You are not a Rock Star and other nuggets for the Worship Leader by Clint Archer

I use “worship leader” in the vernacular sense of the guy who leads the music. Of course, musical worship is only a smidgen of the worship that happens on Sunday. It’s one candle arrayed alongside the worship of preaching, fellowship, serving, giving, and parking far away so that the elderly can park closer.

But when people talk about liking “the worship” they generally mean “the band.” One congregant who should avoid this is the worship leader. Here are four tips for the leader of a worship band...

1. You are not a rock star. 

The task of the worship leader is to get out the way of worship, and to lift our attention to God. He cannot do this if he is showing off his ability to do a lead break. Worship leaders need to be humble. They should dress modestly. Sometimes musos have a particular look they are going for in their midweek gig. But when they ascend the platform at church, their personal brand is expendable. When a drummer complains about being caged in perspex, you know he’s more interested in showcasing himself than the Lord. When the bass player requests a solo stint, you’vesniffed out another prima donna in cognito. The pastor needs to take primary responsibility for the musical worship. If the band leader demands creative freedom, bulks at stylistic input from the elders, or becomes impatient with the limits put on his song selection, then he is not the man for the job.

He needs to take his cue from Ethan the Ezrahite (see Psalm 89), not Better than Ezra.

2. Content is king. 

The leader needs to understand that the content of the songs is the primary concern. Solid doctrine should be the hallmark of every lyric. He may need to change the lyrics slightly to mold it to the church’s beliefs; and that’s ok.

We’ve altered words before at our church. The sentimental, ”He thought of me above all,” became the marginally more astute, “He showed His love above all.” When selecting songs and hymns for the service, personal preference is a luxury. If the gray hairs like “Mighty Fortress” then play it occasionally. If the muso don’t like it…so what? This isn’t his garage band, this is the service of God and His people.

3. Less is more.

The music is there to support the lyric. Worship fundi, Stuart Townend, at a music workshop seminar in Johannesburg reminded worship leaders that there are times to ask, not “How should I play to make this better?” But rather, “Should I play at all right now?” He meant there are moments when it’s best to mute the instruments and allow the congregation’s voices fill the air.

It serves as a good reminder that frills, whistles, and bells can be distracting if they trip up the congregation. Case in point: when a lead guitarist is performing a gratuitous solo, think of what the rest of us are occupied with. We’re standing there watching him. I guess we could be using that time to admire the glory of God in His creature’s ability to jam. But in reality most of us are just waiting for our turn to praise God.

4. Worship!

The band members are not performing, they are worshipping. God must remain their central focus. He is why they come early to rehearse, and stay late to disassemble the drum kit. He is why they practice on their own during the week. Sunday is their offering to the Lord. They need to take a page out the Little Drummer Boy’s songsheet and play their best for Him (pa-rumpa-pum-pum).

This mindset also helps the band to have thick skin when people complain.

In this iPodian era when we get all the music we like on demand, and at the volume we prefer, style of worship becomes a sticky wicket in churches.

Some would enjoy more bass, others wish the drummer would take a long-leave sabbatical. Some like it loud, others want to hear their own voices. It can be paralyzing for the leader. But when remembers Who his audience really is, it takes off the pressure to please man.

Pasted from <http://thecripplegate.com/you-are-not-a-rock-star-and-other-nuggets-for-worship-leaders/>

Baal worship, then and now

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Pilgrim

http://defendingcontending.com/2009/02/16/baal-worship-then-and-now/

The following excellent piece was written by Matt Barber and was found on WorldNetDaily:
Modern-day liberals – or “progressives” as they more discreetly prefer – labor under an awkward misconception; namely, that there is anything remotely “progressive” about the fundamental canons of their blind, secular-humanist faith. In fact, today’s liberalism is largely a sanitized retread of an antiquated mythology – one that significantly predates the only truly progressive movement: biblical Christianity.

