Pure Church

I'm thrilled that Voddie Baucham's new book--What He Must Be... If He Wants to Marry My Daughter--has hit the stores and online outlets. I'm also happy to be participating in the book tour for this important work.

This is an overdue 'thank you' to the many, many of you around the world who prayed for our recent ministry efforts in the Middle East. Today concludes our time here and each moment has met with the wonderful blessings and guiding providence of our loving God and Savior.

It's been a very hectic 10 days or so. We landed last Thursday at 7:30pm after a 13 hour direct flight from Atlanta. I think I'm all caught up on the movies I've missed over the last several months!

We arrived at our lodgings around 9:30pm or so, grabbed a light dinner, then off to bed. Fridays are holy days in Islam, so Friday morning found us gathered together with the saints here. It was an honor to preach during the two morning services at one international church here, and later to share my testimony at an Arabic speaking church. I can't quite describe what it's like to praise God with Arab brethren in Arabic... somewhat exotic and familiar at the same time as occassionally a known tune would be sang or a "halleluja" would go up while the rest of the service was a glimpse of that day when every tongue shall praise God. One thing about our Arabic brethren, though, they love to be together. We started service at 12:30pm and ended around 3:30pm. It was a full morning and afternoon.

That same Friday, the student leadership conference began. From Friday evening through Saturday, I delivered three talks on biblical theology, attempting to help the students see the unity of the Scriptures and the glory of the gospel throughout all of Scripture. The students interacted hungrily with the word and with each other. We hoped the conference would be useful preparation for the dialogue and the follow-up afterwards. By God's grace, I think we met with some measure of success.

Sunday included a time of prayer with the team here, some brief fellowship time with my dialogue partner, Bassam Zawadi, and discussion with the church elders. The entire day was sweet.

Monday's Muslim-Christian dialogue was the central reason for our visit. What a unique opportunity to proclaim the supremacy of our Savior in a land where He is not known. The Christian Fellowship Club, the only one in all of the Middle East as far as I know, did an outstanding job with all of the details. The event took place in the largest room available on campus. The room filled with some 275 people, overwhelmingly Muslim. Two years ago, we were able to distribute about 100 copies of the ESV outreach Bible. What a treat to see a lot of those Bibles show up again at this year's dialogue. In addition to those, we were able to distribute about 75 more Bibles this year.

An area mosque announced the event to the 600 persons on their mailing list. The wider the event, the greater the concern for a peaceful, constructive dialogue. Though a number of people, myself included, found themselves anxious about this issue, the Lord turned the room into a very hospitable and winsome atmosphere. Bassam and I were able to engage one another seriously and winsomely. The Lord enabled the gospel to go forward repeatedly throughout the event, including a concluding word of personal testimony about my conversion from Islam to faith in the Lord Jesus.

A senior advisor for Islamic Affairs attended the event. Following the dialogue, he very excitedly shared with others that such events should happen more often. Please pray for the King, the kingdom, and such officials in this region, that they would work to preserve religious liberty and the right of all people to worship according to their own conscience. Pray that this event would be precedent-setting and door-opening for the gospel in this region. Pray that the Lord would demonstrate His power through the gospel in the conversion of many.

The video of the dialogue should be up on YouTube at some point. Please check it out if it interests you. And please pray that the Lord would be pleased to extend the fruit of the dialogue across the region through this means.

We found out later that night, after having enjoyed so much of the Lord's favor, that two people dear to the saints here had been detained by the secret police in a nearby country. They've been caught up in an anti-Christian sweep being conducted by that government. Our joy melted into prayer for these brethren. This country is currently considering an anti-conversion law that would enforce a death penalty for Muslims who convert. In addition, some Christians suspected of affiliating with Westerners are in danger of being charged with treason and spying, also carrying the death penalty. Please pray for the nearly 100 Christian leaders who have been rounded up over recent months, and for these two brethren currently detained. The good news is we've heard from them since their arrest. But they still need the Lord's favor. Pray for their joy and strength in the Lord, and that the Lord would shake the jail causing the jailers to repent and believe.

Tuesday-Thursday included follow-up meetings with student leaders and some of the attendees at the dialogue. Again, the Lord showed great favor and blessing in these times. Stephen visited and shared at the host campus for the dialogue while I visited another university in a nearby city. I also had the wonderful privilege of catching up with dear friends during these days, friends first made while we were back in Washington, D.C. I felt like the Lord indulged me in these times.

Thursday night included a talk at the church's youth group. And Friday morning I spoke again at the church's two services. I was thankful for the Lord's sustaining grace on Friday, since I came down with some flu-like thing on Wednesday. We attended the evening service, where the church prayed for the saints and ministries back at FBC and celebrated the 19-year ministry of one of its elders now moving to Australia. A sweet time gathered with the Lord's people.

Saturday was spent with student leaders talking about spiritual leadership, its joys and challenges. The team went out to the dessert for a time of prayer and hymn singing. Finally starting to feel better, I stayed behind for a bit more rest.

It's been a tremendous week with much, much more to give God praise for. To see His sovereign hand at work here leaves one in awe! May He continue to make himself known and receive the praise of the elect among the people of this region!

Thank you for your prayers and encouragements. I trust the Lord will grant you an unfading crown for your love and kindness!

One of the unique opportunities created by being a crossroads city is the opportunity to host leaders and scholars passing through town. The good folks at CHBC do that pretty well, and part of the enduring fruit are the Carl F.H. Henry Forums. If you haven't checked those out before, you'll find a lot of soul-edifying stuff there. Some 34 forum lectures are available here.

Or at least why I've had an undying love for Kung Fu movies since I was about 5. HT: His dad.

Worth pondering (HT: Of First Importance):
“You’ve got to think of His grace until you can’t help be like Him.”
- Tim Keller

I'm afraid I have this compulsion, too.

Justin Taylor posted a great video on a theology of suffering and these requests from Joni Eareckson Tada at his blog:

Friends who have seen Joni recently have said that she has been really struggling lately with her health and that she is in need of much prayer.

As I thought about linking to this video, I thought it might be a good opportunity for us not only to benefit from her teaching but also to lift her up in prayer.

I asked her how readers of this blog could pray for her. She wrote:
I've been doing better and feeling much stronger since that presentation at the Dallas Theological Seminary chapel. If I were to ask for anything, I would say...

Pray that my fragile bones become stronger.
Ask God to infuse courage into my heart daily!
Over all, my pain levels are getting much better but still, please pray away any anxiety.
Help me not to become me-centered when I'm in pain!
Pain medication is never fun to take. Pray that soon and very soon I won’t have to lean as heavily on it.
Plead to God that I might know Jesus better through all of this and not "waste" my sufferings!!

So would you consider taking these requests before the throne of grace? I know that she is deeply thankful.

Just a quick update for those who are interested and who would have a moment to pray. Monday (today) at 10am-1pm EST, I'll have the privilege of participating in a third Muslim-Christian dialogue in Southeast Asia. The topic for the dialogue, chosen by my Muslim dialogue partner, is "Who Is God and How Are We Saved?" It's an historical opportunity to advance Christian-Muslim understanding in this part of the world, to model significant exhange between committed believers in these respective faiths, and, most importantly, to consider this truly important question with eternal consequence.


My partner is a young man I had the privilege of meeting during an earlier visit to the region. His name is Bassam Zawadi, an intelligent and spirited Muslim apologist. He recently debated David Wood, Teaching Fellow at Fordham University, on the question of whether Christianity or Islam is true. Scroll down here.

Pray for Bassam and me as we engage each other in this discussion. Please pray for the audience, for the region, for those who will watch later by video and YouTube, and most of all for the Truth to be clearly seen, and seen, believed.

