The Virginia Murders: A Perspective

If you saw or read yesterday's reports about the cold-blooded killing of two Virginia television reporters (the reporter and her cameraman), you may have been stunned, sickened, and likely angry. There is quite a bit about it that still sickens me. I think it is sick that the media concentrated their reporting time on this, largely ignoring the rest of the nation and world. How many of you were aware that yet another Louisiana patrolman was murdered yesterday? A largely unreported story about Boko Haram crossed some news wires 3 days ago; how many of you heard about that one? What's my point? My point is that when it was a journalist who died, it was suddenly "breaking news."

Here's a news flash: all lives matter! The nearly 60 million aborted lives matter. The black on black, white on white--whatever the racial background or combination thereof--murders should alarm us. But it seems to me that they don't matter until the media tell us they matter. It's almost as though they get to do the thinking for us.

The fact that too many want to escalate this issue and create unrest through it also matters. Prejudice is a multi-lane highway, folks. It runs several different ways. And it is repugnant in its many forms.

At the same time, under-reporting and misreporting the facts behind the heinous crime that took place matters. Did political correctness drive some of the declarations and stories? Without a doubt! After all, the media get to do our thinking for us...; and the agenda of many of them is not kind to conservatives. So when I linked a story from a largely conservative site that revealed the background story of the murderer, I took a little heat from it. Oh, well; that's the price for thinking for myself, I guess.

Now that I have ranted about the junk surrounding this despicable act of violence, one that broke my heart to hear and see on video reports, let me get to the bottom line. The bottom line is this: we witnessed the tragedy of a life darkened by sin. The sun set on this man's thinking. He was given over to a mind filled with all kinds of horrid and unspeakable thoughts. When a nation forgets God, this is what happens. Unless we Christ-followers repent and unless God Almighty sends revival to the church, I fear we will see even more of the same. After all, we are the salt and light of the world. Unsavory salt is worthless. Stained and dirty lamp shades don't let out much light. And the nation won't seek God until the church leads the way.

That's my perspective, for what it's worth.

Lessons from Ashley

There are a lot of newsworthy stories out there, so much so that writing about something like this seems to be very unnecessary and insignificant. In some ways, that would be true. I want to help us focus, however, on the truth that we can learn from the dreadful (to many) Ashley Madison Scandal. If you live in a vacuum, or are just coming back from a coma, or maybe lived in the jungles of a remote part of the world, follow the link above; they will summarize what happened for you.

Millions of men and women are cowering in a corner right now. They tremble with fear that they will be found out by their significant other. Or maybe they are single and looking for a man or woman out for a "cheat" thrill; but now they tremble as well.

Who is on the list? In short, people from virtually every walk of life. I can't find it now, but one Imam (a Muslim leader) insisted he never put his name out there. I'm not saying he did; I am only demonstrating they are from every walk of life.

What can we learn from this, as we read and hear about this person and that person being outed? What can we learn when place by place, country, state, and city, names are splashed all over the internet for others to see? One place will tell you not to look at the list; let it be. Another tells you to go ahead and take a look; you may find that special loved one's fidelity is in words only. What to do with all that conflicting counsel?

Here is the lesson I draw from Ashley:

As men and women, married and single cringe in fear that their secret is out of the bag, their greater fear is yet to come--unless they repent and believe the gospel. Rev. 20:11, 12 reveal a day when all the earth will try to hide from the Lord God, who will judge all men.  Verse 15 in the same book promises that those whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire; eternally separated from God. Eternally punished for their sins, both public and secret.

Second, I am reminded of what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-5. Instead of a direct quote, let me paraphrase it for you. There were millions whose identities were divulged from a website designed for adulterers, and whose lives were ruined by their foolish choice. Do you think you are more righteous than they? I tell you, no; unless you also repent you will perish, too. 

Finally, I am reminded that forgiveness is available to all who will turn to Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that Jesus paid for my sin; not just mine, but the sins of the whole world. Anyone who will come to Jesus will find him ready to pardon and cleanse from the pollution, stench, and stain of sin. I suspect a lot of men and women are scrambling to find a good lawyer. Let me recommend the best lawyer of all. His name is Jesus. Come to him and let him plead your case before the Father in heaven.

And that is what I can take away from Ashley Madison.

SCOTUS, Thy Name is Treason and a Millstone Awaits Thee

Our hearts were crushed today. We had held out hope against hope that some modicum of wisdom still prevailed in the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). They ably demonstrated, however, that their minds and hearts have been darkened by the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air. No man or woman with common sense can possibly look at any body of thought and conclude that marriage must be redefined. But one who follows the twisted, dark, ungodly logic of the prince of the power of the air will most certainly swim in the cesspool of perversion of thought that 5 justices chose to swim in.

At great risk and personal peril, in a time when 1st Amendment rights have been sorely erode and expunged from society, I say that at least 5 of our SCOTUS justices will face the fierce, unrelenting wrath of God, unless they repent and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. I do not say this with vitriol. I speak it with a broken heart. The Holy Spirit who lives within me is grieved. As a consequence, I am grieved, albeit not to the extent He is.

That being said, I issue a warning straight from Jesus' mouth: 1He said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2"It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Dishonorable Justices, you have caused many to stumble today. I admonish you to repent. Repent or perish.

Worshipping Jesus

I want to take you to a passage in John 12 that I hope will speak to your heart. It's about worship. It's about loving Jesus. In case someone gets confused, I am speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ, the one true Savior. The one born of a virgin. The one who died on the cross and was raised from the dead. I hope this blesses you...

