God is Amazing

As I sit and think about what God did in Alaska, it truly amazes me.  I don’t know why, maybe it is because of my lack of faith.  But I am here to say that we serve an AWESOME God.  I am not one to use that word lightly.  I do not think that a ballgame, movie, or any other person is awesome.  That word is reserved for God and Him alone in my vocabulary. 

I had an opportunity to go to Alaska and speak at a Mission Serve project (www.servemg.org) .  The topic for the week was “In The Trenches”  The Scripture that was used was Romans 12.  I had a chance to speak before 130 youth and adults on Romans 12.  When I was preparing the messages for the week I was concerned that the students would not respond well to the exposition of a chapter in the Bible.  I was thinking (the reasoning is that many youth groups do not hear exposition of the Scripture, it is more topical and warm fuzzy stuff.  I say this b/c I talk with a lot of students and they tell me that what they get in church is not very deep) about how thay would respond.  But I want to say that they truly responded far beyond what I would have ever imagined.  I wish you could have been there and have seen what I saw.  As I was teaching, for the most part they were glued to what I was saying (to God be the glory).  I had many separate conversations with students and adults alike about the Scriptures and many other topics.  God has shown me that truly this is how to teach.  The church for far too long has watered down the Scripture thinking that people would not listen to expository preaching and teaching.  But I am here to say that is a false statement.  People are hungry for God’s Word and the ones that God has called to teach and preach must take the time and discipline themselves to study so they can truly teach the Word as it should be taught.

I wanted to tell everyone who is in any kind of teaching or preaching position within the church of our Lord Jesus Christ to study.  I had a professor at Southeastern that said most of what was taught and preached in churches today were sermonettes by preacherettes (not sure on the spelling) and was not true exposition of the Word.  He was and is correct.  We must preach the Word whether is is popular or not.  We need not worry about the response, let God take care of that.  People are still there that desire to hear God’s Word taught the way it should be taught. 

God did move in Alaska.  I thank Him for it.  It was truly b/c He moved and had nothing to do with me, the worship band or anyone else there.  It was God being true to His Word and for that I am grateful.  I wish I had time and could put down in words what He did but time doesn’t allow it right now nor do I have the skills to do so.  I would be glad to share with anyone who would like to contact me. 

In Isaiah 55:11 God says that His Word will not return to Him void, but it will accomplish what He pleases and I have seen that first hand.

Thank you Lord for being a True and Faithful God, even when I am not true and faithful.  Please forgive me for my lack of faith.  YOU ARE TRULY AN AWESOME GOD. 

 

Scripture

THIS IS A GREAT ARTICLE BY JOHN MACARTHUR

By John MacArthur)

That’s a fashionable concern, judging from the trends in devotional booklets, home Bible study discussions, Sunday-school literature, and most popular preaching.

The question of what Scripture means has taken a back seat to the issue of what it means “to me.”

The difference may seem insignificant at first. Nevertheless, our obsession with the Scripture’s applicability reflects a fundamental weakness. We have adopted practicality as the ultimate judge of the worth of God’s Word. We bury ourselves in passages that overtly relate to daily living, and ignore those that don’t.

Early in my ministry, I made a conscious commitment to biblical preaching. My first priority has always been to answer the question, “What does this passage mean?” After I’ve explained as clearly and accurately as possible the meaning of God’s Word, then I exhort people to obey and apply it to their own lives.

The Bible speaks for itself to the human heart; it is not my role as a preacher to try to tailor the message. That’s why I preach my way through entire books of the Bible, dealing carefully with each verse and phrase–even though that occasionally means spending time in passages that don’t readily lend themselves to anecdotal or motivational messages.

I am grateful to the Lord for the way He has used this expository approach in our church and in the lives of our radio listeners.

But now and then someone tells me frankly that my preaching needs to be less doctrinal and more practical.

Practical application is vital. I don’t want to minimize its importance. But the distinction between doctrinal and practical truth is artificial; doctrine is practical! In fact, nothing is more practical than sound doctrine.

Too many Christians view doctrine as heady and theoretical. They have dismissed doctrinal passages as unimportant, divisive, threatening, or simply impractical. A best-selling Christian book I just read warns readers to be on guard against preachers whose emphasis is on interpreting Scripture rather than applying it.

