation and struggle will become your areas of greatest ministry temptation and struggle. The enemy knows how to find our weak spots and put the pressure on. So doing honest assessment on the issue of greed before putting yourself in a place to oversee the funds and resources people have entrusted to your oversight in worship to Jesus is important.

4. Not Quarrelsome (3)

This one links up with not being violent, and emphasizes physical violence. To put it simply again, pastors just shouldn’t be eager to fight and go to the mat. You shouldn’t be the guy getting in fist-fights for sure. And you shouldn’t be the guy who starts and runs www.I-hate-and-criticize-everyone-who-doesn’t-agree-with-my-every-little-non-essential-doctrinal-nuances.com You shouldn’t be the guy that insists on talking about his brothers but never to them. You shouldn’t be the guy writing “watch out” letters about other men and ministries who have the simple gospel right. Being quarrelsome started with Satan combating the words and work of God in the lives of our first human parents in the garden. Godly pastors don’t follow in his footsteps.

5. Not Covetous (3)

This one links up with the command to not be greedy, but has a wider application than our view and use of money. The original word about covetousness in the Bible is found in the Ten Commandments in Exodus: “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."

If jealousy is a problem for you because you worship stuff and prestige and find your identity in stuff and prestige rather than Christ, you are covetous. If you are consumed with being jealous of your neighbor because you wish you had his wife, house, employees (servants), work truck (ox), trailer (donkey), or “ANYTHING” else, you’re struggling with covetousness. The sacrifices of ministry require contentment in Christ, and gospel-confidence. Additionally, it is hard to minister to people and seek the salvation of our neighbors if we’re too busy envying everything about them.

6. Not a Novice (6)

Lastly, qualified pastors are not novices at the Christian life. New Christians often struggle from what I call New Believer Syndrome. Particularly this is true with young men. They get saved, come to church for a few months, and suddenly they think they’re D.A. Carson or Tim Keller. They get prideful and arrogant, eventually resulting in God having to humble them for their own good. In this sense, their pride goes before their fall and actually makes their life a small portrait of the fall of Satan. Satan looked at the good things God had given him, and instead of worshiping the giver of the gifts he worshiped himself. Pride became his fall. (Ezekiel 28:13-18)

The pride that comes from being spiritually immature demands that people not be given authority until they are mature enough to handle it. But this command doesn’t mean a man needs to be what we typically think of as an old man to be a pastor. I’ve met twenty-year-old kids with great spiritual maturity, and eighty-year-old believers who’ve not been discipled and are therefore spiritual novices. As I once heard Leo Geovinetti say, “Your age only tells us how long you’ve been on the road. It doesn’t tell us how far you’ve come.”

So be honest with yourself on this point. Do you need more time to mature theologically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and so on before serving as a shepherd to God’s people? Remember, authority is given to us as a means to serve people to the glory of God and not to help us feel better about ourselves. Ministry-alotry causes men who are not ready to demand and push for leadership positions. If they get them it will be to their own hurt, the hurt of those they lead, and the diminishing of God’s glory in their lives.

I know some of the above is hard, but the privilege of ministry and the lives affected within the context of ministry are too important to give ourselves a free pass in the name of grace. Assess yourself. Let your wife assess you. Get assessment from your pastors or a biblical assessing organization. People’s souls and the worship of Jesus are worth it!

Walk in the Light of the Lord

David Guzik — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:31:44 -0500

Isaiah 2 is full of wonderful promises, promises of the goodness and the glory of the Lord’s reign. It tells us that during the reign of the Messiah, there will be no more war. There will still be conflicts between nations and individuals, but the Messiah and those who reign with Him will justly and decisively resolve them. We also learn that when the Messiah reigns Israel will be exalted, the people of the earth will acknowledge and submit to the Messiah, and war will be no more. The earth will be so different that men “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4).

After painting this wonderful picture of the glory of the Messiah’s reign, Isaiah then challenged the people of God to live in the Messiah’s reign right now. Instead of waiting for a coming golden age, the prophet tells us to “come and walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5).

To walk in the light of the Lord means to order your life after God’s truth and God’s ways. The ultimate reign of the Messiah may be years away, but Jesus can reign in our life, in our mind, and in our heart right now. We don’t have to wait for the enforced righteousness of a millennial kingdom to have the blessing of Jesus’ righteousness in our lives right now.

To walk in the light of the Lord means you enjoy the blessings of the Messiah’s reign right now. You don’t have to live a dark, depressing, discouraged life with God. You can walk in the light of the Lord!

We can make a mental list of all of the things in our life that get us down or seem to bring darkness into our life. We can think of the damaged relationships, the money problems, the unrewarded effort, and the spiritual dryness that seems to sometimes mark our life. Yet when we think of these things that get us down or seem to bring darkness in our life, what can they compare to the light of the Lord? Is the darkness of spiritual attack, of unfaithful friends, of bad circumstances, of shame, of guilt, of anything greater than the light of the Lord? It could never be.

The great English preacher of Victorian England saw in this passage a promise of a life lived with God that was full of light and blessing instead of darkness and gloom. The opportunity to walk in the light of the Lord was open to all, but sadly not all take the opportunity. Spurgeon said it like this: “You know that, if you were to go to Australia in a good sound ship, you would get there even if you were always to lie down in the hold among the luggage and the rats; but I should like to go in a first-class cabin, and I do not see why you and I, if we are going to heaven, should not go first-class.”

That is walking in the light of the Lord, and we receive the opportunity with gratitude.

Revival, Part 1

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:04:34 -0500

Consuming Fire

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting portions of a book that I wrote a few years ago on the subject of revival; the book is called Consuming Fire. The great need of the day is revival in the church and an awakening in the nations. I pray that these posts will somehow be used by God to that end.

Will There Be Another Great Awakening?

As we look at certain events occurring in the United States and around the world we may wonder—where is it all heading? In the West, we see a growing hostility toward the Christian faith and its standard of morality. We see the promotion of a new and militant form of atheism. We see continued opposition to the idea of God as the Creator. We see the attempted normalization of behaviors that have always been considered wrong and sinful. The world certainly seems ripe for judgment as it attempts to rule the God of the Bible out of its affairs.

We may ask ourselves—how much longer can it go on? How much worse can it get? These circumstances could easily lead us to the conclusion that God’s patience has run out and judgment is just around the corner. But, there is another possibility, and that is the possibility of revival in the church and a spiritual awakening in the nation.

It may be hard to believe that a spiritual awakening could happen at this stage, but a quick overview of American history will reveal that as bad as the moral climate is right now, it has been bad in the past.

America has experienced two (some say three) major spiritual awakenings. They are referred to as “Great Awakenings” because they were movements of the Spirit of God that impacted the very core of the nation and actually altered the course of our history.

In addition to the two Great Awakenings, there have been several smaller moves of the Spirit of God that have impacted local area or even regions of the country. Yet, some might say, “We’re just too far-gone. There’s no way we could see another spiritual awakening in light of the spiritual condition America is in right now!” That might be true, but there are a few things we need to remember when considering whether judgment is imminent or mercy is still possible. We need to remember God’s nature and we need to remember His interaction with men and nations throughout world history.

Judgment Is God’s Strange Work

When considering whether judgment is at hand, we need to first remember that according to Isaiah 28:21, judgment is the Lord’s strange work. History testifies to the fact that judgment is something God is reluctant to do.

Think of all the wickedness that has marred human history. Think of all the sin and disregard for God and His laws, and how few times God has intervened with judgment. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God said, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (33:11). When Israel was at the height of wickedness, God would plead with the people and say, “O, turn Israel, turn O backsliding daughter” (see Jeremiah 3:14, 31:22–23). So we see that God is reluctant to judge.

Second, we need to remember that, according to Micah 7:18, God delights in showing mercy.

One definition of mercy is not getting what one deserves. Now, do we deserve to be judged as a nation? Does the world itself deserve judgment? Absolutely! But, though we deserve it, we cannot finally draw the conclusion that judgment is imminent. It could be that God would choose to show mercy.

Many times in the history of the nation of Israel, it seemed as if they had come to the end; that the people were on the brink of extinction because of their sin. The Book of Judges, for example, covers an approximately 335-year period of time—a time of great moral confusion. Throughout the Book, we are repeatedly told, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).

Sound familiar? Toward the end of the book, the fate of the Jews seemed hopeless. It appeared as if nothing could happen to alter the course of Israel’s history. Yet, we find that God wasn’t finished with His people. The book of Judges closes with the reign of Samuel as prophet, and ultimately with David ascending to the throne, providing a new day of mercy and grace upon the Jews. So where judgment seemed inevitable, we see that God’s intention was to extend mercy to His people.

The history of Judah tells a similar story. Under the reign of Ahaz, an extremely wicked king who turned the temple in Jerusalem into a place of idolatrous worship, it seemed that life couldn’t get any worse for the Jews. However, when Ahaz died, God, in His mercy, raised up Hezekiah, one of the most righteous kings of Judah, and revival broke out. Later, during the reign of Manasseh, a 55-year reign of wickedness, again it seemed that nothing good could come from it. Then Josiah ascended to the throne and through Josiah, God once again brought a time of renewal.

As we follow the history of Israel out to the New Testament period, how much darker could things have gotten than to have Herod the Edomite ruling as king over the Jews at the time of the birth of Christ? This, no doubt, must have seemed like the lowest point in Israel’s history. Yet, it was during that dark, dark hour that Jesus Christ came. And following the coming of Jesus Christ was the Day of Pentecost—the single greatest outpouring of God’s Spirit upon His people.

Now if we were to follow history from the Day of Pentecost until the present, considering various regions and nations, we would find similar stories of God’s incredible grace and mercy. We see these things illustrated in the history of the United States of America.

America’s Forgotten History

The general mindset among Christians today is that until modern times, America was a solidly Christian nation with high moral standards, originally established by godly Founding Fathers, and only recently weakened by the infiltration of humanistic thinking. I believe this somewhat inaccurate view of history can undermine our hope in the possibility of God doing a great work in our day.

You see, if we think it’s as bad as it’s ever been, and because it’s so bad, nothing good can happen in the future, then we are not going to be looking forward in faith to the possibility of God doing something fresh and new in our time. If we concede that all is lost, it is because we don’t have a totally accurate view of America’s history. Believe it or not, there have been times in the past that were in many ways similar to the times we are living in today.

The Revolutionary period was one of those times. In the late 1700s, many Americans were greatly influenced by the writings of humanists like Voltaire and Rousseau in France, and Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen in America.

Ethan Allen, in his treatise, Reason, the Only Oracle of Man, wrote, “… the doctrine of the Trinity is destitute of foundation, and tends manifestly to superstition and idolatry.”1 As to the atonement, Allen declared, “… there could be no justice or goodness in one being’s suffering for another, nor is it at all compatible with reason to suppose, that God was the contriver of such a propitiation.”2

Thomas Paine, in his book, Age of Reason, said, “… it is impossible to conceive a story more derogatory to the Almighty, more inconsistent with his wisdom, more contradictory to his power, than this story [the Bible] is.”3 The third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was a great admirer of Thomas Paine, and he held to many of the same views.

Finally, a man named Elihu Palmer, who was more or less a disciple of both Paine and Allen, stated in Principles of Nature, “The simple truth is, that their pretended Saviour is nothing more than an illegitimate Jew, and their hopes of salvation through him rest on no better foundation than that of fornication or adultery.”4 He went on to say that the Bible is a book, “… whose indecency and immorality shocks all common sense and common honesty.”5 Such was the thinking of the day.

The moral and social conditions at the time of the nation’s founding were not as wholesome as we’d like to think. According to the late revival scholar, Dr. J. Edwin Orr, “Drunkenness became epidemic. Out of a population of five million, 300,000 were confirmed drunkards; they were burying fifteen thousand of them each year. Profanity was of the most shocking kind. For the first time in the history of the American settlement, women were afraid to go out at night for fear of assault. Bank robberies were a daily occurrence. ...

“The Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall, wrote to the Bishop of Virginia, James Madison, that the Church ‘was too far gone ever to be redeemed.’ Voltaire averred, and Tom Paine echoed, ‘Christianity will be forgotten in thirty years.’”6

Orr reported that colleges were bastions of infidelity. A poll taken at Harvard unearthed the dismal fact that there was not one believer in the whole student body. Princeton boasted only two believers and only five students who didn’t belong to the “filthy speech movement” of the day. Students rioted, held a mock communion at William’s College, and put on anti-Christian plays at Dartmouth. In New Jersey, students took a Bible from a Presbyterian church and burned it in a public bonfire.

Christians were so few on college campuses in the 1790s that those who did claim allegiance to Christ met in secret and kept their minutes in code so no one would know to whom they belonged.7 Church historian Kenneth Scott Latourette wrote, “It seemed as if Christianity were about to be ushered out of the affairs of men.”8

What happened to change things? It was during the 1790s that the Second Great Awakening began. (The First Great Awakening spanned the decades from the 1730s to the 1770s.)

The Second Great Awakening broke out first in Connecticut, and then in Massachusetts and all the seaboard states before spreading to the frontier.

The modern missionary movement was born out of this Second Great Awakening. Along with it came the abolition of slavery, popular education, Bible societies, Sunday school, and countless other social benefits.9

The influence of Christianity upon our national life is not due primarily to our Founding Fathers, although some of them were indeed Christians, but rather to these mighty outpourings of the Spirit of God.

Although the world’s circumstances look bleak and it perhaps seems that once again Christianity could be ushered out of the affairs of men, I believe there is the possibility that God in these days might want to work in a special way, pouring out His Spirit, bringing revival to the church and an awakening to the nations. Both history and the character of God ought to cause us to hope and pray for such things.

1 Keith J. Hardman. The Spiritual Awakeners. Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1983, p. 112.

2 Ibid.

3 Thomas Paine. Age of Reason. US History webpage, <http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/reason3.htm>, (April 15, 2003).

4 Elihu Palmer. Principles of Nature. Reproduced by Steve Dowell and Jay Boswell from a photocopy of the original 1819 text. October, 2002. <http://www.deistnet.com/princnat.htm>, (April 15, 2003).

5 Ibid.

6 J. Edwin Orr. “The Role of Prayer in Spiritual Awakenings.” Oxford Association for Research in Revival, Los Angeles, California, 1976, p. 1.

7 Ibid, p. 2.

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid, p. 3.

Seeing God's Glory

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:46:35 -0500

One remarkable day Moses asked to see the glory of God. He was really asking to see a more complete picture of his Lord—he wanted a glimpse of God’s real nature, of His true character. Amazingly, God granted His humble servant’s request. And so He placed Moses in a cleft of a rock and then passed by, proclaiming His name: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).

Now surely this should put to rest the myth that there are really two Gods revealed in the Bible, the judging, fiery, wrathful God of the Old Testament and the loving, forgiving, gentle God of the New. How does God proclaim Himself in the Old Testament? He is a God full of mercy, gracious, longsuffering, abounding in goodness and in truth. These are the marvelous characteristics of God declared throughout the Old Testament.

Hundreds of years after Moses’ time, the prophet Isaiah would look back to the time of the exodus and proclaim, “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed upon us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses” (Isaiah 63:7).

Staggered by the goodness of his Lord, Isaiah takes a deep breath and then remembers afresh how God has treated His people:

“In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old” (Isaiah 63:9).

What a beautiful Scripture! “In all their affliction He was afflicted.” The early disciples recognized that whatever persecutions they faced, they faced for Jesus Christ. So when the religious authorities beat them and commanded them not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus, they went their way, praising the Lord that they had been accounted worthy to suffer persecution for Jesus’ sake (Acts 5:41).

Whenever you endure any persecution for the name of the Lord, remember that in all of your afflictions He is afflicted. He bears your sorrow. He shares with you the afflictions, the tribulations, the persecutions—and He always has. That is the unchanging heart of the Lord Almighty for His children.

Even before Moses had taken a single step toward leading the nation of Israel out of Egyptian slavery, God had told him, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows” (Exodus 3:7).

In His love and in His pity, God redeemed the enslaved Hebrews from the harsh treatment of the Egyptians. And not only that, but “He bore them and carried them all the days of old.” Through that entire agonizing wilderness experience, the Lord stayed with His people. He protected them, He watched over them and He preserved them—and not because He had to, but because that is what His tender heart of love moved Him to do.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Assessment Points

Kellen Criswell — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:56:44 -0500

Last week I wrote about the need for future pastors and church-planters to be trained and assessed in accordance with the New Testament example. This week I want begin looking at the specific assessment points (or qualifications) that are set forth in the Bible by which church leaders are to be evaluated. We’ll break the assessment points up into two categories to help us see what you are, and what you aren’t if you fulfill the qualifications of church leadership. As we hit on What You Are when you’re a qualified leader in this post, consider again the assessment points of 1 Timothy 3:1-7:

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having [his] children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the [same] condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

What You Are

1. A Man

The assessment points given for pastoral leadership center on assessing a kind of “man” because only qualified men are permitted to hold the office of elder/pastor/overseer in the church. Personally, I believe women can teach in most contexts, serve as deacons, lead ministries, get theological education, and so on. But the doctrine-setting, church disciplining authority offices in the church are men-only offices. This is not because women are of less value to God than men. Men and women are both made in the image of God and are equal in value, worth, and dignity (Genesis 1:26-27). But they are designed to play distinct and complimentary roles in the home and in the church. In the home and in the church men are to serve as loving, self-sacrificing leaders like Jesus (Ephesians 5:25-29). In the home and in the church women serve as invaluable, indispensible, supportive completers (Genesis 2:18; Ephesians 5:22-24).

Men and women are created by God equal, but different, and with the intention that they serve different roles, and operate with functional headship, just like the members of the Trinity. In the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equally divine, perfect, and worthy of worship, and yet they relate to one another in functional headship. Jesus came not to do His will, but the will of the Father (John 6:38). Like-wise, the Spirit does not glorify Himself but glorifies and serves the mission of the Son (John 16:14). So it is in the church. Men, women, and children are equal, but operate in functional headship in their service to God so things get done, people get served, and God gets glorified. This is the idea behind the biblical theological position on men’s and women’s roles known as Complimentarianism. So the first question you need to ask yourself if you feel called to be a pastor of some kind is, “Am I a man?”

2. Blameless

This is an all-inclusive assessment point. It is given so that somebody doesn’t try to come up with a specific action not on this list and use its absence as justification for their sin. For instance, Paul’s list doesn’t say “pastors can’t cheat on their taxes.” That kind of thing would be included under the requirement that a pastor be blameless. The idea is that there is no shady, sinful area of life for which you are unrepentant that people can discover and point to seeking to discredit the Savior you’re supposed to represent.

3. Husband of one wife

This literally has the meaning of being a one-woman man. This means a pastor shouldn’t practice polygamy, look at porn, have an affair, or accept having “wandering eyes” syndrome. It means you are committed body, soul, and mind to your one wife. Additionally, though not typical, this requirement doesn’t mean you must be married to be a pastor. If that were true then not even Jesus and Paul would meet the qualifications of pastoral ministry.

4. Temperate

To be temperate is to be one who controls their temper. You don’t fly off the handle at people. This doesn’t mean that you don’t ever get angry. When I counsel with women who’ve been beaten, raped, and sexually abused, I get angry. I believe the anger I feel in such cases is God’s anger manifesting in my heart. Like Jesus, there are times I want to whip out the proverbial whip of cords and start taking fools out because of the way they’re blaspheming God and exploiting His people (John 2:15). But I’m not generally known as the angry guy who snaps at people and takes out his frustration on those around me. How ‘bout you?

5. Sober-minded

This means you’re a sound decision-maker. If you blow your family’s money on recreation and material pleasures instead of paying your bills and taking care of your responsibilities, you don’t need to be given the responsibility of over-seeing the church’s funds, operations, or giving advice to others about managing their own lives.

6. Good Behavior

Is your general conduct worth imitating? Would a dad want their daughter to marry a man like you? Would you even want your daughter to marry a man like you? Would a parent want their son to become a man like you? If not, you’re probably not a man of good behavior.

7. Hospitable

If your home is more like an ivory-tower than a hospitality house, you need to let Jesus refine that. Your home isn’t merely given to you to be a sanctuary for your family, though that is true. It is also given to you as a place to facilitate outreach and hospitality. Your resources aren’t given to you to simply consume and enjoy either. Church leaders should be hospitable with their homes and resources toward both Christians and non-Christians alike as God gives them opportunity.

8. Able to Teach

Pastors are the primary communicators of doctrine and theology for God’s people. That’s a big deal, and teachers of the Word will be judged more strictly than other believers (James 3:1). The fact that you like to teach and hear yourself talk doesn’t mean you have an ability to teach. You know you have an ability to teach when people actually learn from you. I know guys who love to talk about theology, but no one seems to want to listen to them talk about theology. And when people do hear them they don’t come away knowing and growing in Christ more, but they come away frustrated and confused. If you’re able to teach, your words will be met with understanding and growth in the minds, hearts, and lives of your hearers. Additionally, being able to teach doesn’t mean all elders/pastors are preachers. Some will teach through counseling situations, others in small group settings, and others will be the primary preacher in a local church. But whatever the context, people will learn from you if you’re able to teach.

9. Gentle

It is amazing what you don’t know about people. After counseling and discipling other broken sinners in ministry, I am over-whelmed at times with the brokenness of people’s lives. Sometimes I look out over the people on Sunday mornings and wonder how big a pile we could make if we could pileup all the pains, hurts, and struggles of the people in a big mound. Partly this thinking comes from knowing the pains in my heart that most people don’t know about. The brokenness of people we deal with in ministry demands that we develop a gentle heart. If we don’t we will not be gentle like Jesus, but will break the bruised reeds, and quench the smoking flax (Mark 12:20).

10. Rules his own household well

In context, this requirement centers on how would-be church leaders father their children. The home is the little church which comes before the big church in priority. The wife and kids are the little and more important flock in a leader’s life. If your wife and your kids aren’t loved, trained in the Lord, and taken care of, you shouldn’t take on the oversight responsibilities involved in ministry. If you have the “I’ll take care of the church and God will take care of my family” attitude, you’re wrong. God takes care of your family through you. Pastor Rick Brown (Calvary Chapel Idaho Falls) has rightly said many times, “God can raise up a new pastor for my church, but He can’t raise up a new husband and father for my family.” The requirement that you be a one-woman man who raises his kids well clearly demonstrates that the priorities of a would-be leader’s life are as follows: Priority 1. God; Priority 2. Family; Priority 3. Ministry

11. A Good Testimony among those who are outside

Those who are “outside” are non-Christians. These are your neighbors, co-workers, unsaved family, and unsaved friends. These are strangers. Jesus ate and hung out with lots of people, most of them people who weren’t yet His followers. He did so because He was a good missionary and took His job seriously. Do we? Do you hang out with non-Christians? Do you know any non-Christians? If I asked you for a character reference from a non-Christian could you find one who knows you well enough to offer a meaningful opinion about who you are and what your life is like? If not, you need to get out more. You need to intentionally seek friendships with non-Christians for the sake of mission. You need to let them see your life that they might see Jesus in you. You need to get out of your Christian bunker. If you want to be a church-planter but don’t like being amongst or interacting with non-Christians, you need to let Jesus change you. As I heard Tom Stipe jokingly make the point once, “The only people who become Christians are non-Christians!”

12. Taught (Titus 1:9)

Pastors, elders, and church-planters need to be men who have been taught. They serve as resident theologian to their local church and community. I don’t believe this means all such men need seminary training. But it does mean they need to be learners. It may mean they need the educational equivalent to seminary training. They need to care about understanding, embracing, and teaching sound theology. They need to read, listen to, and consume theological and biblical instruction through whatever means God has made available to them. If you don’t like to read and study the Bible and theology, don’t quit your day job. We need men of the word who do the work of study, and take theological learning and instruction seriously to lead Jesus’ people.

If you’re a qualified pastor, elder, overseer, or church-planter, in this post we’ve talked about what you are. Next week we’ll look back at this passage and talk about what you aren’t.

Talking Points

1. What practical tools have you seen to be effective for helping future leaders be assessed regarding the above biblical qualifications?

2. Which assessment points do you think are unduly over or under-emphasized in the body of Christ?

Pauline Homiletics

John Hwang — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:23:30 -0500

Preaching is the act of proclaiming God’s word to people. In evangelism, it announces God’s good news about Jesus and His salvation. In edification, it nourishes, encourages, and equips. Preaching is the Church’s responsibility and privilege.

Homiletics is “the art of preaching”. The word “homiletics” comes from a Greek word that means, “to assemble together”. It aims to provide principles and methods for clear and effective preaching. Having said this, I understand that what we learn in homiletics is only as good as its source. If it is taught without an emphasis on the Bible, then preaching is reduced to human ideas and opinions. If it is taught without an emphasis on the Holy Spirit, then preaching is reduced to lifeless and powerless oration. People that desire to become better equipped in their calling as preachers need a good source of instruction. With this in mind, I have found the Apostle Paul to be a good teacher.

Paul dedicated over 30 years of his life to proclaiming the Gospel in the world, and teaching Christians how to live and serve like Jesus. He did this humbly and passionately. He maintained clear objectives, and emphasized godly character and integrity in his preaching. 2,000 years later, the Church and the world still feel the impact of his preaching. More than this, God continues to be glorified in it. Paul is a good source to learn homiletics from.

As can be expected, we can generate a long list from Paul’s example of preaching –a list too long for this article since space and time is limited. I will, however, make mention of five.

1. Paul preached Christ.

Paul wrote, “HIM we proclaim” (Col. 1:28). This is “HIM-iletics”. In his letters alone (excluding “Hebrews”) “Jesus” appears 213 times, and “Christ” 375 times. The focus of his preaching was not history, science, politics, or pop-culture; it was Jesus Christ – God in human flesh; holy and righteous; sacrificed and risen; ascended and exalted. In the same way, we must emphasize and exalt the Lord Jesus, looking for Him in the Scriptures, and proclaiming Him in our preaching.

2. Paul preached the Scriptures.

Paul charged a young pastor named Timothy, “Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul’s preaching was Biblical. He expounded Old Testament Scripture. He explained New Testament doctrine. He believed the Bible to be God’s inspired, infallible, converting, sanctifying, edifying, equipping, and sustaining word, and proclaimed it as such. He was unashamed of it, and relentless in proclaiming it. Is this true about you and me? We must preach a Biblical Gospel, expound Biblical texts, and communicate Biblical truth.

3. Paul preached in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Writing to the Church in Thessalonica, Paul testified, “our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thes. 1:5). Paul’s preaching was not limited to human wisdom and eloquence. In fact, it was the opposite: “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:1). His preaching was marked by the power of the Holy Spirit: “My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor. 2:4). Without the Holy Spirit in preaching, people are left with sermons that inform and reform, but do not transform. We must make it a priority to seek God for the presence and power of His Spirit in our preaching.

