The Saturday Post(s)

Saturday Post

What Questions Should I Ask When Seeking to Join a Local Church? You move to a new area.  You get settled at your new residence and job.  You get the kids settled in school.  Where you settle in a local church often times becomes a longer, more drawn out task.  After checking out all the churches you desire to visit, here are 4 questions to ask yourself as you narrow the search to make a decision.”

Where’s the Marriage Equality for Throuples? There’s no rational reason to legally discriminate against three people who love each other. These polyphobic laws “demean the throuple, whose moral and sexual choices the Constitution protects.” It’s clear that the purpose of defining marriage as “two” is “to disparage and to injure” throuples, motivated by “animus” against polys and a “bare congressional desire to harm a politically unpopular group.”

China is on Course to Become to the Most Christian Nation in the World. Bet you didn’t see that coming. “The number of Christians in Communist China is growing so steadily that by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America, reports The Telegraph.”

God, the Gospel, & Homosexuality. Don’t miss this, you will have to deal with it sooner or later. Albert Mohler and crew respond to a new book that argues homosexuality is not condemned by the Bible. I encourage you to pick up the response book for timely and biblical truth on homosexuality as well.

But What About Gluttony? Kevin DeYoung does his thing and makes all kinds of sense as he answer this common question: “Why do conservative Christians make such a fuss about homosexuality and give everyone a free pass—most notably themselves—when it comes to gluttony?”

No Need for Huskies. This has good idea written all over it.

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Which is First for You: Job or Family?

o-ABSENT-FATHERS-DAD-WHY-MEN-LEAVE-CHILDREN-facebookPaul Tripp:

We must come to a position where we say, “Nothing that I will ever be or do will rival the importance of God’s work in the formation of my children’s souls.” Nothing is more important than that. That demands some hard choices.

When I speak in churches, I often single out the men and challenge, “Some of you are so busy in your careers that you’re seldom home, and when you are, you are so physically exhausted that you have nothing to offer your children. You don’t even know your own kids. I offer a radical challenge to you. Go to your boss and ask for a demotion. Take less pay. Move out of that dream house and into a smaller one. Sell your brand new car and drive an older one. Be willing to do what God has called you to do in the life of your children.” In a culture with two-income families, increasingly that challenge must also be made to women who also sacrifice family for career.

I made that appeal at one home-school conference and it angered a man in the crowd, although I didn’t know it at the time. Two years later he came over to me during a conference break. As he got closer, he began to weep. He said, “Two years ago I heard you give the challenge you just gave tonight and I got angry. I thought, What right do you have to say that? But I was haunted by your words. I thought, He’s speaking about me. My whole life is away from the home and I don’t know my own kids.

I finally went to my boss one morning and said, “I want to talk to you about my position.” My boss said, “Look, we’ve advanced you as much and as fast as we can.” And I said, “No, no, just hear me, I want a demotion.” The boss looked startled. He asked, “What are you talking about?” I said, “The most important thing in my life is not this job. The most important thing is that God has given me five children. I‘m His instrument in forming their souls. But right now, I don’t even know my own kids.”

The boss said, “I’ve never heard this kind of conversation before and I’ll probably never hear it again. I’m very moved. We’ll find you a position where you can work forty hours a week. You can punch in and punch out and have less responsibility. But I’m not going to be able to pay you enough.” I said, “That’s fine.”

We sold the house of our dreams, got rid of two luxury cars and bought a mini-van. It’s been two years now, and not one of my kids has come to me and said “Dad, I wish we lived in a big house,” or “Dad, I wish we had new cars.” But over and over again they have come and said, “Dad, we’ve been having so much fun with you. It’s great to have you around.” Now, for the first time, I can say I know exactly where my children are. I know their hearts. I know what I need to be doing in their lives. I’m actually being a father.”

Taken from an excellent article called, What is Success in Parenting Teens. I highly recommend it for any parent anywhere. Also, check out his book, Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens.

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Does Man Have Free Will?

Rembrandt-The-Apostle-PaulThe Apostle Paul once wrote, “All people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.’” Later in the same letter he adds, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Romans 3:9-12; 8:7).