While visiting the Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg, Va., a few weeks back, I heard a troubling, albeit thought-provoking, sermon. Pastor John Mabray addressed the ancient Canaanite practice of Baal worship and, though he didn’t reveal it by name, connected the dots to its present-day progeny: liberalism. Baal, the half-bull, half-man god of fertility, was the focal point of pagan idolatry in Semitic Israel until God revealed His monotheistic nature to Judaism’s forebears.
In his sermon, Pastor Mabray illustrated that, although they’ve now assumed a more contemporary flair, the fundamentals of Baal worship remain alive and well today. The principal pillars of Baalism were child sacrifice, sexual immorality (both heterosexual and homosexual) and pantheism (reverence of creation over the Creator).

Ritualistic Baal worship, in sum, looked a little like this: Adults would gather around the altar of Baal. Infants would then be burned alive as a sacrificial offering to the deity. Amid horrific screams and the stench of charred human flesh, congregants – men and women alike – would engage in bisexual orgies. The ritual of convenience was intended to produce economic prosperity by prompting Baal to bring rain for the fertility of “mother earth.”

The natural consequences of such behavior – pregnancy and childbirth – and the associated financial burdens of “unplanned parenthood” were easily offset. One could either choose to engage in homosexual conduct or – with child sacrifice available on demand – could simply take part in another fertility ceremony to “terminate” the unwanted child.

Modern liberalism deviates little from its ancient predecessor. While its macabre rituals have been sanitized with flowery and euphemistic terms of art, its core tenets and practices remain eerily similar. The worship of “fertility” has been replaced with worship of “reproductive freedom” or “choice.” Child sacrifice via burnt offering has been updated, ever so slightly, to become child sacrifice by way of abortion. The ritualistic promotion, practice and celebration of both heterosexual and homosexual immorality and promiscuity have been carefully whitewashed – yet wholeheartedly embraced – by the cults of radical feminism, militant “gay rights” and “comprehensive sex education.” And, the pantheistic worship of “mother earth” has been substituted – in name only – for radical environmentalism.

But it’s not just self-styled “progressives” or secular humanists who have adopted the fundamental pillars of Baalism. In these postmodern times, we’ve also been graced, regrettably, by the advent of counter-biblical “emergent Christianity” or “quasi-Christianity,” as I prefer to call it.
This is merely liberalism all dolled up and gratuitously stamped “Christian.” It’s a way for left-wing ideologues to have their “religion” cake and eat it too. Under the guise of “social justice,” its adherents often support – or at least rationalize – the same pro-homosexual, pro-abortion and radical environmental policies pushed by the modern-day Baal worshiper.

Though the “Christian left” represent what is arguably a negligible minority within larger Christianity, the liberal media have, nonetheless, embraced their cause and seized upon their popularity among elites as evidence that the so-called “Christian right” (read: biblical Christianity) is losing influence – that Christianity is, somehow, “catching up with the times.”

Because emergent Christianity fails the authenticity test whenever subjected to even the most perfunctory biblical scrutiny, I suspect it will eventually go – for the most part – the way of the pet rock or the Macarena. But this does not absolve leaders within the evangelical community from a duty to call leaders of this counter-biblical revolution on their heresy. It’s not a matter of right versus left; it’s a matter of right versus wrong – of biblical versus non-biblical.

Nonetheless, the aforementioned pillars of postmodern Baalism – abortion, sexual relativism and radical environmentalism – will almost certainly make rapid headway over the next four to eight years, with or without help from the Christian left. The gods of liberalism have a new high priest in Barack Obama, and enjoy many devout followers in the Democratic-controlled Congress, liberal media and halls of academia.

Both Obama’s social agenda and that of the 111th Congress are rife with unfettered pro-abortion, freedom-chilling, pro-homosexual and power-grabbing environmentalist objectives. The same kind of “hope, action and change,” I suppose, that was swallowed up by the Baalist Canaanites of old.
So, today’s liberalism is really just a very old book with a shiny new cover. A philosophy rooted in ancient pagan traditions, of which there is naught to be proud.

There’s “nothing new under the sun,” indeed.

Ten reasons NOT to ask Jesus into your heart by Todd Friel

This was posted on http://defendingcontending.com/answering-common-errors/  July 21, 2009 by Pilgrim 

Ten reasons NOT to ask Jesus into your heart.
By Todd Friel

The music weeps, the preacher pleads, “Give your heart to Jesus. You have a God shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it.” Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people who want to get their spiritual life on track make their way to the altar. They ask Jesus into their heart.
Cut to three months later. Nobody has seen our new convert in church. The follow up committee calls him and encourages him to attend a Bible study, but to no avail. We label him a backslider and get ready for the next outreach event.

