WSLCC Blog

Three Missionary Biographies That Have Shaped My Life

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:19:31 GMT

The first missionary biography I remember reading was William Carey, written by his great-grandson, S. Pearce Carey. With that book in my hands, I felt I was reading thunder and lightning somehow transferred to ink on paper. Thus began my love for missionary biographies. The convictions and actions of these missionaries bring to life the kind of zeal for Christ all followers of Christ should have, even if they are not serving in a foreign land. Several biographies have deeply shaped my own views of the Christian life.

William Carey’s influence on the church has long outlasted his earthly life. He is considered the father of modern missions for helping restore a missionary drive to an apathetic church. Two hundred years after Carey, many evangelical churches believe The Great Commission is their main marching order, in large part due to Carey’s crusade to show that the Lord Jesus expects his church to make disciples until he returns. Carey’s conviction sprouted wings when he sailed from the shores of England to the shores of India, where he would spend the rest of his life laboring for the advance of the gospel. His words to the sending churches upon his arrival embody the lightning-like energy for the expansion of missions: “I hope … that multitudes may hear the glorious words of Truth. Africa is but a little way from England; Madagascar but a little further; South America and all the many and large islands in the Indian and Chinese seas will, I hope, not be forgotten. A large field opens on every side, and millions tormented by ignorance, superstition and idolatry, plead with every heart that loves God. Oh, that many labourers may be thrust into the vineyard, and the Gentiles come to the knowledge of the Truth” (131).

After reading William Carey, I came across the 19th century story of six university students and their professor who formed a student missionary society, recounted by Stuart Piggin and John Roxborough in The St. Andrews Seven. These six students, some of whom were teenagers, diligently studied the Scriptures to discover what the Bible said about missions and sought to inspire the student body to accept the biblical conclusion that missions is a mandate. Their study of missions led them to conclusions about this basic fact of discipleship: “They maintained that unreadiness for self-sacrifice is evidence, not of weakness of faith, but of the absence of faith.” John Adam, one of the six, stated, “If it be but for the name of Jesus, all shall be well, and I am persuaded that on a death bed, it will not cost us one regret, to have forsaken all for Christ.” Each of the six moved from a romanticized view of the glory of missions to a simple commitment to obey Christ. “Only one thing seemed to matter,” they believed: “to discover God’s will and do it.”

Carey helped me see the mandate for missions; the St. Andrews students helped me see absolute devotion to Christ; and John Paton helped me see compassion for the lost. Paton recounts in his autobiography how he left his homeland of Scotland in 1858 to sail to a set of islands inhabited by cannibalistic tribes who were constantly at war and had no access to the gospel. Rather than shrink back at the thought of giving his life for such a brutal group of people, he could not bear the thought of their perishing in their sins without hearing the message of Christ while those around him were saturated with gospel opportunities. So, giving all into the hands of Christ, he left father and mother and lands to bring the gospel to those who would try to kill and eat him.

“I clearly saw that all at home had free access to the Bible and the means of grace, with Gospel light shining all around them, while the poor Heathen were perishing, without even the chance of knowing all God’s love and mercy to men” (56).

Compassion for the gospel poverty of the nations is a sign of a heart imparted by the compassionate Savior, who “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

So, if you are looking to have your heart stirred by the lightning and thunder of the gospel, take up and read a missionary biography.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) , Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Public Reading of Scripture

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:58:09 GMT

“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture…” – 1 Timothy 4:13a

We believe that when Scripture speaks, God speaks. This leads us to commit ourselves to Bible reading schedules, Scripture memorization, Bible studies, reading books about the Bible, biblical sermons, and more. But there is a unique component of our Bible interaction that we should not overlook: the public reading of Scripture.

As soon as there was written Scripture, it was read publicly. Moses, after meeting with the Lord on Mount Sinai, “took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people.” And the people responded, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient” (Ex. 24:7). The reading of Scripture invoked a response precisely because of what it was: the words of God to his people.

When Israel entered the promised land, the people stood in front of the twin mountains of Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, and there Joshua read all the Law: “There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel…” (Josh. 8:35). He read all the commands to all the people. Together, they learned how they were to live as they listened to Scripture read.

Centuries later, Josiah, the last righteous king of Judah, read the re-discovered Scriptures to all the people of Jerusalem. “And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD” (2 Kings 23:2). Even in the last days of the kingdom, the people needed to hear all the Scripture read.

After Israel’s exile and return, and after the rebuilding of the Temple and the repair of the Jerusalem wall, the people gathered and told Ezra to bring the Book of the Law, which he read nearly all day. “And he read from it … from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law” (Neh. 8:3). The listening was as important as the reading, for they did their listening with attentive ears. This was to set the direction of their lives in the land.

It should come as no surprise, then, that one of Paul’s commands for the right conduct of the church was devotion to the public reading of Scripture (1 Tim. 4:13). If it was important for Israel to hear the words of God, how much more then, for the church? We must hear God’s voice in order to trust his promises and do his will. This is more than private devotions, as important as those are. This also includes hearing God’s word with attentive ears and hearts resolved to do what he tells us and doing it together.

This is why we have committed ourselves on Sunday mornings to open the worship service with the reading of God’s words. The opening reading of God’s word is not a portion of the service we can neglect. We ought to approach it with reverence and attentiveness as together we hear the will of our God for us and then pray together that we may follow his revealed word.

We need to hear God’s words. And we need to hear them together as God’s people. Revelation, the final book of Scripture, promises blessing for its public reading and heeding: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3).

What’s in a Name?

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:14:45 GMT

There are times when we are called by different names. I’m not referring to name-calling, but nicknames and titles. When our receptionist would get a phone call for me and the caller would ask for me as “Ricky,” she would tell me that one of my cousins or aunts must be on the line. She knew that they were the only ones who used that particular nickname. Titles, however, are a bit different. We all have them. I’ve had a few as well. Mister, Airman, Sarge, Boss, and even the occasional Sir. Plus, a few more that are business and community related. Some are earned, others not.

When baby boomers of our generation were growing up, it was unimaginable for any kid to address an adult by their first name. No neighborhood parent would have tolerated anything other than Mr. or Mrs. It didn’t have to be insisted upon, as we all recognized our place. I know the culture has changed and is more casual now, but a lack of social graces has led to a lack of respect.

The title that comes from being a parent is, naturally, the one we all cherish the most. If you’ve had that experience, you know that there’s something about being called Mom or Dad that reaches deeply into your heart as nothing else can. Those names convey love, respect, and deeply held emotions.

When our first grandson, Ben, was beginning to talk, I tried desperately to get him to say “Grandpa.” Then, while on my lap one day in our family room, I kept reciting “Grandpa,” and Ben insisted on saying “Popper.” To this, I replied, “No, Ben. Say Grandpa.” We went back and forth with that repetition for what seemed like weeks. Eventually, I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be Popper to Ben. At least he was calling me something unique. As time went on, our whole family thought it was endearing, especially me, so we let it stand. We have been blessed since then with four granddaughters and another grandson. They all call me Popper, and I have really grown to love the name. Well, the newest grandson is Sammy, and he was only beginning to talk when I wrote this. He had taken to pronouncing Popper as “Pop-air.” It has a kind of French flair. Cute. Nothing against the French, but with a little encouragement from the family, he soon began calling me Popper. Maybe I’m a little finicky now, but I have grown to enjoy the moniker given to me by those who have been born into our little family. They have etched it on my heart.

The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 8, verse 15, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” If you have been born into the family of God through the new birth, He is your Father. Abba is Aramaic for Father but more a term of endearment, like one might say “Daddy.” You have been adopted into his household through nothing you did to earn it. It’s by grace alone that God says, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:16).

What’s on Your Mind?

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:30:00 GMT

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

This verse is used as a proof text by proponents of the false teaching of “positive thinking.” They say, “See it’s right there in the Bible! We should think positively.” Word of Faith teachers say, “Always think positive thoughts, always speak positive words.” Conversely, they teach that we are to never think negative thoughts and never speak negative words because the power in your words will bring about what you dread. This is not true! There is no inherent power in thoughts or words. Be that as it may, our minds and, consequently, our words are greatly affected by the content of the material and information we allow to enter our thoughts. Psalm 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matt. 15:18-19). As believers, our hearts have been changed, and as a result, goodness emanates from our inner being through our tongues. But that does not mean we don’t have to ensure that our minds stay fixed on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. Oh, we are so prone to wander! We must “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take EVERY THOUGHT captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5, emphasis added). We are told to “be transformed by the renewal of” our minds (Rom. 12:2). The word of God will permeate our lives if we make an effort to “let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly” (Col. 3:16). We should intentionally focus on that which will turn our minds to praiseworthy things like reading the Word, seeking fellowship with other believers, and having a consistent prayer life.

We are to be on guard for what enters our hearts and minds. What goes in will come out, and our lives will be defined by what we feed our minds on. “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23). — What occupies my time? — What preoccupies my thinking? — What or who do I highly value? — What do I watch on TV? — What movies do I watch? — Am I discerning about participation in social media? — What websites do I frequently visit? — What company do I keep most often? — There are so many inlets for worthless things to enter our minds! Watch out! Be on guard!

Our spiritual progress will greatly benefit as we think on each of these things listed in Philippians 4:8. One commentator writes, “Meditate upon them, resolve them in your minds, seriously consider them, and reason with yourselves about them, in order to put them into practice.” They are not necessarily isolated from each other or in separate categories. The desired effect of this list is cumulative. Our overall thought life should be informed by God’s Word. That way, our minds will dwell on everything that is excellent, good, godly, and honoring to Christ .

What can we do if our thoughts don’t measure up to these ideals? What if I discover that my priorities are misdirected because I’m just not thinking about right things? What if other things occupy my mind and result in a lack of reading the word, going to church to worship, seeking fellowship, or having a consistent prayer life? Wrong actions are a result of wrong thinking. What if you used to pursue these things, but other things have crowded your mind and pushed these godly habits out of sight and out of mind? How is it that you no longer “set your minds on things above”? How did you get to the point where you are settling your mind “on things that are on earth”? (Col. 3:1). You have left your first love! Remember where you left off, go back, and get started again. The church of Ephesus was given this instruction. “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Rev. 2:4-5).

So, what’s on your mind? How you answer that will reveal to you what is in your heart. Pay attention to your answer. It may be time to turn away from that which leads you away from praiseworthy things. If your answer conforms to Philippians 4:8, praise God! Continue to delight yourself in whatever is excellent and honoring to our great God!

What Milton Wright Lacked

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:30:00 GMT

UPDATE 9/5/2023: My article below concluded that Milton Wright, though a Christian minister, was wrongly silent when it came to speaking of faith in Christ to his famous sons, Wilbur and Orville Wright. I recently received a link to a well-researched article that persuasively challenged that conclusion. I gladly retract my statements about Milton Wright. He evidently did write and speak to his children about the truth of Scripture. We will leave up my original only so you can be referred to a better and more exhaustive treatment on the subject in the article “Christianity Amongst the Wright Brothers,” by Matt Yanney, which can be accessed here:

https://wrightbrothershistory.blogspot.com/2014/05/christianity-amongst-wright-brothers.html

————

Two of the most influential men of the 20 ^th century, Wilbur and Orville Wright, came from the stock of an influential father, Milton Wright. A determined, hardworking man of strong convictions, Milton Wright was a bishop in the United Brethren Church. He lived the life of an itinerant preacher, often on the road, and therefore parenting his children through letters mailed back home. His enduring reputation reveals his devotion to women’s rights, the abolition of slavery, and opposition to secret societies like Freemasonry. The strength of his conviction on these issues led to a split within his church’s denomination when they moved toward allowing church members to become members of secret societies. Although the Wright brothers inherited their superior mechanical skills from their mother, who was known to be able to make or fix just about anything in their home, they were influenced greatly by their father’s unwavering determination in the midst of conflict. This served the brothers well in their often opposed and ridiculed pursuit of powered flight.

The records of Bishop Wright’s involvement with his children focus on his encouragement of their intellectual pursuits and adherence to Christianity’s moral values. Popular historian David McCullough notes the bishop encouraged his children to read and possessed a bountiful library from which they could choose. Among the writings the famous brothers read from their father’s shelves were the works of Robert Ingersoll, a renowned and vocal agnostic of the 19 ^th century. Ingersoll championed human authority and reason: “Every mind should be true to itself; should think, investigate, and conclude for itself.” The brothers’ discovery of Ingersoll was not without consequence. McCullough surmises, “Reading Ingersoll led the brothers to give up regular attendance at church,” a decision which was met by their father “without protest.” Bishop Wright spoke freely to his children about all subjects with the notable exceptions of money-making and religion. Not much is known about the Wright brother’s personal beliefs except what they did not do: they did not attend church, use tobacco or alcohol, and they did not work on Sundays.

Few fathers have as remarkable a reputation as Milton Wright. The father of the inventors of powered flight is deserving of some commendation for his attentiveness to his sons and the virtues he instilled in them. Yet, there is a significant aspect of his legacy that is lacking. The record of his involvement with his children shows love, encouragement, and care, but does not include any known discussions of faith in Christ. All of the admiration and enduring reputation of Milton Wright lay in who his sons were as airplane inventors and in his devotion to social issues, not in being consumed by a Christ-centered view of the world.

Everything we do in this world is meant to relate back to God. “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Rom 11:36). Our parenting is to be centered on the Lord Jesus Christ: “Fathers, … bring up [your children] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:1). Deuteronomy 4:9 instructs parents to make God’s works and words known to their children. Morally respectable children with a mechanical keenness and unrelenting work-effort would be a dream come true for many parents. But the relationship between parent and child that lacks an ongoing and intentional transfer to the child of the things pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ is a relationship that is severely lacking in the values that matter. Morally upright children cannot be the parent’s goal. Honoring God in raising kids must be. We do that by telling our kids about Him, His Son, and His Word, praying that the Spirit would make them alive to these truths. The legacy of the parents at our church cannot be to merely instill Christian values into their children, but to convey a life of faith in Jesus Christ that affects all things, even inventing airplanes.

What's In Our Library? #2

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:30:01 GMT

Good & Angry: Redeeming Angry, Irritation, Complaining and Bitterness by David Powlison

For this review of Good and Angry, I will quote for you the entirety of chapter two, titled “Do You Have a Serious Problem with Anger?” Here is the entire text, unabridged and unedited:

“Yes.”

End of chapter. If you read the rest of the book, you'll find out why you have a serious problem with anger.

This book offers two unique contributions to the discussion about anger. First, it helps define anger with greater clarity. Anger, Powlison writes, is “at its core very simple. It expresses, ‘I’m against that.’ … [It is] active displeasure toward something that’s important enough to care about” (p. 39). The second contribution is that it unpacks the implications of this definition with regard to our often skewed and selfish preferences that motivate our anger, and then it shows us the righteous anger of God.

As he unpacks the problem of anger, Powlison pulls no punches: “This book will prove to be about your anger” (p. 3). His aim is clear. This book was not written so you would gain authoritative knowledge about the subject of anger but to help you deal with your anger. If you read with a humble heart and a willingness to learn, you will understand that your bitterness, complaining, cold-shouldering, and outbursts all stem from a heart not satisfied with God as King. Anger rebels against a belief in God’s governance and God’s goodness.

This perspective (that God is King and God is good) is the strength of the book. Powlison writes with tenderness, wit, and great insight into the human condition. But he is not willing to cower from the truth of God’s word in the face of prevailing cultural ideas about anger. So when the truth about anger is addressed, he does so with an unwavering commitment to what God says about anger.

If you pick up this book, be prepared to address some of the most probing questions and concepts that get at the core of your sinful anger. At the same time, be ready to be refreshed with the redeeming mercy of God, who is not content to leave us untouched by his goodness.

Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle

J. C. Ryle published this address for young men in 1888, but do not be mistaken: the wisdom in this book is so pure and biblically saturated that you do not need to be a young man to benefit from it. When I was halfway through reading this short, 75-page book, I commented to my wife, “I don’t know what is in the rest of the book, but I know it’s going to be good, because every page so far has been good.” J.C. Ryle identifies your heart’s sluggardly, sin-disposed, world-following condition with the precision of a world-class cardiologist and calls you to follow Christ with the passion of a zealous pastor. To illustrate this to you, I opened the book at random and found this morsel of wisdom on the page in front of me:

“Young men, be not deceived. Think not you can, at will, serve lusts and pleasures in your beginning, and then go and serve God with ease at your latter end.… O daresay you are reckoning on late repentance. You know not what you are doing. You are reckoning without God. Repentance and faith are the gifts of God, and gifts that he often withholds, when they have been long offered in vain. I grant you true repentance is never too late, but I warn you at the same time, late repentance is seldom true. I grant you; one penitent thief was converted in his last hours, the no man might despair; but I warn you, only one was converted, that no man might presume.”

Though it was written in the 1800s, time has stolen none of its thunder. Ryle’s heart beats for young men he knows are capable of pursuing Christ despite the low expectations the world has for them. With godly wisdom, Ryle exhorts teenagers and young adults to cast aside the dangers of their hearts, the world, and the devil by seeking Christ and living for him. Young men needed these exhortations then, and they need them today. Whether you are young or old, if you would like to be encouraged to live a godly life by one of the 19 ^th century’s most important pastors, pick up this book, read it slowly and read it prayerfully, and then pass it on.

This book may not be for everybody because of its daunting size. But whether you're a scholar and big book-reader or not, we all have the calling to be faithful to God's word, and this book can be a resource that may aid you in that endeavor.

Read This First by Gary Millar

Read This First: A Simple Guide to Getting to Most from the Bible, by Gary Millar, is a helpful, concise, easy-to-read introduction on how to read your Bible. Millar “aims to help people who would like to read the Bible but don’t really know where to start or how to go about it” (p. 8). This book is designed for believers who feel a bit lost when they open their Bible or who have an interest in reading the Bible but are put off by its size, age, or religious language. If you struggle to understand the Bible, or if you know an unbeliever who may be interested in reading the Bible but is intimidated by the task, this book would be worth picking up.

Through his seven brief chapters, Millar helps his readers overcome their fears of reading the Bible, gives good reasons to read it, and walks through a straightforward starter methodology to rightly understand what you read. He operates under the assumption that “the Bible was written to be understood by ordinary people like us” (p. 26). We should come to the Bible expecting to understand, but we need a couple of pointers in the right direction to rightly understand it. While acknowledging some things in the Scriptures are difficult to understand, he helps to relieve our fears and steer us right when he states, “the single most helpful principle for reading the Bible I know: the main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things” (p. 60).

Millar’s advocacy for reading the Bible is rooted in a right perspective of the excellency of the Bible. The author is unabashed in his declaration that the Bible is God’s Word to us. He writes, “I think you should read the Bible because it’s unlike any other book you will ever see or handle; when you read the Bible, you read the words of God” (p. 13). Because the Bible’s words are God’s words, we do not have the liberty to make them mean what we want. Rather, “the Bible means what God meant it to mean” (p. 68). He adds, “The purpose of reading the Bible is ultimately to hear God speak to us…. The most important question we can ask ourselves after reading the Bible is ‘What is God saying to me through this?’” If you want to hear God speak, open your Bible, read, and understand what you read. If you need help with that, do what this book tells you: Read This First, and you will be glad for the help.

Grasping God's Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays

This book is big. It looks like a textbook because it is a textbook. Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, is for the Bible student—either the kind who has to turn in homework for a professor or the kind who studies the Bible not to get a grade but to get to know God. This book is designed to help anyone serious about studying the Bible learn how to rightly interpret God's Word.

A book like this is necessary because God takes his word seriously and expects his people to understand what he has spoken. Bad interpretations of Scripture can lead to misunderstanding God, his gospel, his Son, or his people. We must therefore be diligent to rightly approach God's word. This book will help you do that.

Scott and Hays lead the student through some of the elementary principles for how to study the Bible properly. They cover topics such as context (how the passage you read fits in with what surrounds it), word studies (how to rightly understand what a word means in the Bible), how to cross the cultural bridge from the world of the Bible to our world, how to understand different genres in the Bible (law, poetry, prophecy, gospels, epistles, etc.).

Despite the size and scope of the book, the authors keep the material engaging with lively illustrations that bring clarity to their interpretive principles. Consider this example from a chapter on context where a young man seeks to determine whether he should propose marriage to his girlfriend. He comes across John 13:27 and considers it to apply to his situation: "What you are about to do, do quickly." He is now convinced he should get married. But this young man misses the point that Jesus was speaking to Judas about his betrayal! Scott and Hays remark, "Every violation of context is a dangerous matter. By honoring the context of Scripture, we are saying that we would rather hear what God has to say than put words in his mouth" (p. 150).

The Many Faces of Hypocrisy

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 19 May 2023 12:30:00 GMT

Jesus hates hypocrisy. He warns us to beware of it (Luke 12:1). He even describes the place of judgment as the place of the hypocrites (Matt. 24:51). In the gospel of Luke, Jesus mentions hypocrisy several times, each time adding to our understanding of this sinful disease of the heart. The straightforward meaning of hypocrisy is: “creating a public impression that is at odds with one’s real purposes or motivations” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1038). But Jesus extends this word, netting people in their hypocrisy in ways we may not typically think are hypocritical.

The classic example of hypocrisy is the Pharisee. In Luke 11, Jesus describes Pharisees as those who “cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside … are full of greed and wickedness” (v. 39). This hypocrisy is insidious. It boasts of a righteous life, one to be looked up to and applauded, but all of the externals are mere shows intended to gain the approval of men. It uses God and His law for the sake of man’s praises. This is a perverse abuse of the name of God. And to make it worse, the true content of the hypocritical heart is the opposite of what it appears to be. It is not full of love for God and others; it is full of love for money and devotion to things contrary to the will of God. Hypocrisy buries the true heart of greed and wickedness under a thin skin of righteousness. Therefore, those who bear the name of Christian, who claim a love for Christ and do external things in his name, need to heed the caution of Christ: “Beware the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (12:1). This hypocrisy is a righteous look-a-like, but filthy inside.

The kinds of hypocrisy Jesus condemns extend beyond the veneer of righteousness. There is an intellectual hypocrisy that Jesus also addresses. In Luke 12:56, Jesus says to the crowds, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” The people could observe the weather patterns and know if rain or heat was coming, but they had the Son of Man standing before them, preaching the Kingdom and calling for repentance, and they would not repent. Today, we can map the weather, map the solar system, map the stars, and map the genome. But we display the greatest intellectual stubbornness when we refuse to honestly map our course towards eternity and repent. We use our smarts to deceive ourselves. This is a kind of hypocrisy. Temporally smart. Eternally dumb. This intellectual hypocrisy uses God-given intellect to discern, learn, and observe things about God’s creation, but stubbornly refuses to apply the same consideration to the spiritual realities God has made plain through His Son.

One final hypocrisy. Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 13:15–16). The ruler of the synagogue was indignant when Jesus healed this woman on the Sabbath. Jesus skewers his attitude by pointing out that he and others like him have more compassion on their beast on the Sabbath than they do on their fellow man. We all seem to have the capacity for compassion and love for small things. We might go out of our way to keep our car clean, our home repaired, our pets fed and inoculated. But when the opportunity for true compassion and love for people comes, we may find it inconvenient or even wrong to show compassion. It may bother us that we have to go out of our way to help. If we display the capacity for compassion and care for non-humans and fail to show compassion and care for humans, this is hypocrisy.

Fake righteousness. Fake intelligence. Fake compassion. Each one an infecting version of hypocrisy. May the Lord drive out any of this leaven from our hearts.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Fri, 05 May 2023 12:30:01 GMT

At the end of the Lord’s model prayer (Matt. 6:9–13), we find these words: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (v. 13). Jesus says in verse 9 to “pray then like this” or pray in this manner. We see Jesus giving instructions throughout this passage as to what to pray for and how to pray for it. So what exactly would the Lord have us pray for when we pray, “Lead us not into temptation” (v. 13)? James 1:13 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” If God does not tempt us to sin, why would we ask him not to do what he has already said he would not do?

The Bible refers to Satan, the Devil as the tempter (Matt. 4:3, 1 Thess. 3:5). God is not the tempter! We are susceptible to sin because of our waywardness. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14–15). The Devil lures us, entices us, and tempts us to give in to our desires to sin. Satan cannot force us to sin, but through cunning allurements, he draws us away from God to act on our propensity to sin.

When we ask God to “lead us not into temptation,” we are asking him to spare us from being so tested that it goes beyond our limits of resistance so that we cave in and sin against him. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” God has promised deliverance, but that does not mean we should act presumptuously and think, “I got this!” There are certain places, people, and circumstances that seem to provoke us to sin. Therefore, my prayer is, “Oh Lord, I know that when temptation comes to me, you have promised to deliver me. And if you allow it to come, I know your reason is to test and refine me. But Lord, it is one thing for temptation to come to me and quite another for me to go to it! One way or another, please keep me and steer me away from that which would cause me to sin against you. Amen.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”

Joseph is an excellent example of not acting presumptuously (Gen. 39:1–12). Notice in verse 10 that Joseph repeatedly resisted temptation “day after day.” The temptation was relentless, but notice that “he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.” He avoided her like the plague. He would not put himself in a situation where he might give in to sin’s enticement. Then, we see him physically running away from it! (v. 12). With great urgency, he avoided that which would cause him to sin. He said, “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God” (v. 9)?

The same Greek word can be translated as “temptation” or “trial.” Trials can lead us to respond sinfully instead of trusting God. Trials test the genuineness of our faith (1 Pet. 1:6–7) and produce steadfastness (James 1:2–3). God intends our trials to be for our good. Being tested by a hard trial can result in either trust in God or compromise to sin. The Devil will try to use the very trial that God intends for good to trip us up and tempt us. Yes, it is true that trials are for our good, but should we pray for them or seek them out? On the contrary, we pray for deliverance from testing so severe that sin might obtain a foothold. “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord’? Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Prov. 30:8–9). Yes, Oh Lord, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13).

Between Living and Dying

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:30:02 GMT

While the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome, awaiting the decision from Caesar regarding accusations that he was an enemy of the state, he confided to the church at Philippi his inner debate as to whether he wanted to live or die. It would only be a matter of time before Paul met his end with the swing of a sharp blade or was set free. On his mind, at least as expressed to the Philippians, was not the verdict from Caesar but whether death or life would be better. There was no frantic searching for the best attorneys in Rome. Paul almost puts Caesar out of the picture and simply contemplates the virtues of living and the virtues of dying. In his ponderings, he felt torn between remaining or departing. “Which I shall choose I cannot tell,” he says to his Philippian friends (1:22).

The kind of mindset that Paul possessed to even face this as a dilemma rather than plotting a desperate attempt to pull out every trick in the book to avoid execution is a mindset worth considering. Note, first, it was an actual dilemma for him. Objectively, the decision was really out of his hands. Caesar was not likely to ask Paul whether he wanted to live or die and respond accordingly. The decision remained with Caesar to determine if the accusations were true or false. To Paul’s mind, however, that reality was secondary and ultimately insignificant. Caesar is only a tool, an instrument in God’s hands for serving God’s purposes. He already knows that his imprisonment has “served to advance the gospel” (Php. 1:12). Paul’s turmoil over his circumstances was not over what decision Caesar would render but what his heart desired.

Note, secondly, that Paul’s dueling desires were both noble and godly. They were neither a desperation to keep his life, as the rich young ruler desired, nor a fine alternative for suicide to escape the struggles of life (of which Paul had plenty). Nor did Paul have a masochistic desire for a martyr’s death. His desire to die was so that he could “be with Christ.” This, he admits, would be “far better” (Php. 1:23). Paul felt deeply the gravitational pull of heaven because there is the home of his supernova-shining Savior; the one who loved him and gave himself for the chief of sinners dwelt in heaven. Paul longed for that upward call that would bring him to the place of his true citizenship, where his Lord lives. His desire to remain on earth, on the other hand, was rooted in the gravitational pull of the body of Christ, the church. He knew that if he departed, he would leave his friends bereft of the benefit that he could provide them in their “progress and joy in the faith” (1:25). Paul was the kind of man who would gladly “spend and be spent for [their] souls” (2 Cor. 12:15). His joy was to see theirs increase. Remaining alive, he knew, was “more necessary” (Php. 1:24).

Note finally that Paul’s desires were not really in competition. It would seem that you could not find more disparate desires than the desire to live or the desire to die. But both paths for Paul, life or death, were a win for him. This reality led Paul to pen one of the most famous lines of his corpus: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Php. 1:21). Should Caesar let Paul go free, he would only be allowing Paul further opportunity to live for and bear fruit for his Savior. Should Caesar call for Paul’s head, he would only be providing the expedient means for Paul exchanging the dingy robes of earth for the glorious gain of heaven.

The mindset of Paul is a challenge to us. Do you desire to depart? Why? If it is for any reason less than to be with Christ, then your sights may be set too low. There are other good reasons to depart: to see loved ones in Christ who have already departed, to know the bliss of freedom from pain and suffering. But do not let those eclipse the best reason of all: being with Christ. Do you desire to remain? Why? If it is for any reason less than serving Christ, then your sights may be set too low. There are other blessings for remaining: to see your kids grow up and the various joys of this life. But do not let these eclipse the best reason of all: knowing and serving Christ. Do you feel both the gravitational pull of the Son in heaven? Do you feel the gravitational pull of the Body of Christ on earth? Live with this tension and let your motto be, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Scriptu re quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) , Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Eternity Changed in 9 Words

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:30:00 GMT

They were getting what they deserved. We don’t know what they had stolen, but they were both convicted of capital crimes and shared the same sentence. They echoed the same insults as the crowds gathered on that lonely hill in Jerusalem on a peculiarly dark afternoon. They said that if He was who He claimed to be, He surely could rescue Himself. After all, many of them had witnessed His many miracles. Then, something that would have eternal consequences happened. One of the thieves, hanging there on a Roman cross, said to Him, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39). The other man, who was under the same sentence, suddenly changed in a moment. He said, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (vv. 40–41). We are not told what went on in his mind, but in that short statement, this criminal admitted that he was a sinner, deserving of his punishment. There was no time to innumerate everything he had done wrong in his life. Nor was it necessary as the Son of Man was there, listening to him while at the same time knowing everything that he had ever done, good or bad, throughout his entire life. There was no time to recite some special formula or prayer sequence. No time to perform any rituals. No time to do some good things for others. No time even to be baptized. But, there was something else he realized. His punishment on that cross would not pay for all his sins. There would be another reckoning very soon, outside of his current reality. His time on this earth had run out, and he knew he was about to face the Judge of all the universe, and he had no way to enter heaven in his sinful state. He also somehow knew that the other Man he had been insulting moments before had “done nothing wrong.” The other Man who hung next to him was completely innocent, and the thief knew he was completely guilty.

Much is said about how to become a Christian: a true believer and follower of Jesus. There are formulas and special prayers, most of them based on Bible truths. I don’t mean to cast aspersions on any or all of them. They have their place. But I also have seen many of those formulas complicate the Gospel, even though used with the best intentions. The thief had it right. He admitted he was a sinner. Simply and plainly, he had broken the law of God and deserved punishment at the hands of men—and ultimately at the hand of God.

The real solution came in his next request of the One who stood condemned alongside him. He said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (v. 42). Those nine words echoed eternity in his heart.

He said, “Jesus.” He knew His name and who He claimed to be.

“Remember me.” He trusted Him to save him from eternal punishment for breaking the law of God.

“When You come into Your kingdom.” He knew in his heart of hearts that there was an afterlife and that only Jesus could take him to a place of everlasting joy. But, most of all, he realized Jesus had a kingdom. There, Jesus would be King of kings and Lord of lords. For truly, He was God, and He became man to die for the sins of all who trust Him for salvation.

I think the thief would have been satisfied with a simple nod from the Man to which he had confessed his sinfulness and made that simple request. But in some of the most beautiful words ever spoken, Jesus said to him, personally, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (v. 43). No works or rituals. No church to join. Nothing but a simple faith, throwing himself on the mercy of God. Only by unmerited favor—by grace alone—would he be saved and given the free gift of eternal life. Jesus guaranteed him that His sacrifice was about to fully pay the price for his sins once and for all time. And if this were not enough, Jesus promised he would join Him in Paradise on that very day.

