Our family is officially on the website!

I received word that our information has been loaded on the Shepherd's Staff website. We look forward to uniting in the pursuit of God's glory in Australia! If you want to see the page, follow this link!

Not only do we have the inestimable power of God to protect and provide us, but God is building a team to serve God together with us. I am reminded of Ephes. 4:15-16: "...but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." It is comforting to know that the call for some is to go, and others are called to send. We are not in the business of self-promotion, but the ministry of God-glorification. When the Body of Christ is united in a venture of faith, God will be faithful to lead, guide, and provide.

What faith is...

Today in the high school group we discussed the marks of faith in God. Faith is not based on what we receive from God, but is active reliance upon the character of God as revealed in scripture. It is a tragic fact that many people read the Word of God, but do not know God personally. In a day when the focus is predominately on what God has done or can do for us, it is high time we started simply magnifying the character of God's nature. The reason why we are blessed by what God does is because of who He is. God is good, so all He does is good. God is righteous, so all He does is perfect.

A biography gives a small glimpse into the heart of a person. An autobiography even more so, because it is written from a first-person perspective. The Bible is God's autobiography, His living will and testament. In its pages we see that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and without sin. Every attribute of God is infinite: He is just as well as gracious, loving as well as true. Not one attribute nullifies another and is like a facet in a jewel that increases the beauty of reflective light. It would be a waste to read God's Word and not come away with increased knowledge of God. The scriptures were given that we might know and believe on Christ, as John states in John 20:31: "...these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

How we can sell God short by only dwelling on what He does! Who He is should be our focus! In talking with a friend today, he talked about how an acquaintance (I'll just call him Joe) spoke with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. They carried on a brief and rather awkward discussion about the newest Indiana Jones movie. Joe had seen movies directed by these two, especially Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He knew the works of Lucas and Spielberg very well. He could talk about the history of the films, quote lines from them, and perhaps even explain how they were directed and produced. But Joe didn't know Lucas and Spielberg on a personal level. He had no intimate knowledge of them personally: things they love, ways they deal with stress, how it would be to work with them, their political views, or future dreams. It was a brief, shallow, and superficial interaction that fell far short of a meaningful conversation.

For a lot of Christians, this same awkward "relationship" (which is likely a stretch to use the term) parallels the relationship they have with God. They know that Jesus has died to save them from their sins. They know that God loves them, that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and that He hears our prayers. The focus is on what He does rather than on who He is. We are like a kid at his fifth birthday party who is completely focused on the loot he will receive rather than the people who demonstrate their love through the giving of gifts. Not every child is like that, of course, but we must guard ourselves from focusing on the gift rather than the giver, what we receive rather than Who is giving!

I was challenged by this thought today. I am resolved to make sure I dwell upon the characteristics and attributes of God in my prayers, when I meditate on the Word, and in preaching. I'm going to keep my eyes open and my heart ready to receive more light concerning God's character. Isn't it amazing that God cannot be taught? Nothing needs to be explained to Him or catches Him off-guard. Isn't it wonderful that God does not change? Our bodies change and perspective changes as we grow older and the realization hits that things we once thought were so important are simply the small dust on the scales. God has been right since before time began. I praise and thank Him for that! God is good, and in Him is no shadow of turning. All glory to Him who was, is, and who is to come!

Shepherd's Staff Details

Laura and I are very excited about our partnership with Shepherd's Staff. We are grateful and blessed to be affiliated with such a ministry for many reasons. For those who are interested, I'll do my best to explain the relationship that Shepherd's Staff will share with our family. Though we are being "sent out" by Calvary Chapel El Cajon, I will no longer be an employee of the church as I have for the last four years. I will be "employed" by Shepherd's Staff, though they will not pay me. People will choose to support our venture in faith, make tax-deductible donations on our behalf to Shepherd's Staff, and they will pass along the funds to us.

When I go to Brisbane, I will not be allowed to make any money in Australia. I will be traveling on a Tourist Visa, which enables me to stay for up to three months at a time. Funds that God provides through friends and family will be sent from Shepherd's Staff to us. In addition to financial accountability and oversight, Shepherd's Staff gives me W-2 status, supplies health care for our family at a reasonable cost, and provides a wealth of godly counsel through pastoral and support staff. We have been so blessed with Pat Kenney, the western regional Pastor. He visited with Laura and me in our home on Thursday and answered many questions we had.

