Pastor Charlie Wallace.com

The Promise

2012-02-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

New sermon series starts this Sunday!

A Different Kind of Message

2012-01-12T10:33:00.008-05:00

This Sunday I will be preaching a different type of message. As we begin to close out the book of 1 Peter, we reach chapter 5:1-4.

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; [3] not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. [4] And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. [5] Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:1-5 ESV)

Before Peter ends this letter to the persecuted church, he reminds both the shepherds of the church and the church itself how they are to interact with each other and live with each other. God has ordained pastors/elders and deacons to lead His church. They have a huge responsibility when it comes to shepherding the flock. They are to do so in accordance to God's will - not for their own glory, but for His. Likewise, the people are to humble themselves under this authority. There is tremendous grace in this way of thinking. Prepare yourself for this weekend and pray for me as I deliver this message. May we both be blessed because of it.

Making Disciples by Following Jesus

2011-12-29T15:47:00.006-05:00

I’ve spent the last several months praying to God and asking Him to give me a vision for David Baptist Church for 2012. You should know that it’s normal for a pastor to receive a vision for God’s church but if the people do not buy into it then the vision will never be realized. As I’ve been praying about this, God has revealed anew to me several truths about His church:

First, every church exists because God has called to exist. Additionally, He allows them to continue to exist. I also believe that God allows unfruitful churches to close down as he “takes their lampstands” away from them as He warned in Revelation.

Secondly, I also believe that every church has one basic calling: to make disciples. This specific calling can be accomplished in a variety of ways. From helping the poor to witnessing to one’s neighbor, the process of making disciples is a never-ending one that includes many streams to fulfillment. Jesus has called the church to make disciples through loving others into His Kingdom.

This truth led me to think more about the main duty of the church in making disciples. Who makes disciples? Individual believers. And the primary calling of every individual believer is to follow Jesus. Following Jesus is not easy. It’s hard...but it’s well worth it. One look at Jesus’ life and it's clear that he called many. Some followed. Others refused.

The vision that I want you, the people of David Baptist Church, to take hold of in 2012 is that as a part of God’s church, you are called to make disciples. You can accomplish this as individuals by following Jesus as closely as possible.

I am going to spend much of the year preaching through the first eight chapters of the book of Acts. Then we're going to look at the seven churches of Revelation. As we learn about these churches of Jesus, let's meditate on how these individual believers made disciples by following Jesus.

Join me in making your personal 2012 slogan: “Making Disciples by Following Jesus.” It was what you were called by God to do when He saved you.

Christmas Message from Pastor Charlie

2011-12-21T10:54:00.001-05:00

Living for Jesus

2011-12-20T09:56:00.007-05:00

Christmas time is an awkward season for Christians. Most everyone knows that Jesus is indeed the reason for the season. However, the culture in which we live, caught up in the pursuit of not offending those with other religious beliefs, offend Christians instead by replacing Christmas greetings, slogans, and mentions with those of a generic "Happy Holidays."

I recently heard of one elementary school, which, during a reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" replaced the final line with: "Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!" I'm pretty sure, Santa did not say that...

The awkwardness for Christians comes in how to respond to this blatant replacement. For too long Christians have been responding the wrong way. Getting angry at the culture, throwing virtual stones at it, and arguing with it with self-appointed "righteousness" doesn't do Jesus any favors. Peter says in his first epistle that believers are to give an answer for the hope that is in them "with gentleness and respect." Christians do not have to, nor should they, agree with "Christmas replacement" techniques. However, how they respond is of the utmost importance. By giving those opponents of Christmas joy the respect that they are due (being made in the image of God, as all people are) we bring honor to our Lord Jesus in the process. The end goal of this process should be to show and speak the Gospel into those people's lives so that they will see their need for redemption and one day honor Him as Lord too.

In your Christmas endeavors this week, respond to those negative promotions with gentleness and respect and honor Jesus in the process.

Suffering for Jesus: Honoring Him

2011-12-06T10:07:00.003-05:00

One the hardest things to do when one is undergoing suffering is to honor Jesus in the process. Scripture clearly tells us in 1 Peter 3:14 that if a person suffers for Jesus' sake he will surely be blessed. How often do we think of suffering as being a blessing? Not very much. The reason we do not is because we have an identity crisis.

What do I mean by this? Before Jesus is Lord of our life, we are lord of our life. We essentially worship ourselves, our dreams, our visions, our hopes. However, when Jesus saves us, not only does he give us new life in Him, but he also reigns in us. This means that our old life passes away (along with our old allegiances). We now live for Jesus and not vice versa.

Many of the struggles that we face in this world are compounded by the faulty view that Christians are free to live for themselves now. No...a true believer in Jesus is called to be transformed and to orient his or or her life around the King.

The Suffering Church

2011-11-28T10:31:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, I started a new sermon series titled, "Suffering for Jesus." This eight-week series will bring us to the conclusion of the book of 1 Peter - a letter which was written to persecuted believers whose entire lives were ones that were filled with suffering.

In this passage, Peter encourages the believers to, despite their suffering, have unity among themselves. He then gives nine attributes of what it looks like to be unified: to sympathize with one another, to love one another, to tender their hearts, to have a humble mind, to not "get even," to bless each other, to keep one's tongue from evil, to do good and to pursue peace.

I gave both services a challenge during the message: to go the rest of the day without speaking one negative word about someone else or their current situation. Well, how did y'all do?

Genesis 16 - The Great Redeemer

2011-11-16T11:03:00.006-05:00

Tonight I'll be teaching through Genesis 16. This is the account where Sarai offers her maidservant, Hagar, to Abram in order to "make sure" that Abram will have a male son born to him. She does this (and Abram accepts) despite the fact that on two separate earlier occasions God promised that a son would be born to him.

Why are we so fast to take matters of faith and promise into our own hands? Like Abram and Sarai, right after we see God work in an amazing way, we begin doubt his sovereignty, power, and love for us.

In Sarai and Abram's situation there was a sinful solution to a perceived problem followed by a direct consequence as well as a long term result of that sin. Thankfully, because of His nature God redeems those affected by sin (through Jesus) as He swooped in and blessed Hagar. This is a part of God's character - a great redeemer.

Links of interest for Wednesday, Nov. 16

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Helpful Police? - The things people have to say to get help!

Let Us All Unite - This movie clip is a wonderful speech about how humanity (with the leadership of the Holy Spirit) can truly make a difference.

A Year of Living the Bible - A fascinating video testimony of a secular journalist who tried to live "biblically" for one year - including a story of him stoning an adulterer! Obviously, don't agree with everything the man says. His understanding of taking the Bible "literally" is silly. This is what happens when one takes the Bible out of its historical and natural context. Sad to say he knows his Bible better that most of us! It is amazing, however, how the Word of God did change his view of things of the world. It seems, however, like the Pharisees, he missed Jesus throughout the Bible. Thankfully, Jesus fulfilled the law so that we didn't have to.

Links Du Jour

2011-11-14T15:16:00.001-05:00

Here are a few interesting links that I'd thought I'd share with you this morning:

What are the odds? - Here is a cool site that basically states that the odds that you exist are zero. This should make you greatly appreciate Jeremiah 1:5

Picture of the earth at night - Here is a picture of the entire earth at night. I don't know about you, but this makes me thankful that I live in a part of the world with electricity.

Space Shuttle Cockpit - Ever wonder what it would be like to sit in one? This ought to give you some appreciation of those astronauts that flew these things.

Dwight Schrute - Everyone needs a reality check from time to time...

What's the Bible About - In case you have forgotten...

Your Identity in Christ

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

As a Christian, you have both an identity and a calling. Today I want you to see four attributes of your identity in Christ.

1. You are Chosen

9But you are a chosen race, - Here we have a sobering thought. Unlike those in the previous verse, those whom Peter says were destined to disobey the Gospel, Peter says but you are chosen in Christ! Unlike unbelievers, who because of their rejection of Jesus, are destined for eternal torment, believers are a chosen race! You are God’s people!

Deut. 7:6-9: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,”

- Just as God chose Israel for a special purpose within His plan of redemption so you are chosen as well!

- Now, to be fair, you did nothing to deserve this. Your choosing is entirely by the grace of God. This is the most pride-crushing truth in the Bible. You are not saved because of what you have you done, who you are, who your parents are...you are saved because God chose so!

Furthermore, we see that you are part of a larger community. You are meant to live in community. Christianity is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport.

This teaching brings peace no matter what happens in your life - no matter what your circumstance is.

2. You are Royal

a royal priesthood,

Rev. 5:10 - “and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

- The priests in this picture serve King Jesus by having access to His holy presence, into which they come offering spiritual sacrifices to Him, and secondly, they rule with the king in his kingdom.

You are now part of a royal family - more royal than any other monarchy that exists. The king that we serve is Jesus Christ.

3. You are Holy

a holy nation, - Because God has saved you, you are to be a holy nation! This is your calling!

- “Nation” is where we get our word, “ethnic.” It means a people group. You are a group of people that is to be holy! You are made right with God through Jesus’ holiness and are simultaneously commanded to grow in holiness. The HS assists you in living out more and more holy lives. Again, this happens in community.

We have many community options at David. (Sunday school, various discipleship groups, Redemption Groups,) - But the lifeblood is a Sunday school class/small group. This is the main highway. This is where relationships take place. This is where you pray for each other, minister to each other, etc. This is where life happens.

Furthermore, if you teach youth/children, you need to supplement that in community someway.

4. You are God’s

a people for his own possession, - this means that you were “acquired for a price.” You belong to God because he bought you at the ultimate price - the price of His Son.

Titus 2:13-14: - “...waiting for our blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Tomorrow we'll look at your calling as a Christian.

This Week!

2011-10-13T14:59:00.002-04:00

Sermon Outline for 9/11

2011-09-13T11:07:00.003-04:00

Holiness: Our Response to Suffering (1 Peter 1:13-16)

September 11, 2011å

ME:

YOU:

Intro: Jesus says "from everyone who has been given, much will be required." Luke 12:48. Because God has so graciously saved us, what are doing about it? Holiness is the answer. The ultimate gift demands the ultimate response.

After spiritually refreshing the people, Peter now spurs them towards holiness and to live obedient, christ-centered lives.

READ TEXT - 1 Peter 1:13-16

I. Holiness comes through Hope (v.13)

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation Jesus Christ.

