Words Matter Because Meaning Matters

"Many things are important in life, and when assessing the value of material and immaterial things—we must not forget the immense value of words. Consider how people fight over the meaning of terms found in the Constitution of the United States of America. At times, political leaders from polar opposite ideological backgrounds fight over words and the meaning of those words. This is not only true of the world of politics—it’s likewise true of the religious world. Political skirmishes will have an affect upon a society, but none is greater than religious skirmishes over the definition of words.

The very word theology comes from two Greek words (Theos meaning “God” and logos meaning “word”). Therefore, theology literally means words about God. That’s why words matter—especially in the study of God. Some have suggested that we “preach the gospel and use words if necessary,” but that statement is flawed from the start. For, God’s Word is made up of sixty-six books which are comprised of thousands of paragraphs, sentences, and individual words. It was John Gerstner who once said, “[We] may have knowledge of God and not be saved, but he can never be saved without knowledge of God.” [1] It was Theodore Beza who described the preaching of John Calvin by saying, “Every word weighed a pound.”

Words matter, but often words change. Read through the King James version of the Scriptures and you will likely run across many terms that are antiquarian—and in some cases nearly completely dead altogether. Consider the term, filthy lucre as an example. Who uses that phrase to describe greed for money in our present day? As it pertains to the morphology of specific terms, one can hope for the best as modernity consistently presses the limits on language and adds new vocabulary each year. However, when it comes to theology, words matter. Such words must be guarded. This is why a commitment to the single meaning of the text is essential when interpreting the Bible. The author’s original meaning matters. Unless carefully guarded—the words of Scripture will be redefined and such a process of change will lead to an assault on the theological foundation of the word which is an assault upon God himself. Take the definition of marriage and family as an example of this truth.

No Blog Articles: Where Have You Been?

It's been a while since I posted any new articles here at Post Tenebras Lux.  As much as I enjoy writing about things that truly matter blogging is (and should be) a low(er) priority for shepherd-preachers/husband/fathers.

The last few months have been physically challenging for my family.  Andrea has had several procedures related to agonizing kidney stones.  The family has shared several colds, the flu bug, and pink eye.  We even had a round of shingles to boot.  Seasons of sickness certainly make one thankful for seasons of health.

With extremely full schedules Andrea and I have been feverishly swimming to keep our head above water.  As such, I have not had time nor chosen to make time to blog.  As with all things everything we do must be kept in it's proper place.  My wife and family and church are my top priorities.  My Sunday School lessons, weekly sermon expositions, and a hundred different tasks are more important to God then what I (or so and so) think of Matt Chandler's pandering interview with HBO's Vice news.

I also enjoy stepping away sometimes just to be reminded that the world goes on whether or not I (or anyone else) blogs.  Tim Challies is no one's pastor (even though he is generally a very discerning author).

Having said that, Christian podcasts and blog articles certainly have a place in the internet heavy world we all live in.  Pastors can exhort, instruct, protect, and clarify many different things via books, podcasts, and blogs.  I hope to post more regularly in the weeks to come.  However, if you do not hear from me, know that I am likely at the doctors office or meeting with a key volunteer at church. :)

The Truth About Eternity (Revelation 21:1-4; pt 3)

 Revelation 21:1-4

The Truth About Eternity

(pt. 3)

INTRO: “How might I ascertain the church’s official view of heaven & hell?" To which one notable clergyman in the Church of England offered this pithy one word reply- "Die."  

Praise be to God that we do not have to wait until we "cross over the other side" to find out about heaven and hell.  Everything we need to know about the future has been preserved in the Word of God.  We do not need to read Charismatic books about alleged "out of body experiences" in order to shore up our understanding of the future.  In his grace, God has revealed everything we need to know about life and life after death  in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:15-17).  Any books, testimonies, or articles about heaven and hell need to be evaluated against the perfect backdrop of Scripture.

(Christian) how much do you know about your eternal home?  Is what you believe about heaven and hell truly biblical?  

Why does the apostle John include so many details about the eternal state when writing to the persecuted church in the first century (see Revelation 21:7)?  "Those who overcome (true believers) shall inherit all this!"  The sights and sounds of heaven should compel us to "keep on keeping on" in the strength of the Lord!

(Three) Heavenly Incentives for Christian Perseverance:

On 10/28, we saw:

1) In heaven, _______________________________________________________________.

(Revelation 21:1; 4)

Last Sunday, we saw and heard this:

    2) In heaven, _______________________________________________________________.

(Revelation 21:2-3; Psalm 16:8-11)

Richard Baxter- “Doubtless as God advances our senses and enlargens our capacity, so will He advance the happiness of those senses and fill up with Himself all that capacity…

We shall then have light without a candle, and perpetual day without the sun…”

Revelation 5:8-12, 22:14-17

How do the “sights and sounds of heaven” help us to lift our eyes off of our earthly struggles?

Next Sunday we will “see and hear” this:

3) In heaven, _______________________________________________________________.