Our text is that period of time between the end of Jesus’ public ministry and the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. When we see Jesus in Bethany, he has already been to Jericho where he healed Bartimaeus and saved Zacchaeus. Now we are at the home of the one they call Simon the Leper. Lazarus is one of the ones at the meal. What we are about to see is a thing of beauty. We are about to see two acts of worship, both done in very different ways; but both are perfectly appropriate according to God’s work in the hearts of each worshipper.

V1, 2 – Martha serves. I am not sure I would have seen this if I had not been in Rom. 12 today, preparing a devotional guide for our mission team to Peru. And on the drive over I heard a Bible teacher speaking of Romans 12 in his lesson. So my mind has been guided through some great words today. Look at them: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

So Martha showed her gratitude and worship the best way she knew how. Did she understand everything that was about to happen? We don’t know. But we know she served. Why is this significant? I mean, I am speaking to a group of people who have served up many a meal. It’s common for us. So what’s the big deal? There is a strong likelihood that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were of sufficient means as to have servants to do this. After all, they had one who could work as a messenger in John 11.

But they aren’t the ones we see dishing out the food. It’s Martha. She is serving. Service is a good form of worship when it is done with joy and without complaining. The last time we saw Martha serving she complained about Mary not serving. The only thing her complaint got her was a rebuke from Jesus. So now here she is. Serving. With no words of complaint. No fussing that she is doing this alone. No fussing over being recognized. She is just serving.

V3 – Mary sacrificed. She poured out onto the Lord Jesus in one minute what it would take most people one year to earn. I don’t know how much that would be, maybe $20,000 in today’s average wages; maybe as much as $40,000. But I do know that even at that the low end of that, by the world’s standards, the sacrifice would be astounding for any of us. It begs the question, ladies and gents: how much is Jesus worth to you? Is He worth 10%? Is He worth more, or less? Is He worth your service? Remember, Martha served.

How much is the kingdom of God worth? What about the gospel?

There’s Jesus, reclining in the Middle-Eastern fashion around the dinner table. There is Mary, on her knees before Jesus, wiping his feet with her hair. Once more, this speaks volumes to me—more than I can possibly put into words. Slaves washed feet, not sisters of honored guests. Slaves touched nasty feet that had plodded across dusty trails. Mary takes her hair, which is her crown of glory, according to Scripture, and she uses it like a rag on the feet of Jesus. All the glory you have is only good enough to wash the feet of Jesus.

The fragrance of her sacrifice and worship filled the room. Let me ask you, when you worship each week, what fragrance fills the room? Is it the fragrance of presenting yourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God? Or is it the fragrance of the “let’s get on with it” mentality of today’s society? I’m ashamed to say I have been guilty of uncorking a bottle of hurry-this-up anointing oil and stinking up the room with it.

V4-6 – The fragrance filled the room and the disciples smelled it. Especially Judas. And Judas wasn’t happy. Where others smelled the fragrance of devotion, Judas smelled the fragrance of denarii. Others saw and act of worship. Judas called it a waste. Some people feel that way about making any sacrifice to the Lord. To them, it is a total waste. It costs too much. It’s a waste to give one’s life to share the gospel across the seas. It costs too much to be involved in the things of God. It’s a waste to give tithes to a local church. It’s a waste to invest in the kingdom of God. Judas’ claim was without foundation; he was a lying, selfish thief. His pious words were really carefully disguised poison, meant to profit himself.

V7, 8 – Jesus gave a well-placed rebuke and a well-stated reminder to us. The rebuke serves to keep the focus on Jesus. The reminder is to teach us to take every advantage of the opportunity before us to worship Christ with all our mind, soul, heart, and strength. 

Can We Clarify Marriage?

This next week is a big week in our part of the world. It may not seem big. In fact, for many, it would not even be a ripple on the water. But it's bigger than many may realize. Our great church is hosting a conference regarding the sanctity of marriage. See the information in this flyer:

I can't tell you how important the timing of the conference is. On April 28th the Supreme Court of the United States, will hear oral arguments regarding same-sex marriage. America has had 20 years of bombardment of television and movies, not to mention the push by main stream media pundits, all of which have tried to paint this normal view of the same sex lifestyle. An entire generation has been conditioned to see such lifestyles as normal. Are they? What does the Bible say about these and other lifestyles that have surfaced since then?

If in or near Hattiesburg, MS, come find out. Otherwise, sometime after the conference you will be able to watch the recorded sessions on our website: 38thavenuebaptist.org.

I hope to see some of you there.

The Tyranny of an Unchecked Government

Recent headline news surrounding the same-sex movement in America includes a story out of Houston, declaring that its lesbian mayor and what can only be an activist judge has issued subpoenas against key pastors in demands that they turn over their sermons that may mention homosexuality and/or the mayor herself.

I wonder if Houston knew what they were getting into when they decided to show America how tolerant they were by electing this woman to be their  mayor? I wonder if Houston ever dreamed they would be in the national news for such a tyrannical act as has been perpetrated by this woman and her disdain for the Christian church?

Americans have so long ignored the dirty fingers pulling at the threads of the garments of freedom that they have been caught by surprise by this woman's actions. So many have warned America that her foundational principles of freedom were being systematically attacked. If it is not free speech, then it is the right to keep and bear arms. If it is not the right to keep and bear arms, then it is the protection from illegal search and seizure. If this group or the other espouse conservative doctrine, count on an audit from the IRS.

