Out of the "Box"

Christ Crucified

2011-11-21T15:03:00.004-05:00

In 1 Cor 1:22-25, Paul wrote, 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

I love this simple declaration of Paul the Apostle. The Apostle held to a strong belief in the sufficiency of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He believed that in the Gospel was the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was his consuming passion. He told the Corinthians in 1 Cor 2:1-2, 1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Paul knew something that we, in our generation, are apt to forget: the sufficiency of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Nothing else can transform lives. Yet, we tend to underestimate this gospel at the very least, or worse, we tend to deny its power by our actions.

I read a story this week of a small English village that had a small chapel. The chapel was made of stone and had ivy covered walls. Over the arch when the chapel was originally built were inscribed the words "We Preach Christ Crucified" so that everybody whoever entered would know what they were there for. And there was a generation of Godly men that did precisely that. They preached Christ crucified. But times changed and the ivy grew and pretty soon it covered the last word and the sign said "We Preach Christ." And the Godly men changed. And there were other men who came and they preached Christ: Christ the example, Christ the humanitarian, Christ the ideal teacher. The years passed and the ivy grew covering the name of Christ and finally it said "We Preach." And they did, they preached politics, economics, social gospel, and whatever.

That sounds like a parable of our day and time. Today there is much preaching of Christ the republican, Christ the democrat, Christ the capitalist, Christ the socialist, Christ the humanitarian, Christ the giver of stuff, or no Christ at all. In many places it is more subtle than others. For instance, it may be that the preaching of Christ crucified has been so clouded with smoke machines and other gadgets that its lost in the chaos. For others, there is a desire to attempt to soften the sting that comes with the preaching of the gospel. Still others fall into the trap of giving the people what they want to hear. Yet Paul said, " For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles." Why would Paul make such a determination to preach Christ crucified in a cultural setting that was so opposed to the Gospel? Because Paul knew that it was the Gospel he had been commanded to preach and the Gospel was their only hope. Besides, the preaching of anything else would be to declare that the Gospel is not enough. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon put it well when he said, "I do believe that we slander Christ when we think that we are to draw the people by something else but the preaching of Christ crucified"

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

2011-09-20T21:20:00.002-04:00

Today (Sept. 20), marked the official end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT), a policy implemented in 1993 as a compromise between those who wanted to allow open service by homosexuals in the military and those opposed to it. The end of DADT marked a significant victory for the Obama administration as the fulfillment of a campaign promise made by the Senator in 2008.

I guess I could spend my time here lamenting this event. Certainly it troubles me. I could spend time pointing out the biblical mandate of the one man/one woman marriage relationship and the sinfulness of homosexuality. But, as I am well aware, I am preaching (actually writing) to the choir. Therefore, let me focus on something the choir (including myself) needs to hear.

I fully support the end of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Now that i have your attention, let me explain. I am certainly not talking about the military policy, but another, more sinister DADT policy. The one I speak of is an unwritten policy, practiced not by the government, but by the local church. I am referring to the DADT policy in regards to evangelism, lovingly sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world.

You see, such things as the end of the military's DADT policy are simply symptoms of a larger problem, the ever increasing spiritual lostness of American culture. Homosexuality is just one among a mulititude of sins for which Christ died. The answer to lostness is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But this Gospel must be proclaimed in order for the spiritual lostness to be impacted. In Romans 10, Paul wrote, (13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?...ESV). We must understand this truth, unless we preach, they will not hear. If they do not hear, they will not believe. If they do not believe, they will not call on His name. If they do not call on Christ, they will not be saved. The eternal destiny of millions is at stake. So, lets put an end to the church's DADT policy and proclaim Christ, that His name will be glorified among the nations, and multitudes will join us in praising Him for eternity. (Rev. 7:9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen").

Earthquakes, Soccer balls, and Crutches

2011-08-23T15:08:00.004-04:00

Bounce, bounce, bounce! That is a sound I will never forget. It was a sound I heard often in Haiti. It was the sound of a young teenage boy playing soccer by himself. That doesn’t sound too extraordinary, kids often play ball by themselves. I remember as a child throwing a tennis ball on the roof of our home and waiting for it to roll back down so I could catch it. What made this scene in Haiti different? This young man lost one of his legs in the 2010 earthquake.

I have thought about that young man’s experience many times since I first saw him. I can imagine him, in his home, on an average, ordinary day in Leogane. It was just like any other day, nothing special. That would all change at 16:53 local time as Leogane was at the epicenter of a major catastrophe. When the dust cleared, many of this young man’s friends and fellow citizens were dead, his home severely damaged, and he himself badly hurt. I can imagine the days following the quake, as it became clear that he would live the rest of his life with only one leg. Life for him would never return to normal, at least not the normal he knew. Instead, he would have to establish a new normal.

One of the things the young man loved more than anything was soccer. I can imagine him wondering if he would ever play the game again. Fast forward and there I am, along with some others, fascinated at the sight of this young man, on crutches kicking his ball. The ball was an e-ball, a soccer ball with various colors on it, each color representing a different point in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Someone, on a previous mission team, had given the young man the ball. Everyday, there he would be kicking that ball against the wall.

As I watched the young man, day after day, I was reminded of some great Gospel truths. First of all, we often face affliction in this fallen world. Life can be very difficult and we often find ourselves flat on our face. Our circumstances can even seem impossible. But, glory to God, greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Our God is a God who specializes in demonstrating His sovereign power over things that appear impossible to us. In fact, those situations can even serve as Gospel reminders that we can’t, but God can and will and already has in Jesus Christ!!

Second, I was reminded that by the grace of God, I will be lifted up when knocked down. I cannot do it on my own strength, but by the strength that God provides. It may take a while, as God may have some lessons I need to learn while on the ground, but eventually He lifts me up. My job is to simply trust Him by faith. Tozer wrote, "What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day. For each of us the time is coming when we shall have nothing but God. Health and wealth and friends and hiding places will be swept away and we shall have only God. To the man of pseudo faith that is a terrifying thought, but to real faith it is one of the most comforting thoughts the heart can entertain."

Third, the sight of the young man reminded me that I too am on crutches. Thankfully, my crutches are not physical, but certainly in the spiritual sense. Greg Koukl wrote, “When people ask me, ‘Isn’t Christ just a crutch?’ I have a simple reply. I tell them, ‘You’re right. Christ is a crutch. But you’ve asked the wrong question.’ The real question is, ‘Am I lame; am I crippled?’ because crippled people need crutches. The fact is, everybody leans on something. As a Christian I lean on Jesus, because He’s a crutch that can hold me. What about you?”

Just Some Thoughts on The Journey

2011-07-11T13:33:00.002-04:00

I am a blessed man. God has blessed me so very greatly. He has blessed me first of all by saving me by His loving grace. I have the best pastor’s wife any man could ever pray for. Together, Kristie and I have been blessed with three awesome boys and have opened our hearts and our home for another child at God’s leading. On top of that, we have been blessed with the privilege to serve the Lord at a most awesome church, Walker Baptist Church.