(Revelation 21:4-5)

Holy Spirit help me to be a heavenly-minded Christian and help us to be a heavenly-minded congregation! Use these glorious truths about eternity to bolster our faith and to get each one of us across the “finish line! For the glory of Christ we ask these things. Amen!” 

The Role of The Holy Spirit in Biblical Interpretation

The role of the Holy Spirit in interpretation is something that is often mentioned in hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) and exegesis (deriving the meaning of the text) books, but little discussion is devoted to explaining what that role is, where the Bible teaches it, and how we know when it occurs. After much reading on the subject and a study of related passages of Scripture it is my contention that the Spirit has a multifaceted role in the life of the believer as he interprets Scripture.

The Spirit’s work in the interpreter is necessary because of the depravity of man. Due to the effects of sin a natural man, the unbeliever, “does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Cor 2:14). This means that the unbeliever does not see the word of God as wisdom, but rather foolishness. Therefore he rejects it. While he does have a level of cognitive awareness of the signification of the words, He cannot understand in the sense of experientially knowing it as truth in a relationship with God. This is due the fact that it is spiritually discerned. The unbeliever is spiritually dead (Eph 2:1) and consequently has a futile, darkened, ignorant mind, and a hard heart that makes him callous to spiritual things (Eph 4:17-19). He is hostile to God and cannot bring himself under the Scriptures as his authority (Rom 8:7-8).

5 Myths about Preaching

Five False Dichotomies about preaching.  Which is your kind of preaching—expository or relevant? That is an example of a false dichotomy—a logical fallacy. False dichotomies operate under the assumption that there is no alternative, including no way to combine the qualities entailed in the so-called opposites.

One of Satan’s methods to mislead by means of the false dichotomy. By setting two valid ideas against each other when they really belong together, the devil can use the appeal of one truth to attack another. If we swallow the bait, then the devil’s hook and line pull us away from faithful preaching and we lose both sides of the truth. Here are five myths—false dichotomies—that can catch preachers and hearers alike.

Myth #1: Preachers must be either exegetical lecturers or church motivators.

The exegetical lecturer is the pastoral version of a Bible commentary. The preacher is determined to avoid subjectivism; his sermon will be only the pure Word of God... As the saying goes all truth without the Spirit and the church drys up.  All Spirit and little truth and the church blows up.  Truth plus the Spirit and the church grows up.  Expository preaching is not merely a collection of word studies, historical background, and fifty minutes of textual commentary.  A sermon is not a lecture though both should involve teaching and passion.

Offended by the barrenness of lectures (sometimes called expository sermons), the church motivator seeks not to inform but to transform by convincing people to adopt certain courses of action or programs. However, though he may lace his messages with Bible quotations, he sounds more like a motivational speaker or even a cheerleader than a messenger of God.

The faithful preacher takes the best from both sides of this dichotomy, for he strives—with the Spirit’s blessing—to have his expositions of the Holy Scriptures burn as fuel inflaming the church to holy affection and action.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that preaching is "theology on fire!"

Myth #2: Preachers must be either spiritual directors or doctrinal instructors.

The spiritual director—a fatherly figure—doles out specific advice to his children in the Lord. His mouth is full of wise counsel and practical directions, but he does not bother much with lofty doctrines of the faith such as the Trinity, the holiness of God, or Christ’s atoning work.

The doctrinal teacher—knowing how shallow Christians can be if they do not know what they believe—thoroughly explains the system of Christian faith revealed in the Holy Scriptures. However, he says little to nothing about application...

In reality, we must avoid both extremes, since “All Scripture . . . is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). The faithful preacher must have his eyes on Christ as revealed in the doctrines of the Bible and his feet on the ground to apply that doctrine to the needs and lives of his hearers.  Let God’s Word shape your sermons into preaching that is faithful to Scripture and relevant to your congregations sanctification.

The Sights and Sounds of Heaven (Revelation 21:1-4)

 Revelation 21:1-4

The Sights and Sounds of Heaven

(pt. 1)

In 1952 off Catalina Island, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the waters off the Pacific Ocean, determined to swim all the way to the mainland of California.   Florence Chadwick was no rookie. In fact, she was the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways.

On the day she attempted this amazing feat the weather was foggy and cold; so foggy that she could hardly see the rescue boats that were accompanying her.  Still she set out and she swam and she swam and she swam…for fifteen hours straight she swam!   When she begged to be taken out of the water, her mother, in a boat nearby, told her she was close and that she could do it.

Finally, physically and emotionally exhausted Florence stopped swimming and was pulled out of the water.  It was not until she was on the boat that she discovered the shore was less than half a mile away. At a news conference the next day she made this memorable statement, “All I could see was the fog….I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it!” 

The shoreline of heaven is set before us in Hi-Definition clarity in the final two chapters of Revelation.  May God grant us eyes to see and ears to hear the glories of heaven.