This then naturally leads to the question, “Does man possess free will?” Paul Washer answers well:

The scriptural answer is that man is free to choose as he pleases, but because he is depraved, it pleases him to choose evil. In other words, fallen man does have free will, but he does not have a good will. His will is in bondage to his own depraved nature, and therefore he will always freely choose in opposition to the person and will of God.

Man is evil by nature and he does works of evil willfully and freely. Fallen man bears bad fruit because he is a “bad tree” (Matthew 7:18). His will is subject, or in bondage, to his corrupt nature. (Taken from The Gospel’s Power and Message, p. 119).

Yes, Man has free will and that is His biggest problem. But praise be to God that He sent Jesus to change the nature of sinners in such a way that they could be rightly called new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The gospel is not only that Christ has done something for us – die for our sin – but that He also has done something in us – made us new.

I used to be prone to wander, but because of Christ I now am prone to worship.

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Why God Uses Suffering

Thomas Watson | 1620-1686

Thomas Watson | 1620-1686

No one likes to go through painful things, but it’s almost universally recognized that some of the most important lessons come from the most painful times. Christians understand this not to be some universal principle that just works, but a grace of God in using affliction to bring about good. The Bible confidently boasts, “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This means that, for God’s people, even the most severe afflictions come with gracious purposes. God uses suffering for His peoples’ good.

So how do afflictions work for the good of the godly? In his excellent book, All Things for Good, Thomas Watson gives ten ways that God uses suffering for the good of His people. For the full list, buy the book, but here are five of the reasons with a short description of each :

Affliction is our preacher and teacher – “Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it!” (Micah 6:9). Affliction teaches what sin is. In the word preached, we hear what a dreadful thing sin is, that it is both defiling and damning, but we fear it no more than a painted lion; therefore God lets loose affliction, and then we feel sin bitter. A sick-bed often teaches more than a sermon. We can best see the ugly vision of sin in the glass of affliction. Affliction teaches us to know ourselves. In prosperity we are for the most part strangers to ourselves. God makes us know affliction that we may better know ourselves. We see that corruption in our hearts in the time of affliction, which we would not believe was there. Water in the glass looks clear, but set it on the fire, and the scum boils up. In prosperity a man seems to be humble and thankful, the water looks clear; but set this man a little on the fire of affliction and the scum boils up. (Taken from All Things for Good, p. 26-27).

Afflictions work for good, as they conform us to Christ. God’s rod is a pencil to draw Christ’ image more lively upon us…Can we be parts of His body and not be like Him? He wept and bled. Was His head crowned with thorns and do we think to be crowned with roses?

Afflictions are good to the godly as they are destructive to sin. Affliction is the medicine God uses to carry off our spiritual diseases. They cure the tumor of pride, the fever of lust, the virus of covetousness.

Afflictions work for good as they are the means of loosening our hearts from the world. When you dig away the dirt from the root of the tree, it is to loosen the tree from the earth. So God digs away our earthly comforts to loosen our hearts from the earth.

Afflictions work for good as they make way for glory (2 Cor. 4:17). Not that they merit glory, but they prepare for it. As ploughing prepares the earth for a crop so afflictions prepare and make us ready for glory. The worst that God does to His children is whip them to heaven.

Although the clouds may hide the sun, that doesn’t mean the sun has disappeared. In afflictions, hold fast to the promises of God and know that He will work all things for the good of His people.

I highly recommend the book from which this quote came. For some more excellent reading on how God uses sickness/affliction for our good, check out this little piece from J.C. Ryle or buy Jerry Bridges wonderful book, Trusting God Even When it Hurts.

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Doctrine, No Christianity Without It

6a00d8341c65c453ef00e54f4695108833-640wiDoctrine (noun) – teaching.

I have met a lot of Christians who have a distaste for the word doctrine. There are various reasons for this. For some, upon hearing the word doctrine, they are reminded of the stodgy, cold hearted, traditionalism of some old Fundamentalist that seemed to be ok with anything as long as it didn’t cause you to feel something. For many others, the idea of doctrine has little to offer to their primarily feeling-driven faith. Sadly, for these types, what is or isn’t true is not as important as how it makes them feel. Beyond these, there are some Christians who tend to see biblical Christianity more as something you do rather than something you believe. “Deeds over Creeds” is their mantra. For them, doctrine does nothing but slow up the cause of Christ and cause needless divisions that distract disciples from doing the deeds of Christ.

