Posts from June 2009
By Traci Healey
Pastor’s note: Traci wrote this in early March. As we post she is joyfully expecting the imminent arrival of the baby she talks about below.
Sometimes I get afraid people will think I’m silly for getting pregnant soon after getting married (a little over 3 months). Mostly because I would have thought it was silly. When we were engaged, I asked Rick to give me at least 6 months before we started trying to have kids. It could have been longer, but hey, I’m getting old.
But one day I read this and God spoke to me.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Reading this, God showed me my heart and its fears and then He showed me the promises of His Word. I was convicted of two things.
The first was being afraid of what people (my family and close friends) would think of me. What would they say about me? Would they think I was crazy for not wanting more time alone with Rick? Would they think I was missing out on the newlywed years? Maybe. Does it matter? No. Because the promise of this verse is that children are from the Lord…a reward…they bring blessing to their parents…there is no downside to kids in God’s economy.
The second is that I was afraid of the future. What if we couldn’t provide for our kids? What if we couldn’t buy a house? What if all the money I wanted to spend at Anthropologie suddenly went to diapers? Well, the first part of this psalm spoke to my anxieties: “…he gives to his beloved sleep.” The anxious don’t sleep well, but God’s beloved do. He cares for them, builds their house and watches over them. Now that is a promise.
So God spoke to me. He eased my fears. And then I very clearly knew what repentance and obedience looked like. I was to trust Him in all things and have kids. And now that I’m pregnant? I know that this is what God called me to do from the beginning…and that gives me great joy. Even if it means a change in some of my shopping.
Blogger’s Note: I understand that there are perfectly good reasons to wait to have kids. And I’m not saying my story is the best one to follow. But it’s a good reminder that God is the one who sets our priorities.
By Jared Mellinger
The first through fourth graders in Promise Kingdom (our Sunday children’s ministry) recently made a large “thank you” display for the pastors. It included note cards expressing their gratitude for us. One even told us we were “cool as a cucumber”, which I’m not sure truly applies to every guy on the team – but I digress.
I loved reading these, and I am once again convinced that I have the best job in the world. And this team serves the best folks in the world. Thanks to the children (and teachers!) in Promise Kingdom, for making us the happiest pastors in the world.
Here are a few of my favorite note cards from the kids:
By Deb Demi
I can’t believe I almost let something as silly as weeds in our yard ruin an opportunity to reach out to our neighbors.
Even though we’ve hosted a neighborhood ice cream social for the last 2 years, insecurity and fear began to attack as I thought about doing it again. “How could we possibly have people over when there were so many weeds in our backyard? What about that ugly deck that never got stained? My furniture is so mismatched!” But through the encouragement of my children (and the neighbor children) along with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, God used the 3rd Annual Ice Cream Social to accomplish His purposes.
If you’re like me – wanting to do something with the neighbors, but somewhat intimidated, fearful or hesitant - here are a few thoughts that might help:
- Take a leap of faith. If you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to do something with your neighbors (co-workers, play group moms…), send out an invitation. Once you do that, you’re committed! After Jeff and I came up with a tentative date, we confirmed it with 2 of our neighbors that we already had a relationship with. Then, about a week or two before the event, I made up some simple invitations and had my kids deliver them to all the neighbors on my street. Whether I felt ready or not… it was going to happen.
- Involve your kids. At the beginning of this summer, my kids started asking us when we were going to have our ice cream social. We talk to them about sharing the gospel with the neighbors and showing God’s love to them in tangible ways. We involve them in giving out the invitations, setting up the yard, and praying for our conversations to be fruitful. When the social was over, several of the older kids asked us how it went… wondering if we had any spiritual conversations.
- Don’t be afraid to have the neighbors bring something. When we lived in Lansdowne, we had an annual Christmas party. The neighbors each brought an appetizer or a dessert. For the ice cream social, we provide the ice cream and asked them to bring a topping or two. People enjoy contributing.
- Don’t be discouraged if the turn out is small. Out of the 30 some families that we invite to our ice cream socials, we only get an average of 6 families. At first I was discouraged, but then realized that with less people we could have more intimate conversations and build closer relationships. At our Christmas party we only had 2 consistent families, but would always end the evening playing games and singing Christmas carols around the piano.
As much as I went into the event fearful and self-conscious, God blessed our evening. No one even seemed to notice the weeds in our lawn or our mismatched furniture. Our unstained deck probably made them feel relieved that we weren’t someone else to keep up with.
After the ice cream was eaten and the kids were playing football in our yard, one of our neighbors (in front of everyone) asked Jeff and me if we were going to Alpha this fall. Without our initiation, the conversation amazingly turned to a lengthy discussion of Alpha and Christianity. Interest was definitely piqued. We now have a very open door to invite these neighbors to Alpha.
So, if you feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to do something with your neighbors, give it a try… whether it be an ice cream social, a harvest party, a Christmas get together or just a family over to dinner…take a leap of faith and trust God to do His work!
By Andy Farmer
Note: This is the second in a series of posts on Christian liberty based on a pastoral letter written by John Newton in 1776. For background on the letter see the 6.18.09 post. You can read the letter in its entirety HERE .
In his advice to Lord Dartmouth, John Newton begins by offering three helpful insights.
First, for most people who are saved out of a life lived apart from God, their initial tendency is to flee many of the ‘worldly’ activities that caused them trouble in life. But as we move on in the Christian life there is an inevitable interest in reopening some of the doors we had closed behind us in the name of liberty. We don’t want to go back, we just want to safely sample what we used to crave. In these seasons we assume that our maturity will allow us to express our liberty. But Newton reminds us that sometimes the supposed rigid legalism of a young convert is godlier than the easy liberty of the self-professed mature believer. How we define ‘maturity’ and ‘liberty’ says a lot about what we really desire in life.