4. Paul preached with a clear conscience before God and people.

The character of the messenger either validates or discredits his message. How a preacher lives will determine how people will receive his preaching. Paul understood this. For this reason, he paid careful attention to maintaining a clean and clear conscience before God and people. He declared, “I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man” (Acts 24:16). Also, “we give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God” (2 Cor. 6:4). His life authenticated his sermons; his sermons overflowed from his life. We, too, must not neglect this part of our sermon preparation (Ezra 7:10). We need to attend to our character and integrity as Christ’s representatives that hold forth God’s word to others.

5. Paul preached with a love for God, and a compassion for souls.

Paul preached because he loved God: “just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thes. 2:4). Paul preached because he cared for the souls of people: “Being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thes. 2:8). Do we love God and care about others in our preaching? Do we aim to please God? Do we ache for Christ-less and condemned souls? Do we yearn for the progress and perseverance of God’s people? If not, we need to pray for more of Jesus’s heart to be conformed within us. When this happens, we will proclaim more than God’s truth – we will transmit God’s heart: “I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15). This is God-praising and God-pleasing preaching.

As I write this, I have 26 years of preaching behind me. Looking ahead, Pauline Homiletics continues to challenge me, and help me to become a better communicator of Christ and His truth. I never want to stop being challenged. I never want to stop learning. May God continue to shape us into God-exalting, Christ-centered, and Holy Spirit empowered preachers. Amen and amen.

When God Laughs

David Guzik — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:37:58 -0500

We don’t often think of God as laughing, though we should think of it more than we do. The God presented on the pages of the Bible isn’t depressed and He isn’t filled with fear or anxiety. God has the settled confidence of the One who both knows and controls the future.

Psalm 2:4 says: “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.”

Here, God laughs because men think they can plot and work against God with any hope of success, as explained in Psalm 2:1-3.

As King David wrote this Psalm, he thought of how strange it is that people rage against God. They have no reason to rage against God, and they gain no benefit from it. Even though men band themselves together against God, it gives no better chance against Him. Worst of all, they think of God and His Messiah as bondage-bringers. They say, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” This shows how irrational their rage is, because God is a bondage-breaker, not a bondage-bringer.

What is God’s response to the rage of the nations, and their plotting against Him? “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.” God looks at the way men plot against Him and He laughs. God isn’t afraid or confused or depressed about the opposition of man. God laughs at it.

God laughs because His position: He sits in the heavens. He sits as the Great King on a glorious throne. He isn’t pacing back and forth in the throne room of heaven, wondering what He should do next. The Lord isn’t worried, and He has never had a panic attack. God sits in perfect peace and assurance. When men rage and plot against God, He doesn’t even rise from where He sits; God simply laughs.

God laughs because of where He is: He sits in the heavens. It isn’t an earthly throne He occupies; it is the throne of heaven with authority over all creation. In all of history the rage of earth has never damaged heaven. What does heaven have to fear from earth?

Please notice that God does not laugh at the suffering of humankind, or even at their suffering as a result of sin. Instead, God laughs at the proud man or woman who thinks so highly of himself or herself that they will fight against God and seek to prevent His will. God shows all sympathy and compassion for the suffering, but the rage of man against heaven simply makes Him laugh.

Simply said, “The Lord shall hold them in derision.” God isn’t afraid of man, nor is He worried in the slightest. Through the centuries many people have opposed God and His Kingdom in Jesus Christ. Each one of these opponents has been frustrated and crushed – and ever more, they shall be. In every generation there are arrogant voices that think they have put the last nail in the coffin that buries the Church. It won’t happen, and God just laughs.

The Roman Emperor Diocletian was a famous enemy of Christians. He actually thought that he defeated Christianity, and said so on medals and monuments.

Yet, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.”

Diocletian is dead and gone, and he fills a few paragraphs on the pages of history. In contrast, the fame and glory of Jesus Christ is spread over all the earth. Multiplied millions would give their life for the name and Gospel of Jesus; Diocletian is barely remembered. What was true of Diocletian is true of all those set themselves against God: “The Lord shall hold them in derision.”

Lucy...

Carl Kerby — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 11:55:42 -0500

OK., so I’m dating myself! For you young folks that don’t remember the “I Love Lucy” TV series, the phrase “you’ve got some ‘splainin to do” was a frequent response from the zany redhead’s husband — usually when she did something that got her in trouble. Well, this “Lucy” has been speaking to people ever since she was discovered, and we think she “has some splainin’ to do.”

Over the years I’ve had to deal with the supposed evidence that is said to support the “Lucy” pictured above. Before we examine that evidence, may I remind you that it’s imperative for Christians to study to show themselves approved (2 Tim 2:15) and that we are always to be ready to give an answer for what we believe (1 Pet 3:15). Let me hasten to say that the Bible is the most important book that we can study. But, we also need to be aware of the stumbling blocks that can keep us from effectively communicating to the lost. Therefore, we must be aware of the information the world is using to cast doubt on the Word of God.

The best way to address unbiblical claims is to offer knowledge and answers on the subject, from a biblical perspective, and then encourage people to do more research. Let them decide if what is being taught is true or false.

I’d now like to share with you how I respond to questions about our supposed evolutionary ancestor, Lucy. We’ll cover this information in three articles.

Reconstructions and pictures of Lucy, always depict her as an upright-walking, apelike ancestor — a clear “missing link” between man and ape.

On a side note, the scientific community has long made the claim that Lucy was a female. However, in Discovery Magazine, March 1996, page 15, it was revealed that two German scientists discovered that Lucy was actually a male. And interestingly, in discussions on renaming Lucy it was suggested to use the name Lucifer. Hmmm! Needless to say, the name wasn’t changed.

Since we know there never was an apelike human ancestor, male or female, we’ll just refer to Lucy as “it.” However, reconstructions of Lucy routinely show it with:

Human Hands
Human Feet
Human Knees
Human Hips
Human Eyes

Where’s the Beef?

Again, I’m dating myself. Let me explain. It can be very confusing when we are inundated with images and video of amazing creatures that seem to depict apelike ancestors. When confronted with such information, I challenge folks to remember one simple thing . . . Wendy’s! (yes, the fast food restaurant, Wendy’s). For those too young to remember, back in the 1980’s Wendy’s advertised using the popular catchphrase, “Where’s the Beef?” It challenged people to look for the meat — and that’s what I want you to do. When you are confronted with claims of evolution, look for the evidence, the real “meat”, and determine for yourself what it shows.

The Bible requires that we be like the Bereans, who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out “whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Compare everything to the Word of God. If what we are hearing isn’t lining up with what God says in the Bible, then there’s a huge problem. And the problem isn’t with the Word of God, it is with the message that is not consistent with the Word.

Christians must think critically in this world. Now more than ever, we are living in a world filled with deceptions and we are receiving information disseminated in soundbites. So we must do our research and get complete information. We can then compare it to Scripture and make informed and biblically based decisions.

Well, here’s the “beef” on “Lucy.” This is the “evidence” that is claimed to be Lucy.

In my next article, we’ll start to evaluate this “evidence”. We’ll ask, and answer, the questions:

How did they get from the evidence above, to the picture below?
Is there scientific/observational evidence to support such reconstructions?
Did Lucy really have human hands, feet, hips, etc?

I’ll use both images and videos that are from the evolutionists perspective, then we’ll see if the evidence backs up the claims. In other words, we’ll let the evidence do the “splainin!”

Remember, don’t be deceived by big claims. Investigate and study to determine the truth. Then deBUNK misinformation…. and most of all, Stay bold!

Carl Kerby and the rforh Team

P.S. – If you’re interested Reasons for Hope has just released its first app. It offers LOTS of video, including the very popular deBUNKED and Hit it & Git it! series. Check it out for iPhone or Android!

Like Father, Like Son

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:43:09 -0500

So often these days we hear people talking about the God of the Old Testament versus the God of the New Testament, as though the Bible presents us with two separate and distinct Gods. One, they say, is an awesome, fierce, angry, Mount Sinai-law-giving, fire and judgment-breathing God; the other is a “turn the other cheek,” “bless those that curse you,” and “love covers a multitude of sins” God, as manifested by Jesus. These folks tend to portray the God of the Old Testament as mean, cruel and vicious. He’s stern—just very, very heavy. On the other hand, they depict the God of the New Testament as syrupy-sweet, liquid love.

In reality, of course, Scripture presents only one God, not two. From cover to cover, the Bible clearly shows us one God with two primary sides to His nature. Thank God He is loving and gracious and merciful—the Old Testament, by the way, reveals Him as such! But He is also a holy and righteous God who brings judgment upon the ungodly—which the New Testament reveals.

The Bible presents us with one God who, in His great love, sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for our sins so that He might rescue us from the terrible judgment we deserved. Never allow yourself to fall for this “Old Testament God” versus “New Testament God” blasphemy! The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament—and that is precisely why we can completely depend upon the salvation He offers.

What if God really did change over time? Would that be good news for us? Not in a million years. In fact, it would be the worst news imaginable.

If God changed with the passing of time, He might easily promise us one thing today and renege on His commitment tomorrow. We couldn’t rely on anything He said. We could place no confidence in His Word. So I rejoice when I hear the Bible say, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19).

The Scripture insists on the faithfulness of God—that He will certainly fulfill all of His promises to us—based on His unchanging nature.

Toward the very end of the Old Testament, in fact, it is the fixed character of God that God Himself calls upon to assure us that He will save us, just as He promised: “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Malachi 3:6). If God did change, then we would have something to worry about. But since He does not, He will surely keep His word to save all those who come to Him in faith.

The prophet Malachi did not invent this idea. Centuries before his day, an unidentified author wrote to God, “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end” (Psalm 102:25-27). One New Testament writer considered this passage so important that he quoted it approvingly (Hebrews 1:10-12).

Another New Testament writer, James, called God the “Father of lights” and assured us that with Him “there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). The Bible also calls Jesus the “brightness” of God’s glory and “the express image of His person” and then insists, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 1:3, 13:8).

Like Father, like Son. Be very, very glad that God never changes!

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Does Disagreement Mean No One Can Be Right?

Brian Weed — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:30:38 -0500

On Monday nights at Calvary Philly’s young adults group we’re in the middle of a series examining the reasons we as Christians can rightly claim to know things, especially when it comes to claiming to know things about God. Of course, this part of our witness for Christ is very contested in our current cultural climate. It isn’t so much that nonbelievers tend to claim that we have the wrong God, or that they have a better God (although this situation is changing with an influx of adherents to other gods). Rather, often we find that people will question our ability to know anything about God at all. As long as we confine our conversation to things we “believe” (which is supposed to mean something less than “know”) we can get along fine enough. But when it becomes clear that we actually claim to know things about God, we’re going to meet with opposition.

After all, can anyone really know anything about God?

While studying all of this recently, an illustration occurred to me which I think helps expose some of the assumptions being made by our non-Christian culture.

Imagine a local bank branch. One day the workers discover that someone has smuggled counterfeit bills into the vault. The fake bills are everywhere—they’re filling the cash drawers. So the workers set about shutting down the branch while they try to determine which bills are fake and which are authentic. Unfortunately, what they discover is that there are many different kinds of counterfeits. They find dozens of different versions of 20’s and 100’s alone. Almost immediately workers begin arguing about which bills are authentic. Several different groups of employees form around certain bills. Each group claims that they have the correct bills. Everyone can list all the reasons why their bills are the real bills. They all fervently believe that they have it right.

Now, if we were to step in to this situation, we would understand a few things immediately.

It is not possible for every group to be right. They have different bills. The disagreement is real.
It is possible that they are all wrong. This would be the case if either of two things was true. Perhaps they happened to not have any true bills in the branch (in other words, real bills exist, they just don’t have any). Or maybe, in fact, money isn’t real, and they are deceived about the existence of a monetary economy—in other words, there is no such thing as authentic currency at all. But we know that, in our nation at least, the second option is not the case, so in this situation we would only need to determine if there were any real bills in the branch, and identify them.
Since there is so much disagreement among people, what would be needed would be an outside source of information. This could come from a person (say, a representative of the U.S. Mint) who was an authority on the subject, maybe even carrying a copy of real currency. It could also come from a book—say, if one of the branch employees found a U.S. Mint “Guide to Identifying Authentic Currency.”

But notice—at no time in this situation would we simply assume that since people disagree it must also be the case that none of them can be right. In other words, the presence of disagreement doesn’t negate the existence of authentic currency, nor of the possibility of someone being able to rightly identify it. It just means the workers would have to do their homework.

And so do we. When we’re in conversations about Christ, we need to be able help people see that the fact that people hold other beliefs doesn’t automatically prove that no one can be right about these things. At the very least, it means we have to get serious about examining the claims of Christ next to the claims of other teachers and beliefs. But we’ll go a long way if we can just get someone to see that they can’t assume that knowing God truly is impossible.

In these situations, then, part of our mission must be to bring the conversation around to this point. Then we can get to what we really want to do anyway: point to Christ.

Lies About Us

David Guzik — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:29:46 -0500

Pick up just about any good book about the history of Christianity, and go to the section on persecution in the first few centuries of the Christian movement. Scan the paragraphs until you come to the part where they describe the reasons why Christians were persecuted, or at least why people in the Roman Empire thought Christians were worthy of persecution.

I took a quick look through Kenneth Latourette’s and Philip Schaff’s works and here’s what I found:

- They accused Christians of hostility to the emperors and conspiracy against the state.

- They accused Christians of incest.

- They accused Christians of cannibalism.

- They accused Christians of being atheists.

- They accused Christians of being “haters of humanity.”

- They accused Christians of being the reason why problems plagued the empire.

That list is interesting for many reasons, especially for the twisted reasons behind these beliefs and accusations. For example, they called Christians “haters of humanity” simply because they didn’t agree with pagan beliefs and they didn’t participate in pagan immoralities.

Yet to me, the most interesting thing about all those beliefs and accusations is they were not true. They were all lies. Christians were loyal, good citizens who only refused to call Caesar “Lord.” Christians were moral, upstanding people in a culture soaked in immorality, they loved others but refused to approve of or join with the immoralities of their age.

This came to mind when I recently read that apparently, according to some surveys, many people in our society think that Christians hate women, hate homosexuals, and are generally a bad influence. Apparently there are also many – perhaps a majority – of Christian young people who believe this about their fellow Christians, and this makes them embarrassed.

I’ll be bold enough to say those are lies. Just because many people believe these lies doesn’t make them any truer. Even if many Christians believe it about their fellow Christians, it doesn’t make it true.

I’m not saying that there are no Christians who hate or who are a bad influence. To those few among us who do hate, Jesus has a word for you: repent. If your opposition to certainly political or social policies makes you hate those who disagree with you, then you are wrong and need to change.

Yet my experience – and that of many others – says that accusations of “hate” or “bad influence” against Christians as a whole are simply lies. The world will lie about us and falsely accuse us. Our duty is to ignore the lies, love like crazy, and be about our Father’s business. If the world lies about us and hates us in return, so be it – but we should live in such a way that shows that the accusations are in fact lies.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (1 Peter 4:14-16)

Pastoral Assessment

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:11:28 -0500

One of the things I love about the Calvary Chapel Movement is our openness to empowering men who seem to the world to be unqualified for leadership. There are many pastors leading great, dynamic, kingdom-building churches in Calvary who don’t have formal seminary training. How can this be? It is because we have a God who intentionally uses the weak for powerful works. He does this so that when huge things happen it will be clear who should get the glory. Paul explained God’s reason for doing this to the Christians living in Corinth in the first century by quoting Jeremiah 9:23-24. He wrote that God uses the weak, “that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:31)

I love Calvary’s openness to using the weak. I’ve often heard Mark Driscoll quote Chuck Smith approvingly as saying, “Calvary Chapel doesn’t call the trained; we train the called.” That is one of the reasons I’ve found a home within Calvary Chapel. I’m thankful for the opportunities to lead and serve that I continue to find in my Calvary home, which I would miss were I part of other movements or denominations.

Now, as much as I love the openness to using the weak in Calvary, I have seen a misapplication of this principle in the attitudes of some when it comes to assessing the qualifications of men for pastoral leadership. Sometimes our openness to God using the weak can become an excuse for not helping men legitimately assess their calling, character, spiritual gifting, and theological understanding for leadership in the church. Because of a healthy hesitance to being too program oriented or process driven, some would consider nearly any kind of formal assessment of pastoral qualifications to be “un-Calvary.” If you’re stuck in that perception, I’d say two initial things:

1. Don’t just cling to the first part of the principle conveyed in Pastor Chuck’s statement above, but cling to the second part as well. “We don’t call the trained” needs to be balanced with “we train the called.” And the training of the called in the context of your ministry needs to be a priority.

2. Ultimately, as much as I love Calvary Chapel, the Lord will not hold us accountable for whether or not we do what is considered “Calvary Chapel,” but whether or not we do what is biblical. If the Bible urges us to practice the training and assessment of weak men whom God is calling to pastoral ministry, that is the standard we must meet whether it is widely practiced in Calvary Chapel churches or not. And the truth is that the Bible very clearly lays out the mandate to assess future pastors and leaders. In fact, the very same man who gloried in the fact that God calls the weak for great things is the man the Holy Spirit saw fit to utilize in delivering the message of our need to assess and train pastors- the apostle Paul. This is such an important issue that the Holy Spirit preserved the points of assessment for pastoral ministry in two separate letters in our New Testament. What this tells us is that being weak isn’t an excuse for not being evaluated, trained, and assessed. It tells us that when the Bible speaks of apostles as being “uneducated and untrained men” (Acts 4:13) it isn’t speaking in absolute terms. These guys had spent three years being trained and educated by Jesus as they worked side-by-side with Him doing ministry. What’s being emphasized in Acts 4 is their lack of formal instruction, not their lack of training and instruction in general.

Here are the two clearest passages that demonstrate that God requires would-be church leaders to be assessed and trained:

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you-- if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” (Titus 1:5-9)

In my post next week, we’ll dig into the meaning of the qualifications (or points of assessment) described in these passages. But for now, to those who are pastors in some way (or want to be), let me encourage you to think about some ways you may need to be assessed:

Self-Assessment

Every pastor or would-be pastor needs to do an honest self-assessment regarding the above qualifications. The Holy Spirit didn’t inspire these points of assessment for us to view as idealistic and unattainable. We cannot use the excuse of being imperfect as a way to avoid taking an honest look at our lives through the lens of these passages. We need to spend some time doing work in these texts, figuring out their meaning exegetically and prayerfully, asking God how we’re doing. As I did this morning, listen to capable Bible teachers explain and apply these passages to your life. If you won’t, you probably have something you know you’re trying to hide. If there’s a little voice in your head saying, “he’s too extreme,” it’s probably the voice of a demon who hates you, and those you want to lead. Do an honest self-assessment.

Pastoral Assessment

Contextually, these two passages were given to two lead pastors who were to use them as a lens through which they would view potential, future church leaders. This shows it is the job of senior leaders who’ve been trained and proven to test and assess other men for leadership affirmation and appointment. So after doing self-assessment, ask for honest assessment from the senior pastoral leadership who know you best.

Organizational Assessment

Some men don’t have pastors who have the skill or time to personally assess them. If that’s you, don’t be content with merely having done self-assessment. It’s too easy to lie to ourselves. There are many practical sources you can utilize to assess your call, character, spiritual gifting, and theological understanding. This is something we have a heart to help guys with at the Calvary Church Planting Network. Ideally, guys will go through self-assessment, and further training and assessment in their own local church. But where this is not possible, an outside entity that is biblical in focus should be utilized in most cases.

Spouse Assessment

The best source of assessment for an honest man is probably his wife and family. Your wife sees you at your best and worst. If you want to be a pastor, or just get a read on how you’re doing at the assessment points of a pastor, ask your wife’s opinion, and shut your mouth until she’s done responding. Next, take what she says to prayer, repent where needed, and continue in doing the good things.

Re-assessment

After you’ve assessed yourself, and been assessed and trained in whatever way God provides, you need to spend the rest of your life re-assessing yourself. We’re all on a slippery slope to scandal when we let our guard down. Don’t be the next statistic in the category of pastoral self-destruction.

Phylogenic Charts

Carl Kerby — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:47:27 -0500

“A phylogenetic tree or evolutionary tree is a branching diagram or "tree" showing the inferred evolutionary relationships among various biological species or other entities based upon similarities and differences in their physical and/or genetic characteristics. The taxa joined together in the tree are implied to have descended from a common ancestor.”

That’s a lot of big words to say that these charts show how everything supposedly evolved from a common ancestor! These charts can be both intimidating and confusing. I’ve had folks claim that phylogenic charts prove evolution, but I’m going to show how they actually disprove evolution and affirm that God created just as He said He did.

The phylogenetic tree below came from “The Dinosaur Data Book.”

At first glance it appears just as you would expect. Evolutionist’s claim that if you start at the bottom and follow it up over the millions of years you’ll see that small reptiles evolved into all of the dinosaurs that we find in the fossil record.

Let’s look a little closer and read the fine print at the bottom of the chart. I’ll enlarge it so it’s clearer!

Hmmm, so the red stuff on the chart is “solid fossil evidence” of dinosaurs! That means the red stuff is proven fact.

The white areas therefore are NOT “solid fossil evidence.” And since it’s not proven fact, that would mean it’s . . . speculation at best! Personally, I call it fairy tale or fiction!

So, let’s take a look at the white stuff on the chart.

Remember, the white areas are where the so-called evolution had to have taken place for the evolutionary model to be true! However, it’s only the red area that indicates “solid fossil evidence.” So there is no evidence for change/evolution.

According to the evolutionist’s chart, evolution is not based on actual observational evidence. The actual observational evidence (the red) shows that animals stayed the same and didn’t change into anything else. That’s exactly what we find in God’s Word!

There’s another very important point... Note the yellow band on the chart below.

The yellow band supposedly indicates 30 Million Years of time. Please notice how much “evolution” had to take place in 30 million years for the theory of evolution to have any chance at being true.

Look again at the chart.

According to the chart, everything changed incredibly fast for 30 million years, then many didn’t change for the next 150 million years! Truth be told, it’s actually much worse than that. The fossil record actually contains things that are dated back to 400 million years and they are exactly the same as what we see today! Call me skeptical, but I find it hard to believe that an animal can stay exactly the same for long long of a time period.

May I suggest to you there’s another way to look at this evidence. Maybe they’re not millions of years old! In the Word of God we are told that God created “kinds” of animals. As a matter of fact, He used the term “according to its kind” 10 times in Genesis 1 as He created the various types of plants and animals.

What these charts actually show is that one thing, stayed one thing and never changed into anything else! What we see in the world today and what we read in the Bible is consistent and true.

The fossil record confirms that one thing, stayed one thing, and never changed from, or into, anything else. Consider these quotes from non-creationists that support our conclusion.

“Given the fact of evolution, one would expect the fossils to document a gradual steady change from ancestral forms to the descendants. But this is not what the paleontologist finds. Instead, he or she finds gaps in just about every phyletic series.” Ernst Mayr (Professor Emeritus, Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, hailed as the Darwin of the 20th century), What Evolution Is, 2001, p. 14.

“ . . . instead of finding the slow, smooth and progressive changes Lyell and Darwin had expected, they saw in the fossil records rapid bursts of change, new species appearing seemingly out of nowhere and the remaining unchanged patterns hauntingly reminiscent of creation.”

Pagel M., “Happy accidents?,” Nature, Vol 397, pg. 665 (February 25, 1999)

If you’re ever confronted with the phylogenic charts as proof of evolution, remember the fallacies in their theory and share with the skeptics the truth of “In the beginning, God created...”

Stay bold,
Carl and the rforh Team!

My Visit to the Billy Graham Center

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:49:08 -0500

This past weekend while in Wheaton, Illinois, performing a wedding for a friend of ours, Cheryl and I had the opportunity to visit Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Center. Walking through the museum, which gives a historical overview of evangelism in America from colonial times up to the present, I was reminded above everything else of how powerful one life fully given over to Christ can be. That message came through so strongly as we followed the museum's steps through the life and ministry of Billy Graham.

I've always had the highest respect for Dr. Graham, and I remember being greatly impacted when I read his autobiography, Just As I Am, some years ago. But while going through the museum and seeing the newspaper articles, pictures, and video clips from Billy's crusades, interviews, and other activities, something struck me that I don't want to soon forget. And that was this: pure and simple faith in Christ, an unswerving confidence in the truth of the Bible, and a genuine love for one's fellow man is the surest way to impact the world for good. From my point of view that's who Billy Graham is and what he's done; and if there's a man whose life I would hope to imitate in some small measure, it would be his. Here are a few thoughts I took away from my visit to the Billy Graham Center:

Pure and Simple Faith in Christ

It is clear from Billy's life and ministry that he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and that all men must be born again through receiving Christ personally. He has proclaimed the gospel to more people than any other man in history, and his message has always been clear, concise, and simple enough for a child to grasp. Billy has been masterful at keeping it pure and simple: God loves you, Jesus died and rose again, you must be born again.

Unswerving Confidence in the Truth of the Bible

Having no doubt heard every imaginable argument against the veracity of the Bible, Billy has faithfully held to the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God. His preaching is, for the most part, a simple exposition of a text of the Bible along with illustrations from life. He has not so much engaged in defending the Scriptures, as just setting them forth and letting them defend themselves. He seems to have the same conviction as Charles Spurgeon, who when asked why he didn't do more along the lines of defending the Scriptures, likened that to being about as necessary as defending a lion. I love to listen to Billy who, both in his preaching and when being interviewed, without apology shares with absolute conviction the plain statements of Scripture, fully confident in the power of the Word of God to convict and convince. In the many different interviews I've watched over the years, Billy never attempted to be clever or sophisticated, but with winsomeness and candor spoke the truth in love. I believe we can learn much from his example of a man who truly believes the Bible is God's Word, and in a very natural way communicates that belief to others.

A Genuine Love for His Fellow Man

In considering the breadth and the impact of Billy's ministry, much is due, I believe, to his genuine love for people. Walking through the exhibits in the museum and looking at all the photos, magazine and newspaper articles, and film clips of the different places he's been and the people he's met, it's truly astounding.