But is that how it should be? Should doctrine be seen as a four-letter word? No, it shouldn’t. In fact, to dismiss doctrine’s importance in the Christian life does not help one’s walk with Christ, but hinders it. So why is doctrine so important?

Salvation is Dependent on Sound Doctrine.

The gospel of Jesus Christ contains truth that must be believed in order for someone to be saved. To say it another way, people die when they reject or suppress the truth. Consider the following Scriptures.

The Thessalonians were saved by believing the truth. “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13

People perish because they refuse to love the truth and be saved. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

Christians are given new birth through the Word of Truth. “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.” James 1:18

Non-believers are condemned because they actively suppress/exchange the truth of God for lies. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickednessFor although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened…They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:18, 21, 25

As you can see, people cannot/will not come to savingly believe in Jesus Christ as Savior if they never come to understand or believe the truth about who He is and what He did as Savior. A lack of sound doctrine about Jesus Christ and His gospel reveals a lack of salvation. J .I. Packer illustrates it well, “A person who thought that England is ruled today by an ex-go-go dancer named Elizabeth who legislates at her discretion from a wood-hut in Polynesia could justly be said to know nothing of the real queen, and similarly it takes more to constitute a real, valid, saving knowledge of Jesus than simply being able to mouth His name.”

Sanctification is Dependent on Sound Doctrine.

Christians grow on the Word of God which is the truth of God. Sound doctrine is God’s breast milk given freely to His little babies for their health and growth. Far from being unhelpful to the Christian life, it is the very nutrition of their life! After all, the Christian’s bread is the very Word of God (Matthew 4:4). Christian sanctification (i.e. a Christian’s growth in Christ-likeness) is dependent on sound doctrine.

Christians are sanctified by the truth. Jesus prayed for His followers, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

Christians are transformed by truth. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Christians are to live according to truth. Titus was commanded to teach his church, “what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). That means that Titus was commanded to teach his people how to live according to God’s truth. That means that Paul understood all Christian life is to be lived in accordance with all Christian truth. In this way, sound doctrine is the most practical thing there is.

Although Christian maturity is much more than knowing sound doctrine, it is never less. Sound doctrine is the fruits and vegetables to a healthy Christian life; an essential part of a balanced diet.

Obedience is Dependent on Sound Doctrine.

The Christian life cannot be lived in obedience if sound doctrine is not learned, loved, believed, and obeyed.

The famous Great Commission has included in it a demand to teach/be taught. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.‘” Matthew 28:18-20

Christians are commanded to contend for the faith. Jude commands that all Christians are to, “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude 3

Christians are commanded to guard the deposit given them. Timothy was commanded to not only to follow the truths Paul taught him but to, “guard the deposit entrusted to (him)…” (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:13-14). What is the deposit? The Word of God given to him.

If one does not know sound doctrine, how can they teach others? How would they be able to defend what they don’t themselves know? How can one’s mind be renewed by the truth of God if they don’t know what that truth is? You see, without sound doctrine, one cannot uphold their Biblical responsibility to know, preserve, and defend the truth of God. They aren’t able to obey Jesus.

Satisfaction is Dependent on Sound Doctrine.

I remember the days of reading Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology during my high school years and having my faith radically fueled by having the truth of God be clearly taught and applied. I remember thinking, “God is that good? He did all that for me? That’s what was happening at the cross!” Few things got me fired up for Christ like that 1,000+ page text book because I had never read anything – outside the Scriptures – that brought God’s truth in such a clear and compelling way. Scripturally, being satisfied by the truth of God is easy to cite. All one has to do is skim read Psalm 119 in search of the question, what brings joy to the Psalmist’s heart? Listen to his answer.

In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. Psalm 119:14

I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. Psalm 119:16

Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. Psalm 119:24

Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Psalm 119:77

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97

That goes on for awhile. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that the longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119 and that it is all about delighting in God’s Law, which is His Word/Truth. A Christian does not only love God and His people, but he loves God’s truth as well because it is lovely like the One from Whom it comes. Far from dampening Christian joy, God’s truth serves it as gasoline to a fire.

