Reading Through the Bible in 2012, week 2

This week's reading of Genesis 22-36 and Psalms 9-14 offer some honest views of struggle, fear and depression. Sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that true Christians never feel these sorts of emotions, but, thankfully, God gives us real pictures of His people struggling throughout His Word. As you read these stories and psalms learn from the faith of those enduring pain and find areas where you can grow in your dependence on God through your struggles.

Praying this week's readings are a blessing to you!

Reading Through the Bible in 2012

Our church is taking on the challenge of reading through the entire Bible in 2012. Here's a link to our website that offers this week's reading list and some notes that I wrote to use as a reading guide. Join us in reading through God's Word this year!

Tripping over Traditions

In Colossians 2 Paul warns Christians to be careful to guard against being carried away by human traditions. Those early Christians were being influenced heavily by those that wanted to enforce traditions and customs from the Law and the rule of the Jewish Priests. Even if it isn't from Jewish priests, today we face the same challenges. If we aren't vigilant we can make our own human traditions, personal preferences or personal opinions to be doctrine rather than just our druthers.

What are some traditions or preferences you have that can sometimes challenge even your dependence in Christ? Have you ever considered the influence of your preferences to this degree? Paul wants you to. And that means God wants you to since He inspired Paul to write this challenge to the Colossians (and to all Christians).

Which traditions, preferences or opinions tend to cause you to take your eye off of Christ?

What Do You Need?

I have a friend that has a running joke with his wife and it goes like this: Whenever one of them asks for something or says, "I want...", the other responds with, "and that's all I need..." The joke is funny because it is so true. We try to convince ourselves that the next object of our eye or heart will bring the satisfaction we've been searching for all of our lives. In the second chapter of Colossians, Paul is encouraging Christians to realize all they need is Christ even though shallow philosophers are trying to convince them otherwise.

Christ is sufficient because He supplies what we need and works to keep from us what we don't need. When we turn to Him we will find a great source of satisfaction as we learn to rest in Him and His provision. To the unbeliever that sounds strange, to the believer it sounds right, but difficult. Indeed, it is a challenge to walk away from a philosophy of self-provision, but there is great joy to be found resting in the Savior's care.

Can you identify your "one more thing"? What falls in the category of "and that's all I need..." in your life? How has this thinking deceived you in the past? How could it deceive you in the future?

How could you turn to Christ for greater wisdom and satisfaction today?

God's Glory Matters Most

I grew up attending Baptist churches in Georgia and Kentucky. God graciously brought me to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ at the young age of five. I have had the privilege of serving in Baptist churches in Alabama and Kentucky over the past 18 years. Thankfully, I have grown up in and around the church.

Yet, a few years ago I found there was something I was missing. While attending Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama I had the opportunity to hear John Piper preach. The two messages he preached were unlike anything I had ever heard and they greatly changed the course of my life.

To begin to understand that the Gospel was not all about me and my need, but to see that the chief aim of the Gospel, and, therefore, my life, was to glorify God changed the way I viewed my relationship with God, the way I studied the Bible, the way I saw the church and the way I handled relationships. Yes, God does love me (and all of humanity) very much, but there is something He treasures even more and that is His glory.

Although the message on this video was delivered in December 2009, it is a great summation of the messages I first heard in Birmingham in 1998. I pray it will be as great of a help to you as it has been to me.

Is Meditation for You?

Recently on ABC's World News Tonight there was a clip on mediation and its benefits. I've embedded the clip here.



This clip immediately made me think of Dr. Donald S. Whitney who has done a tremendous amount of work on meditation and the Christian life. As you see the benefits of the clip from ABC, think about how much more beneficial mediation would be if you align it with God's Word.

You can read more about meditation from Dr. Whitney's website, BiblicalSpirituality.org.

What is The Gospel?

What is the Gospel? Here's a short video where John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, offers an explanation.

I'm Afraid of Being Nice

I'm afraid of being nice. It's not that I don't want to be kind or helpful to you. The fear is rooted in being misunderstood. There is no doubt that I should be nice because you are neighbor, friend or family member. But I should be nice for a greater reason. I should be nice because you are a fellow citizen, driver, shopper or thinker. But I should be nice for a greater reason.

