"Unplanned"

            Unplanned is a recently released film derived from Abby Johnson’s memoir Unplanned. Earlier this week we went to see it with several others from PCC. I was not sure what to expect of the movie, but I knew the basics. Johnson was the director for a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas, who resigned her position. After resignation she became an advocate for the unborn, and she began a ministry to assist abortion clinic workers to leave their jobs. Her resignation was met with fierce opposition from Planned Parenthood, who sued Johnson and her pro-life friends.

             The film does an excellent job of telling Abby Johnson’s story, yet it was the information that was new to me that gripped my heart. The movie didn’t attempt to hide any of Abby’s sins, nor did it hide the grittiness of abortion procedures. Here are a few takeaways:

• Abby had two abortions, and was honest about her experiences that are portrayed clearly in the film. Also, in the days leading up to her resignation from Planned Parenthood a few things key things occurred. For the first time, she assisted in an abortion. She saw the live ultra sound picture of the fetus, and watched as the fetus was sucked out of the uterus. This was horrifying! And it seemed to be what motivated her to resign. Later, the film shows that she pulled her own file so that she could see the ultrasound picture of one of her babies that was aborted. These are important segments of the film, they capture the essence of her and her fetus’ humanity, victimization, and the pain of abortion.

• Planned Parenthood may be the most corrupt organization in America. What I learned is troubling. They manipulate young women to agree to abortions. They are motivated by the love of money. They tell many lies to people. They take ultra sound photos of their patient’s unborn babies to get a measurement for the price of the abortion, but they do not show the photo to the woman for fear that she will change her mind to save her baby. I used to think that Planned Parenthood was just a bad organization, but now I’m convinced that the devil has much power over them, they destroy unborn babies. And he is a he thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” but Jesus came to give life (John 10:10).

• Although some of the protestors at the clinic in the movie expressed attitudes of harshness, the Christians portrayed in the movie were people of love, kindness, and peace. It struck me that people are often attracted to truth by the love and hospitality of a Christian, not a hateful attitude. This was the case for Abby. Although I do not know if Abby is born again, she definitely had a change of heart regarding abortion. She came to this much truth because people were praying and people were gently informing her of the truth of abortion.

• God will forgive all sin, including abortion. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the means for God’s forgiveness, but a person must possess genuine faith in Christ and His Gospel to be forgiven. So as we preach the gospel remember that the Gospel is the answer to abortion, and it offers God’s mercy to all, even abortion doctors. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

• Lastly, the film received an R rating from MPAA. But I agree with the film’s maker who said it is PG-13. There is a scene in the movie depicting an abortion that is difficult to view. And, there is some salty language in the movie, so if you’re going to view it with your kids please be aware.

Reasons Why I Love the Church

To be sure, this post is revised from an earlier one I wrote a couple years ago. My hope is that it will be as encouraging to you who are reading it today as it was then. The truth remains the same for all times, generations, and cultures.

Reason #1: Jesus loved the church. I am not Jesus, neither are you, but being called by him means we must be like him. His passion for his bride brought him to death. We ought to prize his beloved church above any program, ministry, school, family, or institution.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Eph 5:25-27).

Reason #2: The church began with the Apostles but it didn’t end with them. We long for connections that extend beyond our current network of friends, family, and tradition. We want an ancient one. One reason family genealogies are so popular is because most people long for roots. Christians have deep roots, our history began in chapter one of Acts and continues on through 28 chapters of Acts, and right up to today. There are no new questions, nor are their new answers. We look to an ancient book (the Scripture) for answers. And if we are still curious, there is nearly 2,000 years of historical theology to help us learn how the church taught the Scriptures in years past.

Mike Horton says that “The church was born in doctrinal debate. It fought its way to dominance through centuries of arguments over doctrinal detail. The Reformation was a controversy between two different gospels.”^[1] Today marks a terrific vantage point for the church. There is no actual reason for heresy, accurate theology was worked out in history. For starters, we believe the Bible is a genuine book that came from God. The church has taught this since its inception nearly 2,000 years ago. Who are we to think that the Apostles got it wrong?

Reason #3: The church is full of people who can help. I long to learn more, to be better equipped to serve Christ. I want genuine answers to my questions about God, and I want to mature in Christ with other Christ-followers, and I hope you do as well. If so, there is good news, the church exists to help, to build you up.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-13).

Reason #4: The church is commanded by its God to love everyone. Of all the groups of people in the world the local church ought to be the safest and most caring environment. God’s people are called to unconditionally love one another, and God calls the church to love those that no one else will love and to expect nothing in return (no strings attached). We love because our Lord is glorified when we do so, and we want to show the world his love.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom 12:10-11).

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8).

Are you convinced? I hope so. Let’s remember that the church is not a building, a program, or a denomination. We are not scary either. We are God’s people, whom Christ has redeemed and prized as his own. If you don’t love it already, begin to cultivate a love for the church.