Don’t Be Hindered

There is much more to say about this, but these should do well to get the motors running. Although there are lots of people out there whose Christianity only lives in their head and has never touched their heart, that doesn’t mean that sound doctrine is bad. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater on this one. Don’t let the cold-hearted, stodgy ones keep you away from the life giving power of God’s truth. Don’t let your experience/feeling-driven system of Christianity hold you back from feeling the true fire of God’s Word. See that Christianity is so much more than a bunch of commands to follow, but it is truth to know, believe, and live by. Sound doctrine will not hinder your Christian life, but it will make it something eternally significant. God’s truth saves, sanctifies, and leads us to Himself.

Surely, there is no real Christianity without sound doctrine.

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The Saturday Post(s)

Saturday Post

The Rise of Same Sex Marriage Dissidents. A very powerful article on the totalitarian-like nature of our culture’s sexual ideology. “Did we mindlessly put up red equal signs when we hadn’t even thought about what marriage is? Did we rush to fit in by telling others we supported same-sex marriage? Did we even go so far as to characterize as “bigots” or as “Hitlers” those who held views about the importance of natural marriage?”

Are We Really Held Guilt for Adam’s Sin? This is a long post, but WELL worth your time. Take the time to read it and let it sink in.

Every Christian’s Second Most Important Book. This is so good and so very needed. Bet you didn’t see this one coming.

Christianity is the Most Falsifiable Religion Around. Read this and find out why that’s a good thing.

Jesus Is Not Ashamed of You. Sam Storms brings some good news. “If you still think Jesus is ashamed of you because of how you look or how you talk or because you continue to fail or because you can’t hold down a job or pay your bills, if you think Jesus is ashamed and embarrassed because of the silly things you say or because you think you’ve never accomplished much of value, think again.”

Please Don’t Make My Funeral About Me.  “What you must not do at my funeral is make it all about me. What I want most is that “Christ will be honored in [my] body, whether in life or in death” (Phil.1:20). Those gathered that day have no need for a sanitized, idealized rendition of who I was or what I accomplished. On that day, in fact on every day until that day, “he must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).”

Another Take on Heaven is For Real. Since the book was huge, I assume the movie will be too. Here is one pastor’s thoughts about it. Your thoughts? Also, check out Randy Alcorn’s (he wrote a very good book on Heaven so I’d listen up) review of the movie here.

Help! My Kids Are Looking at Porn! Tim offers some great counsel to parents who find out their kids are looking at porn. Make sure to also check out his very thoughtful Porn-Free Family Plan. Even if you don’t adopt all of it, it will give you good things to think through.

This is Amazing…

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It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Comin’

S.M. Lockridge | 1913-2000

S.M. Lockridge | 1913-2000

Today, we Christians celebrate Good Friday. Sometimes folks are confused as to why we would call the day our Savior was crucified good. That’s understandable. It’s not often that people celebrate the death of their Leader/Hero/Etc. But, this hints at the heart of the Christian faith. That is, we believe Christ won by His death. As the Apostle Peter wrote, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus came as a Savior to die in the place of sinners. In His life He taught, He preached, He healed, He cast out demons, and He cut down the self-righteous, but the hour that He came for was not found in His life, but in His death.

But, there is one more thing to note. The reason Christians celebrate Good Friday is because of the reality of Easter. Christians do not worship a dead Savior, but a Living Savior. Jesus’ death is celebrated because it wasn’t the final word; Jesus rose again three days later. Friday is something to celebrate for those who believe Sunday is a comin’.

As S.M. Lockridge preached it best. Yes, it is Friday, but Sunday’s a comin’.

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Are You Fueled by Guilt or Grace?

weight-down-by-guiltWhat we do often is not as important as why we do it. Good things not done in faith are really bad things that don’t please God at all (Romans 14:23; Hebrews 11:6). Therefore, it is crucial for Christian to ask themselves, “Why do I do what I do?”

Why do I read the Bible?

Why do I go to church?

Why do I pray?

Why do I give to charity?

Getting an honest answer to these questions can reveal something very significant about you; namely, who you worship. Bryan Chapell, in his book on preaching, explains that God’s grace…

Is the most nourishing source for our service (Romans 12:1). If we serve God primarily because we believe He will love us less if we do not, punish us more if we do less, or withhold blessing until we are sufficiently holy, then we are not obeying God for His glory but are pursuing our own self-interests. In such cases, the chief goal of our obedience is personal promotion or personal protection rather than the glory of God.”

