Are We There Yet?

HERE’S another online reading tool.  This one is for reading through the Westminster Confession and Catechisms!

(HT:  Kim Riddlebarger)

not according to R.C. Sproul who writes:

What about putting Christ back into Christmas? It is simply not necessary. Christ has never left Christmas. “Jingle Bells” will never replace “Silent Night.” Our holiday once known as Thanksgiving is rapidly becoming known simply as “Turkey Day.” But Christmas is still called Christmas. It is not called “Gift Day.” Christ is still in Christmas, and for one brief season the secular world broadcasts the message of Christ over every radio station and television channel in the land. Never does the church get as much free air time as during the Christmas season.

You can read this excellent article HERE.

It’s amazing how much conflict can be avoided in our lives if we simply learn to overlook certain offenses.  Too often we allow small things to become matters of principle- the proverbial hills upon which we will die.  The following was received in an e-mail from the Peacemakers Ministry that I found very helpful:

The Glory of Overlooking an Offense

Overlooking offenses is appropriate under two conditions. First, the offense should not have created a wall between you and the other person or caused you to feel different toward him or her for more than a short period of time. Second, the offense should not be causing serious harm to God’s reputation, to others, or to the offender.

Overlooking is not a passive process in which you simply remain silent for the moment but file away the offense for later use against someone. That is actually a form of denial that can easily lead to brooding over the offense and building up internal bitterness and resentment that will eventually explode in anger. Instead, overlooking is an active process that is inspired by God’s mercy through the gospel. To truly overlook an offense means to deliberately decide not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into pent-up bitterness. If you cannot let go of an offense in this way, if it is too serious to overlook, or if it continues as part of a pattern in the other person’s life, then you will need to go and talk to the other person about it in a loving and constructive manner.

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 83.

Food for Thought

Overlooking an offense is deeper than we like to believe. It is so much more than giving lip service because it seems the right thing to do. It is truly a heart issue. In a society where letting people off the hook is seen as a weakness, we have great opportunity to show God’s love and forgiveness in the midst of our conflicts. Ken provides excellent criteria to help decide if it is appropriate to overlook an offense. In light of God’s mercy, is there an offense you can truly overlook today?

Proverbs 19:11 says “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” The first step to resolving a conflict is to think seriously about whether it is appropriate to overlook an offense. If it is, then put the matter to rest and commit, with God’s help, not to dwell on the issue. If not, then it is appropriate to go to your brother and discuss it between the two of you.

This from Michael Horton’s Christless Christianity:

The good news [i.e. the gospel] is that Christ’s righteousness is greater than my sin.  Fully absolved in Christ, I am free to confess my sin, receive the assurance of pardon, and go on in my imperfect yet Spirit-led obedience.

…The gospel is so odd, even to us Christians, that we have to get it again and again.  That is why God has graciously created different avenues for getting it to us:  He proclaims it by the mouth of another in Christ’s name, bathes me in it with water, and puts it in my hand through bread and wine.   (p.121)

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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)