With my silence or inactivity on this series, you'd be right to wonder if I didn't have much to say about the African-American church in her heyday. You'd be right to wonder, but you'd be wrong to conclude that.

I'm in Birmingham, AL currently, enjoying the sweet fellowship and hospitality of Harry Reeder and the saints at Briarwood Presbyterian. I'm in the heart of the South, and the literal stomping grounds (marching grounds) of the Civil Rights Movement. Fifty years ago, a revolution rang out from this place. The society Americans now live in was unimaginable just a generation or so ago. What happened?

Lots of things happened. Television entered the American home and for the first time Americans saw graphic images of wars abroad and of church bombings, attacking dogs, water hosed children and so on. The pictures of good looking, promising young men like Goodman, Cheney, and Schwartz were flashed on the screen. Television changed how America saw itself. It shrank the country so that families in Ohio could readily see the happenings in Selma and Atlanta and Montgomery. And many, many people, black and white, did not like what they saw.


Television happened. But that wouldn't have been such a big deal if the African-American church hadn't happened as well. It's a well-worn fact that the African-American church was home base and launching pad for the Civil Rights Movement. There would not have been a movement if there had not been a Black Church. And not just a Civil Rights Movement, but arguably an Abolitionist movement either. Through most of her long and storied history, the African-American church has maintained a tenacious grip on justice as a necessary outworking of the gospel.

This is what makes men like James Cone so nearly right when they write about liberation as the gospel. But in being nearly correct they are completely wrong. Liberation is not the gospel. Whether folks are ever liberated or not, the gospel remains. And the freedom that Christ came to give us (Gal. 5:1) is not bound in chains or behind bars or paroled with out bodies. Justice, liberation, mercy are outworkings of the gospel but not the gospel itself. In her prime, the African-American church knew this and lived this.

We seem to put social justice at odds with gospel proclamation. Many today don't think these can easily coexist. They think that to fight for justice as the Christian church inevitably means the abandonment of the gospel. They may be correct. For since the Civil Rights Movement, the gospel has been thoroughly confused by too many in the African American church with liberation and justice itself.

But even if that caution is correct, to preach the gospel and have no concern and take no action in the cause of justice is as much an abandonment of the gospel as mistaken the gospel. How can a faithful gospel preacher preach the gospel before slaves and never wince at the gross barbarity of that peculiar institution? How can a man claim to live the gospel with fellow brothers in Christ and yet uphold laws that disenfranchise, marginalize, and oppress those same brothers? They may gospel doctrine down pat, but they don't have gospel living at all! Having a form of godliness, they deny the power thereof.

Not so with the African-American church and the many faithful Christians she birthed who laced up worn but shined shoes, straightened their ties and their backs, and marched in love for justice. At her best, she not only understood the gospel but felt the irresistible impulse of the gospel to do something consistent with the gospel in the face of injustice. Today, to many gospel preachers preach and teach in such a way that the fine edges of the gospel are shaved, sanded, and smoothed until the gospel only tickles rather than pierces. We need to learn from the African-American church how to pursue justice precisely because we understand and live the gospel. And we need to learn from the African-American church that justice and liberation are not idols to worship, or themes to supplant the gospel. Black Church history has enough in it to teach both sides of the issue, to keep us from falling off either side of the horse.

Consider Jupiter Hammond, a slave all his life, addressing fellow slaves on this very dynamic:

My dear brethren, we are many of us seeking for a temporal freedom, and I pray that God would grant your desire. If we are slaves, it is by the permission of God. If we are free, it must be by the power of the most high God. Be not discouraged, but cheerfully perform the duties of the day, sensible that the same power that created the heavens and the earth and causeth the greater light to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night can cause a universal freedom. And I pray God may give you grace to seek that freedom which tendeth to everlasting life.

Hammon continued:

My dear brethren, let not your hearts be set too much on the pleasure of this life. For if it were possible for one man to gain a thousand freedoms and not an interest in the merit of Christ, where must all the advantage be? “For what is a man profited if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (See, Hammon, An Evening’s Improvement, in Sondra O’Neale, Jupiter Hammon and the Biblical Beginnings of African American Literature (Meutchen, N.J.: American Library Association, 1993), pp. 172-73)

I know many free men who reject out of hand Hammon's reasoning. They do so never having known the lash and the chain as Haynes did. What a convenient place from which to judge a better man--knowing all the advantages he didn't and none of the oppression. But Haynes is sure correct when he wrote “that liberty is a great thing and worth seeking for if we can get it honestly and by our good conduct prevail on our masters to set us free,” but finally concluded that physical freedom “is by no means the greatest thing we have to be concerned about. Getting our liberty in this world is nothing to our having the liberty of the children of God.”

Consider how Lemuel Haynes reasoned from the gospel outward to the illegality of slave-keeping (original spellings):

But now our glorious high priest hath visably appear’d in the flesh, and hath Establish’d a more glorious Oeconomy. He that not only visably Broken Down that wall of partision that interposed Between the offended majesty of Heaven and rebellious Sinners and removed those tedeous forms under the Law, which savoured so much of servitude, and which could never make the comers thereunto perfect, By rendering them obsolete: but he has removed those many Embarisments, and Distinctions, that they were incident to, under so contracted a Dispensation. So that whatever Bodily imperfections, or whatever Birth we sustain, it Does not in the Least Debar us from Gospel previlege’s. Or whatever hainous practice any may be gilty of, yet if they manifest a gospel repentance, we have no right to Debar them from our Communion. And it is plain Beyond all Doubt, that at the comeing of Christ, this curse that was upon Canaan, was taken off; and I think there is not the Least force in this argument than there would Be to argue that an imperfect Contexture of parts, or Base Birth, Should Deprive any from Gospel previleges; or Bring up any of those antiquated Ceremonies from oblivion, and reduce them into practice.

But you will say that Slave-keeping was practiced Even under the Gospel, for we find paul, and the other apostles Exhorting Servants to be obedient to their masters. To which I reply, that it mite be they were Speaking to Servants in minority in General; But Doubtless it was practiced in the Days of the Apostles from what St. paul Says, 1 Corin. 7 21, art thou called, being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest Be made free, use it rather. So that the Apostle seems to recomend freedom if attainable, q.d. “if it is thy unhappy Lot to be a slave, yet if thou art Spiritually free Let the former appear so minute a thing when compared with the Latter that it is comparatively unworthy of notice; yet Since freedom is so Exelent a Jewel, which none have a right to Extirpate, and if there is any hope of attaining it, use all Lawfull measures for that purpose.” So that however Extant or prevalent it might Be in that or this age; yet it does not in the Least reverse the unchangeable Laws of God, or of nature; or make that Become Lawfull which is in itself unlawfull; neither is it Strange, if we consider the moral Depravity of mans nature, thro’out all ages of the world, that mankind should Deviate from the unerring rules of Heaven.

Haynes grew up an indentured servant as well. Served in the American Revolution. Was largely self-taught. Didn't have the advantages of many of us today. And yet he saw clearly that the gospel and justice go together like hand in glove.

Sometimes I wonder if in the comfort western Christians almost universally enjoy we don't make this more difficult than it needs to be. How about Zech. 7:9-10. We may learn this from the best of the African-American church tradition.

Actually, better than the basketball sometimes is the trash-talking. Exhibit A from respected and godly pastors! Is it March yet? I can feel it in the air!

From Of First Importance, "The Excellency of Election":

“Oh the excellency of the doctrine of election, and of the saints’ final perseverance, to those who are truly sealed by the Spirit of promise! I am persuaded, till a man comes to believe and feel these important truths, he cannot come out of himself; but when convinced of these, and assured of the application of them to his own heart, he then walks by faith indeed, not in himself but in the Son of God, who died and gave himself for him. Love, not fear, constrains him to obedience.”