Where I live people are generally nice. They help one another. They try to put the pieces back together when disaster or tragedy comes. They do caring things. They're nice. It's nice. That's nice.

My fear is that being nice brings some glory to God, but not enough.

I fear it brings some glory to God because it shows we are created in the image of a God that is kind, caring and loving. And our acts of kindness are a reflection of these wonderful traits. That is a good thing.

However, these acts of niceness don't show the full depths of God's love, kindness and care.

When I am nice I am often acting out of sympathy. I feel pity for the situation you're in and will offer some help to bail you out.

Sometimes I am acting out of empathy. I hope you'll do the same for me if I wind up in the same situation.

Sometimes I am acting out of selfishness. I hope you'll realize the mean thing you did to me by seeing the nice thing I did for you.

Sometimes I am acting out of pride. I hope the other people around us will see how nice I am because of what I just did for you.

True kindness is much more than this. And to understand it requires explanation.

The Apostle John said in 1 John 4:7-21, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Do you see the components of this love? God loves someone that does not love Him. God demonstrates this love with the action of sending Jesus Christ to die to offer us forgiveness. Because the person receiving the display of love does not love God, at least not at first, there is no guarantee that love will be returned.

That is risky. It is love simply for the sake of love. It is not love for the sake of returned love. That doesn't seem very natural to my mind. I mean really, what if the other person doesn't do anything in return? Can I accept that?

So here's where we bring it together.

I'm afraid simply being nice confuses people because I am assuming most people are like me. I'll hold the door for you so you'll hold the door for me. While that is nice, it isn't love. At least not the kind of love God calls us to receive from Him, show to Him and show to others.

And here's the part that isn't very nice.

In your niceness, what is your motive? What are you trying to accomplish? When are you willing to be nice? If your kindness is to resemble that of God's kindness you are being called to a whole new level of living.

How Do You Evaluate Your Love for God?

Jesus says the greatest love a person possesses is their love for God. He says in Mark 12:28-34 that people should love God with all of their being.

Here's my question:
How do you know that you are loving God this fully?

Post some answers and let's discuss it.

The Church Should Encourage the Church

Please pray for the 11 members of Immanuel that are traveling to McAllen, Texas to work with Upon This Rock International as we try to strengthen and encourage churches in Reynosa, Mexico. We are thankful for our long time partnership with these churches and this missions organization. May God be glorified by our efforts!

Is God with Us?

The final Sunday in Advent 2010 reminds us that Immanuel - God is with us. This is something we find encouraging, but challenging as we struggle to understand what this means. Think of the beginning of the Bible. In Genesis 3:8 God comes to walk with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening. In earlier Genesis passages we overhear regular discussion between God and Adam. Before sin entered the world the relationship between God and man was close and intimate.

Sin brought separation. Sin brought stress in the relationship between God and man. Sin causes man to wonder if God cares. Sin causes man to wonder if God is even there.

In Isaiah 8:8,10 the prophet tells us the Messiah will be called Immanuel and the people of Israel must have wondered what this would mean. They were far from God when this prophecy was delivered. Many of them had rejected God and pursued their own gods. They were all facing a time of suffering as a punishment for their disobedience. As foreign armies invaded their villages and took them captive they must have felt alone and isolated from God. We’ve all been there. We’ve felt depressed and cut off. To hear the prophet declare that God would be with them should have brought them hope. To some it did. To many, though, it did not. They were too far from God to care.

The 400 years from the close of the Old Testament to Jesus was an age where the Heavens were still. It wasn’t that God had nothing new to say. Instead, He was calling His people to remember the covenants, prophecies and writings that had brought them to this point in their relationship with Him. All the while He was preparing to fulfill His promises.

One fall night as shepherds were grazing their sheep on a hillside near Bethlehem angels appeared in overwhelming brilliance. It was time for the promise to be fully revealed. Immanuel was born. He was really here.

It was an unlikely birth. In an unlikely place. To unlikely people. Yet the promise was being fulfilled. Immanuel was a reality.

