Category Archives: Articles

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

[27] So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

We are created as male or female. The attempts at running away from God now include denying that. This story from the Toronto Star last Saturday. A couple are seeking to raise a “genderless” baby. I am sure even they know that their baby has a gender. But they don’t want it to be known. Read a bunch of responses there as well, both in support and criticism.

Read a Christian critique here

Yesterday, a news reporter, reporting on the tornadoes in Missouri made the comment “God must be angry at the people of Joplin Missouri …” This put me in remembrance of this account from the life of Jesus

Luke 13:1-9 (ESV)
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  [2] And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  [3] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  [4] Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  [5] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
[6] And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  [7] And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’  [8] And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  [9] Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ “

Do you think that the people of Joplin, Missouri, were worse sinners than all other Americans, or North Americans, because they suffered this way? No, but I tell you, unless people repent they shall all likewise perish.

Suggesting that God is angry at the parts of the world that suffer great calamities is to reveal an understanding of God and theology in general that is absent of Gospel truth. There is not a corner of the world that does not deserve to be destroyed today. The fact that most people in the world wake up this morning in relative peace, absent of major natural or other disasters, is testimony to God’s mercy. The fact that the sun rose is a testimony of His mercy. We come to think that the good things that happen to us are what should happen to us and that God is mistreating us when He allows the bad.

The people of Joplin are not worse sinners than we are. God is not angrier at them than He is at others. God could have stopped the tornado, but He did not, for reasons that no human being is competent to answer. In Luke 13 Jesus does not tell us why the Galileans upon whom a tower fell, were not spared that fate while others were.What He does tell us is that none of us are guaranteed a long peaceful, tragedy free life and we had better be ready to go when our time comes. None of us can say with certainty that we will live out the day. Our lives are in God’s hands and the judge of all the earth shall do right. He knows what He is doing and it is better that His will be done than not, even when it involves horribly hard things.

The question is not “Will God let me live a long peaceful life?” The question is “Am I ready to die?”

Suggesting that Missouri is under the anger of God in ways that the rest of us are not suggests that we are not in God’s bad books. “He may be angry with them but not with us!” But the reason people wake up in safety anywhere is because God is patient and is offering chances for people to repent of their sins (II Peter 3:9). And unless we do repent we shall likewise perish. They are not worse and we are not better. Do not presume upon the mercy of God. Life is fragile and the future is unknown. Be ready to die.

Well, welcome back. Haven’t posted anything here for over a week. I try to keep the posts and memory verses and Scripture readings and “what’s new” stuff up to date. Last week I went away to the Basics Pastors’ Conference at Parkside Church near Cleveland and chose not to have anyone else keep the website going everyday. So all those things that I try to keep current went a little stale. Today and tomorrow I will get things caught up.

This site attracts a small amount of traffic and I assume most of those who log in are from our church or personal friends. From time to time I hear from a stranger who visits and that is kind of nice. The point of this website and blog is simply to keep people up to date regarding what is going on in our church and to provide some comments from the Scriptures that will be of some spiritual benefit. I hope, but have no idea if those who drop by actually read most of what gets put up. The interesting thing about letting it sit stagnant last week is that it made virtually no difference in amount of traffic to it.  At least that is better than having visits decrease when we are around. We’ll see if that happens this week. In any case, we’ll start putting posts up again and I will pray that it does someone some good and lets others know what we are up to. God is in charge of it all and if our church and any of its ministries accomplish anything of eternal worth, it will be because He saw fit to use it. What a grand thing it is to serve such a grand God and know that He uses the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are.

1 Cor. 1:20-31 (ESV)

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30] He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. [31] Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Cor. 3:1-23 (ESV)

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. [2] I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, [3] for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? [4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? [5] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. [10] According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. [11] For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— [13] each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. [14] If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. [15] If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

[16] Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

[18] Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” [20] and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” [21] So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, [22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, [23] and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

A week after the wedding across the pond, I thought I would share a good little article about it and what all weddings say about us and God. Enjoy.

