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.

The family and I returned yesterday from living a full week in a pop-up camper in western North Carolina.  This was a REAL family vacation as we were joined by Connie’s sister, brother, their families, as well as my parents.  Once again, a good time was had by all.  We enjoyed cool temps, lots of grilling, campfires with s’mores, hiking, and mountain biking.  The picture above is a scene my sons, my nephew, and I were able to  view while riding on trails in the Dupont State Forest near Brevard, NC.

One of the greatest beneifts of the week was how disconnected I was.  No TV, computer, and very little cell phone coverage meant a real break from technology addiction.  As with most vacations, this one seemed too short and left me needing a vacation in order to recover from my vacation.

Now to get to work on I Peter- home of the next sermon series here at HLPC.

The family and I are headed to North Carolina next week for a week of camping in the pop-up, riding mountain bikes, fishing, tubing, and grilling outdoors.  We’ll be staying at the Davidson River Campground inside the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, NC.  I’ll be away from the computer and have limited cell phone coverage.  Looking forward to it!

Back to blogging next week!

I read a heartwrenching article in the most recent issue of World Magazine (subscription required).  What caught my attention was the author’s quotation and reference throughout from the book of Habakkuk- a book we just recently considered as a sermon series entitled, “When God Doesn’t Make Sense”.  These are very difficult times for the people and for the church in that country under “President” Mugabe who has stolen the recent election and allows thugs to roam free.  God has been so good to us who live in this country.

I read this prayer, titled “The Life Look”, this morning in The Valley of Vision.  Well worth sharing…

O God, I bless Thee for the happy moment when I first saw Thy love fulfilled in Christ, wrath appeased, death destroyed, sin forgiven, my soul saved.  Ever since, Thou has been faithful to me, daily have I proved the power of Jesus’ blood, daily have I known the strength of the Spirit, my teacher, director, sanctifier.  I want no other rock to build upon than that I have, desire no other hope than that of gospel truth, need no other look than that which gazes on the cross.  Forgive me if I have tried to add anything to the one foundation, if I have unconsciously relied upon my knowledge, experience, deeds, and not seen them as filthy rags, if I have attempted to complete what is perfect in Christ.

May my cry be always, “Only Jesus!  Only Jesus!”  In Him is freedom from condemnation, fulness in His righteousness, eternal vitality in His given life, indissoluble union in fellowship with Him.

In Him I have all that I can hold; enlarge me to take in more.  If I backslide, let me like Peter weep bitterly and return to Him.  If I am tempted, and have no wit, give me strength enough to trust in Him.  If I am weak, may I faint upon His bosom of eternal love.  If in extremity, let me feel that He can deliver me.  If driven to the verge of hope and to the pit of despair, grant me grace to fall into His arms.

O God, hear me, do for me more than I ask, think, or dream.

It seems that we’ve been inundated of late with archeological “finds” that are the death knell of Christianity.  We read of the gnostic Gospel of Judas or the family tomb of Jesus- both were discredited some time ago but were recycled only to be discredited again.

Now we have the latest known as “Gabriel’s Revelation”.  Al Mohler, on his blog, does an excellent job of shedding light on this latest “crushing blow” to Christianity (note: quotation marks are used to enhance use of sarcasm).  Mohler references an article in TIME magazine written by David Van Biema and Tim McGirk that explains the recent controversy that has made headlines:

A 3-ft.-high tablet romantically dubbed “Gabriel’s Revelation” could challenge the uniqueness of the idea of the Christian Resurrection. The tablet appears to date authentically to the years just before the birth of Jesus and yet — at least according to one Israeli scholar — it announces the raising of a messiah after three days in the grave. If true, this could mean that Jesus’ followers had access to a well-established paradigm when they decreed that Christ himself rose on the third day — and it might even hint that they could have applied it in their grief after their master was crucified. However, such a contentious reading of the 87-line tablet depends on creative interpretation of a smudged passage, making it the latest entry in the woulda/coulda/shoulda category of possible New Testament artifacts; they are useful to prove less-spectacular points and to stir discussion on the big ones, but probably not to settle them nor shake anyone’s faith. [Emphasis mine.]

The authors of this piece in TIME magazine obviously get it.  This is much ado about nothing.  Al Mohler, in his blog post, then rightly puts archeology in its place.  It is useful as a testimony to the validity of the gospel, but weak as a proof (to borrow a phrase from Hermann Bavinck).  Archeology is fraught with its own difficulties and academic biases.  Mohler’s conclusion gives us the firm place to stand:

Authentic Christianity is based upon the inscripturated revelation of God — the Bible — as our authority.  In the end, archaeology cannot prove or disprove the biblical text.  Nothing can be found, or not found, that should shake our faith in the total truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Word of God.  Archaeology can expand our knowledge and understanding, but cannot establish the authority for our faith.

That authority is the Word of God, and the Word of God alone.

(HT:  Al Mohler)

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 »

We saw the latest Pixar film, WALL*E last week.  I’m a big fan of the Pixar pictures, my favorite being “The Incredibles”.  Being a little disappointed with their most recent offering of”Ratatouille”, I was looking forward to WALL*E.  I liked it and give it an A-.  Contrary to many who thought the movie was mainly a statement about caring for the environment (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I thought the messages that came through were that we are made for more than surviving, but for living and that we are made for and need relationships.  Both messages are solidly rooted in the Christian worldview.  The movie portrayed how technology can serve to distance us from one another and genuine connection while all the while keeping us “connected”.   Life is not meant to be one giant cruise ship kind of a experience.  After all, God put Adam and Eve in the garden and gave them a job, making them stewards of His creation.  WALL*E is worth seeing, in my humble opinion.

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.