He has touched people from all races, nations, classes, and even religions. He has been the friend and confidant of world leaders, religious leaders, and celebrities of all sorts, but has also always been there to give a listening ear, a kind word, or a helping hand to the world's most humble and ordinary people. In the museum there are several pictures of him with various world leaders, pictures in palaces and presidential mansions, but also pictures with inmates in prisons, among gang leaders in the inner city, and among the poor and destitute around the globe. It seems that Billy, like Jesus, was willing to go wherever he was invited and to speak to whoever would listen, whether small or great. I loved this one picture of Billy and Ruth sitting in their rocking chairs on their front porch across from Muhammad Ali, who no doubt heard the gospel on that occasion. I think in his graciousness and acceptance of people, Billy most exemplifies Jesus. He has sought to welcome and embrace Christians of all stripes, and has even demonstrated love, kindness, and understanding with people of other faiths and no faith. In all of these ways Billy has been an extraordinary example of a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, his has been a unique calling, yet we all have our own unique callings in our service to Christ. Billy has been faithful to his calling; let us be faithful to ours.

As we left the museum that day I turned to Cheryl and said, "If all Christians were like Billy Graham, the world would be a different place.” She agreed.

1 John - The Purpose

W. H. Griffith Thomas — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:20:48 -0500

[Editor's Note: We are beginning to feature the writings of godly men who have influenced the doctrine or ministry style found in Calvary Chapel. We don't agree with everything taught by W. H. Griffith Thomas, but we value the influence he brought to the church in the early 20th century. In this particular case Thomas' book on the Apostle John influenced Pastor Chuck Smith's decision to teach verse by verse through 1st John in the early 60s. The text below is taken from Thomas' introduction to the first epistion of John. We would love to hear your feedback on this genre of article here on calvarychapel.com.]

It is difficult but not impossible to discover why the Epistle was written. There are three statements which at once describe the purpose of the Apostle in writing, and at the same time the object of the Christian life.

1. Fullness of Joy. — "These things we write that your joy may be full" (1:4). Joy is God's purpose for man, for sorrow originally came from sin. Our Lord's first miracle was wrought at a wedding; his second in a home ; thus we have, first, Christ and life's gladness; and only afterwards Christ and life's sadness. Joy is necessary for all true life (Neh. 8: 10). Even in education the influence of joy is undoubted, for young children are particularly responsive to a bright, buoyant, joyous teacher. Sorrow, while often made the instrument of discipline, may and sometimes does harden, but joy never hardens. We should, therefore, settle it in our minds that God intends us to have the fullness of joy.

2. Freedom from Sinning. — "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not" (2:1). This is another part of the Apostle's purpose. He wished and intended his readers not to sin. There is, as we shall see, a clear distinction between sin and sins, between root and fruit, principle and practise, and the Apostle, while carefully teaching that the principle of sin remains (1:8), is equally careful to teach that this root need not and should not produce fruit (2:1). But if there should be any sinning God has made provision in the Divine righteous Advocate (2:1, 2).

3. Spiritual Assurance. — 'These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (5:13). Assurance means the consciousness of our position and relation to God. Faith possesses; assurance knows that it possesses. This idea associated with the word ''know" is in some respects the most prominent feature of the Epistle. "We know" is found fifteen times; "ye know" six times; "we have known" once; "ye have known" three times; "he that knoweth" once. The English word "know" stands for two separate and distinct Greek words, and when careful attention is paid to their usage the result is much spiritual illumination. One implies intuitive knowledge, that which comes from fact, the evidence of our senses, that which is independent of ourselves (1:2; 2:29. See John 1 : 33 ; 13:7; 8:55). The other indicates experimental knowledge, that which comes to us as the result of our personal testing and experience. Sometimes the present tense is used indicating the process of acquiring this experimental knowledge (2:3, 29; 3:24; 4:2; 5:2). At other times the perfect tense is found, indicating that which has been permanently acquired by experience (2:3; 3: 16).

These three passages, when put together, give the purpose both of the Epistle and of the Christian life. There is a close and intimate connection between them. We are to have the fullness of joy because of our freedom from sinning, and this, in turn, comes from spiritual assurance. Thus, assurance is the secret of freedom from sinning and of the fullness of joy.

- Taken from The Apostle John, W. H. Griffith Thomas.

The Faithfulness of God

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:34:02 -0500

When the pressure is on and it seems as if you will be swallowed up by some calamity—when you’ve been waiting and waiting and nothing at all appears to be happening—you may feel tempted to give up on any divine response or action from the Lord. But then the Spirit leads you back to the Word of God and once more you recall the faithfulness of God to His promises.

And that is where your soul finds rest.

“God,” you say, “it is in Your loving hands. You are just going to have to take care of it. I cannot do it. I’m going to trust in You.”

Of course, people will do their best to scare you, although usually not on purpose. Don’t let them. Enjoy that beautiful rest, knowing that your problem is in the hands of your loving Lord, come what may. So what if the whole thing collapses? So what if it all goes down the tubes? Hey, it’s in His hands. If God wants it to go down the tubes, then how can you stop it anyway

But as long as you strive to see that your own will gets done, you’ll wrestle with it and groan under its weight and endure all kinds of mental turmoil. You’ll insist, “God, You need to do it my way, or else!” I’m telling you; you will have no rest as long as you insist that God sees things your way and does things your way. But when you finally say, “Lord, I know You love me. So You just do it. You just take care of it the way You know is best. You do what You want to do,” then you can kick back and say, “Well, it’s in His hands. God’s going to take care of it, one way or another.”

I remember when I was trying to get the county to approve a conference center that our church wanted to build. I was just grinding over this issue until I finally came to the place where I said, “Lord, it’s Your problem. I know You love me. I know You love Your church. So it’s Your problem from here on out.”

Thank God He brought me to a place of patience. Through this incident He taught me a great lesson: “tribulation worketh patience” (Romans 5:3). Tribulation and dealing with recalcitrant county officials had worked patience in my heart. I’m not striving with it anymore. It’s in the Lord’s loving hands.

But then my mind would wander and think, I wonder when the officials are having their next meeting. I need to get ready in order to gain their approval. To tell you the truth, while I was waiting for the next hearing to take place, a better piece of property that had been a Boy Scouts’ camp became available, in a much more desirable location and in a more heavily forested area. It was much closer to the church, already zoned for a camp, and more suited in every way for our needs. We bought this site instead and have built a beautiful camp that has ministered to over a quarter of a million children. We saw the hand of God’s love revealed through this recalcitrant planning commission, who were putting us through so much time and grief until the other property became available.

As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” And I rest in my heavenly Father, “who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace” (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

Believe me, it’s a good place to rest. And there’s more than enough room for you, too.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Overcoming Sin

John Hwang — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:55:42 -0500

Christians are free from sin's rule, but not from its attempts to regain control. The battle that exists inside all of us, between sin and the new nature, will continue until we get to Heaven. This fact, however, is not a bleak one. The Bible tells us that Jesus rendered sin powerless at the cross. Being in Christ, we are not obligated to submit to sin's dictates and desires. We can, by the Holy Spirit, make the right choices, and take the proper actions, to keep sin from regaining control of our thoughts, actions, and words. Here are five practical ways we can do this:

First, look to Christ and His cross. The view of God's Holy Son suffering and dying on the cross is a shocking and horrific scene. He became our sin and absorbed God's wrath in order to rescue and redeem us from sin's rule over us. How can any Spirit-indwelt Christian choose to sin in the face of this?
Secondly, maintain a clear and correct view of God. In Genesis 39, Joseph refused to commit sexual sin on this basis: "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (39:9) How we think about God impacts how we think about sin. Seeing God as being "Holy, Holy, Holy" causes us to admit "Woe is me", and to regard sin as "unclean" (Isaiah 6).
Thirdly, devote yourself to God's word. This includes reading it; thinking about it; obeying it. Psalm 119:11 tells us this: "I have stored your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." God uses His word to wash us, and make us clean (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:25-27). This is His work in us called "sanctification"; He is transforming us into the likeness of Jesus. By immersing ourselves in God's word, we experience its purifying effect, and sin-overcoming power.
Fourthly, be diligent in prayer. In Matthew 26:41 Jesus told His followers, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation." Prayer is our offensive weapon against sin. It is a devastating blow against it; for this reason, it's so hard to do. Jesus said, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." When it comes to prayer, we need to have a wartime mindset. We cannot afford to wait until we "feel like praying" before we pray; it has to happen consistently and continually. When temptations come, the first 10 seconds will generally determine the outcome. In this window of time, pray. In doing this, God provides the help and power we need to resist it.
Fifthly, confess your sins to God on a regular basis. Confession is the admission of our sins against God. In doing this, two things happen: first, God forgives us. This is affirmed in 1 John 1:9. Second, God renews in us a right attitude toward sin. In confessing our sins, we see the truth again that sin is evil, offensive, unclean, destructive, and full of hatred towards God. With this renewed understanding, we will reaffirm our love for God, and refortify our defenses against sin.

In closing, I'd like to remind you with this message of the Gospel: Christ has set you free from sin's rule. Daily live in this reality. (For more on this subject, read Romans 6 and 8).

More Men's Ministry Basics

Ken Sutton — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:48:50 -0500

In my last post on “Men's Ministry Basics” I discussed the importance of setting the framework in our churches for healthy men's ministry. I also outlined what we do with the men in our church in regards to our ministry. So, before you read this post, read part one! Since my Basics post, I have been asked how I practically facilitate a conversational study with so many men. So, let me follow up this week with a few more men's ministry basics that may be helpful...

- Open the doors an hour early and have the coffee and food ready. We always have food (usually pizza and a large vegetable tray), for the first part of most meetings. It is not uncommon for us to have half of our men in the door a half hour ahead of time...

- We start and end in prayer! We stand up, with our arms around each others shoulders, in a large circle. I don't know how this got started but it has been used by God in a powerful and demonstrative way...your arms will fall asleep but it's worth it.

- We also set our chairs in a large circle...Having 30-60 men in rows just doesn’t seem to work for us. Being able to make eye contact with each other is an important component to sharing the Word of God. Our roundtable discussions last for approximately 45 minutes...

- As I facilitate the group conversation, I try to cultivate a setting with the men where they can share without feeling stupid or embarrassed. The old adage is true that no comment is a dumb comment...Be respectful.

- If it takes a while to get the conversation started don’t be tempted as the leader to start preaching...Always have a few men that you can call on at the beginning if the study starts cold. I like to wrap things up at the end of the study.

- I regularly say "great insight" or something affirming at the end of anything that a brother shares. I do all that I can to encourage conversation, not kill it. If (on the rare occasion) a man says something that makes me scratch my head, I still affirm him. Then I may throw it out as a question to the guys by saying “I appreciate your thoughts...what do you guys think about that?". This is a great way to sharpen each others Biblical beliefs.

- We don’t allow arguing or debate but we do encourage a civil "point/ counterpoint" discussion. Were not afraid to ask tough questions either...Men need to know why they believe what they believe. Oftentimes the men will explore either side of a text or issue but if it does get heated, I pull the plug and regroup quickly. I Keep it positive as much as possible and shift gears (if things get tense) with a little humor.

- What do you do when a man talks on and on (and on)? If what he is sharing is very insightful, sometimes you let him roll for a while. Other times though, you have to use the one word that helps bring an end to their sharing and it is "amen". People even do this to me when I preach! If another brother wants to continually jump into the conversation, sometimes you have to say "Hold on a second, let's hear from some of the other guys". If you can redirect in a gentle way it will be painless.

- If a brother persists in using the study as a platform or he has an agenda to promote his strongly held beliefs, you have to deal with it or they will hijack your meeting. I handle these matters privately as much as possible...

- Having said all of that, we strive to make the group mentality as if we are all in the trenches together, watching each others backs...not taking shots at each other. No legalism is tolerated but exhortation and gracious confrontation is greatly encouraged. If a man needs special attention in prayer, we will take the time to lift him up to the Lord as a group.

- Ultimately the goal of a conversational group study is to get the men reading through their Bibles together. As the men study and interact with each other, God does a wonderful work.

- We like to do BBQ outreaches twice a year with our men. We set aside the time to grill one pound porterhouse steaks and we invite all of our friends and co-workers for a night they won't soon forget. Lately we have been filming men's testimonies and showing them at our outreaches. Needless to say, the testimonies have a powerful effect on all those who attend. Having annual outreaches with your men’s ministry keeps the men on mission.

- Lastly, I have received notes from many who read this blog on facebook and by email. It has been great getting to talk with some of you who lead men’s ministry in your churches (shout out to Vinny in New Jersey)!! Blessings to you men!!

Game Changer

Bob Coy — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:35:11 -0500

What if you had never read the Book of Acts? Imagine that you only knew Peter through what was written in the Gospels.

Peter was one of those disciples. If you're a teacher, you've got one of those students constantly disrupting your class. If you're a parent, you might have one of those kids. He has to be first. He has to be heard. He has to be noticed.

If you’re friends with Peter, and you've never read Acts chapter two, when you see him stand up and say, “Men of Israel. Listen…” you’re thinking, “No don't, don't. Peter, turn it off! Sit back DOWN! Oh this is going to be embarrassing.”

Who would blame you? What we know about Peter up to this point is that he failed in his faith.

Peter speaks out of turn when he rebukes Jesus for talking about His future crucifixion. This results in Jesus calling Peter both and “offense” and “Satan” in the same sentence.

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter interrupts a meeting between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah and blurts out an absurd idea about erecting personal, memorial tabernacles for each of them. While Peter is still speaking, a cloud overshadows them and they hear, “Peter, be quiet! Listen to Jesus. Stop talking!”

Peter is not very good at walking on water, but that’s difficult to fault him for. Nonetheless, you have to conclude that when his faith failed, Peter sank.

I don’t have to remind you that it was in Mark's Gospel that Peter was so bold to say, “No! I will not deny You, Jesus! No! I will not fail You! No! Even if all the other disciples deny You, I WON’T!”

After that, Peter fell asleep during the most important prayer meeting of his life in the Garden of Gethsemane.

When Judas led a mob to surround Jesus and His disciples, Peter reacted by unsheathing his sword. Jesus told him to put it away, but Peter took a swipe, instead, and someone in the mob lost an ear that night.

Jesus reached over and healed the ear of the enemy who was hurt, haphazardly, by the disciple of Jesus known as Peter.

The next time you read the Gospels you'll find that Peter is an infectious doubter and an impulsive speaker. If I were one of the other disciples, I'd tell Pete to slow down and think before you speak, man!

When Peter stood up in Acts 2 and begins to say, “Men of Israel listen!” if I were a disciple, I’d have said, “No! Don't, Peter! Don't, don't, don’t. Oh, this is just going to be so embarrassing.” The Lord wasn’t there to rebuke him and tell him to stop.

So, if you've never read Acts, when Peter stands up to preach, if your somebody who knows him, you are not very excited to Peter preach. No one is lining up to hear Peter preach.

But something happened to Peter in the Second Chapter of Acts that never took place before. It was a game changer. Peter now had the Holy Spirit of God come upon him empowering him for service. In the Gospels, Peter was saved. But what did he do with his salvation before Acts? Peter says, “Well, lets see, I have the Spirit for salvation… I think I want to go fishing. Who wants to go fishing with me?”

He goes out fishing, and, according to the Scriptures, he doesn't catch anything. Why? Jesus promised that he would be a fisher of men. For that, Peter needed the Spirit for service. Peter’s first experience with the Spirit in John 20:22 leads Peter to go fishing in John 21:3. Peter’s second experience with the Spirit of God in Acts 2 inspired Peter to do something he never did up to that point in the Biblical narrative – preach a sermon that moved over three thousand people to repent and give their lives to the Lord. Peter’s second experience with the Holy Spirit was a game changer.

Peter preached an amazing sermon that people have studied in detail for two thousand years. Reckless Peter becomes the righteous preacher. Apart from the work of the Spirit, he continually put his foot in his mouth, embarrassed himself, and said things out of turn.

With the Holy Spirit, he preaches a powerful message that cut right to the heart and convicted his listeners to the core.

Change is taking place.

There is hope for you and me. What God did in Peter's life He is willing to do in our lives. That's the wonderful thing about the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Many of us look back at the past when we tried to do something for God and failed. We made promises, we tried to keep commitments, we did our very best but it seemed like we denied Him again and again.

Maybe you’re wondering right now, “Can I ever actually be used of God?”

The Holy Spirit says to you, today, that absolutely you can be used of God in mighty and miraculous ways. You simply need yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s story can be your story.

The Privilege of Preaching

Kellen Criswell — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:28:24 -0500

Our Miraculous Bible

Something that is easily forgotten is the absolute privilege it is to have the opportunity to teach God’s life-giving Word to people. Consider a couple passages that give us the Bible’s perspective on itself, or really, God’s perspective on the Bible:

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Bible isn’t some dead book of human philosophy and logic. The Bible is God’s Word. God blesses the proclamation of the propositions and statutes of the Bible with the power of the Holy Spirit. He blesses it with the granting of spiritual, emotional, and even physical healing. He uses it to renew sinful and unhelpful thought patterns people hold, enabling them to realize their God-given potential, and live the life of worshipful satisfaction God created them to live (Romans 12:1-3).

Our Epic Privilege

For preachers, here’s the amazing part—God lets you be the delivery boy of His life-changing, powerful, transformational Word! And what’s more, He brings real human beings who utterly and desperately need what God only does through the preaching, teaching, and application of His Word to you, that they might experience its blessings as it comes to them from your mouth! If that doesn’t amaze you, you’re dead. Seriously, if that’s old news to you, check your pulse, ask someone to pinch you, or something, because it is an unbelievable privilege that a fellow wretch of the human race like you has the honor to be used in such a way.

Signs of Amnesia

Sometimes I get spiritual amnesia regarding the privilege of preaching. I know when I’ve forgotten what a privilege it is to be a communicator of God’s life-changing gospel, and Bible. I begin concerning myself with not looking like an idiot and communicating eloquently, more than God doing whatever the people need through me, when prepping for sermons. I find myself sensing the desire to get harsh with the people when they don’t show up enough, serve enough, give enough, or whatever. I start behaving as if they owe it to me to be at church to hear my sermons, and so on.

The Hidden World of the Heart

Thankfully, as God matures me spiritually and in a ministerial sense, these ridiculous attitudes are far less common than they were when I first became a pastor. Recently, I’ve been appreciating the privilege of preaching and pastoring so much more too. The other day I heard the testimony of a person who confessed that they were literally on the brink of suicide before God brought them to our church, and began ministering to them through His Word in our ministry. I was struck in the heart! After hearing it I said out loud to our other leaders, “It’s amazing what you don’t know about people.” And it is.

Pastors, (as well as Sunday school teachers, kids’ ministry workers, parents, and all other Bible communicators) if you’ve forgotten that you are doing what you do solely by an act of divine grace, let me lovingly remind you that the people in your church owe you nothing. They aren’t your people, they are your privilege. There is an entire world of pain, joy, confusion, optimism, plans, and panic going on under the skin of every person alive, including your hearers. The hidden world of the heart needs to be impressed on your mind when you prepare your sermons, deliver your sermons, and pray over your sermons. People are needy, and God’s Word is their need. Humble yourself, and give it to them with the concern of your passionate High Priest, Jesus. Care more that they walk away from your sermon with their true spiritual needs met, rather than a high opinion of you and “your church.” May our great consuming passion be that people get what they truly need from our preaching, rather than that ourselves and ministry be made much of. Again, the people are our privilege. Preaching is our privilege.

Da Buzz Part 3

Carl Kerby — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:03:12 -0500

If you haven’t read my last two posts, you might want to take a few minutes and do so. Today I conclude with:

“So, are you telling me it’s o.k. to marry a black man!” Part 3

I believe the fact that there is only one race and I know that what God cares about is the heart, not outward appearances. This is seen in Exodus 12:38 where we read that when Israel left Egypt, a “mixed multitude went up with them.” In verse 43 God says that a “stranger” (a non-Israelite) may not eat the Passover unless they are first circumcised.

In the Old Testament, circumcision was a permanent sign of God’s covenant with His people, Israel. It was an act of faithful obedience and an outward sign of an inward faith in the God of Israel. So also for the stranger, circumcision was an act of faithful obedience by which they demonstrated an inward faith in the God of Israel and could enter into the house of Israel and become a partaker of God’s promises.

Now, once a stranger was circumcised, the Bible teaches in Exodus 12:48-49:

"And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; AND HE SHALL BE AS A NATIVE OF THE LAND. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. ONE LAW shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you." (emphasis added)

Think about it, if a stranger becomes "as a native of the land" that means that he is accepted into the house of Israel, by faith that has been declared by circumcision, and would therefore no longer be forbidden to marry an Israelite. This clearly shows that Scripture forbids marriage between God’s people and those who worship other gods, NOT marriage between different people groups or skin colors.

Speaking of marriage, there is a very clear prohibition that God gives in His Word, and a couple of youth brought it up recently, stating, “But the Bible says we’re not supposed to be ‘unequally yoke’!”

Wow! It still surprises me that Christians quote 2 Corinthians 6:14 to justify racism. All I can do is encourage them to read this verse in context. When we do that we see that this is a prohibition in marriage, but it has nothing to do with race. Just as with the Israelites, this prohibition for the church is that believers are never to marry non-believers. No place in the Bible is there an exception to this type of “mixed” marriage. God never encourages believers to date or marry in an attempt to convert, or with the hope of converting someone. You will not find “missionary marriage” or “missionary dating” anywhere in the Scripture.

Now, please don’t think I’m chucking stones at you if you find yourself married to a non-believer. Although my wife, Masami, and I were not unequally yoked when we married, she received the Lord before I did and lived with me for a few years unequally yoked. It was because of her faith and obedience that our family has been so dramatically impacted by the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

It must also be stated that the Lord does NOT want believers to willfully put themselves into the position of being unequally yoked. However, if you find yourself in that position, please do as my wife did and be a witness for the Lord. Because of her faithfulness, not only did I come to know the Lord, but also many others in our family.

So, how did I answer the question the young lady who asked, “So, are you telling me that it’s o.k. to marry a black man?”

My response, “I’m telling you that it’s o.k. to marry a Christian regardless of what they look like! And don’t trust me, go to the Scriptures for yourself and see if what I’m saying lines up with what God says.”

I also told her that anybody planning a wedding needs biblical counseling regardless of whether they’re both blond haired, blue eyed and lived next door to each other their whole lives. And, if you are from different cultures you need counseling to deal with other issues that will arise. Most importantly, everyone needs pre-marital counseling to be certain that the foundation of their faith in the Lord is biblical and that their marriage will be built on the rock-solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)

Blessings,

Carl Kerby and the rforh team

Email mosaic@rforh.com to get the FREE chapter on “Tackling the Issue of Race” from Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life.

Genuine Love

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:30:00 -0500

Shakespeare once wrote, “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.” He was right. Genuine love remains constant. When it doesn’t, you know you’re dealing with something other than true love.

“Oh, how I love you,” a man tells his date. “You’re my dream come true! I’d swim the Pacific Ocean to be by your side. I’d fly to the moon to be close to you. In fact, until the world stops turning and the stars flame out, I … uh … what’s that smell? Yikes! You have bad breath. Sorry, but I’ve changed my mind.”

Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.

When we look for a spouse, too often we have a mental image of the perfect man or woman, our “ideal mate.” And so when we “fall in love,” we do not fall in love with them, but we fall in love with our dream. And when they don’t meet up to our impossible standards, then we’re no longer in love. That only means we never were in love to begin with.

That is why true love is so hard to find among humankind. No wonder the Bible says, “Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6, NIV). True love, genuine love—the real deal—can be found consistently only with God.

Our Lord is never deceived by an idealization. You cannot fool Him with your smooth, suave manners or your genteel, gallant ways. You cannot deceive Him even a little. He knew what a rascal you were from the beginning.

But still He loves you. That’s the amazing thing. And for God to know you as thoroughly as He does, and yet still love you, is one of the greatest miracles of all. God never stops loving you.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Wondrous Things

David Guzik — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:32:23 -0500

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses), and its theme is the greatness and the glory of God’s Word. Verse 18 says:

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

This simple line from the great Psalm 119 is a prayer for insight, so that God’s Word can be understood. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may see” because he recognized that without God’s enlightenment, he could not see what he could and should from God’s Word.

The idea is that our eyes (spiritually and even mentally speaking) are covered with some kind of curtain or veil that must be opened before things can be seen. Human effort and analysis may be of little or no help unless that covering is removed.

This reminds us that it isn’t the Bible that needs changing, as if it were obscure; we are the ones who are veiled and can’t understand the Word of God apart from the work of the Hoy Spirit. Paul’s eyes were unveiled when he was converted (Acts 9:18); it was as if scales had dropped from his eyes.

The psalmist didn’t need a plainer Bible or new revelation; he needed to see the revelation that was already given. He didn’t need new eyes; he needed to see with the eyes he already had.

With those open eyes, he could see “wondrous things from Your law.” There are wondrous things in Scripture; but they can only be seen when God opens the eyes. This means that prayer is an important (and often neglected) part of Bible study.

It also means that not everyone sees the wondrous things in God’s Word, but that when one does see them, they should regard it as evidence of God’s blessing and favor.

God has given man a sense of wonder, and there are certain things that prompt it. The new and unexpected can cause wonder; the beautiful and great and cause wonder, and the mysterious and unknown can cause wonder. We can say that God has provided for this sense of wonder by giving us His Word. The Holy Spirit can make us alive to the Bible, and constantly see things that are new and unexpected; things that are great and beautiful; things that are mysterious and unknown. It is a shame that many Christians look for their sense of wonder to be satisfied without looking to the Word of God.

Think of all there is in the Bible that you don’t see. Think of all the wonder, all the treasure that is there, but you don’t see it. You can see such things, though you can’t see everything, and sometimes you will think you see things that are not really there. Yet those who see more than you are not necessarily smarter or better; their eyes are just more open.

Yet when God answers this prayer and gives us open eyes, it is then our duty and privilege to carefully and energetically study the Bible. The gift of open eyes doesn’t make study unnecessary; it makes it effective.

Pray this prayer with faith; then find some wondrous things.

Respect and Old Pastors

Kellen Criswell — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:13:19 -0500

A few months ago I wrote an article on Respect and Young Pastors that was really well received. So I thought, to be fair, we should address the issue of respect in regard to older pastors. Young pastors do need a healthy way to understand how we can gain the respect of others. Too often we come off like a bunch of disrespectful punks when expressing our views and executing our ministry vision. I, for one, am concerned about that. And I’m thankful to know other young guys who want to redeem the prevailing portrait of the young pastor today.