Luke 8:16-18 (ESV)

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. [17] For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. [18] Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

This teaching of Jesus has two primary applications. Jesus is first of all talking about the end of the world when all things will be brought to light. When Jesus returns nothing will be able to be hidden. People will have to give account. But it is not wrong to also see in this teaching here that as light is meant to pierce the darkness, so we who know Jesus are meant to shine into a very dark world so that Jesus Himself will be seen and embraced.

Believers in Jesus Christ are the light of the world and that light is not meant to be hidden so that it cannot be seen. When lights are covered up then darkness remains. We are called to shine as lights in a dark world (Philippians 2:14-16). God has lit the lamp and He has put us on display in the world so that we will shine and give light to the world. He has not saved us just so that we will celebrate the light and at the same time hide away with it so that the world is still in the dark. We are to shine as lights so that the Light may be seen. Our purpose is to show the world Jesus Christ. It is to demonstrate a great God.

We show Christ in our speech (Acts 8:4), and in our lives (I Peter 2:9-12). Our lives, even when we are persecuted and opposed in various ways are to demonstrate Christ (I Peter 3:15). Our hearts should be moved with compassion to those who do not know Him. The day is coming when all their deeds and hearts will be exposed (verse 17) and they must give account. It is a horrifying thought to think that people will stand before this great God without the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice between them and the righteous Judge.

Give people the Gospel. And give it with much prayer that the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (II Corinthians 1:3) will do a great work of saving power in them. Be in prayer regarding your own testimony at work, in school, at home, in social settings and in places of business. Pray to recognize the opportunities that God puts in your pathway for witnessing about the Gospel – for He does give you such opportunities. Pray to have people put in your path whom God is calling to Himself; that you will be used by God to bring them into the fold of grace. Pray to shine as lights as you are called to do.

This teaching ends with a great and solemn promise. Those of us who have the Gospel, if we use the knowledge that God has given us, will be given more to use as well. Use what God has given you. Do not try to go beyond what you know but study to know more. God will give you more as you prove faithful with what He has already given. It is easy to grumble about what we lack. Use what you have and show the Lord that you can be trusted with more. Why should He if you already squander what you have? God is not so foolish as to give you more to waste. Be faithful in a few things and He will bless you with greater.

Psalm 81:13-16 (ESV)

Oh, that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

[14] I would soon subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

[15] Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,

and their fate would last forever.

[16] But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

God calls out to His people that they would listen to Him and obey Him. And if they would do that He would bless them beyond imagining. He would subdue their enemies and He would feed them sumptuously. Some will turn this into teaching that God never wants you to suffer or endure hardship. It does not mean that. But it does mean that God’s plans for us are for our good. To obey God is better for us than anything we could otherwise do. God’s plans for us are not for our ill. Even if God should allow us to go through very deep water, which He does allow for a great many of His children, this Psalm would still be true. He feeds us with the finest of wheat. We do not live by bread alone and it is right to see in this promise the bread of life. Jesus and the teachings of the Word of God are the finest of wheat. There is such a feast for the soul in walking according to the ways of God.

Do you deny this? Why then do you stay in the faith? Why not leave? What makes us stay? A fear of hell? What robbery we commit against ourselves. Fear of hardship here and now? Life is hard, for both the righteous and the wicked. Better to suffer because of our faith in Christ than for anything else that might cause us suffering. I urge you – find Jesus and His word to be the finest food you can possibly ingest.

Feel the love of God for His children in this text. Note the word “Oh” in verse 13. “Oh” that God’s people would listen. It is a fervent desire of our God that we obey Him. It is His heart’s longing that we be right with Him and that He be able to bless us beyond our imaginings. We therefore can be sure that if we get serious about it He will help us to accomplish real, consistent, habitual obedience. God will not lie to us. He will give us the strength that we need in order to live a life of conformity to Him. God wants what is best for us. He is not a tyrant.

We are the reason that we do not fare better spiritually. We worry and doubt and fear – and it hurts us. God has better for us. Don’t you want a heart that constantly sings – even when things are headed south? Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death? It is not impossible. It is supposed to be the norm. According to this verse one of the reasons that it is not is because we disobey. But we do not believe that. We think we are hunky dory with God and that all our miserableness is due to the hardships we are called to go through. We think He is being hard on us. No. We are being hard on us.