One thing we will be discussing at the 6:30pm Friday meeting at Calvary Chapel El Cajon on September 4th is how people can be a part of our care team. It is amazing how God ordains the Body of Christ to work! People are not called to foreign fields alone, but God raises up people from the sending fellowship to assist with prayer support, communications, logistics, financial, moral and re-entry support. Kevin Akenson is the missions director at Calvary El Cajon, and we will work closely with him in placing people in positions to provide the support we need. Those on our care team won't simply be "helping out:" they will be joining in the work!

How awesome it is that God desires all His children to be involved in His business, whether on the home front or far from our shores. He has called and gifted us in many different ways that compliment each other. I was talking to Laura the other day and a wry smile crossed her face as I talked about a counseling appointment. She said, "You're not a counselor. You're a preacher!" It takes the pressure off of me to know that God has gifted me in areas and has gifted other people who are wonderful counselors. I've been called to give an answer for the hope that is in me, but I don't have lament the fact that I'm not a great counselor. I rejoice in the Helper, and that Jesus is that "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

I thank God for each one of you, and thanks for caring enough to pray and support our family. We are excited about what God is doing and what He plans to do through this venture. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake" (Psalm 155:1, KJV).

Marks of a Prophet...

There is a certain amount of janitorial work I perform at church every week. I enjoy monotonous tasks for the reason I can do them well and meditate on the Word, pray, or think things over. Because of the call of God upon my life, there are certain preachers that I connect with who are solid in doctrine, heavy on challenge, and are completely unapologetic concerning God's truth. Speaking for myself, it takes a challenge to move me to change. Sometimes the challenge come straight from the text and sometimes the Holy Spirit uses a man to put His finger on something.

Today while cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors I thought about prophets in the Bible, prophets who trusted God and spoke for Him. The first thing that is clear about them is they were owned by God and not influenced by men. They were steadfast messengers of God's truth, not flavoring the word with flowery speech or trying to soften the blow with flattery. One amazing thing about good prophets is I cannot remember one time in the entire Bible when a prophet of God apologized for the message or for the effect it had on the listeners. Jesus never once apologized, for He never did or said anything that was wrong or out of place. I wonder if men like these could even be employed at a typical church these days, considering the things they said!

It is an awe inspiring thing, speaking for God! God has spoken through His Word, and He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. In thinking about my ministry thus far, the most profitable seasons have also had the most controversy. The messages that produced the most evident fruit were the same messages that brought complaints. Today I mused over the evidence: can this be true? I have seen young people moved to tears of repentance and saw lasting evidence of real commitment. Prophets have a way of striking a nerve. How? Because God knows what the people need to hear, whether they want to hear it or not. I ask you, how well were the prophets of God received in scripture? Let's just say it was much easier to be a false prophet than a real one. Real prophets never apologize for the truth, and this has never sat well with the majority.

Prophets of God will never be owned by man. They will not be purchased with bribes, for they have been bought with a price by the blood of Jesus Christ. This does not mean that the mark of a prophet is flippant, careless, rude, or an arrogant attitude. A prophet is brought to the point of death every time he opens his mouth for God, dying to himself that God may be glorified through his obedience. Man not only wants to be accepted: he wants to be liked. Prophets of God must sacrifice this desire on the altar of obedience. Because he is loved by God, he will allow himself to be hated by man because Jesus was hated first.

The longer I walk with Christ, the more I learn that I don't get to choose. I'm not allowed to choose my calling. But I can choose if I will be obedient to the calling God has upon my life. I have the call of an apostle (one who is sent) and prophet upon me. I don't care if anyone else sees me in this light, but I have determined to answer this call. God's Word to me is, "You will preach, and you will be sent." The call hasn't changed in seven years. Elijah walked up to Elisha and threw his mantle on him. Elisha didn't have his name drawn in a lottery to follow in Elijah's steps. I never signed up on a list to follow Jesus. I didn't choose Him: He chose me! He threw His mantle upon me and said, "Follow Me." You never know what God will call you to do, believer. But you best do what your Master says, or else He isn't your Master. When you do and say what Jesus tells you to, there won't be any need to apologize.

Have you found salvation?