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^[1] http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=670&var3=main

PCC Church Member Responsibilities

The Bible describes the church as brothers and sisters who must “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Rom 12:10a). We are to be together each Sunday, during midweek gatherings, and with fellow members as we’re invited to a home or to coffee. God says we are to be “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, . . . [and] practicing hospitality” together (Rom 12:12-13). Church membership is like marriage. With marriage comes responsibilities to a spouse, to your children, and to your spouses’ family. To this end our constitution gives us several responsibilities that we have toward one another as the members of PCC. It says:

The members shall be responsible to the authority (Hebrews 13:17), maintain fellowship (1 John 1:6-7), maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), esteem others better than themselves (Philippians 2:3), be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), contribute to the needs of the saints (Romans 12:13), assume financial responsibility for the ministry of the church according to one’s ability (2 Corinthians 8:3-4), and be willing workers (1 Peter 4:10). Reconciliation between members will be encouraged in accordance with 1 Corinthians 6:1-4, and Matthew 18:15, 17 and with cognizance of Romans 14:19.

1.     The members shall be responsible to the authority. Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” We follow our pastor and elders, they lead, we follow. Even I, though I am an elder-pastor, am submitted to our elders.

2.     Maintain fellowship. 1 John 1:6-7 says “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Hidden sin blocks fellowship with God and with each other. Confess and repent of your sins.

3.     Maintain the unity of the Spirit. Ephesians 4:3 says “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Do nothing that would cause division. Do not put others down. Do not grumble to other members, but do everything to maintain our oneness as Christ’s body. 

4.     Esteem others better than themselves. Philippians 2:3 says “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” In everything put other church members before and above yourself. 

5.     Be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12c says “devoted to prayer.” Pray for the spiritual growth and renewal for every church member, constantly. 

6.     Serve one another. Galatians 5:13 says “but through love serve one another.” 

7.     Contribute to the needs of the saints. Romans 12:13 says “contributing to the needs of the saints.” If you see a brother or sister who needs anything give them what they need. 

8.     Assume financial responsibility for the ministry of the church according to one’s ability. 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 says “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.” Give to PCC regularly, sacrificially, and according to your ability. Figure out the percentage of your income that you are able to give to the church, and give regularly (weekly or monthly). If you have not worked this out, talk it over with your spouse, and make a decision. God expects us to give to our church, if we can. 

9.     Be willing workers. 1 Peter 4:10 says “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Our church has so many needs that go unmet. Consider helping in the nursery. Consider helping the men with various projects. Consider providing meals to church members, or working in the kitchen for a potluck. 

10.  Reconciliation. Matthew 18:15, 17 says “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” We all are sinners, we all sin against one another, so we all need to perfect the process of reconciliation. If one has offended you or sinned against you, go talk to him or her. If it isn’t resolved, call me, or another church member to help you work it out. We must resolve our issues with one another. Church membership is a lot like marriage, divorce should not be an option, nor should leaving the church over unresolved sins and offenses.

God’s Word outlines many responsibilities for us. The church will take one day per week of your life, the Lord’s Day. Use these biblical responsibilities to direct your expectations of one another, and your ideas about church. Let’s link arms together to worship and serve Jesus Christ, we’re a family.

The Better Country

Only time will tell what legacy the 2016 election will leave behind for our nation, but there is already one lesson we Christians can learn from it today: Politics does not exist to inspire divine hope. Dearest Christian, you must remember that we are resident aliens in this country, our citizenship is in heaven. We live today as strangers waiting to go home to our eternal country with King Jesus.

The book of Hebrews reminds us of our eternal country that we will possess if we stick with Jesus, our only hope. The original readers of Hebrews were struggling to keep believing in Jesus. They were tempted to leave the gospel to go back to their old Jewish religion. The author of Hebrews argues that the old Jewish religion is obsolete because it pointed them forward to Christ. However, many believers died during those old covenant times before Christ came. They were people like Abraham and Joseph, who both died before inheriting all of God's promises. But they died in faith, looking forward to the hope coming in Jesus and ultimately in their heavenly country. The author writes:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on the earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16 NIV). 

Our hope for a sinless nation or at least one where all its citizens are Christians will only be fully realized when God's Son returns for us, and takes us to the place he has prepared for us. So for now we can only see these things from a distance; we can't clearly see it yet with our eyes. But we do see something, don't we? Each Sunday when we are gathered to hear God's Word and to worship him, we see a glimpse of the better country, the eternal one that will come. We gather as one body, focused on our God, worshiping our God in unison. It is a glorious glimpse of what is to come. 

The coming eternal nation will not gain power through an election cycle, but through Jesus' second coming. Its citizens won't disagree over sinful issues like abortion, rather its citizens will please God in obedience from the heart. This perfect city will be visibly ruled by our Messiah, who will rule with pure justice, love, and all power. This hope will soon call us away from our temporary residence and unto a better citizenship, and eternal country where God will be our God and our King and we will be with all his people, one Christian family and country.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20).

Why Do You Look for the Living among the Dead?

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead” (Luke 24:1-5, NIV)?