From The Purpose Driven Blog, a selection from Whitefield's "The Lord Our Righteousness":

Whoever is acquainted with the nature of mankind in general, or the propensity of his own heart in particular, must acknowledge, that self- righteousness is the last idol that is rooted out of the heart: being once born under a covenant of works, it is natural for us all to have recourse to a covenant of works, for our everlasting salvation. And we have contracted such devilish pride, by our fall from God, that we would, if not wholly, yet in part at least, glory in being the cause of our own salvation. We cry out against popery, and that very justly; but we are all Papists, at least, I am sure, we are all Arminians by nature; and therefore no wonder so many natural men embrace that scheme. It is true, we disclaim the doctrine of merit, are ashamed directly to say we deserve any good at the hands of God; therefore, as the Apostle excellently well observes, "we go about," we fetch a circuit, "to establish a righteousness of our own, and," like the Pharisees of old, "will not wholly submit to that righteousness which is of God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

From DG, "Whitefield Exalts in Christ":

The Lord, the Lord Christ, the everlasting God, is your righteousness. Christ has justified you, who is he that condemneth you? Christ has died for you, nay rather is risen again, and ever liveth to make intercession for you. Being now justified by his grace, you have peace with God, and shall, ere long, be with Jesus in glory, reaping everlasting and unspeakable fruits both in body and soul. For there is no condemnation to those that are really in Christ Jesus. Whether Paul or Apollos, or life or death, all is yours if you are Christ's, for Christ is God's.

My brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you! O think of the love of Christ in dying for you! If the Lord be your righteousness, let the righteousness of your Lord be continually in your mouth. Talk of, O talk of, and recommend the righteousness of Christ, when you lie down, and when you rise up, at your going out and coming in! Think of the greatness of the gift, as well as the giver! Show to all the world, in whom you have believed! Let all by your fruits know, that the Lord is your righteousness, and that you are waiting for your Lord from heaven!

This is not Whitefield, but it's a quote at Unashamed Workman from David Wells that probably describes Whitefield's preaching:

Preaching is not a conversation about some interesting ideas. It is not the moment in which postmoderns hear their own private message in the biblical words, one unique to each one who hears, and then go their own way. No! This is God speaking! He speaks through the stammering lips of the preacher where that preacher’s mind is on the text of Scripture and his heart is in the presence of God. God, as Luther puts it, lives in the preacher’s mouth.

This is the kind of preaching that issues a summons, which nourishes the soul, which draws the congregation into the very presence of God so that no matter what aspect of his character, his truth, his working in this world is in focus, we leave with awe, gratitude, encouragement, and sometimes a rebuke. We have been in the very presence of God! This is what great preaching always does.

Like this YouTube clip:

The first-time visitor will no doubt first notice the size of the campus. The locals affectionately call it "Briarworld." Truth be told, it's probably one of the largest church campuses I've ever visited. Actually got a little misdirected driving to the meeting place tonight.

But what's really impressive about Briarwood has nothing to do with the buildings. The chapel soars, but even more so does the spirit of the people of Briarwood. What's far more impressive is the earnest and deep hospitality, warmth, and evangelistic zeal of the people. Two things have been prominent from the moment I first shook hands with a Briarwood person: (1) genuine love for the brethren, and (2) genuine love for the lost.

"Let's preach to sinners the news so good that we ourselves must struggle against the joy of it."

Read here.

Ray Ortlund, Jr.

In God's kindness, and with the loving prayer and support of the saints at FBC, I'm off to Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham to speak at their Global Ministries Conference. I'm looking forward to time with Bro. Harry Reeder and the Briarwood family, thinking together about this wondrous privilege of taking the Good News of our Savior and Lord to the ends of the earth.

Following the time at Briarwood, we travel to Southeast Asia for a 1.5 weeks of ministry there. I'll be leading a two-day conference on the gospel in all of Scripture with student leaders from around the region. Following that, there'll be a public Muslim-Christian dialogue on the topic "Who Is God and How Are We Saved." Speaking a couple times at a local church and various things through the week.

I covet your prayers for all these opportunities. Should the Lord bring us to mind, please ask Him to enlarge the work of His Spirit in these opportunities, edifying, establishing, and expanding His church, particularly in the unreached areas of southeast Asia. Please pray the Lord would show Himself in saving power during the time there. Please pray that Christ’s love, glory, power, holiness, deity, wrath and grace might be seen for what it truly is, and that every knee would bow!

Listened to this one twice today. It's the sermon entitled "Spiritual Families" (30 January). Excellent, clear, convicting and encouraging. Enjoy!

The latest video for the upcoming NEXT conference. Check it out here and check out the conference!

You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. (1 Thes. 5:5-6)

Gene L. Green in The Letters to the Thessalonians (PNTC) has this helpful comment and reminder about Paul's words in these two verses:

The believers' existence as "children of the light and children of the day" has moral implications that the author begins to elaborate in [v. 6]. The imperative is put in the first person plural and begins with the words so then, which introduce the inference drawn from the previous statement (v. 5). Since Christians are "children of the light and children of the day," they should not sleep but rather be alert and self-controlled. This intimate relationship between their new existence and their new moral life touches a fundamental aspect of Christian ethics: What they are is what they should do. The moral exhortation finds its roots in the previous work of God in their lives. They have been made "children of the light and children of the day" via their salvation, and now they are to act according to that new state of being. The gift of grace includes within it the call to obedience. As V.P. Furnish states, "God's claim is regarded by the apostles as a constitutive part of God's gift. The Pauline concept of grace is inclusive of the Pauline concept of obedience." Since the imperative is integral to the indicative, the summons of Christian ethics becomes, "Act what you are." (pp.237-238)

Breaking off the indicative and emphasizing the imperative leads to gospel-less moralism and even legalism.

Breaking off the imperative and emphasizing only the indicative leads license and cheap grace.

What God has joined together (grace and obedience) let not the Christian or the preacher separate.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

UA reminds us of six goals that Prime and Begg suggest every pastor should set.

to feed the flock (John 21:15-17)
to proclaim the whole will of God (Acts 20:27)
to present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28-29)
to prepare God’s people for works of service (Ephesians 4:12)
to equip God’s people to be fisher’s of men (2 Timothy 4:5)
to keep watch over oneself until the task is complete (1 Timothy 4:16)

Amen!

The good folks over at Expository Thoughts offer a short post with three great quotes on preaching:

In his opening chapter The Primacy of Preaching from the book Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea For Preaching Dr. Al Mohler wrote, “Evangelical pastors commonly state that biblical preaching is the hallmark of their calling. Nevertheless, a careful observer might come to a very different conclusion. The priority of preaching is simply not evident in far too many churches.

We must affirm with Luther that the preaching of the Word is the first essential mark of the church. Luther believed so strongly in the centrality of preaching that he stated, ‘Now, wherever you hear or see this Word preached, believed, professed, and lived, do no doubt that the true ecclesia sancta catholica (Christian, holy people) must be there….And even were no other sign than this alone, it would still suffice to prove that a Christian, holy people must exist there, for God’s Word cannot be without God’s people and, conversely, God’s people cannot be without God’s Word.’”

Before he died the great Bible expositor James Montgomery Boice wrote, “I do not think it is too much to say that preaching really is an essential means perhaps even the most important means, of grace. If that is the case, then we should be very careful in our Christian lives to expose ourselves to the best teaching and attend the best churches available.”

2 Timothy 3:13-4:5; John 21:15-17; Col. 1:25-29; Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:23, 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:13-18; Ezra 7:10; Neh. 8.

Good stuff.