I was reading the Word last night before bed and a verse in particular caught my attention. Jesus says in Matthew 7:14, "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." The word "find" jumped off the page. Most modern evangelistic messages omit this point. In fact, often we are taught that salvation is only to be received, not found. Salvation must be sought in Christ, found through Christ, then received from Christ.

It seems that many professing believers today have received pseudo-salvation. They have what Tozer calls a "nominal" faith, faith in word but not in deed. It is not real faith. It is not a faith that saves. In a sermon I heard yesterday, Tozer says that nominal faith believes a text and accepts what he is told. This man believes what he reads wholeheartedly. But real faith in God is belief in God, depending upon the character of God. The text exists to point to God. Many people believe the words of the page of the Bible are true, but they do not trust in the God who spoke those words.

How tragic would it be to substitute belief in words for belief in God! The Pharisees thought that they had eternal life because they studied the scriptures daily. Jesus says in John 5:39: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." They searched for salvation in a book, while the Word of Life stood before them! The Bible reveals the way of salvation for sinful man, and Jesus is revealed as the only door to heaven. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. By the grace of God, man can be forgiven and saved from sin and death through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is difficult to follow Jesus, and the way is narrow. There are people going to hell that can quote scripture references verbatim. They have sought knowledge, but not salvation. Those who keep on seeking will find (Matt. 7:8). If you have never sought salvation, you have not received it. Following Jesus will be laborious and taxing. It will be challenging and the hardest thing you have ever done. But it is rewarding and exciting. It is the place of blessing. But it will come at a cost: your entire life. We say we will trade our earthly experience in for a heavenly one. Our words betray us because our actions often declare otherwise.

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 13:44: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." This is a story of a treasure hunter who finds hidden treasure in a field. The treasure had been hidden by someone else. It was not by accident that this treasure was found, because the man was looking for it like many treasure hunters do today. He was so excited about the find that he re-hid the treasure, sold all that he had, and purchased the field so the treasure would be his. One thing is for certain: He recognized the value of the treasure. Another certainty is that he knew what he already possessed, and it was nothing compared to this treasure. Because of the find, everything else in his life was expendable if he could obtain the treasure rightfully. It would not do to steal it, because it must have a cost. The man sold all because he would not risk not having enough to buy the field, because what the field contained was worth the world to him.

This is the heart God desires His children to have. This man did not just "receive" the treasure: he had to find it for himself and pay a price. The man did not earn the treasure, but once found there was a price to pay to receive it. Every man, woman, and child has the opportunity to find salvation in Jesus Christ paid for with His own blood. They must seek to find. Once they find they must receive. To receive we must give all to obtain that treasure of eternal life. Jesus says in Luke 9:23: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." I want to go after Jesus into eternal glory and rest by the grace of God. It is a joyful thing indeed to follow Christ. All the passing pleasures of this world cannot match a moment in the presence of the Living God. Jesus says in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." What will a man give for a little peace? How much more should he give for his soul?

Staying true to your purpose

How important it is that we fulfill the purpose God has ordained for us! All things have been created by God for His good pleasure. It is so easy to fashion our lives according to man's opinions or even our own whims. The devil would like nothing more than to distract the church from the center of God's will. If the church is led from the Shepherd, we cannot fulfill God's purposes.

If we would be honest, even Bible-teaching churches can fall prey to focusing on social issues rather than spiritual regeneration. Instead of making disciples of all nations, we can neglect discipleship even among our congregations. Vance Havner had this to say in his book, Moments of Decision: "The meaning of the church is that Christians are God's called-out ones. The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to make, baptize, and teach disciples. The message of the church is the Gospel that Christ died for our sins and rose for our justification. The ministry of the church is to observe all things he commanded, and the commandments are summed up in believing on Jesus Christ and loving one another (see 1 John 3:23)...The major issue is not even evangelism or missions; the top item on the agenda is repentance and revival in the church...It is a skillful maneuver of Satan to lead us into majoring on secondary matters to the neglect of major concerns" (page 77).