“And I Saw”   -Revelation 21:1-2

“And I Heard” -Revelation 21:3-4

The Sights and Sounds of Heaven- The first thing John sees is:

     1) A WHOLE NEW WORLD (TO COME) 

Revelation 21:1-  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

Revelation 21:7- He who overcomes shall inherit these things-  How do the sights and sounds of heaven encourage believers to persevere until the end? (Colossians 3:1-2; Philippians 3:12-14; Matthew 6:19-21).  

Luther’s Advice for the Christian Life

What do the sovereignty of God, salvation by grace, justification by faith, and new life in union with Christ mean for the living of the Christian life?

For Luther, they carry four implications:  The first implication is the knowledge that the Christian believer is simul iustus et peccator,1 at one and the same time justified and yet a sinner. This principle, to which Luther may have been stimulated by John Tauler’s Theologia Germanica, was a hugely stabilizing principle: in and of myself, all I see is a sinner; but when I see myself in Christ, I see a man counted righteous with His perfect righteousness. Such a man is therefore able to stand before God as righteous as Jesus Christ—because he is righteous only in the righteousness that is Christ’s. Here we stand secure.

The second implication is the discovery that God has become our Father in Christ. We are accepted. One of the most beautiful accounts found in Luther’s Table Talk was, perhaps significantly, recorded by the somewhat mel- ancholic, yet much loved, John Schlaginhaufen:  God must be much friendlier to me and speak to me in friendlier fashion than my Katy to little Martin. Neither Katy nor I could intentionally gouge out the eye or tear off the head of our child. Nor could God. God must have patience with us. He has given evidence of it, and therefore he sent his Son into our flesh in order that we may look to him for the best.2

Third, Luther emphasizes that life in Christ is necessarily life under the cross.3 If we are united to Christ, our lives will be patterned after His. The way for both the true church and the true Christian is not via the theology of glory (theologia gloriae) but via the theology of the cross (theologia crucis). This impacts us inwardly as we die to self and outwardly as we share in the sufferings of the church. The medieval theology of glory must be overcome by the theology of the cross. For all their differences in understanding the precise nature of the sacraments, Luther and Calvin are at one here.

The First 18 Months: Reviewing the Expository Pulpit of Lake Country Bible Church

The First 18 Months:  Reviewing the Expository Pulpit of Lake Country Bible Church

“You guys have been in Revelation for a long time.”  Well, yes and no. Between Pastor Sal and the new guy it has taken us quite a while to exposit and digest twenty chapters and nearly four hundred verses of what is often called “Scripture’s greatest prophecy.”  Since the end of the story (Revelation 6-22) is Divinely intended to impact the here and now we have been in no hurry to move on to something else; (note Dr. Vlach’s insightful article- “7 Reasons Your Church Should Take Eschatology Seriously”). 

Having said that, in the past year and a half we have considered many different themes, subjects, and biblical books during our corporate worship service. My first message as the new Senior Pastor of Lake Country Bible Church was on “Satan’s Strategy Against Christ’s Church” from 1 Corinthians 3:1-7; Philippians 4:2-3.

Next, we reminded ourselves what a robustly Biblical Philosophy of Ministry looks like.  During this expository study we took four weeks to carefully examine Paul’s inspired mission statement from Colossians 1:28-29.  For two decades this text, along with Ephesians 4:11-16 and Matthew 28:18-20, have shaped the ministry of LCBC.  Lord willing, these passages will continue to define our mission for a long time to come.

Along the way I’ve preached a few standalone sermons from both the Old and New Testaments (Hosea 3:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:15; Jude 22-23) as well as a few holiday themed messages for Easter and Christmas (1 Corinthians 15:1-10; Isaiah 7:1-16).  I have also preached a few big picture messages such as “The Three Key Words of Biblical Prophecy.”

During a miniseries in 2017 we spent many weeks trying to get our arms around how the ancient covenant promises of God are related to the Church (Gal. 3:13-29; Heb. 6:11-19), to Israel, and to the prophesied end times (Revelation).  During this study, we studied Genesis 12; Genesis 15; and 2 Samuel 7; while Dan R. provided an overview message on the New Covenant during a Wednesday evening service.  We then considered how these grand covenant promises provide the basis of Messianic and future hope for the people of God in Luke 1:5-56.  One cannot fully appreciate the joy of Christmas or the details of Revelation without understanding the grand covenants of Scripture.

Loving God With All Your Mind

Reason & Revelation- Reason is indispensable for the Christian life because without understanding spiritual growth is impossible. God designed us to be converted and conformed to Christ through mind renewal.

Romans 12:1-2 lays out the importance of the this process: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As God’s truth permeates our minds, it imparts objective facts and it impacts our subjective thought process. In other words, God’s truth forms the basis for what we think and fashions how we think. Scripture provides us with the truth we need to inform our thinking and to shape our wisdom. For this reason, and many more, an unreasoned Christian life is a deficient Christian life—the mind must be engaged.

That being said, we must never allow our reasoning to rise to the level of authority. What does this mean? J.I. Packer incisively explains: But all its many varieties spring from a single principle, namely, that the final authority for my faith and life is the verdict of my reason, conscience, or religious sentiment as I examine Scripture “with an open mind,” and measure it by what I have learned from other sources, historical, philosophical, religious and scientific. What under these circumstances reason and conscience say, what I find that “I feel,” that God says (Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God, 50).

