EBOLA!!! To Fear or Not to Fear

EBOLA!

A bloody, painful, plague-like mess of a sickness that strikes fear into the hearts of people when they hear it.  According to the CDC, it first reared it's ugly head 38 years ago in 1976.  Incidentally, the year I was born.  It was hit or miss through the 80's and then made a small comeback between 1995-1996.  There have been a number of outbreaks of Ebola in Africa in the 21st century, but the most recent, and the most deadly at 2,431 deaths so far, is the first to make contact inside the borders of the US.

With an incubation period of 4-16 days, Ebola rests quietly until the signs and symptoms suddenly arrive.  Without warning patients experience fever, chills, headache, anorexia, and muscle pain. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and sometimes sore throat and cough will develop as the disease progresses.  Eventually the victim of Ebola will bleed out internally and through orifices because the virus has attacked the platelets and arterial walls.  This often causes shock and respiratory distress.  This virus is highly contagious via significant contact with bodily fluids from person-to-person.

On October 8th, Thomas Eric Duncan of Liberia, died of Ebola in Dallas, TX.  Since then there has been a healthcare worker in Spain and in Dallas that have contracted the virus.  The government and every healthcare facility in the country are trying to make sure that no one else contracts it. 

In spite of all the precautions, fear abounds.  Why?

Do You Fear What I Fear?
Fear is natural.  To dislike the idea of death is natural.  Death is the antithesis of what we were created for.  We were created for life.  Yet we live in a broken, sinful world in which sustained life for eternity is impossible.  This body will, at some point break down and we will die.  Whether it happens due to age or a disease remains to be seen.  But death and fear are most certainly a part of our sinful nature that we will wrestle with until we one day pass from this world.

I confess that I am no fan of death.  I worry about what would become of my family if it happened early.  I want to be used of God for as long as possible.  I suppose it speaks to my need for greater sanctification.  The Apostle Paul said that to live is Christ and to die is gain.  I suppose I need to do more living for Christ that I may more greatly appreciate death as gain.  If we truly have confidence in God as sovereignly in control of all things including the numbering of our days, then we have no need to fear our death or fear for the lives of those we leave behind.

But should we fear Ebola?

What Confidence Do We Have?

It may seem dark, depressing, and unnerving to be reading what I have written so far.  It should be. You may be asking, "Why in the world are you putting this out there?"  For one, we need not allow fear to cause us to remain ignorant of threats.  There are practical tools and processes to be utilized when fighting any enemy whether human or disease.

We should know the threat and we should know what our defenses are.  They are put in place by God for our protection.  They should however, always be accompanied by prayer and faith in God that they would work.  But, when those defenses fail, and they do sometimes, then we must continue to trust that God is still in control and; He has our best and his glory in mind.

The truth is that this is the world we live in.  It is broken, often dark and depressing, and to be sure the idea of Ebola is unnerving on some level, no matter how strong your faith is.  We still live in a vessel of clay that experiences pain and suffering and we still battle with a sin-nature that would rather ignore problems than face them head on.  But we must.

There is hope.  There is a confidence to be had.  However, it is not necessary or even healthy to ignore a problem in order to exercise faith in that hope.  The Apostle Paul continually points to problems involving sin and suffering and expresses his own frustration in having to wrestle with it

(Romans 7:7-25).  The fact is that Ebola is real, death is real, and fear is real.  Now let's look at the very real promises in scripture as they relate to these things.  

Promises From God's Word

Psalm 39, 90, and 139 all speak to God's sovereignty over the length of our days.  One peace that we must learn to rest in is that, as believers, our Heavenly Father caused us to come into existence and determines when we will leave this life and enter into a glorious eternal existence with Him.

The primary text that comes to mind for me as a promise to stand on regarding Ebola is Psalm 91. Though it is only sixteen verses it would not due to quote it hear.  I would encourage you to read it and meditate on it.  I will point out that it speaks of The Most High as our refuge and fortress delivering us from pestilence and plague as well as physical enemies.  It is wonderful news that we can trust in and depend on.

Think Eternally, Believe Biblically
However, it is imperative that you know in whom you have believed(2Timothy 1:12).  You really must know that you are putting your trust in the biblical God and the biblical Savior.  It is in
this God and Savior that you will find safety and protection.  The reason that this is so important is because the promises of healing, protection, and deliverance in scripture do not always come to pass in this life.  There are times that God chooses for His children to experience these promises in eternity, through death's door, at the end of life here on this earth.

If we have a healthy understanding of eternity and we trust that God always does what is right then this should not be shocking news.  The bible is full of not so pleasant endings for very faithful followers.  It is either ignorance or denial to believe or insist that all of God's promises always come to their full realization in this life.  That is why it is important to understand who we are placing our faith in.  That is why it is important to understand that to be a true, bible-believing Christian is to begin eternity now, while not experiencing it's fullness until we are with Jesus in heaven.

No Hope For The Dying
If you have not placed your trust in Jesus then THERE IS NO HOPE.   Ebola is the least of your concerns.  The symptoms I described above, at their most horrific, could not possibly compare to the eternal suffering that awaits you in Hell.  Without Jesus we are ALL condemned to the same fate. We will all face endless suffering for all eternity.

If you are picking and choosing what scriptures to believe and apply, you are in danger.  If you believe in a God that will not ask you to deny yourself, crucify your flesh, take up your cross and follow Him, then you are in danger(Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23).  If you are putting your trust in any of the good that you do, up to and including religious rituals, attendance of church or membership in any given denomination, then you are in danger.