So, there it is. Recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, declare that Jesus is the only way, and receive that grace through faith in Him alone. Could there be a better way to celebrate Good Friday than to say that simple prayer of faith and receive the gift of eternal life He has for you?

For the believer, now is a good time to thank Him for the immeasurable price He paid for you so long ago on Calvary’s cross; that you have had your sins forgiven and been assured of heaven by His grace alone.

Loving Discipline

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:30:00 GMT

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” - Proverbs 12:1

Do you love discipline? Few would say they do. Discipline is often painful, difficult, unappealing, and uncomfortable. Do you love knowledge? Many would say they do. Knowledge is a key to living successfully in God’s eyes (Col. 1:9), knowing what to do, making the right decisions. But if you truly love the kind of knowledge that leads you to live a life of honoring God, then you must love discipline.

The Hebrew word used for discipline ( musar ) can have both positive and negative connotations. Positively, it is “learning by exhortation and example” (New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, vol. 2, 480). At the beginning of Proverbs, it is translated “instruction” (1:2) and said to be the thing fools despise along with wisdom (1:7). This

instruction is so valuable it is to be bought (23:23), chosen over silver and gold (8:10), accepted (19:20), and loved (12:1). Only a wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord is that valuable. Negatively, the word means discipline or punishment that comes as the consequence for not learning from the instruction of the wise. The discipline can be severe for the one who “forsakes the way” (15:10). However negative the experience of these consequences may be, the goal of discipline in the hand of a loving caretaker is restorative. Discipline is well-known in a household led by loving parents: “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (Prov. 13:24).

We all need wisdom. And we gain wisdom through true instruction and discipline. This is because we all are inadequate in our possession of knowledge that honors the Lord. We begin our lives as fools. “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline (musar) drives it far from him” (22:15). So Solomon urges his son to accept his instruction (1:8) and turn at the reproof that wisdom gives (1:20). We begin in folly, but when wisdom’s instruction and reproof is sought, accepted, and even loved, then we gain knowledge that honors the Lord.

Anytime you learn, your bear witness to the fact that you did not know something. You lacked knowledge or know-how. God never learns because he has no lack; he needs no improvements in his knowledge. Since none of us are God, we need to learn. The foolish and proud will be convinced they already know all there is to be known. Their pride reveals their folly. This is the man who is never wrong in his own eyes. Any problem surrounding him is always due to someone else’s failure, not his own. He may be willing to concede minor failings, but they are always minor compared to others and always carry with them a legitimate surrounding excuse. He never accepts correction and does not lay reproof to heart. For this man, he already knows all that he will know because there is nothing anyone can teach him. He lives in an impoverished heart where he feeds himself the same diet of ignorance and arrogance. The Lord speaks to this kind of wicked man, “You hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you” (Ps. 50:17).

For the believer, the existence of discipline in your life proves, first, that you do not know everything about living, and second, that there is a heavenly Father who loves you. “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives’” (Heb. 12:5-6). Approach your life with humility, eager to receive correction and instruction. None of us know all there is to know about living. But if you are willing to accept it, there is a loving Father in heaven who is set on seeing you grow. It is accepting correction, instruction, and discipline, rather than thinking you are above those things, that leads to true knowledge. Do you love knowledge of God and living in a way that pleases him? Then you need to acknowledge you have not arrived at perfection and you must submit your life to his instruction and discipline that leads you to true knowledge.

Submission

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 13:30:02 GMT

Submission honors the Lord, but many do not understand it in a biblical sense. Some react to the very mention of submission as if it were a dirty word. They do not and will not submit, no matter what! For others, the notion of submission loses its appeal because they have been taken advantage of or abused by the one to whom they have submitted. Submission is repulsive for some simply because they do not like being told what to do. They will not obey anybody. Not their parents! Not their teachers! Not the Police! Our prisons are full of people like this. But don’t be too fast in being high-minded about yourself in comparison. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Without a changed heart, we are all in rebellion against God, who rightfully demands obedience. We want to be autonomous and have no one, including God, rule over us. But the Bible tells us to submit to God (James 4:7). God has decreed certain realms of authority and submission. Ephesians 5:21 says we are to submit “to one another out of reverence to Christ.” We are to submit to others according to the authority and order respectively established by God. To the extent that we don’t submit to the authorities God has placed over us, we refuse to submit to God!

Christ is the head of the church, and the church submits to him (Eph. 5:23–24). Members of the church are to obey and respect the leaders that God has ordained to shepherd them (1 Thess. 5:12–13, Heb. 13:7). Citizens are to submit to the authorities that God has placed over them (Rom. 13:1–7, 1 Pet. 2:13–17, Tit. 3:1). Workers are to render submissive service to their boss (Eph. 6:5–9; Col. 3:22–24).

Husbands are to submit to Christ (1 Cor. 11:3). Wives are to submit to their husbands (Eph. 5:22–24; Col. 3:18; Tit. 2:5). Children are to honor and respect their parents (Eph. 6:1–3; Col. 3:20). You can imagine the anarchy and chaos that would result if God’s prescribed order for human relationships was removed from society. We would quickly go back to the days when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). Disorderliness, as well as the violation of the principle of submission by women, contributed to a chaotic church in Corinth (1 Cor. 14). Thus the apostle Paul admonished the church that “all things should be done decently and in order” (14:40). Proper church decorum entails that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (14:33).

1 Peter 2:13–20 and 3:1–7 give us instructions and tell us why we should be submissive in the areas God has prescribed. I trust you will read the entire passage. I will point out some selected verses. 1 Peter 2:13 — “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution” Why? 1 Peter 2:15 — “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” We would not want to disgrace our Lord’s name and give our opponent any reason to disregard our witness to the gospel. 1 Peter 2:18 — “Servants, be subject to your masters.” We should be respectful to those we work for. We should not do any wrong to our employer because we are mindful of God (2:19), and we should do good even if we suffer for it (2:20).

1 Peter 3:1 — “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands.” Why? So that they may be won to the Lord “when they see your respectful and pure conduct” (3:2). Holy women of old adorned themselves “by submitting to their own husbands” (3:5). 1 Peter 3:7 — “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way.” Husbands submit to the Lord by loving their wives ( Eph. 5:25). Similarly, we see this pattern in Titus 2:1–10. This passage runs the gamut of behavior expected from older men to younger women. Respectful and reverent behavior is described for us to follow for an express reason. For example, older women are to teach young women to love and be submissive to their husbands so that the word of God may not be reviled (2:3–5). Young men should have integrity and be respectful so that an opponent would have nothing evil to say about us (2:6–8). Workers are to be submissive to those they work for so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior (2:9–10).

We have an example of submission when Jesus, as the Son of Man, submitted to the Father when he agonized in Gethsemane. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). We are told, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5 KJV). Jesus came in the flesh to atone for our sins, and even “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:6–8). Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Jesus set an example when he submitted to the Father’s will and selflessly died for our sins. We are the Lord’s best witness when we are most like him! May we submit to whatever authority God has placed over us so that we bring honor and glory to his name.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) , Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What's In Our Library? #1

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 13:30:00 GMT

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegrop

When suffering strikes, it leaves most of us at a loss for words. Whether from fear, embarrassment, grief, anger, or a thousand other emotions, we are left spinning. How do we process, cope, and move forward? In his book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop explains how Christians can learn to lament, learn from lament, and learn to live with lament.

Vroegop writes that there are often two responses to suffering and trials: anger or denial. In the first response, many Christians allow their circumstances to drive a wedge of bitter anger into their hearts. Whether it is quiet resentment or outright rage, anger can dominate a Christian’s experience of suffering. On the flip side, some Christians live in a kind of denial. In an effort to exemplify the “rejoice always” passages in Scripture, some believers choose to live almost as if the pain had no effect on them.

Not only do Christians wrestle with responding to their own pain, but they also tend to feel uncomfortable around other saints’ suffering and honest wrestling. Well-intentioned brothers and sisters in the Lord watch their friends or loved ones walk the valley of the shadow of death and either offer well-meaning platitudes that provide little help, or just stare in silence. How do Christians respond to suffering in a way is both honest and humble? How do we acknowledge the pain as well as the promises of God?

The Bible provides an answer: lament.

Vroegop describes lament as “a prayer that leads us through personal sorrow and difficult questions into the truth that anchors our soul.” He outlines lament in four steps: turn, complain, ask, and trust. Walking through several of the lament psalms and the book of Lamentations, he shows how lament is a God-given ballast in the storms of suffering. When believers turn to God in honesty about the pain, humbly ask God to hear and answer, and trust God to do what He has promised, that is when they find deep mercy under dark clouds. The book is now available in the church library available to borrow. This book greatly encouraged my soul, and I pray it encourages you as well. May it guide you in the divinely-given response of suffering: the grace of lament.

Humility, True Greatness by C.J. Maheny

Ah, the enigmatic word: humility. Almost every Christian knows the importance of humility, has seen the value of humility, and knows it is a virtue and quality worth possessing. You might even pray for humility, asking the Lord to give you a more humble character. I remember when I used to pray for humility, I inwardly dreaded the Lord granting my request because I knew that more than likely, rather than a dose from a magically appearing vial of humility to take every morning, he would give me opportunities to practice humility! If I was honest, I hated that.

A lot of that dread disappeared when I read C.J. Mahaney’s book Humility. It is by far the best book I have read on the subject, and I have returned to it time and time again for its rich truths and practical insight. His writing comes from a lifetime of studying and teaching God’s word, as well as a lot of trial and error in putting pride to death. The first section of the book defines humility and gives reasons for the necessity of becoming a humble Christian, the second section explores the example of Christ as a call and motivation for humility, and the last section is filled with practical advice on putting action to the desire of becoming humble.

Apart from the fact that the book is written in a very honest and down-to-earth style, I appreciate Mahaney’s specific, practical advice. Rather than ending his book with a vague call to "go be humble" or an admonition to read your bible and pray, he gives steps to actively kill pride and cultivate humility as soon as our heads leave our pillows in the morning. Some examples include contemplating the doctrine of sin, playing golf (read his book to find out why), embracing sleep, seizing the commute time, and other tips. While most of those tips were not readily apparent to me as humility-inducing practices, I have come to find them hugely helpful in my own pursuit of humility.

As you contemplate the humility of Christ in being born in human flesh to save sinners, consider the Christmas season as a call to grow in humility. And whether you’re just starting out in your walk with the Lord or you’ve been on the journey with God for years, I would highly recommend this book as both a convicting and encouraging reminder to grow in humility and become more like Jesus every day.

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

Other than the Bible, few books have shaped Christian thought like The Pilgrim's Progress. In fact, at one point, it was a best-seller, surpassed in popularity only by the Bible. It was penned by author John Bunyan while he was imprisoned for his faith and is equal parts exciting, encouraging, and perceptive.

The premise is simple: it's an allegorical narrative that depicts the spiritual journey of every Christian, from pre-salvation to their arrival in heaven. Along the way, the main character, Christian, goes through the Interpreters Mansion, the Cross, the Palace Beautiful, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vanity Fair (an actual fair, not the magazine), and other locations, almost all of them either a direct Scriptural reference or inferred from a biblical theme. Christian also meets characters like Evangelist, Mr. Worldly Wise Man, Mr. Legality, Pliable and Obstinate, Lust of the Eyes and Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life, Apollyon, Mr. By-Ends, Talkative, Faithful and Hopeful, and others.

There are numerous examples of how Bunyan artfully and accurately depicts the Christian life, but one instance that I will never forget occurs as Christian and his companion take a detour from the path and rest in By-Ends Meadow. In their napping, they are rudely awakened by Giant Despair and thrown into the darkest dungeon of Doubting Castle. There, Christian begins to despair of life itself. Weeks go by with no reprieve, until Christian remembers one day that around his neck is a chain with a key called Promise, and it unlocks every door out of Doubting Castle, leaving the raging Giant Despair behind as the two companions hurry on their way. I have yet to find a better depiction of a Christian's wrestling with depression and despair (and the method of release through God's promises) than the one that Bunyan paints in that story.

When I was a boy, I loved the thrilling imagery and storytelling and understood some of the biblical concepts. It's a great story for kids. But as I grew older and began to understand the truth Bunyan is expounding, depth and encouragement were added to the thrill of the story. Every time I read it, a new aspect of the book stands out for its insightful truths and deep encouragement, and I think the same will be true for you.

The Art of Divine Contentment by Thomas Watson

Few books outside of the Bible have shaped my life, perspective, and theology more than The Art of Divine Contentment. Aside from the fact that I used it as a conversation starter to segue into asking out my future wife on a date, I have found the small book extremely helpful. The Art of Divine Contentment by Thomas Watson explains the necessity of contentment, exposes hidden sin, and explains the better way (or the art) of divine contentment.

Few of us would disagree with the proposition that Christians should be content. However, not many of us can say with full honesty, “Yes, I am content.” Watson tackles this head-on, identifying contentment not just as a virtue to strive for but discontent as a deadly sin that makes us rebels. Discontented Christians are no better than the murmuring Israelites, and murmuring “is mutiny in the heart; the rising up against God.” My grumbling about what a rotten day I had can easily be a declaration of all-out war against the God I love. Watson reminds us that contentment is not just godly but necessary for the life of a Christian.

Beyond emphasizing the necessity of contentment, The Art of Divine Contentment exposes hidden sin. Second to the Bible, I have had no other book so bring me to a prayer of confession like this one. Watson pulls no punches and demands what the Bible commands: a striving to avoid sin, including the sin of discontent. Here’s just one of the many convicting quotes that challenge just how seriously I actually take my sin: “In every loss, there is only a suffering, but in every discontent, there is a sin–and one sin is worse than a thousand sufferings!” Do I avoid suffering more than I avoid sin? Later, he writes, “For every cross that befalls us, shall we call the infinite wisdom of God into question? O the blasphemy of our hearts!” Ouch. And yet, so true.

Finally, Watson explains a better way: the art of divine contentment. Ultimately, the divine contentment that God commands is rooted in the character of God. There is no suffering, no trial too severe that should be able to rock us from a contentment that is cemented in the foundation of God’s character. Pulling just one quote (though there are so many good ones!), Watson writes, “What though I am despised? Yet God loves me; what though my friends cast me off? Yet God loves me; he loves to the end, and there is no end of that love.”

Since Watson was a puritan author, some of his phrasing can be more antiquated and difficult to read, but if you put in the time and energy to get past that, the truths of God’s word he expounds are timeless and extremely beneficial.

Deacons in 2023

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:30:01 GMT

All of God’s designs and structures for his church are good. He founded his church through the blood of his Son (Acts 20:28). He chose who would be part of his church through his choice before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He reconciled his enemies to himself so that we might be at peace with him (Romans 5:10). He reconciled us one to another removing the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). He gave us apostles and prophets to lay the foundational teaching of the church with Jesus Christ being the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The church then is the pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

Because God is not a God of confusion, everything ought to be done in an orderly fashion (1 Corinthians 14:33). The structure of the church is one of a body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12) and one head who is Christ (Ephesians 4:15). Within the members of the church there are two ongoing offices described in Scripture: elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13). These exist because of God’s divine wisdom for the proper functioning and good of his church.

Deacons and elders are distinct from each other. They are not the same office and therefore require a different kind of work. While there may be other positions we create for the proper functioning of the church (treasurer, Sunday School superintendent, etc.), the offices of elder and deacon are the only offices given by God to the church. This alone immediately elevates the importance of the offices and explains why such lofty qualifications are required to hold these positions.

Elders are also called overseers and have the primary task of shepherding, leading, teaching, defending, and overseeing the church (see Acts 20:17-38; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4). They are to be men who are above reproach and able to teach. Deacons are to share the same character qualities as elders but are not required to be able to teach. This significant difference highlights the distinction between elders and deacons.