Second, it is ultimately unhelpful and unnecessary to approach the question of liberties asking, ‘how near we may go to the utmost bounds of what is right without being wrong’. If my approach to liberty is based on how much worldliness I can experience and still call myself a solid Christian, I seriously misunderstand the scriptures and I demonstrate a glaring deficiency in my love for God and others.
Third, Newton offers two guiding principles for all considerations of liberty: True godliness calls us ‘to maintain communion with Him in our own souls and to glorify Him in the sight of men.’ In other words, everything we do affects our fellowship with God and our witness about God to others.
Sometimes we can see how some liberties can affect our fellowship with God but we have a hard time seeing how they affect our witness to others. If I listen to death metal through my ear buds while I’m doing my devotions, I might have a tough time engaging with the Lord. But all anybody at that moment would see is me reading my Bible. So my witness would be intact. Right?
Conversely, if I have a beer at a ball game and somebody from my church sees me and thinks I’m a lush, my witness might be affected. But if I’m only having one beer and it’s an appropriate place to have it, I can do it in faith and not have my communion with God affected. Right?
Wrong on both counts. Newton reminds us that there is an inseparable link between what we do in private and what we do in public. When that link is ignored we call it hypocrisy. If God is God then he is the God of our private life and our public life. To have a right understanding and practice of Christian liberty we must live before the face of God – Coram Deo - who works in our private lives to make us fit representatives in our public lives. The light we have in God is the same light that is to shine through us to the world.
Eph. 5:8-10: For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
By Marty Machowski
Last year, the family behind our house put up a swing set/play house but could not then install the swings until they replaced one missing support. Our daughters had already begun enjoying the slide and monkey bars, so when I saw them working on the support board for the swing I went over to give them a hand. It took a while to complete, but once the support board was in place, I called our daughters over to give it try.
We had to stop them once to tighten a few bolts but then they were off swinging away. After about twenty minutes of swinging, my youngest daughter remarked, “This is better than computer games.”
It hit me that “new” or “innovative” is not always best. Sometimes, it is the ancient things…the things well worn and tried…that serve us best. I’m not saying there is anything necessarily wrong with new things, with new innovation, or specifically with video games.
What I am saying is that my little girl perceived that swinging on a swing was better than computer games. Our older children may discover that actually talking with friends may be superior to texting them…or communicating through Facebook. And, parents, you may discover that a walk around the block or a good book is superior to the television show you’re accustomed to watching.
If the sun is shining, the grass of your lawn may be superior to the pile of your carpet. The heat of the sun better than the heat off the computer. And even the sweat of hard play better than the ease of being still.
Consider a summer that is filled with relational activities: trips to parks, tossed balls, walked blocks, Frisbees thrown. Consider changing up some well worn family patterns. Not because they’re wrong, but because they may not always be best. Consider leaving some “new” and “innovative” ways for things that are well worn and tried.
This summer don’t be afraid to put a moratorium on computer games. Your children might discover some other ancient technologies like, playing tag, wiffle ball, and hide-and-go-seek. And they, too, may think that the ancient things are better than computer games.
For more helpful information on how to help your family embrace the “ancient technologies,” consider this article by Rob Flood found at the website for FamilyLife Ministries: 10 Ideas: Things to Do When You’re Not Watching TV
By Ramona Doyle
Have you ever ordered something online or filled out a form with the little question, “Do you accept the terms of this agreement?” Recently, while filling out a new patient form in a doctor’s office, the Lord pricked my heart as I was signing on the dotted line below that phrase. At the time I was in the midst of a trial and the Lord was digging deeper into my own heart with the growing realization of how much I desire to live my life on my terms, and not His. I would prefer to have my trials, my suffering, and yes, even my joy on my terms.
God has never promised to bow to our plans for our lives—He is the Sovereign One, not us. Our plans would seem like crayon sketches compared to his glorious blueprints! But he has promised that he is good and he promises to work all things in our lives for our good (Romans 8:28). It is so easy to find our well-being in the blessings the Lord has provided, but not in Him. We want the certainty of good health, or secure finances, or comfortable circumstances, or understanding of the situations in our lives. But when our security lies in these things and something goes wrong, we often find ourselves filled with anxiety or overwhelmed with confusion. These things can change in an instant, and unknowns make us feel uncomfortable. But God never changes; he “is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) He has the final authority over whatever happens in our lives, and what we know about Him can be a tremendous help in these times.
If you find your self in the midst of an unknown that is challenging your sense of wellbeing, these strategies may help:
1. Start with the assumption that the Lord is good (Psalm 86:5) and that he is using this circumstance for your good. (Romans 8:28)
2. Battle the “unknown”—your circumstance, with the “known”—the truths of scripture, the most significant being that in his great mercy, the Lord has already taken care of your greatest need. On the cross, he suffered in our place to free us from guilt, wrath, and the power of sin, that we might love, serve, and enjoy Him—regardless of our circumstances. When we preach truth to our souls, we can find great comfort and hope in the Lord!
3. Cast yourself on his grace. Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf has opened up to us the resources of his kingdom!(see Ephesians 2:4-7) In the midst of unsettling circumstances we often gain a humble sense of our personal need that drives us to seek more of the resources of grace that can only be found in him. And God delights to meet us as we do.