The last several months have been especially trying. Being a pastor is one of the most fulfilling and yet painful jobs a person can have. As believers, we are commanded to love one another (John 15:12). In our Box family devotion time, we have been reading 1 John and one of the themes we have been looking at is how our love for one another, as believers, is directly connected to our love for Him. In fact, our love for one another is actually a witness to a watching world. Jesus Himself said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35, ESV). Love for God and love for one another are inseparable.

Over these past several months, God has been doing some great things in my heart and has even used the unkind and unloving expressions of others in this process of purifying my heart. For instance, my love for people has been tested. Thankfully, through prayer, I can honestly say, by God’s grace, I love everybody, even those who are not loving toward me. In fact, I can honestly say I would get up right now and go to the aid of any person, regardless of their love for me, or lack thereof. It is quite easy to have compassion on individuals who are kind and loving toward you, but what about those who are not? Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:43-45, ESV). So, its not just our love for one another as believers that demonstrates our love for God, but also our love for our enemies.

Our Lord has also been gracious to show me issues of pride in my heart. I believe C.J. Mahaney described it best when he said, “I am a prideful man, seeking to be humble by the grace of God.” I am not sure that I would have seen those things had it not been for the circumstances I have endured recently. Its not easy to have individuals tear you down and at the same time point to something or someone else they declare to be superior to you. Perhaps, as you read this, you know something of this feeling. Perhaps, you have people tell you or make you feel as if you are not good enough. We can either respond to such things with anger, or we can allow those cruel and painful things to be used by God to bring humility in our lives. Only God can take such things that are intended for evil and bring good out of it. Thankfully, He has reminded me that He didn’t call me to be anybody other than who He makes me by His Sovereign Grace. That is why Paul wrote, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain” (1 Cor 15:10, ESV).

Finally, the Lord has taught me a lesson in patience. I have been reminded to wait on Him and to trust Him, not only with my situations, but also with the outcomes. He will take care of me. In the mean time, I will cling to Him. I will stay in His Word. The Psalmist wrote, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts” (Ps 119:92-94, ESV). I will not return evil for evil, but will give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all (Romans 12:14-21). I will seek to love everyone, to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. I do this to bring glory to my Father, who saved me by His loving grace. And I do this in the hope that the world might see the love of Christ in me and they too would glorify the Father. I love you all. God bless each of you.

Finishing The Great Commission

2011-07-11T12:40:00.004-04:00

Imagine for a moment that you are in a room filled with people who are, you included, starving to death. Suddenly, by no merit of your own, you are chosen out of the crowd, given food to eat and then commanded to begin distributing food to all the others who are starving. Immediately, you go to work. You take a basket filled with bread and you go to the first row of people and give them bread, some take it, some refuse it. You keep distributing the bread regardless of the response. After some time, you have offered bread to the first ten rows of people and yet ten rows of people remain. So, you get more bread and instead of going to the back ten rows, you return to the first ten rows and begin to distribute bread again. After you have completed a second distribution of the first ten rows, you do it again. You begin to think of what a great job you have done in distributing bread to the first ten rows and how you have been faithful to offer the bread even when refused. Yet, what you are missing is that among the back ten rows, there are people dying of starvation, and as the bread distributor, you have neglected the commander’s orders to distribute bread to all of the people.

Prior to our Lord’s ascension, he said that we are to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). He said that we are to make disciples of ALL nations (Matthew 28:19). That means we are to spread the gospel here in our town and state, but we are also to spread this gospel to the ends of the earth, that the glory of God may be known among all the nations of the world.

Our International Mission Board has identified 3800 people groups remaining in the world that have been classified as untouched and unreached, meaning they have never heard the name of Christ, have no current access to the Gospel, and there is no current strategy to reach them. Left alone they will die in their sins apart from Christ. I don’t know about you, but I cannot be satisfied with continuing to give bread to the first ten rows while neglecting the back ten who are starving. And the reality is, this is a problem for which we cannot hire enough missionaries. This will take every church getting involved. As the pastor of Walker Baptist Church, I do not plan to stand around and do nothing. My plan is for our church to be involved. The goal of the Southern Baptist Convention is to have at least 3800 churches adopt one of these people groups. I am asking you to join me now in prayer as we seek God’s plan for our involvement. I will also be attending a conference on September 7 in Marietta. I would invite as many of you as would like to go with me. The conference will better inform us of ways we can be involved in this global effort. Let me know as soon as possible if you will join me for this event. The cost is $20.

Brothers and sisters, this is a very serious matter. We have been commanded by our Lord to spread the gospel. Will you join me and the rest of our fellow SBC churches as we together embrace the ends of the earth and do our part to finish the Great Commission. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt 24:14, ESV). I love you all.

Love Your Enemies

2011-03-30T11:24:00.002-04:00

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a very challenging statement. He said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45a ESV). Let those words sink in for a moment. Read it again.

For the most part, we do not have a problem loving our family, friends, and our neighbors who are kind to us. But, what about the folks who are not kind to us? What about folks who choose to be rude and even malicious? Jesus gives us two things here that we are to do. Let’s take a moment and examine those things.

First of all, He says that we are to love them. We are to love even those who are unloving to us. That act is essentially living out the Gospel. God loved us, even while we were sinners, enemies of God. Thus Christ essentially tells us to live out the Gospel toward our enemies. This is not a suggestion. It is a mandate. As followers of Christ, we are to live out the love that was demonstrated at the cross and is extravagantly poured out on us every moment by our Loving Father. It is not easy. In fact, sometimes it is very hard. But, by His grace we love anyway.

Secondly, Jesus said that we are to pray for them. Prayer is powerful. One of the powerful outcomes of prayer is the work that is done in your own heart as you pray for those who are not being loving towards you. It is hard to hold hard feelings toward someone you are honestly taking before the throne of grace in prayer.

Jesus modeled both of these great principles ultimately at the cross. He loved His enemies so much that he died for them (us) at the cross. Furthermore, on the cross he prayed for those persecuting Him as He cried out, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!” While He was on the cross they were mocking and ridiculing Him (imagine if they had had a facebook)....and yet He loved and prayed for them.

But the most challenging words of Christ come after those two challenging actions. Notice that after He commanded us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors He said, ‘so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.’ The fact is, those who have been saved by grace will also be those who demonstrate forgiveness and grace toward others. How can one who has been the recipient of so great a love, be himself unforgiving and unloving? It is unheard of in Scripture. John MacArthur wrote, “If love is the greatest thing, then loving your enemies is the greatest thing that love can do.” I love you ALL.

Pastor Jeff

2011-02-10T12:06:00.003-05:00

This morning I was reading Psalm 138 and from that I would like to share an encouraging word with you. This is a Psalm of David, written when he was surrounded by enemies. Yet, in the midst of trouble he wrote, “6 Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. 8 The Lord will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands” (Ps 138:6-8).

David knew that God was the Almighty, Sovereign Ruler of the universe. He described God as being on high. And when he saw Himself in light of who God is, David saw himself as he really was, lowly. Yet, David knew that it is the lowly, to whom God looks upon and showers with grace. Therefore, in his trouble he had confidence, not in himself, but in God who promises to be our shelter in times of trouble.