Humor in the pulpit can be very dangerous. It's like a narcotic. Your people will love it (how much more entertaining to hear you riff on something than to teach Leviticus or talk about sin). You'll love it (less sleeping, more laughing at how hilarious you are!). And the temptation will be for you to give the people more of what they want and less of what they need. I listen to about 10 sermons a week, and some of the guys I listen to are both funny and really good teachers. But here's what I notice... they have to tell three jokes for every one that really lands. Two out of three just kind of linger there and die. And so the whole sermon feels like it's being interuppted by second rate comedy. Over time, my fear is that the people will come hungry for your humor and not necessarily for the word of God. They will be dependent on you and your charisma and your sense of humor, and you'll never be able to plant churches because you can't find anyone else as funny as you are, and so you'll have to pipe your sermons into other locations.

Read the entire list of theses here.

That's the trademarked strategy at Lifeway stores these days. (HT: Challies) The store has decided to attach a sticker to certain books with questionable content. You can read more here.

Lifeway provides this explanatory comment:

We want you to know that the authors of books marked Read with Discernment may have espoused thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.

However, we are making these titles available to our customers (along with the background and additional insight offered here through Read With Discernment) because we believe the books do present content that is relevant and of value to Christians and/or because pastors, seminary students, and other ministry leaders need access to this type of material, strictly for critical study or research to help them understand and develop responses to the diversity of religious thought in today's postmodern world. Our prayer for you is that in whatever you read, you place the material under the magnifying glass of scripture and read with discernment, asking God to reveal His truth to you so that, as Paul wrote in Philippians 1:9-10, "...your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ..." (Holman CSB).

So far, the following authors have received the label: William P. Young (The Shack), Rob Bell (of Velvet Elvis fame), Brian McLaren, and Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz).

A couple of these authors have put things in print that depart so far from the biblical truth that you can only use the label "heretical" to describe them.

On the one hand, you're happy to see Lifeway trying to aid the unsuspecting book purchaser. On the other hand, you're left wondering why a Christian bookstore would carry anything harmful to a person's soul.

What say ye? Is this a good idea? Too much? Too little? Should they put this label on all the non-book stuff they sell?

I'm not really a big reader of poetry. It's okay; I just don't spend a lot of time reading and reflecting on it.

But my daughters have been writing some poetry lately, and I am a big fan of my daughters and their poetry. Two samples.

First a limerick from my youngest daughter, Eden (age 9), who manages to rebuke her dad in rhyme:

Fat Man

There is a man that carries a bat;
He eats too much so he is very fat.
His beard is really long,
And sings his jolly long.
He will never lose weight acting like that.

Then there is the poem from my oldest daughter (soon to be 11) who manages to put in poetry a love we share, reading.

The Magic of Reading

I open my book to my favorite page.
I look down and see everything has changed.
The old excitement is replaced with something brighter!
The white on the pages are now even whiter!
And as I am filled with excitement and glee,
It all fades away, then I read with less speed.
I must say, it is magic to read.

All of the stories come to life on the page;
And just like the characters I feel happiness and rage.
All of the words have new meaning to me;
And slowly I read with greater speed.
And that's why I say: "It is magic to read."

I travel with Don Quixote and his horse,
And with Nat Bowditch I proof-read morse.
I play the piccolo with Dominic,
And like Olivia "Miss O" will stick.
Running and singing and hiding from De Vil.
I'm magicly caught in the reading spell.
Only a closed book can get me out of it,
And if the character does, I'm bound to pout a bit.
So I'll say it again:
"It is magic to read."

Do you?

I think my favorite book is Hebrews. Is there a book that so completely demonstrates the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all things?

So, I'm thankful for anything that gives me a deeper love for the Savior by helping me to plumb the riches of the Book of Hebrews. If you haven't heard already, Justin Buzzard has published an excellent study of the Book of Hebrews. It's called Hebrews: Consider Jesus. Everyone should pick this study guide up.

Here's the information from the Good Book Company website:

Product Description

Jesus Christ - it's a name that still has unique pulling power, even in today's secular society. Jesus is used as a comforting idea in times of trouble, an inspiration for those seeking spirituality, and even as a figurehead for counter-cultural enthusiasts. But the real Jesus is so much greater than this.

Jesus Christ is at the centre of the Bible's message and God's plan for the universe - and at the centre of human history. But is He at the centre of our existence - our hopes, priorities and day-to-day lives? We need to move on from simply knowing the details of His birth, life and death to a deeper understanding of their meaning.

The letter to the Hebrews helps us leave behind out limited views of Jesus by explaining to us the supreme greatness of Christ Himself.

Consider Jesus is a Bible-study guide to help ordinary Christians get to grips with Hebrews. Here is an invitation to fix our eyes on God's Son - our perfect Brother, faithful and merciful High Priest, atoning Sacrifice and great Shepherd. Use these studies to discover the whole picture of Jesus Christ, and equip yourself to know, trust and follow Him, come what may.

Table of contents

Introduction
Why study Hebrews?
1. God's greatest revelation (Hebrews 1 v 1 - 2 v 4)
2. The greatest man (Hebrews 2 v 5-18)
3. A greater Moses (Hebrews 3 v 1 - 4 v 13)
4. A greater priest (Hebrews 4 v 14 - 5 v 10 (ch 7))
5. A greater truth (Hebrews 5 v 11 - 6 v 20)
6. A greater covenant (Hebrews 8 v 1 - 10 v 25)
7. A greater promise (Hebrews 10 v 26 - 12 v 3)
8. A greater kingdom (Hebrews 12 v 1 - 13 v 25)

Leaders' Guide

How would you define "faith"? How would you know faith when you see it?

Though I think many people could give some general definition of faith, I think it remains a misty concept for many others. It's an intangible. Most folks think you either have it or you don't. Even though we may talk of little faith or great faith, do you feel that sometimes "little faith" is simply a nice pseudonym for "no faith in reality"?

Sometimes life is harder than steel. Sometimes life mangles and twists us like so many guard rails smashed by speeding, out-of-control vehicles. And in those times of hardship, we discover what faith is and whether we have it.

I'm convinced that perhaps the greatest example of genuine faith in American Christian history is the example left by African Americans who love the Lord. The situation most African-Americans live in now was the stuff of dreams just 50 years ago. Recede further into the history, past Jim Crow, past Reconstruction, past the abolitionist movement, on back to Jamestown and you find a people dragged into "history as terror" or "daemonic dread" as one author put it. He asked, "Who do you pray to in the bowels of a slave ship?"

It's a good question.

In time, many Africans sold as chattel in the New World prayed to the One True God through Jesus Christ His Son and entered into eternal life. Howard Thurman, a famed theologically liberal African-American pastor and educator, had it right when he pointed out that the greatest irony of American history was that the slaves should pray to the master's God.

But that irony is why the African-American church's legacy of genuine, biblical, God-centered faith is so rich and necessary to recover and esteem. Read slave conversion testimonies in a work like Clifton Johnson's God Struck Me Dead, or the poetry of Phillis Wheatly, and all you find is soul-deep, God-longing faith in the face of life as hard as steel, as stinging as the lash, as cruel as pregnant bellies ripped open, as horrendous as black bodies burned and swinging from trees, as tragic as young men hobbled and amputated, as wrenching families split and wives raped.

How do you survive such an existence? How do you survive such an existence without checking out of reality? How do you survive such an existence without checking out of reality while knowing that "trouble won't last always"? How do you survive such an existence without checking out of reality while knowing that "trouble won't last always" and simultaneously working for a better day? How do you endure such an existence without exploding in hate toward others? How do you endure such an existence and make any sense of "love your enemies"? How do you endure such an existence and sing and dance and love and create and laugh?