You are already dying.  You are already headed for an eternity apart from God.  Ebola is just one means by which all hope could be lost for redemption...if it kills you in your faithless, unrepentant state.  There are so many in this state.  So many, living for themselves and trusting in a lie.  Trusting in a God made in man's image rather than the Biblical God in whose image all of man is made.

The Blessed Hope
There is one God, Maker of Heaven and Earth.  He is holy and cannot abide sin.  He will punish impenitent sinners justly at the judgement.  This same God is also a loving Father who sent His sinless Son to take the punishment for our sins so that we could find redemption in Him.

This Son willingly came, lived a perfect life of obedience and died a horrible death on the cross.  Not only was His physical death horrendous, but He experienced, in the spirit, the righteous wrath of the Father that was due every sinner.  This, so that everyone who believes in the saving power of the Son's sacrifice and submits to His Lordship will be saved from that wrath.



The purpose of this salvation can be found in many places in scripture but I am inclined toward Titus 2:11-13.  Here Paul is writing to Titus, a Pastor whom Paul put into place at the church in Crete.  He states, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed  hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."

Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us that we are saved by grace, through faith, unto good works.

Peace Everlasting
If this God, who does not save you for your own happiness and purposes, but for His purposes and His glory, is the God in whom you have placed your faith; then you you are believing in the God of the Bible.  You are surrendered to His will and trusting in His righteousness, rather than your own, for your eternity.

If this is the case then Christ in you is the hope of glory(Colossians 1:27).  You need not fear Ebola or death because your life is eternal and will be made whole in Christ at the last day.  No matter how much suffering we endure now, it will not compare to the glory that will be revealed at the second coming of Christ.  God knows all the plans that He has for you and your family so you can trust Him with your life and theirs.  You and all in your household whom believe will know everlasting peace.

If you have never placed your trust in Jesus, now is the time.  It does not matter if you have rejected this teaching one hundred times or if this is your first time hearing it, the truth remains the same. Romans 10:9-13 tells us that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead that we will be saved.  It goes on to point out that God does not discriminate between nationalities(or degrees of sinful offense), but that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Find Joy
So call on Him.  Cry out to Him to save you.  Place your faith in Christ.  Surrender your will to His. He will never leave you, nor forsake you(Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5)  Though your sins be as red as scarlet, He will wash you white as snow(Isaiah 1:18).  You will not have to live under the condemnation of sin any longer.  You will be able to enjoy life in the spirit.(Romans 8:1-2)

You can be delivered from your suffering.  Whether you suffer physically, emotionally, or psychologically you can be delivered.  Suffering in this life is momentary and light compared to the eternal joys that are to come(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

You see our joy in this life is not found in a perfect life, free from suffering or conflict.  While we will sometimes experience victory in this life over suffering and conflict, it is not promised in every case.  No, our joy comes from the eternal promises.  The promises that no matter how many challenges we face this side of eternity, when Jesus returns; He will wipe away every tear from your eye and death shall be no more.  Neither shall there be any mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things will have passed away(Revelation 21:4).




Above all these other benefits is the infinite value of having relationship with God himself.  So great a relationship that if all these other benefits of salvation did not exist,

HE IS ENOUGH!!!

So don't fear Ebola, death, suffering or any other trial this world has to offer.  Trust in Jesus and then rest in His peace.  For God's word say's that for those who are in Him, "neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:38-39)

Now Celebrate!!!

A. P. T. A. T. Living in Dependence

Do you struggle with keeping in step with the Spirit of God?  Do you find it challenging to keep God at the center of everything you do in this crazy busy world that we have created for ourselves?  There are many great resources on the internet and in books to help drive us to Godliness.

I have been particularly blessed of late by listening to conference talks and oral biographies on great Christian giants in church history at the ministry site of John Piper known as Desiring God.  It is a wonderful resource for all of us "Christian Hedonists" who want to learn deeper ways for our joy to be made complete in God's glory.

John Piper recently retired from about thirty years as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN.  He is a popular speaker at Christian conferences and author of many best-selling books including Desiring God.  This book was the inspiration, over 25 years ago, for the founding of the ministry by the same name.  He has many helpful tools for helping us to better understand and live with sustained joy in our daily walk with God.

We are not talking about superficial happiness, as is spoken of in relation to the prosperity gospel that suggests God wants you to be "happy" and experience "your best life now" as it were.  I am talking about joy unspeakable and full of glory(1 Peter 1:8).  A joy that under-girds your faith at all times even when your life seems to be falling apart and things are not going your way.

A. P. T. A. T
John Piper and the staff have used this acronym at Bethlehem for many years now.  It is useful for application any and every time you are beginning something and you feel it is beyond your ability. However, John Piper would say that this should be your approach to everything that you do.

1 Peter 4:11 states that we are to "serve in the strength that God supplies, that in everything God may get the glory."  We are incapable of doing that on our own.  In our sinfully selfish state, we will always corrupt everything that we try to do on some level.  As the prophet Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it"(Jeremiah 17:9)  Even if no one else sees it, God knows what happens on the inside.  He knows the intent of our heart.  That is why we must engage Him in everything, that He may get the glory in our hearts, even when no one else is looking.

So here is what APTAT looks like:

Admit you can do nothing without Christ's help (John 15:4-8)

Pray for assistance and help in everything. (Psalm 50:15, Matthew 7:7)

Trust a particular promise of God to provide what is needed.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:28-31, Isaiah 41:10, Galatians 6:9, Philippians 4:4-7).