Words like “conclusion” and “irreversible” enter my mind upon a person’s death. The gravity of death pulls us to think it is final. However, for Christians the grave is not final; it is more like the beginning. Jesus’ death was terminated with new life. “He is not here; he has risen” (Luke 24:6a). Jesus’ death was the beginning of new life for everyone who had followed and would follow him.

Hours after his death, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary (Luke 24:10) went to the place where Jesus was buried. What do you suppose they were expecting? They expected see his body lying still, grayish, cold, wounded, and without life. They were not happy. Death drains joy from the living; there is no hiding that. Neither euphemizing death as some generic passing nor renaming the funeral service that commemorates it as some generic celebration of life does not fix death’s joyless and cold sting. Death is hell, and Jesus’ mother and her friends were experiencing it. That is, until they stumbled upon evidence of life permeating Jesus’ former grave.

Nothing brightens a day like life. Holding a new baby automatically makes me smile. Also, the joy that comes when God saves a sinner is unavoidable. The church rejoices in new life and new salvation!

In the same way, the mourning women who expected to embalm Jesus’ body were jolted with joy upon hearing this question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Like in any mystery their curiosity was overwhelming, Jesus’ body was gone. They probably figured someone stole his body. After all, that was the logical conclusion, but then they heard that question:

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” The Son of Man, Jesus, is alive. Death could not hold him. Just as he taught his disciples, so it was (Luke 24:6-9). Joy crowds out the darkness of hell with this question.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” There is hope for every Christian. We who are in Christ will not die forever, just as Jesus didn’t die forever. We will be resurrected, just as Jesus was resurrected. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Stop thinking that death is the conclusion. In Christ, death is reversed. For just as Jesus arose from the ashes of death, so does the church at his return.

And when he returns, perhaps it will be asked of those who look for us at our graves, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

How Many Times Can You Forgive Somone?

Showing others mercy as God has shown mercy to you is a visible mark of genuine conversion. In this article I deal with Peter's question to Jesus about mercy in Matthew 18:21-22. My post can be viewed over at Western Seminary's blog, Transformed. To view my article click here.

Enjoy Him Forever

Has Christianity become a chore? For a lot of men it has. In most churches the number of women is greater than the number of men. It appears that Christianity or church is just another chore for many men. This was my attitude for a season. I worked a lot of Sundays because there was work that needed to be done on the ranch. My attitude didn’t change quickly. For a time, shooting trap and bird hunting was more important than Christianity. Those activities brought me joy. Unfortunately my heart toward God was cold. Christianity became a chore without much joy. 

I’m writing this from our couch where I’m ill, but I’m grateful for this illness because in it I’m reminded to enjoy God. Perhaps one of the reasons God takes our physical strength away is to remind us to enjoy him. Enjoying God is the best we can do in situations like this, and may be the only thing we are able to do. I didn’t have the strength to preach last Sunday, and haven’t felt well enough to leave my house. However, I can enjoy God by singing to him, praying for you, reading my Bible, and meditating upon his wondrous grace and faithfulness.

As a church, have we forgotten to enjoy God? Think about the first line of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “What is the chief end of man? Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Glorifying God is not complete without enjoying him. Remember Lazarus’s sister Mary? She enjoyed God, but Martha was too busy for Jesus. 

Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42, NET). 

Mary chose to enjoy Jesus instead of the chores, and she made the best choice. Who do you think made the best choice? Was it Martha who was busy working, or was it Mary? Mary wasn’t afraid of Martha, the Lord had walked into her house and she was going to savor each moment. Perhaps the better question is, why isn’t Martha enjoying Jesus with Mary? And why don’t we enjoy Jesus like Mary did?

Philippians 4:4 reads “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul wrote that with enthusiasm because he had learned how to enjoy God in every circumstance. And now he tells the Philippians, and us, to always rejoice in the Lord. Enjoy God in your poverty, or in your wealth. Enjoy God in your sickness, or in your health. We must learn to enjoy God at all times without letting circumstances get in the way. Martha allowed kitchen work to pull her away from joy in Christ. You may allow your job to pull you away. Whatever it is that is pulling you away from enjoying God at home, and with your church family, set it aside and come back to Jesus. 

As we begin 2016 we could start a new list of chores, but all that matters is Jesus. If you make a list, put Jesus at #1. Determine to enjoy him every day of your life in 2016, enjoy him by hearing his word read, preached, and taught. Enjoy him as you pray to him. Enjoy him as you worship him at home and with our church family. Enjoy him when we take communion. Enjoy him as you care for your children or your grandchildren. Set aside time each day to spend with Jesus, to read and to pray. Then the next day, do it all over again.

Christmas Questions and Answers

     For the past several months I have had the privilege of working with many of the children and youth during Sunday School. One of the tools we use to teach is a catechism. This little booklet consists of 114 questions and answers, it guides us to understand what the Bible teaches about our Triune God, and us humans. Below you’ll find the catechism’s questions that help us understand the meaning of Christmas, or Advent, if you will. There is much more to Christmas than decorations, buying gifts, preparing food, and hanging lights. All of those cultural traditions are great but let’s remember the true meaning of Christmas this year as we are gathered with family and friends. Let these questions and answers from the catechism assist you and your family to remember why it is that we Christians celebrate and emphasize Christmas. 