David thus began to look at his trouble in light of his heavenly Father’s sovereign grace. Suddenly his trouble took on a new appearance. Once he began looking at his trouble in light of God’s omnipotence, he knew he had nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. So instead of despair, he erupted in worship! He began praising God for glorious reality that even though he walked in the midst of trouble, God would preserve his life. One definition of the Hebrew word that is translated “preserve” is to sustain life. Certainly David knew that God would sustain him through the trouble and would ultimately rescue Him. He was certain of this because he knew that God’s love endures forever.

For you, who are reading this, whatever is going on in your life, you can have this same confidence as David. If you have given your life to Jesus Christ, you can rest in the calm assurance that, though you walk in the midst of trouble, God will preserve you and will ultimately save you. It may not be in your timing, and it may not be the outcome you would ask for, but God will work in His perfect timing, and the result He brings about will be for your good and for His glory, as He even uses your trouble as part of the process of conforming you into the image of Jesus Christ. So, take heart and rest in His sovereign care. God bless you.

My Journey From Crazy to Pro-Life (and still a little crazy)

2011-01-24T13:40:00.003-05:00

I will never forget that day in the Dr.’s office. It was the day I saw the first image of my son
on an ultrasound machine. There he was, as clear as could be, a baby. He was not a blob of tissue
nor some sub–human cluster of insignificant cells. The Dr. did not say, “There is the fetus.” Instead,
he said, “There’s the baby.” He then carefully showed us every possible angle.

The previous months had been life–changing. Kristie and I were both lost and in need of
Jesus Christ. We were unmarried and now she was pregnant. We were both young, misled, and
uninformed, me more so on the uninformed part. The thought of having a baby at that stage of my
life seemed quite inconvenient. I could think of a million reasons why it would not be a good thing. I was too young and so was Kristie. We both had our whole lives in front of us. We both had dreams and desires and plans. Add to this, according to the world, this was an “unplanned” or “unintended” pregnancy.

I approached Kristie one day and suggested that we should consider an alternative route. I
suggested we consider having an abortion. After all, this seemed to me, to be the most logical way to go. It seemed, to me, best for everyone involved. Kristie looked at me like I was absolutely nuts. Looking back she was right. Abortion was never an option for her, even though it had been suggested by more people than me. I conceded to Kristie’s adamant conclusion that abortion was not an option.

And so, there I was now looking at an ultrasound screen weeks later. It was a day that I can
pinpoint as a moment when God began to change my heart. I knew the moment I saw that image on the screen (Kristie even before then) that I loved that child with all of my heart. It was amazing how one image destroyed all of the lies I had believed about the status of a child in the womb.

That child was born on May 10, 1994. I will never forget the first time I heard that cry or
when Dr. Beckam said, “It’s a boy.” I will never forget refusing to cut the umbilical cord because,
though excited over the baby, I was extremely nauseous over the blood and stuff. I will never forget holding him the first time, after a cleaning, of course. I will never forget looking into those eyes and wondering how in the world I could have been so ignorant as to even think of an abortion.

A couple of years later Jesus Christ radically changed my life. He used that little boy to get
my attention and to point me to my need of a Savior. Yesterday, I watched that little boy, along with his friends and fellow DV8 folks, as they led our church in worship. I am completely overwhelmed by the goodness and grace of God. I am thankful for my son and I am thankful to God for capturing me by His sovereign grace. I am thankful that part of God’s gracious work in capturing me was an ultrasound image that allowed me to my son for the first time.

Statistics show that a woman (and a man) who sees an ultrasound of her baby is most likely
to be convinced of the personhood of her child, and not follow through with an abortion. I can
certainly understand why. It is the same change of heart I had, along with Abby Johnson, a former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic, who walked away from her career as an abortion provider after witnessing an ultrasound guided abortion (http://www.abbyjohnson.org).

Last week, Yvone Genest of the Pregnancy Resource Center of Walton was here with us.
She told about the clinic’s current process of being converted from a resources center to a medical clinic which will provide free ultrasounds to expecting mothers. I believe this will further aid the center in its goal to help save lives for the glory of God. Will you join me in praying for and financially supporting this great work. Many of you picked up a baby bottle for the “Baby Bottle Boomerang.” Please prayerfully consider the amount God would have you to give and return those to the church. Also, you can visit the center’s website at prcwalton.com to make a contribution and to see other ways to be involved. God bless each of you.

Sharing The Love of Jesus at Christmas

2010-12-24T01:47:00.002-05:00

The Christmas tree was beautiful with the multi–colored lights and ornaments. It was countdown time. The big day was approaching. But underneath the tree there were only a few gifts. They were gifts the children (me and my little sister) had wrapped up, planning to give some of our personal items as presents.

Dad was out of work. It was becoming clear that purchasing Christmas gifts was to be a very difficult task. Like most children, we had a list of things we desired. But, as the clock ticked toward Christmas, the tree remained bare.

One day a car drove up. A young couple got out of the car and knocked on the door. They told us they were from First Baptist Church (Greenville, MS). I thought it sort of odd they were at our house. We did not attend FBC. In fact, we didn’t attend church at all. They told us they had some gifts for us. I am not sure how they knew of our situation. They may have told my parents how they learned of us, but all I heard was the word gifts.

They began unloading the car and bringing packages into the house. I do not remember the couple’s names. I do remember the man’s name was Jeff (hard one to forget). I remember as he brought gifts into the house, he made it a point to show me my name on some of those gifts. Once all of the gifts were in the house and under the tree, there were more gifts than I had ever seen under our tree. I remember wondering what could be in all of those packages. I also remember the couple talking about God and telling us those gifts were to let us know that Jesus loves us and cares for us.

Several years later I gave my life to Jesus Christ. It did not happen at FBC Greenville, but I never forgot that act of kindness. In fact, those people showing up at our door with gifts was permanently etched into my mind. It was one piece of a beautiful collage of events God used to draw me to Himself and save me by His grace.

I do not remember seeing that couple again. But, I have thought about them through the years. In fact, I thought about them today as my wife and I were delivering gifts from our church to a poor family who lost everything they had in a house fire. I am thankful God is allowing me to be a part of blessing families as I was blessed as a child.

Today, my wife and I were the couple who drove up with gifts. There was a little boy who reminded me of myself. I handed him a gift bag full of stuff. It was cold outside, so I told him there was a warm shirt in the bag. He immediately pulled it out and put it on, along with the beanie. I told him to keep looking. Inside the bag was a game like the one he had lost in the fire. When he saw it, he was shocked. He sat the bag back down (without pulling the gift out) and in amazement said, “No way! No Way!” His mom had some joyful tears in her eyes. Then the young man said, “I thought this was going to be a crummy Christmas. But, this is awesome!”

As we unloaded all of the gifts, food, and clothes provided by God through his faithful servants at Walker Baptist Church, I kept looking over at that young man digging through his gift bag. He had a joyful look in his eye. It was a look that I must have had that day the couple from FBC brought gifts to my family. I do not know if that young man will grow up and become a preacher. But, I do know this, he will never forget the day that couple from the church drove up and helped his family in their time of need. And perhaps he will look back one day and see that event as one of the many things God used in a great collage of events that led to surrendering his life to Jesus Christ. And perhaps, one day, as he is driving over to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to a family in need, he will remember the day he put on that warm shirt and received that game, all as an expression of the marvelous love of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas everybody.