But on the flipside, I think some older pastors want to be respected by young guys too. Maybe you’re not one of those and could care less if young guys respect you or not. If that’s true, that attitude should probably be received as an alarm going off in your heart highlighting a need to do some introspection to see why you are jaded, and not practicing the grace of the gospel toward the next generation of leaders. But maybe you do consider yourself an older pastor who wants to have a positive relational influence with emerging leaders. If that’s true, I want to give you six traits of the kind of older pastor from whom maturing young pastors want to learn. Because he was a man who commanded the respect of talented rising pastoral leaders, the apostle Paul is who we’ll glean the traits of a respectable older pastor from as we meditate on his personal pastoral testimony in Acts 20:17-35.

Be Accessible

“. . . I always lived among you . . .” (Verse 18b) Paul (like Jesus with the twelve) was accessible to those he trained. He invited them to join in the ministry he was doing as part of their training. He went out of his way to spend time instructing them. This is why he could write to one young pastor, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Some older pastors lack influence with younger guys because they don’t have an open door policy relationally. When they’re sought for advice they’re always too busy to help a younger guy out. If you’re a church planter and want to see a version of their by-laws, discipleship systems, or attend a board meeting to get a sense of how things should be done, forget about it. “Go and learn from the Spirit, like I had to,” they say. Pastors even do this to leaders in their own church. For some, the expression of a sense of calling to plant a church is as good as giving their two week notice in the eyes of their pastor. This kind of inaccessibility to younger pastors who merely want to glean from the experiences of those who’ve gone before them is crushing, and doesn’t inspire respect.

Be Humble about your experience

“. . . serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews . . .” (verse 19) Paul had been through more ministry battles than most, but he didn’t allow the things he’d seen and done to produce ministry pride. Instead, he kept a posture of humility. Humility is another important trait of a respectable older pastor. Some older guys carry around this “Don’t you know who I am?” kind of demeanor. When they hear young guys speak of their aspiration to be used of God they all but scoff at the “little guy who has no idea what he’s getting into.” They say things like, “I’ve been doing this for thirty years, son. Let’s see if you make it five, and then we’ll talk.”

I once heard Leo Geovinetti say, “Your age only tells us how long you’ve been on the road. It doesn’t tell us how far you’ve come.” The same is true in ministry. You can be in ministry for years and still carry an immature pride due to misapplication of what God has done through you. That’s tragic, uninspiring, and a major turnoff to younger leaders who are looking for Christ-like role models for influence, not rock stars.

Be a Preacher

“. . . how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Verses 20-21) Paul preached the whole counsel of God, repentance, and the clear biblical gospel. He didn’t mess around with God’s Word, and so should it be with all pastors. And young people who are serious about following Jesus have less and less patience with pastors who are sloppy preachers and exegetes, who soft peddle hard or difficult biblical truths. I believe this is partly why so many young pastors flock to the leadership of Reformed men like John Piper and Mark Driscoll. Whether you agree with everything they say or not (and I don’t), one thing is clear from these men’s preaching—they care about accuracy in the Word. They’re bold, text-driven, Christ-centered, unashamed of the gospel, and young guys respond to that.

I see this same trend in the Calvary Chapel Movement. If you ask the average young Calvary Chapel pastor who most inspires them in our movement, hands down the first three names that come out of their mouths are generally guys like David Guzik, Brian Brodersen, and Damian Kyle. Why? These men are careful exegetes, accurate expositors, and honest preachers, and that is respectable.

Be in the Game

“And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.” (Verses 22-23) Paul had seen God do so much through him that it would’ve been easy for him to glory in the old days, and forget about being on mission in the present. He didn’t do that. Paul thanked God for His past faithfulness, but stayed on mission in the present. If you’re an older guy, please don’t just tell us about the good old days. Tell us about the mission you’re on now. Show by example that, as long as you’re not dead, and God’s not dead, that the mission isn’t over. One of the most inspiring things to see as a young guy is a man like Chuck Smith who, in his mid-eighties amidst a fight with cancer, is preaching the Word three times a week. I look at that and think, “That’s how I want to be.” Inspiring older pastors stay on mission instead of just coasting and reliving the old days.

Be a Finisher

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Verse 24) What younger guys need more than anything is the example of older pastors who finish well. There is nothing more demoralizing than seeing older, respected pastors get taken out by moral failure and scandal. But there’s nothing more inspiring than seeing the old dudes finish strong.

Be a Releaser

“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Verse 32) Older pastors, your affirmation is important to those who are trained under your leadership. I’ve known too many guys who’ve had to enter the wild waters of ministry with unneeded discouragement because their senior pastor didn’t have the guts or grace to lay hands on them, affirm them, and encourage them as they followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is shameful, and not worthy or inspiring of respect. I believe it is a good way to quench the Spirit’s work in future leaders.

As you survey Paul’s example, it’s easy to see why he was so respected amongst young leaders, and such a welcomed influence in their lives. So, to older pastors I offer the challenging question, are the traits of a respectable older pastor displayed in your life? If not, why not, and what are you going to do about it?

Hope For The City

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:17:38 -0500

“And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left?” (Jonah 4:11).

I recently spent the day in a notoriously violent, drug-infested, and gang-controlled part of Los Angeles. We were actually involved in an outreach there. The outreach went well, and the people in the community were glad that we came and did what we did. On a couple of occasions, we had the opportunity to ask some of the local people what they thought about what we were doing and if anyone else did anything like it. They all responded in pretty much the same way. “Yes, others have come bringing food, clothing, and fun for the kids for the day, but nobody stays.” That answer really struck me. What they seemed to be saying was that although they appreciated the food, clothing, and entertainment, they needed more than that; they needed relationships, friends, examples, and role models, people who would come and invest their lives in the community.

This was very interesting because I was feeling the same way as I watched and participated in the events of the day. As well as things went with the outreach, I walked away thinking to myself, “If this is all we did—the food, clothes, music, and even the gospel proclamation—we have done very little to help this community.” It was then that I once again realized how essential a local church is to the true evangelization of a community. The most important thing about this outreach was that it was birthed out of a church located two blocks from the housing project in which we did the outreach. We could point the folks to the church for follow up and discipleship, and we could depend on the church to carry on the outreach by faithfully teaching God’s Word and having a loving, caring presence in the community.

The local church is the key to reaching a community with the gospel of Christ. It is true that sometimes people come to faith in Christ without the assistance of the church collectively, or even, in some cases, without any involvement with individual Christians. But what does not happen apart from the church and the involvement of other believers is discipleship, and discipleship is what being a Christian is really all about. In the neighborhoods like the one we were in, people need to be led to Christ and then brought to maturity in the faith. That takes a lot of time. We have to teach them the Bible, model Christian living, and show them patience, love, and grace. Sometimes we have to teach them basic life skills and improve their education in areas. If you read the biographies of well-known missionaries, you will see that they quite often did all those things. We are living in a time when many Western cities have areas that socially, culturally, educationally, and economically resemble, to a certain degree, the mission fields of the third world. This is where I think the idea of being “missional” is important to our understanding inasmuch as it refers to approaching our own culture as missionaries.

In places like the inner cities of Los Angeles, London, or any other place with a similar social situation, we need church planters. We need men who will go back to where they grew up, like my friend Jose from Watts, or like my friends from South London: Efrem, Robert, and Patrick. These men have chosen to stay in the neighborhoods they grew up in and work for the good of the community by establishing strong churches.

Obviously, not everyone is called to church plant, and not everyone is called to church plant in the inner city, but we can all do something to help get the gospel and the presence of Christ into these desperately needy communities. Pray about how the Lord might direct you and your church to bring the influence of Jesus into these places, for apart from Christ and His redemptive power, there is no hope in the city.

One last thing: We are putting on a church planting conference this October and would love to have any of you who are interested in church planting join us.

Not Abandoned

Chuck Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:26:01 -0500

Personal trials, tragedies, and even divine discipline can all prompt us to doubt God’s everlasting love. Even those of us who have walked with the Lord for many years sometimes feel tempted to think He has abandoned us, especially when we walk through the rubble of lives destroyed by disobedience.

The man we know as “the weeping prophet,” Jeremiah, came to feel this way. Jeremiah had just lived through one of the worst disasters ever to befall God’s people. The Babylonians had descended upon the Hebrew nation and devastated it. Whomever they did not kill, they locked in chains and led away into captivity. The Babylonians left behind only the poorest people of the land to remain in their own ruined shacks.

In this depressed, bitter state, Jeremiah poured out his broken heart, recording his dark experiences in the little book of Lamentations. For three chapters he mourns and wails, freely expressing his deep anguish. And then, suddenly, in the middle of the book, he has a radical change of mind. Rather than continuing to recall the bitterness and horror of this murderous siege, he allows his thoughts to bring him home. He begins to think of the Lord—and first of all—the Lord’s mercies:

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

It’s as if the prophet thought, I am still here. I’m still alive. Where there is life, there is hope—and if it weren’t for God’s mercies, I would long ago have been destroyed. I would have been consumed in that dreadful siege. Things really could be worse. God has been compassionate toward me. He has dealt with me in faithfulness and in love.

Jeremiah had been thinking that God had forsaken him completely. “God has hedged me in,” he said in essence. “He’s not listening to my prayers.” But when he stopped long enough to adjust his thinking along more biblical lines, he quickly reaffirmed the truth: God’s love never fails.

God will never stop loving those who belong to Him. That means God never has stopped—and never will stop—loving you. He does not love you when you behave and hate you when you disobey. God’s love for you always remains constant and unchanging. It never fails. God continually pours out His love upon you—and that love depends not upon what you are, but upon who He is. As Jeremiah finally recalled, His compassions fail not; they are new every morning.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Sovereignty Excuse

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:16:33 -0500

I don’t know about you, but I’m really good at coming up with excuses for my sins and failures. If I impatiently snap at someone it’s either because I’m tired, or the person is annoying. Either way, there’s another reason or excuse as to why I did what I did that has nothing to do with me taking full responsibility for my actions.

As varied as my excuses for my behavior have been over the years, one I’ve used has come to break my heart more than all others. That is the excuse of God’s sovereignty. One reason this breaks my heart so much is that I’ve only now in my relationship with God began to understand how hurtful and offensive to the heart of God this excuse must be. As a person, I’ve used God’s sovereignty as an excuse to justify sin. As a pastor I see others use God’s sovereignty as an excuse to justify sin all the time. None of us mean to do this, but we do.

Here are some things we say when confronted with sin through which this excuse can be employed in our lives:

1. GOD CAN GIVE ME VICTORY IN HIS TIMING

This is something I’ve said in regard to areas of sin in my life which I’m not curbing. I’ve heard others say similar things as well. I can actually remember a young man saying this regarding the issue of pornography and sex addiction in his life. As we were talking about his need for repentance he said, “God is sovereign, and He can give me victory.” I agree, but the tragedy of his statement is that it makes God responsible for his ongoing engagement in sin. In essence, He was blaming God for his sin addiction in the name of honoring and acknowledging the sovereign power of God.

The truth for followers of the biblical Jesus is that victory over the power of sin is not merely a future hope, but a present reality (Romans 6:1-14). Jesus has already conquered Satan, sin, demons, death, and hell for us. He has already promised to give us a doorway out of every moment of temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). And He has been very clear about what His sovereign will is in the area of sexual purity. As Paul notes, “For this is the will of God for you, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:3-5). If we know God, we have no excuses when it comes to sexual sin. He has given us the victory, power, escape, and discipleship resources to obey His will. His will is that we would be sexually pure. This means we must stop using His sovereignty as a theological dodge when challenged about our disobedience, and need to take responsibility.

2. GOD WILL HAVE TO CHANGE MY HEART

This is something I’ve heard repeated often while serving as a pastor. The phrase usually comes up when someone is being encouraged to make amends in a personal relationship, submit to authority or a decision leadership as made with which they disagree, or perform a service they find inconvenient or challenging. This statement is born out of a biblical belief in God’s sovereignty and omnipotence (His being all-powerful).

The process in our mind goes like this:

I’m being asked to do or go along with something I’m not emotionally behind
God is sovereign and all-powerful and can therefore change my emotions
If God doesn’t change my emotions, my current reaction to this situation must be ok
God isn’t changing my emotions, so I’ll persist in my initial and current reaction

When we think, behave, or respond to conviction like this, we are again using God’s sovereignty as an excuse for our sin. In essence, we tell God it is His fault that we are disobedient because He won’t change our emotions (heart). God commands obedience whether we feel like it or not in the moment. And the right emotions often only come after we’ve completed the right actions of obedience. For me personally, if I only obeyed God when I felt like it, I wouldn’t obey God nearly as much as I do now. In the times my heart isn’t in doing what’s right, I seek to do what’s right anyway and trust God with helping mold my emotions in the meantime. But God forbid that I’d use my lack of emotional enthusiasm as a sign that God’s ok with my disobedience, or as an excuse for why I won’t live biblically.

From sexual sin, to daily obedience, to people rejecting or accepting the gospel, not everything that happens is God’s will. When you look at porn, God could kill you to get you to stop. But His will is that you’d stop voluntarily in response to His grace, by His power. If His grace doesn’t motivate you to stop and you don’t, His will has been violated, and you will be held accountable. And so it goes with a thousand other types of practical decisions and situations we face. God’s sovereignty is never an excuse for our sin, so let us never use it as such to conveniently avoid taking responsibility.

Da Buzz Part 2

Carl Kerby — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:00:52 -0500

Last week I wrote about an encounter that I had where a young lady disagreed with the biblical teaching that there is only one “race” — the human race. She also disagreed with my conclusion that there really isn’t any such thing as interracial marriage. The argument raised was that Deuteronomy 7:1-3 teaches it is wrong for people of different “races” to marry. Deuteronomy refers to a number of people groups, including the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, and more. The question is, do these groups represent what we classify as “races” today? The short answer is, “No!” What is the text talking about then?

This week I’ll continue with ...

“So, are you telling me it’s o.k. to marry a black man?” Part 2

Most of the people groups mentioned in Deuteronomy 7 were closely associated with the Canaanites and the Bible clearly tells that the Israelites were instructed not to marry the pagan Canaanites. And yet Rahab, a Canaanite woman, married an Israelite man and from that union came King David. In fact, Rahab’s name appears in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Remember Rahab? She and her family were spared during the destruction of Jericho because Rahab, by hiding the spies (Joshua 2:6), had demonstrated her faith in the God of Israel (Joshua 2:10-11). In other words, she was a believer. This further supports my position that it wasn’t skin color, but rather God was denying intermarriage with non-believers as a way to keep His people holy and set apart for Him.

From the time that God called Abraham, He began a long process of building a nation, growing and strengthening them in their faith and devotion to Him, and preparing them to be ready to recognize their Messiah when the time would come. Intermarriage with people who did not worship the God of Israel would cause them to turn away from true worship and turn to the idols and false gods of other nations. You can also see this truth taught in Joshua 23:6-13 and Ezra 9:1-2, 10-14.

Most people would agree that the main issue of God forbidding intermarriage had to do with keeping the people faithful to God, but yet some still want to hold on to the idea that “race” is also a factor. Again, we return to the question, “does the Bible say that?”

We’ve already mentioned one case of intermarriage that God clearly did not condemn (Rahab), and in fact He blessed it because through the line of Rahab came both King David and ultimately Jesus Christ.

Let’s take a look at what God says about “race." The bottom line must always be that it doesn’t matter what I think, you think, or what the pastors or professors teach. What truly matters is what God says. The phrase that has to be the rallying cry of every Christian is: “... and God said ...”

God said in 1 Corinthians 15:45, “... the first man Adam ...”

God said in Genesis 3:20 that Eve was called Eve because she was the mother of “all living.”

In Acts 17:26 we read that we are all “of one blood.” That makes it very clear that there is only one race, the human race, and that there is no such thing as interracial marriage. When we label people in terms of white, black, brown, yellow, red, etc. we are imposing labels based on the color of their skin. Modern science clearly defines these differences as being a result of the amount of melanin in one’s skin as well as how certain genes interact with that melanin, which is most affected by the geographical region in which they live or their ancestors lived.

In addition, Observational Science claims that race is not a biological concept. Mitochondrial DNA, Y Chromosome studies, as well as the Human Genome Project, show this to be true. Dr. J. Craig Venter said, "Race is a social concept, not a scientific one." And, when the research was released, it concluded, “Dr. Venter and scientists at the National Institutes of Health recently announced that they had put together a draft of the entire sequence of the human genome, and the researchers had unanimously declared, there is only one race -- the human race.”

We could have saved a lot of time and money on that research. God has been telling us that from the beginning.

I hope you’ll return to read the third and final post about this important subject.

Until then, Jesus said,

If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)

Stay bold,

Carl Kerby and the rforh Team!

A Lenient Disciplinarian

Chuck Smith — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:13:31 -0500

God always deals with His children in love, even though sometimes He must inflict pain in order to keep them in line—or get them back in line. The Bible insists, however, that God never inflicts pain willingly. In a sense, you might say that God is a lenient disciplinarian. He’ll let you get by with an awful lot before He really comes down on you.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:31-33).

God doesn’t strike willingly!

When I was growing up, just before my dad disciplined me, he used to say, “Son, this hurts me worse than it hurts you.” I never believed him. I thought, Come on! Who are you trying to kid? I thought it was just a line—until I became a parent myself, and then I understood. When I had to administer proper and appropriate punishment for my children’s misdeeds, it really did hurt me worse than it hurt them. In the same way, God never afflicts His children willingly. He shows us compassion “according to the multitude of His mercies.” Whatever He does, He always does in love.

“But if He really loved us,” someone might say, “He would never strike at all.” Such a perspective reveals a serious case of spiritual amnesia. For the Bible replies, “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives’” (Hebrews 12:5-6).

From the Bible’s perspective, the failure to discipline reveals a lack of love. God demonstrates His love for His children when He disciplines, in love, those who stand in need of it. That is why we hear Jesus saying, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). And that’s why we hear the apostle Paul saying to the carnal believers of ancient Corinth, “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” (1 Corinthians 4:21).

When God disciplines us, He does so out of love. He wants to bless us, not blast us. God does not delight in judgment. He would much rather show mercy than judgment. As He said through the prophet, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11). God wants to show us His mercy and demonstrate His grace. That is why He is so slow to exercise judgment.

And to be honest, sometimes I wish He weren’t.

A lot of people fill the earth with their filth, condemning other men’s souls and exerting a rotten influence upon our children. I’d like to snuff them out, right now! Sometimes, God’s patience seems like a big problem to me. “God, why do You let them get by with that? Why do You let them do that? Lord, why don’t You just smite them?” God delays His judgment because He wants to give everyone every possible opportunity to turn from their evil—chance after chance after chance.

Still, there is a limit, even to the patience of God.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Nevertheless, He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever” (Psalm 103:8-9).

The prophets speak of the day when the cup of His indignation will overflow—and then watch out!

Don’t misinterpret God’s patience as evidence that He doesn’t know or doesn’t see the evil you do. He does see—and what He sees pains Him greatly. But He loves you and thus He remains patient with you. Never imagine that God approves of your sin simply because He has let you get by with it, so far. God can never support evil or sin. But He is merciful. He is slow to anger, of great kindness, and He doesn’t want to bring pain into your life. He doesn’t want to bring His judgment—so don’t force Him to do so.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Criticism And The Worship Leader

Bill Walden — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:26:19 -0500

Criticism can be hard to swallow. Regarding criticism, it has been said, “Your friends have everything to lose, and your enemies have nothing to lose”. In other words, listening to criticism can be a helpful thing, if the criticism is true and accurate. Your friends take the risk of you getting angry at them, so they take a chance in sharing a criticism with you. Your enemies don’t care if you like what they say or not, so they can be blunt. In either scenario, there may be things to learn.

But I think I have a better idea than listening to critics, and it is this: Critique yourself. Examine yourself. There is Biblical precedent for it.

The Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged”. (1 Corinthians 11:31)

The church at Corinth was mishandling the Lord’s Supper, and God had judged some of them. That was the immediate context of the passage, but there is an application that can be extracted from that verse. We ought to judge ourselves in regards to how well we are doing as worship leaders.

I’d rather be an honest critic of myself, than be surprised by the words of another. It just makes sense to me that worship leaders ought to examine how they are doing regarding the ministry that God has given them.

Here is what I suggest:

Listen to yourself. I regularly listen to the recorded worship sessions from our church. I am often disappointed in my playing and singing, but I am able to identify mistakes that I regularly make, and have an awareness of what needs to be worked on. There might be a certain note that is consistently off pitch. Maybe a phrase could be sung better. Sometimes during the worship leading, I am ‘really feeling it”, and it seems to be “right”, until listen back to the recording, and discovering that I rushed the song, or played it too slowly. Listening to myself has helped me identify problematic areas of my playing, singing, and leading.

Sometimes the recording off the soundboard may not be a good representation of what the church is hearing. I suggest that the serious worship leader use some kind of recording device to record the sound of the room. The Zoom H1 digital recorder can be purchased for about $125, and gives the worship leader a clear representation of what the worship experience sounds like. It is a great investment for the serious worship leader. Older models can be found for $60-75 on Craigslist or eBay.

Better than listening to yourself, is watching yourself. The congregation watches us for at least part of the time. What they see can affect them positively or negatively. We all have funny idiosyncrasies. We might have poor posture, and that makes us look lazy. Some people have distracting facial expressions when they play or sing. I regularly watch myself both play and preach. We are fortunate to have a good video system, so I see “every little thing”.

Have a friend video record you with their iPhone. Set up an inexpensive video camera, and have the band examine itself. I would rather discover visual distractions and correct them, than to force the congregation to endure them until I figure them out.

Worship leading is a platform ministry. We are in front of people. How you stand, sing, play makes a difference. Some clothes may not be flattering to you, and might be a distraction. Certainly, modesty in dress should be practiced. We look in the mirror before we leave the house. I think it is a good idea to “look in the mirror” regarding our worship leading.

So Mr./Mrs./Miss Worship Leader….critique yourself. Listen, watch, and make adjustments as needed. Your church will appreciate it, and the worship experience will be enhanced.

Knowing God

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:01:48 -0500

"What were we made for? What aim should we set ourselves in life? What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment than anything else? The answer to all these questions is the same: Knowing God!" (from Knowing God by J. I. Packer).

Listen to a young Charles Spurgeon on the subject of knowing God:

“It has been said by some one that ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God's elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. … No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God. … But while the subject humbles the mind it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe. … the most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ, and him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity. And, whilst humbling and expanding, this subject is eminently consolatary. Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrows? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's deepest sea; be lost in his immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of grief and sorrow; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead” (from The Immutability of God, a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0001.htm).

There truly is no greater objective in life than knowing God, but how is that experiential knowledge of God attained?

The first question we need ask is this: Is God is willing to be known? Is God knowable in a personal sense, in the same way that we know one another? Some say, No, that is not possible. God is too great to be known by man. Deism, theism, and Islam are all views of God that put Him beyond our ability as human beings to know, at least in any personal, meaningful sense. However, the Bible presents us with a God who can be known and actually desires to be known.

Listen to God Himself speaking on the subject:

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13 ESV).

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant … I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. … for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest …” (Jer 31:31, 33-34).

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hos 6:6).

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true …” (1 Jn 5:20).

So we see clearly from God's Word itself that God is knowable.

In fact, bringing men and women into personal fellowship with God is the chief objective of the Gospel. Jesus said this in prayer to the Father, “You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:2-3).

Since God has made a relationship with Him possible, we need to be daily pursuing this wonderful knowledge.

What does that look like, you might ask? Let me suggest three things:

1. Gleaning from those who know God better than we do.

a. Get to know and spend time with older, more mature Christians. Talk to them, ask them Bible questions, ask them about their experiences with the Lord.

b. Make sure your are being taught the Word through the gifted pastors and teachers that God has given to His church for the building up of the body of Christ.

c. Read good books that will help you to better understand God's Word and His ways.

2. Spend quality time alone with the Lord.

“When the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, one of the things it means is, now, so to speak, Jesus is loose and at large, so that anyone anywhere can enjoy the same kind of relationship with him as the disciples had in the days of his flesh. The only differences are that, first, his presence with the Christian is spiritual, not bodily, and so invisible to our physical eyes; second, that Jesus’ way of speaking to us now is not by uttering fresh words, but rather by applying to our consciences those words of his that are recorded in the Gospels, together with the rest of the biblical testimony” (from Knowing God by J. I. Packer).

3. Listen intently and seek understanding.

What do I mean by that? Reading and meditating on the Word of God.

“Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. It is a matter of talking to one’s self about God and one’s self” (from Knowing God by J. I. Packer).

This all begins with meeting the Lord.

Have you met the Lord? Jesus is the one through whom we come into this relationship with the Father. To as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become the children of God. Receive Him if you haven't. Simply ask that He forgive your sins and take charge of your life.

Are you pursuing a deeper relationship with the Lord? Are you getting to know Him better and better? The chief end of man is to know God and to glorify Him forever.

Let me end with one final quote from J. I. Packer’s Knowing God:

“Once you become aware that the main business you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord. … The world today is full of sufferers from the wasting disease known as absurdism (‘life is a bad joke’), and from the complaint (‘nothing taste’). These disorders blight the whole of life: everything becomes at once a problem and a bore, because nothing seems worthwhile. But these are ills from which, in the nature of the case, Christians are immune, except for occasional spells of derangement when the power of temptation presses their minds out of shape- and these, by God’s mercy, do not last. What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has in a way that no other person has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?”

Enduring Mercy

Chuck Smith — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:08:54 -0500

You cannot read too far in the Bible without running into some version of one of its most popular refrains: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

In fact, an entire psalm was crafted around this marvelous phrase of exhortation. “Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136:26). Twenty-six times in this psalm, once in each verse, the writer proclaims that “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Now, why did God inspire the author to repeat this truth so often? He did it for emphasis, that it might get implanted deep in our hearts and embedded firmly in our minds. Never, ever, ever should we question whether God will be merciful enough to forgive us our sins and pardon our transgressions. His mercy endures forever! His love is without limit! His love will cover you always! In fact, in all situations and under all circumstances, God’s mercy endures forever. You need this truth as much as I do.

Psalm 118 is the last of the Hallel psalms, which faithful Jews sang on their journeys of pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As Jesus made His way to Jerusalem for the Day of Atonement, this would have been the last song on His “must sing” list. For centuries interpreters recognized it as a messianic psalm, a prophecy about the coming Messiah. So as Jesus sang this psalm with His disciples, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion, He knew very well that portions of it referred directly to Him.

I wonder—how would it be to sing such a psalm knowing that it’s talking specifically about you? Jesus knew everything that awaited Him in Jerusalem. He knew of Judas’ treachery. He knew His disciples would desert Him. He knew Peter would deny Him. He knew He would be arrested, falsely accused, condemned to death, beaten, mocked, tortured, and finally crucified. So, knowing all that, can you see why His loving Father would fortify His soul with the words of Psalm 118?

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good. For His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 118:1-4).