Only by believing that God is good, that He controls all events, that His justice will prevail, that vengeance belongs to Him, that He hears the cry of the oppressed, that social standing is no proxy for God's love, that life in His image is infused with dignity even when others don't think you're human. Only by believing those things and trusting God himself do you survive such atrocities, and not only survive but thrive and contribute.

It was faith in God through Jesus that sustained the African-American church. I sometimes think we don't know how to trust God deeply because we've not suffered deeply. In fact, God thinks that of us. That's why suffering is such a central part of the Christian experience. It breeds trust in God and distinguishes genuine faith its superficial counterparts.

So where does a rich and largely suffering-free generation like ours look for instruction in persevering faith? We have to look to those who have suffered horrifically yet trusted God implicitly. Modern examples exist. But as the U.S. celebrates African-American history month, the domestic parable so glaring and glorious is that of the African-American church which by faith endured bombings, lynchings, cross burnings, sharecropping, Jim Crow, Bull Connor, the Ku Klux Klan, chattel slavery, disenfranchisement, Black Codes, auctions, marches, sit ins, ghettos in the north, plantations in the south with no visible means of support, only a sometimes quiet, sometimes singing, sometimes mourning, sometimes active, sometimes ridiculed, sometimes shut out, sometimes demonstrating, all the time preaching faith in God.

If Hebrews 11 were still being written today, the chapter would be twice as long for its inclusion of now forgotten black faces that would have to be included for their heroic faith in God. What did Moses have on Harriet Tuman, Abraham on Jupiter Hammond, Gideon on Nat Turner, Isaac on Denmark Vesey, or Sampson on George Liele? Nothing.

At her finest, the African-American church offers the most compelling example of centuries-long persecution-triumphing trust in God. May we learn from her and live like her.

1. Counsel women alone
2. Counsel drunks; wait till they sober up
3. Counsel someone being counseled by another
4. Counsel without access to a phone, desk, writing materials, etc.
5. Counsel people who set down conditions
6. Counsel when a person refuses to do his homework
7. Counsel by telephone
8. Counsel by separating spouses from one another
9. Counsel people so drugged that they can’t reason
10. Counsel young children; counsel their parents
11. Counsel unbelievers; evangelize them
12. Counsel a Christian who will not accept Scripture as a Standard

See the remainder of Jay Adams’ list here. (HT: UA)

Yesterday we wrapped up out 6 week Sunday school class on singleness and courtship. Today, a helpful list of questions and answers on singleness from Piper:

1. How is singleness better than marriage?
2. How can singles help foster a relational culture at church?
3. How do I deal with the intense longing to be married?
4. What are the trials unique to singleness, and how do you recommend combating them?
5. What would you say to someone who thinks their sexual sin has disqualified them from ministry?
6. What do you think about masturbation?
7. Is it OK for a single woman to pursue a career?

I'm particularly interested in question 2. What does your church do on this one?

Over at Ref21, Colin Hansen reflects on some topics he left out of Young, Resltess, and Reformed. (HT: Challies) And in the midst of his reflection, he included this nugget about what he did see as he worked on his book:

[W]hat I saw during my travels was the stirrings of a true spiritual revival, not merely renewed interest in a particular theological system. I saw hunger for God's Word, passion to spread the gospel around the world, and zeal to pursue greater holiness. That's something Christians of any theological persuasion can support. For those who despair of this growing movement, I can only recommend that they renew their efforts to catechize young believers. It's easy to embrace Reformed theology in college when a Calvinist is the first Christian who has exposited the Word for you.

Indeed, may a God-centered revival be wrought among us by a glorious God desiring to be known and loved by His creation. May hunger for the Word stay the famine that is coming. May the gospe run rapidly around the world and the dark doldrums and slumber of spiritual wickedness be cast out. And may those holding to different commitments nonetheless hold committedly to the One True God with all the light He graciously gives!

and the cross-fertilization she shares with the wider church, our brother Wyeth Duncan is meditating on AME liturgy and its indebtedness to the Methodist Episcopal Church which is indebted to the Book of Common Prayer. But what draws his attention this morning is this line of general confession in the communion liturgy: "We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us."

I remember the first time I heard those words prayed. My heart went, "Yes. I'm grieved by my sin!" The prayer so wonderfully gives wording and vent to the Christian heart drawn in remembrance to its wanderings. And yet, we don't stop with grieving, for in heaven sits enthroned our Perfect Righteousness. Our grief is turned to joy when our eyes are turned to Christ. In the gospel is the complete forgiveness of sins, but also the imputation of perfect righteousness which consoles us even when the knowledge of forgiveness can't.

Grieve for your sins today. Then rejoice in Christ's everlasting righteousness!

Yesterday, February 1st, began African-American history month. The annual celebration of African-American history began at the initiative of esteemed scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950). Woodson is regarded by many as the father of Black history, and a copious preserver of that historical heritage. He participated in the founding of the Society for the Study of African American Life and History and for years ran an influential publication called The Journal of Negro History.

A number of fellow bloggers have shared the news that Good Book Company is launching operations in the U.S. That's good news for those who love solid Christian material. The press release is below:


We are pleased to announce the launch of a new, Bible-centered, Christian resource provider in North America. From the 2nd February 2009, The Good Book Company will make available its full range of resources to churches and individuals in North America from its new US-based website.

The Good Book Company is a Christian resourcing agency that began in the UK and grew out of the need for attractive, quality, practical materials for gospel work, which don’t compromise on the essentials of the Christian faith. It has a particular focus on daily devotional reading, small group Bible study, outreach, discipleship and resources for youth and children.

A number of The Good Book Company’s resources already have a strong following in the US and Canada, including Christianity Explored, The Gospel Centered Church, Christianity Explained and If you could ask God one Question. Now they are cheaper and easier to get hold of than ever before.

Editorial Director Tim Thornborough said, ‘When we exhibited at Together for the Gospel last year, we saw a real hunger for sound gospel resources which are faithful to the Bible but which also engage with an increasingly post-Christian culture. That's what we specialize in and our prayer is that the range of resources we've developed over the past two decades will serve to equip local churches in discipleship and reaching out with the gospel.”

US Ministry Director Brad Byrd said ‘February 2nd may be Groundhog Day on the calendar but, no matter what our furry friend may predict, spring has come early with the launch of The Good Book Company in the USA. A wave of fresh ideas, new perspectives and tried and true Biblical insights are available for the first time in North America.’

The launch has been timed to coincide with the Desiring God Pastor’s Conference in Minneapolis where two of The Good Book Company’s key resources - Christianity Explored and Christianity Explained – are being commended to delegates.

To celebrate the launch, visitors to thegoodbook.com will receive 10% off all purchases until the end of February.

For more details of the Good Book Company range, contact US Ministry Director, Brad Byrd at brad.byrd@thegoodbook.com or on 866 244 2165 (toll free). To browse the site, please visit http://www.thegoodbook.com/

Derek Thomas asks:

Which of these two statements do preachers most like to hear: a) "I didn't understand much of what you said, but I love to hear you preach," or "You know, when I hear you preach I say to myself, 'I could have seen that in the text"?

Read here for his short response.

Healthy octuplets born in 5 minutes to a California woman. The eight one was a surprise.

A 7 feet 3 inches tall 12 year old boy who can't stop growing.

And a 26 year old woman who is 3 feet 3 inches tall.

And God is glorified in each one!

Psalm 139

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

Today is Heroes' Day in the Cayman Islands. The country celebrates those men and women who have given themselves in extraordinary ways for the commonweal. It's a great holiday and a great cause to give God praise for His providence in national prosperity, safety, and opportunity.

I'm also celebrating other heroes--heroes of the faith. So, I'm feeding my soul by listening to John Folmar expound Eph. 5:25-33. A sweet meditation on the gospel and marriage. I'm thankful for all those heroes who labored in love to make their marriages a reflection of the Divine Love displayed in the Gospel of our Lord, and those men like John who boldly and clearly preach on these needed topics.