Plastic Baby Jesus

2010-11-30T12:26:00.002-05:00

1629 Bay Street in Greenville, MS. That was my grandparents address for much of my childhood. I remember that address because we lived at 1631, right next door. This gave me one gigantic yard to play in. Grandma’s yard was my yard too.

I will never forget Christmas time in that neighborhood. Some of my greatest Christmas memories with my family took place on good ‘ole Bay Street. We would all meet at Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve. There would be so many people that the house would get really crowded. It was fun, but sometimes you just had to walk outside for fresh air, or to escape the crowd for a moment.

One of my favorite places of escape was to Grandma’s nativity set on the front lawn. We were not allowed to touch it. But when everyone was crowded in the house, it made for a great time to sneak out there and pick up that plastic baby, with a light bulb stuck in his back.

I was sure that plastic baby represented something great. The only thing I knew about him was that his name was Jesus, and he came to save us from something, and he obviously wasn’t born at Delta Regional Medical Center. One of my cousins told me once that we probably shouldn’t pick him up and play with him anymore because she had heard he was God. That was a scary thought. I certainly didn’t want to get God mad at me.

Over time, I began to learn the truth that this little plastic baby represented God’s love. God the Son physically came to earth and took the form of a man. He came because God is holy and man is not, because of sin. He came because sin had separated man from God. He came because sin had to be punished. He came to take our punishment for us on a cross. And even greater than being able to touch a plastic baby image of Him, He desired to touch me and hold me and call me His. This Jesus wanted to not simply be a figure on our lawn for one season each year, but to be the very real constant companion of our lives. He desires to save us by His grace and to walk with us and talk with us and to declare that we belong to Him.

One day all of that penetrated my heart. I repented of my sin and put my trust in Jesus Christ, not the plastic figure, but the real life Savior. He saved me by His grace and transformed my entire outlook on life. Suddenly, I was no longer Jeff Box, living a meaningless existence. In one saving act, I was now Jeff Box, redeemed and treasured son of the Most High God.

Christmas is wonderful!! It’s not wonderful because of extravagant gifts that eventually end up in the trash. It’s not wonderful because of decorations that all go back in storage shortly after Dec 25, including plastic baby Jesus figures. Christmas is wonderful because that plastic baby Jesus figure represents a real baby Jesus who came to be the Savior of the world. John said, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The Health Care Distraction

2010-03-23T11:35:00.005-04:00

Congress recently passed a very controversial health care bill that President Obama signed into law. As with many of you, I have very strong feelings about this issue. However, we must avoid the temptation of losing perspective. It is so easy to get distracted by such events and lose sight of what really matters, eternal things. I know, because I have been guilty many times.

Let me preface by saying that I am not suggesting we disengage from the political process. We should be involved. However, Christians must remain focused on the main issue, the Gospel. As Christians, we know God is Sovereign and that we have victory in Jesus. With that knowledge, we must not walk around as defeated and frightened American citizens.....but as Citizens of Heaven, eagerly awaiting our Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who possesses the omnipotent power to bring everything under His control (Philippians 3:20-21).

As Christians, we are to be the most optimistic people in the world. We know how all of this ends. Our mission, in the meantime, is to be Gospel busy. Multitudes of people are in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the only hope for America and the world. Imagine if all of us were as willing to share our faith as we are to share our disgust over health care. Imagine if we used even the same amount of energy lifting up Christ as we do voicing our disagreement with politicians.

The things we see shaping America are not the real problem. Abortion is not the problem! Homosexuality is not the problem! Pornography is not the problem! Socialism is not the problem! Should we take a stand and speak the truth about these things? Yes! But let us remember, as someone once said, "The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart!" The things I just listed, as well as multitudes of others, are merely the symptoms of the real issue. The real issue is sin! The only cure is Jesus Christ! If we spend all of our energy fighting the symptoms, while ignoring the real issue, we accomplish little. As Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, at best we make the world a better place from which to go to hell.

In the opening chapters of Romans, Paul painted a very accurate and vivid picture of the world. In his description, he listed many of the symptoms of a sinful society. It is a picture that clearly resembles modern day America (Romans 1:18-31). Paul went on in the following two chapters making it clear that all of humanity suffers from the same disease...sin. Then in 3:21-26, he pointed to the only hope, Jesus Christ. My friends, that is the same task you and I have been commissioned by our Lord to fulfill, the proclamation of the Gospel to all people. Without Christ, our neighbors are going to hell even if they agree with us over health care.

My prayer is that each of us see the real issue, and that all of our worldly frustrations would become burdened hearts for the lost in need of the Gospel. Don't miss the opportunities all around you.

When Life Just Hurts

2010-02-16T13:55:00.004-05:00

Every once in a while, as we are going along about our everyday business, enjoying life, something happens that puts us flat on our face. A crisis happens that is sometimes life changing in nature. The pain from such events runs deep, crushing the heart, and robbing us of whatever false sense of self-security we possessed.

I have faced such events. I was living in New Orleans in 2005, carrying out life as usual when in early August my grandmother died from brain cancer. A few short weeks later, Hurricane Katrina knocked me to my knees. Following that event, my family lived in devastated New Orleans East (including time in a tent and a fema trailor) helping to rebuild. Nine months later, my grandfather died with cancer. Seven months later, my other grandfather died with cancer. Six months later, God relocated us to another state (a great move, but a life change nonetheless). Seven months later, my dad died with cancer.

Trials come. As I write this, my wife recently had a miscarriage. She was pregnant with our fourth child. This was a crushing blow. Yes, sometimes life hurts bad!!!

One of the most challenging passages in Scripture is found in James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Consider it pure joy? That is a phrase that must sound like complete ignorance to the unspiritual mind!! But then again, the joy that James refers to is supernatural. This joy is not circumstantial, but flows from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. James MacDonald wrote concerning this joy, "A supernatural delight in the purposes of God means you know there is something bigger than yourself going on here. There's something unfolding that is so far beyond the here and now. God has a purpose. Joy in trials says, 'I'm going to find a way to trust Him even though I'm not seeing Him.'"

Life in Christ is the superior life. As Christians, we face the trials and difficulties of this fallen world like others. The difference is we understand and trust that God is doing something that our minds cannot comprehend in the moment. We trust that somehow, someway, He, in His Sovereignty, will work this thing out for our good and His glory (Romans 8).

Every trial gives us the opportunity to display the supremancy of life lived in Christ. Although everything in this life may fail, Christ remains!! The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 73, "Whom have I in Heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart (and everything else) may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Bold in parenthesis mine). Horatio Spafford said it well in the great old hymn IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, "Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul."

As you read this, maybe you are experiencing some trials. If you have not given your life to Christ, I do pray that you will repent of sin and place your trust in Christ alone for salvation. Until you do that, you will never experience the joy through trials mentioned above. That joy is reserved only for Christians. If you are a Christian, hang on! Don't give up! In the words of Charles Spurgeon, "There is One who careth for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, and His hand omnipotent shall yet bring you the needed help." AMEN!!

How's Our Welcome?