The Hidden Epidemic: Dangers of anti-anxiety medications

Those who struggle with fear, worry, and anxiety need to be lovingly cared for.  In a perfect world a mature biblical counselor would work in tandem with a top notch Christian physician to offer proper care for a believer who is hurting (we are after all body/soul creatures).

A secular news organization recently ran an article titled the "

The Hidden Epidemic: Dangers of anti-anxiety medications."  This story encourages its readers to understand the side effects and long term addictions that can arise from various 

psychotropic drugs....

 As reported by (KATV) Little Rock — Scott Graves was a man who seemingly had it all: a good job, a loving family. That was until he was handed a prescription for Xanax in 1994 after being diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

"For a long time, I kept it together," he said. "I took it as prescribed. And then it became where I couldn’t do anything without them."

For nearly 15 years, Scott was addicted saying, “I woke up with the pills. I spent the whole day with the pills. I went to bed with the pills. It was my life.”

It took one relapse and two suicide attempts for him to realize he had a problem. He was able to finally break free in 2016. “I was going to die. I didn’t want to, but I was going to," he said.

Scott isn't alone either. The struggle of addition to Xanax or other benzodiazepines, like Klonopin or Ativan, is all too real for more people than you might think.

“Benzos are in fact one of the most addictive prescription drugs that we have in the field today," said Tucker Martin, director of marketing for Recovery Centers of Arkansas.

6 Reasons Why the Local Church Really Matters

"As we prepare to worship God tomorrow, it may do us good to pause for just a few moments to consider the local church. What is the church? Why has God called us into these little communities? Does the local church really matter? It does! The local church is foundational to God’s plan for his people. In their book Church in Hard Places, Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley offer 6 reasons that the local church matters.

The local church is the way God intends to accomplish his mission in the world. “It is primarily though the local church that God wants to make himself known.” Of all the evangelism strategies in the world, of all the ministries in the world, none is more central than the local church. It’s interesting to note that Paul considered his ministry in an area fulfilled not when every person was reached, but when churches had been planted (see Romans 15:19-20). “Paul knew that the churches there were how the gospel would spread into all of the individual neighborhoods. Local churches do local evangelism.” The church is God’s plan, it is God’s mission.

The local church should matter to us because it matters to God. The church is Jesus’ body on earth (see Ephesians 1:22-23) and it is made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. “Together we represent Christ here on earth through our local body of believers. Therefore, the church is central to the purposes of God and is of benefit to the world around us—even today in our increasingly hostile culture.” The church exists for God’s glory and showcases it in a unique way. “The church is built for Jesus, by Jesus, and on Jesus. It is simply unthinkable then to separate Jesus from the local church. If the gospel is the diamond in the great salvific plan of God, then the church is the clasp that supports it, holds it up, and shows it in its greatest light for the world to see.” If it matters so much to God, it needs to matter to us just as much.

The local church is the place where believers must submit themselves to spiritual authority. Many people from many walks of life struggle with issues of authority, though this problem is especially prevalent in the schemes of Scotland. Mez says, “they will not accept criticism or input from anybody they regard as an authority figure.” This attitude needs to be dealt with immediately. God calls Christians to submit to spiritual authority within the local church (see Hebrews 13:17). All believers are called by God to put themselves under the care and oversight of elders. “A culture that despises any kind of authority needs to see healthy models of leadership and submission. And the place for people to see this modeled is in the local church.”

A Word to the Older Men in the Church

"In Titus 2:2-6, Paul unpacks practically what it means for men and women to live in accordance with sound doctrine. And he starts with the older men of the congregation.  “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.” Titus 2:2

“Sober-minded” translates a term that describes moderation in the drinking of an alcoholic beverage. Its figurative extension in this verse means to be free from every form of mental and spiritual drunkenness—to be free from excess, passion, rashness, or confusion. It’s a call to be “restrained in conduct, self-controlled, level-headed” (BDAG).

“Dignified” describes a person who is worthy of respect and honor. It is a person who is noble, dignified, and serious (BDAG). The dignified person is so self-possessed and in control of his temper and fears that he elicits admiration from those who know him.

“Self-controlled” indicates someone who is thoughtful and in control of their passions. In Aristotle’s ethics, the term describes someone who avoids extremes and who gives careful consideration for responsible action (Aristot., EN 3, 15; BDAG). For Aristotle, the “self-controlled” person “is intent on the what, the how, and the when of doing what should be done.”

“Sound” literally means to be “healthy” or free from sickness. The extension of that meaning here means to be free from error. So “sound” in faith, love, and endurance means that older men have to believe in the right way, love in the right way, and endure in the right way.

Why the Church Needs to Stop Trying to Be Trendy and Hip: Raw Insights from a Young Widow

Why the Church doesn't need any more come as you are, causal everything, "lights, fog machines, couches on the platform" worship services.