Jesus recognized that in just a few hours He would become “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He would “become sin” for us all (2 Corinthians 5:21). He would bear our sins in His own body on the tree and through His stripes He would heal us (1 Peter 2:24).

And surely the goodness of God was manifested in the words of Psalm 118, assuring our Savior of God’s eternal love for Him. In our Lord’s darkest hour, God ministered to Him through the truth of His eternal Word: “His mercy endures forever!”

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Da Buzz Part 1

Carl Kerby — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:57:03 -0500

“So, are you telling me it’s o.k. to marry a black man?”

After speaking at a youth even recently two young ladies came up and spoke with me. I had just spoken on the fact that there is only one “race” of people, the human race, and that every person on the planet is descended from Adam and Eve.

One of the ladies informed me that she is a PK (Pastor’s Kid) and that she had texted her youth group leader about what I had taught. He and her father said that I was incorrect in the teaching that there was only one “race” and that I was wrong to say there was no such thing as “interracial” marriage.

To support their claim she used Deuteronomy 7:1-3.

At the same meeting a different young lady came up and asked me, “Are you telling me it’s o.k. to marry a black man?” The message had obviously struck a nerve.

Well, let’s deal with this. Does Deuteronomy 7:1-3 and the usage of the word “tribes” mean that God does not permit different “races” to marry? Can a “white” person marry a “black” person and it not be a sin? Because this is such a big and controversial topic I’ll be addressing this in three separate blogs. Thanks in advance for sticking with me.

“So, are you telling me it’s o.k. to marry a black man?” Part 1

In Scripture there are a number of instances where we see God forbidding the Israelites to marry people from the nations around them. The question we have to ask is, WHY were the marriages forbidden? Is it because of “race” or some other reason? And, for what reasons are we forbidden to marry?

Let’s start with what we know God tells the church, the body of Christ, on this topic:

2 Corinthians 6:14

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

1 Corinthians 7:39

"A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord."

Remember, God clearly set forth a pattern in marriage: it is to glorify Christ and the church. In speaking about marriage in Ephesians 5:22-31, Paul concludes by saying he speaks “concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32). From the Corinthians and Ephesians verses we can clearly see that God is ordaining marriage to be between believers, those who trust in the one true God.

The Bible NEVER uses the term “race” other than in the context of “running a race.” (See Psalm 19:5, Ecclesiastes 9:11, 1 Corinthians 9:24 and Hebrews 12:1.)

First Corinthians 7:39 makes it very clear that the Scripture teaches that God gave believers the freedom to marry anyone in the Lord regardless of “race” or “skin color." The question becomes, was this true for Old Testament believers, namely the house of Israel?

Let’s take a look at the verses in the book of Deuteronomy that the young lady brought to my attention:

Deuteronomy 7

¹When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;

²And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

³Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

My question to the young lady was, “Where does this say anything about races?” Research that I have done on these groups has never made reference to skin color or physical characteristics. And given that these people groups were also of the middle eastern region, it is highly likely they looked very similar to the people of Israel. However, we really don’t know.

In my next post, we’ll dig in more to understand exactly what Deuteronomy is talking about and who these groups were.

Again, thanks for your patience. In order to thoroughly address this topic we need to take some time!!

Ponder what I’ve said and return to read part 2.

Stay bold,

Carl Kerby and the rforh Team!

Men’s Ministry Basics

Ken Sutton — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:06:29 -0500

In this post I will answer the most common questions I am asked about men’s ministry.

1. Why is men’s ministry so important?

Ready yourself for some sobering statistics. The typical U.S. congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male (Barna). On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches (2000 Census, David Murrow). This Sunday almost 25% of married women will worship without their husbands (Barna). Over 70% of the boys who are being raised in a church will leave it during their teens and twenties (Lifeway Research). And ... fewer than 10% of U.S. churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant men’s ministry (David Murrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church). The men that are called to be serving and leading are leaving ... we need to reach the men.

2. How do we convince our men that men’s ministry is important?

You don’t. The key to convincing men that they should plug into men’s ministry is to have an excellent men’s ministry. Pray that God develops an atmosphere in your ministry that men will not want to miss, and it will progressively grow and flourish over time.

3. When is the best time for men to meet?

Schedules throughout the week make it difficult for men to get together, so you have to find the right time. My experience is that weekends (including Friday nights) take men away from their family time, so I have found that midweek is best. Early mornings, before work, can be excellent times for men to connect. Let me say that if your church already has 6 to 7 men meeting for prayer and coffee one morning a week, then you have the foundation for a great men’s ministry! I prefer to meet on Tuesday nights with the men and to keep commitment levels high, we meet twice a month. Twice a month is enough to keep the men relationally connected.

4. Our men’s ministry is very stagnant; what do we do?

Let me share a basic element regarding men's ministry ... every man in the room should have the opportunity to teach and share from the Word of God. Every two weeks (or weekly) have the men read a book of the Bible and tell them to be prepared to share any insights that the Lord showed them in the text. It is that simple. When you combine conversational Bible study with food, prayer, worship, and even small groups ... men grow in a myriad of ways. Let me share with you some of the fruit of interactive Men’s Bible study.

-You encourage the men to take their biblical knowledge and spiritual lives public. Interaction causes them to go “on the record."

-The gifts of the Spirit are in operation through the men on a weekly basis. Words of wisdom, prophecy, faith, exhortation, and teaching are exercised as men share the Word of God. Often men don't even know how they are impacting others through insights that they bring forward. It is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move supernaturally in a very natural way.

-When a man shares what God has shown him in a particular text and how he is humbly responding to God's direction, it has a powerful sharpening and maturing effect on everyone in the room.

-It encourages men to read their Bibles every day and to abide in a relationship with Christ.

-The men learn to teach the Bible. You should only encourage "soundbite" sharing for a couple of minutes per man but the limited insights that come out of their personal study will be a blessing to all who hear.

-It gives me as a pastor an opportunity to get to know the men better and to see where they are in their walks with Christ. I get to put my finger on the pulse of my brothers spiritual lives by interacting with them.

-This type of interaction works well with groups up to 60 or more ... If your men’s ministry is larger than 60 men, feel free to share in the comments section how your men’s ministry is functioning. I would love to hear about your men’s ministry!

5. How do we get the men to be accountable to other men?

Men are dealing with serious issues of temptation on a daily basis which threaten to derail not only them but their families as well. Therefore men desperately need a refuge where they can come, get equipped, pray for each other, and fight the good fight of faith together. So, having said all of that, let me remind you that accountability is the byproduct of healthy relationships. If we set the framework for men to grow strong in their relationships with Jesus and each other, we will have taken the biggest step toward accountability. Accountability through community. A second step toward accountability can be the addition of small groups for sharing one another’s burdens in powerful prayer. Small groups should be intimate, “leak proof,” and centered on gracious exhortation and authenticity. Remember, effective men’s ministry is not sin centered, it is Jesus centered.

They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:15:28 -0500

I was speaking to a group of men recently and looking at Paul’s word to the church in Rome where he tells them to “owe no one anything except to love one another, for love is the fulfillment of the law … And do this, knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Roman 13:8-11).

The English Civil War (1642-1646) and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) are both examples of this colossal failure of Christians to love one another. According to Alister McGrath, theologian and church historian, “Whatever else it may have been, the English Civil War was fundamentally a battle for the soul of English Protestantism. Both sides (Anglican and Puritan) regarded themselves as embodying the true ideals of Protestantism. Their soldiers found passages in the Bible that seemed to support their cause … The Thirty Years’ War was both an international religious conflict and a German civil war, involving Lutheran, Reformed, and Catholic regions and nations. The populations of many regions were decimated by this war of attrition, and their economies brought to the brink of total collapse.”

These attitudes are killing the witness of the church and it’s time that we stop all this childishness and take seriously the command of Jesus to love one another, regardless of denomination or affiliation.

I have to say that I’m encouraged by some of what I see happening today. There are several Evangelical leaders who are “reaching across the aisle,” so to speak, in an effort to build relationships and establish fellowship with those who hold different views on non-essential doctrinal issues; and this is one of the healthiest things that I’ve seen happen in a long time. But sadly, there are still those who insist on majoring in the minors and refuse to recognize that the body of Christ extends beyond the walls of their own churches or the boundaries of their own denomination or movement.

Generational Sin?

Chuck Smith — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:03:43 -0500

Have you ever heard a sermon on the devastation caused by “generational sin”? Preachers base their frightening comments on texts like Exodus 20:5: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.”

Some people hear such a verse and say, “God’s not fair! Why should children suffer for their parents’ sin?”

Let’s admit that the sins of parents often have terrible consequences upon their children. It’s unavoidable. Many studies have shown, for example, that children of divorce tend to struggle in certain predictable ways, no matter how amicable the separation or how well the former partners get along with each other after the divorce. Despite any of that, their children still suffer.

Most children feel a deep sense of rejection when their dad takes off with another woman. Despite giving repeated assurances of his love, they just don’t believe him. Because his actions speak louder than his words, they feel rejected and even responsible for the broken marriage. Many times, in fact, a child feels even more rejected than the wife or husband left behind. Children are the ones who generally suffer the most—and so the sins of the parents are visited upon their sons and daughters.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that if you had unrighteous parents, then you must face the wrath of God for the rest of your life—because, after all, the Bible says, “He’s going to visit the sins of the parents on the children to the third and fourth generations.” Don’t overlook the crucial condition there: “To the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Exodus 20:5, italics added for emphasis).

If you continue in the hatred of God that your parents modeled, then God’s judgment will continue, even to the third and fourth generations.

Oh, but don’t stop with verse 5, as far too many preachers do. Continue reading through to Exodus 20:6, which puts the whole thing in a much more hopeful context: “But showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:6).

While it may logically follow that a boy raised in an ungodly atmosphere is apt to grow up to be very ungodly himself, thank God for the love and grace of Jesus Christ. You can break any hurtful or wrong relationship with the past. Maybe your parents did not bring you up in the fear and admonition of the Lord; perhaps they set a very poor spiritual example. But thank God, that chain can be broken.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You don’t have to suffer because of your parents’ hatred of God or because of their mistakes. You can break that curse. When Moses repeats this speech in Deuteronomy 7:9, he revises it to make his point even plainer. He says, “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

Do you see the stark contrast? While sin may hold sway for three or four generations in families whose parents hate God, the Lord displays His love and mercy to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Worship Leaders: Must Do's

Bill Walden — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:23:12 -0500

There are those who lead songs at church, and those who lead worship. There is a huge difference. Leading worship songs is something that somebody does. Being a worship leader is something that someone is.

Familiarity With Worship Music
Worship leaders listen to worship music. They listen to a lot of it. They learn songs, and can sing or play many songs from memory. At the very least, there is a familiarity with many songs. They understand different styles of worship music, and though they may not be able to play all those styles, they know how a style of music ought to sound.

Knowing a lot of music allows the worship leader to be spontaneous during a worship gathering. He/she might include a song that wasn’t planned for, but is perfect for the moment. Sometimes a worship leader will think of a song that would be perfect for the moment, but cannot play it for lack of familiarity with that song. That is a lost opportunity. Worship leaders need to listen to a lot of worship music. They need to have a big repertoire. They need to be able to play dozens of songs by memory.

Music charts should be there as a reference, not as a lifeline. The worship leader ought to be able to play most of his/her songs by memory, which allows for freedom of expression as opposed to a desperate dependence on the written music. When the worship leader is struggling with a song because of lack of familiarity, the congregation feels it. Know the music, and practice it frequently.

A preacher needs to be able to spontaneously quote any number of scripture passages as the Spirit leads. The same is true for a worship leader. He/she needs to be able to bring up a song as the Spirit leads. The band needs to be able to follow.

Proficiency With Their Instrument
Worship leaders need to be proficient with their instruments. This includes vocalists as well. That means practice, practice, practice. The idea of practice is an interesting topic. One would think that a worship leader would love to sit at home and either play or sing. Such is not always the case.

Some worship leaders rarely touch their instruments at home, and pick them up only for a rehearsal or a worship gathering. God can and does use the person that doesn’t play well, but I believe that the worship experience is enriched when the leader sings and plays well.

A song sung out of tune, or with awkward lyrical phrasing makes singing more difficult for the congregation. An instrumentalist that doesn’t play with steady time, or can’t play needed chords also limits or hinders the worship experience for the listener.

An instrumentalist who hesitates to play a certain chord, or plays inconsistently because of poor technique, will hinder the musical and spiritual flow of worship. The congregation consciously or unconsciously picks up on such hesitations. They cannot flow freely with the song, because the person called to lead them is fumbling or stumbling to play the music. Again, it is that mysterious but very real “X-factor”, that makes the difference between “getting through” a song as opposed to being an embellishment and a transparent vehicle used to deliver a song. It is like the difference between a machine and a person doing the same task. The machine may awkwardly get it done, but a person does it with feeling, flow, and an artistic touch.

Musicians and singers who are proficient with their instrument and/or voice embellish and make beautiful a song of worship which is pleasing to the ears and easy to sing to. Unpracticed singers and instrumentalists end up being a distraction at worst, and a modicum of blessing at best.

In teaching the Corinthians about the gift of tongues and the need for interpretation, the Apostle Paul uses musical instruments as an illustration that clarity is needed when one hears something. When the musical sound isn’t understood because of lack of clarity, the correct response is difficult.

1 Corinthians 14:7, 8 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? ⁸For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

The aspiring worship leader ought not avoid leading worship as their talents and abilities are being developed, but lots of practice ought to be a regular part of their lifestyle. Beginners should not forever sound like beginners.

Psalm 33:3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Ensemble Performances: Listen, Listen, Listen
Having studied music at the college level, one of the things that was constantly re-enforced in ensemble playing was the importance of listening to the entire group AS you played/sang your part. How can I know how I fit into a worship team, if I am not listening to the others musicians/singers? Every person on the team ought to be able to sing back what every other musician is singing or playing. The bass player needs to know not just what the drummer is doing, but what the backup singers are singing. And so it goes with each member of the worship team. Ensemble playing requires paying attention to the entire group, not just to what you are doing.

In an amplified setting, this means proper amp adjustments, so that the stage volume is manageable for all. Good communication with the soundman is essential. If you can’t hear yourself or the team members, TELL THE SOUNDMAN! That is what they are there for, to help you hear well and sound good.

I believe that the ideal situation for a worship leader is that he/she tells the team, “Follow me”. Some pre-determined arrangements can be worked out, but much happens spontaneously during a worship experience. That requires that people pay more attention to the worship leader than to themselves or their music. Stand where you can see the worship leader, watch for body language, visible cues of songs, starting, slowing down, breaks, or stopping. Be a team player by paying attention with your eyes and ears.

This listening approach is a non-negotiable for jazz musicians, who often use the chart as a starting point, but then play off of one another as they listen to one another. Much of the same is true in the worship team experience. Listen, listen and listen some more to what your team members are playing and singing.

1. Know the music well, and memorize songs.
2. Practice a lot. Sing and play skillfully to the Lord.
3. As a worship team member, “have ears to hear”.

Healthy Pastors Vacation

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:28:43 -0500

Rest at Last

This week begins our annual family vacation. To some it’s shocking to hear of a pastor taking three weeks off of preaching and general pastoral duties. Many think pastors either don’t deserve, don’t need, or that the church can’t afford for pastors to take an extended time away from serving in their normal capacities. Personally, I think truly healthy pastors will vacation, and truly healthy churches will encourage this.

The Need - Pastors Work a Ton

Not too long ago, I heard someone say those words I love so much, “As a pastor you basically just work the weekends, right?” Wrong! The truth is, Sunday morning is a tiny part of what pastors do. The average pastor works 50 to 70 hours per week. In addition to studying for and delivering sermons, they usually do a lot of administration, leadership training, policy and procedure writing, endless hours of counseling, and much more. To make things extra challenging, pastors are on call in many ways, available at all hours of the night for special circumstances. And then there are holidays. Most people don’t realize that seasons which mean time off, family recreation, and recharging for them, are the most intense times for pastors. During Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and similar seasons, pastors are usually consumed with special events, on top of their normal work-load.

I’m not complaining at all. God gives the needed grace for pastors to do their jobs with joy, even in the difficult seasons. And as crazy as things get, pastors often get to experience the truth that it’s more blessed to give than receive.[1] Ministry is supposed to be hard. In ministry you lead the charge onto the spiritual battlefield every day where the kingdoms of darkness and light meet in cosmic struggle. But the intensity of serving God through serving His people only highlights the need for pastors to appreciate the God-given priority of taking Sabbaths, or as we typically refer to them, vacations.

Let me share five reasons I feel God has called pastors to take sanctified vacations:

1. To remind ourselves of God’s Sovereignty

Pastor, God doesn’t need you. Believe it or not, the survival of the church isn’t dependent on you. Jesus is the one who has been building His church since the dawn of the church age, and that didn’t change when you entered into formal pastoral ministry. As I heard someone say recently, too many pastors preach God’s sovereignty with their mouths, but open theism with their lives. Their sermons declare that Jesus is the Head, source, and sustainer of the church, but their micromanaging, unwillingness to take time off, and insistence on being at every single church event demonstrates to those they lead, and their families, that the pastor really believes he is the head, source, and sustainer of the church. Their life preaches that God would really be in trouble if they weren’t there to keep things afloat. Ask yourself if the message of your mouth is inconsistent with the message of your life on this point. Maybe you need to take time off simply to worshipfully practice your commitment to God’s sovereignty over the church.

2. To remind the church of God’s Sovereignty

I was able to attend our Sunday gathering on my first Sunday off for this vacation, and it was awesome. I showed up with everyone else, and sat in the back for the entire service. One of our other pastors preached, and God moved. We intended to baptize one person, but as people responded to the gospel, we ended up baptizing eight people. One of the reasons I was thankful for this is that it was a clear demonstration to the church that God’s work in our midst isn’t dependent upon my presence or preaching. As much as I need to remember that God doesn’t need me, the church sometimes needs that reminder as well. They’ll never get that reminder if you don’t humbly step aside for a time.

3. To demonstrate to our family their preeminence over ministry

There is a reason that having a family that is managed well, and being a husband solely devoted to his wife are prerequisites for formally becoming a pastor in a local church.[2] Your family is your first ministry. Too much damage has been done to families in the name of ministry. Too many pastors have sacrificed their families on the altar of church involvement. Generations of pastors gone by have operated under the sinful notion that if we take care of the church, God will take care of our family. The truth is that God takes care of your family THROUGH YOU! Taking time off from ministry (weekly and for longer vacations) demonstrates your commitment to them as your preeminent ministry over the church. It shows that you love them and consider them a greater blessing than the people who come to hear you preach. Don’t let your kids and wife doubt your love and commitment to them because you suffer from ministry idolatry.

4. To give other guys a shot

I firmly believe it’s God’s will for pastors to train and empower new pastors from within their church.[3] That being the case, it is important for us to take time away from preaching if only to give other guys a chance to test and grow in their gift of teaching. Remember that someone gave you a shot when nobody knew how it would go, and God used that in your life. Do the same for those coming up behind you.

5. To recharge our spiritual batteries

You are just a man. I repeat, pastor, you are just a man. You may not feel like it right now, but if you go and go, refusing to take a break, you will experience a mental and emotional break of another kind. I’ve often heard Mark Driscoll say, “If you don’t take a vacation, God will make you.” That’s true, but instead of resting at home or with family, you’ll rest in the hospital. Get some time away to hang with family, study without doing so for a teaching engagement, and pray just to connect with God without agenda. Receive fresh vision from the Lord. It’ll strengthen your soul and make everything you touch more fruitful when your vacation is over.

Do you need to take a vacation? Don’t burn out. Don’t wrap your identity up in ministry so much that you can’t step away. Don’t rob new leaders of chances to train and grow. Don’t rob your family of their father and husband. God can provide to raise up a new pastor for your church, but He can’t raise up a new father and husband for your family. Don’t let your church depend on you as they should only depend on Jesus. Healthy churches have healthy pastors who take vacations.

[1] Acts 20:35

[2] 1 Timothy 3:2 and 4

[3] 2 Timothy 2:2

Changing Our Tone

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:51:03 -0500

I had an odd experience the other day: I was driving home listening to myself on the radio (something I rarely do), and I was speaking on the subject of “false teachers” from 2 Peter 2. As I listened, I found myself getting uncomfortable, not with what I said but with the way I said it. My tone of voice was off-putting to me. As I thought more about it, I realized how much I’ve changed over the years; that particular study was recorded about eleven years ago. Now just for clarification, I haven’t changed at all regarding what I believe, and the content of what I said back then I stand by today. Where I’ve changed is in my attitude and the way I express myself when addressing topics or persons with whom I disagree.

Let me tell you about another interesting experience I recently had. Every week I have several counseling appointments, and my secretary, being the faithful secretary she is, sends me a schedule on Monday of all the people that will be coming to see me throughout the week. A while back, as I was looking over my schedule, I noticed the name of a person that I was less than enthusiastic about meeting with. This person was a church leader who had to step down from the ministry because of moral failure, and I was struggling with just how to act when I met him. Should I be cold and distant or should I be warm and welcoming? I realized my dilemma was due to my not wanting to appear to take his sin too lightly, but at the same time not wanting to be condemning. As I prayed about the whole matter, the Lord spoke to me so clearly, “You don’t have to be mad at him for Me.” That moment changed everything: my sense of anxiety left me, and I was able to warmly welcome him, sit and patiently listen, and offer words of encouragement. I felt completely free to love this person in Christ and leave it to the Lord to sort out all the details and issues that remained in his life.

In both of these cases, the same lesson was working itself out: Our job is to speak the Word faithfully and to do so in love, not anger. It’s God’s place to convince people of the sinfulness of their sin and to bring them to repentance. The reason I was put off by listening to myself was that I sounded angry, and I know from personal experience that anger repels while love attracts. I believe this has been a part of our problem as Christians in communicating the Gospel, which is supposed to be good news—oftentimes it doesn’t come across as good news because we come across as angry. Good news must be expressed in the right tone, and the right tone is a loving one.

Not too long ago I heard an interview with a guy who had written a book on the attitudes of younger evangelicals. The interviewer suggested that the younger generation of evangelicals were more liberal than their parents and more tolerant of sin. The author had a great response: Research shows that younger evangelicals are just as committed to sound biblical doctrine as their parent’s generation, and by and large, they still believe that what the Bible calls sin is sin. The difference, he said, is they are not angry about it. I think that’s a real key for us as Christians living in a largely post-Christian culture. We do not want to come off as angry.

There are enough angry people in this world; we of all people should have a completely different demeanor. We are to be a people whose tone of voice exemplifies love, mercy, and grace.

How Does God Pick Leaders

Bob Coy — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:28:12 -0500

How does God pick leaders? Acts 1:15-26 is an interesting section of Scripture because it contains some things for choosing leaders that we probably should use and others we probably shouldn’t. This text isn’t intended to be an exact verbatim checklist. There’s a difference between holy manuscript and a have-to-manual.

Here’s what Peter and the Apostles noticed: something is missing. There were twelve and now there are eleven. In this case, Judas was lost. Because of this, Peter makes a clear reference to David in the Psalms.

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’“[Acts 1:20]

God knows what’s in a man. He is never surprised when a man sins. Jesus lost a guy. David lost a guy. I’ve lost men – leaders – to sin during my twenty-six years of pastoral ministry.

So something is missing. A position isn’t created just to accommodate a man. There is a genuine need that the Lord has made known.

Here are some qualifications for the leadership the Apostles settled on:

“with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us”
with us since “John’s baptism”
“a witness with us of [Jesus’] resurrection”

This is the only place in scripture where, in addition to this list of spiritual and experiential qualifications, they do something that we don’t see anywhere else in Scripture when choosing leaders: they cast lots.

When it comes to picking leaders, throwing dice isn’t part of the process. We don’t have to pick leaders exactly like this. When we pick leaders, there are other verses to guide us. We use the whole Bible, not just part of it. That’s how you develop sound doctrine.

When choosing leaders, also look to Exodus 18. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gave sound advice about what to look for in leaders:

“able men”
who “fear God”
“men of truth”
“hating covetousness”

Jethro also advises that these men be selected to have charge over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. Different guys are gifted to lead different numbers of men. Moses needs help leading the people of God and Jethro gives timely guidance for selecting the men to help him shoulder the work.

Here at Calvary Chapel, we look for people who are faithful, who have a good home life, and we look for those who are with us. I want to actually make sure that God is in charge of this decision, so I pray with and ask other godly men who they think are the ones who are really with us.

The ones we pick haven’t actually seen the risen Lord like the ones picked in Acts, but they do have a relationship with Jesus that is real and life transforming. They have experienced Him. They walk with Him and have followed Him in baptism. Christ affects all of their relationships.

I'm wise if I do as Jethro instructed Moses: look for able men who fear God, who love truth, and do not have a spirit of covetousness. Those are the guys I'm looking for.

In addition to Exodus 18, in Acts 6, another situation comes to light where there is a void that can only be filled with godly men. According to the text, a complaint arose because certain widows were neglected in the daily food distribution.

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.” [Acts 6:2]

So they looked for men who were:

“of good reputation”
“full of the Holy Spirit”
full of “wisdom”

They cast lots in Acts 1, but in Acts 6 and Exodus 18, I don’t see it. Some scholarly folks say that casting lots was such a poor way to choose, you never hear anything from the guy they picked, Matthias, from that point forward. He was a dud, they say, and should never been picked. But I take issue with that because the same thing could be said about Andrew, Thomas, Matthew, and most of the other twelve as well. They, also, were never mentioned again in the Bible.

So if you can't say the same thing about them what's wrong with Matthias? I don't know if there's anything wrong with Matthias, but here's what I do believe: we don’t cast lots or flip a coin to pick our leaders. I know you all well enough that if we don’t get your way, you'd “say how about two out of three?”

Don't play toss the coin or roll the dice with God. Pray! Come in contact with the Spirit. Our first order of business when picking leaders is to pray and then choose men full of the Spirit, who walk with Jesus and have lives exemplify godly character. The process involves godly men in partnership and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Love Unending

Chuck Smith — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:43:35 -0500

Tough times often prompt us to question the love of God. Very real difficulties and hardships seem at sharp odds with God’s promises to love us forever.

In this way, we have a lot more in common with the writers of the Bible than we sometimes think. When the psalmist found himself in terrible trouble, he cried out, “Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” (Psalm 77:8-9). We all ask these painful questions at some point, usually when adversity hits, calamity arrives, or tragedy strikes.

“I am weary with my crying,” David wrote, “my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God” (Psalm 69:3).

“My eyes fail from searching Your word,” said the psalmist, “saying, ‘When will You comfort me?’” (Psalm 119:82).

