The Robertson McQuilkin Story

Robertson McQuilkin was president of Columbia Bible College when his wife of 40 years was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In honor of his marriage commitment, Robertson resigned to take care of her full time. (Click on video below to see)

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How You Respond Depends On Your Perspective

Today (07-28-08), my wife Bonnie called me excited about a recent purchase. She had just bought gas for $3.75 a gallon, down nearly $0.25 a gallon from a week ago. Wow, can you imagine anyone being excited about $3.75 gas a year ago? This just goes to show how important our perspective is.

How we view our world also depends on what we view as being truly big. When we view God as being truly big then our circumstances are put into perspective for what they are. Though they may be overwhelming and massive for us, they are small, in light of God and who He is.

In the world we live in today, it is so important that we keep our eyes on God, who is truly Sovereign and Great. When we do that, it impacts how we see things. All of sudden, things that once might have been disheartening, begin to look like opportunities for God to be glorified.

What about how we view our sins and the sins of others. How do we view these sins in light of the cross of Christ?

When viewed in light of the cross of Christ we see sin as:

• Tragically offensive against God: God went to an extreme measure to satisfy His justice and wrath in dying for my sins and your sins. Sin can no longer be taken as trivial. Our sins are a serious offense against God for which we are in serious trouble.

When viewed in light of the cross of Christ we see sin as:

• Taken care of by God's mercy and grace: Because Jesus was sacrificed for our sins [those who believe in Christ], we do not get what we deserve - the justice of God and His wrath. That is the mercy of God. Because of what God has done on the cross, we are graced with favor, having been given the righteousness of Jesus Christ [2 Cor 5:21]. Where sin had once abounded, grace abounded much, much - so much more!

As stated in the wonderful hymn, Grace Greater Than Our Sin:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! Yonder on Calvary’s mount out poured, There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain
Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss; Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Refrain

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. What can avail to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, Brighter than snow you may be today.

Refrain

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?

Refrain

So Goes the Church, So Goes the Nation By Vic Dove

Again, another great article from Vic Dove...

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

I was recently traveling out of town, and while driving down the road I was listening to a recorded sermon on CD. The pastor’s name was Bro. Scott Smith and he was preaching a revival in a church in Eastern Tennessee. The sermon was on the church and how the church has lost its influence on our society and our culture. Bro. Scott in his sermon reminded me that while teaching to His disciples in the book of Matthew; Jesus told them: "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men" Matthew 5:13.

After hearing this sermon I realized I have been looking at the problems of our great nation and blaming them on the wrong people. For sometime now I have been blaming politicians for the moral decay in our country. Not so my friend, the church is the problem. We have lost our saltiness. The church is virtually non- existent in our society today. We are like a salt shaker full of salt just sitting on the table. The salt is no good to anyone or anything if it stays in the shaker, you got to put it on the food in order for it to make a difference.

If you are sitting around this election year and thinking that if a Right Wing Conservative is elected President, or to any other office for that matter, will make a hill of beans difference; you are sadly mistaken my friend. The only thing that will change the direction of this great country is the Church- So goes the Church so goes the Nation. The answers to our cultural decline can not be found in a Republican, a Democrat, or any other party; they are found in the church.

The Church needs to get out of the salt shaker and start making a difference. The only way the salt can get out of the shaker is if someone turns it upside down and shakes it. Will you be that person in your church? Start shaking the salt shaker, spread some salt this week.

Abraham Lincoln was spreading the salt in his speech to the Congress of the United States of America when he used Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”. So goes the Church, so goes the Nation.

May God Bless You and Your family
Bro. Vic

Seeing The Truth About Ourselves

A man was having difficulty communicating with his wife and grew very frustrated and critical. He concluded that she must be becoming hard of hearing, so he decided to conduct a test without her knowing about it. One evening he sat in a chair on the far side of the room. Her back was to him and she could not see him. Very quietly he whispered, "Can you hear me?" There was no response. Moving a little closer, he asked again, "Can you hear me now?" Still no reply. Quietly he edged closer and whispered the same words, but for the third time there was no answer. Finally, he moved right in behind her chair and said, "Can you hear me now?" To his surprise and chagrin she responded with irritation in her voice, "For the fourth time, yes!"

I don’t know if you can relate to that story, but I certainly can. I have often blamed Bonnie only to find out later that it was my fault for my lack of hearing.