Act- Take action.  Do something. Always remembering that it is in the strength that He provides by which we are even able to have the grace to act.
(Philippians 2:12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Colossians 1:29)

Thank-  Thank the Lord for the enabling power to obey. (1Thessalonians 5:16-18)

That's It
It's just that simple.  However, just as the message of the gospel is simple, it is not easy.  It requires work.  It requires action.  It requires prayer.  It requires faith.  It requires humility.  This is what
A. P. T. A. T. is all about.  We humble ourselves, rely on God, trust his word, lean into his grace with faith-filled action, and show abundant gratitude for His faithfulness.  Then we rest in the peace that He provides.  However, if we leave out any one of those steps, then we are prone to self-reliance, pride, doubt, and failure.

I encourage you to be a faithful disciple.  Memorize this acronym, the general thoughts behind it, and memorize the related scripture references.  The scripture references here are ones that John Piper uses primarily, with a couple of my own tossed in.  But if there are others that are more relevant to any given point of the acronym, then substitute them and memorize those.

If you utilize this you will be one step closer to Christian Hedonism because you will find joy in depending on God and using the means of grace to do so.  If you are doing so, you will also be bringing glory to God as you depend wholly on His resources and consequently, give him praise and glory for the results throughout the process.  It is a God-centered joy that we, His children, get to experience.

The statement that exemplifies this whole concept was coined by John Piper and goes like this:

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".

My friends, if you look to God's glory for your satisfaction, you will experience great joy.  I pray you find this tool helpful.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

CHRISTIAN PARENTS: Protect Your Children From Morally Compromised Materials, Especially In School

This is an interruption of my discussion on Altar Calls for which I am sure anyone who reads this is thankful.  When I became aware of the information below I was compelled to write out of concern for parents and children alike.  I hope it is informative, convicting, and encouraging.  We all need to think this one through more often.

This blog post was inspired by reporting done on The Briefing by Al Mohler.  The Briefing is a podcast done by the President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  The transcript can be found here.  He is well known as a speaker, pastor, author, and theologian throughout much of conservative evangelicalism.  He does an 18-20 minute, daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.  It is useful to anyone who is interested in thinking about the major themes that are going on in the world through a biblical lens.

A Wave of Transgender Children's books
An article by Megan Cox Gurdon in the Wall Street Journal entitled "Heather Has Two Genders", suggests that these books are intended to reach the hearts and minds of young children and adolescents with the goal of nudging the needle of the culture one heart at a time in the direction of the acceptance of gender identity issues. (To see article, google the title Heather Has Two Genders)

"Beyond Magenta, Transgender Teens Speak Out" by Susan Kuklin was published last February 2014
-It is a series of first person accounts of teens struggling with sexual dysphoria aka. a profound dissatisfaction with with gender of ones biological DNA.

"I Am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel--the story of a transgender child based on the real-life experiences of Jazz Jennings, who has become a spokesperson for transkids everywhere. In this book she states "I have a girl brain, but a boy body".-Already published Sept. 4, 2014

"Some Assembly Required" by Arin Andrews and "Rethinking Normal" by Katie Rain Hill are two memoirs for adolescents describing either side of an apparently much publicized romance between two transgender teens.  Coming out September 30, 2014 according to Amazon.com.

"Gracefully Grayson" by Amy Polansky-- about a 12 yr old boy undergoing sexual transition, set to come out in November-2014

"Alex As Well" by Elyssa Brugman- - a conflicted male/female character, set to come out in January 2015

Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall -about a red crayon with a blue label.  a picture book that reads like a fable of gender identity. i.e. inside and outside not matching geared toward young children.  Set to come out January 2015

-If you begin looking up transgender children's books on Amazon you will discover quite a few more.

According to Megan Cox Gurdon, there has been a concerted effort over the last 25 years to get these kinds of books into libraries and public school libraries because the publishers understand that stories like this do so much to influence the thinking of young people.  She states that publisher are utilizing periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal to create awareness.

These statements are straight from The Briefing transcript and should be seriously considered.

The author of one of these new books, presenting a celebration of the transgender identity – that’s Jessica Herthel – her book is entitled I am Jazz. She writes,

 "The window of time in which children are truly open-minded is startlingly small."

 In stating the issue just this way, Jessica Herthel is actually stating something that Christian parents should already understand. There is a vulnerability to the hearts of children, there is an openness to the power of the story and the kinds of stories that get read to our children, and are read by our children, they do have an important out-sized influence on the development of their hearts and their minds – and especially of their moral intuitions.  

Just consider the fact that as Christian parents we often find ourselves considering a story that we understand is affecting us emotionally in a way that is not consistent with our own biblical worldview.  We see something on television, we observe something in the cinema, we read something in a book, or in any other format whereby a narrative comes to us, and we discover that our emotional response, our moral intuitions, are actually responding in a way that is implied by the story, but is inconsistent with our own worldview.  We understand at that point that our responsibility is to bring our moral intuitions into accountability to biblical truth. 

But that is something that is accessible only to adults, in terms of an ability, and to later adolescence.  The development of critical thinking, or abstract thinking, is not generally accessible to children – who find no way of distinguishing carefully between their own emotional response and their moral intuitions and the truths to which they understand themselves to be absolutely committed.  They understand that something is wrong because they had been told by a moral authority such as parents that it’s wrong, they may even understand that the Scripture very definitively declares it to be wrong and yet, they find themselves confronting a story in which the opposite claim is made.  And the opposite claim is made with the impact of a narrative that grabs them at the heart and creates a very confusing experience.

Let’s be brutally honest – that experience can be difficult enough for adults, much less for children and young teenagers. 