Prepare your mind - means to tighten your belt. Hunker down. Tying something down. Why do we need go prepare our minds like this? Because storms will come. If God is going to have your heart, he must first have your mind.

We don't just study the bible to gain knowledge and meaning behind the Greek and Hebrew. We read it so as we gain greater understanding we will allow the intellectual enlightenment to change our hearts motivations, thus growing in holiness.

Sober your mind - do not allow your mind to become intoxicated. Literal and figurative. Have control of your thoughts and actions. One of the biggest intoxications of clear thinking is worry, fear, and anxiety. All of us struggle with one of the other:

Worry: verb, to allow ones mind to dwell (live) on difficulty or troubles. As a noun worry is a state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Don't allow worry to control you. Don't live there. Live in view of Heaven.

Fear: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

This threat can be real or perceived. But the bible tells us not fear that which can harm the body but to fear that which can destroy the soul.

Anxiety: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain future.

Therefore, instead of meditating on fearful, worrisome, or anxious thoughts, replace them with thoughts of your future and present inheritance.

Set all your hope on Jesus - you will be given grace in Heaven. Hope is your attitude toward the future. It is similar to faith in that it is the trusting of God. Hope is future faith. We are to hope fully with no doubt. We are to hope for Jesus second coming as if it had already happened. We are to live in view of the second coming. This should give us a positive and not a negative outlook on life. This is a gracious act of God.

We are also to rest in and trust his grace like a boat trusts an anchor.

Holiness comes through hope in Jesus.

II. Holiness comes through Obedience (v.14)

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

Be like obedient children - this means that you will behave like an obedient child. Over time, if you are not obedient you may not be a child of God.

ILL: Children typically act like their parents. Jackson lines everything up before he goes to bed, didn't eat candy. Jackson preaches like me and talks about Jesus to people.

"everyone else is doing it." god knows that and because of that he calls you to be a non conformist.

Don’t be a slave to your sin - when we claim to follow christ but our lives are not being conformed in holiness then we are a actively expressing that we do not fully understand or appreciate the grace God has given us through our salvation.

Explain gospel. If that truth does not motivate you to live a holy life than have not been regenerated or are still obeying sin as your master.

III. Holiness comes through Conduct (v.15-16)

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Because God is holy, be holy in all things

God is holy in the sense that he is different than anything else in all of creation. Yu are to be holy and set apart because you are different than the unbelieving world.

Galatians 5:16-26

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

What sin(s) must you turn from in order to fully live for Jesus?

Joy in Suffering

2011-08-18T10:26:00.004-04:00

This week I am going to start preaching through the book of 1 Peter. I must admit that this is a last minute change to my preaching schedule. As soon as I was through with my series on worship I was prepared to preach through another book of the Bible. I had the entire thing mapped out for the fall. But, through my devotional time last week, God made it clear to me that 1 Peter was the book to preach from next. I am excited about preaching through this letter.

The main theme of this letter that Peter sent to various churches throughout Asia Minor is that they should have joy in their suffering. Suffering is a fact of life. We cannot escape the fact that we will all suffer at times physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, and many other ways. However, as Christians we can, and should have joy in our suffering.

Sunday we'll look at the first five verses of this great letter and see the reasons that believers can have joy in their suffering. Are you suffering in some way? Do you have a friend of family member who is? Invite them to church this Sunday (and the next few weeks) so that they will can have a better grasp on God's plan for them through their suffering.

Gospel Songs

2011-08-08T13:38:00.003-04:00

"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open it's seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation," (Rev. 5:9)

One of the most potentially divisive issues in church life is that of music. Most people have certain musical preferences but often times these preferences can become idolatrous demands. With this potential landmine always lurking around the corners of church life, how should churches navigate through this area of various musical styles and arrangements?

I don't pretend to have the ultimate answer but I do believe that the real worship war is not fought simply over musical styles. It's fought over the theological truths and lyrics found in the music.

When I met with our church worship committee for the first time I told them that my only preference was to sing Christ-centered and Gospel-centered songs. There are many songs that exist that are good songs that mention parts of God's character and how He has/will help/love us. Those are good things to sing...but they're not the best things to sing. We should seek to sing "Gospel songs" that tell the story of what Jesus did on the cross as much as we possibly can. It doesn't matter if the song was written in 1880 or 2011 - I want to sing a Gospel song.

As we see in Revelation, when we're in Heaven, God's people will be singing songs of our Redeemer. God's church desperately needs to consider singing songs that speak of what Christ has done specifically through his atoning work on the cross.

Another Reason to Be Thankful for Your Salvation

2011-07-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

Another reason to be joyful for your salvation is the fact that you have an advocate in Christ

"27All things have been handed over to me by my Father,"

The truth is that if you are saved then Jesus is your lobbyist. He is your advocate. He is constantly pleading before God the Father and the Father listens to Him because He is Jesus and he is perfect. You are not. God listens to you because of Jesus. Look what Paul says,

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?..." (Rom. 8:31-35)

This last question beckons the answer "no one!!!!" Because of Christ you are untouchable! Nothing will be ever to separate you from the love of God because, and only because, of Jesus Christ!

Over the last few weeks and the American public has become very aware of the murder trial of Casey Anthony. Because we live in a country where if you are charged with a crime, you are innocent until proven guilty and the burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove you guilty, the process of convicting someone for a creim can be quite tedious. It helps if the accuse has a good lawyer. In the case of Casey Anthony her primary lawyer was a man named Jose Biaz. His job was to convince the jury that Casey Anthony did not murder her daughter. Based on his arguments (and the arguments of the prosecution) the jury made their decision.

For you, God is both judge and jury and you are Casey Anthony. Only God, Casey, and her daughter truly knows what happened. However, you are guilty at sinning against God. This truth demands punishment. Thankfully, Jesus Christ is your lawyer, he is your advocate. And God listens to your lawyer because He knows and trusts your lawyer. Your lawyer's reputation is why your Judge finds you innocent. You are innocent because Jesus Christ exchanged your guilt for His righteousness on the cross. He took your penalty and God acquitted you because of Jesus.

Be joyful that there is now no more condemnation because solely of Jesus Christ!

Two Reasons to Be Thankful for Your Salvation

2011-07-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Why should we be thankful? First, because, God’s ways are not our ways.

Look at the next part of verse 25:

"...that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;"

If mankind could devise a system of religion, a system of coming to God, it would no doubt design it in one of two ways:

(1) A system of works/rules/laws where those who work the hardest make it to God or

(2) A system of antinomianism/no laws where there are no requirements - everyone is just 'in' God's good graces just by being who they are.

The good news is that God’s ways are different than ours would be. In God's plan of salvation, one comes to God through Jesus and only by Jesus. His only requirement includes repentance and faith. Repentance requires humility and facing the fact that you don’t have all the answers and you are not god - God is God.

Our text also shows us that it was, and is, God’s will to reveal the truth of the Gospel to those who are humble-minded like little children. Children are well aware of their dependance on others and God. They are humble. Adults are not. Children know they are small. They know they don’t possess ultimate knowledge. They know that their parents are bigger and wiser than they are. Children are humble in that way.

Likewise, the Gospel is for those who are humble and realize that they truly need a savior. Those who think they know everything, have all of life completely figured out, are completely self-reliant and independent, don’t see a need for the Gospel.

This past week we had Vacation Bible School at our church. Every night we closed things out by signing a rockin' child-friendly song. Every night it was so exciting to see kids dancing on the pews and singing to God because Jesus had saved them! They had no reservations just complete joy of their salvation

Secondly, we should be joyful because God’s Will is Gracious

"26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."

God’s design of salvation itself is very gracious. Think about when someone wrongs you. What is your your first inclination at how to respond? To get even, to get revenge. However, God’s first inclination to us as we have wronged him and hurt him, is not to retaliate. His first response is to offer forgiveness through Jesus Christ. His will is gracious.

Grace is giving us something that we don't deserve. We don't deserve anything that we have. Even what we have earned has been given to us according God's will. His will is gracious and we should be thankful at that truth.

The Joy of Faith

2011-07-25T10:49:00.007-04:00

I just became a Christian. What do I do now? from Crossway on Vimeo.

If you are a Christian, you should be joyful. If you truly believe that you were lost in your sin while living for yourself, a life with ultimately no meaning, and that Jesus has forgiven you of your sin and given your dead heart life, and has promised you eternal life and is now in the process of transforming who you are into who He has called you to be...then you should be joyful.

However so many people who claim to be Christians are not joyful. They allow the things of the world and the circumstances of life to steal their joy. This week, I want to show you that you have much to be thankful for.

Matthew 11:25-30:

25At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The main idea for this week's posts is to Be thankful

25At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth,...

Why should we be thankful? This week, we are going to look at five reasons...

Attribute of Unbelief: Pride

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

But even worse than just unrepentance and indifference is that of pride. In fact, pride is the source of all sin and ultimately leads to rejection of Jesus and exaltation of self.

Capernaum is where Jesus called his home. However they were so prideful that they didn't need a savior. Jesus compares them to the most wicked and vile city of scripture: Sodom. If Sodom would have heard the gospel, even they would have repented, Jesus claims. Pride is the chief of all sins that leads to the unforgivable sin of unbelief and is so bad it is counted worse than the most vile sinner that the person of Jesus' time could imagine.

In summation, we see four attributes of God's judgment throughout this passage:

1. Everyone will be judged

2. Punishment will be relative

3. Unbelief is unforgivable

4. God owes us nothing

But the good news is that the Gospel is available to so many people. And God calls those who have heard the Gospel to take it to those who have not. I'll leave you with this video about the Moi people group upon there first time hearing the good news:

Attribute of Unbelief: Indifference

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

A small number of people responded in faith to Jesus' miracles in these cities. Because Jesus worked miraculously in these places, those who rejected Jesus will be judged more severely than those in other towns who did not witness Jesus‘ works in these ways. The people who did not witness Jesus had less of God's revelation and therefore they will experience less severe judgment.

Tyre and Sidon were pagan Old Testament towns that were morally corrupt. Chorazin and Bethsaida were more moral but they still rejected jesus. Hence, their indifference to who Jesus was left them with no need for a savior. Jesus’ point here is that those people in these sinful and evil towns would have repented if they had seen the works of Jesus, unlike those indifferent and complacent cities that witness his miracles.

This brings up an interesting discussion. Is someone who has never heard of Jesus Christ condemned? Won’t he/she go to Heaven because they never had a chance to hear about Jesus? The answer, quite simply, is "no."