     1. What did God do to save his people from his anger and punishment? 

He sent his Son so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (NIV).

     2. Who is God’s Son? 

The Lord Jesus Christ. 

Luke 1:35  The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (NIV).

     3. How did he come to this world? 

He was born in Bethlehem in a stable. 

Luke 2:4-7  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them (NIV).

     4. Who was his mother? 

The virgin Mary. 

Matthew 1:18  This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit (NIV).

     5. Did he have an earthly father? 

No. He came into the world by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Matthew 1:18 (see verse above) 

     6. Why did he come in this way? 

So that he would be free from original sin.

Hebrews 7:26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens (NIV).

     I numbered these questions 1-6 for our purposes here, but they are questions 43-48 from Carine Mackenzie’s booklet, My First Book of Questions And Answers. (Christian Focus Publications, 2011). 

     The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son who was born to die and rise again. He is the Lord of life. May he be given his rightful place among our families and around our dinner tables this Christmas season. Have a very merry Christmas! 

You Are Not Alone in The Fight

Halloween tends to remind us about spiritual warfare, at least it does for me. The verse quoted frequently for spiritual warfare is; “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness [...]” (Eph 6:12). These are good reminders, but what can we actually do about it? We often attempt to work through them alone but spiritual struggles are not just hidden within individuals, nor are they to be fought alone. The spiritual struggles we engage in involve the whole church, and are visible since they include people. 

An example of spiritual battle is the one that occurred on Crete. Titus was the appointed pastor to the small island, and his first job was to engage in spiritual warfare. That is, there were “many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections” (Titus 1:10). This battle against the gospel was obvious to everyone, and it included many churches on the island, and it had to be stopped. Moreover, we can learn a lot about engaging enemies by reading Titus but there are two items that prove to be especially helpful: First, nobody is in this battle alone. Second, this battle is frequently visible. 

You are not alone. By taking a step back we realize that the spiritual fight for the gospel includes more than just one individual. This is why Paul wrote this letter to Titus which was then read to all the churches on Crete. Paul wasn’t going to handle this by himself, nor was Titus. In fact, no one can engage such things alone, not even you or me. 

We are not to engage in warfare alone. Paul specifically told Titus to recruit faithful elders to stop the rebellion (Titus 1:5-11). Please note the “s” on the end of “elder” in verse 5. That is, each local church was to have more than one elder so as to engage the enemies together, and when we engage the enemy together we often win. On the other hand, sometimes we face struggles as individuals. Perhaps you may be evangelizing a person and they keep refusing to trust in Christ. That is heavy stuff; we are not to engage in these struggles alone. Bring it into the light by teaming up with a Christian brother or sister for prayer, or talk to an elder. 

Whatever the fight may be, from any color of temptation to those people who are trying to get you to doubt your faith, please get the help that you need quickly. The church exists to help one another. This is why we emphasize ministries like grief share, Sunday school, and our worship service. We need each other, and the enemy tends to stay away when we are gathered. You’ve never seen a pack of coyotes try to devour a herd of deer, but we all know what happens when a pack gets a young deer by itself. 

Speaking of deer, here in eastern Oregon they are fairly visible. If you’ve ever lived on the west side of the Cascades you remember that the deer over there are not as visible through all of the brush, which makes them harder to hunt. So like the deer around here our spiritual enemies don’t really lurk in the brush, they are visible. We often think that spiritual warfare happens in some other world, a demonic world, where God and the devil are fighting each other. But when we read the Bible we learn that isn’t the case so much. As it turns out, it isn’t the case at all. The church’s enemies are visible. Titus was facing very real and visible enemies. They were the false teachers. Likewise, Paul instructed the Ephesians to put on the full armor of God, and to pray for him as he preaches the mystery of the gospel (6:18-20). Make no mistake, anytime the Bible is read, taught, proclaimed, lived out, memorized, or meditated upon, you are engaging in spiritual war, and it may be with a person close to you. And the very thing that we pick up to engage in this war, is the very thing that protects us. Ephesians teaches us that our armor is truth, righteousness, the gospel, salvation, and the word of God (Eph 6:10-17). So it shouldn’t surprise us when we read that Titus was to give careful instructions to his men, so that they would use the word of God to stop the enemies of the gospel. Thus we use the word of God to guard the gospel.

The marvelous thing about all of this is that we have no reason to be fearful. We have every tool that we need to engage in this war, specifically, the Bible and prayer. Importantly, you have a church family who loves you and does not expect you to struggle through life on your own, in fact, Christian living is impossible to do alone. You need the church and the church needs you. Also, remember that you can usually see and hear your enemies. Unfortunately, we are exposed to the world which provides a variety of temptations, along with people who are trying to get us to stop believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be sure to bring those struggles to the light. Furthermore, as we engage others face-to-face or online remember that our aim is that they would become healthy in the faith (Titus 1:13). When Jesus draws unbelievers to himself, that is the true victory. So let’s not worry about those Halloween ideas of spooky invisible spirit worlds, let’s face spiritual life together today, and plan on victory in Jesus. 