Speaking of marriage, our young married small group meets tonight to begin Paul David Tripp's War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles. The group nearly unanimously chose to focus on communication and this is an excellent treatment of the subject and exposing of our hearts. We begin with Genesis 1 and the fact that God is a speaking God, which fills communication with unimaginable dignity and power.

Okay, I'm taking that out of context. But, I think the thought is warranted in discussions of church membership as well. I posted this over at 9Marks where there is a good interview series with Steve Timmis about some of these issues.

But last night I began reading through John Stott's The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor. A dear member of the church gave me an autographed copy after a visit to London and All Souls where Stott served for so many years.

After reading the preface and the first chapter, I'm a little saddened that I've left this book unread for so long. It's vintage Stott--relentlessly clear and biblically centered. In the opening chapter, he spelled out a couple assumptions undergirding the book, assumptions pertinent for recent discussions here on the blog.

Stott writes:

First, I am assuming that we are all committed to the church. We are not only Christian people; we are also church people. We are not only committed to Christ, we are also committed to the body of Christ. At least I hope so. I trust that none of my readers is that grotesque anomaly, an unchurched Christian. The New Testament knows nothing of such a person. For the church lies at the very centre of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought. It is not an accident of history. On the contrary, the church is God's new community. For his purpose, conceived in a past eternity, being worked out in history, and to be perfected in a future eternity, is not just to save isolated individuals and so perpetuate our loneliness, but rather to build his church, that is, to call out of the world a people for his own glory. ... So then, the reason we are committed to the church is that God is so committed.

A little later, Stott meditates on Acts 2:47 and the hints there of the early church's commitment to evangelism. Acts 2:47 reads, "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." One of the truths Stott directs us to is:

The Lord did two things together. He 'added to their number... those who were being saved.' He didn't add them to the church without saving them, and he didn't save them without adding them to the church. Salvation and church membership went together; they still do.

In our day, we unfortunately have broken apart what the early church seemed to view as a natural, necessary, and seamless chain of events: gospel preaching and evangelism, leading to conversion and baptism, leading to church membership and communion. It's difficult to imagine that Paul or Peter or John could conceive of something called a 'Christian' that was not a baptized, communing member of the church. I think Stott is absolute correct when he refers to such creatures as a "grotesque anomaly." Part of what is critical to healthy community in the church is the conceptual and temporal tightening of the events in this chain. The clearer these things are (the gospel, conversion, the practice and meaning of baptism, church membership and the privilege of communion) and the more joined together they are in practice the stronger will be the ties that bind the church. Loosen these and you unravel the church.

From the Girl Talk blog.

This past Sunday, in God's kindness, my assistant pastor and I traveled to be with the saints at Bethlehem Baptist Church for their Racial Harmony Weekend. What a joy it was to gather with them several times over the weekend to think about the nature of the church and to think about the Christian's call to accept one another in Christ.

While we were at Bethlehem, my dear friend, brother, and fellow-laborer in the gospel and 9Marks, Jonathan Leeman, served the saints at FBC in a sermon from Colossians 3:1-17. I commend it to you for your soul's edification and your joy found in the gospel.

Thank you, Jonathan, for supplying what was lacking in our faith and leaving a spiritual deposit in our lives together!

Woke up this morning
and the leader of the free world
was a black man.

Woke up this morning,
got myself dressed,
and marveled at what's happened in this land.

Brushed my teeth in the mirror,
smiled at a face made silly with tooth paste.

No more black face comedy,
there's a black man in the White House,
and so much of the world is subject to his tastes.

What will it mean,
to now be a black man in the free world?

Will anything change,
will everything change,
a million ideas in my mind all in a swirl.

I don't even write poetry.
But I woke up this morning
and a black man was the leader of the free world.

Prose won't do it for me,
describe this ended longing.
Can you believe an African-American leads the free world,
with a beautiful brown wife and two little girls?

My country tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
land where my fathers died,
land where black mothers cried,
land where we were so long denied,
on every mountainside,
freedom rings.

Barack Hussein Obama,
son of a black man and a white mama,
now leads the free world.

Heaven knows the plot twists of this drama.
God help us, please help us.
Protect every unborn boy and girl.

Can't wink at some things,
even as the joy is irrepressible.
The confluence of emotions are inexpressible.

Gil Scott Heron had it wrong:
The revolution has been televised, has been televised, has been televised.
And a black man is the leader of the free world!

I never believed my mama,
when she said I could be anything, even president.
But now the White House has a new resident,
Barack Hussein Obama.

Goes to show what I know.
On a cold January day, my mama was proved a prophet.
In God's economy, nothing could stop it.
And this morning, a black man is the leader of the free world.

I've slowly read this section from Horatius Bonar's The Everlasting Righteousness (pp. 33-36)several times. My heart sings each time I read it. I hope your heart breaks forth in praise for the Lamb.

We are never done with the cross nor ever shall be. Its wonders will be always new and always fraught with joy. "The Lamb as it had been slain" will be the theme of our praise above. Why should such a name be given to him in such a book as the Revelation, which in one sense carried us far past the cross, were it not that we shall always realize our connection with its one salvation; we shall always be looking to it even in the midst of the glory; and we shall always be learning from it some new lesson regarding the work of him "in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace"? What will they who here speak of themselves as being so advanced as to be done with the cross say to being brought face to face with the slain Lamb, in the age of absolute perfection, the age of the heavenly glory?

You fool! Do you not know that the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ endures forever and that you shall eternally glory in it, if you are saved by it at all?

You fool! Will you not join in the song below, "To him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood"? Will you not join in the song above, "You were slain, and here redeemed us to God by your blood"? And do you not remember that it is "the Lamb as it had been slain" that "the seven spirits of God are sent forth into all the Earth"? (Rev. 5:6)

It is the Lamb who stands in the midst of the elders (Rev. 5:6) and before whom they fall down. "Worthy is the Lamb" is the theme of celestial song. It is the Lamb that opens the seals (6:1). It is before the Lamb that the great multitude stand clothed in white (7:9). It is the blood of the Lamb that washes the raiment white (7:14). It is by the blood of the Lamb that the victory is won (12:11). The book of life belongs to the Lamb slain (13:8). It was the Lamb that stood on the glorious Mount (14:1). It is the Lamb that the redeemed multitude are seen following (14:4), and that multitude is the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb (14:4). It is the song of the Lamb that is sung in heaven (15:3). It is the Lamb that wars and overcomes (17:14). It is the marriage of the Lamb that is celebrated, and it is to the marriage supper of the Lamb that we are called (19:7, 9). The church is the Lamb's wife (21:9). On the foundations of the heavenly city are written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (21:14). Of this city the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (21:27, 22:1, 3) sum up this wondrous list of honours and dignities belonging to the Lord Jesus as the crucified Son of God.

Thus the glory of Heaven revolves around the cross, and every object on which the eye lights in the celestial city will remind us of the cross and carry us back to Golgotha. Never shall we get beyond it, or turn our backs on it, or cease to draw from it the divine virtue which it contains.

The tree--be it palm, cedar, or olive--can never be independent on its roots, however stately its growth and however plentiful its fruit. The building--be it palace or temple--can never be separated from its foundation, however spacious or ornate its structure may be. So, never shall the redeemed by independent of the cross or cease to draw from its fullness.

In what ways our looking to the cross hereafter will benefit us; what the shadow of that tree will do for us in the eternal kingdom, I know not, nor do I venture to say. But it would seem as if the cross and the glory were so inseparably bound together that there cannot be the enjoyment of the one without the remembrance of the other. The completeness of the sacrificial work on Calvary will be matter for eternal contemplation and rejoicing long after every sin has been, by its cleansing efficacy, washed out of our being forever.