There are two ways that God reveals himself to people.

The first way he does this is through what we call General Revelation. Theologian Wayne Grudem calls this "the knowledge of God’s existence, character, and moral law, which comes through creation to all humanity" (Systematic Theology, 122)

In essence, all people know that God exists. That's why there are relatively few atheists in the world. Those who are must lie to themselves in order to believe in the existence of no god. Thus, agnosticism is on the rise and has become popular recently. Look what the Bible says concerning all people:

Rom. 1:18-21 - “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Rom. 2:14-16 - “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

General revelations comes through observing nature, seeing God’s directing influence in history, and through an inner sense of God’s existence and his laws that he has placed inside every person. And in the process all stand condemned and lost in their sins.

The other type of revelation that God gives people is that of special revelation. This is His words addressed to specific people, such as through the Bible, the words of the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles and the words of God spoken personally to people. This includes the Good News of Jesus Christ. General revelation is suitable to condemn. But only special revelation is suitable to save and atone for.

At this point many people push back and say, "That's not fair! If the person in deepest darkest Africa doesn't hear about Jesus how can He go to Hell? Maybe God will atone for his sin some other way."

If this is the case then the last thing we should do is share Jesus with them and them make the accountable. We should never do mission trips. We should just leave people alone. Secondly, if this is true then this truth makes Jesus' death on the cross utterly meaningless.

However, there is some grace involved. Those who have never heard the name of Jesus will go to Hell. But, it will be more bearable for them then those who rejected Jesus over and over again. Indifference will lead to judgment and that judgment will be more severe to those who have repeatedly rejected the truth of the Gospel.

Attribute of Unbelief: Unrepentance

2011-07-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

20Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

In these cities Jesus healed people, cured diseases, cast out demons, made the paralyzed walk, raised a girl from the dead, gave two blind men sight, and enabled a mute man to talk. Yet, despite all of these miracles that proved Jesus' Messiahship, that he was God's Son who was King of all people, the citizens where Jesus did these mighty works were largely unimpressed. Sure, in some cases some people they were amazed and others were happy and possibly amused, but most did not repent from living for themselves and follow Jesus as a result.

The simple truth of the gospel is that repentance/faith is necessary to escape God’s judgment.

Not turning from yourself and turning to Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life will lead to God judging you for your sin. Even if you have sinned just one time, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God. The good news is that God has not left you hanging. He sent Jesus Christ to this world to rescue you and pay your sin debt on the cross. However, those who refuse to accept this truth and turn to Jesus also willingly refuse to enter the kingdom of Heaven.

The Consequences of Unbelief

2011-07-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

Can somebody believe the Gospel and not be repentent? from Crossway on Vimeo.

The above video talks about the importance of repentance when it comes to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Repentance, the act of turning from one's self and turning to God, is the reason so many people remain lost in their sins. In order to be a Christian you must die to yourself and give all of your life to Jesus. This is the essence of repentance. This fact that many people will die unrepentant will keep many out of the kingdom of Heaven.

Vacation Bible School is taking place this week at church. One can look around at our facilities and tell how much time and effort our people have put in just to make the week fun for the kids. However, the challenge for the adults is to no lose our focus as to why this week is so important: it's not just so the kids can have fun. It's not just so the kids can learn cool songs, or make cool crafts or wear funny clothes. VBS exists so that boys and girls may hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and respond positively to the message.

Why? The consequence of doubting and rejecting Jesus is eternal judgment and this subject is what we will be looking at throughout this week.

Matthew 11:20-24:

20Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

This week we will look at how unbelief leads to God's judgment...

How to Overcome Doubt

2011-07-15T13:02:00.003-04:00

The good news about doubt in the believer is that it can be overcome.

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

After having his authority doubted, Jesus responds to the crowd, not by rebuking John, but instead by saying that John was who they thought he was: a strong leader who spoke the truth and was not some posh king. He was a man who lived in the wilderness. He was the real deal.

He was strong in the face of adversity and frequently denied worldly pleasures. And even he doubted...

John gives us a picture of what it takes to overcome doubt:

1. Strength in adversity - Jesus says that John was not just some reed that could be shaken by the wind. When adversity came, he was strong. Yes, he had doubts but he lived in the desert and he ate locusts for dinner. If anyone was strong under harsh conditions it was John.

When doubt appears in our life, if our faith is strong, if it is grounded on the Word of God and the truth of Christ we can rely on His strength to see us through our doubt.

2. Dying to one’s self - John's life was one of self-denial. Everything that he did was to deny himself and point to Jesus. He lived on the barest of necessities. His clothes were made of camel’s hair. He ate bugs. He decided early on to live a life where he would live on bare essentials in order to fulfill his mission that God had given him: to prepare the way for the Messiah.

When we get into the habit of denying ourselves and our selfish desires then we can truly run to Jesus when doubts arise. Moreover, we'll be prepared for them.

9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

3. A sense of one’s calling - John knew that he was called to be prophet. He knew that was what he was created for. In fact, Jesus claims that he is the greatest man who has ever lived. Even so, his job was to decrease in the public limelight and point people to repentance so that they may receive salvation through Jesus.

We can over come doubt when we are sure about what God has called us to do in our life. What is the will of God in my life? It is ultimately to point people toward Jesus Christ.

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

4. Knowing the point of Scripture - the point of Scripture is all about Jesus. When we realize that the Bible points us towards Jesus - the man we were created to worship, we can overcome doubt and be satisfied in who he is.

The problem is far too many of us don't know the point of Scripture. We think it's just self-help book or a history book. It contains these attributes but he heart of the Bible is that it is a Jesus Book. It points toward Him, speaks about Him and looks back at Him. The point of all Scripture is to point to salvation and sustaining in Him.

Reasons You Doubt

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

For all believers everywhere, doubt is a natural thought process. It happens. Now matter how strong your faith is, at some point you will doubt God's existence and the truth of the Gospel. If the greatest man who ever lived, next to Jesus, doubted, you will too:

1When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

John was in prison for speaking truth as well as his convictions. He was awaiting his execution, which eventually happened.

Four Reasons John Doubted (and we will too):

1 - Our Situation - Let’s look at John’s situation. Here was a man who had spent his life preaching about the coming of Christ. What was his ‘reward?’ In prison awaiting his execution because because he offended Herod’s wife. Therefore, in prison, I’m sure he had all sorts of doubts. “Is this man the Christ?” If so, what is he doing?” Jesus didn’t meet the expectations even of the ones who were awaiting him. He didn’t overthrow the government. He didn’t rescue the Jews from captivity. Instead, he was teaching and preaching and rescuing people from spiritual captivity.

If you are experiencing doubt, have you ever thought that your situation can influence your thoughts? “I don’t deserve this. Where is God? Why would he do this to me? Why would he allow this?” All these thoughts are normal and often times situations that crop in our life exacerbate them.

2 - Our Knowledge - John did not have perfect knowledge of who the Messiah was going to be. He didn’t have the New Testament to read and mediate on. He was an Old Testament type of prophet who was awaiting his idea of the Messiah.

Sometimes we experience doubt because we don’t know the Bible like we should. We can’t claim the promises of God because we don’t know them. Unlike David, we can't write a psalm or even read one because we don't know what they say. For instance, look at Psalm 63:

(When David was in the wilderness)

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8)

If we don’t know our Bibles, we can’t read these passages of Scripture and certainly can't turn to them in our doubt because we don't know where they are!

3 - Our Culture - John lived in an unbelieving culture, despite Jesus’ miracles and acts. Despite how Jesus has saved us and worked in our life we also fight the post-Christian culture that we live in. We live in a culture that is constantly giving us bad advice: "It's all about you. Live for yourself." While our culture doesn't always explicitly come out and say this, it is evident in all of the messages that you encounter daily.

When your culture tells you that you deserve everything in your life then you will doubt your faith when things don't go your way.

4 - Our Expectations - What do we expect of God that is not going to happen? John and the Jews expected political overthrow. They expected this great political ruler that would drive out the Romans and rescue the Jews from their captivity. Jesus did rescue His people from their captivity: spiritual captivity.

What unrealistic and selfish expectations have given God for our lives? When he doesn't deliver for us and our expectations, then we drift into doubt.

Jesus’ answer to John’s doubt was simply “See how I have worked in your life!”

When we reflect at how Jesus has made himself clear in our lives then our doubt will subside.

Tomorrow we'll look at how we can overcome doubt.

Doubt

2011-07-11T13:26:00.004-04:00

The Gospel is really a very simple idea. It's the truth that all people everywhere have sinned. Because of this they have rebelled and broken fellowship with their Creator, God Almighty. That's the bad news. The good news is that God looked down upon his people and made a way for them to be reconciled into a proper relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Those who believe in faith that Jesus died for their sins and took God's wrath for those sins on the cross and give their lives to Him as Lord and Savior will spend eternity with Him in Heaven and have their lives transformed here on earth. Those who reject this truth are faced with the reality of never being reconciled back to their Creator and will spend eternity separate from Him.

This truth is really very easy to understand yet at times it seems just too complicated to understand. Is it really that easy? Is Jesus really the only way? What about all other faiths? Most Christians at some point in their life will doubt their faith and will doubt the truth of the Gospel. Is the Gospel really true? As we will see this week's text, doubt is very natural. Furthermore, doubt is only something that a Christian can do. If you doubt, your doubt it proof that you are saved. Here is our text for this week from Matthew 11:

1When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Doubt is a natural throught process for all belivers. This week we'll look at why we doubt and how to overcome it.

How to be a Good Steward

2011-06-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

Finally we see that God judges those who steward wickedly. Furthermore, poor stewardship is an indicator that one has in improper view of God, which leads to not being able to accept the truth of Jesus Christ.

"24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent form him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

In verse 24, we see that the third steward had an improper view of who God was. He believed that God was unfair and ruthless. Therefore, he hoarded his blessing and did not invest it for God's kingdom. God wants us to invest not only our money and resources, but our life into things bigger then ourselves. Are you hoarding your life away?

Let's keep in mind that this passage is a parable spoken about Jesus that was helping him explain what the Kingdom of God was like. Those who will enter God's kingdom will have a proper understanding of who God is in the nature and truth of Jesus Christ. Those who do not know who God is will be, like the wicked steward, sent out into the darkness where there weeping and gnashing of teeth.