Deacons are named after the Greek word used for their title: diakonos. This word is most often translated as “servant” (see, for example, Matthew 23:11-12). But in 1 Timothy, it refers to a formal office in the church, whose occupants “are ordained to formal, public service in the life of the church” (Matt Smethurst, Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church). One dictionary defines “diakonos” this way: “One who gets something done, at the behest of a superior, assistant to someone… One who serves as an assistant in a [religious] context, attendant, assistant, aide” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament). Some churches consider anyone who serves to be a deacon. Others consider deacons the governing board of the church. Still others consider deacons to be ministry coordinators, A/V specialists, or janitors. But deacons are best biblically understood as being assistants to the elders. Matt Smethurst plainly states, “deacons—rightly understood and deployed—are an irreplaceable gift to Christ’s church. They are model servants who excel in being attentive and responsive to tangible needs in the life of the church” (Smethurst, Deacons). Alexander Strauch, after careful study of Scripture, adds, “Deacons are the formal assistants to the elders” (Alexander Strauch, Paul’s Vision for the Deacons: Assisting the Elders with the Care of God’s Church).

We have been blessed as a church to have two deacons who have faithfully served the Lord and us through the years. Yet, we understand with the growth of the church we need to supplement this office. If the Lord allows, in 2023 we plan to search for men within the congregation who are qualified for the office of deacon. Our goal is to appoint biblically qualified men for this important office, who can assist the elders in caring for the “tangible needs of the church,” which in turn enables the elders to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).

For more information on the office of deacon and the nomination process at WSLCC, see the Sunday School teachings below. (A second video will be added on 2/12.)

A Review of To Train Up a Child, by Michael and Debi Pearl

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:30:00 GMT

(Please note: This is not a book recommendation! This is a review of a book I do not recommend, but I offer it to you as a way to think through books with discernment.)

To Train Up a Child by Michael and Debi Pearl has now sold over 1.2 million copies since its 1994 release. It stirs up great passions in its readers, love and hate for its child training methods. Many Christians advocate it. Is this book worthwhile? Does it have a proper theology of parenting and a biblical understanding of child nature?

A Brief Summary

Michael and Debi Pearl write to give parents a practical guide for training their children according to the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” The authors expect that if parents follow their method of biblical training, both children and parents will be happier for life. A strong distinction is drawn between training and discipline. “Training is not discipline. Discipline is the ‘damage control’ part of training…. Training is the conditioning of the child’s mind before the crisis arises. It is the preparation for future, instant, unquestioning obedience.”* The training in children begins while they are still infants. For example, nursing babies should have their hair gently pulled if they bite while nursing. This is not considered by the authors to be punishment, but conditioning. “Conditioning requires no understanding or reasoning.” The goal of the authors is absolute and unquestioning obedience to the parents at the first issue of a command.

The Pearls’ training method to create this family peace centers upon “the rod,” an instrument for inflicting varying levels of pain in conjunction with a failure to keep parental commands. Consider this example of their training method: “Place an appealing object where [the child] can reach it…. When they spy it and make a dive for it, in a calm voice say, ‘No, don’t touch that.’ … They will likely pause, look at you in wonder, and then turn around and grab it. Switch their hand [with a pencil, wooden spoon, etc.] once and say, ‘No.’ Remember, in this exercise you are not disciplining, you are training.” This exercise is to be repeated. “Most children can be brought into complete and joyous compliance in a few minutes.”

The First Problem: Human Nature

Pearl writes regarding the nature of children:

That children “begin life in innocent self-centeredness”
“unrestrained indulgence is the very essence of future sinfulness”
“At some point every child faces his own ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’”

According to Pearl, children do not inherit Adam’s sinful nature, only his God-given self-centered nature that will lead to sin in the future when they face their own test in the garden. Pearl admits that everyone besides Jesus has failed the test. But this view of human nature leads to a dangerous conclusion: “You can begin the child’s sanctification long before his salvation.” In making that statement, Pearl is operating based on an unorthodox view of sanctification. Every child who is born is born in the flesh with a sinful nature and thus “by nature children of wrath.” Paul states in Romans 8:8, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Sanctification is impossible without the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1-6). Unless a child has the Spirit of God dwelling in them, parents have no more ability to bring about sanctification in their child than they do the new birth. We can pray, train, discipline, instruct, and reprove, but we are not the agents of salvation or sanctification. That John belongs to the Triune God alone, planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and effected by the Spirit. While we may adopt some of the same methods as Pearl, we do so with a very different understanding of salvation, sanctification, and human nature.

The Second Problem: No Distinction

Both Christians and non-Christians have equal access to the Pearls’ training methods for young children: “At this point we are not talking about producing godly children, just happy and obedient children. The principles for training young children to obey can be applied by non-Christians as well as Christians.” A distinctly Christian approach to child rearing is never established for young children. The gospel of grace is rarely addressed in the book and thus receives little application to parenting. If a non-believer who refuses to repent and trust in Christ can use this book for their parenting as well as a believer, then there is a fundamental flaw in the book’s approach.

The Third Problem: Training Animals?

In a bizarre chapter titled “What Would Rover Do?”, Pearl refers to nature for substantiation of the practice of spanking. Dolphins, dogs, and a Koala named Angelica are all cited as natural examples of disciplining their young. Not cited are the examples in nature of animals that eat or abandon their young. But this bizarre chapter is in agreement with the author’s ongoing comparison between children and animals. “Training doesn’t necessarily require that the trainee be capable of reason. Even mice and rats can be trained to respond to stimuli. Careful training can make a dog perfectly obedient.” Pearl later compares training a child to training a horse, even to the extent of drawing child training techniques from horse training techniques. This is conditioning an animal, not parenting a human child with a soul.

The Fourth Problem: False Promises

Proverbs is not a book of promises. It is a book of wisdom and principles for godly living rooted in a fear of the Lord. However, the Pearls mistakenly take Proverbs 22:6, which serves as title for the book, as an infallible promise from God. This text is never exegeted or explained in biblical context by the Pearls; it is just assumed as a promise. As such, they make wild claims in support of their training methods that a child will always turn out good:

“Proper training always works with every child”
“If you are faithful to administer negative consequences upon every infraction, whether in attitude or action, in just a few days you will have a consistently obedient and cheerful child”
“Those who are always consistent will quickly come to never need [the switch]”
“Just think of it, children who never beg, whine, or cry for anything! We have raised five whine less children”
Concerning a three-year-old girl trained according to the Pearls’ methods: “This little three-year-old girl was completely trained…. She will never be anything but a blessing”

Those are audacious claims. “Always, every, never.” The Pearls do not address the prodigal son in Luke 15. Perhaps he was not properly trained by the father according to their methods?

Conclusion

Some things sound too good to be true. To Train Up a Child is too wrong to be right. There are truths contained in it and some worthwhile thoughts. But the foundations of it are misaligned, so the overall structure is unstable. The bent toward behavioral conditioning like lab rats, the wrong view of human nature, and the misunderstanding of promises and Proverbs all add up to a faulty foundation. Some practices they advocate will look right and proper. But biblical parenting is less like the kind of flow chart the Pearls would have us think it is. True wisdom, prayer, consistency, reliance upon the Lord, exercise of biblical authority, kindness, love, right view of the sinful nature of the child’s heart, and the need for regeneration are the kinds of complexities that take biblical parenting far away from conditioning a walking and talking lab rat.

*All quotes from: Michael and Debi Pearl, To Train up a Child (Pleasantville, TN: NGJ Ministries), 2011. Kindle Edition.

John Urquhart on Missions

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 22:30:22 GMT

One of my friends is named John Urquhart. At least, I hope he is my friend. I never met him. And he’s been dead for nearly 200 years. But one day, in glory, I hope to meet him, and I hope we can be friends, though I consider any friendship would be much more to my benefit than his. He was 18 years old when he died in Scotland on January 9, 1827. His confidence in the Lord was so complete that as he lay on his deathbed, he declared to his father, “My mind is quite calm now… My hope is fixed on the Rock of Ages. I know that nothing shall separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus my Lord” (The St. Andrew’s Seven, by Stuart Piggin and John Roxborogh, 91).

Urquhart was part of a group of six students and a professor at St. Andrews University who zealously pursued the promotion of missions among the student body. John Urquhart intended to enter the mission field in India, but poor health and illness resulted in his death before he left his homeland. A brief life, however, does not limit God’s ability to bear fruit through it.

Foreign missions in Urquhart’s day were looked upon with skepticism. Urquhart was an instrumental part of the formation of a mission society at his school, where he and the other five students fought diligently to argue for the urgency of missions and saw some success in a change of mind. While he saw enthusiasm for support of missions grow, he did not see a comparable growth in the willingness to serve in missions. He turned his attention to those who agreed on the importance of missions but lacked a willingness to consider if they might be summoned to go as a missionary. At a meeting of the missions society of St. Andrew’s seven months before his death, Urquhart gave an impassioned address later described by those who heard it: “Never probably, in any association, had such an address, on such a subject, been before delivered.” His address is longer and richer than can be contained here (you can find the whole of it in his Memoirs compiled by his real friend William Orme, available at GoogleBooks ). But I offer to you a brief extract that I have condensed and mildly edited to update the language for clarity to our 21 ^st century ears. Read slowly and carefully and learn about missions from this 18-year-old friend of mine:

I am tired of arguing with opponents of the missionary cause. It is my intention this evening to address myself to those who profess to be its friends. I cannot imagine a mind which has carefully weighed the arguments for missions and soberly considered the facts of this important subject to still refuse to embark its energies and influences in the work of evangelizing

the nations of the earth. I turn from those who oppose missions and address myself to you who advocate this benevolent scheme and, more especially, to those of you who, by entering on a course of study preparatory to the duties of Christian ministry, have thereby professed to devote yourselves unreservedly to the service of God in the gospel of his Son.

And I do not address you, my friends, for the purpose of repeating those unmeaning compliments that are often presented to missionary societies. I believe it to be true that the members of missionary associations have absolutely done nothing, when we consider the high demands of a cause whose object is the spiritual and moral renovation of a world. Neither do I address you for the purpose of picturing in romantic colors the high devotedness of the missionary characters and the lofty achievements of the missionary life. Like most other poetic descriptions, it has excited the imagination but has failed to influence the conduct. It may have caused him who listened to indulge in some fairy dream of exile and martyrdom for the sake of his Savior; while it is quite possible that he remained unimpressed with the sober convictions of a duty his imagination had set forth in such glowing characters.

One cannot help wondering about the many who have pleaded so earnestly for the cause of missions and have spoken so eloquently concerning the high dignity of the missionary task that so few have been found who were willing to go forth to the combat. The advocates of missions have erred by regarding missions with somewhat of a sentimental admiration, and by describing it as a work above and beyond rather than a work of duty. We have become too accustomed to regard the missionary life as an undertaking of most extraordinary magnitude, and as reserved for a few of the more daring and devoted spirits in the race of living Christians; and thus we easily succeed in pushing from ourselves the duty of personal engagement. But we would do well to view the matter apart from this borrowed splendor, which by its glare, obscures rather than brightens the object of our contemplation. After all, the greater part of the work must be accomplished by ordinary men. And I am persuaded, if we take a candid and sober view of the case, we shall begin to suspect that the matter may come home in the shape of duty, even to ourselves.

The sacrifices a missionary makes are great, but they are small when we take into account those sublime truths which we believe as well as he. And it is the very deepest importance that we should bear in mind that those very sacrifices are represented in the Bible, not as the fruits of an over-reaching faith which may only come to a very few, but as the test of simple discipleship itself. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

If by these remarks I can impress the mind of any one of you with the duty of engaging in this great undertaking, let me warn such an individual of the delusion of putting such convictions away from him on the ground that this is a work far too high for him to engage in; or under the deceitful impression that his shrinking from such an enterprise is a sign merely that his faith is weak, and has not yet acquired sufficient strength to warrant his engaging in a work of such difficulty and self-denial. If the words of Christ are true, which I have just repeated, then to shrink from duty, even in the face of all the trials that present themselves in the contemplation of the missionary life, does not argue a weakness of faith merely, but a want of faith. The man who is not ready to part with the country and even life itself, at the bidding of his Savior, is not worthy of the name of a disciple.

Urquhart’s words are striking. I have no delusions that all Christians are called to be missionaries in foreign lands. But some are. And I am convinced with Urquhart that all disciples of Christ, whether missionaries or not, are to be willing to surrender all, country included, at the call of Christ. Our Lord expects nothing less.

The Unexpected Visitor

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 13:00:04 GMT

Merchants lined the streets, peddling their wares, while the young couple made their way through the crowd gathering in front of the temple. The throng was busy, pawing through the merchandise, searching for a unique item. Some might have been looking for a decoration, or perhaps a special piece of tableware that they might take pride in displaying to their house guests. Others combed the tables for a gift to give a loved one or a friend.

Mary held her newborn closely, as the people forced their way to the paraphernalia on the tables. Everyone wanted to be the first in line for the newest charm they would purchase and subsequently brag about it to their friends.

Children ran about as the Roman soldiers diligently watched the crowds. Sunlight danced off their shields, but the little ones were unfazed by the powerful men. Some played hide-and-seek from behind the massive sentinels. The weapons they carried intimidated the Jews as they searched for signs of insurrection. Among the children that day would be those who would gather on a hillside decades later to hear Him teach and feed them with a few fish and loaves that He had multiplied. Others would try to throw Him off a cliff, and the more impassioned ones would someday stand outside of Pilate’s Hall, chanting, “Crucify Him.”

Joseph recognized the familiar hints of wood-smoke, lilting through the air as the priests prepared the daily offerings. He led the child’s mother by her tiny hand as they pressed through the crowd, heading for the Temple stairs. They made a brief stop at a vendor’s table, selecting two turtledoves for the upcoming ritual. He wished he had a lamb to offer, but times were hard for a humble carpenter. After paying for the doves, he heard the five coins jingle in the purse attached to his belt, reminding him of the donation due to the temple as required by the law. Joseph pondered the events of the past forty days and the trip to the City. How frustrated he had been trying to find shelter while his wife readied for the birth of the Baby. He so much desired a proper environment for his wife and the newborn, only to settle for a cold, dirty stable. The memory of that night did bring a brief smile to his weathered face when he thought of the shepherds that had been watching their flocks that night and how they carefully approached the small cave to catch a glimpse of history. Israel’s Messiah had arrived with little notice or fanfare worthy of a King. On that day, no one paid them much mind as the couple continued to weave their way toward the tall wooden doors.

Also moving through the Temple grounds was a man on a mission. He gave little notice to those in the marketplace that day. He was being led by God to the familiar structure in Jerusalem. Simeon was a devout Jew who was a true worshiper of the God of Israel. Spending his life studying the Scriptures, he waited anxiously for the consolation of Israel. The King was coming, and with Him would be peace in the land and forgiveness of sin.

He somehow knew there was something special about that day. He arrived inside the Temple and saw the parents arrive with the Child. When they presented Him to the Lord, he recalled the promise that God had made to him, so many years ago. He was to see the Christ before he passed to heaven. Joseph and Mary stood in amazement at what the unexpected visitor had said. Then, he took Him into his arms and declared, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32). The destined moment had arrived, and Simeon overflowed with joy. He then turned to the Child’s mother and said, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (vv. 34 –35). Christmas had arrived, and Simeon knew that the greater impact the Child would have on mankind was yet to come.

So many tourists busied themselves that day in the marketplace, ignoring what was happening. Caught up in the fever of everyday life, they missed the coming of Emmanuel. The vast majority of city-dwellers, young and old, rich and poor, religious or not, had missed His arrival. Only a handful of lowly shepherds, his earthly parents and now Simeon, had given testimony to Israel’s King who had come to deliver all men who would receive Him.

Where will you be this Christmas season? I know it’s become almost cliche to remember the “true meaning” of Christmas. We are all mindful of the materialism that has infected the Holiday, but some sincere folks have become confused, even with good things. Family, friends, and the spirit of giving have replaced the actual event we should be commemorating. Yet, what will you really do to keep Him as the center of your celebration this year? Do you have a plan, or will it be the “Season as usual”? Will you be a distracted spectator, a scoffer, or an onlooker in the marketplace? Or will you be a participant? A “Simeon” in the temple, recognizing the Messiah?

May God bless you as you celebrate this wonderful season of great joy.