The motivations that spring from full apprehension of God’s grace do not change the rules but do change the reasons for our obedience. Grace encourages and enables us to serve God out of love for Him and desire for His glory. Grace makes true obedience possible because a thankful response to unearned merit is motivated more by love for God than by love for self.

Guilt drives us to the cross, but grace must lead us from there or we cannot serve God…(Taken from Christ-Centered Preaching, p. 219-220).

So ask yourself, are you more motivated by guilt or grace? Is your obedience born more from duty or delight? Is what you do fueled by what God has already done for you or by what you need to do for God? Your answers should help you see who you have been serving: yourself or God? However, whatever your answer, will you hear Jesus call to you today, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Let His rest fuel your work.

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If Jesus Died for Our Sins, Why Do We Still Die?

D.G. Barnhouse | 1895-1960

D.G. Barnhouse | 1895-1960

In his book, Christ-Centered Preaching, Bryan Chapell shares:

Donald Grey Barnhouse, a famous bible teacher from the 1950’s, lost his wife to cancer when she was in her thirties. On the way to the funeral his oldest daughter asked him, “If Jesus died for our sins why do we still die?”

At that moment a large truck roared past them. Barnhouse turned to his daughter and asked, “Tell me, sweetheart, would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?”

“By the shadow,” she replied, “it can’t hurt you.”

Barnhouse nodded and said, “Did you know that the truck of death ran over the Lord Jesus in order that only its shadow might run over us? Your mother has not been overrun by death, but by the shadow of death. That is nothing to fear.”

As Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

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When Cliche Robs Us

clichesThere are some things that are so good, so true, so important, so powerful, and so needed that they get said over and over and over again. Their truthfulness and power makes them very repeatable. Unfortunately, however, being repeated over and over again makes them lose the shimmer they once had. As the hit song becomes an annoyance after the 1,000th time it is played on the radio, so truth overplayed gives way to rolling eyes. Although overplayed, truths don’t become less true, but they definitely becomes less listened to.

This is what we call a cliché.

Cliché & Christianity

An important lesson for all Christians is to know the inherent danger in the power of what we treat as cliché. There is a danger in Christian life of becoming blinded by what we wrongly put in the cliché category. You see, there are things that God has given us in His Word that are always relevant, always true, and always good, but, in sin, we allow our ears to become dull to their power and we stop listening. We let cliché rob us.

There are plenty of examples I could throw out there, but there is one that I have always come back to again and again. It is found in the pages of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Paul writes:

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7).

I can hear the eyes rolling and the objections being raised, “Yea, yea, yea; I have heard this! It only makes me start worrying about not worrying!” But, again, I believe this verse has not lost its truthfulness and power, but cliché robbed us and ran away with our wallet. By letting God’s Word become cliché have we kept ourselves from something beautiful.

D.A. Carson wisely probes:

Those of us who have been born into the family of God know about these things (praying about what worries us). But knowing about them and finding them true in our experience are two different things. When was the last time you prayed explicitly and at length over the things that worry you, trouble you, plague you? Did you take them out and recount them to God, one by one, laying your burdens on Him?

Time, time alone and quiet before God, that is what we need. Our lives are so rushed that we begrudge a three-minute “quiet time,” and then we wonder where God is.

Yet the psalmist had it right: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'” (Psalm 91:1-2).

Christians who comes before the Father in regular prayer discover that Peter is right: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

They discover that Paul is right: “And we know that all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

We are refreshed in the assurance of God’s sovereign and wise goodness. According to Philippians 4, the way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything. . . J.A. Bengel was right to insist that anxiety and genuine prayer are more opposed to each other than fire and water. I have yet to meet a chronic worrier who enjoys an excellent prayer life. (Taken from Basic for Believers, p. 112).

Don’t worry about worrying, but let your worry push you into the throne room of God where you have a listening ear in the Almighty-Over-Everything One. Don’t let this counsel be relegated to the storeroom of cliché-ity, but store it in your heart and let it guide you to your knees. You don’t have to walk this earth with a heart filled with worry, fear, and anxiety, you can dump it all off in the hands of Your Father and let Him guard your heart with the peace that comes from His Son.

So, go and kick cliché-ity in the face and take your truth back.

 

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