Young widow, Kimberli Lira, explains how her husband's death has made her view church initiatives in a new way.  My social media feeds are full of churches boasting about the trendy new initiatives they have begun. I see pictures of Starbucks style coffee bars. I hear about lighting sequences that resemble a Broadway show. I read catchy sermon titles that incorporate movies and popular culture.

On 14th February 2017, my life changed. My husband passed away after a two year battle with cancer.

To say he battled cancer is an understatement. Over the first year he was hospitalized 18 times, for two weeks out of every month. He was rushed to the emergency room eight times and spent hundreds of days separated from our two children. Eventually the chemo, the treatment designed to get rid of the cancer, caused paralysis. For the last four months of his life he was paralyzed and confined to a bed.

But throughout the cycles of chemo, throughout the separation from his children night after night, throughout listening to doctors telling him bad news after bad news, he never once said how much he appreciated the coffee bar at church.

Not once did he say that he loved the lighting in the sanctuary.

He never told me how cool it was that they put a couch on the platform.

He didn’t boast about the use of graphics and props.

A Word to the Older Women of the Church

After giving instructions about older men in the congregation, Paul now turns to the older women:  “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good.” Titus 2:3.  Cross-generational relationships are Jesus' design for the Body of Christ (see Titus 2).

Notice that Paul says “likewise.” That means that these older women are to be godly exemplars just like the older men are. And Paul specifies particular attributes:  “Reverent in behavior” means behavior that is worthy of a holy person (Montanari). There is a verbal link to what Paul says in verse one about that which is “fitting with sound doctrine.” This term calls for behavior that is “fitting with holiness.” Paul zeroes in on two very specific besetting sins that are not in accord with holy behavior.

“Not slanderers.” To slander someone means to assassinate someone’s character with your words. The NASB translates the term as “malicious gossips.” The malevolent attempt to destroy someone’s reputation and character with your words is not in keeping with holiness. In fact, this term is one of the names that the Bible gives to the Devil—Diabolos. He is a slanderer. Slander is the devil’s work and is completely at odds with holy behavior.  

Gathered Worship: Make It a Top Priority

It is God's will that every believer belong to a local church (1 Pet. 4:10-11).  By "belong" we mean faithful attendance (Heb. 10:24), service (1 Peter 4:10-11), and giving (Prov. 3:9).  This is so, in part, because the church is central in the purpose/plan of God for this present age (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28).  Despite the church's many spots, blemishes, and wrinkles- Jesus loves the Church dearly- and so must we!

By God's design the ministries of a Word-centered assembly help believers grow and mature in the faith (Col. 1:28-29; Eph. 4:11-16).  In this regard the local church is like a spiritual umbilical cord.  

It is sinful for a professing believer to forsake the regular assembly of the gathered church (Heb. 10:24).  The Holy Spirit would never led a Spirit-filled saint to act in a manner contrary to the Word He inspired.  Family bible study or a home care group is no substitute for full fledged involvement in the life of the local church.  Anyone who suggests otherwise is reading a different New Testament.

"Preparing for corporate worship means making time and making choices. Worship, especially corporate worship, takes time. It takes commitment. We must set aside time to come. We need to guard our schedules and consider times of corporate worship a priority.

Listen to what the Word of God tells us about gathering together:  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24–25).

Here the writer of Hebrews highlights the importance of regularly meeting together with the church. He also acknowledges that “neglecting to meet together” was a problem in the early church, and had even become a habit of some. The word used here in the Greek for meeting is episunagogen. We are not to neglect the “coming together,” “assembly” or “gathering” [synagogue].

Though we should daily encourage and pray for one another as we have opportunity to invest in each other’s lives, there is a measure of encouragement, participation and life in the church that cannot be attained or replicated apart from the regular assembly of God’s people in corporate worship. We need to hear God’s Word read and proclaimed together. We need to pray and sing God’s praise together. Listening to sermon recordings or broadcasts can’t replicate it. Singing worship songs along with your iPod can’t match it. We need to see and hear and know and feel the testimony of lives changed by the power of the Gospel, covenanted, unified and gathered together all in one place, in the same room, for His glory.

Viewing the Nations from God’s Perspective: Creation

CREATION

It is critical that any theologically informed worldview begin with the account of creation. Genesis 1:1 states clearly that there is only one Creator. Roger Hedlund explains, “Creation by God means that there is but one human race . . . and that Yahweh is no tribal deity but God and Father of all.”[1] Every man, woman, and child owe their very existence to this true God. The “fatherhood” of God in a physical sense is inclusive by definition and biblical declaration (Mal 2:10). “Ethnic and cultural diversity is part of the creative design of God . . . Racism is a perversion of creation.”[2]

There was no pantheon of gods involved in creation. The universe was not created by committee. In the obvious vacuum of multiple creators, any other false deity’s claim to creation rights is invalid. Any attempt by a false religion to ascribe authority or worship to a god other than YAHWEH, is an attempt to rob God of the glory that He alone deserves.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles . . . they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Rom 1:21-23,25)

Rejecting the Creator results in elevating the creation. Whether it be the idolatry of paganism or the self-deification of humanism, the result is the same. Unregenerate man will always attempt to draw glory away from the Creator and attribute it to something which falls in the “creation” category. Only the one, true Creator God deserves all worship!