I hope that Mayor Annise Parker has awakened this nation to the tyranny of an unchecked government. I hope that she has lit the match that creates a fire of freedom from the tyranny of this government--one that burns from coast to coast. If so, thank you Madam Mayor. Your foolish threats against Houston's pulpits has awakened many.

Wake up, America! You may still be able to wrest away from the purveyors of perversion the powers that now rests in their hands. Perhaps, God willing, it is not too late.

Another Nail in the Coffin

I could not state more eloquently the results of today's news from SCOTUS than did Dr. Al Mohler in his latest op ed. Still, something more must be said than has been said.

For more than 60 years there has been in the United States a systematic attack on the most essential component of a nation and its society: the family. Those who think this is simply societal evolution at work are blind to the truth. I am about to step in it big time; but if I go down, I am going down swinging.

First, the standard model of the family unit (not perfect by any stretch of the imagination) changed when the breadwinner of the family changed from singular to plural. I want us to get our minds onto the same page, so we need to think sociologically and (more importantly) spiritually, and not economically. Fewer and fewer children had a parent at home when they finished school for the day. More and more children went home to an empty house. More and more children began to be supervised in after-care programs and by the new rage in media, the television.

Second, a closet organization working for same-sex rights began to quietly place into motion one of the most sinister plans to hit these United States. The second piece moved in this game of spiritual chess was the one designated as equal rights. Long before the equal rights amendment was debated in the public forum, the concept of lack of equal rights was talked up in small, but influential circles. Soon it became the mantra of angry, hormone-laden young people of the '60's. That's right, ladies; some of you were used to further Satan's agenda to destroy this nation (not to say we men were not!).

Third, there needed to be an expected right to privacy. America wanted to bow down before the false god of Molech, just as they had already begun to bow before Baal and would soon bow before Ashtoreth. They needed to be convinced to sacrifice their babies. Why? Was it just to exterminate babies through the most heinous act of infanticide in the history of the world? Or was something else at work, as well? Yes, something more was at work.

The small, but influential group of homosexual activists began their work on societal mores. They had to remove the stigma of homosexuality; the right to privacy was just one piece of that. These purveyors of perversion knew they did not have the voice of the churches, or of mainstream America. But if they could achieve a backdoor coup and convince the "scientific community" (I use that phrase loosely) to make some changes, then America would eventually follow. Their target? The psychiatrists and psychologists. Get them to declare same-sex attraction to be normal and we will be well on our way. And, as we all know, they succeeded. The genie was out of the bottle. Those preachers who claimed that same-sex attraction was a deviation from God's norm and God's standard now stood against the finest minds of the 20th Century.

Fourth, they had to convince the nation to strike down sodomy laws. One by one states dropped those laws; after all, there is a constitutionally protected reasonable right to privacy, right? Wrong! Wrong! and Wrong again! The logic of such is ridiculously flawed. That will have to be a discussion for another time.

This is the time that equal rights needed to resurface. America has been softened to the shock of sinful behavior. After all, divorce is now so commonplace that most homes do not resemble the once beautiful family unit. Television and Hollywood have conditioned us to see positive role models of same-sex couples. And, if that were not enough, the now small and very powerful same-sex community has purchased enough votes and frightened enough politicians to have their people in high places in government; these same cowards appointed and approved pro-same-sex judges, who are hard at work. Now we need to speak about same-sex equality.

If the same-sex communities can find enough people to challenge marriage laws, they would now have enough judges to make asinine rulings and legislate from the bench the right to same-sex marriage. They found them and the judges, while fondling their fleeting power, made the rulings they were hoped to make. Today's decision by SCOTUS to not hear the cases was an act of cowardice and a perpetration of treason against the family unit and maybe even this nation.

Get ready, people. It won't be long before every state has to follow suit. Ready yourselves, pastors. It won't be long before you will be tested. Be ready, churches. You are about to be challenged in court to try to require you to accept same-sex couples, allowing them the use of your facilities for their marriages. Write into your statements of faith your convictions about that subject. And be inclusive in your language. Describe a man as a man born a man, and a woman as a woman born a woman.

Weep, America. The Supreme Court of the United States just drove a same-sex nail into your coffin.

Hate the Sin

Mississippi is in the news. Not like Missouri is at the moment; but we are in the news. We are on a Showtime documentary, L Mississippi: Hate the Sin. I have not seen their work, but I know about it. I was one of the "sin haters" that was filmed. The final product that appeared on Showtime was not what we were led to believe would be produced--not that any of us are surprised. The final product appears to be far less objective than the named director claims. And I am not surprised.

In this post that will be read by a few, I want to reiterate the truth of God's word and hold that truth up to the supposed facts that  L Mississippi: Hate the Sin claims to be true. I also want to explain my purpose in this post, as opposed to something a little more current (like Ferguson, MO): my research did not turn up one positive pro-Christian post about this subject. Christians, thus far, have been largely silent. So let me share my perspective.

First, the feature pastor, Randy Cofield, is given a bad name in the trailer for this documentary, when the film editors skillfully edited his comments to make him look like a madman. Just watch the trailer in the link above and you will see what I mean. Pastor Cofield has a great burden to penetrate lostness--all lostness--with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is a man of great compassion, but one whose biblical standards do not waiver. So, for Pastor Cofield (and many, many more of us), right is right and wrong is wrong. Please let me go into depth on that premise.