Throughout the Gospels, God was with us. He ate with us. Talked with us. Walked with us. Healed us. Taught us.

Then, one day He died for us. And three days later He rose for us.

There was another promise, though, that told us we weren’t to a place of permanent Immanuel. We read it in John 14. Though He left physically - for the time being - He promised He would still be with us. It was so important He repeated it moments before He ascended back in Heaven. Jesus says in Matthew 28 He will be with us always.

Immanuel is hard to grasp because Jesus is not taking lunch appointments today. He doesn’t have an office downtown with a lobby where we sit and wait to talk with Him. But still, He is Immanuel.

The Holy Spirit is our Immanuel. Praying with us. Teaching us. Disciplining us. Helping us.

The promise is very much still true. God is with us. Immanuel.

Though it may be hard to understand. It is reality. You can know Immanuel and feel the effects of this relationship. Through His word, His church and His Spirit - God is with us. Seek Him today.

The Great Healer

The third week of the 2010 Advent season is upon us. This week we are focusing on how Jesus heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, causes the lame to walk, and restores mobility to the lame. There are countless stories in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of Jesus restoring the health of those that were close to Him, those that He passed by along the road and those brought to Him while He was teaching. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ was a significant part of His earthly ministry.

It was important for two reasons. First, death, decay and sickness are all a part of the curse that rests on humanity because of our rebellion against God. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were escorted outside of God’s close presence because of their disobedience. But the Bible tells us that sin has even more effect on us that separation from God. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8 that all of creation is groaning to be free of this decay and deterioration. In addition, in that chapter Paul says the creation, which includes people, has been subjected to futility that leads to an ongoing cycle of decay in all of creation. Finally, in Romans 6 we learn that the wages of sin is death. When Jesus healed people He was showing His authority over sickness. Even more, He was showing that He has authority over sin and has ability to take away our sin.

The healing of Christ is also important because it shows His character. On more than one occasion we see Jesus very emotional when He was healing the sick or raising the dead. This matters because it shows us that Jesus cares about us. God loves the people of the world and desires to show sympathy to them. Through the healings Christ performed we learn about the love of God.

It was a combination of His power and His love that took Him to the cross. It was there Jesus died as a substitute for us. He took the consequence of our sin upon Himself at the cross as He suffered and died in our place. At the cross He accomplished more than just physical healing, He brought the healing needed to overcome the eternal consequence of sin.

Many people live as if cancer, heart disease or other illnesses are the end of the world. In one sense they can be as they may lead to death. And if this world is all you’re counting on then it will be the end of your world. But the Bible clearly teaches there is more than this life. In John 14 and 1 Corinthians 15 we clearly read that there will be a resurrection of the followers of Christ to be with Christ forever. The resurrection will be ultimate and eternal healing that we all long to receive.

As Christmas approaches, worship the Savior born in a manger that came to heal the sick. He heals the body and the soul.

Change Your Ways

This is the second week of the 2010 Advent season and this week we focus on the change that God has called us to make in our lives. It is a change from a life of sin to a life of love and dependence upon God. It is a change that only God can enable and, ultimately, only He can accomplish in our lives. Yet, we are called to join fully and wholeheartedly with Him in this change.

The Son of God was born in the manger to bring more than wisdom and moral teaching to the world. As good as those things are, Jesus brought something that is gloriously impossible for humans to accomplish. That is the changing of a human heart so that we live lives that are pleasing in God’s eyes.

When we think of our sin, as mentioned earlier, we need to think beyond just a list of do’s and don’ts. Too often people think of the Christian faith as simply trying to appease God by doing more things that they believe will make Him happy versus what they believe will anger Him. The Christian faith is about much more than this. It is about realizing that God is our Creator and He has made us for a purpose. That purpose is to be in relationship with Him and to find our greatest joy in knowing and loving Him. We confuse this when we simply treat God as if He is the great warden in the sky who will zap us when we disobey beyond His level of tolerance.

What is sin? Sin is placing anyone or anything in God’s place in our life. John Calvin said the heart is an idol factory and humans are experts at idol manufacturing. Idolatry is replacing God on the throne of your life and putting something else there. Perhaps you’ve put yourself there. Maybe you’ve put accomplishments or possessions there. You might have put a relationship in that place. What does your life ultimately rotate around? That is your ruler.