Al Mohler ends this section of The Briefing by making this important statement:  But the main importance of this article that appeared in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal is to remind every single American parent, they’re coming for your children – this time, they’re coming with books.

Don't Forget The Heterosexually Compromised Literature
Make no mistake.  There is, and has been, plenty of morally compromised heterosexual material out there.  It has been around for much longer and is far more dangerous in many ways.  I read a blog post by a well-known Christian blogger named Tim Challies in June that was reviewing "The Fault In Our Stars." 

The review makes clear that this book has more than enough profanity, to include G-D, and sexual innuendo, to include the two main characters actually going to bed.  There are other aspects of it that are altogether antagonistic to biblical truth.

Though Challies states that, whether his children were allowed to read or watch it would depend upon their age and maturity, I don't think there is any point at which I would condone it for my kids as long as they are under my direct supervision.  I may have to make that decision one day because I have seen the cover of the book posted up on the wall of that magnet middle school that my ten year old attends. We each have to know our own children however, I think we as parents are often in danger of thinking we know our children far better than we actually do. Many an unsuspecting, naive parent has been surprised by unknown sinful tendencies in their children.

Don't you have images from video or from the way your imagination was stirred by words that you wish someone had warned you about.  I know I do.  It did not matter whether I could "handle it" or not.  I wish I had avoided many an image or figure of speech that is in my brain unnecessarily.  We fool ourselves about what is going to be problematic for us or our children down the line. We just have no way of knowing.  If I can do anything to save my children from unnecessary brain porn, etc. then I am going to try.

Through What Lens?
I had a discussion with a teenager about this book briefly this summer.  She was not altogether thrilled with my or Challies take on the book.  She is a strong Christian girl in many areas but was blinded to the many ways in which this story steals glory from God.  She probably has no idea in what ways she will look back with different convictions and wish someone had kept those images from her.  She, like so many others was struggling to view this piece of literature through the lens of eternity.  If we look honestly at the characters in the book, their thoughts and their actions, it is evident that those characters would have gone to hell.  And yet Christians read the book or watch the movie and think it is a beautiful story with a tear-filled ending. It may be sad however, I dare to say it is sad for all the wrong reasons.

How many Christians think through books or movies that way.  I admit I do not consistently, but I should.  That is what Al Mohler was speaking to in the section that I included from The Briefing above.  Too many times we want to shut down and see entertainment through rose-colored glasses. Stories make us prone to respond in ways that do not line up with our own biblical worldview.  It is at this point that we are responsible to bring our emotional responses to stories under the scrutiny of scripture i.e. Philippians 4:8 and Psalm 101:3.  If we struggle with this as adults, how much more should we anticipate the struggle of our children with such things.  Never assume your child is too old to be shepherded through difficult judgement calls.

This Is A Literature/Entertainment-Oriented Spiritual Battlefield
This is simply one topic that is spoken to in this article.  We must be aware that there are books both narrative and educational that are being designed to normalize homosexuality and same-sex marriage. And the sex education that is out there in many schools curriculum is borderline porn in written description and pictorial depiction.  We must protect our children.

We as Christian parents must not be so naive as to think that our children are beyond the influence of these books.  We must be involved in our children's lives, knowing what is out there and not allowing it to be read or watched if it serves no benefit or is inherently dangerous as these books are.  We must also have the guts to realize when our children have already been exposed to this material and to bring stern, biblically saturated warnings and teaching regarding it.  We cannot simply assume that we have talked to our children once and that they know what the bible says so it is all done. We ALL need reminding and accountability.

There is a battle raging for the hearts and minds of our children and we must be on the front lines fighting for them and equipping them to fight alongside us when they are ready.  Never cease putting into action Proverbs 22:6.  Teach your children to critique what they read, watch and listen to through Galatians 5:19-24 and ask whether it magnifies the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit.  Equip them with a solid understanding of how to utilize their spiritual armor(Ephesians 6:10-20).

  The goal is that by the time they leave the roost and head out into this dangerous spiritual battlefield on their own, they will have a solid understanding of what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ(Philippians 1:27), not only externally but internally as well.

May it be so in Jesus name,

Josh

The Dangers of the Altar Call/Sinners Prayer

Dangerous?  What do you mean?
I am going to speak to a subject that may cause some to raise an eyebrow, cock their head to the side, or just be plain offended.  Let me be clear.  My goal is not to insult well meaning ministers, evangelists, or believers doing evangelism and using the altar call.  Most of them are just doing what our church culture has told us is the "formula" for attaining "professions of faith".  It has been the norm for a long time and the majority don't even question it.  However, there are many in ministry today who are calling these methods into question.  I for one agree with their concerns and desire to share these concerns with all whom I can reach within my sphere of influence.

I am aware that a major international evangelist has just come through town.  I began this post before he came and not simply because he was coming, though it was a consideration.  And I am not finishing it after his coming only because he came.  This issue has been around a long time. Some may perceive that this is an attack on the efforts of that ministry to win souls for Christ.  I want to be sure everyone understands that this is not my goal.  Mass evangelism has been around a long time and is not all together bad.  However, it is not without it's issues.

We place so much stock in altar calls and professions of faith via the "sinners prayer" that, often times, we don't even question whether a profession was legitimate or not.  There is an idea that you can pray a prayer, sign a card, raise a hand, stand up or walk to the front and you are good.  You have just gotten out of the line for hell and into the line for heaven and nothing else is required of you.  No matter what else you do or how you live your life, you don't have to worry about hell anymore.  Even if that is not the intended message, that is often what is conveyed and understood.