The foundational truth on which I base this premise is found in the Old Testament book of the Psalms. Ps. 119:89 says, "Forever, O Lord, is your word settled in heaven." In case you need that stated in other words, consider this: whatever God says in the Bible stands as permanently established truth. Jesus himself said that not one single stroke of the Law would pass away until all is fulfilled (Mt. 5:18). What God says stands.

So what exactly has God said about sin? He tells those who love the Lord to hate evil (Ps. 97:10). He tells us that our love should be without hypocrisy; that we should abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good (Ro. 12:9). Guess who gets to decide what is good and what is evil? You go it! God does. Not I; not you; not my preferences, my lifestyle choices; not my wishes and wants; God, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Righteous One, gets to determine what is good and evil.

When Pastor Cofield and others (such as I) take a stand against sin and for righteousness, you should not be surprised. And when those who delight in sin and take a stand against righteousness, the Christian community should neither cower in the corner, nor be surprised that they have followed their nature. It is, after all, the nature of the unregenerate heart of man and woman to oppose godly standards. The flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal. 5:17).

If you watch  L Mississippi: Hate the Sin you need to consider that it was produced from the standpoint of those who hate God's righteous standards, no matter what they may pretend to claim in the documentary. You should also be warned that it is advertised as rated TV MA for language and adult themes.

A Journey through the Streets of Arequipa, Peru

It's day 7 of a fast week of ministry in Southern Peru. The city of Arequipa has been my favorite place in all of Peru and all of the years we lived here. Somewhere in this city they have buried my heart, because it was ripped out when I left here many years ago. God has been good and allowed me to return more than once. This is the first time, though, in five years. Things changed in the past five years, too.

First, for some unknown and strange reason, there seems to be much less oxygen to breathe! The first day I trudged up the stairs to my third-floor room I was sucking in a lot of oxygen-deprived air, hoping for some relief for my aching lungs. That's okay; it's normal. Then came days two, three, and four. Hmm..., I thought I would be acclimated by now. The other days have come and gone, including today. The air is still as rarefied as it ever was! Could that have something to do with age?? Surely not I!

Faces have changed. There were still plenty of the same faces in many of the places I went. But there were also very many new faces among the churches I visited. That's a good thing. New faces mean churches are being the church. New faces mean new opportunities to create new friendships. It was an exciting change to experience.

Some of the streets have changed. The city government has revitalized areas once owned by drug lords. I walked down peaceful, lovely, quiet streets that even seven years ago people would not have dared enter. It made for a beautiful experience.

The gospel has spread all across the city. That would also account for changes in the city. People who know Christ are more peaceful and joyful, as a rule. To be sure, there are scores of churchless communities that have cropped up; Arequipa continues to grow at a fast pace. I was glad to see and hear firsthand of the plans to penetrate these unreached communities.

Now I am just a few hours away from my final night of teaching. This last session will be followed by a race to the airport to catch my flights out of Peru. I will miss it again. But I will be more than happy to be back in the field God has given me to work in these days of my life.

After all, that's what drives me. That is what I live for: to please Him.

Let the Little Children Come to Me

I'm cutting into my study time to write this short post. Perhaps it will speak to someone who wrestles with the same truth.

It's VBS time in southern America. If you are not of the typical church culture, that stands for Vacation Bible School, which is a 5-day opportunity churches take to teach children of all ages truths from the Bible. Our church is particularly adept at creative ways of teaching. I admire how our teachers can do so much with so little.

Day 4 of the typical VBS week is evangelism day. Someone, often the pastor, sits down with the older children and shares the truth of the gospel, which has been emphasized all week long in the classroom teaching. The evangelist is there to reap a harvest brought on by all the seed-sowing efforts of those great teachers.

This is where I wrestle. This is where I have always wrestled. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” So we know we can guide these little ones to him. And we can conclude (not assume) that a child can believe. But how do we present the gospel in a clear and meaningful way? How do we avoid making "churchians" versus Christians?

First, I am grateful for the Holy Spirit. It is His work to convict of sin and righteousness and judgment. It is not mine. It is His work to show the children their lostness and illuminate their hearts to understand the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation.

That being said, I still tremble at the task of child evangelism. I know many, many people who have "believed" as a child, only to repent and truly believe later.

Today I had the help of two great workers. We acted out the gospel message, using as our main prop Evangecube's "Big Cube." It's a great tool, when used right. I quizzed the children at the close to see how many got the message right. Their answers were on target. Their readiness? I'm reluctant to declare them "saved."

I'm persuaded that some who listened today have already come to Jesus. I am equally persuaded that others will come to Jesus in time. But I did not and cannot be so persuasive as to coerce them into the church culture without the inward change that only Christ Jesus brings through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit.

Some say never evangelize children. I think we need to leave that up to the Holy Spirit--especially in light of Jesus' command mentioned above.

Behold the Lamb!

When John the Baptist saw Jesus as he walked, he looked and exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John watched Jesus as he walked. For three more years Jesus walked. He walked north and he walked south. He walked into cities and walked out of them. Jesus walked away from some disingenuous people, but walked up to many more. 