Our beloved child lies in her snuggly warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy. I want to ask Jesus into my heart.” You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks. You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it. Puberty hits and the answer reveals itself. She backslides. We spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.

Telling someone to ask Jesus into their hearts has a very typical result, backsliding. the Bible says that a person who is soundly saved puts his hand to the plow and does not look back because he is fit for service. In other words, a true convert cannot backslide. If a person backslides, he never slid forward in the first place. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (II Cor.5) No backsliding there.

Brace yourself for this one: with very few if any exceptions, anyone who asked Jesus into their hearts to be saved…is not. If you asked Jesus into your heart because you were told that is what you have to do to become a Christian, you were mis-informed.

If you have ever told someone to ask Jesus into their heart (like I have), you produced a false convert. Here is why.

1. It is not in the Bible.
There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20. To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong.
The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.
Even if the context didn’t tell us this, we would be forcing a meaning into the text (eisegesis). How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.

The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.

2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense.
What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.

3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38).Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.

4. In order to be saved, a man must trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).
Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.

5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security. Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.

6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden. Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.

7. It presents God as a beggar just hoping you will let Him into your busy life. This presentation of God robs Him of His sovereignty.

8. The cause of Christ is ridiculed. Visit an atheist web-site and read the pagans who scoff, “How dare those Christians tell us how to live when they get divorced more than we do? Who are they to say homosexuals shouldn’t adopt kids when tens of thousands of orphans don’t get adopted by Christians?” Born again believers adopt kids and don’t get divorced.
People who ask Jesus into their hearts do. Jesus gets mocked when false converts give Him a bad name.

9. The cause of evangelism is hindered. While it is certainly easier to get church members by telling them to ask Jesus into their hearts, try pleading with someone to make today the day of their salvation. Get ready for a painful response. “Why should I become a Christian when I have seen so called Christians act worse than a pagan?” People who ask Jesus into their hearts give pagans an excuse for not repenting.

10. Here is the scary one. People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment. How tragic that millions of people think they are right with God when they are not. How many people who will cry out, “Lord, Lord” on judgment day will be “Christians” who asked Jesus into their hearts?

So, what must one do to be saved? Repent and trust. (Heb.6:1) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.

If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.

Easter or Resurrection Sunday? Further Thoughts!

Easter or Resurrection Sunday? 

Is Easter in the Bible?

A better question: Should Easter be in the Bible?

Yes it is in the King James Version, but no, the King James translators made the mistake using the exiting name of the pagan festival instead of translating the Greek properly.  I have been on a personal crusade to stop using “Easter” and promote replacement of it with “Resurrection Sunday.”  In studying the crucifixion timeline, I learned the King James translators took the original Greek word pascha and mistranslated it with the word Easter in Acts 12.

CHAPTER 12

¹ Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. ² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³ And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) ⁴ And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter^a to bring him forth to the people. ^[1]

Here is Strong’s Concordance description of the word.  Of the 29 occurrences, 28 times “Passover” is used.  In newer translations, ESV and NKJV, “Passover” or “Feast of Unleavened Bread” is used.

3957 πάσχα [pascha /pas·khah/] n n. Of Aramaic origin cf 6453; TDNT 5:896; TDNTA 797; GK 4247; 29 occurrences; AV translates as “Passover” 28 times, and “Easter” once. 1 the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people’s deliverance of old from Egypt). 2 the paschal lamb, i.e. the lamb the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan (the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, might pass over their dwellings; Christ crucified is likened to the slain paschal lamb. 3 the paschal supper. 4 the paschal feast, the feast of the Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan. ^[2]

So, what of my crusade?  I am continuing with it.  To me and mine it will be “Resurrection Sunday”

We will not refer to the resurrection of our Lord by a pagan title.  Who could that please?

We will not think on bunnies and eggs.

We will not awake to see the sun rise on the spring solstice.

We will worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus with honor, humility, and truth!