THIS IS A LIE!  It is not biblical and we must get away from it.

Again, let me clear, I am not against a passionate plea for people to place their trust in Jesus and serve Him as Lord.  What concerns me and many others is the formulaic way in which people are led to believe conversion happens and the lack of explanation as to why it is necessary and what life afterward should look like.  For example, we are condemned sinners in need of a Savior.  Not necessarily to make life better in the hear and now, but to save us from an eternal life of destruction.  And, that if profession is evidence of a true conversion, then that conversion will be evidenced by repentant obedience to God's word.

So hang with me as we explore a little history regarding the origin and dangers of the altar call.  We will also explore what actually constitutes a true conversion experience and how you can be assured of your salvation.  Here is a hint.  It's not because you prayed a prayer and I told you, "your going to heaven now".  Alright, here we go.

Where did it start?
Charles Finney(August 29, 1792 – August 16, 1875), has been considered by many to be the father of modern Revivalism.  Though his understandings of biblical doctrine are considered heresy by many, still his methods of holding altar calls at the end of his revivals are a mainstay in much of today's church services.  Without going into much detail here, his general philosophy of revival was one of numbers.  He numbered conversions based on public profession and based the immediate concept of success for these revivals on these numbers.  Future assessments of those supposed converts however, would show a significant lack of fruit, thus calling into question the validity of his methods.  Unfortunately, the method continues today.

A Typical Altar Call
All around the world, from small country churches to large grandiose crusades, altar calls are given and professions of faith are made.  These victims of easy believe-ism are told that once they pray a formulaic prayer and publicly profess an "acceptance" of Christ into their hearts perhaps by walking to the altar and maybe filling out a card, that they are going to heaven. Is it possible that some are saved by this method.  Certainly, however, statistics show that the number of professions do not correlate with the number of dedicated Christians that are serving in churches around the world today. That inconsistency suggests a problem with the method and sometimes, the message that is being utilized to gain professions today.  

Great Pastors/Evangelist that did it differently.  
George Whitfield was a great evangelist(December 27 [O.S. December 16] 1714 – September 30, 1770) of the 18th century.  No evangelist in the history of the church has a greater reputation for preaching with passion and he always called his hearers to belief and repentance.  However, he was not impressed by numbers.  When asked about his excitement regarding the numbers of converts at his meetings, his response was, "let's give it six months and see if there is any fruit of repentance in their life".  

Another great 18th century pastor/theologian named Jonathan Edwards had similar thoughts on the matter.  He is known for his sermon "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God".  He was a well rounded preacher but he could certainly preach about a sinners hell and their need to be delivered. He did not do it for numbers.  He preached the truth and people responded.  Both Whitfield and Edwards were involved in the Great Awakenings of that era.  These were great revivals in which it was preached not that people some how played a role in their salvation but that they were utterly lost, dead in their sins and transgressions, and in need of a Savior to bring them to life.  

Charles Spurgeon,(June 19, 834 – January 31, 1892) a famous pastor of the 19th century in England known as the "Prince of Preachers", had similar convictions regarding the need to be clear on what constituted true conversion.  They all preached first the "law", in order to make the need for salvation apparent.  They then preached salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone and that repentance was a necessary evidence of true conversion.

The Apostle Paul understood the need to utilize the law as a necessary means for salvation as well. His letter to the Romans Ch. 1-8, are continually balancing law and grace, making known the importance of the law to make us aware of our sin and our need for grace.  In Galatians 3:24(KJV) Paul calls the law a "schoolmaster" leading us to our need for Christ for justification. 

All of these men would agree that "false converts" can just as easily happen with proper teaching and a proper altar call as with the improper.  They are however, far less likely.  And, if they happen it is not because these converts were mislead by inaccurate understandings of why they need salvation and how they are to obtain it.  

So what's the issue?
So what's the difference?  What's the big deal?  Should we NOT be excited for professions of faith. Don't get me wrong.  I am not against being excited about professions of faith.  Nor, as I said, am I necessarily against an altar call.  I want to be careful not to paint with too broad a brush in any scenario.  I certainly believe that God brings some true conversions out of these examples of evangelism both small and big.  I also do realize that all big name crusaders and little church pastors do not do it the same way.  Even if they do it in the cliche' ways that I have mentioned, I do not doubt for a second, their desire to see converts to Christianity.  Nevertheless, there are a couple of considerations that must be made because these a fore mentioned methods are often so misleading, not only to those offering salvation, but also to those "accepting" salvation.  The considerations are these: One, What brings about salvation?  Two, What is the evidence?   How can we know that a profession of faith is legitimate?  How can I know that I am saved?  We will speak to that.  

Conclusion
What are the answers to these considerations?  In the interest of not loosing you on this topic via the post being too lengthy I will strive to do this in three parts, this being the first.  I will try to answer each question effectively in two separate post, covering these general but integral concerns regarding the call to Christ and the perceived response.

To be clear as I stated at the beginning, a major international evangelist has just come through town.  I began this post before he came and not simply because he was coming, though it was a consideration.  And I am not finishing it after his coming only because he came.  This issue has been around a long time.  Some may perceive that this is an attack on the efforts of that ministry to win souls for Christ.  I want to be sure everyone understands that this is not my goal.  Mass evangelism has been around a long time and is not all together bad.  What we must guard against is three-fold.  