2010-02-16T13:10:00.004-05:00

While watching the pre-game show leading up to Super Bowl XLIV, former Denver Bronco Shannon Sharpe interviewed Reggie Bush of the NFC Champion New Orleans Saints. Sharpe asked the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner what went through his mind when he was first drafted out of USC by New Orleans. Bush replied, "I didn't want to go!" He went on to explain that Hurricane Katrina had torn the city apart and certainly the Saints was not the most desireable of teams to play for.

When Bush arrived in New Orleans, he was given "the tour." As a resident of New Orleans, I had given many of those tours. It consisted of showing people all of the positive aspects of New Orleans, and all of the devastating scenery left behind by Hurricane Katrina. I can still remember the looks on faces when they saw with their own eyes what they had seen on TV. Bush stated that the tour certainly did not help his desire (or lack thereof) for wanting to be in the city.

Following the infamous tour, Bush was taken out to dinner at one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants in the city. Bush said when he walked in the door of the restaurant, the people stood up, applauded his arrival, and began chanting his name. They were glad he was there. Bush stated that immediately his feelings about the city changed. Suddenly, he felt as if New Orleans was his city too. He was not simply welcomed as a guest, but was welcomed home.

As I watched that interview, I thought about people that come in to our church every week. Like Bush, they come with certain preconceived ideas. Some of them are convinced they will not have a great experience before they ever set foot inside the door. How are we at welcoming them? What are you doing to make sure that a guest coming into our church or into your Sunday School class feels like he/she is being welcomed and embraced?

When people enter Walker Baptist Church, they need a friend. They need someone who will come along beside them and break the ice. They need to sense that their presence is welcomed and that they can be a part of the family. Take the time to invest in the lives of the people that God places in our path. A wise old elder once told me, "People are not a hindrance to ministry, people are the ministry." Let's love them with the heart of Christ.

Taking The Gospel To Mormons

2009-10-26T13:47:00.002-04:00

A few days ago, Kristie and I were dropping off our children at Grandma’s house so that we could make some pastoral visits together. As we drove onto her street, we saw a couple of Mormon missionaries knocking on doors. My heart became immediately heavy. I knew I had to engage those young men and share the true Gospel with them.
I prayed and had Kristie drop me off at the corner with my Bible. She parked and began praying for me. As I approached the young men, they were at the door of an elderly lady who looked quit perplexed. The lady asked if the guys were with me. I responded, “No Mam.” She said, “Good! You guys go talk to him!”
I invited the guys to step out to the sidewalk and out of the lady’s yard. I asked them what they were doing and they began to explain to me the message they were sharing. I had spent some time investigating Mormon doctrine and am well aware of their false belief system, which includes a false view of Scripture, a false view of God, and a false view of the atonement of Jesus Christ, just to name a few. As with most false religions, their message is works based. In fact, those two missionaries have devoted themselves to two years of service as part of their journey to merit Divine favor. This made for an interesting discussion when they asked my motive for stopping to talk with them, since I am not working for my salvation. I simply explained that I love the Lord, who saved me by His grace, and because of that I have a love for them. Therefore, I stopped out of a genuine concern for them.
I began talking to them about the One True God of the Bible, explaining the fall of mankind and the reality of our sinfulness. I pointed them to the law of God (the Ten Commandments), which demonstrates our lostness. I then explained that God is a Good and Just God, Who must punish sin. This, of course, poses a dilemma. How can a Good and Just God remain Just, while forgiving guilty offenders? That is where I highlighted the greatest act of love ever known, the cross of Jesus Christ. I explained that on the cross, Christ paid our sin debt in full, declaring from the cross, “IT IS FINISHED!” I told them that He completely wipes away our debt when we repent of sin and put our trust in Him ALONE for salvation, thus His work on the cross is credited to our account as payment in full. Our works add nothing to that Great Work. In fact, the teaching of “good works” as a necessity for salvation cheapens the message of the cross. I explained that genuine believers, who have been forgiven by God, respond by following the Lord in obedience. Thus, our good works are not the cause of our salvation, but instead result from having been saved.
We had some interesting dialogue concerning theology. I answered the questions they posed to me, continually pointing them back to the cross and the Gospel. As much as I wanted to debate them over their various points of belief, I was aware that ultimately, unless they heard the Gospel and responded to it with humility, I could debate and answer thousands of questions, to no avail. Therefore, I sought to keep the discussion cross-centered. I was able to go through the Gospel multiple times, making sure they understood clearly.
In the end, we shook hands. I again expressed my love and concern for them. I offered them a Gospel tract, which they accepted (very rare for a Mormon). As I walked away, praying for them, they got into their car and left the area. I do not know what will become of those guys. But this I do know, God allowed me to share the Gospel with them clearly, while avoiding my temptation to chase rabbits and debate. I do pray they will see the Love and the Glory of God in the atoning sacrifice of His Son on the cross. I pray they will grasp the reality that salvation is a gracious work of God in the lives of undeserving sinners, and not by human effort. Paul told the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9, NIV).

A Lesson From Batman

2009-10-19T15:12:00.003-04:00

Several months ago, my family and I took a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia. We took some Gospel tracts with us and made it not only a family outing, but also a mission trip. It was great working with my boys to pass out Gospel tracts. But there is a personal experience I want to share with you.
While my wife took the two younger boys to enjoy some time in the Looney Tunes section, my older son and I went to partake of Batman The Ride. It is a crazy roller coaster that travels at speeds reaching 55 mph. As we were waiting in line I heard someone comment that this was the ride involved in the death of a teenager recently. Suddenly that became the talk of some in the crowd, as they began speculating and discussing how the tragedy took place. Yet as they discussed, there was a steady movement toward the ride. Finally, after a long wait, we got on the roller-coaster and fastened in so tight that there was barely room to breath. Then we were off, twisting and turning at high speeds. Then suddenly it was over. The ride lasted what seemed to be less than a minute. But then it happened! As we were pulling back into the terminal, the ride broke down. The operators began putting on their orange vests and came walking down to let us know that we would not be able to get off the ride until the maintenance man arrived and let us off.

It was hot out there and I remind you we were fastened in extra-tight. An extra bonus to our situation was a crew of young teenage girls screaming and singing really loud. I have never suffered from claustrophobia, but I began to understand what it is like. I could hardly breath and the sound of the screaming was becoming unbearable. Dallton was handling the situation much better than I was. I began to pray and quote scripture silently (Phil 2:5-11)...and after several minutes, the maintenance man arrived, fixed the problem and then we were set free.
I got to thinking about how that experience is much like the life of a lost person. We had spent 45 minutes waiting in line to get on a ride, all while ignoring the warning signs and tragic stories, and all for a one minute thrill that ended in suffering. But the difference maker was the messenger who came to tell us of our condition. The message was, “You are stuck here and there is nothing you can do to free yourself, and no one can help you, except the maintenance man.” The messenger enlightened us to the problem and then told us about the remedy; the maintenance man. Suddenly the maintenance man was the most important person on earth in the minds of everyone on that ride.
Friend, that is the Gospel. We live in a world filled with people who are going about life, experiencing little thrills here and there and ignoring the warning signs. Our job is to be the messengers that enlighten people to their problem and point them to the solution. This is the message, “You are in trouble! You are lost because you have sinned against God! You have broken God’s law! There is nothing you can do to save yourself and no one can save you, except Jesus Christ!” Suddenly that enlightens people to the reality that Jesus Christ is indeed the most important person in life, because He is indeed the Savior. A little while later, my son and I were walking through the park and we came upon the Superman ride. We looked at the long line and thought about partaking. But then we noticed that the ride was broken down and people were trapped. Of course we had learned our lesson, so we turned and walked away. And as we did, I thought to myself, “The maintenance man is coming.” And I looked at the sea of people walking the park, many will die without Christ. It reminded me that we have a big and important job...to be messengers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ Remains