Praise the Lord that the tomb is empty!

---

^a Easter: Gr. Passover

^[1] The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. Ac 12:1-4

n n: noun or neuter

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

TDNTA Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume

GK Goodrick-Kohlenberger

AV Authorized Version

^[2]Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G3957

Good Wednesday

Three Days and Three Nights[i]

The greatest fact of the Bible is that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God.[ii]  The gospel is the good news that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures. [iii] Scripture states that Jesus rose the third day, in three days, and after three days.[iv]  Only three full days – seventy-two full hours – will satisfy all the numerous statements of the New Testament.  If we believe 6 literal days of creation in Genesis, we must also believe in 3 literal days for Jesus to be in the tomb. 

Satan is at war against Jesus Christ and wants to deny His gospel by any lies that He can.[v]  Easter tradition has Jesus dying on Good Friday afternoon and rising Sunday morning – one day and two nights.  Easter tradition denies the gospel and the very sign that Jesus Christ gave of His identity as the Son of God.

A timeline as presented in scripture

Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples on the evening of the fourteenth by Moses’ law.[vi]  After Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and the disciples went to the garden to pray.  Judas met them there and betrayed Jesus.[vii]  The crucifixion began at 9:00 AM, and Jesus died after the darkness ended at 3:00 PM.[viii]  Jesus was buried hurriedly as the preparation day ended and the high Sabbath day was about to begin at sunset.[ix]  The women who followed Jesus rested the high Sabbath day of the Passover before buying and preparing their spices.[x]  The women bought their spices and prepared them on the regular workday between the two Sabbaths days this week.[xi]  The women rested during the weekly Sabbath day after buying and preparing their spices the previous workday.[xii]  Jesus rose from the dead as the weekly Sabbath ended – three days and three nights after burial – as prophesied.[xiii]  While it was still dark, “toward the dawn of the first day” the morning of the first day of the week, the women found the tomb already empty.[xiv]

The pivotal point to understand the timeline is that Passover is a High Sabbath day and Saturday is the weekly Sabbath day.  During the celebration of Passover, there were two Sabbath days; one High Sabbath (on Thursday) and the weekly Sabbath (on Saturday).  Friday was the only work day available to the women to buy the spices and prepare them.  They were forbidden to work on Thursday or Saturday.[xv]  They also could not have purchased the spices, prepared the ointments, and made it to the tomb “very early” on Sunday morning.[xvi]  Plus in Luke’s account the women went and saw the tomb (vs.55), then purchased spices (vs. 55) and then rested for the Sabbath (vs. 56).[xvii]  In Mark’s account the women bought spices “When the Sabbath was past.”  “And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.”[xviii]

When considering the women’s preparation of the spices and ointment and when they could purchase these and work on preparing the ointment; it is impossible to reconcile Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:55-56 with a Friday crucifixion and only one Sabbath day.  The proper timeline has the Lord’s Supper Tuesday evening, the arrest, trial, and crucifixion on Wednesday, the High Sabbath on Thursday, a regular work day on Friday, the weekly Sabbath on Saturday, and the resurrection before the women arrived at the tomb Sunday morning.

Therefore, I reject the tradition of a two night one day time in the tomb and teach a 3 day time in the tomb.  All of this only matters though if you repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus.  The cross was God’s desire to punish Jesus for our sins and impute Jesus’ righteousness on us while placing our sins on Jesus.  This grand substitution is the doctrine of imputation, and was God’s gift to me, a sinful man.

---

[i] This study is adapted from the same study at www.LetGodbetrue.com

[ii] John 20:30-31; Acts 8:36-37; I John 5:4-5

[iii] I Cor 15:1-4

[iv] Matthew 16:21; 26:61; 27:63

[v] II Cor 11:3-4; Gal 1:6-8

[vi] Exodus 12:6-8; Matt 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-17; Luke 22:7-15