Wait a minute. Is that wise counsel? No it is not.

There is no danger of irrelevant doctrine; the real threat is an undoctrinal attempt at relevance. Application not based on solid interpretation has led Christians into all kinds of confusion.

No discipline is more sorely needed in the contemporary church than expositional biblical teaching. Too many have bought the lie that doctrine is something abstract and threatening, unrelated to daily life.

It is in vogue to substitute psychology and spoon-fed application for doctrinal substance, while demeaning theological and expositional ministry.

But the pastor who turns away from preaching sound doctrine abdicates the primary responsibility of an elder: “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).

Practical insights, gimmicks, and illustrations mean little if they’re not attached to divine principles. There’s no basis for godly behavior apart from the truth of God’s Word.

There are only three options: We teach truth, error, or nothing at all.

Before the preacher asks anyone to perform a certain duty, he must first deal with doctrine. He must develop his message around theological themes and draw out the principles of the texts. Then the truth can be applied.

Romans provides the clearest biblical example. Paul didn’t give any exhortation until he had given eleven chapters of theology.

He scaled incredible heights of truth, culminating in 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Then in chapter 12, he turned immediately to the practical consequences of the doctrine of the first 11 chapters. No passage in Scripture captures the Christian’s responsibility to the truth more clearly than Romans 12:1-2. There, building on eleven chapters of profound doctrine, Paul calls each believer to a supreme act of spiritual worship–giving oneself as a living sacrifice. Doctrine gives rise to dedication to Christ, the greatest practical act. And the remainder of the book of Romans goes on to explain the many practical outworkings of one’s dedication to Christ.

Paul followed the same pattern in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians. The doctrinal message came first. Upon that foundation he built the practical application, making the logical connection with the word therefore (Rom. 12:1; Gal. 5:1; Eph. 4:1; Phil. 2:1) or then (Col. 3:1; 1 Thess. 4:1).

True doctrine transforms behavior as it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the truth clearly and accurately. Practical application comes easily by comparison.

No believer can apply truth he doesn’t know. Those who don’t understand what the Bible really says about marriage, divorce, family, child-rearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ, eternal rewards, helping the poor, caring for widows, respecting government, and other teachings won’t be able to apply it.

Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully to their own blessedness and God’s glory.

OBEDIENCE

This is a paraphrase of something I read from John MacArthur.  Thought it was good.

As a Christian, you must not compromise what the Bible says about anything—ever. No matter how much you desire to be compassionate to anyone, your first sympathies belong to the Lord and to the exaltation of His righteousness. Do not stand in defiant rebellion against the will of the Creator .

VISION OF YOU

I remember the day that my dear wife called me an told me she was pregnant with our first child.  I was at work and when she gave me the news I told everyone.  I remember how I longed for a boy and God gave me my desire.  I would think about the times we could have together.  How we could hunt, fish, work on our cars, just do guy stuff. 

Then the day came.  It was Feb. 22nd of 1989.  The day that would change my life forever.  God had  given me the awesome responsibility of raising a son.  I was scared out of my mind.  What kind of a father would I be?  When my son became a dad, would he desire to be the type of father I was to him? 

As I watched him grow, I would pray for him.  My pray was for him to be a man of God with a true heart for Jesus and a love for the Holy Scriptures.  I also desired that he would be a person that would have compassion for people, and that compassion would drive him to be all he could be for the Kingdom of God here on earth.   

I remember him shooting a shotgun, a bow, a pistol, a rifle and how proud I was of this young man.  I can remember him playing football in school.  I would sit in the stands and scream my head off  for the Bulldogs whether he was playing or on the sidelines.  Oh, how proud I was to see him on that field, preparing for battle (in a since) against opponents that were sometimes smaller and sometimes much larger.  But there was never a dad as proud as I was.

I rememeber his graduation.  Once again a moment that will always be part of me.  As he walked across that stage and received that piece of paper, once again my heart was filled with a feeling that cannot be put in words.  I was a dad with a heart that was full of thanks to a holy God for such a gift as my son.