For The Interests of Others

"Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David. And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel" (2 Samuel 5:11-12).

Loving our neighbor as ourselves isn't easy, but with God it is possible. We see love in the life of David, who is at the center of the story in 2 Samuel 5. It is here that we read of the third and final anointing of David, which unites all Israel's people under him. Life in Israel with David as king is what life should be like. That is, David was different than Saul. He was a king who loved God so much that he believed Him and was good to His people. But David's God was better than David, He loved His people so much that He gave them a king for their sake.

Speaking of people, a neighboring king named Hiram became friends with David. Although Hiram wasn't Jewish, he recognized the distinctiveness of David and David's God, so he wanted to do good to Israel. Perhaps he saw the power of God as Israel grew and though it best to became an ally to David rather than an enemy. Whatever the case may have been, he sent his timber and his men to build David a new house. After all, David was Israel's new king. And this would be the perfect time for pride to well up in King David since the king of Tyre recognized his authority. Was it David's popularity that made Hiram like him? Was it his military prowess? Or did David's promise keeping and loving God have something to do with it?

In His providence, God used Hiram to help establish David. Many years before all the elders of Israel anointed David he was anointed by Samuel to be the king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13). God selected David; the most unlikely king there ever was. But through him God would someday establish His kingdom and, because God's promises never expire, David became king. And he knew it was Yahweh that did it. "David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel (2 Samuel 5:12a). It wasn't David's ruddy appearance or his military prowess, it was God who made him king over Israel, and his new custom built gift palace from Hiram the king was proof positive that the nations viewed David as such. But why did God do this? Couldn't he have just shown Israel that He loved them another way? Perhaps, but with David we learn that God uses men to be mediators between He and his people. David was there to extend God's love to the people.

Now, we all know that King David was far from sinless, but 5:12b teaches us something special. "and that He exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel." Yes! David understood that God made him the king not for his own self-interests but for the interests of others.  We too must understand that we exist not just for hobbies, or to have fun, but to benefit other people.

We often use our positions for ourselves rather than for others. The employee who hogs as much free food and other nice things from the workplace isn't looking out for the sake of others. I once had a boss who screamed and cussed a lot, which never helped his employees, although it made him feel powerful. True power comes from God and living for the sake of others, which starts with your family.

David's example is not only instructive for us, but it also points us forward to another, better king that would be established for the sake of His people. The king came but his own people didn't recognize him so they killed him. But his death and resurrection were for the sake of His people. This king is Jesus Christ. Dearest reader, please remember that God loved his people so much and kept his promise so well that he sent Him, who is another David, only this One is perfect in every way and will not die.

What's Love Got to Do with It?

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Think of someone you love deeply. How much could you say about this person? Seriously, how much? I expect that you could write pages or talk for hours about your knowledge of and experiences with the object of your love. The framed photos on the walls of your home tell of your loves. When we look at photos we remember times, places, and special moments with the ones we love. Love precedes knowledge. If we love something, we want to learn more about it. If we love someone we want to know more about him or her. Love is the pathway to knowledge.

For example, a mother can recall the details of the birth of each of her children. She can recall surgeries and sicknesses that each child had. She can tell you their achievements and failures, their likes and dislikes, their hopes and fears, and so on. She remembers all of that knowledge because love is the pathway to knowledge. When you love deeply you seek to know everything you can about the object of your love, as a mother knows the details of her children.

When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi he begins by expressing how much he loves them and reminding them that he prays for them (1:3-4). He also reminds them of who they are in Jesus, and tells them that he loves and misses them (1:5-8). He says this in Christian love as a mother would write to her own child. Then in verse 9 Paul bursts forth into prayer for his people.

In his prayer he asks God to cause their love to grow greater every day (v 9). He wasn’t speaking of love as a mere sentimental feeling but as a growth in knowledge and in keen perception so that the Christian would be able to tell between right and wrong. Love precedes knowledge. Just as when we love someone, we want to know more about him or her, the same is true of our love for Jesus. When we truly love Jesus, we will want to learn more about Him (William Barclay 18).

Now, there is a result of this chain of love, knowledge, and discernment. It leads to righteousness. If we really love Jesus we will live to please Him; the more we love Him, the more we will stay away from what is evil but cling to what is right. Real love is not blind, it actually gives us spectacles to see and know the things that are excellent. And by choosing the excellent things, or that which pleases Christ, we become blameless and prepared for the day when He will return (vv 10-11).