One of the things my Mother taught me is to remember that when I point my finger at someone, I’ve got 3 other ones pointing right back at me. That was her way of saying, “When you are tempted to be critical of others, first examine your own life.”

Jesus said it this way,

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (Mat 7:1-5 NIV)

But how do we examine ourselves unless we can find an unbiased opinion? I believe Proverbs 21:2 gives us the principles to follow concerning where we can go to find a truthful assessment of ourselves.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. (Proverbs 21:2 ESV).

We see three principles to be applied in our lives concerning this verse.
1. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes” – When there is no recognized authority or standard of truth, then one man’s “way” is as valid as another man’s “way”. That was true in the time of the Judges in Israel. The Bible says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6 NASB).

2. “the Lord weighs the heart” – The picture here is that God weighs the “scales” of truth; that God has determined and judges what is true. It is God that we will answer to in our lives for our actions, by His standard and His alone.

3. “the Lord weighs the heart” – The picture also is that God weighs the heart – the motives behind our actions. Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. He sees our hearts and knows our thoughts and motives (Psalms 139:2). The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer 17:9 NKJV) Only God can truly see and give us guidance into assessing our motives and actions.

It is through God’s Word, His standard that we can assess what is right and what is wrong. God’s Word is not subjective but objective – it is black and white. God’s Word, the Bible, is not just another man’s opinion but His truth. We need to submit to God’s Word and His assessment of our lives so that we can experience the abundant life that Jesus has provided for us.

Thank God that we are not left to our own opinions or the opinions of men but God has provided a revelation of Himself and His ways that we are to walk in. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psa 119:105 NIV)

May God’s Word be our lamp as we walk together in His light!

The Election & The Supreme Court by Kelly Boggs

Many hot button issues will be debated in the forthcoming presidential campaign. Among the hottest topics likely will be the war against terrorism, rising energy costs and the softening American economy. Many voters, however, will be oblivious to perhaps the most searing issue -– the likely appointment of one or more Supreme Court justices.

Supreme Court justices, once confirmed, are appointed for life. Hence, their influence over American society and its laws can span more than three decades. Long after a president leaves office, his appointee(s) will be rendering decisions that will impact the life and liberty of all Americans.

(For example, President Ford left office more than 30 years ago, but one of his nominees, John Paul Stevens, remains on the court.)

More times than not, a Supreme Court nominee will possess ideological and philosophical views that closely mirror those of the president making the appointment. Hence, a president with a more liberal view of the Constitution will usually nominate a like-minded jurist. A president with a conservative or constructionist view of our nation's guiding document will be more likely to favor an individual with the same understanding.

A recent Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment illustrates just how significant a president's appoints can be.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that individual Americans do have the right to own guns. The decision overturned a Washington D.C. law that banned private handgun possession.

What I found most interesting about the decision was that it was a 5-4 ruling, meaning that four of the justices were more than willing to uphold the law. Two of the judges that voted to uphold gun ownership were recent appointments -- Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito -- made by President Bush.

Click here for remainder of article...

Quotes from Do Hard Things

Bonnie, Ben, Laura and I are reading through Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris. The following are some noteworthy quotes applicable to all of us from the book that definitely challenged me.

On trials as a gift to build our character...

Smith Wigglesworth didn't learn to read until he was an adult, and he was unable to speak publicly for most of his life due to a terrible stammer. Against all odds he overcame this impediment and turned out to be one of England's greatest evangelist during his later years, leading thousands to Christ.

We could look at this story and say, "What a shame. If only speaking had come easily and early to him, think of how much more fruitful he could have been." But Wigglesworth recognized that the difficulties he overcame were vital to the effectiveness of his ministry. He liked to say, "Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great test. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials." - page 71

Being known for what we do as well as what we don't do...

God's Word is clear. Our culture's standard of simply not doing bad stuff is really no standard at all. Psalm 1:1 tells us, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers" (ESV). A lot of people, though, seem to quit reading there and miss the next verse: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Our Culture seems to hear the don'ts but miss the dos.

Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher of the nineteenth century, commented, "Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly; but let me ask you - Is you delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand - your best companion and hourly guide?" If not, Spurgeon said, the blessing of Psalm 1 does not belong to you.