The Bible calls us to a right relationship with our Creator, which includes Him being the Lord of our lives. To come to this point we need to repent of our idol work. Repenting is more than saying we’re sorry, though. Repenting is seeking God’s forgiveness and turning away from our wrong attitudes or actions. We turn toward Christ. It is through faith and dependence upon Him that we are able to live a life that is pleasing to God. The Bible says God will punish our sins. Jesus took the punishment for those that will believe in Him when He was crucified and offers forgiveness to those who will receive it. He is the Savior and Redeemer for the world! When we trust in Christ’s work of forgiveness at the cross and empty tomb (Easter) we are able to see real change begin in our lives.

To continue this change God has given wonderful gifts in His Holy Spirit, His Word and the local church to come alongside us. This Christmas receive the gift of a changed life that God gives to show you grace and joy.

Preparing to Eat

This Sunday - the second Sunday of Advent 2010 - we are preparing to take the Lord's Supper together. It is a special and sacred time when we remember what the church has been remembering for nearly 2,000 years.

We will remember and rejoice in the life, death and resurrection of our Savior. We will remember our hope. There is a stern warning, though, as we approach the Lord's table. Paul passes it along in 1 Corinthians 11,

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [29] For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. [30] That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. [31] But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. [32] But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
(1 Corinthians 11:27-32 ESV)

As we prepare our hearts to take of the Lord's Supper may we pray as David did in Psalm 139,

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
[24] And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

As we search our hearts may we also have courage to take action. Such as David did in Psalm 51,

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
[2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

[3] For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
[4] Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
[5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
[6] Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

[7] Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[8] Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
[9] Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
[11] Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

[13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
[14] Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
[15] O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
[16] For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
[17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

[18] Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
[19] then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
(Psalm 51 ESV)

May we do the work of preparing our hearts as we approach the Lord's table this Lord's Day.

Light Shining in Darkness

Light Shining in Darkness
November 29, 2010

We grew up in the country. Kids that lived in the city would call it the boondocks when they came to visit. I miss living in the country. Especially at night. Far from the city lights the sky was so clear during the winter. There were so many stars and the moon seemed so close. The nights during a full moon were a special treat. The night seemed like day because the moonlight was so radiant and bright. The nights provide such a contrast in the country because of the deep darkness one night and just a few nights later there would the evening sky would be radiant with the moon’s brilliance.

Christmas is quite a contrast. Scripture says that the world is dark. The Bible says we live in darkness with a great need for the light. Even more, Jesus said He is the light the world desperately needs. Several questions quickly come to my mind. First, do you realize you live in darkness apart from the grace of God? Do I? Our reasoning, wisdom, decision-making and desires are not based on the light when we are far from God. When we live by own accord we do not make decisions that honor God. Most often our good deeds are only accomplished to benefit ourselves. We are a people in need of the light of Christ. We need the baby in the manger.

This truth leads to the second question, do you desire the light? Maybe you’re happy living in the darkness. Maybe you’ve given up on finding the light. Maybe you’ve never been pointed to the light. Here’s what the prophet Isaiah said about the darkness and the light. “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish…e people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:1,2) What is this light they have seen? Isaiah answers, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Light can be found. When you turn away from a sinful and rebellious way of living through repentance and forgiveness you can grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ and you can walk in the light instead of darkness. Make no mistake, though, the lighted path is not an easy one. But it is a path worth walking.

Christmas is about the light shining in the darkness. The world is in great need of direction, perspective and understanding. The world needs light. Jesus is the light.

The Purposeful Love

Have you ever thought about the purpose of someone’s love? When a couple is married they purpose to love one another through any circumstance of life until one of them dies. When a child is born, parents purpose to love that child’s so that their needs will be met and they will know care and encouragement. Whether you realize it or not, there is a purpose to every ounce of love you extend to someone else.