One day, after about 3 years of healing the ill, giving sight to the blind, opening deaf ears, strengthening weak limbs, and raising the dead, Jesus walked up to the gates of Jerusalem. There a crowd awaited him. There, in the presence of those who should know better than anyone else, Jesus fulfilled yet another prophecy: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.-- Zech. 9:9

They should have known, those religious leaders of Israel. Those scholars of the Law and the Prophets. Those men of great importance. They should have seen. But they were blind, both by choice and by the god of this world. 

Just a few days later we find Jesus walking once more. He walks up the stairs to an upper room that has been made ready for the last Passover the Lord Jesus will celebrate with his disciples until his return. He teaches, admonishes, warns, and prepares his disciples for the inconceivable. And after a few hours together, hours that puzzled his small band of disciples, Jesus walked down the stairs, out the door, and on to Gethsemane. Gethsemane, the garden with the prophetic name: oil, or olive, press. It was there that the weight of the agony of taking away the sin of the world weighed hard on the Lord Jesus. As the press began its work, Jesus sweat great drops of blood. His soul was pressed. His heart pounded like a hammer squeezing every drop of oil from the olives beneath its head. 

Back and forth Jesus walked from his place of agonizing prayer to the place of the three unfeeling disciples, all bound with ropes of sleep. Not an encouraging word would be found from his three closest friends. Not one look of compassion showed on their faces, limp with the sleep of the hour.

From there, late into the night, Jesus walked to trial after trial, stopping only to be questioned, mocked, beaten, and whipped. Surely those legs must be tired by now. Jesus has walked so many miles. He has not gone the second mile, though that is all he has asked of us. He has gone so much farther. One more walk and for three days his walking will be done.

With a cross as heavy as a large man of his day, Jesus began his walk outside of the gates of Jerusalem. He walked on as far as his legs would carry him. The soldiers compelled another to walk with him. Simon of Cyrene, carry that cross! Jesus, fall in behind him! Onward they walked, the legs of Jesus now heavy with both pain and grief. The cacophony of the crowd is almost indistinguishable. Some are laughing, some are crying. Some are begging for mercy, some are braying like stupid donkeys. 

At a place shaped like a skull the procession ends. Jesus won't walk anymore--not for the next 3 days. In fact, those feet that carried Jesus so many miles are now carefully arranged and fastened to the vertical beam of the cross with such ferocity that no man with half a heart could look on. His hands are equally impaled and Jesus is raised up from the earth. 

In his mind he has to have thought, "I was born for this. This is my destiny." We know one thing he thought: who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame... (Heb. 12:2) In a way that remains a mystery to the human mind, Jesus became sin on that cross, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. We can throw around the big words: imputed, propitiation, expiation, etc.; we can throw them around, but the mystery will remain in the same darkness that surrounded the cross for 3 hours. 

When Jesus finally came down from the cross, he came down as a corpse. He was dead. No man took his life; he laid it down. He had become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God saw the travail of his soul. And God was satisfied. The perfect sacrifice had finally been made for the sin of the world.

Joseph, Nicodemus, and a handful of women hastily prepared the body and buried our Lord Jesus in the tomb of the rich. Don't worry, Joseph! He's just going to borrow it for a few days.

On the first day of the week, early in the morning, an angel of God rolled away the stone. We like to say that the angel rolled the stone away so we could walk in, not so Jesus could walk out; but does it really matter? He has defeated death and if the King of kings wants to walk out, I think it's his prerogative. He doesn't need to, that's for sure. But we beheld him for three years as he walked from place to place. Maybe he wanted to stretch his legs one more time before presenting himself to his father in heaven. 

Behold the Lamb! He was the Lamb who willingly walked to his death so you would be able to walk into life everlasting. 

Take a good look...

Happy New Year

“Happy New Year!” is the call of most of the world in these days. That’s precisely what I want for you and me, as well as for so many that I know around the world. 

We can have a Happy New Year. Let me tell you what will make that possible for you:

It will be happy if we do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scoffers. 

It will be happy if we meditate in God’s precious, wisdom-giving word. 

It will be happy if we ensure that Jesus is Lord in our daily lives. 

We will have a happy new year if we think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, and whatever is of a good report [that eliminates the obsession of some for most of the news broadcasts!!]. 

We will be happy if we place into practice those things which Jesus has both taught and commanded. 

Finally, we will have a happy new year if we give more than we receive. 

All these things are simple principles God gives for true happiness. Make this the happiest year of your life; seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

I look forward to worshiping the Lord God through Christ Jesus in the coming days, weeks, and months. Ultimately, that will produce the deepest joy and greatest measure of happiness.

Let’s be happy together.

Phil Robertson Was Right

Phil Robertson was right. Period. No need to debate this. What Phil said is what nature teaches. What Phil said is what the word of God teaches. What Phil said is what true Christianity teaches. A&E is Christophobic. If they can call practicing Christians homophobic, we have the equal right to call them Christophobic.

Mr. Cruz misunderstands true Christianity if he thinks true Christianity endorses or accepts homosexuality. True Christianity teaches that ALL sexual behavior outside of marriage is sin. True Christianity teaches that ANY practicing sinner can repent, believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and be washed and justified (See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Does this mean true Christians are homophobic or that they even hate those who practice same sex? Not at all! A true Christian is compelled by the love of Christ to love and reach out to all. A true Christian loves the practicing sinner enough to warn them that the road they have chosen leads to destruction. To quote Mr. Robertson, The true Christian "would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me." 

By the way, why did Mr. Cruz and A&E overlook that statement? Could it be that their agenda includes silencing the voices of true Christians from the public arena? 