Introduction from Jessie Wright, Missionary to Papua New Guinea

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:30:01 GMT

Dear WSLCC Family,

Thanks so much for all of your love, prayers, and support over the years. Having a church family supporting me located so close to my hometown means so much to me. For those who may have begun attending WSLCC more recently and who may not know me as well, here is a little about my background and work in Papua New Guinea. I grew up in Averill Park and graduated from the high school there before attending HVCC and then SUNY Albany. My grandparents, Ed and Beth Wright, started attending WSLCC, which at the time was Lake Avenue Community Church. When they moved to the area from Maine, I got connected to WSLCC through them.

How was I called into missions?

My parents were planning on serving in overseas missions through mission aviation. However, God ended up directing them a different way. But they never lost their heart for missions, so my mom used to read missionary stories to my brothers and me on our way to and from church. I always thought I would love to be a missionary someday but did not think I had the gifting for it because I was shy, awkward around people, and terrified of them too! But when we read several Wycliffe books about missionaries who translated the Bible, I thought, maybe that was something I could do.

But nothing came of that until much later when I was in my mid-twenties. By then I had graduated from college with an accounting degree and had worked as an auditor for four years. At this point in my life, I had finished school, gotten a degree, had my own apartment, and had a great job with good benefits. Except for a boyfriend/husband, I had obtained everything we are told we are supposed to be striving for in life, and yet I felt completely unfulfilled and empty. So, I decided to take a good hard look at my life and goals in order to figure out the reason for my unfulfilled feelings. I soon began to realize that everything I was striving for in life was because the church had told me that those were things I should be striving for. In particular, the church had told me that as a Christian woman, I was supposed to be a wife and mother. While both of those things are excellent pursuits, since graduating and getting a job there was nothing at all happening in that department. As a result, I realized that I had been subconsciously putting my life on hold for the past four years, thinking that my life as true Christian woman could not really start until I was in a relationship. Since that was not happening, I was left feeling purposeless and empty, wondering what the point of my life was.

As I kept digging into the cause of my emptiness, I also realized that although I had thought I was striving for what God wanted me to do with my life, in reality, I was just doing what the church had told me God wanted for my life. And it struck me that I had never actually asked God Himself what He wanted me to do with my life. And so, I decided to stop allowing the church to be a go-between between God and myself and ask God directly what he wanted for me.

However, I ran into a slight obstacle. If I was going to ask God what He wanted me to do with my life, I needed to be ready to follow whatever it was He had for me. This thought scared the pants off me! What if He asked me to do something I truly hated, or something I could not do, something I was too afraid to do, or something I did not have the gifting or ability to do? “But is this really the kind of God that I serve?” I asked myself, “One that sits up in heaven and asks us to do the impossible and then laughs at us when we cannot do it?” What kind of sadistic view of God did I have? Or do I serve a God who deeply loves me beyond any love I could ever imagine?

Was He not a God who would never ask me to do something I could not do without providing the means to do it through Him? Not just the means to do it, but the means to thrive and succeed at it? And what if He did ask me to go through some hard times? If He really was a God that loved me as deeply as the Bible said, then would He not only ask me to go through those hard times for my own benefit so that I would be more and more like the woman God called me to be? And would He not use those times to draw me close to Him so that through those experiences I could come alongside others and show them God’s incomprehensible love through me? Could I ask for anything more than to be used by God in such an amazing way?

Surrendering does not necessarily mean that He would ask me to give up those dreams since oftentimes it is God himself who plants those dreams in us in the first place. But what it meant was that I needed to be willing to turn control of those dreams over to Him. I went ahead and decided to take God at His Word and surrendered all my hopes, goals, and dreams to Him, knowing that I would need to give up those dreams and hopes if that were what He would ask of me. Is that not better than having the weight of the responsibilities of those dreams on my shoulders anyway? How freeing it was to put the responsibility of leadership on Him who knows what truly will give me peace, joy, happiness, and fulfillment, better than I could ever know myself.

With these thoughts in mind, I gave control of my life goals to God, knowing that whatever He asks of me, be it smart, great, easy or hard, I would be fulfilled and at peace, knowing I would be in His will, fulfilling the perfect plan that He has for my life before He created me, His beloved child.

And so began my journey into missions. Once I turned over all control to God, He began guiding me towards Bible translation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with Wycliffe Bible Translators, fulfilling the seed He had planted in my heart so long ago as a child listening to my mother read those missionary stories.

Long-term goals for my work in PNG:

I currently work with the Tiaang language group, one of the 800+ language groups that are in PNG. My translation partner Rebekah Drew and I divide our work with the Tianng people into three broad categories: literacy, Bible translation, and scripture engagement. Over the next 20 to 20 years, we hope to work with the Tianng People to practically expand and implement each of these categories in the following ways.

Literacy:

Finalize the creation of the Tiaang alphabet.
Teach the local elementary school teacher how to teach the children how to read and write in Tiaang using their own Tiaang alphabet.
Implement adult literacy classes

Bible Translation:

Complete the translation of the New Testament into Tiaang.
Train and mentor the local Tiaang Translators so they can continue with the translation of the Old Testament when we retire and become mentors of other PNG language groups as they endeavor to create their own Bible Translation Projects.
Build a Tiaang Bible Translation Center/Office where Bible translation can occur with the needed accouterments such as a table, chairs, electricity, printers, and the like.

Scripture Engagement:

Teach the Tiaang people how to engage with their newly translated Scripture through Bible Study, personal devotions, group devotions, Scripture memorization competitions and the like.
Hold basic and more advanced Bible knowledge classes and training for the layperson and the pastors.
Teach local pastors how to read and understand their Tiaang Bibles and how to do proper exegesis when preparing a sermon.

Short-term goals for my work in PNG:

Initiate and complete the construction of the Tiaang Bible Translation Center/Office in the Tiaang language area by the end of 2023.
Finalize the Tiaang alphabet.
Help our Tiaang translators finish their translation homework from the Initial Bible Translation Training Course they took so we can pick a book of the Bible to start translating.
Finish translating the remaining 100 hymns for the hymn book.
Initiate a schedule of yearly or bi-yearly scripture engagement workshops

What are the best things that you can be praying for me and my ministry on an ongoing basis?

Consistency in schedules. The PNG culture is not very time-oriented, so creating and sticking to a schedule is challenging for our Tiaang colleagues.
Growing maturity and leadership among the younger members of the Tiaang Translation Team.
Remembering to let God lead and for us to follow.
Protection against Satan’s attacks as he tries to thwart God’s work.
Unity and knowledge as we lead/co-lead the project and mentor our coworkers

We Must Give Thanks

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 13:00:05 GMT

A few weeks ago, I was struck by this well-known verse in James:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

If it is good, it is from God. If it is perfect, it is from God. What other source of good and perfect gifts could there be except the only one who is good? (Mark 10:18) To consider the extravagant magnitude of the category “good and perfect gifts” in our lives, ponder for a moment: If God suddenly stopped doing everything he regularly does for us, and I mean everything, what would we have remaining in our lives? Answer: not much. And by not much, I mean we would not even exist.

Here is a sampling of his good gifts:

He sends the rain and fruitful seasons which brings food and gladness (Acts 14:17); he gives wisdom (James 1:5: 3:15-17, Proverbs 2:6); he gives insight we could not otherwise have (Gen 4:16); he gives us life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25); he gives us ability and skill (Exodus 31:3-6), he gives us our limitations (Exodus 4:11-12); he gives us our strengths (1 Cor 15:10); he gives a boundary to the sea (Psalm 104:9); he gives water for the beasts (Psalm 104:10-11); he gives grass for livestock and plants for man to cultivate (Psalm 104:14); he gives food to the birds (Matthew 6:26); he gives the beauty of flowers to clothe the grass (Matthew 6:30); he gives us his Son (John 3:16); he gives us his Spirit (Galatians 3:5, Luke 11:13); he gives us himself (Revelation 21:7); he gives us everything (John 3:27, Romans 8:32); he gives us gifts through other believers (Rom 12:6, 1Cor 12:11, 1Pet 4:10-11); he gives us eternal life (Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:11-12); he gives us mercy (Romans 11:30); he gives us his grace and salvation (Eph 2:8); he gives us our sufferings (Philippians 1:29); he gives us the world in which we live now (Hebrews 1:3); he gives us the world in which we will live later (Matthew 5:5); he gives us each day of our life (139:16); he gives us protection day and night (Psalm 121:5-8); he gives us favor, honor, and every good thing (Psalm 84:11); he gives us understanding of the things he has given us (1 Cor 2:12); he gives us all things—the world, life, death, the present, and the future (1 Cor 3:21).

Giving thanks ought to be woven through the entirety of our lives. There are no moments, nor are there circumstances, when it is not appropriate to give thanks. “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess 5:18). We are to give “thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Even our moments of trial in all their varieties are to compel us to rejoice. Our sufferings are designed by our God to strengthen the very faith that unites us to him (James 1:2-3; Rom 5:3-5).

When we fail to give thanks, a vacuum is left that quickly sucks in more natural responses to our life: grumbling, complaining, selfish expectations, worry, and fear. However, when our minds are fixed on things above and we remember the sheer grace that pervades our life, then we are poised to return thanksgiving to the one from whom all blessings flow.

Preach the Word!

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 13:00:12 GMT

In February 2007, I sat on the balcony of the convention center in Long Beach, CA. My wife and I, along with a few young adults from our church, gathered with over a thousand others for a college-aged conference called Resolved. I do not know what kind of conferences college students typically go to, if they go to any, but this was not a typical one. We gathered to hear men preach long sermons for four days, and it was the most exciting conference I had ever been to. From that balcony that first night, I heard a sermon preached by Rick Holland, titled, “Sinners in the Pierced Hands of an Angry God,” from Romans 5:6–11. I was gripped, not by stories, jokes, emotion, or film clips. The audience was not whipped into a frenzy. I was gripped as the pastor faded into the background and the word of God came into the foreground. I heard God speaking, not audibly from heaven, but still quite literally as verse by verse, line by line, and even word by word, the words of the word of God were rightly explained to a heart made ready by the Spirit of God. This was God speaking and I was on holy ground. That was the first time I remember hearing anyone preaching that way. This was expository preaching.

Expository preaching is an unfortunate title for what, in my opinion, should just be called preaching. The adjective “expository” is added to note that it is a kind of preaching that derives its message directly from the revealed word of God. Expository does not mean “to expose” as if something were concealed. Rather it means “serving to explain.” Expository preaching is explaining the message of God like Ezra, who “set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Whenever man’s opinions, philosophies, preferences, and suggestions dominate the moments of preaching, it is no longer true preaching. True preaching simply says, “Thus saith the Lord,” and then saith what the Lord saith.

The Old Testament prophets had no license to stand with God’s authority and proclaim what they thought was the best course of action for the nation of Israel. They were constrained to speak exactly what God had given them to speak, no more and no less (cf. 1 Kings 22:13–14). The commissioned apostles of the New Testament had been entrusted with the gospel and the right interpretation and application of the saving actions of Jesus Christ. As they preached the word of God, they had no freedom to insert their contributions to the gospel message (cf. Acts 20:27).

The Apostle John, when he was given the final Revelation, included the curse on anyone who would add or take away from the book (22:18–19). This, then, is the modern preacher’s mission: to accurately proclaim what God has already spoken in his word. Or, as Paul puts it, “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2).

How can someone have the audacity to say absolutely, “This is what God says,” and “This is what God means”? That is a bold claim. One can only say that if one absolutely knows what God says and what God means. Expository preaching rests atop a robust doctrine of Scripture. It is there that we have the words of God. We believe it is the message of God to us, inspired, inerrant, and profitable to equip us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). Those who preach now are simply teachers who instruct what God had already revealed. That is why those who teach and preach in this way must be confident that they are “rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). To speak on God’s behalf is a task never to be entered lightly. God takes his truth seriously and will judge those who teach it with stricter judgment (James 3:1). Yet, it is through the ministry of the word, rightly taught and rightly applied, that we hear God speak.

Does Teaching Obedience Produce Self-Righteousness?

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 12:00:07 GMT

Self-righteousness is a thin camouflage of purity placed over a spoiled heart. And it is often laid lightly over the hearts of children. Kids operate on a scale based merit system—if their good outweighs their bad, or if their bad is not as bad as that of other kids, then they think they are okay. Whenever a child professes to be a Christian, I ask them how to get to heaven, and too often their response is: “Obey.” The right answer is: Repent and believe in Jesus Christ. When I prompt them further with leading questions, they are eventually able to say that you need to believe in Jesus. But that is not their default answer. Their default answer is more akin to justification by works than justification by faith. Given this tendency, should we tell kids to obey? Does emphasizing obedience suture to their hearts their wrongheaded inclination toward self-righteousness?

The simple and self-evident answer to the question of whether or not to tell kids to obey is: Yes, teach them to obey, and teach them frequently. To not instruct and expect obedience of children would be just as dangerous to their eternal health and safety as giving them a loaded shotgun with the safety off and telling them to have fun. The few instructions the Bible gives directly to children are heavy on obedience. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Eph. 6:1). Since this is the biblical emphasis when instructing kids, it ought to be ours as well. But how is this to be done without pushing kids down the hell-bound path of self-righteousness?

Paul continues in Ephesians 6 with helpful insights. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). The instructions to obey should be coming primarily from parents who know and trust the Lord. This will be an immediate and needed counterweight to the potential for pharisaic proclivities in kids. The instructions given by Christian parents are not to be man’s best guess at morality, but rather the “instruction of the Lord.” And these instructions, far from producing self-righteousness, expect heart-level obedience. The Christian home should not be filled with instructions like, “Don’t hit your brother.” The instruction of the Lord is: “Everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles…. Love your enemies” (Matt. 5:22, 41, 44). Obeying these instructions cannot be consistently faked. Christ’s commands eliminate the potential for that thin camouflage of purity to be placed over the child’s spoiled heart.

This approach banks on the wisdom of God’s commands and the reasons for God’s commands. Historically noted by Calvin and Augustine, God’s law has at least three purposes. First, truly teaching the ways of Christ to children will provide them a perfect mirror which reflects to them their own unrighteousness. They cannot keep the standards of God on their own. Upon realizing their incapacity and wickedness they may be humbled and flee to the merciful Savior who pardons their unrighteousness and cloaks them with His own. Second, instructing God’s commands will restrain some evil in children. A sinner with no law to keep knows no boundary for their evil. But the sinner with restraints placed upon their conscience may be restrained from bringing some harm on themselves and others. This is a mercy, though not a saving mercy. Calvin writes, “It is true, they are not on this account either better or more righteous in the sight of God.” Third, for those who have the Spirit of God in their hearts, the commands of God show the believing children what the will of their heavenly Father is that they may walk in a manner worthy of their calling. Yes, children should be taught to obey. And done properly, with the right instructions from the right source, it actually undermines self-righteousness.

*This article originally appeared in the Eastridge Communicator, June 2014

Who Has Known The Mind Of The Lord?

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:00:04 GMT

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33–36).

The apostle Paul explained the riches of God’s grace upon the vessels of mercy in the eleven chapters of Romans preceding these verses. He summarized all that he had said thus far when he wrote, “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all” (Rom. 11:32). The glory of God’s grace was so overwhelming to him at this point that he stops and breaks into a doxology! “Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!” (v. 33). Then Paul goes on in verse 36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

From Him

We begin with “From Him.” The ultimate origin, or the ultimate cause, or the ultimate decisive reason for everything is God. Everything depends upon him for its existence, both in the beginning and all the way along! Colossians 1:17 says, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” There is no explanation for what is or what happens that is deeper or more decisive than God. He is absolutely sovereign! “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works ALL THINGS according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11, emphasis added). All things are from him. 1 Corinthians 4:7 says, “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” We have nothing to boast about, for we have received everything we have, including our salvation. The apostle Paul said, “But far be it for me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). As it is written in Revelations 7:10, “We know salvation belongs to our God.” The Bible ascribes salvation to God. Our salvation is determined by and dependent on God. The gift of salvation comes down to us from the Father. Scripture tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

Through Him

This brings us to “Through Him.” God is the effective means through whom everything exists. In John 1:1–3, we read, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” ALL THINGS are through him, including his redemptive purposes in salvation. No one can go over, under, or around God for salvation! They must go through God, that is, through the merits of Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Paul wrote, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus'' (1Tim. 2:5). And Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except THROUGH ME” (John 14:6, emphasis added).