1.)We must not allow it to become a numbers game, which it often does, or assume that everyone who makes a profession of faith at this event is legitimate.  We are called to share the gospel, not aim for conversion stats.  Unfortunately, these stats are what success is often based on verses being satisfied that the gospel was presented adequately and trusting God to do the work.  

Videos that have been shown in preparation for this recent evangelistic event and at the event itself, stated the large numbers of "decision cards" that were collected.  Upwards of 72 million supposed converts over 30 plus years of ministry in Africa.  I pray that it is true but as I said before; a signed card does not a conversion make nor does it suggest that a balanced message was presented.  

Statistics suggest that, even with the well-rounded message preached for years by the Rev. Billy Graham, the legitimacy of the number of conversions suggested by decision cards is in question. He has said it is more likely that somewhere in the vicinity of ten-percent of professed conversions were legitimate.  According to certain surveys and polls, the number of people that actually have a biblical understanding of what it means to be a Christian is very low.  More on that another time.

2.)We need not walk around questioning everyone's salvation.  So the question would be then, "Why am I stating all these warnings and creating all this doubt regarding the legitimacy of professing Christians?"  The reason is this, we must all be willing to lovingly challenge the faith of those who say they are Christians but are not bearing fruit. This is true no matter how they say they came to Christ.  

If we are mature Christians, we must be looking for new converts that came out of such evangelistic events or are fruit of us sharing the gospel with them directly  We must be passionate for disciple-making and that often involves ensuring a proper understanding of conversion and what is expected us by God after it occurs.  It also involves being willing to point out areas of disobedience and call them to repentance.  If they are unwilling to repent, then comes the time that we must challenge their profession of faith and their conversion utilizing the means of church-discipline that are evidenced in scripture.

3.)We must not look to mass-evangelism as our primary means of gaining new converts or creating disciples.  That is the responsibility of every single true-convert in the local church.  The majority of people will not be saved through evangelistic crusades.  They will be led to Jesus through the ministry and discipleship of individual believers who are sharing the gospel and modeling Christian discipleship to new converts.

I pray you will stick with me and at least consider these thoughts.  They are not new and they certainly do not originate with me.  However, I believe they are sound thought processes based on the bibles' teachings.  These thoughts may just affect how you understand the altar call, true and false conversions, and assurance of salvation.  These are huge to understand when you consider how churches do the altar call, what they suggest about a persons salvation, and how you encourage others regarding these topics.

See ya soon,

Josh

An Ode to Bailey

As many know, we have had to let go of our pet/family member Bailey today, 8/20/2014, at the ripe old age of eight and a half years old.  He would have been nine around Thanksgiving.  He was a beautiful Blue Merle Australian Shepherd.  He was a faithful, loving dog who never stopped worrying over our boys until the day we had to lay him to rest.  He developed cancer and endured tumors growing in his neck and jaw for the last couple of months.  The diagnoses came in early July with a prognosis of 3-6 months.  But the reality of the true nature of things came much faster than we thought and way too soon for any of our liking.

My wife and children are heart broken.  I am definitely sad.  I loved him but for some reason I always kept that at a distance.  But, there is no denying that he was a wonderful dog and everyone who met him loved him.  Many have expressed their condolences and respect for Bailey as a dog and pet and for that we are very thankful.  I would ask everyone to continue to remember us in prayer for the next little bit as we learn to live without his presence and love.

I am sometimes better at expressing thoughts and feelings regarding the deeper emotions via the written word verses the spoken word.  So, I have written a poem to honor Bailey and express our love and appreciation for him.  For anyone curious about whether I think animals end up in heaven, I am honestly a little up in the air on that, but I chose to take a risk in the name of poetic license, allowing for the possibility at this time.  So if anyone feels the need to speak to that subject please refrain from doing it here.  Thank you.  I hope you enjoy it.

An Ode To Bailey

It's a sad, sad day when the puppy's go play, in the big field in the sky

For though old becomes new, from a different view, a family has said goodbye.

And so it is told, only nine years old, was our Aussie known as Bailey Boo

When he was young he was playful and spry, when old he was faithful and true.

He loved his boys and his squeaky chicken toy, hide and seek was his favorite game

He was always close by, but if far he did fly you could call, for he knew his name

Though it breaks our hearts, still we knew from the start, that this day was destined to call

No more suffering or pain will be yours now to claim, still many tears will now fall

Oh Bailey we love you, we'll miss you so much, a better dog we will never find

Never doubting your love, we hope to see you above, in that big field in the sky.

Our journey with Bailey has been filled with fond memories and growing boys that he has herded all along the way as any good Australian Shepherd should.  He did love us and we loved him back....very much.  Here are few pics of that journey together.  Enjoy!  We love you Bailey!

Bailey at around 2 months old.  We were at Pet Smart for training.

Little Ryan and little Bailey playing together

I  think this was Baby Alex's first Christmas which would have made Bailey about 3 yrs old

This is probably around the same time as the previous picture.
Ryan and Bailey 

Momma Angie, little Alex, and Bailey at a family photo shoot.  

Bailey's best and last winter.
The winter storm of 2014.

Bailey and his best friend Butterball
2014

Bailey
July 2014

Bailey, Angie, Ryan, and Alex.
I'm behind the camera
Our last pics together
8-16-2014

2 Questions on Divorce (Part 8) Am I going to Hell? Conclusion of series.

It's Finished
So, for anyone who wondered if I would ever stop talking about divorce, this is it.  I have finished.  There is always more that could be said but I am satisfied that I have spoken to most of the primary concerns that surround divorce.