Let me end as I began: Phil Robertson was right. Period.

Tis the Week before Christmas and Christ Wants Us To Make Him Known

'Tis the week before Christmas. I suspect there will be thousands of blogs, Facebook posts, and Tweets that admonish us to keep Christ in Christmas. I wonder if, while we are scurrying about, making sure we have the right to say "Merry Christmas," and not just "Happy Holidays," or "Season's Greetings," are we also making sure we take the time to share the Christ of Christmas?

Let's be real about this. Much of what we want is the right to our tradition. Much of what I think Christ wants is our passion to make Him known to the world around us. We need to make him known to the one who cuts our hair. We need to make him known to the clerk at the store--that clerk with tired eyes and a heavy-hearted or bored look as she swipes your purchases across her scanner and announces the charges of your latest run through the store. We need to make him known to the busy server at your next restaurant.

We need to make Christ known in hundreds of people groups and hundreds of countries where his name is a rare thought. A simple offering to a missions agency or society, such as the IMB of the SBC will go a long ways in fulfilling that.

We need to make Christ known to our families. Honestly, that can be a daunting task. Some subjects are off limits at our Christmas celebrations. Oddly, Christ is not invited to his own party in some houses. It's as though we say, "Hey, it's Christmas! But don't you dare mention the J-word around here! You may offend someone!" Well, you know what? Make Christ known, anyway; just don't be obnoxious about it.

[Obnoxious...; I like that word. It sounds like you just let off a sudden stench with your mouth. I could go somewhere with that, but don't want to lose the message of this post.]

Yes, it's the week before Christmas. It's a great time to make Christ known. After all, He is the reason all this stuff started in the first place.

I Have Resources; So Do You!

There are 43 thousand of them. They live in the edge of the Amazon in northern Peru. Thirty dollars a month would be the average income for many of them. 

I am speaking of the Aguaruna Tribe. [that's Ah-gwa-ROON-ah for us Gringos]

Next week I will meet some Aguaruna Baptist pastors in Lima, Peru. They will make the sacrifice and pay around $20 to ride the bus and meet me there. These men are coming because I have the blessing of being able to minister to one of their needs. I have resources...

Just like the average Aguaruna family, these pastors (there are 35 of them) have few resources. They also have a limited education. Seminary is the proverbial pipe dream for them. But I have resources....

A pastor from Lima called me several weeks ago. He invited me to participate in a world missions conference in Lima. I consulted with the Lord and with my missions team. The team and the Lord both urged me to accept the conference. In the subsequent phone call, the pastor told me about the Aguaruna pastors' needs. And I thought of my resources...

Maybe it was the Smokehouse Salad from Dickey's that did it. Or maybe it was the high-fiber cereal that morning. But I was stirred. I wiped away tears as I listened to Roy. I groaned in my spirit. 

Roy had a vision. He wanted to place a Thompson Study Bible in the hands of 35 pastors. He wanted to know if I could help find funding for that. I love a man or woman with vision. It excites me. I agreed to try and immediately sent out the word. God gave me everything I prayed for and then some. What excitement rang through my heart at that time. I had resources. Others I knew had resources. God gave me and them the resources.Now I get to share them with others. 

I have other resources, as well. These resources are less tangible than dollar bills. I sense that I am about to be called on to use those intangible resources to train some trainers. This is because God equipped me for times like these.

You see, when God equips you, He does so in order to make you a blessing for others. He did not equip you just for you. You are important for the work of the ministry. I bet you have resources you did not even consider to be resources. But they are. I know they are because, as someone once said, "God don't make no junk." 

Just tell God you want to be used in Christ's Kingdom. Then wait patiently for God to lead you to cash in your resources. 

When God calls on you, enjoy the ride!

Ready to Risk What It Takes?

I am a preacher. I know there are those who would say, "No; that is what you do." It may be something I do, true; but it is who I am. I was called TO BE a preacher. The verb, "to be" is one that declares my identity. So my identity is that of BEING a preacher.

As a preacher, I must take risks. Among the greatest of those, I must risk failure. Yes, preachers fail. Before you begin to go moral in your thought process, let me explain that. Every time I stand to preach I risk failure. If I have not met with God before preaching, I have failed. If I do not connect with my audience, I have failed. So I must risk failure.

But I have discovered that it is possible to take such risks and also be comfortable in doing so. Standing to preach in a plushly carpeted, air-conditioned, soft-seat and well-lit auditorium in America is comfortable. But now I have observed others and discovered I can sit on a nice, tall chair and preach. I can put on my Ked's or Converse, my jeans, my wrinkled shirt, and I can be one of the guys while I preach. I can expound the word of God for 30 minutes, give a brief invitation to respond to the word, shake some hands, shed some tears with broken believers, and then climb in my air-conditioned, leather-seated SUV and drive off to lunch somewhere. Yes, I can be comfortable, even as I risk failure.

Or, I can risk failure in other ways. I can take up the Pauline mantle and be a missionary to the Gentiles. Or I can take up the Petrine mantle and be a missionary to the Jews. I could even take up the Thomasine mantle and go to India, if church traditions about that are correct. But the risk is far greater. The risk is far more important. Consider the following excellent video from IMB.

There is a big world waiting for you to do what it takes; waiting for you to risk it all.

In case you don't know anything about me and my wife, we did risk it all. Please let me brag, and do it to the glory of the Lord. We were front-line missionaries, appointed in 1988 and who returned in 2010 in obedience to God's call.