God forbid that the Great Commission should become the church's great omission! Repentance and remission of sins is to be preached in all the nations, starting right where we find ourselves. Of course we cannot preach on these matters until the Spirit has done this work in our hearts! How sober and vigilant we must be not to miss the point! As followers of Christ we have in our hearts a desire to do good and the devil would use this to his advantage. He would like for us to be so busy in doing good that we neglect to watch our own hearts, to seek God's counsel and guidance in ministry, and become drunk with outward success. He would deceive us to believe that sacrifice is better than obedience.

We forget that God will hold us accountable for our actions on earth, even as believers. I read a great poem that quickens my soul to remain ever loyal to Christ:

"Jesus is standing in Pilate's hall,
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all.
Hearken! what meaneth the sudden call?
What will you do with Jesus?

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Some day you will be asking,
"What will He do with Me?"
- Albert Simpson (Moments of Decision, Havner, pg. 127)

God wants to do something now in your life, empowered by His life in you. I do not want God to say of me, "What am I going to do with this guy?" but rather "See what He has done with what I have given him." I can do nothing of myself, but only what God has granted. I am incapable to do anything for God. I used to see myself as a sort of catalyst for God's work. He made my error very clear: "You are only a hindrance to Me." We only can hinder God's work, but His desire is that we would submit ourselves body, mind, and soul to His guidance and leading. Only then will revival fire fall upon the flock.

What defines your ministry?

I was reading up on churches on a website and saw something that I believe marks a disturbing trend in so-called Christianity. The pastors of a particular church were called "part of an emerging generation of leaders, whose ministry is marked by relevance, inspiration and encouragement." My opinion, which matters very little, is that folks of this persuasion ought to go back to the holes or skins they emerged from. Would you say that the ministry of Jesus Christ is primarily marked by these things? It depends on your definition, but I can say that these were certainly not the foundational virtues that marked the ministry of Christ.

We live in a day when "relevance" is as important as being relative. It is something many Christians try to become. Relevance often means "becoming like the world in an attempt to reach the world." Is God's Word relevant for today? Of course! God's Word is His living will and testament for our lives. His Law reveals His perfection, Christ reveals His love, the resurrection proves His power, and the Word is filled with promises that are relevant to all people. Every man is born into sin with a soul headed for hell, and Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. Jesus never tried to "be relevant" to His generation: He remains relevant for all generations in His unspoiled majesty. He never had to tweak His message to make the Gospel relevant. The truth of God Word does not need to be sweetened with the honey of humanism or spiced up with innuendo or allegations of the Illuminati. Christ did not have electronics, media, a budget, or formal training, but the world has never been the same.

The modern idea of inspiration is far from godly. When I Googled "inspirational," the first website boasts, "A collection of inspirational quotes on topics including success, life, leadership, teachers and more." Another website says, "Famous inspirational quotes for all ages. Get energized now!" Inspiration these days is about pumping up your mind with motivational ideas and thoughts, to urge you to believe in yourself. Like the video's title states, those who chose this form of inspiration fail at life for eternity! (Life Fail) Jesus was inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, not by some motivational speech or positive suggestions. Inspiration that comes from a man is mired in pride for selfish purposes. Emotional experience is a pathetic substitute for the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Word. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 states: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." If by "inspirational" it means they preach the unadulterated Word led by the Holy Spirit, good on them!

Jesus said many encouraging things, but He also said many disheartening things! His intent was not to build up a man's confidence in his own abilities, but to move men to desperation for God's intervention for forgiveness, salvation, and to place their faith in Jesus. He spoke about eternal damnation, trials, tribulation, suffering, and sacrifice! Jesus did not monotonously strum the single string of encouragement, but played the full array of notes: harsh with the proud and self-righteous; grace to the humble; rebuke to the hypocritical; kind words to the weak, sick, and grieving; hope to the hopeless; peace to the repentant. Jesus says in Matthew 23:33, "Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?" Certainly not on the "encouraging" list of quotes. The Pharisees had rejected Jesus Christ as Savior and He is the only way to Heaven. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6). Jesus always told the truth even if it hurt to hear. I know it pained the LORD to say it because He loved those Pharisees. He had reached His arms out to them for generations and they refused to come to Him (Is. 65:2). He stretched out His arms on a cross and they continued to mock Him in spite of His love and sacrifice.