To live by God's standards for young people and to enjoy the blessing He promises, we must get beyond simply avoiding bad stuff. To see this we need only look at the theme verse of the Rebelulution, 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (NIV). We're not just supposed to avoid sinning; we're supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate. - page 97-98

Prodigals: Let Them Come Home by Abraham Piper

When I was 19, I decided I’d be honest and stop saying I was a Christian.

At first I pretended that my reasoning was high-minded and philosophical. But really I just wanted to drink gallons of cheap sangria and sleep around. Four years of this and I was strung out, stupefied and generally pretty low. Especially when I was sober or alone.

My parents, who are strong believers and who raised their kids as well as any parents I’ve ever seen, were brokenhearted and baffled. (See sidebar story below.) I’m sure they were wondering why the child they tried to raise right was such a ridiculous screw-up now. But God was in control.

One Tuesday morning, before 8 o’clock, I went to the library to check my e-mail. I had a message from a girl I’d met a few weeks before, and her e-mail mentioned a verse in Romans. I went down to the Circle K and bought a 40-ounce can of Miller High Life for $1.29. Then I went back to where I was staying, rolled a few cigarettes, cracked open my drink, and started reading Romans. I wanted to read the verse from the e-mail, but I couldn’t remember what it was, so I started at the beginning of the book. By the time I got to chapter 10, the beer was gone, the ashtray needed emptying and I was a Christian.

The best way I know to describe what happened to me that morning is that God made it possible for me to love Jesus. When He makes this possible and at the same time gives you a glimpse of the true wonder of Jesus, it is impossible to resist His call.

Looking back on my years of rejecting Christ, I offer these suggestions to help you reach out to your wayward child so that they, too, would wake up to Christ’s amazing power to save even the worst of us.

Click here for remainder of article

A Choice

Yesterday I read an article by Vic Dove in our local paper that appears on a weekly basis. Vic's life is a testament to the transforming power of God. Vic is a member of Southside Baptist Church where he teaches Sunday School. Years ago, many would have never dreamed he'd be serving the Lord as he does now. Our God is an awesome God!

Vic offers great advice to those who might say, "There is not much of a difference between the two major candidates for president".

By Vic Dove

“Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1: 1-2

Psalm 1 is a great place to start when you’re looking for direction. This Psalm is about two men, two ways, and two destinies. Two choices, each choice with its own set of consequences. The truth is we do have a choice. We make choices everyday; some of the choices we make are lack luster, example: where and what to eat for lunch, and some choices affect our health and financial well being. Other choices may determine whether we live or die. But, the fact of the matter is we do have a choice. The amount of success we have in making the right choices depends on which one of these men we choose to follow.

First, we must realize it is impossible to make the right choice without accurate information about the choices at hand. Bad information leads to bad choices; bad counsel leads to bad choices. If you make all your choices by the world’s standards, you will reap what you sow my friend. We are free to make our choices, but we are not free to choose the consequences of those choices. The consequences come with the choice; it is a package deal.

Second, not all choices are a clear cut right or wrong. Sometimes we are confronted with a choice that neither seems to be completely and totally right or completely and totally wrong. So what do we do?

When I first entered the School of Business at Valdosta State University my first Management professor stood before the class and said “Management is about making decisions, and sometimes you will be faced with a decision that’s neither right nor wrong, it’s just the best decision. But, the worst thing you can ever do is not make a decision.” Dr. Bill Fredenberger’s comments stuck with me the whole time I was at Valdosta State University and I still have them etched in my memory today.

A good example of this scenario maybe a political candidate or a political issue. After you have heard all the speeches and listened to the platforms of all the candidates, you are still unable to make a decision. The best way to choose the better of the two is to disqualify the one you know is totally not what you want. The other may not be exactly what you want in a candidate, but he is better than the alternative. If you choose to do nothing, however; then someone will pick for you, and you will have to live with the consequences of someone else’s choice, and you don’t want that.