He again pleaded with God, “Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy” (Psalm 119:124).

When you find yourself in some great distress and God seems far from your troubles, do not give up on His love. Pray as David did: “Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands” (Psalm 138:8). David knew his share of hard times and he didn’t always respond as a mature man of God should have. Like some of us at times, he wondered whether God cared at all. But eventually, he always remembered the truth; and once he did, he prayed like this:

But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant (Psalm 86:15-16).

David did not come to God saying, “Help me because I am holy.” He came to God on the only right basis; that is, on the foundation of God’s eternal love and abundant mercy.

When trouble overwhelms you, don’t come to God on the basis of your holiness, righteousness, or goodness. You might get what you deserve! Instead, come to God on the basis of His compassion, grace, mercy, truth and longsuffering.

So often we misunderstand the nature of God, especially when we feel emotionally overwhelmed. We focus on the God of wrath, vengeance, and justice—and we forget that He shows that side of His character to those who hate Him, to those who oppose Him. But to those who love Him, to those who call humbly upon His name, He displays His mercy, His grace, and His love. He is longsuffering, tender, kind, and good to all those who willingly submit their wills to His own.

So the question is, how shall we respond when we face difficulties of various kinds? When tough times come and it seems we search in vain for the love of God, what then? This is what the psalmist did when he realized that his troubles threatened to shake his confidence in God’s love: And I said, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds (Psalm 77:10-12).

Despite our feelings, God’s love for us does not waver, fluctuate, or ebb and flow. His Word declares the truth: that He loves us with an everlasting love. And when our troubles multiply, we must continue to find our rest in the loving arms of God.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

The Holiness Of Leading Worship

Bill Walden — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:43:46 -0500

Worship leaders need to realize the holiness of the activity they are involved in. They stand before people, and sing to the Creator of the universe. They stand before God, and sing directly to Him. They use their God given gifts and talents to worship God in such a way that inspires others to join in. Leading worship must be viewed as a holy endeavor. God is holy, and our worship of God must be holy as well.

Consider the worship of God that was offered by the seraphim in Isaiah 6:1-4. We read, “ ¹In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.²Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”

These mighty angelic beings cover their eyes and their feet. It has been said that they covered their eyes, because they were not worthy to look upon God, and that they covered their feet as a sign of humility. Their worship of God was a result of their clear view of His holiness, and their actual giving of worship reflected their understanding of God’s holiness. There was humility and adoration because they had a clear understanding of the holiness of God.

As a worship leader, do you think about the holiness of God? Are you in awe of God’s holiness? He is completely above and apart from anything common, mundane, unclean, or immoral. Holiness means to be separate, different. God is infinitely higher than the most holy man on Earth.

Is your view of God is that He is “a lot better than you”, or that he is infinitely better than you? Do you experience any reverential fear of God as you ascend to the front of the church to offer Him praise? Is there any sense of your own unholiness? Is there a deeper desire to grow in holiness, that you might more rightly represent God, and be sensitive to His Spirit?

Do you bring ungodly attitudes and behaviors to your worship leading experience? Do you live in sin? Don’t you know that those sinful actions/attitudes make you less effective in being sensitive to God’s Spirit? They also make you harder to work with. Sinful attitudes make musicians and singers overly sensitive, lazy, indifferent, selfish, and a host of other unspoken feelings that are communicated to the church congregation through what does or doesn’t happen. Carnal worship leaders make life more difficult for other worship leaders, and they taint the worship experience for the congregation.

A man who practices habitual sin cannot suddenly rise to a practical holiness that is evidenced by a visitation of God’s Spirit. God can and does use such a man, but the experience is never what it could have been had that man walked closer with God.

Conversely, if you are walking by the Spirit, your worship leading will be Spirit led, and people will sense the difference. There will be a sweetness, a holiness, and a presence of God’s Spirit that accompanies you as you worship and lead others in worship.

A godly worship leader is sensitive to the condition of the church congregation at any given gathering. When the church gathers, the Lord knows what the people need to hear, and to experience. The Spirit led worship leader has that “X-factor”, that unspoken but very real sensitivity to know how to lead a group of people in worship. Certain songs may be added or dropped at the last minute. In service changes take place as that leader senses the congregation being touched by the Lord. Choruses and refrains are repeated for emphasis. Times of silence are allowed, as people sit before the Lord. Songs may be suddenly dropped. The entire experience is organic and led by the Spirit of God, and is a moving target that cannot be anticipated or planned for, but can only be responded to when one is in the moment.

A Spirit led, godly worship leader senses all of that. An ungodly worship leader misses all of that. They may still be proficient at playing, singing, and arranging, but the “X-factor” of being led by God’s Spirit is totally missed by the unholy worship leader.

I have sat before godly worship leaders that have had moderate talent. I have also sat before excellent singers and players that have lacked a discernable anointing and presence of God’s Spirit.

I always prefer being led in worship by a man who fears God, rather than one who is an excellent player/singer, but seems to lack any reverence for God. I want to and need to experience the holiness of God. Don’t need to be entertained at a church service. I want to and need to be impacted by a holy worship service. The style is secondary, but holiness is primary.

A holy worship service may be a bit difficult to describe, but you know when you are experiencing it.

A word of exhortation to all who ascend the platform and stand before God’s people: Worship is to be a holy endeavor. It is best accomplished by people who fear the Lord, and who live in the awareness of God’s holiness on a daily basis.

1 Peter 1:15, 16 ¹⁵but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,¹⁶because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.

People of God

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:56:46 -0500

“Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’” (Hosea 2:23).

This verse is a prophecy of Israel’s future restoration—the day when they will once again be known as the people of God. This privileged status, which was held by Israel and will be held by them again in the future, is the privileged status the church has held for the past 2,000 years. Unfortunately, like Israel of old, the church hasn’t always appreciated its privileges, nor lived up to its responsibilities. But each new generation of Christians has the opportunity to embrace those privileges and live out those responsibilities to the glory of God. I want to be one of those people, and I believe you do too. So, having said that, let’s look at both the privileges and the responsibilities we have as the children of God.

Borrowing from Moses and Hosea, Peter sums it up pretty well in 1 Peter 2:9:

“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Let’s consider first the privileges:

A Chosen Generation

God has chosen the church to be the recipients of His special affection. So many things are implied in that. First, we are the special objects of His love, and as such, He pours His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit so that we know by experience His great love for us. Along with that, He speaks to us. Surely, that is one of the great privileges. To hear the voice of the Lord, to have Him speaking to our hearts words of strength, comfort, encouragement, and correction—what a blessing! Then there is the glory of His guidance upon our lives. How wonderful to know we are being led through this life by the hand of our loving heavenly Father. He also provides for us. Jesus reminded us that we shouldn’t worry about our lives because we have a Father in heaven who cares for His creatures. “Consider the birds,” He said. “They neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than the birds?” (see Matthew 6:26). Lastly, there’s God protection over our lives. Nothing can come our way except it first passes through the filter of God’s love for us. He protects us and never allows us to be tested beyond our ability to endure. There are many other privileges, like the access we enjoy as a royal priesthood and the confidence that He hears us when we pray. But let’s look at a few of the responsibilities we have as the people of God.

A Holy Nation

We the church are a nation; a holy nation. If you think about nations, they each have their own distinct language, customs, culture, heroes, etc. The distinct feature of our nation is holiness. Our speech, customs, habits, and pleasures should all be marked by holiness. To be holy means to be separate, undefiled, and pure. There is to be something distinctly different between Christians and non-Christians, between the church and the world. Although we live in the world and therefore engage in similar activities, there’s to be something different about the way we go about life. Our marriages are to be marked by a sacrificial love toward one another and a desire to honor Christ through our relationships. Family life is to look much different as we bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Our business practices are to be honorable and full of integrity. We are to keep a light touch on our material possessions and not allow them to become idols in our lives. Even concerning entertainment and leisure, we want to be careful not to forget we are a holy nation.

His Own Special People

When God called Abraham out of Ur, He did so in order to bring into existence a new nation through whom He could accomplish His will and purposes in the world. After Israel failed through persistent unbelief, God brought the church into being that through us He might accomplish His will and purposes. And so we are now His own special people that we might proclaim the praises, or excellencies, of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

As John Stott said, “Every Christian congregation is called by God to be a worshiping, witnessing community … The church has a double identity. We are people who have been called out of the world to worship God and sent back into the world to witness and serve.”

What does it look like to proclaim His praises?

First, we are to simply speak forth the excellencies of the Lord. We are to talk about God: who He is and what He’s done for us. We are to tell others our story. I think we do a disservice to people sometimes by trying to train them to “witness.” We teach various methods of approach and give them a list of verses to memorize and quote, but it all can become so mechanical and wooden. Our approach to people should be natural, conversational—just telling and retelling the story of how Jesus saved us from our sins.

Second, as the church we need to seek opportunities to publicly preach the gospel. We do this through various outreaches we engage in as a community of believers. Pray about ways that you and your church family can get the gospel out into the public square. It’s great to have people come to us, but must also go to them. It’s a beautiful thing to publicly proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Third, live the transformed life in the power of the Holy Spirit and you’ll by your actions be proclaiming His praises.

Fourth, get out into the community and serve people. When God’s people go forth as Jesus did, not to be served but to serve and to give, amazing opportunities arise to proclaim the excellencies of our Lord. We have had so many amazing doors open to share the gospel in places where the opportunity didn’t previously exist, but after seeing the sincere love and concern for the poor or underprivileged or sick or whoever, hearts have softened and doors have ultimately opened.

People of God Rise Up

So many privileges, but along with them are responsibilities. Let’s take to heart the truth that we are the people of God and let’s live accordingly, proclaiming the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

When I Can't See God

Chuck Smith — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:13:57 -0500

For a long time our church dreamed of building a conference center on some choice property in California. We spent more than two years in the approval process, just trying to get a conditional use permit. I heard we might face some rough going, but that was the understatement of the year. We found the process next to impossible.

We kept a steady stream of required documents, forms, and reports flowing to the county. Some of the volumes were several inches thick. And yet the officials kept demanding more and more documentation. You wouldn’t believe the mammoth bureaucracy and the never-ending red tape we faced. If I had hair, I would have pulled it all out! For the longest time I wrestled and struggled and agonized over every new development.

And I couldn’t help wondering, Lord, since this is all for You, this is for Your kingdom, You could smooth the way with a snap of Your fingers. So why don’t You just start snapping? But no matter how often I prayed, the only thing I saw snapping was my patience.

Times like these can be among the most difficult of our whole spiritual experience. We feel tremendous pressure—and God doesn’t seem the slightest bit interested in doing anything about it. We pray and we plead and we claim His promises … and yet He remains silent.

Where is the love of God then?

You may even be asking similar questions right now. What should you do when life seems to scream, “Forget the love of God! It’s a fantasy. You’re on your own, so just grow up”?

The unidentified writer of the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, faced opposition at least as great as anything I have experienced. Out of great turmoil of heart he wrote, “They almost made an end of me on earth” (v. 87). He found himself at the edge of a cliff, wondering whether his enemies would soon toss him off. And yet he did not give up. He did not cave in to doubt. He kept forging ahead, strengthened by his confidence in God’s everlasting love.

How did he manage?

He continued, “I did not forsake Your precepts. Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth” (v. 88).

The Word of God sustained this man through his darkest hours. So it must be with us.

When God seems silent, when He does not act immediately to remove some obstacle, correct some evil, or clear away some wrong, we must follow the psalmist’s example. When we wonder, Lord, how long are You going to let this go on? Or when we pray and pour out our heart to God—and yet nothing seems to improve—we need to return to the Word of God. We must go back to His unchanging promises, based upon His everlasting love, and there let our souls rest until our God moves in power at exactly the right time.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

3-5-2

Carl Kerby — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:50:38 -0500

Three hours a day! Five days a week! Two years!

While speaking recently at Calvary Chapel School of Ministry in Costa Mesa, I had an interesting conversation with Pastor Carl Westerlund, who started the school in 1989. He showed me pictures of every graduating class, identified the graduates and told where they currently serve in ministry. Many had graduated years before and yet more than 80% are still in ministry today! That’s an amazing success story.

I asked why so many of their graduates remain in ministry when it is common that many leave ministry after only a few short years.

His answer, “We train our people for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 2 years.” Contrast that to the fact that up to 88 percent of the children raised in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18, never to return.

If so much can be accomplished with intensive training during a short two year period, how much more can we, as parents, pastors, Bible teachers, Sunday School teachers and brothers and sisters in Christ, influence our youth in the 18 years from birth until they leave the nest? Shouldn’t we be doing exactly what this school is doing — training our youth to be missionaries, ambassadors for the Lord, and equipping them with knowledge and understanding of God and His Word? I wonder how many homes spend even three hours a week biblically training their children? Our children are being “trained” by the world, so if we aren’t training them at home it’s no wonder that they’re walking away from their faith in such large numbers and turning from the Lord to the ways of the world.

I’m not saying that you’ll need to spend many hours each day teaching Bible lessons. What I am saying is that as parents we need to be involved, and we need to take the Christian education of our children as seriously as we do their other studies and activities.

In the course of researching family life in America, the Southern Baptist Council on Family Life uncovered some gut-wrenching statistics.

“The majority of children in America have less than 10 minutes of significant and meaningful conversation with their parents each week.”

Contrast that with the fact that the average amount of time a child spends in school each week is seventeen hours. Seventeen hours a week versus 10 minutes a week. Which will have the greater influence?

The research findings further stated...

“if you remove the mother, you can measure this statistic in seconds.”

Now, what does that say about the influence of fathers on their children? That’s a very sad statistic and it’s the reason that rforh is seriously challenging dads to “step-up” and get more involved in their children’s lives and education (especially biblical education). We’re in a battle — a battle for the minds and hearts of our youth. We need to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) and get in the battle! We love our children. Let’s love them enough to fight for them.

At rforh our battle cry has become, “Know it! Live it! Share it!” — all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our website, and innumerable others, provide biblically sound resources to help parents and other caring adults in strengthening, equipping, encouraging and challenging our youth to be faithful in their walk with the Lord. Find something and use it. OR...just open your Bible and start reading to them. The Holy Spirit is faithful and He will lead them into all truth (John 16:13).

Don’t be out-witnessed by the world. Don’t let the world steal, kill and destroy your child’s faith (John 10:10).

Intentionally and diligently set aside time every day to instruct and build into your children. Jesus commanded that we “go...and teach all nations…” That teaching includes right in our own backyards and in our own homes.

As I close, I ask you to think about your children and the other children in your life. What can you do to build into them with the Word of God? I challenge you to find three resources and/or Bible passages that will equip them to Know it! Live it! and Share it! and then begin teaching them to your children. You will bless them and, in turn, you will be blessed.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

5 Signs That Your Men’s Ministry is in Trouble

Ken Sutton — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:23:22 -0500

1. You don't value personal relationships like Jesus does.

Men that don’t have strong Godly relationships with other men do not have a strong relationship with their heavenly Father. If you do not know another Christian man well enough to be able to call them when you are fighting temptation or enduring a trial, then you yourself are in deep trouble. Now, let me take this a step further. If you have been a Christian for years but you still have no transparent, personal relationships with other Christian men...then you're not really concerned about inner spiritual formation, you are more concerned about your religious reputation. If that is you, then you are deceived. The idea that the Christian life can be lived on our own is plainly unscriptural. Jesus himself had close, personal and transparent relationships with other men. Do you remember the night He asked Peter, James and John to pray for Him in the garden of Gethsemane? He took them aside and vulnerably stated, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death”. If our Lord could admit (to his close friends) a need for prayer in His hour of trial, why can’t so many men in the church today? Listen...to the measure that we allow other men proximity to our hearts, that is the measure of how deep we usually grow in Christ.

2. Your men’s ministry doesn't exist.

That leads me to the importance of authentic men’s ministry and discipleship. Men’s ministry is not for men who take the seemingly easy route of cultivating their public, religious image. Authentic men’s ministry is for men who want to cultivate a growing relationship with Christ and with other men. So, let me say this, if you don't have a men's ministry in your church...it’s a sign of trouble. I am writing this post with the premise that men's ministry is vitally important to the health of our churches. Why? Because Jesus believed that men's ministry was important. Jesus personally discipled men. Jesus led a “small group”. He ate with them, sang with them, traveled with them and ministered with them. He spent a great amount of personal time with men in prayer and in the Scripture. Ultimately, He commissioned those very men and they turned the world upside down with the Gospel. Jesus modeled authentic discipleship (and relationships) with other men and we must take His example seriously.

3. Your men's ministry is centered around pancakes.

Men's ministries that are solely centered around the once a month, Saturday morning, wear a name tag, all you can eat pancake feed (with a guest speaker) are missing the point. Real men's discipleship over pancakes, once a month, is impossible. I know what you're thinking...Today there may not be a more difficult group to get together, schedule wise, than men. Many men in our churches work 40+ hours a week, commute with a long drive, coach ball for their kids and do their best to find quality time with their wives. Godly men desire serious discipleship but time is precious. Is it hard to carve out time to meet together as men? Yes. What this means though is that we have to get creative in our scheduling and we also may have to re-think our entire approach to men’s ministry. Mrs. Butterworth's is a welcome addition to any men's ministry but she cannot be the main attraction.

4. Your men's ministry is like a Sunday morning service.

Effective men's ministry is interactive. I hear from men all the time that the men's ministry in their church is a weekly message taught by an assistant pastor...then they go home. A men’s ministry cannot be conducted like other weekly gatherings of the church, it has to be much more personal. Jesus encouraged interaction with the men He discipled. The Gospels record a myriad of questions from the disciples and Jesus was always ready to engage in spiritual conversation. “How do we pray”, they asked. What are the signs of the end of the age? What about the man who was born blind? Jesus himself loved to ask questions of the disciples, “who do people say that I am?”. Men need to discuss the Scriptures together and sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17). Men also need to be be encouraged to share their burdens in a safe, secure environment. Men need to engage with other like minded men and be accountable with one another. They need to exhort each other and pray for one another. Men’s ministry has to be a dialogue, not a monologue.

5. What do you consider to be a 5th sign of trouble?

I posed this question on my Facebook page a week ago and had over 30 comments in minutes. I didn't know people were so passionate and opinionated about men’s ministry! I am absolutely sure that you have an opinion also. What did I leave out? In my next post, I will discuss 5 ways to develop and strengthen your men’s ministry.

Empowering New Leaders

Kellen Criswell — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:06:58 -0500

One of our readers made a special request that I address the issue of how to safely empower new leaders and servants in churches. So in this article, that’s what we’re going to do. I’ve personally experienced the frustration of wanting to empower more people to help with ministry needs, while feeling hesitance due to not knowing enough about every volunteer to feel comfortable turning over service opportunities to them. What should you consider in these situations? Is there anything you can do to prepare for those moments, so you can protect the church, but not unnecessarily hinder faithful and like-minded people from serving? Should we care? I think so. Consider a few thoughts:

Intentionally Training ALL Believers is Right

Ephesians 4:11-12 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ . . . ”

The first thing we need to have straight is that the foundational purpose for which Jesus gives pastors to His people is that they intentionally equip them to serve with their spiritual gifts. This means every pastor should care about helping people discover and use their gifts. I don’t care what we THINK our job is in other areas as pastors, Jesus is clear that intentionally raising up Christians and helping them serve in practical ways is our job, and we need to take it seriously. Too many pastors expect people to figure things out on their own. If you’ve been feeling responsible to help people understand their gifts, and put them to use serving the church, you’re walking with the heart of Jesus.

Intentionally Training & Empowering New Pastors is Right

2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Not only is it the job of pastors to train and empower the general follower of Jesus, but it’s also the pastor’s job to train the next generation of church leaders. The words of the verse above aren’t a special message for super pastors or a suggestion either. This verse is a command to all pastors. If you’re a pastor today, it’s probably because somebody helped you see, embrace, and grow in your gifts and calling. And if you’re a pastor today, it’s your job to turn around and help those who are coming along behind you as well. You need to “commit” the wisdom, lessons, and experience you’ve gleaned to training the next generation of leaders.

Intentionally Being Careful about Empowering People is Right

1 Timothy 5:22 “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.”

Here’s the sticky part. While it’s a pastoral responsibility to help Christians understand and use their spiritual gifts, and train the next generation of church leaders, you have to exercise caution as you do both. Some want to gain a position of influence in the church because they want to hurt the church. Part of the job of pastors is to do the best they can to protect the body from being damaged by wolves and misguided Christians. So what do we do with the two-fold responsibility to empower trained Christians, and protect the church from crazy leaders?

Expect to Get it Wrong Sometimes

First, and this might sound nuts, but if you take the call to train and empower Christians for service seriously, you should expect to mess up sometimes. It’s not a question of if you’ll empower someone you shouldn’t, but when. As Paul said, “. . . savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:31) The truth of this causes some pastors to cower under the responsibility of raising people up. The result is that they continue to burn out while trying to do everything and the people they lead continue to be frustrated and joyless because they aren’t serving in the role in which Jesus designed them to serve the body. You can’t let the fear of mistakes cripple you from doing your job.

Discipleship Systems

You will get it wrong on new leaders sometimes, but you can do practical things to make sure you’re wrong as little as possible. The best way to empower the right people more often is to prayerfully develop systems of discipleship and assessment for people who want to serve. This isn’t some carnal, seeker church idea. It’s an encouraged New Testament concept and safeguard.

When you get a chance, read 1 Timothy 3:1-15 and Titus 1:5-9. What you’ll see are lists of qualifications for pastors and deacons. The lists were written to two men who were already serving as pastors, and they were instructed by the apostle Paul to use the lists to evaluate potential new leadership for service roles in various local churches. 1 Timothy 3:8-15 lists qualities of deacons, and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 list the qualities of pastors.

Body & Leadership Training at Refuge Church

At the church I lead we have designed a three level discipleship system which helps us entrust the right people and avoid the wrong people. Our church leadership structure is intentionally simple. At the top of our leadership structure is, of course, Jesus, the Head of the church. Under Jesus are the pastors, with the Lead Pastor serving as the leader of the leaders. If you’re overseeing an area of ministry (department if you like), and are NOT a pastor, you’re a deacon. If you’re simply using your spiritual gifts to serve on a ministry team in a non-oversight, you’re a Christian. This is how we train each kind of person:

1. Christians

People who just want to serve at Refuge (in anything from greeting to cleaning) attend a once per quarter discipleship day called EQUIP. During the day they go through four main sessions. First, they go through the Gospel Class. In this class we make sure everyone who wants to serve is a Christian by explaining the gospel to them thoroughly. Additionally, we make sure they are signed up to get baptized taking the first step of discipleship, if they haven’t been baptized since they believed the gospel. Secondly, they go through the Missional Christianity Class. In this class they learn practical ways to be a witness for Christ in their daily lives. Third, they go through the Spiritual Gifts Class. All the biblical gifts of the Spirit are defined for them, and they take a spiritual gifts test. We know spiritual gifts tests aren’t full proof, but they at least give people a starting point to begin serving, from which God will clarify their actual spiritual gifts. Fourth, they attend the Refuge Distinctives Class. In this class they get a quick view of our basic theology as a church.

After attending EQUIP, we know if people are saved, baptized, understand a bit about personal witnessing and their spiritual gifts, and like-minded in Refuge theology and philosophy of ministry. That being the case, we have confidence when we direct them to get involved serving the church in an area of ministry consistent with what we’ve agreed are their spiritual gifts.

2. Deacons

If someone wants to help direct an area of ministry under the oversight of a pastor, they have to have already gone through EQUIP. If they have, they are invited to go through our deacon process which includes filling out an application and meeting with the appropriate pastor about service opportunities. Through the application and relational interaction with the person, it’s easy to tell if they’re a good fit for serving as a deacon at Refuge.

3. Pastors

If a man desires to be a pastor at Refuge, they have to go through EQUIP and complete an intense pastoral training and assessment process. It includes an extensive application and theological questionnaire, attending staff meetings once per week, and undergoing a ton of character, spiritual gifts, and skills assessment. Their wives are an integral part of the process as well. When a man completes the process it is really clear if they’re a good fit in terms of character, gifting, and theology to be a pastor at Refuge.

You Have What You Need

So there’s my take on how to raise up servants and leaders and protect the church at the same time. You need to develop a clarifying discipleship process through which you can help people make sure they know Christ, understand their spiritual gifts and where to use them, and embrace the theology and philosophy of ministry of your church. If all that discipleship and clarity is accomplished, it’s much easier to empower people, and protect the church. When someone asks to serve in some way, the first question for us is, “Have you gone through EQUIP?” If they have we either say yes, or move them toward the Deacon or Pastor processes. If they say no, we tell them EQUIP is the place to begin. A system like this has freed me from the stress of not knowing who to empower for what, and it has freed the church to serve Christ how He has designed them to do so, and freed them from the frustration of being used by the pastors as warm bodies to fill service needs. Start by simply using the lists of Deacon and Pastor qualities in 1 Timothy 3:1-15, and Titus 1:5-9. God’s word has given you all you need to do this well.

Letter to a Skeptic

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:54:21 -0500

As many of you will know, some by experience, skepticism regarding God, the Bible, and the Christian faith are on the rise. I’m posting a bit of correspondence I had with a skeptic to hopefully encourage you as you contend for the faith.

Dear Sir,

You referred to Evolution as Science and Creationism as Allegory. I believe Harvard University Biochemist George Wald got it right in this statement: “One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet we are here-as a result, I believe, of spontaneous generation … When it comes to the origin of life there are only two possibilities: Creation or spontaneous generation. There is no third way. Spontaneous generation was disproved one hundred years ago, but that leads us to only one other conclusion, that of supernatural creation. We cannot accept that on philosophical grounds; therefore, we choose to believe the impossible: that life arose spontaneously by chance!” Darwinism is philosophy not science.

Regarding the Documentary Hypothesis i.e. the Priestly, Yahwistic tradition, Julius Wellhausen (the man who popularized the theory) was proven wrong many times over, decades ago. Here’s a quote from a thoroughly secular publication: “After more than two centuries of facing the heaviest scientific guns that could be brought to bear, the Bible has survived-and is perhaps better for the siege. Even on the critics’ own terms-historical fact-the Scriptures seem more acceptable now than they did when the rationalists began the attack” (Time, Dec 30, 1974).

Regarding the supposed two Creation stories of Genesis 1&2: there are not two Creation accounts, but rather a general account or overview in chapter 1 of Genesis of the days of creation, and a specific account in chapter 1 of the sixth day of creation focusing on the creation of man (male and female).

