In a gripping article from the Associated Press published on April 22, I learned that an Albany, NY mail carrier saved a 1-year-old child by catching her after she fell out of a second story window. Lisa Harrell saw a little girl in a window above her as she was delivering mail to a home on April 21, and then caught the child in her arms before she fell to the ground below. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a wonderful thing, worthy of much discussion and gratitude.
“have you been saved?” This question used to permeate the sanctuaries, classrooms, and hallways of local churches all across the US. New members, teenagers, and death-bed folks all heard the question posed to them with great vigor and concern.
But today, the question has gone by the wayside. Why? Why are evangelicals not asking people about being saved? Why is the whole concept of being saved somehow no longer in vogue in the public arena? Think it through. How long has it been since someone asked you if you have been saved?
Well, let’s define terms. Lisa Harrell saved that little girl from serious injury or death. How? Lisa caught the child and kept her from certain harm. Thus the concept of being saved is simple: one person performs some action in order to keep another from harm.
What do evangelical Christians mean when they talk about being saved? This too is simple. All of us are destined for destruction, headed straight for the wrath of God. There is no hope for us. We are sinful before an infinitely holy God. But God sent his Son, Jesus. Jesus died as a sacrifice on our behalf. He satisfied God’s wrath against us for our sins and carried away our guilt. Jesus then rose from the grave, proving to all that God was truly satisfied with his finished work. So, in a sense, Jesus caught God’s children as they fell toward certain and eternal death.
So, in a Christian understanding, “Are you saved,” is merely another way of asking if you have been rescued by Jesus. How does that happen? Jesus makes it clear in John 3:16 that the way that we are rescued from destruction is by having true faith in Jesus. This is not to say that we simply believe that Jesus exists; rather, it is to say that we believe the things written above. To place your faith in Jesus is to let go of any hope of being good enough to work your way into heaven. To trust Jesus is to say that he is your only hope to be forgiven of the wrong that you have done both intentionally and unintentionally.
I don’t know if you’ve thought about it, but this is a beautiful message. That God would go to such lengths to rescue us from his wrath when we have earned that wrath, this is amazing.
Perhaps some of the reason that the “saved” question is no longer popular is that most of us no longer think about the fact that there is something from which we need saving. Perhaps we have become accustomed to blaming our environment, our parents, our bosses, our body chemistry, our ethnicity, our education level, or something else for our behaviors. Perhaps we simply do not want to think of ourselves as guilty. But the fact is, we do stand guilty before a holy God. God has made one way for us to be made right before him. He has offered grace to us. So, with love I ask you, “Have you been saved?”
Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080422/ap_on_re_us/falling_baby_caught
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
T4G Audio
In case you do not know, you can get all the MP3 files of the 2008 Together For the Gospel conference that just ended. I was there, and it was wonderful.
http://www.t4g.org/08/media/
http://www.t4g.org/08/media/
Monday, April 14, 2008
Make Your Funeral a Party (Psalm 84:1-3, 10)
Psalm 84:1-3, 10
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
.
A single thought struck me as I looked at Psalm 84 today: funerals. Strange, I know, to think about a funeral in the middle of a psalm like this, but I think it applicable. You see, the psalmist declares that his heart, his soul, his flesh cries out for God. HE declares that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, better in his mind than the thought of dwelling in the house of God.
So often, when Christians pass away, we find ourselves grieving, and rightly so, over the loss of a dear friend or family member. Without question, to mourn the loss of a friend is a biblically right thing to do (cf. Philippians 2:25-27). However, how often do we fail to think about things like we read in Psalm 84? How often do we fail to remember that, for the Christian, death in this life is an immediate entrance into the glorious presence of God? How often do we fail to remind funeral-goers that the Christian in the casket is, at that very moment, experiencing the one thing that can truly satisfy their heart for an eternity?
One more question: Why? Why do we miss the joy of the funeral? I think that there could be one simple answer. WE often fail to experience the joy of the funeral because we fail in our day-to-day lives to remind one another that we want nothing greater than to dwell in the house of the Lord. We fail to speak constantly of the fact that it is better to spend one day in heaven than a thousand years anywhere. We fail to speak with longing for even a place in the back row seats of heaven over and above the front row of the greatest spectacle this world has to offer. We miss the joy because our day-to-day conversations are not filled with longing for the eternal.