All Cultures are Not Equal

"There is a growing belief today that every culture is equal. In other words, no culture can claim moral superiority over another. Although this is a common idea, it has met resistance by some who have demonstrated that, on a pragmatic level, productivity and the standard of living are better in some cultures than others. However, as Christians I think it is important to be in the habit of using Scripture to inform any kind of comparison—including culture. Speaking from a biblical standpoint, there are cultures that are better than others. The cultures which are superior are the cultures which are more closely aligned with God’s standard for living, and thereby thrive and flourish.

Superior Cultures Value Life

Hell is For Real (Revelation 20:10-15)

 Revelation 20:11-15

Hell is For Real (and is Forever)

Some time ago the subject of heaven came up during a speech before the National Press Club.  Ted Turner’s cavalier attitude is a microcosm of how many today view eternity future.  Mr. Turner said… “Heaven is going to be a mighty slender place. And most of the people I know in life aren’t going to be there. There are a few notable exceptions and I’ll miss them. [Laughter]

Remember, heaven is going to be perfect. And I don’t really want to be there... Those of us that go to hell, which will be most of us in this room, most journalists are certainly going to hell. [Laughter]

But, when we get there we’ll have a chance to make things better because hell is supposed to be a mess. And heaven is perfect…

Who wants to go to a place that’s perfect? Boring. Boring.” [Laughter]

Brothers and sisters in Christ, when dealing with a doctrine as important as this it’s imperative that we know our Bibles inside and out…. in hopes that God might use us to clarify common misconceptions and defend the orthodox faith (Jude 3) as we lead souls to Christ!  If believers won't share the complete gospel message with the lost world, who will?

Thus far we have considered four key statements related to the Great White Throne Judgement in Revelation 20:11-15:

1) The ABSOLUTE NECESSITY of this Great and Final Judgement

(Revelation 20:7-15; John 3:19-20)

2) The PERFECT CHARACTER of this Great and Final Judgement

(Revelation 20:11; Rev. 4; Hab. 1:13)

To Live is Christ and To Die is Gain: Our Future Hope

The following is what Matt Waymeyer preached at the memorial service of a dear friend and brother, Jeff Dolan....

Beloved, death is difficult for a number of reasons. Death is final. Death comes suddenly. Death means saying goodbye to someone we love, someone we care about, someone we will dearly miss. And yet in the midst of the intensity of our grief and the suddenness of our loss, there is the underlying comfort of knowing that even though this is a time of great sorrow for us, it is a time of exceedingly great joy for our dear friend and brother, Jeff Dolan. And for this reason, as Charles Spurgeon once said: “Our tears are [plentiful], but they glisten in the light of faith and hope.”

In Philippians 1, the apostle Paul said that for the child of God dying means departing to be with Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul said to be absent from the body—that is, to die and have your soul depart from your physical body—is “to be at home with the Lord.” And in Luke 23, Jesus said to the man on the cross next to Him: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Beloved, even now as we gather to mourn the loss of Jeff, we do so with the joy of knowing that he has departed to be with Christ, that he is now at home with the Lord Jesus in a place called Paradise. That’s why Psalm 116:15 says: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” Today is precious in the sight of God because Jeff has been taken to glory, and therefore we do not grieve as those without hope.

3 UNCONVENTIONAL (AND FREE) WAYS TO APPRECIATE YOUR PASTOR

"It’s "pastor appreciation month," and while baked goods, encouragement notes, and gift cards are usually welcomed (though never expected!) your pastor may be blessed by something a bit out of the box this year.  These (free)

gifts are often more appreciated than silver and gold.  God's Word says, "We request of you, Christian brothers and sisters, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another (1 Thess. 5:12-13)."  It's God's will that the sheep love and care for their shepherds and that pastors love and care for their flock (1 Peter 5:1-4).  We are after all the family of God and the body of Christ.

"My husband, Chris, is a senior pastor and I have seen the best and worst sides of church people. We have been blessed beyond measure (a trip to Paris!) and wounded more deeply than I knew was possible, both through the actions and inactions of people in the pews. Although there can be difficult, unstable, and/or power-hungry people within the walls of the church, most of the heart-level hits a pastor receives are from the “everyday” church member: Words spoken or not spoken. Actions taken or not taken. Groups forming or splitting. All in the name of what they think is best for the church.

Chris and I have loads of pastor friends and I reached out to some pastor’s wives this week to help me with this post. Because as wives, we see what no one else sees. We know what church ministry does to our husbands. How it continues to forever change them and shape them—for good and for ill. As I submit this post, the comments from my pastor’s wife friends are still pouring in. With over 30 wives contributing, the thoughts below are a collaborative effort. Just like any wife would, we long to stand up for our husband, but because he is the pastor we often feel we can’t. It just seems self-serving. We each want to help our husband and support him in a public way but, selfishly, we usually lay low out of fear of putting our own conduct in the cross-hairs, if it is not already.