“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
By Jared Mellinger
In last week’s blog post, I shared with you the gift that my wife gave to me when I was ordained as senior pastor. This week, I want to reflect on another significant gift that I received during that time. On the morning of October 12, 2008—the Sunday that I was ordained—Dave Harvey and I met in his office. After encouraging me and communicating his heart for me, Dave presented me with a leather-bound copy of my favorite book: Christian Ministry, by a man named Charles Bridges.
At the front of the book, Dave included six additional pages, each containing one of my all-time favorite quotes (Yes, Dave had asked me for my top 5 quotes outside of Scripture. This is not an easy question! I sent 6 as a way to protest the difficulty of the question!).
A favorite quote is something that strikes you and stays with you. You can return to it time and again for inspiration and conviction. A favorite quote also says something about us – who we are, but also how God is at work in our lives. These six quotes have had a significant impact on my life. I hope they affect you just as much as they have affected me.
C.H. Spurgeon: “You cannot sin so much as God can forgive. If it comes to a pitched battle between sin and grace, you shall not be so bad as God is good. I will prove it to you. You can only sin as a man, but God can forgive as God. You sin as a finite creature, but the Lord forgives as the infinite Creator.”
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “I can forgive the preacher of almost anything if he gives me a sense of God, if he gives me something for my soul, if he gives me the sense that, though he is inadequate himself, he is handling something which is very great and very glorious, if he gives me some dim glimpse of the majesty and the glory of God, the love of Christ my Saviour, and the magnificence of the gospel.”
Richard Sibbes: “How are we changed to the image of Christ? It is by beholding the glory of Christ in the gospel. There is a transforming power in beholding the glory of God’s mercy in Christ. It is not a delighting object only, to see the mercy of God in Christ, but it is a powerful object that has an influence upon the soul.”
R.M. M’Cheyne: “It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.”
John Owen: “Fill your affections with the cross of Christ, that there may be no room for sin.”
J.I. Packer: “Where grace exists, it reigns; it is the dominant factor in the situation”
What would you say are your favorite quotes?
By David Mayinja
When you hear the word “poverty,” what picture comes to mind? A child in rural Africa dressed in rugs with flies clustered around his dirty face? Or a young girl in Ecuador falling prey to child traffickers as she searches for a job in the big city? Or maybe it’s the children on the streets of the inner city in your own backyard being ensnared by drug sellers?
As we consider how we ought to think and what we could do to help, it is important to know three things about poverty.
- The Source of Poverty is Bigger than Man: In the creation account, God pronounced as good all that he had made. (Genesis 1:31) He provided food in abundance so that none experienced want. (Genesis 1:29) Man was fulfilled in his work, joyfully employed in God’s Garden. However, with Adam and Eve’s rebellion came the Fall. With the Fall came the curse. The seeds of economic hardship were planted at the fall of man. They blossomed into natural disaster, famine, and drought.
- The Difficulties of Poverty are Made Worse by Man: Even if man develops the capacity to produce enough resources to meet all mankind’s basic needs, corruption would still rule the day. As a result of the Fall, greed and covetousness are inherent to human nature. The results are self-evident: social injustice, oppression, and structural evil pervade all parts of the world…especially the developing nations. These vices fuel world poverty, and as long as they exist, world poverty will continue to be a reality we have to live with.
- Poverty will Remain with Us until Jesus Returns: We must be mindful that, through the atoning death of Christ, man is ultimately restored to God. In the end, there will be a final act when Christ’s return to earth will mean the restoration of everything. When the damage of the Fall is reversed, creation itself will be set free from the decay and corruption of sin (Romans 8:20-22). When God finally redeems the creation, there will be no more poverty and the intolerable suffering we are faced with today.
Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you.” (Mark 14:7) But this truth does not let us off the hook nor does it allow us to ignore the poor. The Scriptures hold out a consistent call to compassion and care for the poor and the oppressed. They call the believer to fight injustice (Micah 6:8), to look after the orphan and the widow (James 1:27), and to care for the poor (Psalm 41:1).
So, what’s a Christian to do? Deuteronomy 15:11 puts it well:
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
This may be through the orphan sponsorship program at Covenant Mercies. It may be baskets of food at Thanksgiving or Christmas. It may mean serving at a soup kitchen or city ministry. Or, it may be as simple and mundane as a small token of generosity toward a neighbor or friend in need. The call is not to obliterate poverty, but a heart’s posture of openhandedness toward the poor and needy. When we do this, we’re reminded of our own need that God himself meets…and we bring him glory.
By Andy Farmer
One of the issues we regularly have to deal with as pastors is the challenge of Christian liberty. We deal with it on a personal level every day of our lives – what we listen to in our cars, what we watch on our TV’s, what we buy, what we enjoy, what we promote. But is also an issue we are asked about a good bit as well. Parents want to know what standards they should have in their families regarding worldly influences. Men and women both want to know how to interact with all of the virtual and real-time lifestyle choices that are common in the culture around them.
The battle with the world is a uniquely Christian problem. If you are not aware that there is a difference between life in this world and life in the next you are probably not a Christian. But if the draw of the pleasures and distractions of this world we live in, or questions about liberty, license and legalism matter to you, then you have some good evidence of the Kingdom of God doing its invasive work in your heart. And you’ll probably wrestle with things that most folks won’t comprehend.
When I’m wrestling with whether something I want to do is appropriate for me as a Christian I’ll often pull out a letter written nearly 250 years ago. Over the next few Thursdays I’m going to be sharing the contents of this letter in bits and pieces in this Thursday blog.
Why?