Christians, how about this: Let’s make it easy for our friends and families to attend our own funerals. How can we do that? We can make it easy for our families by making sure that they know that there is nothing for which we long more than to be forever in the presence of our Lord. Let them know, even if you are young, that you are looking forward with anticipation to the greatest moment of your life, the moment when you first truly set eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the world around you know that your heart is in heaven, and they will be able to rejoice at your funeral.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
.
A single thought struck me as I looked at Psalm 84 today: funerals. Strange, I know, to think about a funeral in the middle of a psalm like this, but I think it applicable. You see, the psalmist declares that his heart, his soul, his flesh cries out for God. HE declares that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, better in his mind than the thought of dwelling in the house of God.
So often, when Christians pass away, we find ourselves grieving, and rightly so, over the loss of a dear friend or family member. Without question, to mourn the loss of a friend is a biblically right thing to do (cf. Philippians 2:25-27). However, how often do we fail to think about things like we read in Psalm 84? How often do we fail to remember that, for the Christian, death in this life is an immediate entrance into the glorious presence of God? How often do we fail to remind funeral-goers that the Christian in the casket is, at that very moment, experiencing the one thing that can truly satisfy their heart for an eternity?
One more question: Why? Why do we miss the joy of the funeral? I think that there could be one simple answer. WE often fail to experience the joy of the funeral because we fail in our day-to-day lives to remind one another that we want nothing greater than to dwell in the house of the Lord. We fail to speak constantly of the fact that it is better to spend one day in heaven than a thousand years anywhere. We fail to speak with longing for even a place in the back row seats of heaven over and above the front row of the greatest spectacle this world has to offer. We miss the joy because our day-to-day conversations are not filled with longing for the eternal.
Christians, how about this: Let’s make it easy for our friends and families to attend our own funerals. How can we do that? We can make it easy for our families by making sure that they know that there is nothing for which we long more than to be forever in the presence of our Lord. Let them know, even if you are young, that you are looking forward with anticipation to the greatest moment of your life, the moment when you first truly set eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the world around you know that your heart is in heaven, and they will be able to rejoice at your funeral.
Put Sin to Death (Judges 2:1-3)
Judges 2:1-3 - 1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
.
Judges chapters 1-3 give to us the account of Israel’s first years after the rule of Joshua. As the nation fought to take the land, they failed to thoroughly drive out the inhabitants. Later, those enemies whom the nation refused to destroy reared their heads to the harm of Israel. Simply put, Israel struggled and often failed because they failed to obey God’s command to completely destroy their enemies.
It is apparent that, in the Christian life, we too must strive against sin in such a way as to utterly destroy it. It is no good simply to have partial or temporary victory over a sinful habit. We need to so fight against sin as to put it to death, to mortify it. While we may never be totally victorious in this lifetime, we must battle against our sinful natures in such a way that we show our sin no mercy, no rest, no chance to regroup and assault us.
Read the following excerpts from chapter 6 of John Owen’s book, On the Mortification of Sin in the Life of the Believer (I have no page numbers to offer you, as this is from a downloaded copy from www.ccel.org):
“As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; -- when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.”
“This is the folly of some men; they set themselves with all earnestness and diligence against the appearing eruption of lust, but, leaving the principle and root untouched, perhaps unsearched out, they make but little or no progress in this work of mortification.”
“Such a one never thinks his lust dead because it is quiet, but labours still to give it new wounds, new blows every day.”
“For instance, when the heart finds sin at any time at work, seducing, forming imaginations to make provision for the flesh, to fulfill that lusts thereof, it instantly apprehends sin, and brings it to the law of God and love of Christ, condemns it, follows it with execution to the uttermost. Now, I say, when a man comes to this state and condition, that lust is weakened in the root and principle, that its motions and actions are fewer and weaker than formerly, so that they are not able to hinder his duty nor interrupt his peace, -- when he can, in a quiet, sedate frame of spirit, find out and fight against sin, and have success against it, -- then sin is mortified in some considerable measure, and, notwithstanding all its opposition, a man may have peace with God all his days.”