[vii] Luke 22:14-20, 39-46

[viii] Matthew 27:45-50; Mark 15:25,33-37; Luke 23:44-49

[ix] Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14,31,42

[x] Mark 16:1 Exodus 12:16

[xi] Mark 16:1 cp Luke 23:55-56

[xii] Luke 23:55-56 cp Exodus 20:10

[xiii] Matthew 12:39-40; Mark 8:31

[xiv] Matt 28:1-6; Luke 24:1-3; John 20:1

[xv] Exodus 12:16, 20:10

[xvi] Mark 16:2

[xvii] Luke 23:55-56

[xviii] Mark 16:1

A Gospel Primer lesson on the Glory of God

This lesson is taken from Milton Vincent’s book A Gospel Primer for Christians Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love.  If you don’t have a copy of this book, we strongly urge you to get one.  Make it a daily part of your quiet time with God, preaching the gospel to yourself daily.  In part two of the book, the gospel is presented in narrative form.  We would like to share this with you.

The Glory of God

1.                  My God is immense beyond imagination.  He measured the entire universe with merely the span of His hand.[i]

2.                  He is unimaginably awesome in all of His perfections, absolutely righteous, holy, and just in all of His ways. [ii]

3.                  He has also been unbelievably good and merciful to me as the creator and sustainer of my life.

4.                  Every breath, every heartbeat, every function of every organ in my body is a gift from Him.

5.                  Every legitimate pleasure I experience is a gift from His loving hand to me.[iii]

6.                  All that I am and all that I have I owe to Him and to His goodness.[iv]

7.                  My life in every way is, and will continue to be, utterly dependent upon Him in whom I live and move and have my being.[v]

8.                  This wonderful God is the most supremely worthy Object of admiration,[vi] honor,[vii] and delight[viii] in all of the universe;

9.                  And He has created me with the intention that I might glorify Him[ix] by finding my soul’s delight in Him and by living in joyful obedience to Him in all of my ways.[x]

Thank you Lord Jesus for our health, our wealth, our family, your protection, guidance, and love.

---

[i] Isaiah 40:12. “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span . . . ?”

[ii] Deuteronomy 32.

[iii] 1 Timothy 6:17. “ . . . God . . . richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” 

Acts 14:17. “and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

[iv] James 1:17. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

[v] Acts 17:28. “for in Him we live and move and exist . . .”

[vi] Psalm 96.

[vii] Revelation 4:11. “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

[viii] Psalm 16:11. “. . . in Your presence is fullness of joy: In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

Psalm 37:4. “Delight yourself in the Lord . . .”

[ix] Romans 11:36. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things [including me].  To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 10:31. “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

[x] Psalm 37:4

Deuteronomy 5.

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Tit 3:1-8

Good News!  He saved us.  Donna and I heard Dr. Steve Lawson say, "Jesus stands at the door and knocks, then He comes around the back, and opens the door Himself."  We do not accept Jesus, He saves us.  Read 1 John and work out your own salvation

Taken from Wretched Newsletter

I got this from Todd Friel and his wretched newsletter today.  As a TV and Radio guy, he has been hit with laryngitis.  I was hit with pneumonia.  His review of why he got sick is worthy of reflection.  I really really like the part about this sickness is not punishment for sin.  Jesus finished that work on the cross for those that are saved. 

 

Up My Nose with a Rubber Hose

“Just snort this and the tube will go in easier,” said the man with the humongous diploma on his wall. I recognized his name on the formal document, but the rest of the diploma was written in Latin. For all I know, he could have received his medical certificate at the same on-line joint that ordains so-called bishops.

I am no otolaryngologist, but I know the nose is not made to have things go in that direction. Nevertheless, like a compliant child, I did as I was told. “Now say ‘Eeeee’. Whistle. Breathe. OK, everything looks pretty good. Just give it some time. Oh, and don’t talk.”

Don’t talk? Telling me to not talk is like telling a plumber to not plumb. Like telling Tim to not Tebow. Like telling a lawyer to not lie.

Question Number One: Who?

Who gave me laryngitis? There are only two options: the devil or God. It sure seems that the devil could have given my vocal chords an infection (Luke 13:11,16; Acts 10:37,38). I prefer to think, however, that it was God who either caused or allowed me to temporarily lose my voice.

Question Number Two: Why?

If it was the devil, why did he give me this? It is sort of interesting that I was going to do open-air preaching at the University of Georgia Athens (Go Dawgs!) on Wednesday. That is now temporarily postponed.