As for man being created in the image of God, implying that God was also created out of dust, does not at all seem to me to be the logical implication. There are two different words for created or made used in Genesis 1 and 2. When Genesis 1 says, God created man in His own image, the Hebrew word is bara which means to create from nothing, ex nihilo. The word in Genesis 2 for God forming Adam out of the dust of the ground is a different Hebrew word asa, which means to make from existing material. God created the soul and spirit of man in His own image (God is Spirit) from nothing, and his body from the dust of the earth; God Himself is not a created being, He is eternal.

The idea that a loving God would create a world filled with death, destruction, and misery is either ignorance of what the Bible says about creation or a refusal to believe it. According to the Bible, God created a world in which everything was very good. The third chapter of Genesis explains what went wrong.

Many, of course, reject that explanation, and perhaps you are among that many. But that is the biblical explanation for death and all other human woes. As I see it, this presents a double problem for the person rejecting the biblical explanation.

You have to find a better explanation, and if the explanation is naturalistic evolutionary processes, then it’s hard to understand how you could at the same time say that death and suffering were a problem. Would they not simply be the natural way things happen? And if they are just the way things happen, how could they be bad or wrong?

I’m rather amazed that a man as intelligent as you seem to be is not more informed on current scientific views. You mention the “recapitulation” theory. Didn’t you know that Ernst Haeckel was a complete fraud and was “unworthy to be counted as a peer in the company of earnest researchers” according to Stephen Jay Gould? Haeckel was tried at the university court at Jena, Germany and his forgeries were made public with the 1911 publication of Haeckel’s Frauds and Forgeries. Modern studies in molecular genetics have further demonstrated the utter absurdity of the recapitulation theory. The DNA for a fetus is not the DNA for a frog and the DNA for a frog is not the DNA for a fish. Rather, the DNA of a fetus, frog, or fish is uniquely programmed for reproduction after its own kind, the term used in Genesis 1 ten times! What Haeckel and others wrongly referred to as “gill slits” were actually the earliest stages of development for the middle ear canals, the parathyroid and thymus glands and a gland that assist in calcium balance. So much for recapitulation! Have you ever read Michael Denton’s, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis? He’s not a Christian or a creationist but he does a good job of separating fact from fiction regarding evolutionary theory.

You ask: Is the true God the wrathful God of the Old Testament, or the loving God of the New Testament?

This is a false dichotomy and one that is based on a cursory reading of Scripture.

And the LORD passed before Moses and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin …" (Exodus 34:6-7).

“Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men … you devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayers … you clean the outside of the cup and dish and inside if full of extortion and self-indulgence … Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23).

God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, although three distinct centers of consciousness, are one God. This one God is a just and Holy God who cannot allow evil and rebellion to go unpunished, but in His love for evil and rebellious men and women has made a way both to uphold His righteousness and satisfy His justice while at the same time forgive and freely love the rebel offender. All this happens through the willing sacrifice of God the Son on the cross. All of our offences, all of our arrogance and self-will, all of our transgressions were laid on Him as Isaiah prophesied in the 53^rd chapter of his prophecy.

All of these other issues are secondary. What really matters is whether or not your sins are forgiven and you are clothed in the righteousness of God through Christ. You can spend your whole life questioning this and challenging that but one thing is sure: you, like everyone else, is going to die and there’s only one person in history who claimed to have the keys of death and the grave and to know what is actually on the other side of the veil, the here and the hereafter, and that person is Jesus Christ. I hope you’ll consider that.

As far as “God did it” being simplistic and therefore, “no one needs to consider anything beyond on that …” this is a fictional scenario coming from the fertile imagination of Dawkins who refuses to let the facts of history speak for themselves.

The facts are: Kepler, Bacon, Pascal, Boyle, Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Faraday, Pasteur, Kelvin, Maxwell, Ramsey, and many others believed God did it, and that was the impetus behind their research and discovery.

Sincerely yours,

Weighing God Down

David Guzik — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:30:43 -0500

A common idea in the Psalms is that we can and should bless the Lord. Of course, we can’t bless God in the sense that a greater bestows a blessing on a lesser, because God is the greater and we are the lesser. In that sense He blesses us and we cannot bless Him. But the idea is in a different sense in the Psalms, the sense that we bless God by worshipping Him and pleasing Him. We bless Him by being a blessing unto Him with our worship, our words, and our life. It’s a beautiful idea that we can bless God in this way.

Yet there is a passage in the Book of Amos that gives almost the opposite sense. Instead of being a blessing to God, Amos spoke for the Lord and told God’s people that they were a weight to Him. In Amos 2:13, God said to His people: “I am weighed down by you.” At that time God regarded the people of Israel as a weary burden and not as a joy. It is like the difference between the pleasure a parent feels in dealing with an obedient child and the drudgery a parent feels in dealing with a stubborn, rebellious child.

We understand that Amos speaks in figures of speech. We can’t say that men oppress God. We shouldn’t think that God paces the throne room of heaven, full of worry because people are such a trouble to Him. Yet we appreciate that Amos speaks to us in the manner of men, telling us that God can be so pressed by the sin of man, especially the sins of His people, as if He were “weighed down” by them.

Any time justice is perverted - any time the rich receive preferential treatment or the poor are oppressed - it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right. Any time people cheat and manipulate and make money off others in questionable ways - even if it is legal - it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right. Any time people unfairly profit at the expense of the unfortunate, it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right

What will God do with this weight? He will eventually, after much patience and longsuffering, bring judgment against those who have weighed Him down. That’s what Amos means (2:14): “Flight shall perish from the swift, the strong shall not strengthen his power.” One way the judgment of God would express itself against Israel was that they would find themselves unable to succeed in ways they previously thought they were strong.

Without the blessing of God, the swift isn’t fast enough, the strong isn’t strong enough, and the mighty isn’t mighty enough to succeed. Israel was far too confident in their own ability, but God would bring them low.

We can escape this judgment by realizing now that even our strength is nothing without God. Paul communicated this idea in 1 Corinthians 10:12: Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. We can become more vulnerable in our perceived strengths than in our acknowledged weaknesses because we are on guard with our weaknesses.

The better way is to never let it get to that place of judgment by never weighing God down. Instead of pressing a burden on God by disobedience and mistreatment of others, be a blessing to Him.

Networking for Mission Pt. 1

Kellen Criswell — Thu, 24 May 2012 03:17:25 -0500

Church planting is biblical

One of the more trendy topics in the body of Christ generating tons of discussion right now is church planting. I, for one, rejoice in this. I believe that the story of the Book of Acts isn’t merely one of evangelism, but evangelism for the sake of planting healthy, reproducing, Spirit-filled, gospel preaching, missionary oriented, local churches. In Acts we see the apostles preaching the gospel for the salvation of individuals, and the subsequent gathering of those people into local congregations, the placing of elders over each local church, and the ongoing spiritual nourishment of those new churches. The rest of the New Testament provides for us specific letters of instruction written to actual local congregations, which had been planted through the missionary endeavors we read of in the Book of Acts.

Networking for the sake of mission and church planting is biblical

Many today agree that church planting as God’s main evangelistic strategy is clearly portrayed in the New Testament. What I find to be less common is the belief that the idea of networking for the planting of churches is clearly exemplified in the New Testament. Many people are all for a lone man who is called of God venturing out to plant a church. But the picture of local churches strategically partnering for the planting of churches through sharing resources, workers, and training is, to some, a little extreme. Some would even say it’s a work of the flesh. But my conviction is that, if you take a fresh look at many passages in Scripture, not only is church planting an apostolic priority, but networking between various existing local churches for the sake of mission and church planting is an apostolic priority, one that should be taken seriously in our world today. Networking for planting and getting the gospel out isn’t a novel idea or new invention that groups like the Acts 29 Network, Verge Network, Together for the Gospel, or the Calvary Church Planting Network have come up with. It is a tool and method for reaching the lost and spiritually dead masses weaved into the missionary testimony and DNA of the Scriptures.

Trinitarian Networking

At the heart of the idea of networking is the value of collaboration. When you network, you co-labor with others who carry out unique and necessary roles for the fulfillment of a shared objective. Understanding networking to be collaboration, it can be legitimately stated that the Trinity is the first church-planting network. Each individual Person of God in the community of the Trinity shares the common interest of saving all who trust in Jesus. Those who come to faith in the biblical gospel are born-again, and become the worldwide church, planted on the earth. To accomplish the shared objective of planting the worldwide church (universal church), each member of the Trinity co-labored (networked together) by playing a unique role which the other two members of the Trinity didn’t. Ephesians chapter 1 is one passage that fleshes out how the members of the Trinity worked together to save God’s people, and plant the worldwide church.

1. The Father Planned our Salvation

As Paul wrote, He “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us acceptable in the Beloved.”[1]

The Father played the role of the great Planner of our salvation. He blessed God’s people with every spiritual blessing in Christ. This includes choosing, from before the foundation of the world, to allow us to be in a relationship with Himself through Jesus, when He owed us nothing but damnation. It includes, as well, deciding to spiritually adopt us as His kids through Christ. He planned to do all of this simply because it made Him happy, or “according to the good pleasure of His will.” He did all of this before He even created us. Before we fell into sin as a race, and before we were a thought in our parent’s minds, or accident in our mother’s bellies, the Father decided He would do these things for those who are His through Christ.

2. The Son Provided our Salvation

As Paul notes, “In Him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace …”[2] Whereas the Father is the Planner of our salvation, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father and second Person of the Trinity, is the Provider of our salvation. If the Son had not made atonement for our sins, satisfying the penalty of our sins and the righteous demands of God’s law, the Father could not save us and remain just. But Jesus did die for our sins. He absorbed the wrath of God we deserve to endure on the cross, and fulfilled the demands of God’s justice. As a result of His co-laboring for our salvation with the Father, through faith in Him we can be forgiven, and the worldwide church can be born and planted on the earth. And through all of this, because of the Son, the Father can remain both, “Just, and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”[3]

3. The Holy Spirit Pursues us for Salvation

The final networking member of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. The Father planned our salvation, the Son provided the basis for our experience of salvation, and the Holy Spirit pursues us and grants the practical application of salvation. He convicts us of our need to receive the salvation planned[4] by the Father and provided by the Son, through enabling us to put our faith in the biblical gospel. Articulating His role in our salvation, again, in Ephesians 1, Paul said, “In Him (Christ) you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” If you are a born-again Christian, it is because of the Holy Spirit. He pursued you, enabled you to trust in Christ, and made sure the salvation planned for you by the Father, and provided for you by the Son, was experienced by you during the course of your life.

Your Thoughts?

Before talking about our need, and the biblical basis for networking to plant churches, it is important to recognize how networking for the planting of THE church was carried out amongst the members of the Trinity. The Father planned, the Son provided, and the Spirit pursued us and practically applied our salvation. They worked together, fulfilling their unique roles for the accomplishment of the common objective of planting the worldwide church on earth. I believe the image of God is manifested beautifully when local churches continue to network together for the planting of more local churches, which collectively continue to form that great worldwide local church, God has been planting for generations. Next week we’ll continue thinking about New Testament networking as we look at the biblical example of local churches sharing human, financial, and training resources for the planting of gospel-centered local churches. For now, feel free to share your thoughts on what we’ve covered thus far in the comments section below!

[1] Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV

[2] Ephesians 1:8 NKJV

[3] Romans 3:26 NKJV

[4] John 16:8-11

When Church is Really Church

Bob Coy — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:26:55 -0500

People didn’t understand how we could call ourselves a church when we first started. We met in a funeral home. That raised all kinds of questions and objections that started like this “We don't know if you can call yourself a church if …”

you play music with guitars rather than organs.
you have a pastor who doesn't have that much education.
you don't even have bulletins.

For the first three years we didn't have bulletins. To a lot of folks, all you need to be a church is bulletins.

When is a church really a church? Thank God for the book of Acts. It's the unfiltered story of the first church. In Acts we see the church when it’s raw, unrefined, and fresh. This is group of believers gathered together in beauty. We’re able to examine their behavior and compare – or contrast – it to what we see today.

I remember a record I bought when I was a young. It was one of my favorite albums. I had it in vinyl. You know: turntables, needles, little grooves. I’m dating myself. I bought that very same recording in a new format a few years later: eight-track tape. It wasn’t very long after that, to keep current, I needed it in cassette, then compact disc. Just recently, I bought that same album one more time. No case; no jacket; its just digital information living on my computer.

The music didn’t change; it’s the same. Nothing changed in its substance or content. What did change is its form and fashion.

I pray that when it comes to content and substance of our church, it’s just like the church we read about in Acts.

When it comes to fashion, when it comes to format, there's incredible freedom so that generation after generation the church can look like the original the church in Acts. The first church is the model for the church today.

The Bible gives us a warning, though. The word used in the Bible is Ichabod: the glory has departed. The Bible teaches specifically that in the last of the last days, there will be a church that has a form and fashion of godliness, but denies its power. It will look like a church, but it's not. There's nothing happening. Lives aren’t being changed in this last-days portrayal of church.

Right now, the power of the Holy Spirit is free to transform lives. But imagine if we gathered together and heard a great sermon and lives didn’t change and no one grew. It would be a church and a message that avoids the Bible and is void of the Holy Spirit. That isn't how it was with the church in Acts.

That church transformed and changed in every sentence of every chapter of Acts and I pray we do the same. When you're doing kingdom business, sinners are genuinely attracted to the way God works and we grow and people change.

If we grow through biblical content, substance, and the power of the Spirit, praise the Lord because He is at work. But if we adjust fashion and format and start to grow numerically, there’s reason for concern. People are fickle. People are very fashion conscious. You can do church the exact opposite of the Acts church and still get people to come out.

You can appeal to carnal instincts rather than to the spiritual nature and still draw a crowd. Look at wrestling. It fills arenas across the country with screaming fans. You have these really big guys with no shirts who rehearse beating each other up for an audience. They know ahead of time which wrestler is going down. It’s fake but draws a paying, fanatical crowd that acts like something real thing is happening.

In the first chapter of Acts, something real is actually happening. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8 NKJV].

There are two words to notice here: “power” and “witnesses” - dunamis and martyros. From dunamis we get “dynamite.” You get power that’s explosive when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. It’s power that makes men witnesses – martyros (that’s where we get our English word for “martyr”). You will be so filled with the Holy Spirit that you'll be willing to die for your faith.

Let me just ask you this: do you have explosive power in your life right now? Peter had two experiences with the Holy Spirit. The first was in John 20 where he received the Holy Spirit. Do you know what Peter did with his newfound salvation? He went fishing. But in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit of God came upon the disciples and Peter preaches so powerfully that three thousand people got saved! Something marvelous happened to Peter between John 20 and Acts 1. He goes from fishing for fish – and catching nothing – to fishing for men and catching three thousand!

If you lack power in your life and ministry, pray this prayer: “Lord, baptize me afresh with Your Holy Spirit.” The Lord loves to answer that kind of prayer. Allow the Spirit of God to transform you into a fisher of men.

Marriage: God's Good Gift

Brian Brodersen — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:10:58 -0500

Marriage—as old as the human race itself; the institution that has been the foundation for every civilization that has ever existed; the covenant relationship that God ordained between the man and woman He created—is under attack, to say the least. The fact is, marriage has been under attack for a long time in the U.S. and other cultures. From the 1950s to the first decade of the 21st century, the divorce rate has escalated exponentially. We are at the point now where society largely considers divorce a viable option for anyone unhappy with their marriage. Not only has the divorce rate sky rocketed in the past few decades, we now have those, like President Obama, who want to redefine marriage altogether, ignoring thousands of years of human history and insisting same-sex couples should have the right to marry if they so choose. With all the chaos and confusion surrounding marriage these days, one could easily lose sight of God's original intent and the blessing He planned marriage to be.

What did God intend when He gave the marriage relationship to Adam and Eve? Well, I think primarily He intended companionship. We read in Genesis 2 that God said the loneliness of man was not good, so He created a helper suitable for him: a companion, a friend. God intended that man and woman would share a deep and lasting relationship that would bless them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually while simultaneously be glorifying to Him.

The physical blessings come through enjoying one another sexually and through the gift of children.

The emotional blessings come through the love, joy, sharing, and caring a person enjoys with one's dearest friend.

The mental blessings come through the intellectual stimulation that occurs by doing life together.

The spiritual blessings come by sharing in the life and purposes of God as we follow Christ in His calling upon our lives, as we pray for and encourage one another in our mutual faith, and as we serve God as partners in the Gospel.

As we experience God's intended purpose through our marriages, God is glorified as people see both the goodness of God in our lives together and a picture of Christ's love for His people and their love for Him.

Let me put it this way: Marriage is God's good gift to mankind, and He intended it to bring joy and fulfillment. Marriage itself is good because God created it, but it can only be experienced in its fullness if Christ is at the center. All the tragedy of divorce could have and still can be averted by giving Christ the central place in your life and marriage. Do that and begin to experience the joy that awaits you.

Oh, one last thing: I wrote this sitting on the balcony of our hotel room overlooking the the beautiful Pacific where we are celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary. Marriage is indeed God's good gift!

P.S. If you're looking for more on marriage, our book, Growing Together As A Couple, might be an encouragement to you.

Lovingkindness in the Day

Chuck Smith — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:41:31 -0500

Sometimes, despite God’s tremendous love for us, we feel overwhelmed. Great billows of grief, sorrow, and trouble overflow us—and yet, even then, the Lord commands His lovingkindness in the daytime, and His song will be with us in the night. That’s how great His love really is.

Several years ago I was in Pennsylvania speaking at some special services, and one night I became very sick with food poisoning. I returned to my room, with my stomach churning and burning. Oh, I was sick! I couldn’t sleep at all.

As I lay there in utter misery, suddenly a beautiful worship chorus came to me. I had never heard it, but I started to sing it. And then I sang it over and over and over again. It seemed like something straight out of Psalm 42:7-8: “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”

And so God, in His great mercy and love, gave me a beautiful song on that long night. And I thought, This is a beautiful chorus! I had better get up and write it down. Maybe I can slip downstairs and pick out the tune on the piano, because I don’t want to forget this. I want to teach this to everybody! What a neat chorus of praise and thanksgiving to worship the Lord!

But then another thought immediately occurred to me. If I started plunking on the piano at this hour of the night, I might awaken my host. They will think that I am either crazy, or worse. Maybe I had better not go downstairs.

In fact, I was much too sick to get out of bed. I didn’t even have the strength to turn on the light. So I just kept singing the song, over and over. And I thought, I will never forget this. This is just beautiful!

Finally, I sang myself to sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, the Lord had touched my body. He had healed me and I felt fine—except that I couldn’t remember the chorus. It had left me as quickly as it had come. Oh, how I searched!

I did my best to try to remember it. I even prayed, “Oh Lord, please help me to remember that song.”

But He said, “No, that was just a song for the night—My song to get you through a rough patch.”

How big is the love of God? How much ground does it cover? It covers it all—even to the point of giving a man with a troubled stomach a beautiful song to help him through the night. What other songs does He have to give me? Who knows? But I know that His love will give me whatever I need, whenever I need it.

And His love will do the same for you.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Feast or Famine?

David Guzik — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:29:25 -0500

We see the pictures from time to time – heart-rending pictures of thousands of people suffering under the tragedy of famine. In such desperate times, the world often mobilizes to bring food to these troubled regions, and often disaster is prevented from becoming catastrophe.

The Bible reminds us that there is another kind of famine: “I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). Notice carefully the nature of this famine. It is not a lack of God’s Word, but a famine…of hearing the words of the Lord. It isn’t that God’s Word isn’t available, but that it is not listened to. It is not a case of God withholding His revelation; but of people being in such a state that they do not see it, they do not hear the words.

It is true that there may be times where there is a famine of God’s Word, either through the neglect or the unfaithfulness of those who have the responsibility to present God’s Word. But that isn’t what Amos meant. This is a problem with the hearer, not with the preacher. The preacher may have his own problems to deal with and to answer for before God; but the hearer may have his own problems also.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 describes the right way to hear the Word of God: “When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” They received the word, they welcomed the word, they regarded it as the word of God, and they allowed it to work effectively in their life. That is effective hearing.

Amos continued his warning: “They shall wander…seeking the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it” (Amos 8:1). When we push away God’s Word for a long time, we may find ourselves in the place were we shall not find it even if we wanted to. This makes us remember that the ability to hear God’s Word and to benefit by it is a gift from God, and it is a gift that should not to be despised.

Jesus alluded to this principle in a parable: “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Mark 4:24-25) When we seek God, it generally becomes easier to find Him. When we push away God, it generally becomes more difficult to hear and to receive His Word.

Is there famine in your life right now? Perhaps you find it easy to blame the pastor or the preacher, and you think that if they only preached better sermons, you would enjoy a great spiritual feast. But have you looked at your own life, your own attitude? Perhaps the famine in your life is a famine of hearing, and the problem is with you. You owe it to yourself to seek God on the matter. It would be terrible to stay in a problem and to blame others when the problem is really with you. The bread is out there – get your hearing right and enjoy the feast.

I Am Not Ashamed

Bill Walden — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:21 -0500

The apostle Paul said that he was, “not ashamed of the gospel ...” (Romans 1:16) yet there seems to be many Christians who are ashamed of the Gospel.

There are parts of the Gospel message that people genuinely do not like. When they hear these biblical truths, they object to them, or scoff at them. They think the Gospel is ridiculous or offensive. The world’s response to the Gospel can make a Christian embarrassed, ashamed, or reluctant to share the Gospel.

The world generally does not like hearing the following:

All have sinned and deserve God’s judgment.
God’s judgment for sin is eternity in Hell.
God has every right to judge mankind.
God loves mankind and provided one way for man to be forgiven. There is only one way to Heaven.
Jesus said that He was, “The way, the truth, and the life, and that no man could come to the Father except through Him” (see John 14:6).
God put on flesh, walked among us, died on a cross, was raised three days later, and ascended to Heaven.

Theologically and philosophically, there is much that the unbeliever disagrees with and mocks. That kind of opposition can make a Christian ashamed to share the Gospel.

There are other things that can cause a Christian to be reluctant to share the Gospel.

There is much within Christendom and what is wrongly called Christendom that does not represent my heart, and of which I am discouraged by or ashamed of.

People with signs that say, “God hates gays.”
Church scandals and high profile pastors who sin and do not repent.
Churches that beg for money.
An overemphasis on politics, including mudslinging and name calling done in the “name of Jesus.”
The fact that much of the church universal is known for what it is against rather than what it is for.

There are many such things within Christendom or Churchdom that do not represent the heart of God, or represent me, and yet I find myself guilty by association in the eyes of many. That can unfortunately cause a Christian to be ashamed to share the Gospel.

Yet the apostle said that he was not ashamed. There was much in his world that might have caused him shame regarding the Gospel, and there is much in our world as well.

How do we “not be ashamed” of the Gospel?

Paul gives us the answer in the same verse.

Regarding the Gospel, Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes."

Who is not ashamed of the Gospel? The one who believes it, has been changed by its power, and is being changed by its power. That is the one who is not ashamed of the Gospel.

The Gospel may be foolishness or offensive to many, but to me, it is life-giving, powerful, hopeful, encouraging, equipping, providential, and protective. It is real to me and is increasingly real to me with every year that passes. The Gospel has become precious to me. How could I be ashamed of it?

I liken this to my experience with chiropractic. Some say that chiropractors are quacks, that they are not real doctors, that they just keep you coming back, and that nothing ever improves.

But I say, ”I am not ashamed of chiropractic”! Why do I say that? Because I have been going to chiropractors for 30 years and have experienced the benefits of chiropractic care. Are there bad chiropractors out there? Sure there are. Say what you want about chiropractics, I am not ashamed. Chiropractic works, and my life testifies to that.

In an infinitely greater way, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel” in spite of the wrong representations of Jesus; in spite of church failures, in spite of pastoral failures, in spite of name calling and mudslinging; in spite of it all.

Jesus has NEVER done anything that would cause me to be ashamed of Him. The Gospel has saved me, has changed, is changing me, and shall deliver me into glory.

The one who believes and keeps believing the Gospel, experiences the Gospel, and is changed by it, is the one who is not ashamed of the Gospel.

Focus on believing the Gospel, and you won’t be ashamed of it.

Memorial Stones

Ken Sutton — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:56:13 -0500

“Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them:“Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this maybe a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenantof the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the childrenof Israel forever” (Joshua 4:4-7).

Every year at Calvary Everett (CE) I take a week to share a message about the miraculous works God has done in our church since we began in 2008. Every year God is doing something new in the life of our church, so I entitle these true stories “Memorial Stones.” To me a memorial stone is best defined as a work that God accomplished in our lives which only He can get the credit for. A person may have taken a step of faith by God's prompting, but then God came and did what only He could do. Let me share just a few of the memorial stones from our first couple of years as a new church.

Back in 2008, Lynn and I sold everything that wouldn’t fit in the back of our Nissan Quest before we made our move to Everett. We were literally starting over. We planned on spending a few months at my parents' vacant home (two hours away) and homeschooling our kids. It wasn’t a great plan but it was our only plan. Just a few days before we left California though, my dad sent me an email with a link to a fully furnished lake house near Everett. It was the $900 a month that caught our eye. We drove the van straight there and the owners handed us the keys. It was really that simple. We enrolled our kids in a nearby Christian school a week later and they even offered us a pastor's discount! Talk about rolling out the red carpet.

In the summer of 2008 before we moved to Everett from Costa Mesa, I saw a picture of what looked to be a great facility online and called the leasing agent. This was my very first call. It turns out that the agent who answered the phone had attended a men's retreat that I had spoken at many years before. He asked me on the phone, “Is this Ken Sutton?” I didn’t even have to make another call because Calvary Everett began in that building four months later.

After three months of meeting on Sunday evenings, we decided to move to Sunday mornings which required a whole new location. I had seen that a Christian college had just moved into the downtown area of Everett, so I gave them a call. The lady that was responsible for the facilities rental took my information and then at the end of the conversation said “we have been praying for you for months Ken; I attend a nearby Calvary Chapel”! We moved in 60 days later.

The move to Sunday mornings was going to be a financial step of faith. We needed thousands of dollars just for the deposit and first month's rent among other things. God was going to have to provide very quickly but based on what I perceived to be an open door, we prayerfully moved ahead. It was just a few weeks before our move that I got a call from a man I cannot remember having ever met. He needed to meet that night and said it was urgent, so we agreed to meet at a Costco, of all places. An hour later as I stood outside looking for a man that fit his description, he walked up to me, shook my hand and handed me a check ... for $10,000. He said that he felt prompted by God to help the church with our move and then he left, we didn’t even have a hot dog and soda together. I only saw him a few more times after that but God used that brother in a wonderful way.