.
Judges chapters 1-3 give to us the account of Israel’s first years after the rule of Joshua. As the nation fought to take the land, they failed to thoroughly drive out the inhabitants. Later, those enemies whom the nation refused to destroy reared their heads to the harm of Israel. Simply put, Israel struggled and often failed because they failed to obey God’s command to completely destroy their enemies.
It is apparent that, in the Christian life, we too must strive against sin in such a way as to utterly destroy it. It is no good simply to have partial or temporary victory over a sinful habit. We need to so fight against sin as to put it to death, to mortify it. While we may never be totally victorious in this lifetime, we must battle against our sinful natures in such a way that we show our sin no mercy, no rest, no chance to regroup and assault us.
Read the following excerpts from chapter 6 of John Owen’s book, On the Mortification of Sin in the Life of the Believer (I have no page numbers to offer you, as this is from a downloaded copy from www.ccel.org):
“As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; -- when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.”
“This is the folly of some men; they set themselves with all earnestness and diligence against the appearing eruption of lust, but, leaving the principle and root untouched, perhaps unsearched out, they make but little or no progress in this work of mortification.”
“Such a one never thinks his lust dead because it is quiet, but labours still to give it new wounds, new blows every day.”
“For instance, when the heart finds sin at any time at work, seducing, forming imaginations to make provision for the flesh, to fulfill that lusts thereof, it instantly apprehends sin, and brings it to the law of God and love of Christ, condemns it, follows it with execution to the uttermost. Now, I say, when a man comes to this state and condition, that lust is weakened in the root and principle, that its motions and actions are fewer and weaker than formerly, so that they are not able to hinder his duty nor interrupt his peace, -- when he can, in a quiet, sedate frame of spirit, find out and fight against sin, and have success against it, -- then sin is mortified in some considerable measure, and, notwithstanding all its opposition, a man may have peace with God all his days.”
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Well put, Greg Laurie
In an article entitled “'The Emergent Church': A dangerous counterfeit,” Greg Laurie offers a call for Christians to not lose sight of the basic doctrines of the faith. Click this posts’ title to read the entire article.
Some quotes worth sharing:
**
Now, that sounds very inclusive and kind, but I have to tell you it goes against the very core of the essential Gospel message. Yes, it is certainly true that people of faiths other than Christianity – or even no faith at all – can be "decent, good and kind." But the simple fact is, a man or woman does not come into a relationship with God by being "kind and good," but rather by admitting that he or she is a sinner who needs forgiveness from God.
**
They want to "be real," "authentic" and "honest," just as my generation did.
That's fine, but in the final analysis, "being real" is not the most important thing. Being right with God is. Quite frankly, you can be "real" wrong! And there are some pied pipers out there who are leading many young people down the wrong road.
One of these leaders made this statement: "I must add, though, that I don't believe making disciples must equal making adherence to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many, not all circumstances, to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts."
This sounds very inclusive and loving, but it is flat-out wrong and unscriptural! We want people to become followers of Jesus in a biblical context! The Bible teaches that you become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly tells us, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NKJV).
**
Jesus plainly said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the life. …" (John 14:6, NKJV) Yet despite this clear biblical teaching, another "emergent" leader says, "I see the world through the images of Christianity, which teaches me that I encounter God in everyone I meet, regardless of what they believe."
This is New Age mysticism, not New Testament Christianity. The truth is, you will only find Christ living in those who have put their faith in Him.
**
At the same time, I see other churches becoming distracted from the proclamation of the Gospel and instead focusing their primary energies on issues like "global warming." I'll tell you about global warming; it's when people spend eternity separated from Jesus Christ in hell! Jesus said of hell, "The fire never goes out" (Mark 9:48, NLT).
Some quotes worth sharing:
**
Now, that sounds very inclusive and kind, but I have to tell you it goes against the very core of the essential Gospel message. Yes, it is certainly true that people of faiths other than Christianity – or even no faith at all – can be "decent, good and kind." But the simple fact is, a man or woman does not come into a relationship with God by being "kind and good," but rather by admitting that he or she is a sinner who needs forgiveness from God.