May God Bless You and Your family

Bro. Vic

Meditations On the Substitutionary Death of Jesus Christ

J.I. Packer, wrote the following in the book “In My Place Condemned He Stood” concerning the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

1) God “condones nothing”, but judges all sin as it deserves: which Scripture affirms, and my conscience confirms, to be right.
2) My sins merit ultimate penal suffering and rejection from God’s presence (conscience also confirms this), and nothing I do can blot them out.
3) The penalty due to me for my sins, whatever it was, was paid for me by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in his death on the cross.
4) Because this is so, I through faith in him am made “the righteousness of God in him” i.e., I am justified, pardon, acceptance, and sonship [to God] become mine.
5) Christ’ death for me is my sole ground of hope before God. “If he fulfilled not justice, I must; if he underwent not wrath, I must to eternity” (John Owen).
6) My faith in Christ is God’s own gift to me, given in virtue of Christ’ death for me: i.e., the cross procured it.
7) Christ’ death for me guarantees my preservation to glory.
8) Christ’ death for me is the measure and pledge of the love of the Father and the Son to me.
9) Christ’ death for me calls and constrains me to trust, to worship, to love, and to serve.

*From In My Place Condemned He Stood by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever, page 25-26.

From Our Recent Beach Trip To St. George Island, FL

Choices

Often times people will use the words "I didn't have a choice" or "There is not really a good choice". But we need to remind ourselves, and I need to be reminded, that God always presents us with a choice. We are never forced into sinning or forced into making choices. No one ties our hands. God has left the issue of choice or our God given responsibility to ourselves.

A good friend brought it to my attention that my reference to Senator McCain could be interpreted as a lack of respect for the Senator. I want to acknowledge without a public endorsement of him for president (though I would be more than glad to give you my personal opinion if you want to talk to me) that I have utmost respect for John McCain as a person and as a candidate for the presidency of the United States.

Of utmost importance to our nation is the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court. Senator McCain has demonstrated, by his voting for and support of conservative justices who will not legislate from the bench and who will support the protection of human life in the womb, that he is to be admired. I believe he has done a very good job of supporting The War on Terror. He has been at times critical of the strategies but supportive of the overall efforts of our Armed Forces and as a result of his input, corrections have been made and the war effort is headed in the right direction.

There are other issues very vital to the future of our nations and I believe there is a very clear choice between the major candidates for the presidency of the United States.

Embrace The Mystery In God

I have a friend who recently came to Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. One of the things he is going through is the phenomenon of "I don't know". He feels there is so much to learn and that he knows so little. In his field of business he has mastered so much and he knows so much.

No matter how long you walk with God through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, you will always say, "I just don't know". Thank God that even the more we know Him the more we will have to acknowledge "I just don't know". For how else can a finite person respond in their encounter with the Infinite Awesome God? We will spend eternity savoring in amazement, God's infinite and glorious wisdom and marvelous grace. Thank God for the mystery in God, for if you or I could figure God out, He wouldn't be a very marvelous and awesome God.

(Rom 11:33-36 NIV) Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! {34} "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" {35} "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" {36} For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Below is a segment from a message by C.J. Mahaney titled The Mystery of Election which coveys that reality of "I just don't know".

Arguing for Heterosexual Marriages Only

I saw on the news and read about where John McCain recently appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. DeGeneres asked McCain why he did not support same-sex “marriages”. She argued that those who oppose same-sex “marriages” were like those who once opposed giving the vote to women and blacks.

McCain's response? "I just believe in the status of a marriage between a man and a woman . . . We just have a disagreement."

What could have been said in response to DeGeneres’ argument for same-sex “marriages”? Is there a better response? Yes there is.

First, one could argue that societies through out the ages have sought to define marriage as between a woman and a man because in doing so they were protecting the institution of the family. As a society our view of marriage, that it is inherently heterosexual, monogamous, and permanent between one man and one woman is based on a Biblical and a natural law view of creation.

Second, the reason it is defined between a man and a woman is because it is only between a man and a woman that reproduction has the potential to occur. That defines marriage within the natural order as God created it.

One very likely response from those supporting same-sex marriages would be something like this, “Okay, that's your definition of marriage. But why should your views be imposed on everybody else?"

This question gives way to my last point. If marriage is not defined between a man and a woman as understood based on Biblical revelation and natural law as evidenced in creation and the conclusion of reason thoughtful history, then who’s to say that marriage should be limited to just one adult and another adult; how about between a man and a teenage girl or an adult and a teenager; a mother and a son (1 Corinthians 5); a brother and a sister; or a man and two other women? I think you get the point; the list could go on and on from one perversion to another.

If one buys into the argument of “Why should you impose your views of right and wrong upon me or anybody else” then the logical outcome of such thinking is not only limited to marriage but to the breakdown of all moral and ethical bounds. The result will lead to lawlessness and anarchy.