No one is saved except through the mediation of Jesus. Jesus said so himself in John 6:44—“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” No wonder Romans 11:34 says, “Who has known the mind of the Lord…?” Many years ago, I was perplexed as I studied God’s word and found that he chose me before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). I looked back on my conversion experience and thought, didn’t I choose him? I spent months wrestling with this in my mind. In my study, I saw many verses that taught the sovereign election of those who are saved, yet at the same time, the Bible teaches that man must make a choice and will be held accountable for rejecting Christ. How can both of these be true at the same time? I thought this could not be true unless I could make sense of it. So I tried… and tried… and studied… and wrestled in my mind. And then it dawned on me. It is true, and I do not have to understand it! Who could expect to comprehend the infinite God who is the Lord God Almighty?

Romans 11:33 “How unsearchable are his judgements. How inscrutable his ways.”

Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to God but the things revealed belong to us.”

Once I settled this in my mind, I fell on my knees, bowed, and worshiped the God of my salvation. And now I join the psalmist when I pray, “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Ps. 131:1–2).

To Him

Finally, we now look at “to him.” Revelations 4:11 says, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.” Similarly, Paul writes, “For by him all things were created in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and FOR him” (Col. 1:16, emphasis added). God is the source and rightful end of everything that exists! God is the first cause, the effective cause, and the final cause of everything! God is the originator, the sustainer, and the goal of all creation. All things point to him. All things are TO him. Creation shouts GOD! GOD! Look to him! The heavens declare the glory of God (Ps. 19:1–4). We ascribe glory to God not only for creation but for saving us. Please take the time to look up the scriptures below and give glory to God for your salvation. You will be blessed if you do!

Give glory to God as David did. (1 Chron. 29:10–13)

Give glory to God as Nebuchadnezzar did. (Dan. 4:3)

Give glory to God as the apostle Paul did. (Eph. 3:20–21; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15, 16)

Give glory to God as the writer of Heb did. (Heb. 13:20–21)

Give glory to God as Peter did. (1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Pet. 3:18)

Give glory to God as Jude did. (Jude 24, 25)

“Thanks be TO GOD for his inexpressible gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15, emphasis added)

Ordering Our Priorities

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 12:00:06 GMT

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4).

What are the things that you seek most often? What occupies your mind? What do you talk about the most? The scriptures say, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart” (Matthew 15:18). Our speech reveals the affection of our hearts. What do we pursue? What occupies our thoughts? What do we find ourselves talking about most of the time? We have to ask ourselves, am I pursuing things that have eternal value? Or is my life caught up with things that are temporary? Second Corinthians 4:18 says, “The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

First Timothy 4:7b–8 says, “Train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Bodily training is an athletic term denoting the rigorous, self-sacrificing training an athlete undergoes. It has to do with this earthly life in the here and now. But godly living entails self-discipline in regard to spiritual matters and is profitable for time and eternity. First Corinthians 9:25 says, “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” There are legitimate needs we all have, and our Heavenly Father promises to provide for them as we seek first his kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:32–33). There are things that are not necessarily wrong but can crowd out the more important things of God. First Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be DOMINATED by anything” (emphasis added). Add What dominates your life?

Timothy had his priorities straight. He was an excellent example of being concerned for others and promoting the glory of God. As Paul was preparing to send Timothy to the Philippians, he wrote, “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests and not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20–21). Is the cause of Jesus Christ diminished because you seek your own interests instead of the Lord’s? The apostle Paul told Timothy not to be negligent but to be devoted to his ministry. “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:13–16). There are 3- P’s in this passage: practice, plunge, and persist.

Practice these things (v. 15). Make it a habit to do the things God called you to do! Plunge in, immerse yourself in them (v. 15). Give yourself fully over to serving God. Dive in! Persist in this (v. 16) so your zeal will affect others.

Paul told Timothy to get fired up! “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6).

We don’t ever want our love for Jesus to grow cold. God forbid that we just go through the motions and play church! O God, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalms 90:12). Send the wind of your Holy Spirit and fire us up! O Lord, may we repent of our apathies and casual attitudes about the business of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we give ourselves completely to things that count for eternity.

This life will soon pass; only what is done for Christ will last.

10 Tips for Bible Reading

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT

The believer has the great privilege of having access to the Word of God given to us in the Bible. We all know we ought to read the Bible, but sometimes we struggle with the know-how as we read. Perhaps a few tips on how to read may be helpful.

1. Read the Bible regularly. This should not come as a surprise, but without reading the Bible, you will never understand It. Sometimes it can be easier to read about the Bible, listen to a sermon, read The Daily Bread, or dig into another Christian’s perspective on current events than to actually read the Bible. But these must not overtake our own intake of the Word of God. The Scriptures are where we find truth, undiluted and unfiltered, and hear from God directly.

2. Read the Bible repeatedly. Sometimes I hear someone say that they have read the Bible cover to cover, meaning that they feel themselves to be an expert on the book. I can barely read through Green Eggs and Ham once and feel I have mastered it. How much more the Inerrant Word of God? Read the Bible, and read It again and again.

3. Read the Bible systematically and in context. The open and point method of reading the Bible bears limited fruit. Far better is to read through a book of the Bible. You do not need to read straight through from Genesis to Revelation. But read all of Genesis or all of Revelation. This is the best practice because no verse In the Bible is an island to Itself but comes within a flow of thought. You will not understand the depth of a verse or a chapter of the Bible until you understand how that section works within the whole of the book.

4. Meditate on God's Word. This means to think about it. After grasping what a passage means in its context, take a verse from what you are reading and chew on it a bit. Write the verse down, pull it out from time to time during the day, and read it. The blessed man “meditates day and night” on the Word of God (Psalm 1:2).

5. Try reading a whole book of the Bible in one or two sittings. Start with a smaller epistle, and then try a gospel. Perhaps reading all 150 Psalms at once would be daunting, but it will not be a waste of time.

6. Get a good study Bible and use it appropriately. Receiving help from others in your understanding of the Bible does not indicate spiritual ineptitude. Every believer has learned from others who have learned from others. Reading the notes of a study Bible is finding help from someone who has had the time and opportunity to study the Bible more than you. Learn from them and, as always, read all notes with discernment. Do not stop with the study notes of a study Bible, but read the book introductions to get good insights into the purpose and setting of the book. These will help you be a good Bible student. I like to recommend the ESV Study Bible and the MacArthur Study Bible.

7. Ask good questions. “What does this text mean?” “Why did Paul write this?” “How does this relate to what was said earlier in the book?” “Are there any other places in the Bible that say something similar?” “What is the main point of this passage?” “What are the key words, phrases, and sentences in this chapter?” Good questions answered well will help you get the meaning of the passage.

8. Take the long view. Do not worry if you don’t understand everything you read. Keep reading and studying, and you will find in a year that you understand more than you do now.

9. Read prayerfully. The Scriptures are living and active, and the Author of the Scriptures abides with you and in you. It is not a book to be read dryly. It is to be read with an expectation that you are reading God’s word and should be attended with humble prayer to the Author of Scripture in response to what you read.

10. Read with a heart ready to believe and obey. When God speaks, he expects people to hear and respond. “This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). When we read to merely gain information or check the daily devotional box off our day’s to-do list, we miss the point of having God’s word: to believe and obey it.

A Whisperer Separates Close Friends

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 21:30:29 GMT

The tongue’s capacity for evil is disproportionate to its size. James says, “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.” (James 3:5) Solomon bluntly tells us, “Put away from you crooked speech” (Prov. 4:24). And Paul lists out sins of the tongue: deceit, maliciousness, gossip, and slander (Rom 1:29–30). A tongue can whip up a frenzy of evil in a variety of ways, but for our focus now, let’s consider gossip. In Proverbs, a gossip is called a “whisperer” (Prov. 26:22). The word elsewhere is used for grumbling or complaining, as in the case of the Israelites murmuring in their tents about going into the land of Canaan (Deut. 1:27). On a personal level, a gossip refers to someone “murmuring about another person behind their back rather than openly complaining about their behavior" (New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, 3:1053). The New Testament expands the idea of gossip to include people who are meddlesome. In addition to complaining behind someone’s back, gossips involve themselves in business that is not their own behind other people’s backs. Gossip is a problem that afflicts men and women, but in 1 Timothy, Paul addresses a group of women who “learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not” (5:13). It’s as if there was nothing better to do than to talk about other people’s business… perhaps at a prayer meeting. Gossip, then, can be grumbling about another person to others, or spreading information about others that is not yours to share.

Among the problems with gossip is that our fleshly nature loves it. “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body” (Prov. 18:8). We love gossip, but that doesn’t mean we should. The fact that certain conversations taste delicious to our fleshly nature ought to make us especially cautious of any talk that goes down smoothly.

Gossip is not just the sin of those who gossip, but those who listen to it. When David was pursued by Saul, he chastised Saul for listening to gossiping liars and slanderers: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’?” (1 Sam. 24:9). With no audience, gossip quickly dies. Gossip is destructive.

When grumbling happens behind someone’s back, and it is discovered, the pain is twice as bad as if the conversation had been had face to face between friends. With gossip, the circle of offense grows wide, and the opinions of one whisperer becomes the opinion of many. A true friend will address his or her friend to their face when there is an offense. “A whisperer separates close friends” (Prov. 16:28), but “faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6).

Be on your guard, then, in your heart against grumbling against others or against needing to know about things that are none of your business. When words sound juicy to you, even in the form of a prayer request that goes beyond a sincere need or express desire of the one you are praying for, then be careful of what you are listening to.

The Christian life is not just the negative: what not to do, it is the positive: how you ought to live. The life in Christ is not gossipy, it is true. It is not meddlesome, but helpful, even in knowing when to mind your own business. It is prudent in the information you share and to whom you share it. It is to be edifying in everything you say. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29).

Groaning for the Completion of Redemption

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMT

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. " (Romans 8:18–25 ESV)

The passage above begins by pointing out that the suffering of the present time can't be compared to “the glory that is to be revealed” in the future (v. 18). The creation and we ourselves are longing to be released from the suffering of this present time and to be brought into the glorious future that God has planned for us. All of creation is groaning (v. 22), and not only so, but we ourselves are also groaning (v. 23). What is all this groaning about?

First, we read about the groaning of creation in verses 18–23. "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now" (v. 22). The creation is personified and pictured as longing to be “set free from its bondage to corruption” (v. 21). The created order was cursed as a result of the fall of mankind when Adam disobeyed God and sinned (Genesis 3:17–19). Paradise was lost, and the ground became hostile to the man’s survival. "Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you” (vv. 17b–18a). "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground” (v. 19a). Death came to Adam because of sin (Genesis 2:16, 17), and the whole realm of nature fell together with him. Someday the earth will be restored to its original intention but not before the full redemption of the children of God (Romans 8:19,20). Creation "groans" as if in childbirth (v. 22) and will only find relief when the glory of the children of God is revealed, namely, the redemption of our bodies.

That brings us to the second groan: "And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies" (v. 23). Why do we groan inwardly? Why is it that "we wait eagerly for adoption as sons" (v. 23) when we have already been adopted into the family of God? (Romans 8:15). Because all that it means to be adopted by God will be completed at the redemption of our body. There is an already–not yet factor we observe here. The completion of our redemption occurs when we receive our glorified resurrected bodies and God makes all things new! In the present time, we are racked with pain, disease, sorrow, and death. We long for deliverance.

In the midst of our inward groaning, we have expectant hope (vv. 23, 25) that our suffering will pass. As a matter of fact, our present “groanings ^” cannot even be compared to the glory we are craving! (v. 18). "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). Second Corinthians 5:2–4 says that we long to put on our heavenly dwelling; that is, we are craving for the redemption of our bodies. We groan to be clothed, not unclothed (v. 4); that is, we do not wish to be disembodied spirits. God created our immaterial being (soul/spirit) and physical body to be one person. "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). When God restores the earth to its original design, he also will renew our physical bodies. "Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:51–53).

And what will these bodies be like? "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:44). We await a Savior who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20). When he appears, we shall be like him (1 John 3:2). Jesus ate food in his resurrected body (Luke 24:41–43, John 21:4–14). Jesus walked through locked doors yet showed his disciples his feet, hands, and side (John 20:19, 20, 24–29).

Someday God will make all things new (Rev 21:1–5). How wonderful it will be when the curse is removed from this earth and it becomes suitable for the redeemed to dwell on for all eternity. How great it will be for our bodies to be made like his glorious body. But even more wonderful than being like him is to be WITH HIM! (Revelations 21:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

What I Learn and Don't Learn in the Bible

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 12:00:17 GMT

I want to think how God thinks. I want to see the world the way God sees the world, as much as I can being a finite creature. Since I cannot conjure up God's mind by my own creativity, I need him to speak to me. And he has done so gloriously, sufficiently, clearly, powerfully, and wisely. He has done so in his word. So, I come to his word to learn; and it's just as amazing what I don't learn as what I do learn.

I don't learn about a godless beginning to the universe, but I learn of the sudden and miraculous creation of everything by a God who speaks things into existence (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3). I don't learn the gravitational constant, but I learn why natural laws are sustained (Genesis 8:22). I don't learn how the brain controls the autonomic nervous system, but I learn about the one who made us fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139:13-16). I don't learn that I can choose what gender I want to be, but that there is a God who makes decisions he doesn't ask my opinion on (Genesis 1:26-27; Jeremiah 18:6). I don't learn that this life is survival of the fittest, but that loving your enemy is more God-like than surviving your enemy (Ephesians 4:32, 5:1).

I don't learn everything that could be known or the answers to all my questions, but I am given the only logical reason for why I can know anything at all (Psalm 14:1). I don't learn that I am the reason for everything, but I learn that God is the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6, Romans 11:36). I don't learn the specific reason for all the evil in the world, but I learn that without a just God there is no hope at all of everything being put right (Revelation 21:5).

I don't learn that my heart is to be followed, but rather I learn it is deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:21-23). I don't learn that I seek God on my own, but that God has sought me (Luke 19:10). I don't learn that my free will is determinative, but that it is God who has mercy on whom he has mercy (Romans 9:15). I don't learn that I loved God first, but that he loved me and sent his Son (1 John 4:9-10). I don't learn that I am good enough, but that Jesus is good enough (1 John 2:1). I don't learn that a cursed man on a cross is foolish to God but is his crucified Son, his very wisdom, and my only salvation (1 Corinthians 1:30). I don't learn that my end is death, but that there will be a resurrection of life and a resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29).

I don't learn that joy in life is bound with health, wealth, and prosperity, but my joy is in Lord, even in suffering (Romans 5:3). I don't learn that happiness is winning the lottery, but that true riches are in heaven (Matthew 6:20). I don't learn that things will always continue as they always have been, but that God's patience is meant to lead to repentance (Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:4-9). I don't learn that in billions of years the sun will die and the earth end, but that God has a day appointed when he will bring the end and usher in his new creation (Acts 17:31, Revelation 21:1-2). I don't learn that man's political endeavors will ultimately bring peace but that it is God's kingdom that will endure (Daniel 2:44-45).

I don't learn that my failures or other's failures will forever harm me, but I learn that redemption is real, the God in heaven saves, the Christ on the cross rescues, the resurrection promises new life, the Spirit is my guarantee, heaven is my home, and Christ is coming back (1 Timothy 1:1, Colossians 2:13-15, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Philippians 3:20-21).

What could we know that is of any eternal value had God not spoken to us? Oh, the glories of special revelation! Oh, the gift of the Bible! "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart... More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:7-10).

*This article is adapted from one originally appearing in the March 2018 edition of the Eastridge Communicator.

God is Still Here

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 21:21:16 GMT

In times of trial and hardship, it can be easy to find ourselves asking God why. Why does this happen to us? Why is it hard? Or, as Psalm 10:1 says, "Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" In the dark valleys, it can feel like the Creator of the valleys is nowhere to be found. This is how the Israelites felt in the time of Isaiah. To their question of supposed abandonment, God answers their question with a question of his own. "Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’?" (Isaiah 40:27).