I remember sending him off to college. Buying furniture, sheets, towels etc. and then having to climb up 3 flights of stairs to put them in his apartment.  I remember that I was excited that he would be rooming with a friend of his from his graduating high school class.  How cool could that be?  God has given him a great group of friends at college and for that I praise the name of Jehovah. 

I have said all this to say (going back to my title), I have a vision of you (past and future) my son of being a man of God, serving the Lord in what ever capacity He sees fit.  My challenge to you comes from Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so a great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (my vision of you). Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

I love you my son.

DAD

MY SON

Excerpts from a poem by Miss AngelDe

“My Son”

Oh! How “Blessed” I am to have you for my son,
God gave me a child to call my very own.
You my loving son are that one.
What a miracle from above was sent to me on lone.

All I could wish for was wrapped inside,
You were my gift from God right from the start.
Growing from a boy to a man you have been by my side,
Going through all the good and the bad, you did your part.

Poud as your “Mother”, what a blessing I was given,
Little did I know of life when you were a tiny baby.
I loved and protected you in our daily life of living,
But, little did I know there would be many times I would have to tell you maybe.

I wanted you to grow strong, safe, honest and free,
My hope’s and dreams were now wrapped up in you.
To be the man you were meant to be.
I as your mother pray daily for you.

God answered my prayers of having a child, for I know you,my son were a gift from above,
I was “Blessed” .

POEM

Seek Not My Heart

by Kit McCallum

Oh gentle winds ‘neath moonlit skies, Do not you hear my heartfelt cries? Below the branches, here about, Do not you sense my fear and doubt? Side glistening rivers, sparkling streams, Do not you hear my woeful screams? Upon the meadows, touched with dew, Do not you see my hearts a’skew? Beneath the thousand twinkling stars, Do not you feel my jagged scars? Seek not my mournful heart kind breeze, For you’ll not find it ‘mongst these trees. It’s scattered ‘cross the moonlit skies, Accompanied by heartfelt sighs. It’s drifting o’re the gentle rain, A symbol of my silent pain. It’s buried ‘neath the meadow fair, Conjoined with all the sorrow there. It’s lost among the stars this night, Too far to ease my quiet fright. No gentle winds, seek not my heart, For simply … it has torn apart.

DOCTRINE

This is an article by John MacArthur.  Enjoy.

Is it enough to “believe in Jesus” in some amorphous sense that divorces “faith” from any particular doctrine about Him, or is doctrine—and the content of our faith—really important after all?

Scripture plainly teaches that we must be sound in the faith—which is to say that doctrine does matter (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:2-3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1). It matters a lot.

“If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing” (1 Tim. 6:3-4, emphasis added).

Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all, even if it masquerades as Christianity. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.

God holds us accountable for what we believe as well as how we think about the truth He has revealed. All Scripture testifies to the fact that God wants us to know and understand the truth. He wants us to be wise. His will is that we use our minds. We are supposed to think, meditate, and above all, to be discerning.

The content of our faith is crucial. Sincerity is not sufficient.

Consider, for example, these well-known verses. Note the repeated use of words like truth, knowledge, discernment, wisdom, and understanding:

“Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom” (Psa. 51:6).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psa. 111:10).

“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Thy commandments” (Psa. 119:66).

“Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:2-6).

“The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding” (Prov. 4:7).

“We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9).

“In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

PENGUINS

Aren’t penguins about the coolest animal in exsistence?

Man’s Inability

In John 11 we find the record of the resurrection of Lazarus.  He was one of Jesus’ dearest friends.  As we read the account we find that lazarus gets sick and dies.  Before Lazarus dies Jesus is called to come to him.  Jesus delayed His going to Lazarus two days after He found out he was sick.  When Jesus arrived in Bethany, lazarus had been dead for four days.  We find in v20 that when Jesus arrived that Martha, lazarus sister came to Him.  She said to Jesus that if He had gotten there on time her brother would not had died.  But Jesus told her that he would rise again.  She stated that she knew he would rise again in the resurrection. 

later in the chapter we find that Mary, Lazarus’ other sister said basically the same thing to Jesus that Martha had said.  She said in v32 that if He had been there Lazarus would not have died.  As we look at the two sisters we see that they had a great belief in the healing abilities of Jesus but not so much in His resurrection power.  The same was true for the crowd that was there.  In v 37 we see that they believed that Jesus could have kept Lazarus alive. 