If you love your pastor and want to bless him this month (and beyond), we urge you to prayerfully consider these three deliberate choices:  1. PUT YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES. HE IS MORE LIKE YOU THAN YOU REALIZE.

He cannot do everything. He does not know all. He cannot read your mind. He does not have complete knowledge of the past (how things “have always been”). He cannot see the future.

He works really, really hard. He’s been trained to do his job (investing 4-8 years in seminary education alone).  He doesn’t like people telling him how to do his job (though most of our husbands have never specifically verbalized this, we assume he must feel it.). He needs to hear words of admiration, affirmation and encouragement more than he does criticism. He has personal preferences and there are things about his church that he doesn’t like. “Your pastor’s best will never be enough, but the good news is that he doesn’t need to be Superman.”  The Church already has a Savior!

The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It's Our Problem

"False doctrine flourishes the most in the soil of biblical illiteracy... And while America's evangelical Christians are rightly concerned about the secular worldview's rejection of biblical Christianity, we ought to give some urgent attention to a problem much closer to home--biblical illiteracy in the church. This scandalous problem is our own, and it's up to us to fix it.

Researchers George Gallup and Jim Castelli put the problem squarely: "Americans revere the Bible--but, by and large, they don't read it. And because they don't read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates." How bad is it? Researchers tell us that it's worse than most could imagine.

Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. According to data from the Barna Research Group, 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten Commandments. "No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don't know what they are," said George Barna, president of the firm. The bottom line? "Increasingly, America is biblically illiterate." [see Barna Group's web site]

Multiple surveys reveal the problem in stark terms. According to 82 percent of Americans, "God helps those who help themselves," is a Bible verse. Those identified as born-again Christians did better--by one percent. A majority of adults think the Bible teaches that the most important purpose in life is taking care of one's family.

Some of the statistics are enough to perplex even those aware of the problem. A Barna poll indicated that at least 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. Another survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. We are in big trouble.

7 Reasons Your Church Should Take Eschatology Seriously

Photo Credit: TGC

It is concerning that some churches today don’t take eschatology seriously. The very fact that God has revealed so many details about events to come in both testaments tells us that it is important. At the center of biblical eschatology is the blessed hope of the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Not only should we be interested in prophetic events to come, we are also looking for our Savior, with whom we will spend eternity.

Why do some churches neglect serious study of eschatology? One issue is complexity. There are many eschatological details in the Bible to work through and harmonize. So there is hard work to do in this area. Also, when we see godly men disagreeing on prophetic issues, it can be disheartening. Another reason might be that some don’t want to be linked with those who have abused eschatology. There are those who have become obsessed with the end times by offering a date for Jesus’ return, or treating many current events as fulfillments of Bible prophecy. So some people have swung away from the abuse of eschatology to no interest at all.

But these are not good reasons to avoid the study of eschatology. Below are 7 reasons churches should take eschatology seriously:

1. ESCHATOLOGY IS A MAJOR PART OF THE CHRISTIAN STORYLINE

Eschatology is a major part of the Bible’s story. By “story,” I’m not talking about fiction. I’m talking about the narrative of the Christian worldview. Since Christianity is rooted in history and real historical events, God’s story includes past, present, and future events. All should be taught. We simply should not ignore prophetic events that are future from our standpoint—events such as the rapture, the Day of the Lord, the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the Eternal State. We must also talk about heaven and hell, and the coming New Earth. To avoid discussion of eschatology is to avoid an important part of the Christian worldview.

2. WE ARE CALLED TO PREACH AND HEED THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD

There are large sections of Scripture devoted to prophecy, many of which still need to be fulfilled from our current standpoint. For example the events of Ezekiel 36–48 still need to occur. In the New Testament passages like Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; much of Luke 21; 1 Thess. 4-5; 2 Thess 1-2; 2 Peter 3; Revelation 6-22 describe events that still need to happen. We cannot ignore these passages. Paul says in Acts 20:27, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” If your church does not teach what the Bible says about the future, the whole counsel of God is not being taught.

Disciple and Counsel with Biblical Confidence

1.        "The gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of biblical change (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 5:1; 6:16-18; 8:13). The gospel brings spiritual new birth, and it orients, guides, empowers, and dominates all of the Christian life following regeneration (Col. 2:6).

2.       Change is always possible for believers in Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6; Rom. 6:17-18). No Christian is so entrenched in sin, so dominated by his past or anything else, that he cannot be changed by the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit.

3.       The Word of God applied by the Spirit of God is the primary tool for change (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Ps. 119:1, 24, 133). Living and active, inerrant, God-revealed, Christ-commended, Spirit-empowered—when it comes to changing people, there is nothing like the Bible.

4.       The heart is the place where real, long-lasting change takes place (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5; Prov. 4:23; Mark 7:21-23; Matt. 12:34). The heart is where a person thinks, considers, analyzes, evaluates, feels, decides, and chooses—the mission control center of life, the real person on the inside, the inner man. Counseling is about changing a person’s heart or moment-by-moment thinking.