I don't know who it has helped or who it has made angry, except for one person.  One person that has followed this series approached me with both encouragements and questions.  It was blessing to know it had spoken to at least one person and I am thrilled to be able to discuss anything with anyone so I was happy to answer their questions.  They even gave me a little testimony of a past trial relating to the issue.  So I wanted to acknowledge that and say thank you.

I entitled this series "2 Questions on Divorce" because of a couple of questions that I had been asked recently.  Obviously it spawned thoughts much more in depth than just those two.  One of those questions however, I have not directly answered and I want to make sure that I do.  That question is "Am I going to Hell for my divorce?"  So let's address it.

Does Divorce Send You To Hell?
The answer is NO!  John 3:17 tells us that we are condemned already which is why Christ had to come and die.  We are all guilty of sin from the first because we inherit the guilt of Adam's sin from the moment we are conceived(Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Psalm 51:5).  Neither divorce nor any other sin is particular to spiritual death.  It is simply our spiritual state from the beginning.  That is the beauty of Romans 3:24 which states that we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  Nothing is able to keep you from attaining, nor separate you from, the grace that is available in Christ Jesus if you truly trust in the cross, repent and believe(Romans 8:38-39).

I speak quite a bit about what the life of a professing believer in Jesus should look like. This is because if you already profess to be a believer then the initial work of "getting you into heaven" should be done.  After that it is time to begin dealing with sanctification.  That is simply a fancy theological word that refers to growing in Christ with the goal of becoming more like him every day.  I speak to that process a lot, not based on the success of actions but because of the attitude of the heart.

We will spend the rest of our lives working hard, by God's grace and power, to attain progressive success in Christian living.  However, the attitude of our hearts upon being saved should very quickly, if not immediately become one of a desire to please God, to pursue repentance from sinful ways and to achieve obedience to God's commands.

If we find these attitudes lacking, it is likely and indicator that more prayer, time in the word, and Christian accountability is needed.  It is a warning sign that we need to evaluate our relationship with our heavenly Father.  If we find that the desired attitude is lacking all together and we really don't care or want to know what God has to say about the way we live this life that He has given us, that may be a frightening indication that we do not have any relationship at all and the profession of faith was false.  I am afraid there is a lot more of that going on than meets the eye.

Backsliding
Mistakes will be made, sometimes big ones.  And sometimes they can happen over a period of time.  King David is a prime example of this.  He lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers.  He got her pregnant and then tried to cover it up by having her husband killed.  But God knew and sent Nathan the prophet to confront him about it.

David was repentant.  He realized that He had sinned against God and was sorrowful in heart about it.
(2 Samuel 11:1-12:15).  However, as you read on in this book of the bible you learn that, though God forgives David, there are still consequences for his actions in this life.

The big difference in someone who has real saving faith verses someone who does not is that when confronted with sin, the true Christian will realize their mistake, begin fighting against that sin and turning back toward God.  The false convert will not.

Salvation is Simple!
Everything that I have described in this post describes battles with sin within the Christian life.  So how do you become a Christian?  What "get's you into heaven?"  What is the gospel? The answer is simple, faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Several scriptures speak to this.

•  There is the quintessential scripture that everyone learns when they are small as John 3:16.  It states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  This comes after the well known conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus regarding what it means to be born again(John 3:1-15).  
• In 1 Corinthians 15:3, the Apostle Paul states that "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas(Peter), then to the twelve."

• In Romans 10:9-13, the Apostle Paul tells us that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. He makes no distinction between gender, color, creed, or race, as He defines them in His word.  We know this because God's word in Revelation 7:9 tells us that there will be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language in heaven singing praises to God upon Christ's return.   All who believe with their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord will be saved. 

I believe it is important to emphasize that Jesus is not truly your Savior if He is not truly your Lord.  The fact is according to Philippians 2:9-11, JESUS IS LORD and at the end everyone will bow the knee and confess this truth.  The question is, will it happen on this side of eternity or the next?  If he is not Lord over your eternal life now, He will be Lord over your eternal death later.  Christ died so that you would have an option.  Repent and believe.  Surrender your life to His will.  Choose life! 

Trust and Obey
There used to be an old hymn in which the chorus read, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey."   If you have made a previous profession of faith but you have struggled with repentance from sin and you feel out of touch with God, know this.  No matter what you've done and no matter how far off the path of obedience you have strayed, all you have to do is return to your first love.  A perfect, happy life is not guaranteed in this life, but hope for the future is. Trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.  His grace is big enough to welcome you back.

If you have never put your trust in Jesus, scripture says that "today is the day of salvation"(2 Corinthians 6:2).  Do it now.   Don't wait another minute.  Don't wait another day.  Place your faith and trust in Jesus atoning work of the cross.  There at the cross, He paid for every sin you ever committed or ever will commit. There at the cross, His blood removed the guilt and condemnation of your sin sick soul.  There at the cross, Jesus set us free from the curse of sin and death.  Your eternal future can be sure.

JESUS LOVES YOU!  HE DIED FOR YOU!

TRUST IN HIM TODAY!

In Jesus Name I pray that it would be so,

Amen.

Josh

2 Questions on Divorce (Part 7) What About Remarriage?

Oh boy, now we get into the really sticky stuff.  If anyone actually reads this one, I'm bound to make someone mad.  So let me apologize in advance.  To be clear, my goal is not to make anyone mad, feel judged, or anything else that might be disagreeable.  I know people personally whom have been through divorce.  Some biblically, some unbiblicaly.  Regardless, I know some carry pain from it to this day.