Speaking of His return, are you prepared? In a wondrous way, love, knowledge, and righteousness work together to prepare you. Your love for Christ will grow as you know Him more. But if you don’t love Him you’ll have no desire to learn more about God, and no desire to please Him with your choices, this grieves Him. I liken it to my marriage; I want to know more about my wife because I love her. Now, I know much of what she likes and what she does not like. And the more I get to know her the more I love her and make choices according to what she likes. The result is that I bring flowers to her rather than wild mushrooms. I take her to concerts with the Bend Symphony rather than hip-hop concerts. And I do my best to not ignore her when she is talking to me because I know her, love her, and do not want to grieve her. Life with God is much the same. As you learn more about Him, and as you choose to please Him, you start abounding in love, and love leads to obedience. Jesus said it this way, “If you love Me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

An Old Worn Out NIV: On Personal Bible Reading

The greatest gift that was ever given to me is from God. It is given by His grace and through faith. It is salvation. And those of us who have this great gift are His workmanship; we are created in Jesus so that our lives would reflect God’s goodness and glory, rather than our sinfulness (Eph 2:8-10). Another great gift that was given to me came from my parents in 1982. It was purchased at the Bible Bookstore in Saint Helens. It is a brown NIV Bible with tiny print, and it was my first Bible. It went with me each Sunday as we met with the saints of Yankton Baptist Church. I read that little NIV a lot by myself. I remember reading Jesus’s sermon on the mount while sitting on my bed and struggling to fully comprehend it. 

Now, 32 years have gone by and not much has changed in my ability to read and quickly understand the Bible. Bible interpretation can be difficult; I suggest that one major reason why we don’t read the Bible routinely is because we often read it just for comprehension, like it were a textbook. We are, however, to read it in order to be fed by God. 

Bible reading, as Pastor Willard Fenderson aptly said, was not to master the Bible but that we would be mastered by it. When we read the Scriptures God shepherds us. For example, in our reading we might discover a sin we need to repent of, a truth that we need to learn, or a promise from God. Here, in Bible reading, we are fed by God Himself. Yahweh said it this way: 

“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you” (Deuteronomy 8:1-5). 

Jesus quoted a verse from the above passage, and note its context: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:1-4). 

Yahweh said it, and Jesus said it too: God feeds us with the Bible, which brings life. The analogy teaches us that just as we need to be fed food to survive, we need to be fed the Scriptures to survive. Likewise, what happens to one who does not eat food also happens to one who is not fed the Holy Scriptures. Did you eat today? Did God feed you with His Bible? 

Therefore, based on this teaching from both Yahweh and Jesus, I suggest that you make Bible reading part of your daily routine just as you routinely eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Read your Bible to be fed. As good as devotional books can be, they cannot replace Holy Scripture, because devotionals are not God-breathed. Let the Bible be your primary food source. And if you do not have a Bible, please take a pew Bible. It is the church’s gift to you, and it is a great gift. 

Over the years I’ve received a lot of gifts, some good, others not so good. But the one that sits up on my shelf to this day is the brown NIV from my parents. 1982 was a long time ago but my Bible has not begun to rot or perish; the pages may be falling out, but I still get it down and read it. Even though I cannot fully comprehend it, God still masters me by it, and I am fed. “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” 

May God bless you in Christ Jesus our Savior!

It's All Going to Burn: Reflections on Wealth, Health, and Prosperity

For the past eight years I've written a monthly devotional letter to the church where God has graciously placed me as pastor. I count it a privilege to write these, and by God's grace I've been able to write them most months. Please keep in mind that this post along with the majority of the others published on here were originally written to the saints at Prineville Community Church. And I'd like to thank my friend and elder for the title "It's All Going to Burn." It originated with him as he reminds me often that we need to keep our eyes on God in heaven, since most everything else is temporal. Further, thanks for reading and don't be afraid to leave a comment. Chris

Second Corinthians is one of the Apostle Paul’s most personal letters. In it he writes about the nature of Christian ministry, including the victory that God gives us in Christ (2:14-17) despite our suffering (4:8-18, 11:16-33). Those two things do not seem to go together, but Paul reasons that in Christ we truly win, even though we may look like we’re losing:

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:16-18). 

Decay harms everything but God, and though the world is trying to preserve everything, everything is still decaying. Your body is dying. However, Scripture tells us to not lose heart even though we are dying because Jesus rose from ultimate decay, and God promises that we too will live after our death (4:14). Christ’s resurrection gives us stamina or “heart” in life. But it is easy to forget truth that isn’t visible to us just yet. Just as it is easy to focus on our present difficulties, it is easy to forget to praise God for the greatest gift of all, eternal life in our Savior. I challenge you to praise Him for the things that are unseen, eternal, and unharmed by decay. 

Decay makes it hard to remember the things we cannot see, thus our applause and praise is often a result of getting new and shiny possessions. Months ago I was invited to speak at a community event. Everything was going okay until I began to wrap up my message; it was then that I spoke extemporaneously for three sentences. Speaking sentences that are not planned can be dangerous for preachers. We are God’s servants, not servants of our own mouths (2 Tim 4:1-2). But for a moment at this event I was a servant of my mouth, and I’m very ashamed. 