We do risk it all. My wife just returned from Chile; I went to a secret location in Asia and ministered to Christ-followers who risked going to jail just by being in the same room with me, as I taught them the word of God. And I am headed to South America in October to challenge Peruvians to go into all the world and to risk it all.

Yes, we risked it all. We risked terrorism. We risked robberies. We risked failing health and major illnesses. We risked persecution. We risked dangers on the road and in the air.

We would risk it again tomorrow if God sent us. The glory of God is worth doing what it takes. The lostness of man and the love of Christ are worth doing what it takes. Are you ready to do that? Are you ready to risk what it takes?

Why I Love America

I love the United States of America. I have lived half my life outside its borders. But I have never lost my love for this nation. I am not a nationalist, mind you; I do not believe we should equate God with America. But I do see God's hand on this nation in a way I have not seen in other nations. The reasons will be clear in the few lines I will paste below; they are a copy of my afternoon message to my great congregation and church. Perhaps they will bless you, as well. Please overlook the formatting. MS Word and Blogspot do not always agree with one another.

I.     I love America because the Founding Fathers had the right vision

A.      I particularly appreciate the wisdom in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence:

1. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

2. Where did that vision come from?

B.      The founding fathers envisioned a nation with Christ in the center

1. Daniel Webster said, “[T]he Christian religion – its general principles – must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society.”

2. George Washington said, “You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.”

3. Benjamin Rush said, “I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament.”

II.   I love America because it was founded with the right virtues

A.      In modern times we have been called first, a post-Christian nation; second, a post-modern society

B.      Our own president has claimed we are not a Christian nation

1. He said on a recent presidential trip to Turkey that Americans “do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.”

2. The truth of the matter is that most who agree with this are ignorant of the facts of the foundation of this nation

3. That is not surprising, given the rabid race to revise our history and remove all vestiges of Christianity from its pages

C.      Please let me quote a few of founding fathers

1.  John Adams said, “[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.

2. John Quincy Adams said, “There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.”

3. Fisher Ames, who framed the first amendment said, “There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.”

4. Charles Carroll, who signed the Declaration of Independence said, “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime & pure, [and] which denounces against the wicked eternal misery, and [which] insured to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”

III.  I love America because we have the possibility of the right victory

A.      David Barton has ten steps to take back Americafrom the secular humanists

1. Barton said, “There must be two reversals, the first and most obvious one must occur in our national public stance toward God: the Supreme Court's current ban on the acknowledgment of God and the use of His principles in public is a direct challenge to Him and has thus triggered the law of national accountability, subjecting the nation to severe consequences. Therefore, our current national public stand against God must be set aside.”

2. Barton continued, “The second reversal must center on the restoration of the personal benefits derived from living by Godly principles”

B.      Here are some of the steps Barton recommended

1. Pray – if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray…

2. Teach your children and grandchildren both to pray and the truth of the foundation of this nation

3. Pray devout Christians will run for public office

4. Christians need to be involved in public media

May God give us a little more time before he brings judgment on this nation that I love.

SCOTUS and Their Rulings

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

(Jud 1:3)

As I contemplated today’s announced Supreme Court rulings, I could only think of these words, given by Jude in a dark and dangerous time for the church.  I could not continue our study in John tonight—not with the dark news that has wafted across our land like a slowly-thickening smoke that promises a forest fire is on the horizon. I want to give my opinion as to what it likely means for the church and what our response should be.

First, you should know that the actual laws governing marriage in our state have not changed. These rulings did not say that Mississippi or any other state must recognize gay marriage. Mississippi and 29 other states have already passed a binding statement that marriage is between a man and a woman.

On a federal level, however, things have changed. If a homosexual couple travels to a state that recognizes homosexual marriage, and if they marry there, then wherever they may choose to live no longer matters, when it comes to recognition on a federal level. So if Joe and John “marry” in Maine, but live in Mississippi, they can now file federal taxes as “married, filing jointly” even if Mississippi does not recognize the marriage on a state level. That was the immediate impact of the demise of the defense of marriage act. It also means all federal employees will receive all federal benefits.

Regarding Proposition 8 for California, the Court sent that ruling back, basically saying it was a state matter. The state judge had overturned the will of the people as unconstitutional. So the will of the people in California has been defeated by judicial fiat to ignore the will people.

That being said, here are some serious implications: one, the judge who wrote the majority opinion for the DOMA ruling has asserted that to disagree with this ruling is to be an enemy of the human race. That means you have been classified and placed into a holocaustic category. Why do I say that? Disease, by implication, is an enemy of the human race; and we eradicate disease. War and famine are enemies of the human race, something else we seek to eradicate. Now the conservative Christian is an enemy of the human race. What will be the outcome?

Look for biblical passages about homosexuality to be classified as hate speech before long. The DOMA ruling states categorically that SCOTUS sees homosexuals as a class of people. They are conferring civil rights upon a chosen, albeit alternate, lifestyle and calling those adherents "a class." What about pedophiles? What about polygamists? If one chosen lifestyle deserves civil protection, what about the others? 

Military Chaplains are about to be in trouble, as well. The military is federally controlled; that includes chaplains. There will be chaplains who will be asked to marry soldiers at the base chapel. They will be on federal territory, under strict federal jurisdiction. The chaplains are federal employees. They will be forced to choose Christ or the government.