2009-10-19T15:00:00.001-04:00

I will never forget a story I read in The Times Picayune (the New Orleans newspaper) a few years ago. The story was of a young child (we will call him Chris) who had been abandoned by his father in a Metairie neighborhood.
As the story was told, Chris was regularly locked out of his house while his father both used and dealt drugs. On one of those evenings, as Chris stood outside in the mosquitoes, he heard his father talking to his girlfriend about getting rid of him. A few moments later, Chris was put into a car and carried across the city to a neighborhood. The father stopped the car, reached over and opened the door, and told him to get out. Like any terrified child, Chris began crying and begging his father to not leave him. His father punched him in the face, pushed him out of the car, and drove away. The paper reported that Chris chased the car, screaming apologies to his father, until the car was out of sight.
After wandering unfamiliar streets for a couple of hours, the frightened child approached the home of complete strangers. The resident of the home opened the door to find a scared and shattered little boy. Chris asked the lady if he could use the bathroom, then proceeded to tell his story. The Sheriff was called, Chris was picked up, and the father was later arrested.
As I read that story, my heart broke. My anger raged at the father. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to grab Chris and hold him tightly. What would happen to that young child? Where would he go? Who would take care of him?
The next morning, the cover story pictured Chris walking down an aisle at a local Wal-mart accompanied by his aunt and Jefferson Parish Sherif Harry Lee. The article noted that the aunt would be taking temporary custody of the boy and that the reason they were in Wal-Mart was that Sherif Lee was providing the boy with a shopping spree for clothes and even some toys.
What do you think the picture on the cover looked like? Well, it was not that of a child skipping through Wal-Mart on a shopping spree. Instead, the boy was pictured walking in front of the sheriff and his aunt, but looking back. My heart was gripped by the news that as the boy walked through the store, he was constantly looking back. He was looking back for security. The writer noted that the aunt finally sensed his anxiety and spoke the words that Chris desperately longed to hear, “I’m not going to leave you.” Can you imagine what those words must have sounded like to those young ears?
As I read that story, while my heart was indeed broken, I also was reminded of redemption, the magnificent reality that God Himself has sought out the lost of this world through His own Son, Jesus Christ. Because of the work of Jesus Christ, the lost are redeemed, the weak are made strong, the poor are made rich in Him. The redeemed in the Lord love and honor Him, not as giver of worldly things, nor as the source of our shopping sprees, but as our Great Redeeming Lord. Christ Himself becomes the Supreme Treasure of our lives. He is our Savior, our Shield, our Stronghold, our Source, our Sustainer. When all of life seems to be crashing down, Christ remains. In Scripture, God issued a promise to both Moses and Joshua, a promise also quoted by the writer of Hebrews, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb 13:5, NIV). We need never look back to see if God is still there. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).

Maggie Faith Stapp

2009-04-27T16:55:00.005-04:00

Several months ago, a couple within our church family (Adam & Jaymi Stapp), came by the office to see me. Jaymi was pregnant and they had returned from a visit to the Doctor with some heart-wrenching news. They were informed that the baby had Trisomy 18 which is also known as Edwards Syndrome (95% of these babies die before birth). The doctor informed them that the baby would never make it (and surely would never be born alive) and gave them their options, one of which was that they consider abortion. The news was devastating, to say the least. As a parent I cannot even imagine receiving such news.

That day, as we sat in my office, we read Scripture, prayed, and talked about the sanctity of human life and the incredible power & providence of God. I was truly amazed at the resolve displayed by Adam and Jaymi as they faced their situation. They chose to honor God in the midst of their circumstances and cherish every moment that God gave them with the precious little girl growing in Mommy’s womb.

The next day, Adam posted a note on Facebook about the situation. He wrote, “Every kid is a blessing whether he/she is perfectly healthy or stricken with an awful disease/disorder that makes them handicap for their entire life. I do know that there is a reason behind everything. God has a plan for everyone of us and how He plans on using us in His plan, is for us to figure out. God gives us trials that we will face in our lifetime and it is up to us to determine how we are going to handle the situation. I hope this trial that we have encountered will bring us closer to God and stronger in our faith.”

As the days went on and the visits to the doctor increased, the little one continued to surprise the medical experts. Though, the doctors still cautioned that as time progressed, the lack of amniotic fluid would continue to pose a problem. After one said visit, Jaymi wrote, “We are just going to continue to put this baby in God's hands and know that He is in control and whatever happens was meant to be.”

On April 17, 2009 that beautiful little girl made her grand entrance, against all odds. She lived a few hours. Mom, Dad, and big brother Jed were able to enjoy some hard, yet precious moments with little Maggie Faith Stapp. I had the privilege of being there that day and hold in my arms that precious child. It was a moment in time that I will not soon forget. Although Maggie Faith’s life was brief, it was precious and she touched so many.

I will never forget the words spoken to me by that Daddy at the hospital that day. He said, “Our prayers were answered in that she was born alive. We got to hold her and spend time with her. We would have never had that opportunity if we had done that which was suggested to us” (My paraphrase). Wow!! I have to honestly say that the heroic manner in which these two parents responded to this situation is one of the greatest examples of Christ-like parental care that I have seen.

I pray that Maggie Faith’s life serves as a reminder to every one of us that life is indeed sacred. I pray that we will continue to be challenged to honor the Lord with every moment that we have. I also pray that we will, all the more, long for the day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns and makes all things new; when all tears are wiped away and there will no more death or mourning or crying or pain. What a glorious reunion we have to look forward to as we join our loved ones, who have gone before us (including little Maggie Faith), in eternal worship of Christ The King. What a Savior!!!!!

Twilight

2009-03-25T13:17:00.004-04:00

I must confess that I have not read a single book from the Twilight series nor have I seen the movie. However, the excitement/craze over the movie has stirred my curiousity. So I read a couple of reviews written by a Christian, Mark Farnham, Assistant Professor of Theology and New Testament at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary (Lansdale, PA). Mark's articles sound like an honest and fair analysis of Twilight. Check out the following links to his article: Twilight From A Christian Perspective. The article is in two parts.

Part 1: http://sharperiron.org/2009/03/17/the-twilight-series-from-a-christian-perspective-part-1/

Part 2: http://sharperiron.org/2009/03/18/the-twilight-series-from-a-christian-perspective-part-2/

I would also highly recommend listening to Dr. Albert Mohler's radio broadcast in which he discussed the topic "Has The ‘Twilight’ Phenomenon Reached Your Home?." Dr. Mohler is one of the brightest theological minds of our time and does a great job in his analysis.