The words that came from my mouth weren’t inherently bad. I spoke of a visible thing that God gave to my family, not an eternal one. The room exploded into exuberant clapping and amens. I was shocked, blindsided, and left stammering for a minute. When my mind finally caught up with my mouth, I realized that even though God had given me this decaying thing, that He had not given that thing to all the applauders in the room. In fact, there were many believers in that room who go without it. They had prayed like me, but never received. I am deeply troubled at the amount of praise that shiny new visible stuff gets, especially when other Christians go without it. We tend to question our own faith when God gives a visible thing to a brother or sister but not to us. To be sure, I’ve doubted the genuineness of my faith in Christ because of the visible stuff that others get. At one point in my past I was angry. I thought, “Why is it that my brother can open a book to find a $100 gift but I can barely pay my rent?” Questions like this one along with foolish tests of God tend to make us wonder if we are honestly genuine Christians. Furthermore, I’m grievously troubled when I visit the bedside of a person who is near death to find them doubting their salvation since they are dying. They doubt because they were taught that if they had enough faith, God would give them health, and He hasn’t. Dear Christian, with all due respect, this teaching is terribly false and must be rejected.  

Setting false teaching aside, we must be sensitive toward the minds of other believers when we talk of our visible things. Our default mode is to assume that there is something wrong with us because God hasn’t given us the decaying visible stuff that He gives to others. But in comparison to the eternal and unseen things, who really wants the visible stuff? As I ponder this line of thinking one question comes to mind: 

• Would this sort of prosperity thinking work anywhere other than in 1st world countries like America? No! God didn’t prosper the early church with health and wealth. Except for John, all the Apostles were put to death. Paul suffered with his thorn in the flesh, although his faith was amazing (2 Cor. 12). Many Christians lost their homes and their jobs because of their strong and genuine faith in Christ; it was never the other way around (1 Peter 1-2).

I believe that we often praise Him for that which we see, and we often doubt Him when we don’t receive it. Sadly, the stuff which we can see that tends to make this life easier will burn up (1 Peter 3:10-12). On the other hand, may we never stop praising Him for the things that we can only see by faith, these are His priceless gifts that He gives to all who follow His Son, Jesus Christ.  

Lastly, I type all of this out with a repentant heart. I’m your pastor, and I need to grow. It is easy to allow my eyes to come off of the Lord, even for just three sentences while I’m speaking. Sadly, the fruit of a pastor’s words can lead to bad thinking in the church’s life. I pray that God will cause the people that heard me that day to forget what I said about the visible shiny thing, but to remember when I spoke His words concerning that which can only be seen by faith. Furthermore, may God richly bless you with invisible blessings as you draw near to Him this Advent season. May God allow you to speak of these things among your friends and family as you’re gathered together. Let’s praise Him for the best stuff, that is, the invisible, eternal things, that have no decay. 

A Word About The New Blog Title: "Letting Texts Talk"

"Letting Texts Talk" is a fitting name for this blog because my aim in life is to proclaim the Word of God. To let texts talk is what God has called me to do (2 Tim 4:1-2). Thus, the majority of the posts on this blog are not my own thoughts, but attempts to expose every person to the Word of God. And my hope is that all who read these posts will learn to tremble at His Word.

The new blog title, "Letting Texts Talk" is a quotation from Engaging The Written Word of God, by J. I. Packer, where he writes:

The church must be Word-oriented: that is, God's people must always be attentive and obedient to Scripture. Scripture is God's Word of constant address to them, and woe betide them if they disregard it (see 2 Kgs. 22:8-20; 2 Chr. 36:15-16; Isa. 1:19-20; Jer. 1:23-26; Rev. 2:4-7, 15-17, etc.). God's people must learn to 'tremble at his word' (Ezra 9:4; Isa. 66:5), listening, learning, and laying to heart; believing what he tells them, behaving as he directs them, and battling for his truth in a world that denies it.  

Preaching, as an activity of letting texts talk, alerts Christians to the fact that God is constantly addressing them and enforces the authority of Scripture over them. The church must live by God's Word as its necessary food and steer by that Word as its guiding star. Without preaching, however, it is not conceivable that this will be either seen or done (246). 

I heartily agree with J. I. Packer, and pray that the Lord would grant that more of our preaching would be “an activity of letting texts talk.” 

On Thanksgiving (And The Civil War)

"Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat" (Acts 27:35). 

The nights are cooler, the leaves are falling, and my dogs recently tasted pheasant feathers; Fall has begun. Fall brings Thanksgiving, which is only two days before the Civil War. Unfortunately, Beaver fans have to look back to 2007 to find a Civil War win. But if that is what it takes to muster up gratitude to Oregon State, I’ll take it.

Speaking of gratitude, I'd like to focus on giving thanks. First, I perceive a problem. For example, we often hear well meaning individuals say “have faith!” This statement makes us ask “have faith in what?” I’ve heard similar statements at Thanksgiving, for example, “Be thankful!” or “I’m thankful for life.” Friends, this is a time when Christians ought to be able to communicate clear gratitude to their God. God should receive thanks for what He has done in us, so that everyone at our Thanksgiving table can hear about our God.