As we close this series here are a few ways that you can be a good steward:

1. Give your firstfruits to the church - How much should you give to the church? It's debatable. The Old Testament principle is 10%. God commands it because somehow us giving that back to Him is good for us. There is blessing in it. Whatever you give to the church, cut your check first before anything else...

2. Live inside your means - No matter what kinds of clothes, electronics, toys, you buy there is always something nicer and newer. Live inside your means,

3. Earn more then you spend - Very simple. Have credit cards for when things happen and you don’t have the funds to fund it.

4. Budget fixed and variable costs - What must you pay every month? How much do you have left over after that? Food, fun, fellowship. Divide that up weekly and stay within your means.

5. Be Generous and Invest - Invest not just your money but your life.

God Blesses Those Who Steward His Resources

2011-06-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

The second thing I want us to see is that God blesses those who steward His resources properly:

19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."

Because God calls everyone to be a faithful steward, he blesses those who steward His resources properly. The first person who was given $4 million was considered faithful ‘over a little.’ Now God will reward him in Heaven with even more responsibility. The same with the second steward. When you steward properly you enter God’s joy! You are living in His presence of blessing. What a wonderful place to be.

I do want to take a minute and explain that there is a difference between stewardship and saving. I am all about coupons. My family uses coupons and they save us a lot of money. However, there is a disturbing trend developing in the usage of coupons. If you've ever seen the television show Extreme Couponing on TLC then you know what I'm talking about. There are some people who spend money on things they don't need just so that they may get coupons for other things they don't need. These people will then go into a grocery store and buy $1,000 or so worth of products and spend less than $10 doing it. This behavior is not good stewardship. Be careful not to make couponing and saving an idol of worship. God calls you to be good stewards. This includes being generous with your money and not just saving and hoarding it.

More on how to be a good steward tomorrow.

We are all Stewards

2011-06-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

The first thing we are going to see in this passage is that God calls all of his people to be stewards:

“14For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

In order to be a faithful steward we must realize that we are stewards in the first place. Everything that we own and have has been given to us by God.

Here is a good definition of Biblical Stewardship: “The use of God-given gifts and resources (time, talent, treasure, truth, relationships) for the accomplishment of God-given goals and objectives.” (Ron Blue, Faith-Based Family Finances, 3)

As we look at the first part of this passage we see that the man left for a journey. This man represents God. He has entrusted us this planet, among other things to steward. Scripture attests to this:

Gen. 1:26-29: “26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”

Every thing that God gives us is His. We are his stewards. We are called to have dominion over the earth and treat it right. It is our responsibility. His money is included in this.

In verse 15, we also see that God gives each “to his ability.” God determines how much he gives to each person because He know how and what everyone can handle.

What is a "talent"? A talent equaled twenty years of wages for a laborer in Biblical times. Therefore, if we conclude that the current average wage for an American is $40,000, then God gave the first steward the equivalent of $4 million, the second steward $1.6 million, and the third $800,000. What a gracious God!

The next verses tell us what the stewards did with God’s money and tomorrow we'll unpack the blessings and curses of stewardship.

Financial Stewardship

2011-06-27T14:27:00.003-04:00

As I conclude this series on family and marriage issues, I realize that a series on the subject would not be complete without hearing about what God says about finances.

Of all the areas of life that causes much inter-relational stress among families and couples is that of finances and money. When funds run dry all people get frustrated. Why is this?

The main reason I believe that finances cause so much strife is because we often think of money, assets, etc as belonging to us when in fact, they ultimately belong to God. In fact, everything that we have is God’s. It’s his world and he allows us to live in it. Likewise, everything that we have He has given us. He has left us money, assets, and the like to be good stewards of.

The following passage will be our text for this week:

“14For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent form him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Matt. 25:14-30)

The main idea of this passage is that God calls you to be faithful - not successful, not rich, not anything else. But in all aspects of life, including your finances, God calls you to be faithful. We'll unpack this passage throughout the week.

Mission/Vision Team Update

2011-06-24T17:53:00.003-04:00

Church Family,

I hope you are enjoying your summer so far! I would like to take a moment and tell you about an exciting and potentially life-changing development at David Baptist Church.

A few months ago the Deacon Committee nominated six people - Joyce Bolin, Jeff Chapman, Jerry Loveless, Robyn Morris, Don Roark, and Beverly Scruggs - to be part of a Mission/Vision Committee. The purpose of this committee is to work together to establish God’s specific mission and vision for David Baptist Church. As a church grows, develops, and changes over time, it can often lose its purpose in the myriad of programs and ministries that it carries out. By establishing a clear mission and vision for the church, this will help it and its members maintain focus for what exactly God is doing through them.

This group will join me as we grow spiritually together by reading and discussing Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book and read with us. This book has the potential to be a catalyst for your spiritual growth as God continually molds you more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.

The next step for the group will be finding the core values of David Baptist Church and incorporating those into the mission and vision. These are core attributes and personality traits of the church that are so engrained in its DNA that they specifically compliment God’s mission to make disciples.

I encourage you to pray for this team of people as God brings into more and more focus David’s specific vision and mission for Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and the world.

In Christ Alone

Pastor Charlie

Serve God

2011-06-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

The final way that we can center our lives around God is by simply serving Him.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (v.15b)

Joshua made it clear this day that as far as he and his family they were going to recommit themselves to serve the one true God.

Husbands and Fathers, do you pastor your family? There are four ways that you can serve God by pastoring your family.

Have Church at Home - Your home should be your first church.

The great American scholar Jonathan Edwards: “Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace.”

George Whitefield: “A man ought to look upon himself as obliged to act in three capacities: as a prophet, to instruct; as a priest, to pray for and with; as a king, to govern, direct, and provide for them.”

Do you pray together? Do you teach the Bible together? Do you sing songs together? Worship should start in the home...and filter over to church life.

Disciple at Home

Your home should be the primary place for learning the Bible and moral instruction. We are called to make disciples but we must first do this in the home. Discipleship begins in our marriages, by loving our spouses with the love of Christ and by teaching, loving, and disciplining our children. It is a parent’s spiritual responsibility to disciple and teach their children about the faith.

As Christian parents, we should also want to raise our children to grow up to love Jesus and know the Bible. It is important for children to begin learning about God and the Bible at home.

Thomas Doolitte: “Masters of families ought to read the Scripture to their families and instruct their children and servants in the matters and doctrines of salvation. Therefore, they are to pray in and with their families.”

How can we do this? Catechism. A catechism is the process of instructing believers both young and old in the basics of the Christian faith. The Greek word for "instruct" or "teach" is katecheo from which we get our English word "catechize."

Here are several links to catechisms for small children:

UK Version

US Version

AWANA/Bible Drills are also great. But we must do these things at home and we must understand them end etch them into our heart, not our just our brain.

Have Rest Time at Home

What do you do you on your day off? Are you constantly rushing around from activity to activity? At some point you must unplug and rest with your family.

Practice Repentance/Forgiveness at Home

Puritans taught the gravity of the responsibility of shepherding their family. We are stewards of our families. Let us not sin in this area. Let us repent for not leading well.

If you are the head of your household, take time today to renew your covenant with God. Start pastoring your family and center your life around God.

(Much of this material in this post is indebted to Winfield Blevins here)

Put Away Other "Gods"

2011-06-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

The second way that we can center our lives around God is to put away other 'gods' in our lives - those things that we truly worship.

Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

The phrase, ‘put away’ simply means means to turn off, to decline, to pluck away, to desert, to quit. What gods are in your life that need to get rid of in order to completely center your life around the one true God?

Joshua makes an interesting statement here. He says that if the people prefer to not be loyal to the one true God, they must choose between two different categories of false gods: (1) their ancestral gods from Mesopotamia, or (2) the gods worshiped by the peoples they have displaced - the gods of the Amorites. The Amorites occupied a part of the promised land and often fought with Israel.

Whatever the case, this day, this hour, they were instructed to choose their god(s). There are essentially two types of gods that Americans generally serve instead of serving the one true God.

First, we are called to put away family gods - What gods have you inherited from your family that have been passed down? Do you worship your family, kids? Do you worry more about them then praying to God? This hits home to most of us. However, we must recognize that our children are given to us as gifts. They are ultimately God's children. We must not make idols of them or any family members. We must not even let our children get in between God being the center of our lives.

Second, we are called to put away cultural gods - What are the gods of the culture? Personal happiness, pleasure, instant gratification. This life is all about us I think this scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory sums up our society:

Veruca Salt

In order to center our life around God we must put away all of our other gods...

Fear God

2011-06-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

How are we to go about centering our lives around God? How do we make the one true God the center of our lives? How do we serve him? First, we need to fear him:

14Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness.

The word "fear" means to respect, to revere, to be in awe of. The problem is that many Christians don’t really fear/respect God. Therefore, they make decisions based on their own accord as if they were the center of the universe and He was not. When we start to understand how God is then we can earnestly fear him. This reverence for God will lead us to only worship and serve him.

Just who is the god of the Bible that we should honor and respect Him? There is one God! He created everything! We should fear him.

“In the beginning, God...” (Gen. 1:1) - In the beginning, there was God. He is the great Un-Caused Cause that created everything. He gave everything a cause, yet He was uncaused.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Ps. 19:1-4)

- The entire created order gives general evidence that there is a creator and his name is God. This entire world is His canvas and he allows us to exist on it. In order to truly serve God we must fear Him and recognize that he is the Creator and we are not. This world exists for him and not for us. How are we to serve God?

First, we are to serve Him sincerely - This means without blemish, complete, undefiled. Only by fearing God can we serve him with an undefiled heart. Do we make decisions based on what people think we should do, how we think they will react or what we know God wants us to do? Do we fear men or do we fear God?

Second, we are to serve Him faithfully - or in truth. Only by fearing God can we truly be faithful in serving Him. When the going gets tough, do we still put our trust in God? When the world is clearly out of our control (and most of the time it is, if we're honest with ourselves) do we go to Him and ask for His help?

In order to center our life around God we must fear, respect, and serve him. Tomorrow, we'll look at those things we must get rid of in order to make God the center of our lives.

God: The Center of Your Life

2011-06-20T10:19:00.003-04:00

This week's blog posts will be on the subject of centering one's life around God. When the Israelites finally crossed over the Jordan River and set foot upon the promised land that God had given to them, Joshua led them to renew the covenant that God had made with them. Because of the Lord’s faithfulness in fulfilling all of his good promises to the Israelites, Joshua issued the entire nation a very simple challenge:

14Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14-15, ESV)

If you are a Christian, if you really claim to follow Christ, do you live like it? I’m not just saying what you do in public..but in your home life? Are you completely devoted to God because of what Jesus Christ has done in your life?