Hardships are not the reason that we find God to be distant or why we need pleasant events in our lives in order to be happy. Hardships take our joy away because what makes us happy is ease. Suffering takes our joy away because comfort is what gives us joy. If God were really the reason that we have joy then we would not lose it, because we always have Him. This does not mean that we will never be sad. But it will alter why we get sad. The sin in the world should break our hearts. Cruelty and abuse and the starving masses should break our hearts. What breaks yours? We should get angry at the devil, at those who lead people astray, at the abuse of the innocent, false teachers and profit mongers, to name but a few. But what makes us angry? Does someone have to step on our toes in order for us to be angry? There is something fundamentally wrong with us. And what it is, is that we do not hunger for the fine wheat that God has prepared for us. We chase after all the wrong things, while at the same time singing about the God. How we need to feel the truth, in the deepest parts of our souls, that God expresses to us in the closing verses of this Psalm.

[13]Oh, that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

[14] I would soon subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

[15] Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,

and their fate would last forever.

[16] But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

A message from the 2011 Desiring God Pastors’ Conference. This is Joel Beeke speaking about family worship. It is directed at Pastors, but don’t let that stop you from benefitting from it. You can listen to the whole thing or just read a few of the notes tat are provided.

Married? Planning to be? Got kids? This is important stuff.

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)

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

Psalm 78:1-8 (ESV)

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

[2] I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

[3] things that we have heard and known,

that our fathers have told us.

[4] We will not hide them from their children,

but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

[5] He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

to teach to their children,

[6] that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

[7] so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

but keep his commandments;

[8] and that they should not be like their fathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Genesis 18:17-19 (ESV)

The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, [18] seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? [19] For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

I found this article on the matter of standing for truth and being meek. We need more of this type of thing being written. I hope you find it helpful.

It is by R.C. Sproul Jr. and you find it here as  well.

There was once a great man who managed to upset the religious leaders of his day. They were screaming for his blood because he had both bypassed their own power structure, and had gained a large popular following. He had taught those under his influence that the traditions they had received were wrong, distortions of the Word, and called them to something far older, something far more biblical. And the world was being turned upside down. Those in authority accused the man of heresy, demanding that he cease and desist. And then, the most amazing thing happened. The history tells us that “…while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do you hear how many things they testify against You?’ But He answered Him not a word, so that the governor marveled greatly” (Matthew 27:12-14.)

Jesus gave no dramatic speech. He did not thrust His chin out, confess that He could not recant because His conscience was captive, turn on His heels and walk off. Instead He went like a lamb to the slaughter. He submitted Himself to the scribes and Pharisees, to the Roman empire, and more important, the Emperor Beyond the Sea.

Luther did the right thing, standing on the Word at Worms. And we, too often, do all the wrong things in his name. We think that the glory of that story is that he stood his ground, that he was courageous, immovable, a rock. And so we go in search of the same opportunities. We boldly stand, and walk out of our churches because this possible inference of that potential trajectory of the other postulation in the pastor’s off-the-cuff remark might impinge on an important doctrine. We boldly defy the American empire, refusing to tell their census taker how many toilets are in our house. We boldly dishonor our parents, because we think them to be not quite as honorable as we are.

Luther is a hero not because he was bold, but because he was meek, not because of his stance, but because of where he stood. I suspect that great speech at Worms was delivered not with bravado, but as a plea, that he whimpered rather than thundered. Luther is a hero because he was willing to be slaughtered for the sake of the Lamb. It was not because he stood, but because he knelt, in submission to the Word.

It is a good thing to want to do great things for the kingdom. It is a better thing to understand that the better thing is almost certainly to submit to those in authority over you. The greatest thing Jesus ever did was not His miracles. It was not the proclamation of His message. It was not even the walking out of the tomb alive. The greatest thing Jesus ever did was to say, at the greatest possible cost, “Yes, Father.” May His grace and power teach me to do the same. May those in authority over me marvel.