These are just a few (of many) of the memorial stones in the life of our little church. But I realize that they are multiplied over and over again in the lives of every individual who knows Christ. Just like our own history with God ... You have a miraculous history with God. This last Easter, Calvary Everett showed a video of a few testimonies by people in our church. They were stories of God's redemption from the aftermath of abortion, drug abuse, and even imprisonment. It was the highlight of our service! You can watch the video at www.pluckedfromthefire.com.

Here's my question to you though; what are your memorial stones? In your personal lives and in the life of your church? I would love it if you would share them with me right here on Calvarychapel.com. What has God done in your life that only He could get the credit for? I look forward to hearing from you and being blessed by what God has done!

Jesus on The Tribulation

Kellen Criswell — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:03:55 -0500

I think one of the most intriguing topics in the Bible is what’s commonly called the Great Tribulation. There are few topics that are more debated and argued. Some followers of Jesus think that the tribulation was fulfilled in 70 AD, with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. Others think we are currently in the tribulation. And still others, such as me, believe that while this world has seen much suffering and destruction, the biblical data indicates conclusively that the tribulation is a yet future period which will occur on earth.

No matter which perspective you come from on the timing of the tribulation, a key passage for consideration is Mathew 24. With no disrespect intended toward those who believe the tribulation already has, or currently is occurring, I must admit it is mindboggling to me how either position could be believed, considering Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24. Let’s take a look at five things Jesus teaches us about the tribulation in this passage.

The Tribulation is Real

As Jesus says plainly in verse 21, “there will be Great Tribulation ...” In Jesus’ view of the tribulation (the only one that really matters), the tribulation isn’t fantasy, sensationalism, or eschatological obsession; it was a coming reality.

The Tribulation is the Fulfillment of the Seventieth Week Prophecy of Daniel 9

We see this from verses 15 and 21: “Therefore, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place ... then there will be Great Tribulation.”

Jesus was quoting from Daniel 9:25-27. This passage prophetically speaks of the coming and crucifixion of Jesus, as well as some events having to do with the Great Tribulation. Again, we believe these verses speak of the Great Tribulation because Jesus specifically says they do in Mathew 24:15 & 21. As you do the math, it becomes clear from the passage in Daniel nine that 69 weeks would occur between the “time of the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” and the time when the Messiah would be “cut off, but not for Himself.”

“Weeks” in context refer to weeks of years (69, seven-year cycles). Daniel is telling us that 69, seven-year periods would come to pass beginning on the date the command was given to restore Jerusalem. After 69 series of seven-year cycles was complete (483 years according to the Jewish calendar), the Messiah would be executed for crimes He did not commit and wrongs He had not done. This command was issued in 445 BC. And when you move forward in history from 445 BC, for a total of 483, 360-day years (in accord with the Jewish calendar), you come to the year 33 AD, the very time Jesus Christ was crucified and “cut off, but not for Himself,” but for the sins of the world.

As you read through the latter portion of the prophecies in Daniel 9, it becomes clear that after the execution of Messiah, there was to be another week (seven-year cycle), during which the events Jesus referred to in Matthew 24 as occurring during the Great Tribulation, would be fulfilled. So what’s the point? Daniel 9 predicts at least two things. One, the exact year the true Messiah would come and be crucified for other people’s sins. And two, the events that would occur in the final seven-year cycle (70^th week). Jesus referred to the events of the 70^th week of Daniel in Matthew 24 as the Great Tribulation. This means the Tribulation, according to Jesus, is the final seven-year cycle described by Daniel.

The Tribulation is Global

In verse 22 of Matthew 24, Jesus strongly implies this: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” The judgments of that time, and their global scope are such that, if God did not relent, “no flesh” would survive. That means no human, animal, or any such flesh would exist if God didn’t stop the catastrophic events. The judgment of the tribulation will threaten the existence of all life throughout the globe, because its scope will include the entire globe. That is the most natural reading of the text, and it lines up exactly with what we would expect if the events of Revelation 6-19 are really descriptive of the tribulation period.

The Tribulation is Ultimate Devastation

As Jesus notes in Matthew 24:21, during the real tribulation, the magnitude of events and destruction will be, “such as has not been since the beginning of the world, until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” The world had already seen the epic destruction of Noah’s flood before the time Jesus was speaking these words. That means, according to Jesus, that the real tribulation has to be more intense than even the global flood! That’s the only way it could fit the description of being worse than anything “since the beginning of the world, until this time, nor ever shall be.”

The Tribulation Immediately Precedes the Second Coming

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days ... the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:29a and 30-31). According to Jesus’ doctrine of the Great Tribulation, “immediately after,” those days, He will come again.

Conclusion

If Jesus tells the truth, and the Great Tribulation is real, global, ultimate devastation, which is immediately followed by His Second Coming, I can only conclude that it is not history or current, but absolutely future. As bad as the events of 70 AD were, they didn’t threaten to extinguish the life of all flesh on the earth, didn’t even come close to comparing to the carnage of the Holocaust (let alone the global flood of Noah), and they were not “immediately” followed by the Second Coming. The only way to make Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 be contained and fulfilled by the events of 70 AD alone is to allegorize them, and twist them to the point of strangulation to fit a preconceived eschatological position we want to find in the text, before letting it speak plainly to us. To paraphrase David Guzik, he said, “Every position has problems to deal with in interpreting Matthew 24, but I like my problems a lot more than those who hold other views.”

Sound Off

This is an in-house discussion amongst the family of the body of Christ. We shouldn’t kill each other over our differences. But our differences do matter. What do you think? Graciously and honestly share your thoughts in the comments!

Mormonism and The Election

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:05:47 -0500

Ever since the beginning of the GOP campaign for a presidential candidate, I have had people asking me if it was biblically permissible for a Christian to vote for a Mormon. I was asked that question at least twice this past week.

To be sure, irreconcilable theological issues separate Christians and Mormons, and if we were talking about appointing a person to a position of spiritual leadership, then a Christian could not agree with such an appointment without violating the clear teaching of Scripture.

But I do not believe that the same standard applies when considering someone for public office. As has been said, “We are not electing a Pastor in Chief, but a Commander in Chief.” Rather than expecting our elected officials to hold to a specific theological position, I believe we are to look for people whose worldview is most compatible with the worldview presented in the Bible.

Notice that I said most compatible. The Bible itself speaks of two ways that God has revealed Himself to man. One is by what we call general revelation; the other is special revelation. General revelation comes to us through nature: creation and conscience. Special revelation comes through the Law, the Prophets, Jesus Christ, and the Apostles. If we mandated that our civic leaders conform to special revelation, in essence we would be requiring that they be Christians in order to hold public office. Nothing in the New Testament supports that idea. Although the New Testament tells us that the governmental authorities are appointed by God and are ministers of God (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14), it is also clear that the authorities being referred to were not Christian, and in most cases, far from it. The New Testament references were primarily to Rome: Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, et al.

Now I am not saying that we couldn’t or shouldn’t desire our leaders to be actual Christians; but the Scriptures do not require that. After all, most of the time and in most places, the option of electing Christians to office has rarely existed. Even in the United States, which many have considered a “Christian Nation,” we have had very few men who were Christians, in the biblical sense of the term, serve as president. You could probably count them all on one hand. Yet, we have had many good men, from Washington to Lincoln to Reagan, whose theological views were ultimately inconsistent with special revelation, i.e. biblical Christianity. Nevertheless, because they all believed in a Creator and moral absolutes, i.e. general revelation, they served the nation well.

So, what should we be looking for in our civic leaders? Not those who affirm the Apostles Creed necessarily. As I said, that option usually doesn’t exist anyway. But we should be looking for those who affirm that there is a God who created mankind in His image, gave us laws to live by (i.e. the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount), and will hold us accountable for our actions. In essence, what we are talking about, and what I believe we should be looking for as believers, is someone who truly holds to the Judeo-Christian worldview. That is the correct view of reality, and those who govern according to that view will most benefit the nation.

Although Mormonism and Christianity disagree on special revelation and are therefore two different religions, they agree on general revelation and therefore have the Judeo-Christian worldview in common.

Can a Christian vote for a Mormon? I believe the answer is yes. Should a Christian vote for a Mormon? That is a question only you, the individual voter, can decide.

The Certainty of God's Word

Chuck Smith — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:38:41 -0500

It lifts my soul to spend time thinking about God’s great love for me. But you may have noticed that most of my information about the amazing love of God comes from the Bible. What if these verses about God’s love are not true? What if it’s all a sham?

Solomon has an important word for you. After he spent seven years building God’s temple in Jerusalem, he prepared to dedicate the fabulous new structure. He told the great crowd that had gathered that day,

The LORD said to my father David, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.” So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel (1 Kings 8:18-20).

What a testimony to the faithfulness of God in keeping His Word! God had said to Solomon’s father, David, that Solomon would build the temple, and he had. And so Solomon is saying, “Look! God had made the promise to my father David, and here is proof that God keeps His promises.”

The glorious temple now standing before them was the fulfillment of God’s promise. God had kept His promises; the glittering temple provided the proof.

After Solomon had spoken to the people about the faithfulness of God, he turned before the altar, knelt down, lifted his hands toward heaven, and talked to God about the people. As he began his prayer of dedication, he declared,

Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day (1 Kings 8:23-24).

As he finished his prayer and got up off of his knees, he turned again to the people and spoke once more about the faithfulness of God:

Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses (1 Kings 8:56).

Can you imagine the terrible consequences if even one word of God’s promises had failed? If just one of His thousands of promises should fail, we would have to conclude that we have not heard from God, for if God speaks about some future event, then it must happen. One failure along the line—one solitary word falling short—would bring discredit to the whole field of biblical prophecy and, in fact, to the whole revelation of God. We would have to conclude that the Bible is not God’s revelation to man.

This is why other books of religion that purport to be revelations of God stay away from specific predictions. In fact, in Isaiah’s day God challenged His “rivals” to prove their divinity by foretelling the future. “If your gods are really God,” the prophet suggested, “that’s easy to prove. Just tell us a few things before they happen, so that when they take place we will know that they really are gods.” Silence! Nothing. But then God said, “That you may know that I am God and that there is no other god like Me, I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen many years in the future. After you’ve been carried away to Babylon for your disobedience, I will raise up a servant named Cyrus. He will set Israel free and allow My people to return from captivity.” God made this bold prediction one hundred and fifty years before Cyrus was born (see Isaiah 44:28, 45:13). Not one word failed of all that God spoke concerning Cyrus. Amazing!

Oh, how certain is the Word of God! You can be sure that all it predicts shall happen. You can count on it.

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

Beyond Casual Contact

David Guzik — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:27:42 -0500

Mark 5 tells us that in a village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee – probably Capernaum – Jesus was on His way to visit the sick daughter of the ruler of the local synagogue. She was near death, and actually died before Jesus reached her; but on the way something unusual happened.

In the crowd with dozens pressing in on Jesus through the narrow streets of Capernaum, a woman secretly touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, and touched that hem in faith that she would be healed. Her faith was rewarded – she touched, believed, and was healed of a 12-year ailment.

Then Jesus did something very interesting. Mark 5:30 records the question Jesus asked: “Who touched My clothes?”

It is interesting because Jesus asked the question for the benefit of the woman, not because He didn’t know who the person was. Jesus knew who touched Him, because Mark 5:32 tells us that He was looking right at her as He asked this question.

It is even more interesting when we see the response of the disciples; they were amazed that Jesus could ask this question. Given the situation, His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” The disciples understood that on the crowded street many people touched Jesus in some way. It was like being in a crowded elevator and asking, “Who touched me?” There might be four or five people making contact with you at any particular moment.

At the same time, the question of Jesus made perfect sense. Though many were in contact with Jesus, only one touched Him in faith. The disciples didn’t understand the difference between casual contact with Jesus, and reaching out to touch Him in faith.

We can imagine someone who because of the press of the crowd bumped up against Jesus. Perhaps some of those ones had needs that they wished Jesus would help. When the woman’s miracle was revealed, those people might say, “I bumped into Jesus, I touched Him - yet I was not healed.”

Yet there is a huge difference between bumping into Jesus here and there and reaching out to touch Him in faith. You can come to among the gathering of God’s people week after week and “bump into” Jesus. That isn’t the same as reaching out to touch Him in faith. Casual contact with Jesus is better than no contact at all; but the best connection with Jesus is that of active, believing faith.

There are some who go to church services or to some kind of gathering of Christians and feel that others receive something, but they do not. They wonder if somehow they are left out, that they don’t get it while most everyone else does. I can’t say that it applies to every situation, but in many cases the difference is that some reach out to Jesus in faith, and others just have some kind of casual contact with Him.

Not every contact with Jesus brings salvation. One can be in the presence of Jesus and (so to speak) bump into Him. Yet it is the determined, decided, dedicated believing connection to Jesus that brings all we need from Him.

Jesus knows it whenever someone reaches out to touch Him in faith, and He never disappoints them. Decide today to not be satisfied with merely casual contact with Jesus; reach out to Him with the same heart of faith that this woman had.

Respect & Young Pastors

Kellen Criswell — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:36:29 -0500

Most young pastors and church planters think they know everything. As a young pastor and church planter, I know this from personal, sinful experience. Our tendency is to want our sense of calling and giftedness to be enough to command the respect of other Christians, and our leaders. When respect isn’t given, we tend to get critical. We criticize those we lead (or want to lead) as being spiritually dumb, or unable to see what God’s doing. The concerns they voice aren’t taken seriously. We give lip-service about being imperfect, but we really think we’re God’s gift to the current generation and our community.

Additionally, young pastors and planters are really good at criticizing their leaders. If we feel called to church planting or pastoring, and our leaders show any hesitance, we become lawyers. We defend ourselves (if only internally) and spew accusations as to why our leaders are wrong, out of touch, or outdated. If you’re struggling with being that guy, you need to repent. Bludgeoning Christ’s people or staging a coup (even if just in your heart) against your leaders isn’t God’s plan. “Pride goes before destruction … ” (Proverbs 16:18). If the local church you’re associated with, and its leaders, are hesitant about your call, it’s probably for good reason. God confirms our call through our churches and leaders in most cases.

But what about the guy who is genuinely called, who still isn’t getting support? The Bible has clear instruction on how you should go about seeking the respect of others. Paul the apostle explains how to handle this issue in 1 Timothy 4:12-16:

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

What God is saying to young or aspiring pastors and church planters is simple: stop criticizing, and start exemplifying! You’re not going to get the respect you desire through what your mouth is saying, but through what your life is saying. Be an example in the following areas:

Word

If I speak like the average teenager, I should expect to get treated like one. If most of the words that come out of my mouth don’t build up my hearers, I shouldn’t expect to have any voluntary hearers. Do you speak like Jesus, or your favorite “bro” or musician on the internet?

Conduct

Jesus notoriously stayed up late praying over His mission, and rose early to get to work fulfilling His mission. How about you? Is getting up at the crack of noon a tall order? Other than when you’re leading, how’s your conduct? I’m not saying you can’t have fun. But if you conduct yourself like a boy who is the product of American pop culture more than you conduct yourself like Jesus, the Suffering Servant who came to do the hard work of the Father, don’t wonder why people don’t flock to the things you’re trying to lead. Put down the XBOX 360 controller, remote control, IPOD, pick up your Bible, and get to work.

Love

The only people you see Jesus getting short with in the Bible are those leading people to hell. Jesus used His life and ministry to bless the people, not the people to bless His life and ministry. He loved the world, and that led Him to give His life for the world.

Today, a growing number of younger pastors think they’re spiritual and justified when they beat Christ’s people with a harsh tone or words because they’re “prophets.” This doesn’t mean they have a fore-telling ministry. This means they have a bold forth-telling ministry. They see their role as being the one to call Christians to repent of their sin with boldness. Christ’s example, even when He spoke boldly, was one of love. Ours should be too.

Spirit

Spirit has to do with enthusiasm. If you’re late, lazy, non-committal, flaky, disconnected, and absent from the gatherings of God’s people, don’t be shocked when you don’t have followers, or when the followers you do have are unproductive like you. Jesus and His apostles were intense. If you want respect, lead with a God-given enthusiasm, cultivated through prayer.

Faith

If people don’t see you obeying Jesus with confidence when you don’t have all the answers, they won’t want to follow you.

Purity

If every dad in your church isn’t certain they can trust you with their daughter, wife, or son, they can’t follow you. If you’re stuck in porn, God knows, and wants to grow you. Take advantage of an accountability tool like Covenant Eyes or something similar, and put impurity to death. Don’t become a statistic in the “moral failure” category of church leaders.

Handling the Word (Reading, Exhortation, Doctrine)

If you don’t have a vibrant life with Jesus through personal reading, you won’t be the kind of man people can follow. You’ll be more like the world than the Christ. If you don’t have a habit of exhorting people with gracious biblical encouragement, people won’t affirm your call. If they don’t see you growing in your understanding of and commitment to biblical doctrine, they won’t feel you’re equipped to counsel them. Be absorbed in the Word, or be ok with people going to others for instruction.

Serving (not neglecting your spiritual gift)

Serving comes before leading. If you can’t get on board and contribute to the vision of your leaders through utilizing your spiritual gifts, don’t expect them to celebrate when you tell them you’re “called to pastor or plant a church.”

The Results (1 Timothy 4:15-16)

When young pastors or planters focus on exemplifying the characteristics of godly leadership, they will be godly men, people will be saved through their ministry, and few will despise their youthfulness. I’ve seen God’s Word proven true in my own life on this stuff. When it comes to getting respect, we young guys need to shut our mouths and open our lives.

The Bible IS the Word of God

Brian Brodersen — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:50:18 -0500

As Christians, we believe the Bible is the Word of God. In writing to his close friend and associate Timothy, the apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

I am aware that the claim of inspiration is not proof of inspiration. Other religions claim similar things about their writings. The question is: Whose claim is accurate? Is there some overriding proof that one is valid and the others are invalid? Yes, there is! The Bible not only claims to be the inspired Word of God, it also includes its own built-in proof. That proof is predictive prophecy. True prophecy is foretelling the future with 100 percent accuracy.

Through Isaiah the Lord said, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done” (46:9–10).” To truly predict the future is an ability that God alone possesses.

Prophecy is not pronouncing vague, generalized predictions, but giving specific details of things before they happen. This is exactly what we find in the Bible and that is how we know that the claim to divine inspiration is true. Let’s briefly consider some of the prophecies and their fulfillment.

Prophecy Concerning the Jewish People

In approximately AD 32, Jesus spoke of the future of Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. … For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. … For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” —Luke 21:20–24

Just as Jesus predicted, in AD 70, the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem, slaughtered a million Jews, and led over 100,000 away into captivity. For nearly 2,000 years, the Jews were dispersed among the nations and Jerusalem was overrun by one foreign power after another. It wasn’t until 1948 that the Jews finally returned to their homeland.

Prophecies Concerning the Messiah

Jesus fulfilled hundreds of messianic prophecies. Here are just a few examples.

Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Micah wrote:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting.” —Micah 5:2

Luke records the fulfillment:

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. … So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger. —Luke 2:1–7

Five hundred years before the time of Christ, Zechariah wrote:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. —Zechariah 9:9

Matthew records the fulfillment:

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and … the Mount of Olives, … Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.” … All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna [save now] to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna [save now] in the highest!” —Matthew 21:1–9

Lastly, 1,000 years before the time of Christ, David wrote:

“They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” —Psalm 22:16–18

Mark records the fulfillment:

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. And when they crucified Him [hands and feet pierced], they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. —Mark 15:22–24

These are just a small sampling of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ. It is a mathematical impossibility that Jesus of Nazareth could have fulfilled all the prophecies He did and not be the promised Messiah.

Prophecy Concerning the End Times

Prophecies concerning the end times and the second coming of Christ also need to be mentioned. Without going into detail, these prophecies concern the restoration of the Jewish people to their homeland, Jerusalem as the center of world conflict, the resurrection of the Roman Empire, a one-world economy, a one-world religion, and the rise of a world dictator.

You don’t have to look far to see how the stage is being set for the fulfillment of these prophecies. The nation of Israel is back in the Promised Land. Jerusalem has become a burden to the surrounding nations. The European Union is uniting Europe in a way that has not been experienced since the days of the Roman Empire. Globalization is the goal of many world leaders, as seen in the activity and declarations of the United Nations. Now all that’s needed is someone to unite everyone together. That someone is coming to be sure—we commonly refer to him as the Antichrist.

All of these fulfilled prophecies, as well as those that are in the process of being fulfilled, are the proof that the Bible is not the work of men but of someone outside our space-time continuum, someone who knows, sees, and has told us the end from the beginning. That someone is of course God!

You can trust the Bible. You can trust what it says about man—his origin, purpose, and destiny. You can trust what it says about God—who He is, what He’s done, and what He’s going to do. You can trust it concerning Christ and His gospel. You can trust it from Genesis to Revelation. As the apostle Peter said, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. … we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:16, 19).

How Great is God's Love?

Chuck Smith — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:24:59 -0500

We get the best answer of all when we look at the cross of Jesus Christ. We were all hopelessly lost, bound by Satan’s power and a slave to the devil and to our own unredeemed flesh—but God intervened because of His great love for us. He wasn’t willing that we should perish and go down the tubes.

Paul wrote, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

There it is! God is “rich” in mercy and “great” in love. Even when we lived for our sin and flaunted our trespasses—even while we remained totally alienated from God—He loved us.

Why? Because God is love. That is the essence and nature of God’s being. That’s what He’s all about. As the original Greek would say it, theos agape esten, “God love is” (1 John 4:8). And how did God show the magnitude of His love for us? “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

There is the proof. God powerfully demonstrated the magnitude of His love by sending His Son into the world that we might live through Him. The Bible never seeks to prove God’s love apart from the cross. It always points to Calvary. “God demonstrates His own love toward us,” Paul wrote, “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

We don’t learn much about God’s love from nature. It can bring us to the awareness of God’s existence, but not much more. That is why every culture in the world has some consciousness of the existence of God. Nature gives us a very powerful witness to His reality, but the only nature we see on earth is fallen, corrupted by our sin. Consider the marvelous design of the gazelle; it has elegant grace and exceptional speed. That gazelle testifies to a marvelous divine design. But watch it long enough, and you might see a lion wrestle that gazelle to the ground and devour it. Nature alone cannot tell you that God is love. Only the Bible gives a clear revelation that God is love.

Man-made religion cannot teach us that God is love. Greek mythology, for example, tells us that god is lust. Many religions promote hatred. Hate pours out when their adherents say, “If you don’t believe, we’ll kill you.” Only in the Bible do we get the consistent revelation that God is love—and the greatest proof it offers is the cross. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

This word “propitiation” has an interesting history. In Hebrew it appears as the term kophar, which means “a covering.” Once a year, the high priest came into the Holy of Holies before the ark of the covenant to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat. This signified a covering for their sins, but it could never fully take it away.

John tells us that Jesus, on the cross, became that covering for our sins. He took our sins upon Himself and satisfied God’s justice by bearing our sins in His own body on the cross (see also 1 Peter 2:24). Taking away our sins forever. That is love! That is grace! And that is what God willingly did for you and for me, thus demonstrating His mammoth love.

In the book of Hosea God says of His people, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (14:4). I love that! God loves us freely. Centuries after Hosea’s time, Paul echoed his predecessor when he wrote, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

So here’s the question: If God has freely given you and me that much already, then how much more will He willingly give us the little things we need from day to day?

- excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith

What Did You Leave

Bill Walden — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:45:39 -0500

Over the last few years, I have read many people’s personal testimonies about “leaving the church”. Some are people that I have been friends with (and still am), while others are only acquaintances. Sadly, some now see me (a pastor) as an enemy. Many of these people previously were involved in Christian service, or seemed to have had a genuine relationship with Jesus at one time.

As I read about people’s “departures”, I realize that people’s descriptions of their “departures” may reveal more than they intend to reveal. Words matter, because they are the things with which we communicate ideas, whether written or spoken. I find their words interesting.

For example, people write the following statements: “I left the church”; “I left organized religion”, or “I left the faith”. While those words may be accurate of their experiences, I have never heard or read anyone say, “I left Jesus”.

It can certainly be true that people may leave a church, a religion, or a faith or faith system, but those things were never intended to be the focus of one’s life. I have wondered exactly what people mean when they say such things. If I had the chance, I would ask them, “What exactly is it that you left”?

I would continue…“ Is it the church that you were called to give your life to? Was it a religion or a faith that you were called to follow?” Why do people use such verbiage? Perhaps it is an oversight, or carelessness….or perhaps it is an accurate description of something they used to follow but don’t follow any longer.

My main point is this: We are called to follow Jesus Christ, and have a relationship with Him. Attached to that is church, faith, and religion, but those things are just the outgrowth of walking with Jesus. They are the accoutrements of a life with Jesus. A church building or church body exists to help a person walk with Jesus. An organized religious expression exists to help someone walk with Jesus. A systematic theology exists to help people walk with Jesus, and sort through ideas about God. Those things, as important as they are, are not the substance of the Christian life; they are the “add ons”. I do not mean to minimize any of those things, but rather, I mean to point out that some people may have experienced the “add ons” without experiencing Jesus

It is entirely possible that people were attached to all those things without ever having been attached to Jesus. Their testimonies of “departure” may be revealing more than they know.

I read about people’s objection to the church, and sometimes I agree. I read of their anger about religiosity, and sometimes I agree. I read of their frustrations and struggles over certain theological issues, and I understand.

But so far, I have never read anyone’s “testimony of departure” where they have said, “I really don’t like Jesus. He treated me badly, He is unfair, He is not worthy of following, etc.”

When “departure testimonies” focus on complaining about the accoutrements of the Christian life, and not on Jesus, I wonder what it is exactly that people are leaving. Could they say that they had a real relationship with Jesus, but found Him to be unsatisfactory? The focus seems to be on people’s dissatisfaction with the peripherals of the Christian life, and not the centrality of Jesus Himself.

Finally, I know that some may now respond that they are atheists or agnostics. I have friends in both categories that I love very much, and pray for often…but I wonder…did they ever really know Jesus? Is it Him they are rejecting, or all the peripherals?

I sometimes imagine them talking face to face with Jesus. Would they be able to say, “You know Jesus, I tried you, but You never came through for me. You are harsh, uncompassionate, and generally you were a huge disappointment. I cannot follow you….no thanks”.

When Jesus walked the Earth, we know that people did reject Him to His face. Perhaps that truth is tucked away in the “departure testimonies” that I read, but I am not hearing that clearly stated. I wonder if we should ask people what, exactly, didn’t they like about Jesus…

I understand people’s frustration with the church, religion, and theology, but as they speak and write of their departures, I wonder….what is it exactly that they left?