Jesus’ love was a purposeful love. He loved for a couple of reasons. He loved God and others to bring glory to God. That is, to declare how good God is. He tells us this in John 17:1. He also purposed His love to serve others. In Mark 10:45 Jesus says that He did not come to Earth to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

As we follow Jesus’ example let us think about these purposes of love. Again, they are to bring glory to God and to serve others. As you think about the love you share with others, are those your purposes? Are there other purposes to your love?

There are times when we love others to make ourselves feel good. There are times we love others to get what we want. There are times we love others so others will think highly of us. As you think about your relationships you will see that there have times like this in your life. These self-centered attitudes can easily creep into our hearts and destroy something that started with great intentions. When this happens, your love has not been centered on God or others. It has been centered on you. Even when it appeared you were serving someone else, your love was purposed on your self.

How do we overcome this selfishness? First, be aware of it. What are your motives for showing love to that other person? Second, don’t ask what you are going to get out of sharing your love. Look for the benefits of others and don’t worry about how you’ll be promoted, recognized, thanked or loved in return. Finally, seek God’s help. Our hearts are evil. They are centered upon self. We need the working of Christ in our lives to make us outwardly focused on God and others.

There is a purpose to your love. Be willing to explore the purpose of your love so that your love may be pure.

You Can't Earn God's Love

Did you the know Old Testament of the Bible contains over 600 commands from God? In the first century AD, the Jewish religious leaders had studied these laws in such detail that they tell us there are 365 negative ones and 248 positive ones. The negative ones are things people should not do and the positive ones are things people should do. One day, Jesus was in a discussion with religious leaders and they asked Him to sum up all of these laws in one sentence. Sounds challenging, doesn’t it? Sounds important, doesn’t it? What is revolutionary, though, is how Jesus answered their question.

In Mark 12 Jesus says that the most important commandment is to love God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength. He goes further to add that loving others is just behind this commandment. Jesus directly calls people to love God here, but you need to know that this is a recurring theme throughout the entire Bible. And, it is certainly a recurring theme in Jesus’ ministry.

So, how do you love God? That is question with many answers. We often define how we love by what others do for us. Isn’t that the way we define love when it comes to human relationships? We love family members and friends because of the way they care and provide for us. Their words or actions are their expressions of love toward us.

But often we do not define our love for God this way. We define our love for God by what we do for Him. Many of us are actually trying to earn God’s love through our obedience to Him. Instead of allowing our love for Him to drive us to obedience, we try to earn His love through obedience. Make sense? It can be a bit confusing so let me explain a little more.

Here in our Southern Kentucky culture we often think that as we attend our local church we show our love for God. There may be no joy in our going to hear the preaching of God’s word, sing praises to Him or encouraging other believers. Yet, we go because it is our duty to show God we love Him. While it is right to attend church on a regular basis (Hebrews 10:25), we are not called to go to church to show God we love Him. We are called to go to church because we love God.

Did you hear the difference?

Our action is not to earn God’s love. Our action is because of God’s love for us. We don’t act to earn God’s love. We act to express our love for God. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love comes first. Obedience follows. Do you love God? Don’t obey to earn His love. Obey God because you enjoy His love and want to love Him back.

Why Does Church Membership Matter?

Church membership, though not directly mandated in the New Testament, does seem to be implied in the New Testament. Here's a helpful blog from a friend, Ben Simpson, who is the pastor of West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, TN. Read carefully and it will be a great help to you.

God the Deliverer

God's great desire is to deliver you for His glory. And He is really serious about this. He is at work to deliver you even if you don't know that you need to be delivered. Because the truth is you need to be delivered from something all the time.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

God is willing to bring you to a point of desperation so you will learn to trust Him. Are you there yet? I've been there recently. Only when we humble ourselves before Him, stand firm in the faith and trust Him will we find the relief He longs to give and we long to receive.

Where are you along the road of suffering? Are you on the highway of denial or hard-headedness? Have you found the exit that leads to peace? You'll spot it by its sign which reads "Faith in Christ". Will you follow His lead?

Satisfaction in Suffering

Suffering is never easy, but the Bible says it is useful. Here's a sermon I preached at West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, TN on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. Listen and let me know what you think.

http://westmainbaptist.com/pour/sermon-audio?sermon_id=126