First, I think some of the best advice in our current age is to listen to the wisdom of previous ages. None of our present day temptations are really new, and it can be helpful to see how saints gone by dealt with their versions of our trials.
Second, the letter is written by John Newton, who knew the world from vivid experience, and counseled about it with great pastoral and practical insight.
Third, however, is the recipient of the letter. This letter is part of a pastoral correspondence between Newton and Lord Dartmouth (founder of Dartmouth College), who served as a key advisor to the Prime Minister of England during the American Revolution. Dartmouth was a Christian seated at the highest level of worldly influence. The letter we will be looking at was written in November 1776; just about the same time a copy of a little thing called the Declaration of Independence would be crossing his desk. Ironically, at the same time that this Lord of the Realm was being reminded that the self evident truth endows every human with an inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; he was wrestling with his conscience over whether being a Christian limited the liberties he could rightly enjoy.
What we’ll look at therefore is advice to a man who is wrestling in his soul over how to be faithful to his Savior at a moment in time when both worldly influence and worldly temptations are converging upon him in historic proportions.
If you’d like to read the full letter as it is written, here is a copy of it in its entirety. We’ll unpack it and apply it in pieces over the next few weeks.
By Rob Flood
Whether you have children or not, we all share a desire for the next generation to grow to love and serve God. Our faith grows when we see a young man or woman converted and born again. When we see young men or women serving others in the church, we see God actively handing the gospel from one generation to another…and we rejoice.
Parents uniquely feel this desire because they feel the burden to be on the front lines of passing the gospel to their children. And, depending on the day, as a dad I fluctuate between a comforting confidence in God’s provision for my children and a staggering lack of confidence in my ability to carry out the plan. Sometimes, when I think of the enormity of the task, handing the gospel to the next generation causes paralyzing fear.
At times like this, I am thankful for truth. Truth that declares the greatness of God, the goodness of His plan, and the errorlessness of his ways. (Yes, I think I just made up that word.) The burden does not rest primarily on our ability as parents, but on our faithfulness. We don’t need to exhaustively cover Grudem’s Systematic Theology with our children by the time they’re 9 years old. We just need to be faithful with simple truth.
Consider this quote from J.R. Miller’s excellent book The Family (formally known as Homemaking):
One single fact clearly presented and firmly impressed is better than whole chapters of information poured out in a confused jargon on minds that cannot remember any part of it…If but one fact is presented at every meal there will be a thousand things taught to the children in a year.
~ Homemaking - p.188
It need not rattle the rafters of academia. We don’t need to discover some previously undiscovered truth in the Bible. We don’t need a 3-point sermon for each family devotion. Just as Miller says, “one singe fact” taught and repeated in faithfulness will serve the next generation.
So, how can you carry this out? Here’s a couple suggestions:
~ Get into the Story: This is Marty Machowski’s devotional intended to help parents with accuracy in faithfulness. What does that mean? It means that you provide the faithfulness…the book provides the singe fact clearly presented and firmly impressed. It is intended to provide 5 days weekly of family devotions…none needing to exceed 15 minutes. Outstanding resource that has its origins right here in our church.
~ Discipleship Resources for Parents: In September, the Family Life team of pastors posted a recommended list of parenting and discipleship resources. If you missed it then, you can download it by clicking here.
The bottom line here is encouraging. God is not calling you to some grand task that only pastors and theologians can do. He is calling you to faithfulness. And once we’ve established our faithfulness, then we entrust the results to a powerful and loving God because sometimes…less is more.
By Deb Demi
Recently I took my 12-year-old daughter shopping for clothes. Because of our very limited clothing budget, we carefully searched for items which were on sale or clearance. As we shopped, I watched her pull out item after item she liked, look at the price tag and then put it back. She had to deny herself many times. I was a bit saddened. Though my heart’s desire was to bless her with what she desired, I knew that I didn’t have the resources to do that. This experience happens often with my other children as well. As long as what they want will not harm them, my innate desire is to bless my children.
As I was beginning to wallow in my limited resources, the Lord graciously spoke to my heart. “Do you realize that you’re my child? And just like you have the desire to bless your children, I have an even greater desire to bless you! My resources are unlimited! If what you wanted was best for you, would I not lavishly give it to you?” Though this wasn’t really a new revelation, I suddenly realized that if He, having even more desire than I do to bless His children, wanted me to have something I desired, Almighty God with His unlimited resources and power and perfect love would provide it. Yet, because my Heavenly Father also has infinite wisdom, He gives and withholds because He knows the eternal implications of each desire.
So knowing that God is my good, all-powerful, all wise, perfectly loving, infinitely wealthy Father with a heart to bless His children, why would I ever be discontent with what He gives me or with what He chooses to withhold? When there is something that I desire, instead of falling into self-pity, feeling envious, or thinking that life is unfair, by God’s grace, I can reflect on this Gospel promise – God is my Father. Because of all He has graciously given me in Christ, I can be confident that if there is something He has not provided it is not because He doesn’t love me or lacks the resources, but because out of His love and wisdom He knows what will benefit me most.
Not only does the fact that God is our Heavenly Father comfort us when we’re desirous of material things, we can also believe that He knows when and if it’s best for us to have that child we’re longing for, that spouse that we desire, a position at work we feel we deserve, or a child to be saved,… If we don’t get what we ask for or even walk through a trial or hardship, we can believe it’s because His Father’s heart is truly blessing us by working some greater purpose for His glory and our good.
Are you resting in the truth that God is your Father?