If it was the Lord who shut down my pipes, my job is to now figure out why. That is the assignment of every Christian who is going through something difficult. Here are my (and your) options.

1.       God is disciplining me (cf. Zechariah). Perhaps I have been speaking carelessly.

2.       God is teaching me gratitude. I know I have not been grateful for my voice.

3.       God is refining me to make me more like Jesus.

4.       God is preparing me for something. 

5.       God is teaching me to be more compassionate to those who struggle or suffer.

Four Things Are Certain

First, I am not going to ask God to speak to me and tell me why I have laryngitis. I will ask Him to reveal sin in my life and I will ask Him to help me repent of anything that might be the reason for this possible chastisement, but I will not ask Him to speak to me. It might just be a matter of time before the answer is made obvious. I might not find out for years why God would allow/cause a radio guy to get all raspy.

Second, I sure am grateful for God’s amazing creative brilliance. Have you seen the way He made your vocal chords? Kinda gross, but amazing.

Third, I never knew how much yammering I do. Try saying NOTHING for an hour and you will be shocked. You can’t even call your dog or bless your child who sneezes. I have learned why Proverbs 10:19 says, “Where words are many, sin is not absent.”

The fourth thing I know is the clearest of all. He is NOT punishing me for my sins. That is a fact. If He were, then the sacrifice of Jesus for my filth and foulness was not enough. 

Thankfully, Jesus died for all of my (and your) sins. So I can sit here, silently, and thank Him for saving a wretch like me. 

Talk to you soon. Lord willing.

-Todd

Sanctification - Saint - Set Apart - Holy

Sanctification is the same as Holy.  It means set apart.  Someone who is sanctified is called a saint.  When God commanded Aaron to make the utensils for the Tabernacle, they had to be made Holy.  They had to be set apart and sanctified.  They were not allowed to go get a pair of tongs from the kitchen to use for God's alter.  They had to be pure and holy for Him.

Sanctification in our lives occurs upon repentance and belief.  Once a person repents and believes and is saved, God sets them apart from the unsaved.  So sanctification occurs at salvation.  However, it is also a life- long ongoing process from where we were not saved to the ultimate glorification.  You should be able to look back over your life from when you were saved until now and see a firm pattern of growth in sanctification.  You should also look forward and recognize that you are nowhere near where you want to be.  There is always growth potential in our Christian lives.  You are either growing in Christ, standing still, or backsliding.  Or worse yet, never saved to begin with.  You must consider this for yourself.  Read the letter of 1 John.  If you do not see progress in ongoing sanctification in your life, repent and believe.  Ask Jesus to work in your life and speak to your heart through His word.  Work through the tests in 1 John and see if you are truly saved.

1     That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ^2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ^3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ^4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. 1 Jn 1:1-4

 

I want your joy to be full!

Imputation - What is it? Why do I like it?

Imputation is defined as the act of imputing.  What a lame definition.  Impute means to ascribe a crime or fault to another or to attribute (wickedness or merit) to a person as transmitted by another.  That is from the modern collegiate dictionary.  I don't have Mr. Webster's good dictionary here.  Maybe one of my regular commentators will provide the definition.  Websters 1828 dictionary defines imputation as ~ the act of imputing or charging, attribution. Impute ~ to set to the account of, to attribute; to ascribe, to reckon to one what does not belong to him. (by your loving commentator)

The doctrine of imputation is critically important in understanding the work Jesus for us did on the cross.  We are sinners.  While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  God has to punish sin.  We deserve that punishment.  God allowed Jesus to take that punishment for us as a substitute.  The doctrine of imputation says that God now looks on us "as if" we had the perfection of Jesus imputed to our account, and God punished Jesus for our sins (all of them) by imputing our sins on Jesus.  Jesus became our substitute on the cross.  His imputed righteousness becomes our justification.

4^23 Now it was not written for his (Abraham's) sake alone that it was imputed to him, ^24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ^25who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Romans 4:23 -  5:2

Remember that every sin will be punished.  Those that don't repent and believe will be punished for their sins for eternity in Hell.  Jesus took the punishment for the sins of God's elect on the cross.

Judge Not . . . . .