If I had to pick three primary things that marked the ministry of Jesus Christ, it would be love, obedience to His Heavenly Father, and sacrifice. I don't think I would be wrong to say truth, power, prayer, service, compassion, grace, mercy, power, humility, sorrow, faithfulness, gentleness, and many other things also marked the life of Jesus Christ on earth. The ministry of Jesus for the glory of God and the good of mankind was culminated with Christ being crucified on Calvary. In the garden Jesus prayed to the Father, "Not my will, but yours be done." Though He was God in the flesh, He made Himself of no reputation, took upon Himself the form of a servant, and remained obedient to God, even to death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-8). Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." To me, this truth is relevant, inspiring, and encouraging. It is not because the message is tailored for the 21st century, makes me feel good about myself, or helps me find confidence in my abilities to meet my goals.

The Gospel is a message of salvation for sinful men who deserve none. It gives hope to the hopeless, freedom for the prisoner, sight to the blind, strength to the feeble, power to those who have none. A man must admit he is sick before he will seek a doctor's prescription, and we must see ourselves as doomed sinners before we will come broken to Christ in humility and faith. One thing I never want to do is encourage people in their sins and inspire their emotions as they trudge toward the fires of hell! Oh God, put such an abominable practice far from me! May we never veer from the narrow path of following Christ and His example.

Don't Settle!

We should refuse to settle down when the Spirit stirs us up. Lot settled down in Sodom, but Abraham kept his gaze fixed on a city not made with hands where God reigns. I've been reading a book of sermons by Vance Havner that contains a wonderful illustration I thought I'd share:

"I have read somewhere of a wild duck on migration that came down into a barnyard where tame ducks were feeding. He liked the food so well that he stayed a day, a week, a month, then the whole season. One day he heard a familiar honking high overhead an he recognized the call of his erstwhile companions winging their way home. his eyes sparkled, his heart beat faster, and he rose to join them. But, alas, he had fed too well and could get no higher than the eaves of the barn! The story goes that he said to himself, "Oh, well, what difference does it make? I like it here." So he spent the rest of his life in a barnyard. The day came when his old companions passed over and he never even heard their call.

I have seen men and women who once mounted up with wings as eagles but who are now content to live in the barnyard of this world. Sometimes, in an old-fashioned meeting under the spell of powerful preaching, they catch a few notes of the life they used to know, "the song of saints on higher ground." Their hearts may beat a little faster and their eyes may fill with tears. There may even be a momentary impulse to sing: 'My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay.' But alas, they have fed too well on the fleshpots of Egypt! They like it too well down here, and finally they reach that sad state where they no longer respond to the call from on high.

I beg you, do not settle down in the barnyard of this world. We Christians have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. We have no home down here." (Why Not Just Be Christians?, Pages 122-123)

Our God has called us to soar with the eagles, not to be satisfied with a fouled pond on earth with the ducks! God will give us the strength to answer His call if we will seek and trust Him. May followers of Christ remain as untamed by the world as He is. Do what comes supernaturally!

Beware of Saul's Armor!

I was reading Vance Havner's message called "Growing Goliaths and Developing Davids" and it caused me to think about the story of David. Havner's main point is instead of engineering a program or discussing the means to defeat the giant, we need people in the church who will simply do it in faith. If we only plan, we will never do: as followers of Christ we are to follow His plan.

Goliath had been taunting the Israelites for forty days, and due to his harsh language and imposing frame the Israelites literally ran from him. David, a youthful shepherd boy, heard Goliath's defiant words and within a day he had killed the giant, decapitated him, and Israel had been granted a stunning victory by God. Stunning that is, to everyone but God and David. David knew that the battle was the LORD's, and that he would prevail over the enemies of the LORD. God protected David from lions and bears, and He would protect him from Goliath.

An interesting part of the story is when King Saul heard of David saying that he would face the giant in battle and summoned David to appear before him. The first thing Saul said to David in 1 Samuel 17:33 was: "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." Saul looked at David and said, "No way! You are young, untrained, and without experience." In other words, our problems make your God small - He is not able to use someone like you! The enemy will use this same argument against us to keep us from allowing God to have victory through our hands. David explained that God had protected him as a shepherd, and God would deliver him in this fight too.