The Bible declares God as the creator of the world we live in. With that creation, not only has God been evidenced naturally in His creation but God’s divine order related to man and woman has been evidenced. But man rejected that divine order as it says in Romans 1:19-32 (please refer to see passage for context).

It is not only those who argue for same-sex marriages who have forsaken God and His order in creation, but people like me and you who are all in need or being restored in our relationship with Holy God. In Romans 1:30, those who are “disobedient to parents” are all in the same circumstance as those who have exchanged God’s natural order for marriage for that which is not natural.

I, we are all in a “heap of trouble”. Our only way of escaping God’s wrath is though faith in Jesus Christ, accepting His substitutionary atonement on the cross for the wrath of God we deserve (Rom 3:21-26; 4:13-25; 5:1, 9-11, 17-21; 10:9-10, 13; 11:32-36).

If you have never availed yourself of the mercy and grace offered through Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross from God’s wrath, I beg you, repent of your sins and place your faith and hope in Jesus, call upon His name and be saved!

With confident hope in the mercy and grace of God for all who turn to Christ, for the glory of God,
John
P.S. - For a more expanded comment on the primacy of marriage between one man and one woman please refer to the following links:
Full Citizens at Last? Who is Next?

Generational Shift and Denominational Life [Initial comments on marriage during radio program]

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

This morning, my preaching was from Luke 9:23, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (NASB) . One of my key objectives was to encourage our people in having a daily walk with Christ in response to Christ' invitation to "come after Him". The key to having a daily walk that denies self and takes up the cross is to focus not on the loss - what we are giving up, but to focus on what we gain - that is Christ.

The reasons Christians for centuries have been able to overcome temptations, persecutions and difficulties is because they have focused on Christ as their greatest gain. Paul said it best when he said, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. {8} More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ" (Phil 3:7-8 NASB). Paul focused on the gain, and his gain was Jesus Christ.

Christopher Love was a minister in London, England during the time of the English civil war. He was beheaded on August 22, 1651. The following is an excerpt from a letter to his wife, on the morning of his execution.

My most gracious beloved, I am now going from a prison to a palace! I have finished my work. I am now to receive my wages. I am going to heaven! Rejoice in my joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. O, let it be yours also! Dear wife, farewell! I will call you wife no more! I shall see your face no more! Yet I am not much troubled; for now I am going to meet the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom I shall be eternally married!

Your dying, yet most affectionate friend until death, Christopher Love,
August 22, 1651, the day of my glorification!

That letter along with many other letters evidenced a man who loved his dear wife so well, but oh... he loved Christ oh SO MUCH MORE! Christopher Love was a man who practiced what Jesus called US ALL to. Jesus said, "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 (ESV)

Dear Lord, help us to value you so much that we could say in word and deed, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 (ESV)

We Know Not The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
I came across this searching the web. This guy is asking the right questions and giving some great answers! The video below is less than 10 minutes and WELL worth it. Click on the play button on the video...

Convictions About the Sabbath & Traveling

We rarely traveled when I was a child and it was even rarer to be traveling on a Sunday. But I do have some memories passed down to me by my parents concerning travel and honoring the Sabbath.

We often went to see my cousins on weekends, about an hour and a half’s drive from Brewton to Jackson, Alabama. Most of the time we’d go over on a Friday or Saturday but return to Brewton on Saturday evening so we could be back in time for worship on Sundays.

But there were those occasions that we did stay with grandmother and the cousins until Sunday afternoon. Some of my cousins were not regular in Church and others were very regular. My family would get up and go to Sunday School and then to Church. I think the fact that my family was going to Church that Sunday helped encourage some of my cousins to attend Church.

I also remember a few occasions traveling some distance from our home. And on a few of those occasions I do remember going to a “strange” Church on Sundays. What was strange was not the fact that they did anything different from my home Church but the fact that it was a different place and I didn’t know the people.

There were two lessons impressed upon my life by the example of my parents. First, attending Church, during a “family reunion” can make an impression upon others for God’s glory and the good of others. I highly suspect that one of my cousins is walking with God, partly as a result of the influence of my family. Till this day, my immediate family is looked at and to for spiritual influence.