One reason why so many families are dysfunctional is because God is not the center of the household. We spend most of our time sleeping, working, watching television, and on the internet. Do we ever just unplug and study the Bible together and worship God together? In order to do so we need to destroy and desert those things in our life that are keeping us from worshiping our God in Spirit and in Truth as well as discipling our families. Quiet times are necessary. But so are communal times with family. How is your life centered around God? Is it? During this week we'll look at three things we must do as families and individuals in order to truly center our lives around God.

Parents: Instruct and not Provoke

2011-06-16T11:08:00.005-04:00

Finally, mothers and fathers, you are to instruct your children...not provoke them.

4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Provoke means to enrage. It suggests a repeated, ongoing pattern of treatment that gradually builds up a deep-seeded anger and resentment that boils over in outward hostility.

Here are eight ways that we typically provoke our children:

(1) Try to control them - You can guide your child’s will but you cannot control them. At some point you must allow them to make decisions and face the consequences

(2) Play favorites - Have you ever said something like, “Why can’t you be like your sister?” This leaves the child discouraged, resentful, withdrawn and bitter.

(3) Be a perfectionist - especially beyond that which is attainable. Nothing he does is sufficient to please his parents.

(4) Discourage them - Never complimented or encouraged by his parents.

(5) Make them feel unwanted - the children will grow up and see their parents themselves as unwelcome and wanted in their life. This takes self-sacrifice.

(6) Treat them like adults - Children will be children. Don't treat them like little adults because they are not.

(7) Love them when they deserve it - Love is not earned. There is nothing your children can to do deserve or earn your love, just like there is nothing you can do to deserve or earn God's love.

(8) Physically/Verbally abuse them - Spanking harder than necessary. Constantly yelling and putting them down. Don't be known as the "yelling" house.

Instead of provoking our children, we are called to instruct them. Instruction means giving a warning, an exhortation, an admonition, discipline, training. Do you discipline your children?

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14 If you strike him with the rod,you will save his soul from Sheol.” (Prov. 23:13-14)

Let's look at a picture of a family where the father did not discipline his children. Eli’s sons were worthless but he refused to do anything about it.

“And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father,...And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.” (1 Sam. 2:23-25, 3:13)

Sadly, some say “boys will be boys.” That’s right. They will be if you don’t train them to be godly boys who will grow up into godly men.

How can we instruct them? We can instruct them with:

patience - It takes patience to parent. You’re not always going to get instant results.

wisdom - You must ask the Lord to give you wisdom. He will freely give this.

prayer - Why would you try to parent without praying?

love - Love your children unconditionally

courage - to make the right decision.

Fathers and mothers, you are called to instruct and discipline your children...not provoke them.

Children: Honor Your Parents

2011-06-15T08:33:00.003-04:00

Not only are children called to obey their parents while they are young, they are also called to honor their parents. This command lasts their entire lives.

2Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3that it may go well with you and what you may live long in the land.

The Word for honor has to do with one's attitude towards their parents. It's basic meaning is that of “heavy.” Someone who must be honored is someone who carried weight, so to speak. There will be a time when you are grown and out of your parent's house and you are not commanded to obey your parents anymore.

For instance, my father could call me up today and order me to cut my grass. I would not be morally obliged to obey him. I live in my own house and cut my own grass when I decide to do so. However, I can honor his request by hearing the reasons why I should cut it today and generally be patient with him and his request by showing respect to his role as my father. Your parents reflect to you the glory of God somehow. To not respect them you are disrespecting God.

This command also is the 5th commandment:

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)

A note about the Ten Commandments: The first four commandments deal with our relationship to God. Likewise they are called the "vertical commandments." The next six commandments are often referred to as the "horizontal" commandments because they center around our relationship to other people. Therefore, one must have his or her relationship with God right before they can expect to have proper relationships with other people. Furthermore, learning how to relate to other people starts with relating honorably to ones' parents.

It's also interesting to note that a promise has been given in this command. That promise is that by honoring your parents you will "live long in the land." This does not necessarily mean that you will live a long life. There are plenty of evil and ungodly people who live long evil lives. No, in this context God was promising the Jewish people that if they honored their parents, they would enjoy God's blessing in the promised land as they will live their a long time. The promised land is representative of God's blessing.

As long as the people of Israel did right they enjoyed God’s blessings in the promised land. Likewise, children, as long as you honor your father and mother then you will also inhabit God’s circle of blessing. His favor will be upon you.

Tomorrow we'll look at how parents are called to instruct their children and not provoke them.

Children: Obey Your Parents

2011-06-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

God has divinely given us a pattern for proper parent/child relationships. First, God commands children to obey their parents.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

In this context, 'children' has in mind children - those people living in their parents' house who are age 12 and under. Teenagers weren't necessarily in view here. In fact, teenagers and the entire system that we call "adolescence" has not truly existed in our world until very recently. Our Western society has created this system of adolescence that the Bible is virtually silent on. In fact, after puberty, most teenagers married and started having families. Much of the tension between teens and their parents arise from the fact that they are indeed adults, but are still living under their parents' authority (as they should) until they move out or marry. Recently, adolescence seems to be extending into the 20s and in some case 30s. This creates a host of problem for children and their parents. Even so, children of all ages are commanded by God to obey their parents.

Obedience has the meaning of listening attentively to and obeying one in authority. This has to do with action. Very simply, when your parent tells you to do something, you do it. What’s so hard about that, right? Furthermore, God says that to do this is right - it is proper, good, correct, and holy. Colossians also tells us that obedience pleases the Lord.

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” (Col. 3:20)

When parents tell their children to do something, or not to do it, its because parents generally know what is best for their children. For instance, you will hear my wife and I constantly tell our children to not run through the parking lot, etc. Why? They’re small and there is a good chance that they can be hit by a car if they do so. They do not as of yet possess the mental capacity and world experience to understand the dangers that exist. Demanding their obedience is for their protection.

What about if a parent is abusing his or her authority and is leading and disciplining their child to sin? At this point the child is not morally obligated to obey their parents’ teachings.

The great reformer John Calvin says its best: “If they spur us to transgress the law, we have a perfect right to regard them not as parents, but as strangers who are trying to lead us away from obedience to our true Father....it is unworthy and absurd for their eminence so to prevail as to pull down the loftiness of God. On the contrary, their eminence depends upon God’s loftiness and ought to lead us to it.” (Institutes)

The Doctrine of Sin...in Children

2011-06-13T11:24:00.004-04:00

1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4, ESV)

There are many doctrines and teachings of Christianity that are very difficult to visualize and understand. For instance, as much was we'd like to, most of us have a hard time getting our minds to wrap around the doctrine of the Trinity - that God is made up of three persons who are equal in worth but different in function. God exists as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He always exists in these three persons and he always has and he always will.

Another example of a difficult doctrine to understand or visualize is the teaching that Jesus Christ was both 100% man and 100% God. How can this be? How is this possible?

However, for some doctrines, God gives us clear visual representations. For instance, let's take the doctrine of original sin - the belief that all persons are born with a sin nature. They are born with an overwhelming inclination to sin. They must be taught to do good and any good they do, without the power of Christ reigning in the them, is ultimately done for selfish reasons. The doctrine of original sin makes clear that men and women are born not with a blank slate, not good, but sinful.

If you have children, have had children, or have been around children regularly, you know that the doctrine of original sin exists! The younger the child, the more selfish the child. When a baby cries in the crib, he or she is not crying because her friend's feelings were hurt. She is not crying because she feels sorry because you did not get enough sleep last night. She is crying because she wants something for herself! Furthermore, as children grow into toddlers they become extremely selfish as they no longer cry for legitimate needs (like babies do) but they now cry and scream for selfish wants. Yes, children are living and walking pictures of the doctrine of original sin.

These littles sinners eventually grow up to be big sinners (called 'adults'). And these big sinners then have children of their own and sin reigns supreme once again. This week I am going to blog on the relationship between parents and their children. Clearly, by looking at society one can see these relationships are far from perfect. Thankfully, God has divinely given us a pattern for proper parent/child relationships which we will unpack throughout the week.

Cleaving to Your Spouse

2011-06-09T10:02:00.002-04:00

31Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The third and final way to have a truly God-honoring and successful marriage is to cleave to one another.

In this part of the passage, leaving and cleaving is here compared to Christ and the church. Just as you are to leave your family and cleave to your wife, a Christian is to leave his old life behind and cleave to Jesus Christ. So many marriage problems develop when a husband or wife shows emotional or physical allegiance with their own parents over their spouse. Unless, the spouse is in sin or is endangering the physical life of the other, this should not be so. Cleaving to your spouse means putting each other first at all times.

Are you out-firsting each other in your marriage relationship? Are you denying yourself and serving the other?

Men: Love

2011-06-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

A successful marriage is not just one where the wife submits. It is also one where husbands love and honor their wives.

25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water and the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30because we are members of his body. (Eph. 5:25-30)

Love. This means to honor her.

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle gives seven ways that men can practically love and honor their wives:

Honor Her Maritally - When you get married, you are to be a one-woman man. Very simply, you don’t flirt with others, you don’t have female buddies, your eye does not wander to pornography and/or other women.

Honor Her Physically - Generally speaking, men are stronger than women. Ask yourself these questions: Do you ever hit her? Do you ever shover her? Do you ever push her? Do you ever grab/restrain her? Do you ever raise a hand and threaten her? Do you ever intimidate her with physical violence? Do you ever give her a violet and piercing look that says “now is the time for you to shut up”? Do you verbally warn her that she better stop talking? Do you get in her face? Do you intimidate her with your presence? If you do, shame on you. You need to repent.

Honor Her Emotionally - Connect with your wife. Ask her questions. Listen to her. Sample questions:

- What can I do to make you feel loved and appreciated by me?

- What can I do to make you feel like I enjoy being with you more than anyone else?

- What are some things I can do to encourage you, spiritually?

- What can I do to help relieve the stress of life responsibilities?

- How can I best serve you in dealing with our children?

- What can I do to heighten your desire for physical intimacy?

- What can I do to make you feel our family is the priority over ministry?

- What can I do to help you grow in a love to serve our church?

- What kinds of moments when our family is together do you cherish the most?

- What do you love most about serving in ministry together? Greatest challenge?