The wording of the DOMA ruling implies that SCOTUS sees as inevitable the enactment of marriage for all within a decade. That is what many Christian leaders have concluded. While not federally mandated at this point, don’t be surprised when that happens in the case of homosexual marriage.

The ruling of Prop 8 shows that the will of the people is no longer important in this nation. The deeper implication is that our nation is no longer a republic for the people, by the people, or of the people. We are ruled by the elite few. We are still a representative government; but we have shown that the will of the people can be taken away by the will of the few.

For the American church, we have an opportunity, if we don’t blow it. We can be counter-culture, as was the church in the book of Acts. We can provide a haven of rest for the storm-tossed souls who need Christ. We can show the world what true marriage is like. We can preach Christ and show Him as the Bread of Life that satisfies. 

SCOTUS' rulings today did not change America culturally; they only changed it legally. The cultural change happened far too long ago. It happened while the church slept. So to the church I say, I hope you are awake now.

Welcome to 1984, America!

You asked for it, ladies and gentlemen; now you have it. Your wildest dreams have come true. I refer to the steady, calculated, and unmitigated encroachment of the government upon your freedoms. Your liberties have changed in ways some never dreamed would happen. But when we give the government a free hand, the government is going to do what governments do; it is going to absorb you and your assets so that it can continue to grow.

Via the multiple social programs the government initially offered and that we subsequently demanded, the government has leeched out of the majority the will to live free. By "live free," I mean that the people no longer care if their governments (local, state, and federal) make many decisions for them, or not. As long as the government keeps on giving what I want, I am happy.

But the government is not happy. The government needs more of you and your money. The government fears you; therefore the government must control you. This is an unintended consequence (Or is it?) to what is known as The Patriot Act.  The Patriot Act gave the government broad powers in its attempt to obstruct terrorism. But someone somewhere in that machine called the Federal Government saw an opportunity--a legal opportunity--to broaden its scope and use, misuse, and abuse those mechanisms put into action by The Patriot Act.

The latest revealed action is by the NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden, a professed supporter of Mr. Obama. While some legislators are angry that Snowden blew the whistle on them, others are at least pretending to be dismayed that our government dared to be so far reaching in their ravenous grasp of our personal information. Can I say something really inane? DUH!! What in the world did you think would happen?

And what do you think will happen when medical staff begin to question you about weapons in your home? Or what will happen when you must present your medical records--YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION--to the IRS?

You asked for it, America. You failed to follow the principles that make any nation great. The government cannot and will not govern itself. The government is for the people only if it is by the people and of the people. Ours no longer is. Ours is a government of the few--an oligarchy. And the few fear you will wake up to that. They will, therefore, continue to swallow your rights and mine, unless American citizens lose their appetite for all the superficial junk food the government gives them through its programs.

Welcome to 1984, America!

When Persecution Becomes Personal

The past two weeks have been surreal for most of us in the western hemisphere. We are not accustomed to pressure-cooker bombs at family events. We do not know what to do when sociopaths declare jihad and inflict this kind of mayhem on non-military personnel. We thought we were prepared; April 15th showed us that we were not. For too many, persecution became personal. When that happens, what do we do? How do we handle it?

More important for most who will read this is the Christian perspective. What do Christians do when persecution becomes personal? What response should the Christian give? Make no mistake about it, please; I am an American. But I am a Christ-follower above all else. My worldview is not American. My worldview is Christian. I view the world through the lens of Scripture. I view America through the lens of Scripture. Please let me give you three simple thoughts that will hopefully help you should persecution become personal.

First, recognize reality. The reality is this: we live in the last days. I can hear someone now grunt, "Shades of Tim LaHaye!" Think what you will, but Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 that the last days would be filled with perilous times. There will be wars and rumors of wars, according to Jesus. There will be mayhem in many places.

Not only do we live in the last days, we also live among lost people. Yes, I said that; if you are not a Christ-follower you are still what the Bible calls lost. You are one whom Jesus came to seek and to save. We seem surprised when lost people do not behave like saved people. We become perplexed when we find ourselves passing more and more laws to govern the actions of the lawless. Lawlessness is only the outward behavior of an inward problem. These are the last days; we live among lost people.

Second, respond prayerfully. Acts 12 relates the story of Peter being jailed by one of the King Herods found in the Bible. James had already lost his head; it was a politically popular thing to do, so Peter was to be next. But the church prayed. As should we. Do not be as those who too often say that the only thing they can do is pray. It is still the greatest thing you can do. It may well be that it is not the only thing you can do; but it is the greatest thing. I recall a friend who was kidnapped with her daughter and taken to a remote road outside a city in Peru. She did the one thing she knew to do: she prayed in the heart language of the kidnappers. They suddenly stopped and released her and her daughter. Do not dismiss the power of prayer.

Finally, rest confidently. When Peter was jailed, he did what he could: he went to sleep. As a fisherman, Peter had slept through storms, I am sure. He was in a new kind of storm, though. And he slept. The angel sent by God to rescue Peter had to poke him in the side to wake him from his sleep.

This is what you need to know: God will keep you in the midst of the storm. He may not deliver you from the storm. But he will be with you in the storm. Christian, you win! No matter what, you win!

Do not take my words as platitudes. I have my thoughts about the vicious young men who murdered and maimed so many in Boston. I confess those thoughts are not kind. Personal thoughts notwithstanding, we Christ-followers need to respond as Christ would. Persecution may well become personal for you one day. I hope these words will give you some handles as to the best response.