**
They want to "be real," "authentic" and "honest," just as my generation did.
That's fine, but in the final analysis, "being real" is not the most important thing. Being right with God is. Quite frankly, you can be "real" wrong! And there are some pied pipers out there who are leading many young people down the wrong road.
One of these leaders made this statement: "I must add, though, that I don't believe making disciples must equal making adherence to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many, not all circumstances, to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts."
This sounds very inclusive and loving, but it is flat-out wrong and unscriptural! We want people to become followers of Jesus in a biblical context! The Bible teaches that you become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly tells us, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NKJV).
**
Jesus plainly said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the life. …" (John 14:6, NKJV) Yet despite this clear biblical teaching, another "emergent" leader says, "I see the world through the images of Christianity, which teaches me that I encounter God in everyone I meet, regardless of what they believe."
This is New Age mysticism, not New Testament Christianity. The truth is, you will only find Christ living in those who have put their faith in Him.
**
At the same time, I see other churches becoming distracted from the proclamation of the Gospel and instead focusing their primary energies on issues like "global warming." I'll tell you about global warming; it's when people spend eternity separated from Jesus Christ in hell! Jesus said of hell, "The fire never goes out" (Mark 9:48, NLT).
Saturday, April 05, 2008
If Kings Should Fear God. . . (Psalm 76:11-12)
Psalm 76:11-12
11 Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
let all around him bring gifts
to him who is to be feared,
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.
.
King’s do a lot of things. They rule. They give orders. They boss people around. They sit on their thrones. But there is one thing that is generally thought unbecoming a king: fear.
I just spent a little time reading a fun little irreverent fiction by Terry Pratchett called Pyramids: A Novel of Discworld. In this text, Pratchett spoofs ancient Egypt, and the power that the people believed their Pharaoh to possess. Even in fiction, there is something enlightening to be found. In this book, I was reminded of how people of this world view their monarchs. It was not uncommon in the times of biblical writing for people to think that their ruler somehow caused the sun to rise. And even today, we look at presidents and governors, and think them invincible to the outside world even if they might find ways to politically ruin themselves.
In light of our unflinching confidence in our rulers, the words of Psalm 76 ought to get our attention. It is appropriate for rulers, kings, the men whom we all know to be in control, to fear God. This is not simply a call for those men to know about God. It is not a call to simply respect God. Rulers, the most powerful men on the planet, are right if they fear God.
Now, think of this in light of the common person. Since I find it doubtful that any global ruler will be reading this devotional post, I think I can safely say that all of us are somehow lower than the rulers of this world. All of us are less powerful and less secure in our social positions. And if God calls kings to fear him, how much more should we fear him? He is the creator. He is the giver of life. He is the one who made us by his power and for his glory. Let us not stand before him self-confident. Let us not think for a moment that we exist by anything other than his pleasure. Let us tremble before the mighty God who has expressed his love for us by giving his Son to pay for our sin. Let us worship the God who has every right to destroy us, but who sustains us for the sake of his name. Let us learn from God’s call for kings to fear him.
11 Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
let all around him bring gifts
to him who is to be feared,
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.
.
King’s do a lot of things. They rule. They give orders. They boss people around. They sit on their thrones. But there is one thing that is generally thought unbecoming a king: fear.
I just spent a little time reading a fun little irreverent fiction by Terry Pratchett called Pyramids: A Novel of Discworld. In this text, Pratchett spoofs ancient Egypt, and the power that the people believed their Pharaoh to possess. Even in fiction, there is something enlightening to be found. In this book, I was reminded of how people of this world view their monarchs. It was not uncommon in the times of biblical writing for people to think that their ruler somehow caused the sun to rise. And even today, we look at presidents and governors, and think them invincible to the outside world even if they might find ways to politically ruin themselves.
In light of our unflinching confidence in our rulers, the words of Psalm 76 ought to get our attention. It is appropriate for rulers, kings, the men whom we all know to be in control, to fear God. This is not simply a call for those men to know about God. It is not a call to simply respect God. Rulers, the most powerful men on the planet, are right if they fear God.