The Battle For The Beginning

2009-01-13T10:06:00.004-05:00

In Genesis 1-3, we are given the account of Creation and the Fall of mankind. There the Bible tell us that God created the world in SIX LITERAL DAYS. In fact the terminology of the text is very clear. Sadly many within the church have tried to squeeze man’s faulty idea that the earth is millions of years old into the text. For instance in the Scofield Study Bible, the footnotes for Genesis 1:5 make an attempt to force a "possible" interpretation upon the text that the text itself simply will not allow. Scofield suggests the possibility that a day could refer to a period of time marked off by a beginning and an end. The problem is that everywhere else in the Bible where the same terminology of Genesis 1 is used, and particularly when marked off by the terms evening and morning, it always refers to a literal day. The amazing thing about this is that the questioning of the word day is limited to Genesis 1. Noone, for instance questions whether Joshua marched around Jericho for seven days or for millions of years, nor do we assume that Jesus rose from the dead millions of years after He died. The Hebrew word for day yom is used 2301 times in the Old Testament and the meaning is only questioned in Genesis. In fact the word is used 410 times with a number, 38 times with evening and morning without a number, 23 times with evening or morning with the word day, and 52 times with night used with day. In all of those instances it refers to an ordinary day. In Genesis 1 the word is used with both evening & morning and a number. For instance, Genesis 1:5 says, "There was evening, and there was morning---the first day" (Emphasis mine). The text is screaming that these are ordinary days.

That the Earth is millions of years old is based on nothing but a skeptical and unprovable hypothesis. In fact, when the evolutionist gets rid of his bias and looks at the scientific evidence in truth, he will see that there is absolutely no conflict between the scientific evidence and the Bible. Instead the Bible offers the true explanation. John MacArthur noted, "Indeed, all the geological, astronomical, and scientific data can be easily reconciled with the biblical account. The conflict is not between science and Scripture, but between the biblicist's confident faith and the naturalist's willful skepticism. To many, having been indoctrinated in schools where the line between hypothesis and fact is systematically and deliberately being blurred, that may sound naive or unsophisticated, but it is nonetheless a fact. Again, science has never disproved one word of Scripture, and it never will. On the other hand, evolutionary theory has always been in conflict with Scripture and always will be. But the notion that the universe evolved through a series of natural processes remains an unproven and untestable hypothesis, and therefore it is not "science." There is no proof whatsoever that the universe evolved naturally. Evolution is a mere theory--and a questionable, constantly-changing one at that. Ultimately, if accepted at all, it must be taken by sheer faith."

Indeed, the evolutionist by faith, assumes that, for instance, the Grand Canyon came to be by a little water and millions of years. Furthermore, they would point at rock layers and, because they are so committed to the idea of millions of years, will assume that the rock layers are evidence for their theory. Yet, when one looks at Scripture and understands the concept of a global flood (with its accompanying tsunamis, etc), the reality that a such an event would change the not only the landscape, but would also leave a trail of rock layers and fossils becomes quit clear.

We are in the midst of what has been called the "Battle For The Beginning" and it is an issue in which the church simply cannot bend. The moral fiber of our nation is being systematically stripped as biblical authority is being thrown out and replaced with an indoctrination of a humanistic and evolutionary worldview. It is time to take a stand. Visit Answers In Genesis at http://www.answersingenesis.org/. The ministry provides many helpful tools to equip any Christian in defending the biblical account of Creation.

The Shack

2008-11-14T11:04:00.004-05:00

I have been asked by numerous people what I think about the highly popular book "The Shack" by William Young. Well, in short the book is a bunch of New Age heresy. It is a cleverly written story that is pitched as fiction but is having a field day in the minds of the undiscerning (Folks who read the book without biblical discernment).

For instance, a few weeks ago, my wife and I were in a cafe and sitting behind us were four adults. They were engaging in some spiritual conversation. I heard them talking about their church and Sunday School classes. Then one of gentlemen asked, "Have you finished reading The Shack?" One of the ladies stated that she had completed it and then said, "That is how I see God now!" What an interesting statement since the God of the Bible and the god of The Shack are certainlly not the same. In fact the god of The Shack is a false god created in the mind of Mr. Young. Mr. Young's god is a god that he is more comfortable with, one void of many of the biblical characteristics of God. This of course is idolatry! The Second Commandment says, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything..." While we often think of statues as idols, clearly an idol can be a god that is created in the mind of an individual, a god that is more suitable to the indivdual. Therefore, in saying, "That is how I see God now!" the lady has joined Mr. Young in his idolatry.

Following that statement was a conversation about how the book had so touched them. I wanted to engage in the conversation but was there to have an enjoyable breakfast with my wife. So I decided to not debate. As we left the cafe, we went next door to a Christian bookstore. Once inside the clerk, who identified herself as a Sunday School teacher, recommended that we purchase a certain book. Anyone want to guess which book? She told me that it was an amazing book. I told her that I had some major theological/doctrinal issues with the book to which she retorted, "It's just fiction." It seems that the only time many of the readers of The Shack remember that the book is fiction is when someone raises some real concerns about the book. It may be a fiction book (like the Da Vinci Code), but the intent of the book is to plant heretical ideas about God in the minds of people. False teaching comes in many different forms and one of the most effective seems to be through interesting story-telling via books, movies, and other media.

Anyway, I wanted to post this blog to make clear my problems with The Shack. It is a dangerous book that preys on the minds of the undiscerning. No doubt Satan loves this book. Since I do not have the time and space here to give a detailed list of the problems I have with the book, I have included two links below that will be helpful to you in coming to a sound biblical conclusion about The Shack. One of the links is to a book review written by Tim Challies and the other link is to Dr. Michael Youssef's, “The 13 Heresies in The Shack”.

http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/a-review-of-the-shack-download-it-here.php

http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/DocServer/SpecOffer_The13HeresiesExplained.pdf?docID=1821

Answering Bill Maher

2008-11-10T11:27:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday evening professed Agnostic Bill Maher appeared on Mike Huckabee’s show. Maher really dislikes Christians and in fact says that those who believe in God suffer from a neurological disorder. In the context of the conservation, Maher challenged Huckabee with the notion that there could not be a God due to all of the suffering in the world. Huckabee explained that suffering is a reality because the world is broken....Maher asked, "Why did God make it broken?" Huckabee continued to try to reason with him.

What if Maher had asked you the same question, "Why if there is a God...is there suffering in the world?" How would you respond? My response would go something like this: God created the world and everything in it and declared that it was good, not broken! He created man in his own image and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. God then gave man dominion over the world, along with a free will. Man chose in his free will to disobey God, and as a result sin became a reality along with suffering and death due to sin. All pain, suffering and death are linked to that defining moment. Since that time to quote Paul from Rom 8:22....the whole of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth up to the present time. God did not make the world broken, the world is broken because of sin. You and I still contribute to the chaos in the cosmos because every single one of us are sinners. We have each violated God’s holy law. As a result, we are subject to divine punishment and all of us will eventually stand before the Creator and Judge of the Universe for a day of reckoning. Some would argue here that God being a Good Judge will simply overlook sin. Contrary, God, being a Good and Just Judge must make sure that sin is punished. After all, a Good and Just Judge cannot allow criminals to go free. If He did, He would not be good but corrupt. Can you imagine in criminal law, a judge letting a known sex-offender go free? If he did, we would not call him good, but corrupt.