Honor Her Verbally - How do you speak to her? Do you refer to her with bad nicknames? Do you raise your voice? Do you threaten her? Do you give her back-handed comments? Are you “hitting her with your tongue” so to speak? Speak to her like the princess that she is and that she deserves to be. Give her the honor that she intrinsically deserves.

Honor Her Financially - Are you doing all you can to provide for her?

Honor Her Parentally - Parent your children. Get to know your children.

Honor Her Spiritually - Men, its your job to lead spiritually. Don’t have your wife drag you to church. You are the head of the relationship, it’s time to man-up spiritually! How do you do it? Start praying with your wife, lead a devotion. It will change your life.

Women, at this point, you’re thinking my husband doesn’t live up to that. What are you to do about it? Lovingly submit to his leadership. Respect who he is and pray that he will see what God has called him to be. You can’t control him but you can respect him. Men, you’re called to love your wife. Are you doing that? Tomorrow we'll look at the final part of what makes a successful marriage.

Wives: Submit

2011-06-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

In yesterday's post, I established that the key to a successful marriage was to deny yourself and serve the other.

How can we do this? How can we practically deny ourselves and serve our spouse in an act of mutual submission? Today will deal with the wife's calling in this matter. They are called to respect their husband.

22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is headof the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Before we dive into this text, let's offer up some background information. It is always crucial to match a passage with its proper context and occasion. In this section, Paul is writing about “marriage in the broader context of God’s end-time restoration of all things under the headship of Christ, including believing Jews and Gentiles, in the body of Christ, the church.” (Kostenberger, God Marriage and Family, 66)

In other words, the emphasis is that all things, even the marriage relationship, are to come under the complete authority of Jesus Christ. This is reflected early on in the letter to the Ephesians:

“...what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Eph 1:19-23)

Christ is the focal point of not only the church but of the entire world. Jesus Christ is the head and all things are subject to him. Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. He is redeeming all to Himself. This includes the restoration of creation:

“18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Rom. 8:18-25)

This also includes the restoration of the marriage relationship. Because of the curse of Adam and Eve’s first sin in Genesis, there will be a lifelong struggle between husband and wife. Genesis 3 is clear in that Man will seek to rule over his wife and she will seek to control him. In Christ these roles can be peacefully reconciled.

Interestingly enough, these instructions are directed to Spirit-filled believers and not unbelievers. You cannot do these things and live this life outside of the power of the Spirit. These words are foolishness to those who do not follow Christ. But to the Christian, these words are life-giving.

Christ’s relationship with the church provides the pattern for a Christian marriage, in which the husband is appointed as the head (as Christ is the head of the church) and the wife is called to submit to her husband (as the church is to Christ).

What about he word submit? Our society immediately scoffs at this word because they do not like having to submit to anyone or anything for any reason. Let’s take a look at what submission is not:

a. It is not slavery - where one person owns the other. Wives should not be expected to obey their husbands like children obey their parents. The wife is not to respond to her husband’s every wish and demand as he barks out orders.

b. It is not a subordinate relationship - where one person is doing the bidding of another without input or interaction like a secondary person.

c. It does not imply a hierarchy - this is not a military-style, top-down chain of command where a soldier is asked to obey, while asking no questions to his superior.

Biblical submission is that of “a loving complementarity where the husband and wives are partners who value and respect each other where the husband’s loving leadership is met with the wife’s intelligent response.” (Kostenberger, God, Marriage, and Family, 75)

In short, submission is a woman who willingly makes her self subject to her husband. It is a willing choice that God calls women to do.

This is one of those areas where the extreme feminist movement has reacted extremely against the extreme male chauvinist movement. Both are wrong.

People try to make this an issue of self-worth. If this were the case then God the Father would be worth more than Jesus. What do you mean by that? There is submission in the Trinity. Jesus the Son submitted to the Father’s will. Did he not? “Not my will but yours be done,” Jesus prayed. Even so, Christ is not worth less or is he inferior than the Father. It is the same in the marriage relationship. The wife is called to submit to the Husband but that does mean that the woman is worth less than the man just as Jesus is not worth less than the Father.

Furthermore, if you are going to reject this command to submit, then you also will need to reject the command that follows: that husbands are to love their wives. More to come on that topic tomorrow.

The Solution to a Successful Marriage

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

The chart below shows the divorce rate as it occurs in men and women at certain ages of their lives. As you can see, the divorce rate is at its highest in the early 20s. It's interesting to note several trends. (1) The divorce rate tends to drop as men and women grow older. (2) The chance of a married couple not divorcing is higher if they marry under the age of 20 then in their early 20s. Of course, this may be contingent on them staying together for several years and then divorcing in their early 20s.

Age

Women

Men

Under 20 years old

27.6%

11.7%

20 to 24 years old

36.6%

38.8%

25 to 29 years old

16.4%

22.3%

30 to 34 years old

8.5%

11.6%

35 to 39 years old

5.1%

6.5%

Additionally, The divorce rate in America for first marriages is 50%. That is 50% of people who are in their first (or only) marriage is 50%. People who are in their second marriage have a 67% chance of becoming divorced and people in their third marriage have a 74% chance of divorcing according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.

I remember when Emily and I went through pre-marital counseling. Ours was unique in that we went through counseling with both the Senior Pastor of the church she was a member and the Associate Pastor. There was a chance that the Senior Pastor may not make it back into the country in time to officiate our wedding so just in case we were counseled by the associate pastor as well. Both counseling sessions were very different but also very informative.

However, there was one thing that stood out to me that still stands out to me this today that we learned from the Senior Pastor in one counseling session. He told us quite simply that marriage is simple: if both spouses make it their goal to "out-first each other" than they will have a wonderful marriage. He was right. However, never has there been a concept so easy to verbalize but not so easy to follow.

The good news is that because God created marriage He has given the prescription for a successful marriage. For marriages to work it would behoove us to follow God's prescription for a successful marriage. Ephesians 5:22-33 is the seminal passage of Scripture for husband and wife relationships:

22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water and the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30because we are members of his body. 31Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

This passage has come under much scrutiny and debate over the years. However, the main idea is simple. In our marriage relationships, God clearly wants us to do one thing:

Deny Yourself and Serve the Other

I will spend the rest of the week breaking this passage down.

What is the Purpose of Marriage?

2011-06-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

What is the purpose of Marriage? In this post I want to show you that marriage is designed for your good and God's glory. There are many reasons why marriage was given to us. Let's take a look at the main ones:

Companionship - Adam and Eve - we were created to not be alone. There are some that are called to a lifetime of singleness, but this is the exception.

Procreation - “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Gen. 1:28

Sexual Fulfillment - “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ 2But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (1 Cor. 7:1-5)

Avoidance of Sexual sin - Sex outside of marriage is a sin. Therefore, marriage enables two people who are sexual beings to enjoy God’s creation together the that He designed it. Furthermore, sex is a sign of the marriage covenant.

Production of Godly offspring - “Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” (Micah 2:15)

Physical image of Christ’s relationship to the church - Throughout Scripture the people of God, the church, is said to the the bride of Christ. He is the head of the church and the loving leader of this marriage. It is his church. Through this relationship we see what a perfect marriage is. Jesus is the perfect groom, courting his bride the church, entering into covenant marriage with them, and showing his ultimate love for it by dying for his bride. This is how our marriages should be. They should model the relationship between Christ and the church. More on this issue next week.

What Exactly Is Marriage?

2011-06-01T06:00:00.007-04:00

Have you ever thought that marriage is not just something you do, but something that is ordained by God. Too many people have a view that marriage is just something that you sign up for that makes one eligible for certain legal rights. While this is true, marriage is far more than just that.

For starters, marriage is not just a contract. The common view in our society is that marriage is just a piece of paper. This view bases marriage on a civil law that can be dissolved at any time. What many do not know is that this view developed in the 17th century and was a product of the Enlightenment, which was a movement that ultimately rejected God and placed man at the center of the universe, where God's place should alone reside.

Another faulty view of marriage is that it is a sacrament. What is a sacrament? A sacrament is something that bestows saving grace. This is the official teaching of the Catholic Church. This teaching states that one receives saving grace through seven sacraments. These sacraments are baptism, confirmation, communion, penance/confession, anointing of the sick, ordination, and marriage. Marriage is not merely something that gives you saving grace. In fact, most Evangelicals teach that saving grace is something that happens once and for all when a person receives Jesus' gift of salvation. It is not something that one must earn their entire life.

So, what is marriage? Quite simply, marriage is a covenant. What this means is that marriage is a permanent agreement between a man, a woman, and God. The authority in the relationship rests with God, however. When a couple makes vows to each other God is involved and He spiritually knits the two of them together into a covenant relationship with Himself. This involves the forming of one flesh through the process of leaving their families and cleaving to each other. There is a strong spiritual component present that many people overlook or ignore. When divorce happens, the one flesh relationship is literally ripped or pulled apart.

What about divorce? Know that in His goodness, grace, and mercy God allows divorce. However, because marriage is a covenant relationship, divorce is never God's will. God never breaks a covenant (See the covenants of the Bible - Noah, Abraham, David, Jesus).

What if your spouse has left you? What are you to do? Forgive their sin as Jesus forgave yours and pray to God for reconciliation. What if you're divorced and there is no hope for reconciliation? Ask God to show you how you have sinned in the relationship, ask him for forgiveness and simply move on and trust Him with the rest of your life.

The good news is that while divorce is never God's will, He is more than capable and willing to work through it for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Tomorrow we'll conclude this series as we take a look at some of the natural benefits of marriage.

Why Was Marriage Created?

2011-05-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”... 23The the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.” 24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Gen. 2:18-24 ESV)

In this passage, it is evident that Marriage was created for your good and God’s glory

Not many people desire to live alone. God knows this. After all, He created us. We were created to live in community. That is why even though marriage as an institution has decreased, living with other people has not decreased. Co-habitation has skyrocketed as marriage has plummeted. The truth of the matter is that very few people desire to live alone. God knew that it was not good to live your entire life alone so he created marriage.

This passage also shows us that Man was created from the dust of the earth, but woman was created from man. That is why there is that natural desire for man and woman to be together in some form or fashion.

Also, it is designed that man will leave his family and start a new family with his wife and they shall hold fast to one another and be as one person. When a couple enters into a marriage relationship something spiritual happens, they become one flesh.

Marriage was created your benefit. Marriage is extremely central for what God has planned for your life.

Tomorrow, we'll continue to look at the institution of marriage as we look at some of the faulty views of what marriage is.