The challenge is, I have found that people tend to see and hear what they want to see and hear from a blog, article, or sermon.  Not saying that to mean accusatory or judgmental. It is simply human nature to filter what we see and hear through our life experiences and emotional baggage.  It very difficult to be objective sometimes when you come across subject matter that hits you on a personal level.  So please know that I understand this truth and my heart is not to offend anyone unnecessarily.

I simply want to take a look at what the bible says about remarriage for anyone who is interested.  In order to strive for some semblance of brevity, I will reference other posts to some degree because they speak to this as well.   I hope it helps.

Is Remarriage Ok?
Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:1-12, 1 Corinthians 7:10-16

In light of these scriptures, we have established that there are specific instances in which divorce is permitted in such a way as to release the spouse for remarriage.  So if you were the victim of marital infidelity or your unbelieving spouse left you, then you are free and clear to marry again.  For more on that, please refer to the previous posts regarding those instances.

Perpetual Adultery.  Is It Real?
The scriptures referenced above suggest that if you get divorced for a reason other than the acceptable reasons discussed and then remarry, that you are guilty of adultery.  So, does that mean that everyone who is remarried unbiblically is guilty of perpetual adultery?  That's a tough question.

The only unforgivable sin is blaspheming the Holy Spirit(Mark 3:28-30).  This is a spoken sin specifically relating to to the attributing of works of the Holy Spirit to the works of Satan.  It is understood to be a rejection of clear truth.  It results in a hardening of heart that will cause a lack of desire for repentance.  This is an accusation toward someone that should not to be assumed by any person as only God knows the state of a persons heart.

So, unbiblical remarriage is not unforgivable.   We must not assume that remarriage which is not biblically supported, leads to an endlessly sinful lifestyle that God's grace cannot cover.  I certainly do not believe that God would have anyone pursue a second divorce in order to be remarried to your original spouse.

The issue then becomes one of the heart.  If you did not know the biblical teaching on divorce and are already remarried, you are not guilty of blatantly disobeying those teachings however, you are not off the hook either.  As with any other sin ask yourself, are you recognizing your mistake in the first divorce, repentant and contrite in your heart regarding the rightness of it, and are you committed to not repeat the same mistake again?  If so, then I would say rest in peace and pursue righteousness in your current marriage and if possible, look for an appropriate opportunity to share your convictions with your previous spouse and seek forgiveness.

The one thing I absolutely do not want to convey is that it is better to ask forgiveness than permission, i.e. get remarried and then repent afterward, knowing all the while that it was wrong.  That is not a biblical approach to sin and obedience.  If you have ever approached life with God that way, please repent.  Consider scriptures teachings before you make decisions on anything and then act according to God's word.

What If I Am Divorced and Have Not Remarried?
Even if you are contemplating divorce for an unbiblical reason, this is important for your consideration as well.

Scripture only allows two options for this scenario.  The ideal result would be reconciliation with your spouse and remarriage to that same, initial spouse.  If you do not believe that is possible and there was no marital unfaithfulness or apparent unbelief between the two spouses, i.e. you are both seemingly believers, then singleness is the only option.

Now before I speak to the unnecessary faux pa that is singleness in our day, let me say this.  If  you have struggled in your marriage, and there are those whom have called you both to repentance in relationship to divorce, and you get divorced anyway, then you do have some evaluation of your relationship with God to do.  You have now blatantly ignored God-given biblical counsel and placed your own will over the will of the Father in a very deliberate way.  This is a very dangerous but certainly not unforgivable mistake.  I want to encourage you not to come under condemnation but to come under conviction, repent, and pursue reconciliation.

Singleness
There is so much to be said about being single in service to the Lord that cannot be said here.  Unfortunately, it is almost considered shameful to be single.  As if our identity and happiness were tied up in whether we are single or not.   Jesus was single.  Paul was single.  Contrary to the culture, our identity nor our happiness should ever be wrapped up in whether we are married, single, or divorced.  There are only two identities, rebellious sinner or repentant sinner saved by grace. Which do you identify with?

If you identify as a sinner saved by grace based on no merit of your own, but on the saving work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and you desire to strive for living a life surrendered to Him, then you are a child of the Most High God and He will see you through.  He may see you through to reconciliation of  your marriage or He may see you through to a satisfying single life.  Either way Jesus must be your all in all and, the one you depend on and look to.  Scripture does not promise you happiness but it does speak to joy.  Joy unspeakable and full of glory can be found in His presence, satisfying needs that no human being could fulfill(1 Peter 1:8).

Are you Angry?
If I have offended anyone and you are angry with me, I am sorry.  As I said, that is not my goal.  The truth is, there are biblical consequences for unbiblical actions and some are more difficult to face than others.  I do not know your varying circumstances and I cannot judge your heart.  All I can do is speak generally to the overarching ideas surrounding marriage and divorce and what God's word says about them.  What you do with it from there is between you and God.

If you have actually read this, it is not by mistake.  God wants to communicate something with someone through what I am writing.  Perhaps someone who has already divorced and remarried will realize an offense against God that they did not realize before and go before him with a repentant heart asking forgiveness.  Maybe that will help them to release some underlying guilt or anger and see more success in that second marriage.  Perhaps someone will reconcile with a spouse.  Perhaps someone else will decide to pursue a single life of service to their Lord and Savior.

I don't know.  I just want you to consider the possibility that there is something in the bible that can draw you closer to Jesus in very difficult circumstances, give you wisdom, and bring Him glory in the process.

No matter the circumstance, Eat God's Word.  Pray Fervently.  Live before the face of God (Coram Deo). He will show you the way.

Sincerely,

Josh