In v44 we see that Jesus gave a command to a dead person.  He commanded a person who was dead to do something.  In v44 we can see that the dead man responded.  How interesting.  As we think on this isn’t this a great illustration of what Jesus does to one at salvation.  He commands those who are spiritually dead to come forth.  In Ephesian 2:1 we see that the Bible tells us that all people prior to salvation are dead in trespasses and sins.  Unable to respond to God b/c of the spiritual death that sin brings on everyone.  But in verses 4-6 Jesus does to the elect what He did to Lazarus in John 11, He gives a command to one who is unable to respond b/c of death but the dead responds to the command of Jesus.

Man within ourselves are totally incapable to respond to God until He calls us forth.  Man is dead, but when Jesus calls us and gives us the power to respond to the Gospel we respond.  As we study Scripture we can see that the totality of salvation is from, by, through Jesus.  In Eph. 2:8-9 we see that a person believes because the faith is a gift from God, not of works (believing, praying a prayer, getting baptized and so forth).  Look also at Matt 11:27; John 1:13; John 3:8; John 5:21; John 6:44, 64-65; John 8:36; 1 Cor 1:30; Phil. 1:29; Col. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1. 

We can also see that the only way we are capable to repent of our sin is that Jesus grants us repentance (2 Tim. 2:25).  Prov 20:9 ask the question, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean…”  Certainly not any of mankind.  In Romans 3 we can see that man is totally unable to seek after God. 

In closing let’s look at Titus 3:5.  It clearly states that salvation is not of man but of God.  It states that not of works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…  All the glory goes to God b/c man in totally unable to save himself.  Let’s rejoice in this.  What a Great and Awesome Savior we have.

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

One of my favorite shows on tv is “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader”.  It amazes me the knowledge that these students have.  I wish I could answer the questions like they do, but I can’t. 

As I was thinking about the show, the thought came to mind, am I smarter than a fifth grader when it comes to the word of God?  Do I know the Word as I should?  If I were challenged with questions about the Holy Scriptures, could I answer correctly?  As we read the Bible, we can see over and over how within its pages we are commanded and encouraged not only to read the Word but aslo to memorize, study, apply, teach, love and soforth.  There are many verses that come to mind such as Deut. 6:4-9; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:9-11, 34, 47, 105, 130; 2 Tim 2:15, 3:16-17; James 1:22.  As I meditate upon these verses and many others I have to ask myself, “Am I a true student of the Word of God?” 

There are so many teachers and preachers out there today that do teach, but are they teaching the truth?  I heard John MacArthur make a statement the other day on his radio program that made me think about myself and ask myself questions.  He said and I am paraphasing, that he was a man driven by a passion for the truth.  He made it his goal everyday to seek the truth.  Can you and I say the same thing about ourselves?  Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your Word is truth.”  He did not say that God’s Word contained truth but that it was truth.  He did not say to sanctify them by man’s understanding of truth or man’s opinion but the truth of the Word of God.

As I stated earlier, there are many teachers out there today but as one listens to them you realize that they are not seeking truth.  They may stand up and scream, yell and stomp around or they may deliver a message in a gentle, calming voice.  But listen to what they are saying not how it is delivered.   The way we can be sure sure that they are seeking to be a messenger of truth is to know what the Word says ourselves. 

In Proverbs 2:3-6 it says ” Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
      And lift up your voice for understanding,
       4 If you seek her as silver,
      And search for her as for hidden treasures;
       5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
      And find the knowledge of God.
       6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
      From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

My plea to myself and everyone that claims to know Christ in a personal way, study God’s Word and get to know Him through His Word.  That is the only way we can truly know God and His Son Jesus Christ.  God has given us His Spirit to teach us (John 14:26) and we should be true disciples of Christ.

So ask yourself Am I Smarter than a fifth grader when it comes to truly knowing God’s Word.

Until next time, seek truth the correct way. 

Jeff

1 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor 4:5