The Reality of God’s Presence

God poses his question with incredulity, almost like he’s asking them, "How could you ask me that?" He follows that with two more questions: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? At face value, God is supplying a potential reason for their question: perhaps they just didn't know who God is. It's as if God is suggesting that if the Israelites really believed that their right, or cause, has been overlooked by God, they must not have heard the front-page news: The Lord is the everlasting God.

But verses earlier, God had established that the Israelites know who he is, asking two rhetorical questions: "Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” (v. 21). The question implies the answer, "Yes." The Israelites have heard from the beginning. They've known who God is from their earliest days. It's not an issue of ignorance, but of belief. The Israelites know who God is, but they are living like they don't. In bemoaning a belief that God has overlooked their cause, God says they have forgotten who he really is: the everlasting God. Outside time. Without beginning or end. The Creator of the entire universe, or "the ends of the earth." Far above all understanding. The God who never, ever slumbers and never, ever sleeps!

In the face of the Israelites despair and doubt, Isaiah 40 reminds them of the reality of who their God is: everlasting, Creator, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-ruling. This is their God. And when he rhetorically asks his people who it is that helps him be God and Creator, you can picture the ashamed Israelites, heads dropped, mumbling, "No one."

Not only is God a God to whom the mighty nations are like a drop in a bucket (v. 15), he is a God who gathers his Iambs in his arms with gentle care and compassion (v. 11). So why do the Israelites ask why God is far away? More personally, why do we? In moments of stress, pain, despair, we must rest in Isaiah 40 and elevate what we know to be true. Loved ones, we must remember who our God is. God is still here. God is still on the throne. When we wander, he is faithful. When we fall, he is gentle. When we are weak, he shows his strength. Yes, even in the weakness and hardship, he is present and he is ruling.

What God’s Presence Means for Us

If you were to pick a demographic representing the finest specimen of human energy and

strength, which would you choose? I think for most of us, the demographic that comes to mind

is “the young guy.” Whether it’s an 11-year-old boy scampering across the backyard or the 24

year old running a half marathon and making it look easy, young men often seem to have

boundless energy. What does that have to do with a God who is still here? Stick with me, and I think it will become clear.

Verse 29 of chapter 40 says, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” The two observations I make from this verse are that first, God gives power. Any strength a believer has is ultimately sourced and supplied by God. After all, as verse 28 says, God is the one with endless power, so it makes sense that he is the only one who gives power. Secondly, God gives that power to the weak. This might be surprising if we think about it for a moment. Normally, we give the best resources to the best workers, and the best training to the best athletes. But God is different: he gives power to the weak. And oh, how precious that truth is! We are all weak, depleted. If you’re anything like me, you wake up some days and feel zero energy to even move a muscle out of bed, let alone face the challenges of the day. We are in desperate need of strength for each day, and that is what God has promised us. He gives power to the weak, and to him who has no might, he increases strength.

How powerful is the strength God provides? Enter our young guy from the beginning. As a comparison, God gives the example of the most energetic human known to mankind: the young man (v. 30). As he saunters onto our page, look at his stunning physique and prowess. This dude is in the prime of life, with high metabolism and little to deter his energy, health, or strength.

Well, before envy gets the best of us, God reminds us that even this specimen of unbridled energy grows weary. He gets tired. He falls exhausted. If you’ve ever seen Olympic athletes in an 800 meter dash, you’ve seen that at the end of the race, almost every single superhuman runner–whether first or last place–does the exact same thing: they fall on the ground and pant like a dog lapping up water (like I do when I climb a single flight of stairs, but that’s a whole other matter). Even the strongest among us are finite in their strength. And if these are best of the best, what does that say about the rest of us? But compare these youths with the weak who wait on the Lord for their strength. While the young men fall exhausted on the ground, the ones who renew their strength in God take to the skies with wings like eagles. They have so much energy and strength it’s like they’re flying with the majestic birds. Not only that, they run and do not grow weary, and walk without fainting. In short, there is no limit to their strength. Why? Because their limitless might comes from a limitless, mighty God. Lest we think much of ourselves, we must remember we possess nothing but depleted strength and weakness. Our power comes from God as we rely on him. Like the old song says, “Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.”

“They who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (v. 31). This is not a mantra of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” but rather, when the weak can’t get going, when those have nothing–not an eensy-weensy ounce left to give–they wait on the Lord. They look to their Creator to be their Sustainer. God does not help those who try to help themselves, but rather helps those who cannot help themselves. God’s power is not like an energy drink we chug to power us through. Instead, we should see this promise as an encouragement to rest. This is a call to “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

How do the weak gain access to this limitless storehouse of power? The weak remember that God alone gives strength, and they wait on him to give it. This waiting is not like a person at a bus stop waiting for transportation to arrive. Instead, this waiting speaks more to reliance. It is acting with a confidence that the God who promised will supply.

This will look different for every believer. For some, it means literally going to bed. We don’t try to push through, burning the candle at both ends, but instead entrust our unending to-do lists to the Sovereign God who has promised to give all we need. For others, that may mean pressing on even when it seems impossible and fruitless. Either way, waiting on the Lord means trusting God to care for our souls and the results of our labors. James 1:5 reminds us that if we ask God for wisdom, he will give it. Oftentimes, God’s wisdom comes through the words of those who know us best, so ask someone you trust who knows you, and invite them to honestly evaluate and speak to your situation. Ultimately, when we have nothing, the Lord has promised to give us all we need. So we “entrust [our] souls “to a faithful creator while doing good” (1 Peter 4:19). And we do not grow weary in doing good, for the powerful God gives us the strength we need. Rejoice, loved ones, for come what may, our God is still here.

Abounding and Steadfast

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:00:15 GMT

Our world operates in a pattern of cause and effect. If you throw a ball up in the air, it will come down. If most of the world gets off work at five, there will be a traffic jam at 5:15. We often take that same cause and effect pattern and apply it to our spiritual journey. When I labor, I will see results. When I study my Bible, I will always experience joy and delight in God's word. When I encourage someone to trust the Lord, I'll see their faith bolster. When I serve in church, I'll see good things happen. Many times, that does happen. Other times, it doesn't. What do we do when the results don't seem to match our efforts?

1 Corinthians 15:58 answers that question: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Because of my desire to see the Kingdom advance and my faith grow, it's easy to latch onto the command to be steadfast, immovable, abounding in the Lord's work. But what I so easily forget are the reasons why the command is there.

This verse outlines two reasons for being steadfast and abounding in the work of the Lord. The first is stated at the end of the verse: "knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (emphasis added). In our world of cause and effect (and the pride of my heart), I too often decide that my efforts are only purposeful and used by God when they achieve my predetermined outcome, on my desired timetable. With that mindset, it's easy to get the order of the verse wrong: I take the command as the premise for the promise-rather than the other way around. It's not our steadfastness that gives our labor purpose, it's the Lord's promise that gives us hope to remain steadfast. We are called to be steadfast in our labor, and to trust that God is the One who establishes our work (Ps. 90:17, Prov. 16:3). It is in the Lord, and only in the Lord, that our labors are not in vain.

The second reason is found in the first word of the verse: "Therefore." The word therefore is a concluding word. When we see it used in our Bible, we should look back up the page to recognize the point the author is referring back to. In this instance, Paul spends chapter 15 explaining the confidence we have in the resurrection and the great mystery that finite, mortal man will receive immortality. He then concludes by praising the God who gives us the victory over death through the resurrection of Christ. Because of those great realities, we are commanded to be steadfast, immovable and abounding. How? Simply put, the God who secured us life by defeating death is the God who cannot be thwarted. He will finish what He has begun, because He has secured the final victory. While this truth doesn't make the fight against self-sufficiency or temptation to despair any less difficult, it does give us an anchor of hope in the storm, knowing that our risen Savior will finish what He has begun (Phil. 1:6).

The reality is, when I don't see the results that I was hoping for, my tendency is to give up. But Paul reminds us that because of God's resurrection power, we can not only be steadfast and unwavering, but we can abound in the work God has called us to (see also Gal. 6:6-10). This is not because we summon extra effort and fight harder, but because we joyfully trust in the God who raises the dead to keep His promise and achieve the purposes of His plan through our labors.

What does this mean practically? It means we do what God has called us to with joy, regardless of the results we may or may not see this side of heaven. When you are kind to your coworkers and they still slander you, or you work overtime and are unappreciated, your labor is not in vain. When you patiently discipline your children day-in and day-out, repeating the same response and they still don't listen, your labor is not in vain. When you spend years faithfully raising your child in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and they walk away from the faith, your labor is not in vain. When you patiently endure chronic pain, and it only gets worse, your labor is not in vain. When you hope in the God who raises the dead in the valley of the shadow of death, and the darkness only gets darker, your labor is not in vain. When you count all joy in your suffering, and the trial doesn't go away, your labor is not in vain. And if you remain steadfast and immovable and abound in the work of the Lord all your days and see no fruit this side of heaven, you can hold fast to the promise of God that in the Lord your labor is still never in vain.

In the moments when all hope is fleeting and our efforts seem to be wasted, we can rest in this verse. It is not for us to establish the work, but for God alone. He has promised to do just that, and He will keep His word. And even when we stumble, His mercies are new every morning, and His faithfulness is great, and He has won the victory. So we can press on, steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, our labor is not in vain.

Give Us the Word!

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:00:01 GMT

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” (Nehemiah 8:1-6)

The passage above describes the response of the Israelite exiles who had returned from Babylon and rebuilt their homes. Shortly after the building projects had finished, “all the people gathered as one man” (v. 1). We read in Nehemiah 7:66-67 that the assembly was some 50,000 people! Despite the mass of people, those thousands were unified and gathered together as one man. Beyond that, notice that when they gathered in unity they told Ezra to bring the Book. Nobody had to admonish them to not forsake the assembling of themselves together. The Spirit of God awakened the congregation and they effectively said, “Give us th e Word!” It is my own delight that our church has the same desire and priority. There are a lot of things we could talk about when we get together, such as politics, the latest fad, or Covid, to name a few. And yet, we come together each week expressly to hear the Word of God.

Verse three tells us that Ezra publicly read the Word. This was a personal delight and goal for Ezra. In fact, Ezra 7:10 says that Ezra “had set his heart to study the law [Word] of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances to Israel” (Ezra 7:10). The apostle Paul similarly encouraged his young protégé Timothy, telling him, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture” (1 Timothy 4:13). Beyond the congregation’s desire to hear the Word, a top priority of shepherds and church leaders must be a dedication to publicly reading the Word of God.

In Nehemiah 8:4, when Ezra bro ught the Word to them, he “stood on a wooden platform that they made for the purpose.” In a somewhat similar fashion, God has given us stewardship of our church property. It is my prayer that we steward this gift well. May all that we have been given, from the parking lot to the chimes in the bell tower, be dedicated for the glory of God as we proclaim his Word. May we be a people that never stops saying “Give us the Word!”

In verse 5, we are told that as Ezra opened the book, all the people stood. In many cultures, people rise to their feet to show respect and honor. We stand when a bride comes down the aisle, a Judge enters a courtroom, or the President comes to the podium. In verse 6, the people lift their hands and bow their heads in response to the Word. All this points to a respect for and worship of the God of the Word.

Listening and responding to the Word of God is just as much an act of worship as musical praise. So when we stand in our worship service for the call to worship and the reading of Gods’ Word, this is not merely a Sunday morning ritual. Instead, we stand to stop what we are doing and give pause as we contemplate the awesome living God who has given us his Word.

Another observation comes from the next verse. “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’ lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground” (v. 6). In Hebrew, the word “amen” means truth, or certainty. It is an expression of agreement, affirmation and verbal consent like “it is so” or “so be it.” The people said, “Give us the Word!” and when Ezra gave it to them, they said, “Amen!”

I leave you with a few selected verses from the Word for your meditation:

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Word)” - Psalm 119:18

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Psalm 119:105

“Great peace have those who love your law (Word); nothing can make them stumble.” - Psalm 119:16

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.” - Jeremiah 15:16

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” - Psalm 119:103

How sweet indeed! No wonder we will never stop saying, “Give us the Word!”

Questions From a Cave

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 15:08:23 GMT

Throughout history, Christians have had moments of doubt, wondering if they’ve made the wrong choice, or misunderstood God’s leading. Many of us have served the Lord, endeavored to be faithful, but we seem to have ended up worse than we started. Alone, hurting, despairing and weary, the question might creep into our minds, “We’ve followed you this far, God, now what?”

Within the pages of Scripture, we find followers of God wrestling with similar doubts. During a dark moment in Israel’s history–the rule of wicked King Ahab–one such story of fear and questioning unfolds. 1 Kings 19 takes us to a cave, where we find a prophet of the Almighty hiding. Alone. Despairing. Mere days ago, Elijah had prayed, and God answered with a forceful gush of fire spiraling from heaven–a literal mountain-top experience. It looked like Elijah finally reached a breakthrough: God’s fiery blaze made even the unrepentant Israelites exclaim, “The Lord, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39). It looked like the beginning of a great revival in Israel. But instead, Elijah received death threats and was forced to run for his life (19:1–3). Alone, tired, worn out, Elijah hid in a cave. He had nothing left to give, nothing left to fight for. He reached his end. He was done.

Then, in the cave, Elijah heard a voice. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 9).

He immediately recognized who was speaking. Dejectedly, he spilled out an explanation. “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I–”

We imagine him pausing, feeling the weight of his next words–the tears filling his eyes, the weariness finally giving way to self-pity. “Even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away” (v. 10).

Raw emotion filled the cave, as Elijah’s shoulders sagged. He had given it all, served God to the fullest. Now he was left hiding in a cave, waiting for his impending doom. Implied in Elijah’s answer seems to be the rhetorical question, “What do you think I’m doing here, God?”

God beckoned Elijah to the front of the cave where He sent an earthquake, a fierce wind, and a fire. Then, God spoke in a small whisper. Almost silence. Elijah covered himself in his cloak, barely hearing the words in the stillness. The God who controls earthquakes, wind and fire, quietly asked his prophet again, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 13).

His feelings seemingly unchanged by the display of might, Elijah repeats his answer verbatim. Ever patient, God responds with instructions, and ends with a promise that counters Elijah’s hopelessness: “I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (v. 18).” In the midst of Elijah’s turmoil, God reminds him that the Almighty God is in control on the mountaintop, and in the cave.

As we study 1 Kings 19, and face our own trials and moments of despair, we are often tempted to join the prophet in giving up hope. Years of faithful service and mountaintop experiences of God’s power have seemed to end with no human evidence of fruit. In our cave, we wait. But, loved ones, waiting on Jesus is never wasted time. God reminds Elijah–and you and I–that there is always more going on than meets the eye. Nothing is wasted in the life of God’s servants. As the old hymn says, “Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be won.”

His ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). As He did with Elijah, so God will do with us. We can trust that He will meet us in the waiting, for “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:30). Loved one in the Lord, do not fear, do not give up, “for in due season we will reap,” if we do not lose heart (Gal. 6:9). Trust him to the end, and in the end, you will find him worthy of all trust. In the silence, in the waiting, take joy and strength in the God who cares for you.

Why Missions?

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 27 May 2022 12:00:05 GMT

Our ambition as a church should be to see the gospel proclaimed and believed, with the manner of our lives being “worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). Our pursuit of gospel advance, however, is not limited by the geographical radius of our everyday activities or just our lives and those around us. The scope of gospel advance is to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8), and we are to be an instrumental part of that advance (Matthew 28:19). Biblically speaking, mission makes perfect sense as disciples of Christ traverse the globe to make disciples of every nation. Humanly speaking, however, missions makes little sense and can even come across as arrogant instead of loving, foolish instead of wise, and wasteful instead of profitable.

Why do we support missionaries? Why do we send people from one nation, culture, and language, to another nation, culture, and language where they will need to spend years adapting, learning, and, through much trial and error, build a ministry? Why must they leave what they call home to go to a place that will feel foreign for years and then grow so accustomed to that foreign land that when they return to their homeland it feels foreign? Why has the church, over the course of its history, sent out young men and women who would arrive in their place of service only to die by the hands of the people they sought to reach or from the diseases they had never faced? Why do we think we need to impose a “foreign religion” on a people who are not asking for help and not looking for the gospel? Why do we give 10% of our annual church donations to missionaries half-way around the world when there is plenty of work to be done here in the Capital region?