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1
By Jared Mellinger
One of my favorite memories from around the time of being ordained and installed as a Sr. Pastor last October is a gift my wife presented to me. She started by saying she had a gift for me, but first, I needed to listen to part of a sermon by John Piper. So she played a section of an old Piper sermon for me – a five-minute parable he gives as an introduction to the sermon – and I had no idea where this was going.
In the parable, told as only John Piper could, there is a boy who lives on a farm several hundred years ago. The boy had never gone into town before, but one day he goes with his dad. They come upon a blacksmith’s shop, and the boy is mesmerized by the sound of the hammer banging repeatedly against the anvil by a strong and muscular man. After watching in amazement for a while, the boy points to the anvil and says to the blacksmith “Aren’t you afraid you’re going to break that thing?” The blacksmith smiles in response and informs the boy, “This anvil is a hundred years old, and has worn out many hammers.”
Then Piper says, “Here's the point of the parable. The Bible is an anvil that has worn out a thousand hammers. In every generation, new, huge, heavy hammers are forged against the truth of the Bible. And strong men lift the hammers and pound on the Scriptures. People with no historical perspective - like little boys who've never been to town - see it and say, "Surely the Bible will be destroyed.” But others who know their history a little better say, "This Bible was forged in the furnace of divine truth and has worn out many hammers." (For those interested, it is the opening illustration in this sermon: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1999/1099_Thanksgiving_Toward_the_Past_Faith_Toward_the_Future/)
I had no idea what Meghan had for me as a gift. Was she going to pull out an anvil? A new, huge, heavy hammer? Was John Piper himself hiding in the closet?
Meghan then brought out a large, flat, wrapped present and excitedly asked me to open it. I unwrapped it, and I absolutely love this gift. It was a large black and white print of a rugged, sturdy anvil sitting in an old blacksmith’s shop. Beneath the image, there is a metal plaque with words engraved in it. First, the Piper quote: “The Bible is an anvil that has worn out a thousand hammers.” Then, a brief message from Meghan: “May your life be spent mining and proclaiming the treasures of God’s word.” Beneath that is the date: “October 12, 2008.”
What could possibly be better than a gift that brings together good art, John Piper, the word of God, and my wife’s desire to see me give my life to “mining and proclaiming” God’s word? This print hangs in my office, beside my desk. At times I am preparing a sermon and I will sit back and look at it. God always uses it to strengthen me by reminding me of the power and the efficacy of Scripture.
There is nothing more enduring and more powerful than the word of God. It shatters the pretentions of man like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces (Jer 23:29). In discerns all the intentions and thoughts of our hearts with all the sharpness and penetration of a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). God watches over his word to perform it (Jer 1:12). This means that his word will always triumph and will always succeed in accomplishing God’s purpose (Is 55:10-11). It plays a unique role in our spiritual growth by building us up (Acts 20:32), working in us (1 Thess 2:13), reviving the soul (Ps 19:7), sanctifying us (John 17:17), and cleansing us like the washing of water (Eph 5:26).
When I remember this, I now have what I need to step into the pulpit again. I know I cannot in my flesh bear the weight of God’s word to others. But that very word contains the promises, and reveals the gracious God behind those promises, that make God’s word life to my soul. And to your soul as well.
By Doug Hayes
As I write, I am 40,000 feet above the African continent reflecting on a fruitful visit to Zambia while inching ever closer to my next stop in Uganda. I’m also reflecting on my gratitude to God for our sponsors, who are quite literally changing the lives of the children in our Sponsorship Program through their generosity.
Each time I’m in Zambia, I spend a Saturday walking through Chipulukusu and Nkwazi with Charles Muwaya (coordinator of our Sponsorship Program there). These are the two slums on the fringes of Ndola where the majority of our sponsored children live. I have often thought of these compounds as exactly the types of places Jesus sent us when he said, “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.” (Luke 14:13-14). Some of the world’s most marginalized people live right here. And Jesus, consistent with the values of his upside-down kingdom, instructs us to take initiative toward them precisely because they cannot pay us back. This, we are told, will lead to blessing and great reward in the life to come.
Much like Nazareth in Jesus’ day, many have said, “Can anything good come out of Chipulukusu?” Children growing up on this compound tend to remain within the clutches of extreme poverty for their entire lives. The government school in their neighborhood is called Chibolele, a word that means “rotten” in the local language (imagine putting that on your résumé).
Materially speaking, the guardians of these children have no ability to repay the kindness you have shown them by helping to care for the fatherless grandchildren, nieces and nephews they have welcomed into their homes. The children themselves can only receive, thoroughly incapable of reciprocating the generosity you have lavished on their lives by sending them to school, giving them improved nutrition and healthcare, and inspiring them to hope for a brighter future.
As the “representative head” of Covenant Mercies’ army of sponsors, I am blessed to be repaid – at least to some degree – in this life. There are few things more rewarding than seeing the smiles on the faces of the children we’re supporting, or receiving the overwhelming gratitude of their guardians. Last Saturday in Chipulukusu, one elderly grandmother literally danced and clapped her hands as she thanked me for sending her granddaughters to school, for supplying medicines so the ringworm could be eradicated from the younger girls’ scalp, and for countless other kindnesses extended through our program. Meanwhile, the girls beamed with beautiful smiles as my friend David Sacks snapped photos of them for our next Portraits of Hope event.
When I have these sort of experiences, I never fail to remember that I am merely a face representing hundreds of others who have been moved to extend care to those who cannot repay their kindness, and whom they may never meet in this life. It is a great encouragement to soak in the smiles and the gestures of gratitude, but this is an encouragement that you should feel as well.