Shall we ever exhaust the fullness of the cross? Is it a mere stepping-stone to something beyond itself? Shall we ever cease to glory in it (as the apostle gloried), not only because of past, but because of present and eternal blessing? The forgiveness of sin is one thing, but is that all? The crucifixion of the world is another, but is that all? Is the cross to be a relic, useless though venerable, like the serpent of brass laud up in the tabernacle to be destroyed perhaps at some future time and called Nehushtan? (2 Kings 18:4). Or is it not rather like the tree of life which bears twelve manner of fruits and yields its fruit every month by the banks of the celestial river? Its influence here on Earth is transforming. But even after the transformation has been completed and the whole church perfected, shall there not be a rising higher and higher, a taking on of greater and yet greater comeliness, a passing from glory to glory--all in connection with the cross and through the never-ending vision of its wonders?

Of the new Jerusalem it is said, "The Lamb is the light [or lamp] thereof" (Rev. 21:23). The Lamb is only another name for Christ crucified. Thus it is the cross that is the lamp of the holy city; and with its light the gates of pearl, the jasper wall, the golden streets, the brilliant foundations, and the crystal river are all lighted up. The glow of the cross is everywhere, penetrating every part, reflected from every gem; and by its peculiar radiance transporting the dwellers of the city back to Golgotha as the fountainhead of all this splendor.

It is light from Calvary that fills the Heavens of heavens. Yet it is no dim religious light, for the glory of God is to lighten to it (Rev. 21:23). Its light is "like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal... and there is no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light" (Rev. 21:11; 22:5). Yes, we shall never be done with the cross and the blood; though, where all are clean and perfect in every sense, these will not be used for purging the conscience or justifying the ungodly.

It is the symbol both a a dying and of a risen Christ that we find in the Revelation. the "Lamb as it had been slain" indicates both. But the prominence is given to the former. It is the slain Lamb that has the power and authority to open the seals; implying that it was in his sin bearing or sacrificial character that he exercised his right, and that it was his finished work on which this right rested and by which it was acquired. It is as the Lamb that he is possessed with all wisdom and strength--"the seven horns and the seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God" (Rev. 5:6); the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of omniscience and omnipotence.

The Lamb is one of his special and eternal titles; the name by which he is best known in Heaven. As such, we obey and honor and worship him; never being allowed to lose sight of the cross amid all the glories of the kingdom. As such we follow him, and shall follow him eternally. As it is written, "There are thy that follow the Lamb wherever he goes" (Rev. 14:4).

Thanks to James Grant for a useful, fear-free approach to building a routine for family worship. The three steps:

1. Plan to have family worship after an evening meal
2. Read through a good book (like this one)
3. Say the Lord’s prayer after reading the book


Grant's final encouragement:

whether you are starting out or have been doing this for a while, don’t make it into a burden. You will defeat your purpose if you treat this as a strict discipline. Your kids need to enjoy this, and if you include them and keep it simple at first, they will help you build it into more.

Good counsel indeed. Read the entire post for more explanation and some additional resources. (HT: JT)

Al Mohler reflects on President-elect Obama's decision to have Episcopal Bishop Eugene Robertson lead the prayer at the Lincoln Memorial part of the inauguration festivities. The concluding paragraphs:

"The crisis in the Church of England," wrote Clive James in The Dreaming Swimmer, "is that too many of its bishops, and some would say of its archbishops, don't quite realize that they are atheists, but have begun to suspect it."

The "God of our many understandings" is a confused composite -- a very postmodern idol. Clive James is quite right about the theological crisis of unbelieving bishops - but you need go no farther than New Hampshire to find an example.

Phil Johnson explains why, though a Calvinist, he is not an over-the-top-rabid anti-Arminian firestarter. Phil, thanks for spilling a little ink to save a little blood between brethren.

Colin has a helpful tip for preparing sermons or for regular Bible reading. Play 20 observations.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:4) Humility is true greatness as our friend C.J. Mahaney might say. The humble, the lowly of heart, are the exalted ones in the kingdom of heaven, not the braggarts, the strong, the worldly wise.

The Lord began teaching that with the beatitudes. The first one (Matt. 5:3) is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Later in Matt. 20:26-28 Jesus says, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

And without question Jesus is more humble than all. Phil. 2 says He made himself of no reputation… and took upon himself the form of slave… and became obedient to death. He came, the King and Creator of glory, and gave His life as a ransom for His people. Who would have imagined such humility from an omnipotent God?

In His humility Christ took upon himself human flesh… a nature that shrouded His true glory for a season.

In His humility… He obeyed the Law that He himself had given.

In His humility… He suffered ridicule and rejection, beatings and crucifixion… at the hands of men He had made.

In His humility... He tasted the curse of death, a curse pronounced against sinful men.

In His humility… He quietly suffered the wrath of God against sin that belonged to others… that belonged to us.

In His humility… He intercedes for us who believe on Him.

In His humility… He will bring wretched, undeserving sinners to share in His kingdom and glory.

My non-Christian friend… if the Savior has been so humble… surely it is right, then, that those who would be saved by Him… would humble themselves like children. Would see how their sins have made them helpless and unimportant babes. And would turn away from their sins… which have caused the Father’s wrath. And in humility and dependence, call out upon the Name of the Lord to be saved. Repentance and faith… turning and believing… are nothing more than humility leaning on Christ Jesus for rescue from a deserved hell.

Do you have that kind of humility? Do you admit that you are a sinner and that you do sin? Does your conscience convince you that you deserve the punishment of God for your sins? Do you admit that God is right and just to avenge sin? If so… then can you see your need to be rescued from God’s judgment against your sin? Can you see why you must humbly turn to Jesus and pray for His salvation? And do you see that you need to do this now… urgently… before it is too late and Judgment Day begins?

This is too bizarre to pass up. A couple recently exchanged wedding vows in a Taco Bell. The first two lines of the story are downright hilarious. "Normal, IL." Apparently, there's not much normal about Normal, IL.

Customers inside the fast-food restaurant continued to order tacos and burritos as the couple sat Friday in an orange Taco Bell booth and exchanged vows.

Employees displayed hot sauce packets labeled with the words "Will you marry me?" They decorated the restaurant with streamers and balloons.

The bride wore a $15 hot pink dress and the entire wedding cost about $200. Several dozen guests looked on as the couple's friend, Ryan Green of Normal, administered the vows while wearing a T-shirt. He was ordained online.

Now, I'm all for inexpensive weddings. My wife and I married for about the same amount of money. And too many high-dollar productions are over in a couple year's time, leaving the couple with huge debt as they prepared for the wedding but not the marriage.

But a fast-food wedding speaks volume about the state of marriage and the ceremonies that celebrate them. On-line relationship, add one on-line "ordination", pull up to the local drive-thru, and let's call it a marriage. One hopes they don't "run for the border" before death does them part.

Just when you thought things weren't weird enough with marriage, divorce takes a wacky turn. One NY man wants his former wife to return a kidney he devoted to her in 2001. Wow. Now a divorce can cost you an arm, a leg, and a donated kidney.

Because I have a congregation that loves me more than I deserve, I am often asked by them: "how can I pray for you?" I've tried to put some thought into how I answer that question. So, maybe these ideas will help you pray for your pastor, or tell others how they can pray for you.
Pray -

1. That [your pastor] would know and love the living God, would have a saving interest in Christ, being purchased by His blood, and thus would be bound to the Lord by the indissoluble bond of the Holy Spirit.

2. That [your pastor] would know, embrace and ever more deeply understand the Gospel and be shaped by it in life and ministry.

