Ligonier Ministries, the teaching ministry of R.C. Sproul, puts out an EXCELLENT monthly devotional publication called Tabletalk that has great articles and daily Scripture reading and study material.  You can peruse a complete copy of a recent issue by going HERE. (Ain’t the internet a great thing!  Thanks Al Gore!)  I highly recommend all HLPC folk (and others reading this blog) to subscribe!

Wednesday will be our 20th wedding anniversary.  I must say, it’s been 20 very good years and I’m a very blessed and thankful man to have the wife God’s given me.  I’m not the easiest guy to live with and that’s putting it mildly.  Along those lines, a book I pulled off my shelf and re-read parts of is entitled When Sinners Say “I DO” by Dave Harvey.  It certainly describes our marriage.  I can’t recommend it enough.  Harvey does a great job of portraying a truly gospel centered marriage.  He shows what it means to live as a husband or wife in the light of the finished work of Jesus Christ.  More and more I’m seeing that what we really need is good news (the gospel), not just good advice for all of life- marriage included.  If you’re married or contemplating getting married, you need this book.  I hope to get the young marrieds at HLPC reading this one.  Want a copy?  You can order one HERE.

I have several friends and some of the church family dealing with heavy loads.  The hits just keep on coming.  Relationship issues, health of children and parents- the list could go on.  Then I read Ps. 43 this morning and thought of all of them.  Verse 5 of that Psalm reads:  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (ESV)

In times of despair what is often lacking is hope.  The Psalmist crys out for hope in the Almighty.  That’s my prayer for hurting friends- that God would fill them with hope, hope in His Sovereign, gracious, covenantal faithfulfulness.

Those of us who live in Houston County, particularly the Warner Robins area, are especially grateful that the I-75 landmark that unfortunately has been most associated with this area for some time is soon going to be leveled to the ground.  I’m speaking of the strip club known as Cafe Erotica that sits- for the moment- at the Warner Robins/Centerville exit on the interstate.  This establishment, along with its “we bare all” billboards, will soon be a thing of the past.  Since opening in the early ’90s it’s been the sad way to point people to Warner Robins as in, “well, you take the exit where the nudie cafe is…”.

Today I read this editorial in the local paper cleverly titled “When No Nudes is Good News”.  While the author was glad that this business is history in that the “tackiness” factor has been eliminated, he basically argues that this was a legitimate business that harmed no one.  He was glad that this was pure economics at work-persons of means simply bought out the place for a different use- rather than the county passing an ordinance banning such a business.  After all no one was dragged into this business kicking and screaming and, of course says the author, you “can’t legislate morality”.  The author’s father once owned a lucrative pool hall that was closed down years ago in true “Music Man” fashion- “we have trouble that starts with ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for POOL!”   In his opinion, the “church ladies” won that battle.

While I share the author’s enthusiasm that the clothing optional restaurant is now a thing of the past, his logic escapes me.

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For those of you who may not know, we live in Warner Robins, GA home of Robins Air Force Base (RAFB).  This has given me many opportunities to look at life in the military, particularly the Air Force.  There’s much there to appreciate.

One of the things that has jumped out at me over and over is that the military, as well as the civilian workers, at RAFB are drilled on “the mission”.  All of their work is defined in terms of it.  You hear that word alot at military and RAFB functions.  People and units are praised for their part in enabling their squadron, group, wing, etc. to fulifll the mission.  Whether it is a computer systems squadron to pilots of surveillance aircraft such as the J-STARS, all have a vital role in “the mission”.  In this case, the mission is winning the global war on terror.

I need to be a pastor who encourages those in the church to see that all of us have a role to play in fulfilling the mission.  What’s our mission?  I think it goes beyond what we often call the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18ff to go into all the world and preach the gospel- though that is certainly a significant part of the mission.  I think a more compelling and all encompassing vision for the church is found in Ephesians 3:7-12 where the Apostle Paul writes Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have⁽ boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.  [emphasis mine]  (ESV)

The Church’s mission is to display the manifold wisdom of God in Christ to rulers and powers in heavenly places.  It is to manifest the glory of God in and through the cross of Christ.  The Church has a mission to proclaim God’s grace (the great Commission) as well as to live in the light of God’s grace thus manifesting the glory of God.  All of our work for the Kingdom contributes to that goal, that mission.  To borrow from the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, we exist for the glory of God.

This reminds me of the story of a man who came upon two construction workers involved in a massive project.  The first worker was asked, “What are you doing?”  “I’m moving these bricks” was his bored and tired reply.  The second worker was then asked, “What are YOU doing?”   “I’m building a cathedral!” he replied with a smile on this face as he pushed a wheelbarrow full of bricks.  The one who remembered the mission found joy and purpose in his work.

We need to remember the mission- glorifying God by demonstrating his manifold wisdom and grace in Christ.  When we live in light of the gospel in every arena life- at home, at work, on vacation, wherever, we fulfill the mission.

My friend, Ed Eubanks, put me on to Biblememory.us .  This is a very helpful e-mail tool for Scripture memory. Check it out!

(HT:  Ed)

I always enjoy the columns that Andree Seu writes for World Magazine. In this article, “Mind Tricks” , Andree reminds us of the need and benefit of exposure to the Scriptures as the only source of what to believe and how to live. She draws insight from C.S. Lewis’ A Grief Observed. Good stuff. Here is an excerpt:

When I drift away from close daily intimacy with [God] in his Word, I begin, ever so subtly, to reconstruct him in my own image. This process begins to happen some time before I realize it, of course, when I am still convinced that I know exactly who God is. It’s only when I come back to the Bible that I realize how dangerously close I had come to constructing an idol — a god made to look and sound like the desires and opinions of Andree Seu.

Run John run, the law demands
But gives me neither feet nor hands.
A better song the Gospel sings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings.

–John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim’s Progress)

Psalm 112:1-7

1 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. (ESV)

I read this Psalm this morning. It brought back memories of a song by James Ward entitled “No Bad News” based on this Psalm (Ward wrote that in the mid 80’s I believe). That tune will be running through my head all day, I’m sure.

Do you fear bad news? I do. Especially with a new driver in the house. Whenever our 16 year old takes the car out I wrestle as parents have for generations with the fear of a car accident. Not that he’s a bad or reckless driver- it’s just a dangerous world. What phone calls or news do you dread hearing or receiving? “The test came back and it IS cancer.” “We’re sorry, but we can no longer afford your position.” “Your son is struggling in school and we’re at a loss to help him.”

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