At the resurrection of the just, I wonder whether part of your reward might be to receive firsthand the words of thanks and expressions of joy that I am privileged to receive on your behalf for now. If you are sponsoring a child through Covenant Mercies’ program, thank you for the sacrifices you are making to make your child as a priority in your life. Surely, you will not lose your reward.
I wish you could see me now. I’m dancing at 40,000 feet, just like a Zambian grandma.
If you are interested in more information about our Sponsorship Program, simply click HERE.
By Mark Prater
I recently read an article from the Spring 2008 edition of the Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood entitled “Pursuing Manhood” written by Ray Van Neste. Mr. Van Neste’s main point is that pursuing manhood and pursuing maturity go hand in hand for he says, “avoiding maturity is emasculating.” Van Neste is discerning about the cultural forces that shape us without our knowledge as he writes,
Our culture is infatuated with youth and encourages you not to grow up. After all, it says, the glory is in the youth. If you would be men, you must reject this siren song and swim against the tide. You must diligently seek to throw off immaturity and to grow up. Remember the one boy who never grew up was Peter Pan - and in case you haven't noticed, his role has typically been played by a woman.
In helping young men pursue maturity by pursuing manhood, Van Neste seeks to answer this question, “So, what does it look like to grown up in manliness?” In answering the question he gives 8 traits that young men should pursue. Here are the traits he suggests; you’ll want to read the article to see what he says about them.
- Take responsibility
- Do your work
- Own your failures
- Expect to work
- Reject the temptation to whine and complain
- Embrace commitment
- Sacrifice
- “Women and children first”
This is great summer reading for guys at any age. If you’re a father or a single mom who has sons consider reading this article as a means to help you cultivate masculinity in your boys. If your son is in middle school or high school, I would recommend that you read the article with them and then discuss how you can help them apply it. The article can be found on the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood website at the link below.
By Rob Flood
When I think of marriage and TV news, thoughts of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie come to mind. Even recent headlines about Mel Gibson flash before my eyes. Well, if you share these same flashes, I’ve got something different for you today.
KARK, a local station in Little Rock, AR experienced an up-close look at a wonderful moment. Anchor Courtney Collins was the recipient of an “on-air” marriage proposal from fellow reporter, Pete Thompson.
Simple. Eloquent. Edifying. Public. For a little sentimentality, encouragement, and a walk down Memory Lane’s nearby off-shoot, Romantic Road, watch the video below.
(Our 4 years of living in Little Rock are only partially responsible for the Arkansas focus of this video. One thing is for sure…local news down there is sure different than local news up here.)
By Ramona Doyle
My husband and I have five children, and though our oldest daughter is now married, we’ve realized that we are still a long way from the proverbial “empty nest.” Those children remaining at home range in age from twenty all the way down to nine. Looking back, we have such fond memories of all the fun times we’ve shared, but looking ahead we take note that we have many more active years of parenting.
Now if your family is anything like ours, child #1 received hours of attention, and participated in everything from story hour at the library to baby swimming lessons and preschool music programs. When child #2 arrived, Mom and Dad’s time was a little more stretched, and the lessons and activities were divided between the kids. Then there was child # 3 …What was his name again? Oh yes, that was the one who taught himself to walk. J Obviously, I’m being a bit facetious here, but truth be told, sometimes the younger children can get a little lost in the mix.
We want all of our children to grow up to love the Lord and serve the church, so we’ve realized we can’t afford to coast during the second half of our parenting adventure. Because of the make up of our family, what we do may look different than when our older children were young, but it needs to be every bit as intentional. Here are some of the ways we are seeking to finish well with regard to parenting:
· Take time to plan and pray – Once or twice a year my husband sets aside time for us to get away to evaluate the needs of our children and family. We discuss and pray for each child and set goals for the next season. We also evaluate our parenting and seek to make appropriate adjustments.
· Learn from others – We try to be intentional in building relationships with others who are parenting with excellence that we might learn from them and give them a window into our parenting. It has also served us to reread good parenting books and regularly listen to good teachings we’ve collected through the years. How easily we can forget…we need a steady diet of wisdom and truth!
· Don’t forget family devotions – We weren’t always faithful in this area, but as we’ve made this important discipline a priority, we’ve been amazed at how the Lord meets us, how much the kids look forward to it, and how easy it is to do devotions even with a wide range of ages. Some of our most cherished family memories have come from these times.
· Involve all of the children in the life of the family – Having older children to help with the daily grind can make it tempting to leave the younger ones to themselves. And sometimes I would rather just “get done” with a task rather than take time to involve a child. I’ve started inviting my nine year old daughter to make dinner with me each evening. What a wonderful opportunity, not only for her to prepare to one day care for her family, but also to build our relationship and have yet one more context to point her to the Lord.
· Cling to the Lord – We are weak and easily grow weary, but He is a fountain of strength who promises grace for every good work.
There is nothing magical these specific things. They are just practices and reminders that have served us through the years. Yours may look different…and that’s okay. The most important thing is that we as parents remember that coasting is not part of our job description…and we need others around us to caution us when we start.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
By Jared Mellinger
The corporate witness of the church is a biblically rich theme that I have enjoyed studying and exploring in recent months, and recently preached on from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, you can listen here. What do we mean by ‘the corporate witness of the church?’ The idea is that our witness, which includes both our words and our conduct, not only has an individual dimension but a corporate or congregational dimension as well.
For a long time, I had thought only of the individual dimension, and neglected the corporate one. Without creating an adversarial relationship between the two, I think we need to give more thought to the importance of the corporate witness of the church in our approach to evangelism.