Why Marriage?

2011-05-30T06:00:00.002-04:00

It's no secret that between the years of 1960 and 1980 divorce rates skyrocketed. However, in the past 30 years the rate of divorce has slowly dropped. Why? The main reason is not because more people are staying married. The main reason that the divorce rate is dropping is because less and less people are getting married...therefore, there are less divorces.

In fact, more and more people are choosing not to become married, but instead are choosing to simply live together. From 1960 to 201, co-habitation has skyrocketed. In 1969 an estimated 42,000 people co-habitated. Today, that number is more closer to 6.6 million, an increase of 15,600%.

As our society increasingly tells us that marriage is not important our people are increasingly listening.

Marriage is not just something that worked in the past and is good for some but not for others. Marriage has divine origins and is an extremely important part of your life and culture. In fact, I would claim that marriage ultimately exists for your good and God's glory. How does that fact change your view of marriage? Does it?

In the next few posts we'll unpack the implication that marriage has multiple ways of being for your good and God's glory.

Top 10 Warning Signs for Churches

2011-05-10T11:44:00.008-04:00

Thom Rainer, President of Lifeway, recently gave a list of Top 10 Warning Sings for Churches. These attributes are warnings that a local church is not effectively doing what it is called to do. This pattern develops over time in all churches when members become more concerned about their individual preferences and desires then that of Christ’s. Thus, the people become inwardly focused. They start asking what the church can do for them, instead of asking how God can use them sacrificially and radically through the ministries of the church itself.

True Christianity is a faith that always seeks to put others first. Sadly, in many of the churches across our land, members are more concerned about getting their own personal needs and preferences met.

Church leaders should be concerned...

If the pastor does not have adequate time to be in the Word or if he chooses not to do so.
If the members are spending time arguing about how money should be spent.
If none or only a few of the key leaders are actively sharing their faith.
If there is no clear process of discipleship in place, just a plethora of programs and activities.
If corporate prayer is not a major emphasis in the church.
If church members are arguing about worship style or worship times.
If church members expect the paid staff to do most of the ministry, instead of the staff equipping the members to do the work of ministry (“Why didn’t he visit me in the hospital?”)
If there are ongoing disagreements about matters of the church facilities.
If the church has more meetings than new disciples.
If the leadership of the church does not have a coherent plan for what is taught in small groups and Sunday school classes.

Click here to read the entire article

Rainer on his experience with this: "If a church had four or more of these signs present, I would let the leadership know that remedial efforts were in order. If six or more signs were present, I was concerned that the congregation was in immediate trouble."

How many of these does your church have? At David Baptist Church, we are doing all we can to get to where we have zero. Keep praying and asking the Lord for guidance at how you can be a part of the process of building his church!

It's Friday...but Sunday's Coming

2011-04-22T11:09:00.000-04:00

The Truth of Jesus' Resurrection

2011-04-19T11:30:00.004-04:00

"If there is no resurrection from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." (1 Corinthians 15:13-14)

The church in Corinth had all sorts of problems that included incest, spiritual immaturity, marriage problems and false teaching. This church had questioned Paul's apostolic authority and were even questioning Christ's resurrection from the dead. Paul spends 58 verses in chapter 15 explaining the necessity, as well as the reality, of the resurrection to these people who had fallen under false teaching.

This scenario is not new today. There are millions of people worldwide who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, for the Christian, the resurrection makes all the difference. Paul states "For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith us futile; you are still in your sins." (15:16-17) If Christ has not been raised, then He didn't overcome death and our sins are not forgiven therefore eternal life with God the Father is not possible.

The doctrine of the resurrection is the hope of our salvation.

Paul later says "If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." (15:32) I remember one of my seminary professors saying, "If Christ was not raised, go to the Olive Garden and max out your credit card. Go live on the beach and get one of those drinks with an umbrella in it and make the most out of life."

That really is true. If Christ is not raised, what are you doing in church? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

However, the truth is that the resurrection did happen and accepting this fact gives us victory over death.

"Where, O Death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."(15:55-57)

This Easter, take time to meditate on the truth of the resurrection.

Would You Rather Carry a Backpack or a Planet?

2011-04-13T11:13:00.004-04:00

Jesus tells us in Matthew 11: "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." If this is true why do so many Christians not feel this way when it comes to their daily walk with Jesus? Rather than feeling like they are carrying a light backpack many feel as though they are carrying the whole weight of the world on their shoulders - much like a modern day Atlas.

The answer to this question can be discovered in verses 29-30 of the same chapter: "...learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest in your souls."

We as Christians, and as Westerners, do not particularly delight in being meek and humble. The world tells us that greatness is being proud of who you are and being famous among men. After all, our world teaches us that we should flaunt our individuality and showcase our talents. But being a follower of Christ means dying to the world and living in Him. "For I am crucified in Christ, and no longer live..." Therefore when we accept Jesus as our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer, we should remember 1 John 2:15-17:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

Every day that we wake up, we are confronted with a decision: (1) we can conform to the world and its ways and serve it and worship it, thereby bringing a miserable tension into our lives as the Spirit years to serve only God or (2) we can submit ourselves to God in a life-saving act of humble obedience.

Is it any wonder that some of the most miserable people are those that have experienced the Salvation of their souls but at the same time cling to their worldly idols? Non-believers do not know what it is like to have their lives calibrated towards Christ; believers do. This is our biggest tension in life: How can we live in the world, be salt and light for it, and at the same time not conform to it? Simply by daily humbling ourselves, daily obeying God's Word, and daily confessing Jesus as our Lord and Savior as we live out the Gospel in our everyday lives.

Easter is a week and a half away. Who has God put into your life that needs to hear the life-changing and life-freeing good news that is the Gospel? That in Christ, there is no more condemnation, no more punishment for sin, only freedom, peace, contentment and joy. Invite that person to church next Sunday.

On the Reality of Hell

2011-03-22T22:03:00.009-04:00

Pastor Rob Bell has recently started a firestorm with the release of his new book, Love Wins, where he questions the doctrine of Hell. Much has been said about Bell and this book. Just google "Rob Bell Love Wins" and you'll have enough reading material to last you until football season comes back around in the fall. I recently downloaded the book on my Nook and it seems to me the biggest issue with the way this book is written is that it is written from one side - his. He asks very relevant questions about a very complex issue and only gives his view because he claims to just be a pastor who wants to make sure his people hear what he has to say about the issue. As a pastor, I would also like to give my pastoral view to the questions that he raises as well, in order to do my best in protecting my flock that God has entrusted to me. This is an issue that will not go away and I feel that more and more Christians will accept Bell's conclusions.

In Relevant Magazine, Rob Bell offered, what I believe, to be the reason that his theology has drifted towards people 'choosing Hell' both in this life and the next. He says:

"And I believe people will; people choose hell now, I assume people, when you die, you can choose hell. So there is no denial of hell here. There is a very real awareness that this is a clear and present reality that extends on into the future. But the real question is essentially if millions and millions of people who have never heard of Jesus are going to be tormented forever by God because they didn't believe in the Jesus they'd never heard of, then at that point we will have far larger problems than a book by a pastor from Grand Rapids."

My first question is, when a person is dead, why would they choose Hell again? (provided they have chosen it in this life before they die by rejecting the truth of Jesus) It seems to me that people "choose Hell" in this life because there is no visible proof of Hell's existence in the afterlife. Provided the choice between Heaven and Hell, I would imagine everyone would choose Heaven over the 'hellish' alternative if given the chance.

Secondly, Bell states that if millions of people will suffer eternal torment in Hell for the sole reason that they never got the chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus, then we have a God that is not loving. However, Scripture sufficiently answers this seemingly difficult question.

Romans states:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 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." (Rom. 1:18-21)

God is going to judge mankind because every person has suppressed the truth. Why? God has clearly revealed himself in the world that he has created. Scholars call this truth "general revelation." The universe echoes God's handiwork so clearly that every person knows in his heart that there is a God. Therefore, every person is naturally at odds with God and has rejected him. The default destination is Hell - where God will judge the person with His wrath eternally.

That stinks, doesn't it? However, because of this seemingly dead end problem, God sent his Son, Jesus, to rescue those who hear his Gospel and receive his gift of salvation. Therefore, the road to eternal Hell becomes the road to eternal Heaven with spiritual transformation and spiritual empowering (sanctification) happening along the way. The Gospel does more then just redeem mankind to God, however. It redeems relationships. It redeems hurts. It redeems sin. It redeems pain. It redeems all of a person's most intimate problems, limited in this life but forever in the next.

So...the really intriguing question is this: Does the innocent person living in Africa (or somewhere else remote) go to Hell because he has never heard of Jesus? The answer is "yes." Shocked? Let me explain. First, this question is loaded, because as we have just seen there is no such thing as an "innocent" person. Every person stands condemned. We are all sinners by nature and by choice, as we read in Romans 1.

Therefore, if the person in some remote part of the world was indeed innocent, and if his default path in life was indeed to Heaven even if he never hears about Jesus, then the worst thing we could possibly do would be to travel to that remote place and then tell him about Jesus. Why? Because then we have enabled him to become 'accountable' to what he has heard about Jesus. At that point if he rejects Jesus, then he has chosen Hell. If he accepts it, Heaven. Therefore, why would we ever tell someone about Jesus if they have never heard? We should just leave them alone so they can pass through 'innocently' in this life and go to Heaven because they never had the "chance" to hear about Jesus. Correct? We are doing them an eternal disservice if we tell them about Jesus in this case...it would be the most unloving thing to do.

You see the quandary? This is why missions is so important. By God's grace, every person that has been saved is saved entirely by his grace. They have heard the Gospel. Still, there are people daily who die that have never heard about Jesus and who likewise stand condemned before God. Not fair you say? No...fair is Hell. Unfair is what God has done for us by sending Jesus to rescue those who call on his name from the choice that they made in their earthly life when they suppressed the truth and rejected God. There are no innocent people.

I admit that these are hard truths to accept. But God is God and we are not. He is all-knowing and infinite and we are limited and finite. He gave us life and he can take it away. Praise God that he gave us a way back to Him through Jesus Christ.

An Open Letter to David Baptist Church

2011-03-16T09:45:00.008-04:00

Members of David Baptist Church,

Last Sunday night, the church voted overwhelmingly to move to two worship services and two Sunday school hours, starting April 3. I want to tell you how proud I am of you all for taking such an extravagant step of faith. It is so exciting to see a group of people who are intent on listening to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives and committed to doing the right thing when it comes to reaching people with the Gospel of Christ.