Now, think of this in light of the common person. Since I find it doubtful that any global ruler will be reading this devotional post, I think I can safely say that all of us are somehow lower than the rulers of this world. All of us are less powerful and less secure in our social positions. And if God calls kings to fear him, how much more should we fear him? He is the creator. He is the giver of life. He is the one who made us by his power and for his glory. Let us not stand before him self-confident. Let us not think for a moment that we exist by anything other than his pleasure. Let us tremble before the mighty God who has expressed his love for us by giving his Son to pay for our sin. Let us worship the God who has every right to destroy us, but who sustains us for the sake of his name. Let us learn from God’s call for kings to fear him.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
MacArthur on When to Confront
John MacArthur has written a nice article to help us to know when to confront a person and when to simply forgive and let it go.
http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/04/03/let-them-know-or-let-it-go/
http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/04/03/let-them-know-or-let-it-go/
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Behind the Scenes (Joshua 2:8-11)
Joshua 2:8-11 - 8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”
.
One of the greatest mistakes that the people of God tend to make is to predict the success or failure of something based solely on what we can see. Think of how often you do not share your faith with a lost person because, in your mind, that person is not “ready” to hear the gospel. Think of how often you choose not to obey the commands of God because you feel that something is amiss.
The example of disobedience that God brings to mind in Joshua 2 is the disobedience of the people of Israel from years before. The spies of Numbers 13-14 told the people of Israel that they could not take the land because of the opposition they would face. The people believed the spies, and God forced them to wander the wilderness until an entire generation died.
But look at the words of Rahab. She tells the men Joshua sent into Jericho that, when the people of her city heard about what God had done through the nation of Israel, all of their courage left them. All the hearts of the warriors melted with fear at the proposition of facing the Lord’s army. God was working behind the scenes to bring about the impossible.
Now, think about that witnessing encounter that you have avoided or that command of God’s you have refused to obey because you think that circumstances are not right. The truth is, you and I have absolutely no ability to read circumstances. This is because WE have no way to know what God is doing behind the scenes to accomplish his will. It could be that, though you cannot see it, the Lord has placed great conviction on someone’s heart. It could be that, though you don’t know it, the Lord has already made a way to help your financial ends meet when you choose to give faithfully to his ministry. It could be that God has already put in place how you would be able to give away something of value in your life and yet still live for him.
Rahab’s words tell us that God is working in ways that we simply cannot see. Therefore, we must learn to trust the Lord, obey his commands, and do what seems to be impossible.
.
One of the greatest mistakes that the people of God tend to make is to predict the success or failure of something based solely on what we can see. Think of how often you do not share your faith with a lost person because, in your mind, that person is not “ready” to hear the gospel. Think of how often you choose not to obey the commands of God because you feel that something is amiss.
The example of disobedience that God brings to mind in Joshua 2 is the disobedience of the people of Israel from years before. The spies of Numbers 13-14 told the people of Israel that they could not take the land because of the opposition they would face. The people believed the spies, and God forced them to wander the wilderness until an entire generation died.
But look at the words of Rahab. She tells the men Joshua sent into Jericho that, when the people of her city heard about what God had done through the nation of Israel, all of their courage left them. All the hearts of the warriors melted with fear at the proposition of facing the Lord’s army. God was working behind the scenes to bring about the impossible.
Now, think about that witnessing encounter that you have avoided or that command of God’s you have refused to obey because you think that circumstances are not right. The truth is, you and I have absolutely no ability to read circumstances. This is because WE have no way to know what God is doing behind the scenes to accomplish his will. It could be that, though you cannot see it, the Lord has placed great conviction on someone’s heart. It could be that, though you don’t know it, the Lord has already made a way to help your financial ends meet when you choose to give faithfully to his ministry. It could be that God has already put in place how you would be able to give away something of value in your life and yet still live for him.
Rahab’s words tell us that God is working in ways that we simply cannot see. Therefore, we must learn to trust the Lord, obey his commands, and do what seems to be impossible.
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