5.       God’s plan for practical daily change is: put off / be renewed / put on (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:8-14). That plan includes the following components: put off, be renewed in your mind, put on true thoughts and righteous acts.

One Day Every Knee Will Bow: The Comprehensive Scope of the Final Judgement

 Revelation 20:11-15

The Comprehensive Scope of the Great and Final Judgement

(Pt. 2)

INTRO:  Why are so many unsaved people not interested in the gospel anymore?  

Very few people fear God (Revelation 4; Isaiah 6) or the final judgement (Hebrews 9:27).  

Many assume that if there is a heaven and hell they will be admitted into heaven.  Who needs the "good news" if God is going to save everyone (except maybe serial killers and tyrants like Stalin)?  

Why do religious and irreligious unbelievers assume that if there really is a hell they have nothing to fear?  What role does the modern evangelical church play in this false assurance? 

To help us wrap our minds and hearts around the Final Day of Judgment and in effort to help us respond to this inspired prophecy in a God honoring way- we’ll highlight 7 Key Statements over the next few weeks:

Thus far we've seen:

1) The ABSOLUTE NECESSITY of this Great and Final Judgement

(Revelation 20:7-15; John 3:19-20)

and 2) The PERFECT CHARACTER of this Great and Final Judgement

(Revelation 20:11; Hab. 1:13; Psalm 1:5-6;)

This sermon will focus in on

3) The COMPREHENSIVE SCOPE of the Great and Final Judgement

(Revelation 20:12-13; Heb. 9:27)

Judgment at the Throne of God-

Is that You Lord? Hearing the True Voice of God

"Most believers think that God speaks to them on a regular basis. At least based on my experience, that appears to be the common perception. People use the expression “God told me” or “I heard God” all the time. Certainly, in its worst form, it announces the blasphemous declarations of today’s preachers of the prosperity gospel. Unfortunately, far too many people mimic that language in their everyday conversation. By using such language, they may be attempting to give legitimacy to a decision they’ve made or to defend some action they taken. For others, it may be an attempt to validate (or even to reach for) some level of perceived intimacy with God. They understand that intimacy is built on two-way communication, and so they feel a need to express their relationship to God in terms that capture the dynamic of dialogue, not monologue. But in all these cases, as teachers and leaders, we need to, first of all, help our people understand the theological dangers inherent in this kind of language. Second, we need to boldly present to people the power of God’s voice in its active sense through the Word of God.

For ages discerning pastors and theologians have recognized the dangers in claiming to hear the voice of God outside of Scripture. They recognize that there are stern warnings in Scripture against attributing to God words which, in fact, He did not speak (cf. Deut 18:20; cf. 13:1–5; 1 Cor 14:29–31). Because of the inherent authority that comes with a Word from God, the Lord recognized the potential abuse if people were to claim His authority for messages that merely come from their own imagination. For that reason, He not only established the very high standard of infallibility for all who claim to be His spokesmen, but He often confirmed them with accompanying miraculous signs (Acts 2:22; 5:12; 2 Cor 12:12). Therefore, for us to claim that God is speaking to us apart from Scripture potentially misrepresents God and places us in danger of His judgment. Instead, we recognize that divine revelation has come to us in the Holy Scripture (1 Cor 2:7–13; 2 Pet 1:19–21), and that this “canon” of Scripture was closed with the writing of the final book of the New Testament in the late first century (Rev 22:18–19). This has been the historic view of the church for most of its existence.

The Regular Intake of Scripture- Growing in Godliness (Lesson 3)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

 “Bible Intake”

Lesson 3; 10/7/18

The theme verse of this Sunday School study at Lake Country Bible Church is 1 Timothy 4:7-8.  It’d be a great verse to memorize this quarter.  Here is the handout from one of our adult Sunday School groups.

What are some of the things that are keeping you from practicing the spiritual disciplines?

“No spiritual discipline is more important than the intake of the Word of God.” (note Psalm 1; 19; 119)  Why is this so?

What are some of the chief motivations for being a “man or woman of the Word?”

(Jer. 9:23-24; 1 Pet. 2:2-3; Hos. 6:6; )

Matthew 4:4; Jesus answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

1 Timothy 4:6; If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

What are the different ways one can apply this specific discipline? (Bible intake)

1. HEARING the Word of God-

Are you a sermon critic?

Are you a sermon connoisseur?

OR are you an active, humble, and discerning sermon listener? 

King Jesus

"God reigns over the universe as a magnificent King whose resplendent royalty fills every corner of creation. We see this especially in the psalter, which reads like a collection of coronation hymns. The book of Psalms glorifies God as King and exults in the benefits of his kingdom. Consider just a sampling of statements from various enthronement psalms:

▪The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from His land (10:16).

▪ Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah (24:7–10).

▪ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as kingforever. May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! (29:10–11)

▪ God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted! (47:5–9)

▪ Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth (74:12).

▪ For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods (95:3).