Our God receives thanks in Acts 27:35 when Paul thanked Him directly among many other men. Notice that he does not thank the men who loaded the food onto the ship, nor the owners of the food, but God alone. Our gratitude must be given to someone, so I suggest that you give it first to God for all to hear. Let’s not leave the whole family in a fog as to whom you are thankful. Otherwise, they may assume that you are thankful to the earth, or to the turkey who gave its life so that they could eat. Let’s thank God directly to honor Him, and He will hear it.

Our God receives thanks in Acts 27:35 for what He has done. Paul, who had been shipwrecked, gave thanks for the food God provided. This reminds us of Jesus; He often paused in prayer to thank the Father for food. It is good to thank God before our Thanksgiving meal. But shouldn’t our gratitude extend beyond food? 1 Corinthians 1:4 says “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus.” And as we read further from verses 5 to 9 we notice that this church received much from God, so much that they had every gift (v. 7). God’s grace saved them and gave them all they needed, and for that Paul thanked God directly.

Lastly, our God should receive thanks for all things. Ephesians 5:18-21 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with you heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-21). We who are in Christ must be thankful to God always and for everything. We must be thankful for the pain and the joy, the weakness and the strength because through it all we are made more like Christ. Now, let’s thank God that we don’t have to look back to 2007 to muster up gratitude toward Him, for His grace is apparent each day.

Sovereignty And Prayer

God’s sovereignty is striking, especially in regard to my prayers. Like getting hit by a right hook from George Foreman, God’s sovereignty can leave me in a daze. For some people God’s sovereignty renders prayer useless or at best puts someone into a cosmic stalemate with the Sovereign God. But I do not think that is true, because God’s sovereignty and prayer dovetail together nicely. We pray because God is sovereign. 

King Nebuchadnezzar may seem like an unlikely place to begin a study of God’s sovereignty, but we can learn much from this king. Nebuchadnezzar was a king with great pride. He attempted to receive worship that belonged to God alone. God humbled Nebuchadnezzar by taking away his kingdom, his throne, and even his sanity for a period of time. Through this, the king learned an important lesson about God: “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:34-35). 

When God confronted Nebuchadnezzar with His supreme sovereignty, the king gave up seeking his own glory and humbly submitted to God. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we also must learn that God’s rule is over the universe. God governs all creatures and events. This is not only in the book of Daniel, but is also found consistently throughout the Scriptures. In Genesis 1 we learn that God created the universe and all that is in it. He is the King of His Creation because He created it. And the almighty Creator King has somehow given us a way to speak directly to Him: prayer.

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him how to pray Jesus replied, 

     Pray, then, in this way: 

  Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed by Your name. 

        Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in    

        heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our  

        debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead 

        us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the 

        kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen 

        (Matthew 6:9-13).

Jesus’ model prayer shows us that prayer and the sovereignty of God work in unison not in opposition. First, we recognize that our Father is in heaven, which is an elevated position of authority, and we should want His name to be honored in the world. Next, we ask that His kingdom would come and that His will would be done on earth. These are petitions that don’t just imply that God is sovereign but ask Him to actually fulfill His kingly plan, as a sovereign should. Next, we petition God for our needs for the day, recognizing full dependence upon Him. And we not only have need of food, but we have need of forgiveness so we ask Him for that too. Lastly, we pray that He will protect us from evil since only He is able to do that. And then we remember that this world belongs to Him, who is all powerful and deserves all glory for eternity. 

Therefore, if we follow Jesus’s instructions we humbly acknowledge in our prayer that: 

God is our Father authority who is lifted up high into heaven.

God’s name must be respected and dignified in the world.

God is king of His kingdom. 

God’s will is what we want to happen around us. 

God is the one who provides for our daily needs. 

God is the one who forgives us of our sins. 

God is the one who protects us from temptation and evil. 

The Lord’s Prayer overflows with sovereignty theology. 

Prayer reminds us that there is One who is much higher than us who is in control, and we must bring our requests to Him. Prayer aligns us with the Sovereign by asking that His will be done. Prayer celebrates God’s sovereignty since it wants His glory to be spread abroad. Furthermore, our prayers depend on God’s sovereignty. Think about it this way: when someone is fed up with the bad service in a restaurant he may call directly for the manager. The customer who needs service goes straight to the top. Likewise, whenever we have a need, we go to the top because He is always available to listen. He is the one who has the freedom to do whatever He wishes because He is sovereign, and he wishes to hear and respond to our prayers. 

Dear Christian, do not think for a moment that your prayers are useless. God cares for you, and He wants to hear you. Remember that He has sovereignly given you access to His throne, but not for you to just ask for whatever you want. Go to Him with godly requests, pray for honest needs, ask for His will to be accomplished in your sanctification, request His forgiveness for your sins, and ask for shelter from evil. He promises to hear and answer you.