We don’t do any of these things because we thought it was a good idea. We do it because God thought it was a good idea. As I see it in Scripture, here is God’s good plan that helps us think through the amazing significance of missions and our participation in God’s plan for the advance of the gospel:

1. God’s promised goal for humanity is to bless all the families of the earth through the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:3).

2. This blessing would come through the ultimate seed of Abraham – Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16).

3. The blessing is to be justified before God on the basis of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on Calvary (Galatians 3:8).

4. This blessing would not be limited to those who have Jewish blood flowing through their veins, but those who have been born again by the will of God (John 1:13) and have received the gospel message by faith, both Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:13).

5. Since the message of the gospel is not limited to a particular group of people, it is to be offered to all people everywhere (Acts 17:30; Luke 24:47).

6. The means God uses to propagate this message to the nations is through the preaching of the gospel. If the gospel is not preached, it cannot be heard. If it is not heard it cannot be believed (Romans 10:14-15). If it is not believed, sinners cannot be saved (Romans 10:10).

7. Through this proclamation, sinners from around the globe will become disciples of Jesus Christ in the obedience of the faith (Romans 1:5).

8. The expansion of the gospel results in greater and greater praise and thanksgiving to the God who saves through His Son (Psalm 67, 2 Corinthians 4:15).

9. The final result is that at the end of the age, when all those who are redeemed gather around the throne of God and the Lamb, voices of every nation, tribe, people, and language would in great accord worship them with the song, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10).

When we support missionaries, or if some of us go as missionaries (and some of us probably should go as the Spirit equips and sends), we are joining in the outworking of God’s plan to make the gospel of Christ known for the salvation of sinners to the glory of God. What a privilege! It may not make human sense, but it is God’s will.

The Great Commission: Making Disciples

Fri, 06 May 2022 00:16:58 GMT

Commonly known as the Great Commission, the final words of Jesus on earth were commands to his followers to go and make disciples, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20). With those words, Jesus gave every believer their ultimate task: make disciples. But what are disciples? And how do we make them?

Thankfully, Jesus answered both of those questions. While much could be said on the last two verses in Matthew, notice the word "observe." Other ways to translate “observe” would be follow, obey, or keep. Disciples are sinners who have been saved from darkness into light and are learning what Jesus said in order to follow, observe, obey, and keep His commands. But it's more than learning commands; it's learning the person of Jesus and emulating Him in our lives. Learning Jesus means laying down our lives, taking up our cross like Christ did, and following Him.

A disciple is much more than a person who has one-on-one relationships with other Christians or attends church on Sunday. A disciple is being transformed into the image of Jesus through active, day-by-day, grace-empowered, sacrificial obedience to His commands (Rom. 8:29). To quote the authors of The Vine Project,* Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, discipleship “cannot be thought of as a subset or a stage in the Christian life. It is simply one way to describe the totality of the Christian life.” [1]

In essence, being a Christian means being a disciple. It is a weighty calling, but it is the privilege and joy of every Christian! With His amazing grace, God not only saves us, but calls us to actively learn Christ in a way that transforms our thoughts, words and actions. Some may be at the beginning of learning Jesus, some further down the path, but we are all disciples of Jesus, looking forward to the final result of our learning and discipleship: being reunited with our risen King!

As Marshall and Payne again write, we make disciples by “proclamation of the word of God by the people of God in prayerful dependence on the Spirit of God.” [2] * Short and sweet, but not quite so simple to practically live out. So, in the rest of this article, we’ll look at all three elements of Christ’s command: 1) proclaiming the Word of God, 2) by the people of God, 3) in prayerful dependence on the Spirit of God, as they relate to disciple-making.

Proclaiming the Word of God

The first element we’ll consider is proclaiming the Word of God. At its core, disciple-making is about growing in Christlikeness, and the only means to grow in Christlikeness is to know the word of God. Disciple making cannot merely be programized Bible studies, church events, and planned outreaches. The core pursuit must be the pursuit of the knowledge of God in the truth of his Word. Yet each of us battles "a constant tendency to lose sight of what’s important, to be distracted by false or half-true alternatives, and to grow weary or lose sight along our way in the face of multiple pressures." [3]

Knowing that proclamation of God’s Word is central to disciple-making, it is crucial that we strive to obey Christ’s call by setting our minds on Scripture, meditating on the Word that it may dwell richly in us (Col. 3:16). As it overflows into our speech, we must exhort one another daily (Heb. 3:13), and we must hold fast to the truth, letting what we heard from the beginning abide in us (1 John 2:24), that we may endeavor to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of God, the calling to which we have been called (Phil. 1:27, Eph. 4:1)

The call to make disciples, even in Christian community, involves battling against the temptations of the world, flesh, the devil, and the daily temptations that press against our defenses. Sadly, during the heat of affliction, how often do we grow weary and set aside the life-giving proclamation of God’s Word, resorting to our own strength, our own programs, our own clever words and strategies? That is like a soldier dropping the sword in the dirt in the midst of the battle, or a patient ripping out the IV in the middle of an operation. While proclaiming the Word of God to ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and the world is far from easy, it is the bread of life we need to fulfill the Lord’s command. It cuts like a two-edged sword and it refines like fire, and it is powerful to renew our minds and restore our souls. Proclaiming the Word of God to each other and the world is not optional: it is the essence of Christian living. It is the only method by which we make disciples. We know that it is ultimately and completely God who draws and sustains, but his living and active Word is one of the primary ways he accomplishes this work.

The Joy of Disciple Making

The Great Commission emphasizes that God makes disciples through his people. Clearly, God is the subject of that sentence; he is the one doing the work and he deserves the credit. At the same time, we learn that his saints is the method he uses to draw his people from every tribe and tongue. The reality is, each daily interaction is God-ordained and an opportunity to build a relationship, point someone to the gospel, or encourage a fellow saint as they learn Christ. Practicing a mindset of prayer, readiness and humility will sharpen our senses to our King’s disciple-making call in every opportunity he provides.

Most of us would assent to our need for God, particularly in the disciple-making context. But if you’re anything like me, you tend to forget that reality in the mundane, day-to-day conversations that become missed discipleship opportunities. In prayer, we actively communicate our dependence and reorient our mindset to an eternal focus. And as we ask God for opportunities to encourage a co-worker, brother, spouse, or neighbor to learn Christ, we look expectantly for his answer, trusting that the same God who ordained the opportunity will equip us with wisdom for the moment.

Prayer nourishes a mindset of readiness. Most parents will tell you, deep conversations of a discipleship nature happen at the end of a long day, right in the middle of trying to get the child to be quiet and go to sleep. In a similar way, many of the opportunities we will have to disciple a lost world or our weary brother, will not be neatly planned or prepared, but will come unexpectedly. We must not only plan times of exhortation and encouragement but be prayerfully watching for the undesigned opportunities.

With readiness comes a mindset of humility. We know that we can’t make any discipleship opportunity happen, and more than likely, if we were left on our own, we’d mess it up. Readiness forces a reliance on God by reminding us of our place in disciple-making: we are unworthy slaves who have only done that which was our duty (Luke 17:10). It is God who is changing lives (1 Cor. 3:8). The King who humbled himself by taking on flesh saved us from our sins and has given us a calling to humbly serve him. What joy this should inspire in our hearts! Rather than seeing discipleship as a special gifting for the elite Christian or a dreary obligation, discipleship is the gift from God to proclaim the excellencies of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light! Take joy, beloved, in the mission God has set us on, it is a mission like no other.

God’s Mission, God’s Work

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul talks about how he and his fellow disciple-makers do not lose heart, boldly declare the truth, and proclaim not themselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord. Then, in verse six, Paul switches the subject of the sentence to God. His point is essentially that the God who illuminated the world with light is the same God who illuminates the hearts of men, enabling them to know God. While the ministers of the gospel are proclaiming Christ, God is saying, “Let there be light” in the hearts of blind men. As one evangelist said, “We proclaim Christ; God opens blind eyes.”

Our mission is to make disciples by declaring the truth of Christ with boldness, without losing heart or relying on human cunning. And all the while, in His own divine timeline, God is at work transforming people. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Cor. 3:7-8) We are all servants, responsible to do as our Commander-in-Chief directs and proclaim the hope of the gospel to a blind and dying world. But we must make no mistake: God is the one who opens blind eyes and raises dead souls. This should immediately give us boldness to speak as we ought to speak (Col. 4:4), and speak the truth of the gospel with love, proclaiming the excellencies of him who has delivered us out of the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of His beloved son (1 Pet. 2:10, Col. 1:13).

This gives us great relief, for the pressure is not on us to force blind eyes open or resurrect dead men. In a similar way that a postman must deliver the message of a bill to be paid but is not responsible to make the person pay it, we give the gospel out of service to our Master who has sent us, equipped us for the task, and yet does the heavy lifting himself.

As Hudson Taylor said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” God has given us the message, given us the tools of His word and His people, given us the power we need, and promises to take care of the rest. He’s done it all! While the Spirit raises dead hearts, we simply trust Him to do what he has promised, and proclaim the gospel with our words and lives. The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few. And God is equipping you, His saint and servant, to do His mission. If you are part of Christ’s kingdom, you have been given Christ’s mission. And anyone who is seeking to complete Christ’s mission has the guarantee of God’s supplies, and the assurance that the results are in His hands. What joy! Let us boldly preach Christ with confidence in a God who opens blind eyes.

*I am deeply indebted to this book for informing the thoughts and definitions of this article.

[1] Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Vine Project (Matthias Media, 2016), 71.

[2] Ibid., 83.

[3] Ibid.

Pursuing Unity with Humility

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 00:16:24 GMT

Unity in the church is both a gift and a pursuit. The gift part of unity comes in Christ, for “we, though many, are one body in Christ” (Rom. 12:5). Through Christ, the typical barriers in the world that hinder unity are torn down, because in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). There is no political regime or social effort that can come close to accomplishing the kind of unity that Christ purchased at his cross for his people.

Any unity we pursue, then, is based on the unity already purchased. But that does not mean that the experience of unity is a foregone conclusion. Division and strife are scattered across the pages of the NT. The dynamic ministry duo of Paul and Barnabas was broken over a sharp disagreement (Acts 15:39), the church at Corinth was divided over preferences in teachers (1 Cor. 1:10-12), and two disputing women at Philippi’s church were instructed to agree in the Lord (Phil. 4:2-3). The threat to experiencing unity is real. So, we as believers are called to pursue unity: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness…, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3). Let’s consider one way we maintain the precious gift of unity.

Continued unity in the church depends on each member cultivating a humble disposition. Right after the Philippians are exhorted to be “in full accord and of one mind” (Phil. 2:2), they are further told, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (2:3). This is one of the most challenging commands of Scripture because it hits us right between the eyes of our pride. Our basic disposition ought to be, “Others are more important.” But if we’re honest, it usually is, “I am most important.” Would you rather be in a church where everyone lives as though others are more important or where everyone thinks they are king of their own domain?

Selfish ambition is the attitude of, “My kingdom come, my will be done.” It is the attitude of Diotrephes, “who likes to put himself first” (3 John 1:9). This wreaks havoc on unity because everyone is rallied to unite around your preferences, wishes, and demands. But we already have one Lord, and he has not put out a help-wanted sign.

On the other hand, humility is, according to one definition, “opposed to the attitude or projection of self-importance.” Humility takes the time to consider and come to the decision, “others are more important than me.” This means that the humble person makes the ongoing decision to regard other people as having a superior rank to themselves. You could be a CEO and your brother in Christ is a lowly janitor, but in the church, your CEO title gets exchanged for lowly servant and you are to regard your brother as a prince.

When pride is stripped away, unity can flourish. Where is unity with others in your life snagging on the protruding nail of pride? Exchange your attitude today with the one of the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled himself, “by taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7).

He is Risen Indeed!

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:30:07 GMT

It has become customary at our church on Resurrection Sunday (Easter) for someone to say, “He is risen.” To that, everyone responds, “He is risen indeed!" For believers, every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. Ever since Jesus rose from the dead, Christians have been meeting to worship on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2) to celebrate our new life in him (John 14:19). We gather on Sundays to worship our risen Lord. As we prepare for Resurrection Sunday , w e should remember that believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is part of the gospel. “For delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Notice that Jesus' death for our sins, burial, and resurrection are of equal importance. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The apostles preached tirelessly of the resurrection. Some examples are Acts 2:2 & 22-24, 4:1-2, 13:26-33, 17:30-31 and 23:6. On several occasions, Jesus claimed that he would die and in three days rise from the dead (Matthew 20:17-18, 17:22-23, 16:21 and Mark 10:32-34, 9:31). There was no mistake about what he said. Mark 8:31-32 says, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. ” There was no mystery to what he said. He was v ery clear: he claimed that he would die and rise from the dead! Even his enemies knew that he claimed he would rise from the dead (Mathew 27: 62-64). If Jesus knew he could not do this but was intentionally deceptive, that makes him a liar. If Jesus believed he could rise from the dead but could not, then he was delusional and a lunatic. But if Jesus did what he said he would do and rose from the dead, then that makes him Lord! Jesus did not merely say with empty words that he would rise, but he actually did rise from the dead!

The power of the resurrection is further displayed in the lives of his cowardly apostles who initially fled at his arrest but later became bold preachers of the resurrection. Most of them suffered a martyr's death because of their faithfulness to the gospel. With them we can proclaim that Jesus “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Hallelujah! The confidence we have that God has accepted Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf for the forgiveness of our sins is that He is risen! So when you hear “He is risen," please join in a rousing response and proclaim, “HE IS RISEN INDEED!”

The Gift of Fellowship

craig.andy@outlook.com (Andy Craig) — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 12:00:07 GMT

Scores of believers, while going through some difficult trial, have said, “I don’t know how people live this life without Christ.” I agree. Much more than a cliché, this frequent phrase of the Christian experience honors Christ for the greatness of his compassion, the goodness of his shepherding, and the sweetness of his promises. Many of the ways we enjoy Christ’s virtues that bring us through our dark days are conveyed to us not through flashes in the sky, or moments of epiphany about the meaning of our trial, but through a more subtle and overlooked mechanism: the church. Our Christ-honoring sentiment might also mean, “I don’t know how people live this life without the goodness and care of Christ expressed to me through his people.”

Belonging to Christ brings untold benefits now and in the age to come. In the age to come, our light and momentary affliction gives way to “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). Now, we possess the forgiveness of sins, justification, the Spirit, a sure hope. But an often-overlooked treasure of our current state is that we have the treasure of fellowship. We who were once not a people are now a people (1 Pet. 2:10). And we are not just any people. We are Christ’s people, with Christ in us (Col. 1:27).

This is not putting too much emphasis on the church. The church is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:23). Much more than crosses and fish bumper-stickers, the church is the most tangible display of Christ in the world. When you are sick, from where do the meals come? When you are mourning, from where does the shoulder to cry on come? When you are weak, from where does the encouragement come? When you are in trouble, from where does the help come? When you are despairing, from where does the hope come? God can use any number of means to provide help in times of trouble and hope in times of despair, but often the means are the regular ones: it comes from brothers and sisters in Christ. The meals come from a caring saint; the shoulder from a godly friend; the encouragement from a well-timed Scripture shared by a Bible study leader; the hope from a time spent with a Christian friend. The relief for life’s dark days comes from God, most often through his people.

Beloved of the Lord, what a precious gift we have in each other! We have access to other Spirit-filled, Christ-like brothers and sisters who, when sanctified, have the very mind of Christ determining their actions, words, and prayers. Through these redeemed people, Christ applies his wonderful mercy to his people, lavishly and subtly. It is lavish because the saints of God receive so much of it through other believers. It is subtle, because at times it looks so normal that you might miss it. But when you compile all the care, love, provision, protection, prayers, kindness, compassion, hope, encouragement, and tenderness received from other believers, you must admit it can only be credited to the lavish love of Christ working through his people. So, when you say, “I don’t know how people live this life without Christ,” remember how you have tasted his lavish and subtle love communicated to you through his church.