Here are a few quotes that have helped me reflect on this prominent biblical theme:
~ Andreas Kostenberger and P.T. O’Brien: “The church’s mission is not to be carried out as an individualistic enterprise. The mission should rather be undergirded by the corporate life of the community, as believers reflect God’s love and unity.” (Salvation to the Ends of the Earth, 226)
~ Donald Whitney: “The reality of Christ’s power and love can be visible in a group of Christians in ways that cannot be seen in a solitary believer.” (Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, 98)
~ Iain Duguid: “In addition to saying, ‘I am the light of the world,’ Jesus also said, ‘You are the light of the world’. To whom was he talking when he said that in the Sermon on the Mount? We tend to read his words individualistically, as if I personally am to be the light of the world. So the old children’s song runs: ‘Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light / like a little candle burning in the night. / In this world of darkness, Jesus bids us shine / you in your small corner and I in mine.’ That is not what Jesus is saying though. What he actually said was ‘You [plural] are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.’ I can no more individually be the light of the world than I can individually be a city on a hill. Both images are corporate: it is as the church that we are the light of the world, shining out God’s glory together. As Jesus comes into our midst as his people and inhabits our church, his glory shines out from us to those around us.” (Numbers, Preaching the Word Commentary, 111)
~ Ryan Fullerton: “As pastors, we must help our congregations see that the state of our churches is primarily responsible for our culture’s perception of Christ. Our churches can give the gospel a black eye, or they can be used by the Holy Spirit with magnetic effect to draw people to Jesus. The believers we serve must understand that our churches were meant to powerfully reinforce and to attractively adorn our evangelistic message. …When our lives together are divisive, unloving, selfish, and fearful, Christ and Christians look about as believable as the tooth fairy. Yet when our lives are united, loving, sacrificial, and fearless, our verbal witness to the cross of Christ becomes weighty. For many, our witness will become believable. As pastors, we need to help our congregations make this link.” (from the 9Marks forum on Corporate Witness)
I am grateful beyond words that what rings out from Covenant Fellowship is a weighty message, and that God is using our corporate witness with a magnetic effect to draw people to Christ. Let’s continue cultivating our witness together as a church, with our words and with our lives, that the transforming power of the glory of Christ might shine out from us all the more
By Rob Flood
If something is going to grow, it needs to be fed and nourished. It needs to be protected and nurtured. It needs attention. Weekend garden warriors turn to products like Miracle Gro. The more serious home gardeners create their own compost. The professionals use more “organic” substances that may not be appropriate to discuss here. Regardless of the product, the idea is to give the garden the necessary, nutritious environment it needs to grow.
We, too, need that nutritious environment if we are going to grow.
The mission statement of our church declares that we exist to treasure, proclaim and grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, how can we nourish the soil of our lives to not only encourage but enhance our growth? Is there really such a thing as Miracle Gro for the soul? Yes…it’s called fellowship.
We are all gifts to each other intended to encourage and enhance our growth toward Christlikeness. As we confess our sins to one another…as we exhort and counsel one another…as we humbly ask for care…as we sacrificially give care…we are nourishing the soil for great growth.
Not convinced? Okay. It should all become clear if you put yourself in the place of a tomato plant. Let’s take an especially stubborn and forthright tomato plant as our first example.
“Plant me if you want…don’t plant me…it doesn’t matter. And, by the way, don’t bother watering me. I don’t need it. Sure, the sun is hot but I can take it. A plant ought to be able to make it by itself in this day and age. And please, keep that fertilizer away from me. First of all, it stinks. Second of all, it stings a bit when it comes near my roots. And lastly, it makes me look weak and dependant. I’m fine on my own, thank you very much.”
We don’t need to spend a lot of time imagining the fate of that plant. It’s a foregone conclusion...that plant is going to die a shriveled death.
Now, let’s take a look at a humble plant that has some sober judgment.
“Plant me! Please plant me! Water me and pray for rain. I need the water…the sun is hot. I need all the help I can because I know how fragile I am on my own. Fertilizer? Bring it on. The stink and the sting are worth it…they strengthen me.”
This plant will flourish because of its humility…because of its dependence on other elements.
Folks, we are wonderful creations made magnificently by a loving Creator. However, we were made dependant. Dependant upon Him. Dependant upon others. Each of us is a group project. And without fellowship…rich, meaningful fellowship…we will shrivel from the sun’s heat and the air’s dryness. We will starve for lack of food.
If we are truly to grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ, we need each other. We need confession. We need support. We need to care for others. We need fellowship. We need fertilizer.
By Jacob Young
How kidney stones form…Jacob-Young-style: eat a healthy diet. That’s right, my healthy diet is causing my kidney stones. Here’s how it works.
The Recipe for Kidney Stones
Eat foods high in oxalate: Many foods that we know as healthy are high in oxalate. This is fine for most people…not me.
Consume too little calcium: Calcium keeps oxalate in a non-solid state. Most people get sufficient calcium to keep oxalate from being solid. But I am deathly allergic to milk, so my calcium intake is seriously low.
The final equation: High Oxalate + Low Calcium = Kidney Stones!
The Plan
Eat a healthy diet…one that is low in oxalate. Which means the elimination of most of what I currently eat: spinach, soy (a common replacement for milk products), tea. And the inclusion of things I hate…like water!
Best I can figure, in the newness of the news, the plan stinks. While I enjoyed the lessons of the first development on the kidney stones (last week’s post), I have not enjoyed this one. But God’s providence is still all over this and it’s clear that He’s still teaching me.