For 70 years, David Baptist Church has been a beacon in the community and has been serving it well. However, with this singular action, David will now be able to double the amount of people that it can reach in a short time span and will not have its mission limited by its building space any longer. What a monumental decision!

I am well aware that for many of you this was a hard decision. You collectively made this decision knowing that it will forever change the church you love so much. But, I believe you will see that this change will be better then you could have ever imagined because the change is of the will of God.

As April 3 approaches, I challenge you to invite a friend to church for that first Sunday. Also, Easter is right around the corner and I'm convinced that we may have the largest attendance ever recorded at DBC on that day. Visitors will now have room to sit and will now have a choice as to which service to attend. How amazing it will be to have a Sunday very soon where more people will attend David that day then ever before hearing the Gospel and having their lives changed forever. Praise God through whom all blessings flow!

In Christ's Love,

Pastor Charlie

Hey Haters

2011-03-02T09:45:00.001-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I do not agree with everything that Elevation Church in Charlotte does (some of its methodology and some of its theology) but they are still a Christian church that has a Christian preacher that preaches that Jesus came in the flesh to die for the sins of mankind. That is the Gospel. Scripture is clear that the main distinguishing mark of a false prophet is the denial that Jesus "came in the flesh" (see 2 John). As long as a teacher believes in the incarnation of Jesus and who he was and what he did then the church is doing a work of God and to quote Gamaliel (Acts 5) "it will not be stopped."

Therefore, watch this video from Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. This man (he's my age) has undergone way more then his fairshare of criticism with most of it probably being unwarranted. All pastors screw up and make mistakes so sometimes criticism is warranted, but most of the times it's not because it's coming from an uninformed source. There are always two sides to every story.

The gist of this message is this: where is the honor that should be bestowed on pastors and their church? Christians, if someone is 'hating' on your pastor they are also 'hating' on your church (and ultimately Christ's church). Will you defend your pastors', your church's, and ultimately your Lord's honor? "Are you going to criticize or create?" A new day has come: a day to honor the Lord's!

Why Two Worship Services?

2011-03-01T09:37:00.004-05:00

This morning I had to get gas for my car so I ventured into Ingles so that I could load up my gift card and save 3 cents a gallon. As gas prices continue to rise the difference between $3.39 and $3.36 is a large one. I thought to myself how happy I was that I got gas for $3.36. Then, as I cranked up my car I noticed that my mileage meter displayed the following number: 336. What are the odds? I thought about this coincidence for a second and then drove to the church. Then I thought to myself, "I wonder if there is something significant about those numbers in the Bible?" I got off the phone and sat in my office and God undoubtedly put in my head, "John." Does John 3:36 say something important? Is there even a John 3:36? So, I pulled out my Bible and read John 3:36:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (ESV)

Wow. Most Christians realize this. But, I want to point you towards the last part of that verse - "the wrath of God remains on him."

Everyone who lives on this earth is a sinner both by nature and by choice. We are born sinners incapable of doing good and matching God's perfect holiness and we also sin by choice daily. We are all sinners. Because of this, our default destination is Hell. Why? Because God's wrath remains on us. By being imperfect and sinful we will never be able to enjoy fellowship with God unless our sin is forgiven and atoned for. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, those who believe in Him will have their sin forgiven and atoned for and will be born again allowing them to also have eternal life with the Father. Jesus fixes our sin problem.

The deacons and expansion committee have proposed a joint resolution that David Baptist Church go to two worship services and two education hours. Why? Quite simply, the size of our buildings do not allow the church to reach many more people. We have essentially closed our doors to those people that have the wrath of God remaining on them. One of the most unloving things that we could do as a church would be to say, "I'm sorry, we're full." We've been doing this, albeit unknowingly, for some time. However, we now know better. Furthermore, in order to be better stewards of what God has given us, we will get more use out of our facility. I ask for your full support in making sure that we do our part in reaching people for Jesus so that we can personally witness the wrath of God being lifted from peoples' lives. And one day those people whom we will have the blessing of being a part of their salvation will join us in singing a hymn such as this:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in his blood.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

Video of Unreached People Group

2011-02-17T10:16:00.004-05:00

Watch this video to see footage of a flyover and the first ever "proof" that this specific people group exists. Without the Gospel, these people are dead in their sins. Are we willing to do what it takes to share Jesus with these?

http://www.uncontactedtribes.org/brazilfootage

When Jesus Came

2010-12-16T21:38:00.002-05:00

Over 2000 years ago the first Christmas took place as a young married couple, who had traveled 70 miles to their ancestral hometown, the little town of Bethlehem, got all cozy in a stable-type structure and awaited the birth of their new little boy, Jesus, a.k.a. the Savior of the World.

It's amazing to think that of all the points in history that God could have deemed to send Jesus to be born, he chose the time and place that He did. After years of fighting, assassinations, and turmoil, the Roman Empire and the areas that it controlled, was experiencing peace - the pax romana - as they called it. But during this time of peace and tranquility under the rule of Caesar Augustus Octavian, a little baby was born and was placed in an animal feeding trough because there was no crib or basket lying around nearby. This seemingly everyday event no doubt went unnoticed by many in the land. However, this first Christmas, when Jesus came, changed everything. The God-man Jesus Christ was about to mix up the pax romana - and in the process redeem, reconcile, rescue, and raise those who would call on his name as Lord and Savior.

This Christmas, remember that the reason you are celebrating with family is not because Christmas is a family holiday, or a commercial holiday. No, the reason you are with your family is because of the first Christmas that happened so many years ago: the day that God became man when Jesus came.

Why Jesus Came

2010-12-09T15:28:00.006-05:00

Why did Jesus come to the earth? Why did God the Father send Jesus to come to this world? This is not a question that many people ask, believe it or not. Most questions concerning the person of Jesus center around "Who was he?" and "What did he do?" and "Did he really rise from the grave?"

Most Christians have usually decided on how they would answer those questions. Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus was God's Son. They also believe that Jesus is the second person of what we know as the Trinity. What did he do? Well, he lived a perfect and sinless life - the kind of life that we could never live (which is a hint at why he came).

Did he really rise from the grave? Well, if he did not, then to quote the Apostle Paul, "Our faith is in vain." The resurrection of Jesus does indeed make all the difference. However, before there was a resurrection, there was an incarnation - the moment that Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man, came to the earth.

This Sunday we'll answer part of the question concerning just why Jesus came.

The Nature of Jesus

2010-11-18T14:44:00.004-05:00

Do we really attempt to comprehend the nature of Jesus? Do we realize that Jesus has been given complete authority of the entire universe by the Father? Indeed, in Jesus, everything that has been created has been created by Him and in Him everything holds together.

Indeed, Jesus is also on a mission. He was sent on a rescue mission to reconcile sinful people to a loving God. Do we realize this is the primacy of His nature?

Indeed, Jesus is also powerful. I don't think Christians meditate on the nature of Jesus that often: that he is supremely powerful.

This Sunday we'll learn more about the true nature of Jesus.

The Spiritual Discipline of Discernment

2010-09-13T13:36:00.006-04:00

"Don't judge me." This is a common saying among people in our culture. In fact, Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not, that you be not judged.") is now the most quoted verse of Scripture in our country! That fact alone should tell us something about where our society stands when it comes to accountability and belief systems.

This past Sunday (Matt. 7:1-6) we learned from Jesus that we are called to judge others. We are to judge our Christian brothers and sisters slowly. We are not not nit-pick, criticize, or verbally condemn or accuse or brethren until we have throughly investigated areas that could be a problem in their life.

Additionally, Jesus tells us that we are to be ever judging ourselves. Until we take a private spiritual inventory we are not to point the finger at members of our Christian family.

Finally, Jesus also says that those who mock the Gospel and who are intentionally antagonistic against it are to be judged diligently by Christians and to be left to be in the hands of an all powerful, judging and loving God. Like dogs who like to eat their own vomit and pigs who like to wallow in their feces, an antagonistic person will not see the value in the pearl that is the Gospel.

Christians are called to resist the prideful and self-righteous feeling that may absorb them at this point and also be diligent in prayer that the Holy Spirit will loosen the hardened hearts of those antagonists. We do not rejoice in God's judgment, rather, we tremble in fear and go away in sorrow and know that 'but for the grace of God' that too would be us.

God is on the Move

2010-08-30T10:20:00.006-04:00

Yesterday at Maples Lake, the people of David Baptist Church, along with many friends and family, celebrated together with live music, food, fellowship, games, and most importantly five baptisms. It was a joy for me to baptize people in such a natural setting. It was the first time I had ever done anything like that and I know that it was a new experience to the people of DBC as well.

Driving home I thought about all of the ways that God is working in this church:

(1) Baptisms - In six months, eight people from our church have been baptized with five being over the age of 18. That may not seem like a lot, but comparatively speaking, over the last few years, DBC and like churches in the area, have averaged about 7-8 baptisms per calendar year. Therefore, eight baptisms in six months as a baptism rate is on track to more then double that average number in one year. Our guest speaker yesterday morning pointed out that once a person is over the age of 18 there is a 6% chance that they will receive Jesus, statistically speaking. Therefore, statistically speaking, five adults being baptized at a church our size in six months is truly a work of God! He is on the move and we must acknowledge and respond.

(2) AWANA - The AWANA ministry starts in two weeks at DBC. One reason that I love this ministry and program is because it is so Gospel-centered. Reaching people for Jesus is paramount to the people of AWANA and I am excited to think about all of the children, and parents, that will be reached through this ministry. God is on the move and we must acknowledge and respond.

(3) Small Groups - At DBC we primarily use Sunday School to meet the small group element of discipleship. A new class directed to parents with young children will start this Sunday. The teacher of that class told me that he met 11 couples last night that are interested in joining this class! Eleven! God is on the move and we must acknowledge and respond.

(3) Expansion - Our church is very close to starting an expansion process, complete with needs and feasibility studies, etc. (contingent on church vote). With new ministries like AWANA starting up, new Sunday school classes, and people being baptized more often, it is clear that God is on the move and we must acknowledge and respond.

Make no mistake, Christianity and God's church, is a movement. It is not a place, institution, or building. When God moves among His people He will provide a way to disciple them in His church. However, the people of God must be ready to move with Him. He is on the move and we must acknowledge and respond.