Second, attending Church while traveling and visiting other Churches can make an impression upon others about our true convictions. Worship for many is about convenience. They will gather for worship if they feel like it. They will gather for worship if it is not raining. They will gather for worship if they don’t have anything pressing to do. Seeing my parents keep worship as a priority in their life communicated to me that following Jesus was not about convenience but about convictions.

These convictions witnessed by me and my sisters communicated to us that “God is God and we are created for Him and that God was not created for us”.
Now these are some great lessons but are they based on the truth of God’s Word? I believe that answer is “Yes”.

Where ever the Apostles went in their travels, recorded for us in the Book of Acts, they gathered to worship at the local synagogue on the Sabbath. There they worshipped God, encouraged and were encouraged by other believers and they shared the Gospel.

In Philippi the community of Jews was not even large enough for a synagogue [there had to be at least 10 men to constitute a synagogue]. A group of women met at a place of prayer by the river. Because of Paul’s conviction about worship he went to this place to worship [Acts 16:11-15]. Likewise, we have the same opportunity as we travel and attend worship services at other Churches.

Think about it, what kind of impression does it make when you meet someone at Church who is “just passing through town”? Doesn’t it say something about their convictions and their devotion to Christ?

Also, what does it say about our level of conviction and devotion when we don’t make time to worship the Lord while traveling? I’m not talking about some kind of legalism; I’m talking about worship that is genuinely from our hearts.

But possibly more relevant to our lives on a weekly basis, what does it say about us, when not traveling and we won’t even make the effort to come to Church and worship the Lord? What does it say about our convictions and about what we are devoted to?

Let me encourage you to find a place to gather to worship the Lord [a Bible believing, triune God worshipping Church] from the heart on a weekly basis.

Is the church part of the problem [failure of marriages]?

Absolutely. Three-fourths (76%) of all marriages are blessed by the church, and Gallup reports that in 1999, seven of ten of all adults were members of a church or synagogue, and 43% attended services weekly. Yet for a generation, half of new marriages failed. Clearly the church has access to most couples, but has not used that access to prepare couples for a lifelong marriage, to deepen the marriages of couples in the church, or to save the troubled ones. In fact, few pastors have ever preached a sermon on divorce. Based on my unscientific polling of clergy in dozens of cities, not one pastor in 50 has preached on cohabitation. Sadly, most churches and synagogues are "blessing machines" or "wedding factories" grinding out weddings on Saturday with little thought about whether they would succeed or not. Yet the Wirthin Poll indicates that 55% of Americans believe that churches can do the MOST to promote strong, healthy marriages. Yet sadly, either churches have never considered that to be their role, or have abandoned it.

Sighted from: Marriage Savers

Who's Your Boss & Authority?

I came across an article by Gary Thomas titled Who's Your Boss. It is about our arrogance in thinking that we can somehow discover "truths" that are contrary to the best Christian minds the Church has produced through out her history. Men like Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, Pascal, Jonathan Edwards, Wesley, B.B. Warfield, Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, J.I. Packer have affirmed, embraced and defended the basic truths of the faith through out Church history.

I thought I'd pass on this quote below. You can find the entire article by clicking here.

Up until relatively recently (the past century or so), hardly any serious believers suggested that the numerous verses in Scripture talking about a husband's authority at home, and the ones assuming that elders in the church are male, with Paul tracing their authority back to creation, were anything less than clear. The church has spoken, without significant exception, and with overwhelming consensus, for 1,900 years on this very topic.

How this authority was exercised, many times maliciously and without the corresponding call to male sacrifice and even martyr-like selflessness (Eph. 5:26), led us to be quite embarrassed at such an "antiquated" thought, so we have spent a generation trying to show how Scripture simply can't mean what it seems to say, and what the church has said it says, for almost two thousand years.

In light of this, when one pastor, with three years of Bible school beneath his belt, and four months of personal study, comes to a conclusion that differs from this, perhaps you'll understand why it doesn't carry much weight with me.

Should it with anyone?

Matthew 7:1-5

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)

I was "burning up mad". I was so disappointed. I wanted to confront my brother and give him a peace of what I thought was God's mind.

Another good brother told me to basically "cool-it". I told him that there was "fire in my bones".

I arrived home still steaming with anger. But as I opened my heart to converse with God, I was reminded of my need to examine my own life. Maybe I was guilty of the same sin; maybe not in degree but still guilty.