I am convinced this is the most quoted verse in the Bible by our pagan friends. I think it is from a deep seated knowledge that they know they are pagan already and don't want to be reminded of it, especially by you.

When Jesus gave us this teaching in Matthew 7, He was not instructing not to judge others, He was telling us how to judge others.

7     “Judge not, that you be not judged. ^2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ^3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ^4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ^5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 7:1-5

Jesus is reminding us that to judge someone else is a task full of potential landmines and should only be considered after much self reflection and inspection.  The warning is that the measuring cup you use will be used with you.  Make sure your cup is full of grace and mercy as much as depends on you.  You also need to remember that you are a much worse sinner than your brother and that Jesus saved you from your sins.  Preach the gospel to yourself everyday.  Especially preach the gospel to yourself before doing speck surgery on your brother.  By remembering the measuring cup you are filling, and the great mercy Jesus has bestowed on you, you will be able to recognize that there is indeed a plank in your eye.  Work on it first, then you will be able to "help" your brother with his speck.  I like the way Jesus put it, "you will be able to see clearly."

Wrapping up a good year

It has been a good 2011 for the family and we are anticipating a great 2012. The highlight was Katie's wedding. We welcomed Bryant into the family and now they are expecting our first grand baby in early July 2012. I named her Olive, but I don't have any idea or preference on who will arrive, our grandson or granddaughter. We keep teasing Katie and urge her to have both at one time. How thrilling would that be?

Rob and Sarah decided on a December wedding in 2012. Plans are well under way for a fun filled weekend in New Orleans. And now it is less than a year away. I wonder, do you have a -1 year anniversary? I would have if I had ever been patient enough to wait that long to get married. Not this kid.

Our Missions work for 2011 was a hard trip to Haiti. I had an allergic reaction to the pillow and sheets and my head swelled up like a melon. The Lord gave Pastor Jeff and Pastor Jason insight to my plight and my ailment began going away after I removed the pillow. The week was very hard for me because of the walking and the hills. Our gracious Lord provided a truck for me for many of the planned walks. My goal for the trip was to be used by God to do good work for needy people in Haiti. Only through His provision was I able to reach that goal. He meets us at the end of our ability, and then He begins to work and get things accomplished.

Our Mission for 2012 occurs in a few weeks in late January. Donna, Will, and I will be traveling to Honduras. Will is going to serve as a VBS worker. Donna and I will be cooking and shopping for the team. I think the walking will be about the same as Haiti, but there are no hills in El Progresso where we will be staying. I also much prefer to have my partner and my children with me when we go on mission trips.

I enjoy the last day of work for a year. Usually, I plan on being very busy because I have a due date for work that requires a quick turn-around in late December. Unfortunately, I must rely on others to provide the work and for the last several turns, it hasn't been available. So I end the year with a clean desk, a fresh new calendar, plans formulating in my mind for what lies ahead.

God's word advises us to count our days. I know we don't know when we will leave this life, but "on average" you can figure out how many days you have until you turn 72 or 82 or 102. Count those days. Remember that none of them are promised to you.

Our prayers for the new year is that God keeps divorce out of our family for 200 years. Our Olive arrives healthy, safely, and easily. Our family continues to grow with weddings and births. And God will continue to greatly bless our family. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Retirement Promises

Don't believe the promises of politicians or bosses. Even if they put it in writing, it does not carry any significance in our days. People will lie to you and sell you on future promises. I think most of them believed the promises. I know that when I interviewed prospective state employees, I told them what the retirement system was and what they could expect in 25 years. I meant it, because it was what I was told the contract was. I don't know how people can go in now and change a promise made 22 years ago for what is going to happen in 25 years.

Therefore, my advise to you is to not believe everything you hear. When you want to retire, make sure you have the money in your control. Don't depend on politicians. Don't depend on bankers or stock brokers. They will steal your money just as quickly. Get you income secured by durable assets such as land and royalty rights to ongoing money making ventures. Spread your investments around 7 or 8 times so no one person will steal all your money.

Be smart. Lay up treasures for yourself in Heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt. Trust in the Lord all your days. Seek to walk humbly with Him, love justice and do mercy. Don't believe it when they tell you your pension will be there.