3. That [your pastor] would be useful servant of the Lord, that he would know and love God's word, God's people, and God's kingdom; that he would be used to build it up and so that it prevails even against Hell's gates.

4. That [your pastor] would study, practice and teach the Word of the Lord, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

5. That [your pastor] would love to pray, because he loves to commune with his God, and that he would be a man of prayer, characteristically.

6. That [your pastor] would be ever dependent upon and filled with the Spirit; and that he would possess true Spiritual wisdom.

7. That [your pastor] would be holy unto the Lord. That his tongue and heart would be wholly God's.

8. That [your pastor] would be kept from pride, and especially spiritual pride. That the Lord himself would be gracious to slay pride in him, and that your pastor would endeavor to always be putting pride to death, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

9. That God would give [your pastor] guidance as to where to focus his efforts in ministry.

10. That He would protect [your pastor] from himself, from the enemy of his soul, and from all earthly enemies.

11. That no decision which [your pastor] ever makes or desire that [your pastor] ever pursues would restrict his ability to pour his whole soul into the Gospel ministry.

12.That many would be converted and many built up under [your pastor]'s ministry, to God's glory alone.

13. That the Lord would bless [your pastor]'s wife, [. . . ], with holiness and happiness, Gospel assurance and Gospel rest.

14. That God would make [your pastor] a decent husband and father.

15. That [your pastor] would be a good friend to his wife, and love her self-sacrificially,

16. That [your pastor] would be a good daddy to his children. That they would love God, their parents and the church.

17. That [your pastor] would be a testimony in the home so that his wife might be able to respect him when he is in the pulpit, and so that [your pastor] will be able to feed her soul, along with the rest of the congregation.

Today started a bit slowly. I've been fighting off a cold or flu for the past couple days. So, it was a congested, sluggish start.

I arrived in the office in time to pick up a big stack of mail, answer a couple emails, then begin meeting with staff one-on-one. I am so thankful for the team the Lord has and is assembling here. Such gifted men and women passionate about the cross and committed in love to this body of believers. The day began to perk up as the Lord made me freshly aware of how privileged I am to serve with and lead this team, and as we considered many of the ministry opportunities before us in the next couple of months.

The day was going so good I didn't even flinch when my wife showed up and told me the car needed a major unexpected repair.

Then a young woman, who had asked yesterday following the service if she could come meet with me to discuss spiritual things, came in to meet. She's had a varied church background, but it seems the Lord is opening her heart through repentance and faith to believe upon and trust Him. What a privilege it was to hear of the Sovereign Spirit's work in her life in bringing her to Christ. What a joy to pray with this dear woman, a newborn sister in Christ whom I trust will walk with the Lord all her remaining days!

May the Lord be praised for using His word! How wonderful to be used, an earthen vessel, to share the riches of the glory of Christ from Sunday to Sunday and to see Him call lost ones to himself! This is the sweetest calling! It's the first Monday in 2009, boy I hope all the remaining Mondays are like this one! But if not... I'm encouraged.

In a couple weeks time, Bethlehem Baptist Church will have its annual "Racial Harmony Weekend." It's a time in the life of the church where the believers at Bethlehem celebrate the supremacy of Christ over the long and ugly history and wounds of racial division and over the richly varied and wonderful contributions of every tribe, nation and tongue.

This year's celebration will occur against the backdrop of Dr. King's birthday celebration, the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington, and the inauguration of the country's first African-American president.

And this year, it will be a great privilege to be with the saints at Bethlehem and to share with them over the weekend. If you're in the Minneapolis area, consider joining us in praise of our glorious God and His Son Christ Jesus. Here's a poster with the details.

We'll begin the weekend with a consideration of "Bearing the Image: Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church." Friday night and Saturday we'll participate in a workshop on What Is a Healthy Church Member? And then it will be a privilege to preach Romans 14:1-15:13 on Sunday morning.

I'm looking forward to the fellowship with the saints, and praying the Lord will be honored and exalted among us.

From Horatius Bonar's, The Everlasting Righteousness, pp. 10-12.

The various sacrifices are all connected with the altar. Even that which was "burnt without the camp" was connected with the altar. It was no doubt carried forth without the camp and burnt with fire (Lev. 6:30, 16:27); but "the blood was brought into the tabernacle of the congregation, to reconcile withal in the holy place." "The blood of the bullock was brought in, to make atonement in the holy place." Their connection with the altar is sufficient of itself to show the truth of substitution contained in them, for the altar was the place of transference. But in each of them we find something which expresses this more directly and fully.

In the burnt offering we see the perfection of the substitute presented in the place of our imperfection, in not loving God with all our heart.

In the meat offering we have the perfection of the substitute, as that on which, when laid upon the alter, God feeds, and on which he invites us to feed.

In the peace offering we find the perfection of the substitute laid on the same altar as an atonement, reconciling us to God; removing the distance and the enmity, and providing food for us out of that which had passed through death; for "he is our peace."

In the sin offering we see the perfection of the substitute whose blood is sprinkled on the altar and whose body is burnt without, as securing pardon for unconscious sins--sins of ignorance.

In the trespass offering there is the same perfection of the substitute in his atoning character procuring forgiveness for conscious and wilful sin.

In the drink offering we have the perfection of the substitute poured out on the altar as that by which God is refreshed and by which we are also refreshed. "His blood is drink indeed."

in the incense offering we have the "sweet savor" of the substitute going up to God in our behalf; the cloud of fragrance from his life and death with which God is well pleased, enveloping us and making us fragrant with a fragrance not our own; absorbing all in us that is displeasing or hateful and replacing it with sweetness altogether perfect and divine.

In the fire we see the holy wrath of the Judge consuming the victim slain in the place of the sinner. In the ashes we have the proof that the wrath had been spent itself, that the penalty was paid, that the work was done. "It is finished," was the voice of the ashes on the altar.

In all this we see such things as the following: (1) God's displeasure against sin; (2) that displeasure exhausted in a righteous way; (3) the substitute presented and accepted; (4) the substitute slain and consumed; (5) the transference of the wrath from the sinner to his representative; (6) God resting in his live over the sinner and viewing him in the perfection of his substitute; (7) the sinner reconciled, accepted, complete, enjoying God's favor, and feeding at his table on that on which God had fed; on that which had come from the altar and had passed through the fire.

For that which satisfies the holiness of God cannot but satisfy the conscience of the sinner. God, pointing to the altar, says, "That is enough for me"; the sinner responds and says, "It is enough for me."

In April 2002 to be exact. Tim is up to some good cliffhanging posts this year. This one is about how he left the work-a-day world and began a new business in web design. If you ever wondered how the uber-blogger got his start, here's the skinny.

As you go into 2009, how are you praying? Got the nerve yet to ask God for what you really need and really long for and what would really display his glory in this God-denying world? Or are you settling for polite prayers that bore you and bore God and change nothing?

Read the brief but provocative post here.

While you're there, check Ray's reflection on four things he is thankful for and four things that give him concern in 2009. Here.

Instead of resolutions, David Matthis recommends we take a healthy dose of the good Dr. Lloyd-Jones for the new year. He directs us especially to this quote from Spiritual Depression:

Would you like to be rid of this spiritual depression? The first thing you have to do is to say farewell now once and forever to your past. Realize that it has been covered and blotted out in Christ. Never look back at your sins again. Say: ‘It is finished, it is covered by the Blood of Christ'. That is your first step. Take that and finish with yourself and all this talk about goodness, and look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only then that true happiness and joy are possible for you. What you need is not to make resolutions to live a better life, to start fasting and sweating and praying. No! You just begin to say:

I rest my faith on Him alone
Who died for my transgressions to atone. (35)

May the Lord bless you and keep you,