The Wisdom of God’s Providence
He’s adjusting my thinking: This event has shown that I care more about my present comfort and my determination to do little to make it change. I have been thinking with unspiritual, unredeemed tools. Redeemed mental tools look to the return of Christ, they are eschatological in their view.
He’s adjusting my trust: To be honest, I just don’t like God’s plan this time. And I don’t like that God hasn’t consulted me about me. Ultimately, I don’t like it that I’m not God. But a quote from Samuel Rutherford has stuck out to me recently. He says, “The wicked may hold the bitter cup to your head, but God mixeth it, and there is no poison in it” (Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Letter XII, 54). This whole ordeal is a cup straight from the hand of my Lord Jesus. Should I refuse this lesser cup when he’s already given me his cup of salvation, and the promise of that final cup of glory?
My weakness has been revealed through this simple process. Thankfully, I have a strong Savior.
By Rob Flood
In a culture that seeks to redefine the home around preference and correctness, it can be a challenge to set wise boundaries. It can be a challenge to glean from the culture what is valuable while fending off at the same time all that is inherently negative. There is one recent and noteworthy example in a Seattle woman named Edith Macefield.
Here is her home:
Nothing impressive…nothing necessarily to brag about…but it’s hers. As time wore on and the power of the culture began to have its effect on homes in the Seattle area, she would not budge. Her convictions led her to defend her home in the hopes that she could live within her wise boundaries and enjoy her home for as long as she would like.
She was victorious. She lived to the age of 86, living steadfastly within her boundaries…having defended her home from the cultural crawl of the world.
Throughout the course of her fight, the culture crept more and more closely to her home…but she would not be shaken. Here is a picture of her home at the time of her death:
Ever feel like Edith? You try and try to have a peaceful, Christian home but the pull of the culture is right in your backyard. It’s out every window. It’s across the street. Well, take heart. We have lessons we can learn from Edith. We can learn courage, determination, conviction and resilience. But most of all, we can learn steadfastness.
That shopping center that surrounds her house did not define her home. She defined her home. And by standing immovably upon her convictions, she was victorious. As believers, we have more power than a determined 86 year old woman. We have the power of the Spirit. He will not only lead us in conviction, nor only lead us to His promises. He will provide the power we need to guarantee victory.
Our call? Our duty? To remain steadfast…filled with faith. He will provide the victory for your home.
By Stephanie Spence
I have come to the conclusion that pet peeves are not good things to have. There was a time when I actually wanted one. Really, it wasn’t that I didn’t have any pet peeves, I just hadn’t identified them yet. Just as most people have a favorite color, most people have favorite pet peeves, and I wanted to know what mine were.
Upon reflection, it wasn’t hard to name a few things that irritate me. One group of irritations fall into a category I like to call “mouth sounds.” This category includes anything that involves lip or tongue smacking, such as chewing with one’s mouth open.
Once my pet peeves were properly identified I began to nurture them, feed them, pet them, and take them out for walks. After all, they were my pet peeves and I needed to care for them. For instance, I’d be in community group and someone would be sharing something meaningful, but instead of listing to his words, I was listening to the clicking noise his tongue would make each time he paused to take a breath. Or, I might be at a coffee shop reading a book and someone at the table behind me would start slurping her coffee to my utter annoyance, producing in me anger and contempt.
I discovered that pet peeves are no more your domesticated household pet than a lion or bear. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are like wild animals which are nearly, if not impossible, to tame. They are not animals at all; pet peeves are nothing short of my flesh on full display clawing, craving, and roaring.
Romans 8:5-6 says that “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace”. Justifying and nurturing my anger is living according to the flesh and leads to death. However, I am not in the flesh but in the Spirit because the Spirit of God dwells in me (Romans 8:9).
Unfortunately, pet peeves have a way of sticking around. But, as irritations come and provoke the flesh, by God’s power my focus can be on what the Spirit wants instead of what these insidious pet peeves want. of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the
By Jared Mellinger
Last week I attended Next (the conference formerly known as New Attitude) and had the opportunity to be introduced to a young man named Kevin DeYoung. Kevin is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI. He spoke at one of the main sessions at Next, on the life of Christ, as well as a breakout session for the men. (By the way, all of the sessions were outstanding and I recommend giving them a listen.)
One of the reasons I want to introduce you to Kevin is because he is a gifted writer and communicator. He is also has a great sense of humor. He has written some books that are helpful for my generation in particular, but I recommend them for everyone.
Here are 3 of his books:
1. Why We’re Not Emergent
I was first introduced to Kevin through this book. If you have heard about the emerging church, if you have ever read anything by Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, or Donald Miller and you’re open to a different perspective, I recommend this book. Even if you haven’t heard of the emerging church, I think you’d enjoy this book as a good introduction and evaluation of the movement.
2. Just Do Something
A very short and accessible book on God’s will. I think this should be mandatory reading for every teenager, college student, and everyone else. You will like this book a lot, and it will likely change your approach to making decisions. Kevin did a breakout session at Next that was essentially a summary of the book. The subtitle gives you a feel for the theme and flavor of the book: “A liberating approach to finding God’s will, or, How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc.”
3. Why We Love the Church
This one is not yet published, but I believe will be out sometime in the next month or so. I haven’t read it, but I’m looking forward to it. The full title is “Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion”.
I’m grateful for Kevin and the work he is doing for the next generation. If you haven’t read anything by this gifted young communicator, do yourself a favor and pick up one of his books for some good summer reading.