As I examined my life, I believe God brought it to mind that I was "just as guilty". I had wanted to basically do the same thing just weeks ago, but because of (gracious and divine) circumstances, I was prevented from doing so.

So often it is so much easier to see the errors and sins of others than to see our own sins. But if we will take time to apply Matthew 7:1-5 to our own lives, God will give us the ability to see our own sins and to repent of them. Just as King David was blind to his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, God used the story of the sin of another man to help David see the magnitude of his own sin (2 Samuel 11:1-12:14).

Prayer: Lord, in measuring others, may we grant to others the grace you have so freely measured (given) to us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

We Are Stones in the Same Building (1 Peter 2:4-8)

From the Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament by Warren W. Wiersbe...
There is only one Saviour, Jesus Christ, and only one spiritual building, the church. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph. 2:20), binding the building together. Whether we agree with each other or not, all true Christians belong to each other as stones in God's building.

Peter gave a full description of Jesus Christ, the stone. He is a living stone because He was raised from the dead in victory. He is the chosen stone of the Father, and He is precious. Peter quoted Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22 in his description and pointed out that Jesus Christ, though chosen by God, was rejected by men. He was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting, so they stumbled over Him. Jesus referred to this same Scripture when He debated with the Jewish leaders (Matt. 21:42ff; see Ps. 118:22). Though rejected by men, Jesus Christ was exalted by God!

The real cause of this Jewish stumbling was their refusal to submit to the Word (1 Peter 2:8). Had they believed and obeyed the Word, they would have received their Messiah and been saved. Of course, people today still stumble over Christ and His cross (1 Cor. l:18ff).Those who believe on Christ "shall not be confounded [ashamed].

"In His first mention of the church, Jesus compared it to a building: "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18). Believers are living stones in His building. Each time someone trusts Christ, another stone is quarried out of the pit of sin and cemented by grace into the building. It may look to us that the church on earth is a pile of rubble and ruins, but God sees the total structure as it grows (Eph. 2:19-22). What a privilege we have to be a part of His church, "an habitation of God through the Spirit."

Peter wrote this letter to believers living in five different provinces, yet he said that they all belonged to one "spiritual house." There is a unity of God's people that transcends all local and individual assemblies and fellowships. We belong to each other because we belong to Christ. This does not mean that doctrinal and denominational distinctives are wrong, because each local church must be fully persuaded by the Spirit. But it does mean that we must not permit our differences to destroy the spiritual unity we have in Christ. We ought to be mature enough to disagree without in any sense becoming disagreeable.

A contractor in Michigan was building a house and the construction of the first floor went smoothly. But when they started on the second floor, they had nothing but trouble. None of the materials from the lumberyard would fit properly. Then they discovered the reason: they were working with two different sets of blueprints! Once they got rid of the old set, everything went well and they built a lovely house.

Too often, Christians hinder the building of the church because they are following the wrong plans. When Solomon built his temple, his workmen followed the plans so carefully that everything fit together on the construction site (1 Kings 6:7). If all of us would follow God's blueprints given in His Word, we would be able to work together without discord and build His church for His glory.

We Need To Pray For My & Your Friends

I've decided that "for security purposes" it might not be a good idea to post names and info and to write this one post in a different way, as you will see. But I will post a picture [above] of my friend and Church member. He was recently honored by a superior [see for yourself] and given a "coin" for a "job well done".

As you can tell from the picture my friend was very tired.

We need to pray for our service personnel and pray that the Gospel will go forth among our personnel and others.

As we remember our own personnel we must also remember Jesus exhortation to pray for our enemies. We can do that in several ways:

1. Lord, please in Your mercy, extend Your saving grace to those who are fighting against our personnel.
   
2. Lord, be merciful to sinners in saving them, just as you have been merciful in saving me.


3. Lord, for Your honor and glory, save our enemies so that Your Name may be magnified as Lord and Master, through Jesus Christ.


4. Lord, in Your grace, send people to tell others of Your saving grace. Help us to have a willingness to respond to Your calling us to tell our neighbors or those of a different land of Your saving grace.
   
5. Lord, as in the camp fires of our own Civil War, may others come to know you as Lord and Savior.

Battle Hymn of the Republic [click here to hear midi tune - here for contemporary version]

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;[originally …let us die to make men free]
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.