When we stand before that Good and Just Judge, His law will be condemning. There will be no lying your way out of it because the eye of the Omniscient Judge has seen it all. He has heard every idle word, lie, and blasphemy. He has seen the lust in your heart which he considers to be adultery. He has seen the anger and hatred of your heart which He considers murder. His Omniscient Eye has been as a surveillance camera that has recorded every moment of your life since you came into being. While our acts of sin may seem trivial to us and while we may not see ourselves as bad people, our sin is exceedingly sinful in the eyes of our Perfect and Holy God. After all, the seriousness of the offense rises with the dignity of the one offended. For instance, if you punch your neighbor, you may get in some trouble, but punch the President and you will be in more trouble than a slick lawyer can get you out of. The President’s dignity made the offense much worse. Now understand that your sin is against the All Sovereign All Holy God of the universe!! Our sin is indeed exceedingly sinful. That means we are in tons of trouble and are subject to the Judgment of the Judge.

God is also a God of grace and mercy. In His grace and mercy, He chose to make a way for man to be saved. Our Lord Jesus Christ stepped down out of Heaven and into humanity, lived a sinless life and died on the cross to pay our fine. His free gift of salvation is offered to anyone who will by faith and repentance surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior. Through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good and Just Judge can commute our sentence. Christ paid our fine!!! We may chose to not accept the work of Christ on our behalf, but choosing to reject the offer of Christ is to remain subject to the punishment of the Judge and suffer the consequences for our sin! Our sin will either be pardoned by Christ or punished in Hell. Truly our only hope for forgiveness is Jesus!!!

A "Morning After the Election" Thought

2008-11-05T15:52:00.011-05:00

The election is over!!! I am very thankful for that fact. Now we have a newly elected President who will take office in a few short weeks. Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama. As my President he will certainly receive my prayers as he takes over for the departing President Bush. In fact, after listening to his acceptance speech last night, I prayed for him before drifting off to sleep (Yes I did sleep like a baby...because God is King!!). Furthermore, I will support him as President up to the points in which my Bible says I can’t. Since he is the most liberal President in our history there will no doubt be many points of contention.

There is a part of me that wants to be happy. For the most part, it has seemed next to impossible for a non-white candidate to be elected. As I sat there holding by “bi-racial” baby boy, it is great to know that he too can be President some day (He is basically the same “race” as Mr. Obama). I watched as Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey cried tears of joy last night, and listened to other civil rights leaders celebrating that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream had come true (Excerpts from his “I Have A Dream” speech have been rolling all morning). But let us not be deceived to believe that race is an issue of the past, that we live in a post-racial world. Sure there were no doubt many (myself included) to whom race was not an issue. I would love to say that Martin Luther King’s dream had come true; that the day has come when little children can live in a country “where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I would love to believe that Colby could one day be elected President and race would not be an issue. It shouldn't’t be! After all, there is truly only one race, the God created human race, descendants from Adam. Wouldn't it be great if America (especially our churches) came to understand that reality!! Yet that is not America. In fact, race played a great role in this election. There were masses who voted for Mr. Obama simply because he is “black” and others that did not vote for him for the same reason...and both while confessing to know very little about the content of his character. Both are equally racist.

I have also listened as news reporters have conceded that we know very little about our President-Elect. That is true and what we do know is not very flattering....in fact it is quite frightening. For instance, we know that he promised Planned Parenthood that one of his first acts of business would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act which promises to get rid of all abortion restrictions and take abortion to unimaginable levels. That alone is enough to sicken my stomach. As I held little Colby last night, sleeping in my arms, that was the issue that overshadowed everything. Our new “Pro-choice” President supports the slaughtering of babies in their most innocent form, and has promised to expand those killings. Dr. John Pike of the Master’s College wrote, "The phrase 'pro choice' which is what the pro-abortionists use, strikes me as one of the most depraved apocalyptically wicked rhetorical facts in the history of western civilization in the Christian era. The phrase means 'pro sin,' or free to choose sin. The phrase would actually be less dreadful if it were 'pro abortion,' because that would confine it to the sphere of a particular moral problem. But by turning it to what seems a euphemism, the pro-choice people have rung the final rhetorical death bell to the entire democratic experiment. The phrase 'pro choice' means without conscience, or without inhibition, or without restraint. And it parades itself under the Jeffersonian banner of liberty of conscience and separation of church and state. As a rhetorical gesture, perfectly designed to function as a political banner, this phrase constitutes the last word, the official formulation of official apostate defiance against the God of Christianity. I'm confident that God will answer it apocalyptically."

The only hope for America is the Gospel, the true Gospel, not the fluff Social Gospel that has produced so many who think they can live as they want as long as they say they love Jesus. The true Gospel is the message that we are all violators of God’s holy law. We have broken God’s Commandments. We have failed to put God first, we have created an idol god we are more comfortable with, we have taken the name of God in vain, We have failed to keep the things of God holy, we have dishonored our parents, we have killed (anger is considered as murder too), committed adultery (lust in the heart is adultery too), we have stolen, we have lied, and we have coveted. And a good and just God will make sure that sin is punished. That is where Jesus stepped into the court-room on our behalf. He suffered and died in our place, paying our fine. Now God can legally dismiss our case. Our responsibility is to repent and trust in Jesus. If we reject we will receive due punishment for sin in Hell. As Adrian Rogers once said, “Our sins will either be pardoned by Christ or punished in Hell!” Too long have we neglected that message in exchange for a “no strings attached, non-confrontational, lamb barbeque” fluff message.

To my Christian friends I plead with you that we must preach the Gospel and we must preach it as individuals. We all bear this responsibility. That is the way to transform a culture. With an increase in soundly saved Christians there would indeed be radical change in our country. As Ray Comfort put it in his blog, “The answer to the issue of abortion isn’t just to protest, although that's a start. A nation that kills 50 million of its citizens through abortion with no qualms of conscience needs more than a voice of protest. We are no different than Nazi Germany. We have given ourselves to the wickedest of sins, and that will eventually have terrible national consequences. We desperately need God’s forgiveness, and we need a new heart that can only come with conversion. Only the gospel can take a self-righteous, blaspheming, idolatrous, hypocritical, baby-killing nation, forgive it, and make it brand new.”

As for the future with our new President, he made many other promises during his campaign, many of which sound very much like Socialism (all pailing to his abortion promise). He promised to change the world....whatever that means, it will not be for the better. Most of his promises have sounded like threats to me. Yet in spite of that, his promises resonated in the ears of those who went to the polls and voted for him, many professing to be Christians. Last night people stood and chanted, many mesmerized in what appeared to be a state of worship. So here we are. He has been elected. The confetti has fallen. The celebration has begun. It brings to mind another quote from Dr. King who said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands at times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of chaos and controversy.” The media has given Mr. Obama a cocoon of comfort and convenience, but in January he will step into a world of chaos and controversy as President of the United States. Boy, we have come a long way!!!