Saul finally gave David his blessing to fight, and fit him with his own armor. He put a brass helmet on his head, a coat of mail, and his own sword. Saul and Jonathan were the only men in the whole kingdom of Israel that had swords at this juncture(1 Sam. 13:22). 1 Samuel 17:39 says, "David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off." We do not know the exact motivation that moved Saul to put his armor on David. Perhaps he thought, "You might be a shepherd boy, but at least you can look the part of a warrior." Maybe he thought that it was the least he could do for the lad, giving him the most modern protection and weaponry in Israel. But David was so encumbered by the armor that he could not even walk! Because he had not "tested" them (or "proved" them KJV), he removed this armor.

There are some people who would convince you it is fine and good for you to trust God, but to take the next step of faith you must do something in addition to faith in God to ensure victory. Saul had fought in battles and his armor had served him well. He wouldn't go into battle without it and figured David shouldn't either. Yet David wouldn't wear the armor into battle because he himself had not proven it. It was foreign to his experience. God had never needed the assistance of sword and armor before to give him victory: was He hindered as if He needed them? Had God's ability to save been reduced by the size of David's opponent? No. If the battle is the LORD's, the victory is the LORD's.  King Saul ended up dying years later in a battle at his own hand and sword wearing his armour, and it was hung as a trophy in an idol's temple (1 Sam. 31:10).

Never allow someone else's lack of faith dictate your decisions. We serve a God who is able to accomplish what concerns us in every aspect. Saul's armor can take many forms and can be forced upon us by people who mean well. They have always relied on their armor: their experience, training, education, natural talents, degrees, cultural study, money, contacts, organizations, and on! Because they have attributed victory to their armor, God has not received the glory. They are happy to say, "Go and God be with you, but you'll need this..." when God has said otherwise.

Was David unwise to fight the giant with sling and stone? The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. It would have been foolish to fight in any way that deviated from God's plan. When God tells us to wait for the sounds of marching the mulberry trees and then go out, we wait, listen, and then march forth (1 Chron. 14:14-15)! If our God goes before us to smite our enemies, should we huddle in fear because we don't have state of the art weapons? Who can stand before our God? If God tells us to hold a trumpet in our right hands and a lamp in our left covered with an earthen pitcher, should we fear? We are to put on the spiritual armor of God (Eph. 6) that we may stand in the spiritual battle we face and prevail. It is God who said, "...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." (Zech. 4:6)

Never trade faith for Saul's armor. Let me close with a passage from Vance Havner: "When our Lord fed the multitude, there was first a problem of bread: "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (John 6:5). Then there was a proposed budget; Philip suggested that two hundred pennyworth of bread would not be enough. Finally there was the provision of a boy: "There is a lad here..." (ver. 9). Our Lord did not need a budget; He needed a boy. I will venture that the Israelites facing the Philistines wore out a lot of pencils figuring a budget. But God did not put Goliath out of business with a budget; He used a boy." (Why Not Just Be Christians, pg. 70) God hasn't changed. Faith in the Living God still fells giants and moves mountains. Why not go with what got us here?

What really matters...

Today we met with my sister's father in law to discuss managing our house. We decided to rent it out before I leave for my Sept. 21 to Nov. 19 trip to Australia. Since my last day of work at the church is on Sept. 20th, I won't have a paycheck to cover the mortgage during my trip. I think it is wise to have the family settled in to reduce the stress of having such a move without me around. God has always provided for us, and now is no exception! My folks have graciously offered to let us stay in their home, another display of the gift of hospitality and generosity modeled by my parents. Both Laura and I have terrific parents and families who pitch in constantly to allow us to minister unto the LORD and have time together.

I've been working on cleaning up the garage: sanding adhesive off the floor, painting the walls, and throwing stuff away. As my baseball and soccer trophies went in the trash along with all the junk that accumulates that some day you might use (but haven't in 7 years!), I thought about the things that I have. The thing that Laura and I keep in mind: "Are we taking it to Australia?" If we're not taking it with us, we're either selling it, giving it away, or trashing it. Do you know how easy it is to throw or trash stuff that you can't take with you? How simple it is to accumulate things. Having stuff costs time. It takes time to go through it, organize it, decide what to do with it...I like having less stuff.

I believe God desires that we recognize that all we have is a gift from Him, and that we can't take our stuff with us into heaven. You will leave your career behind on earth, as well as your house, cars, hobbies, even your wife and kids. God and His Word are the only givens on earth and in heaven. We've heard it said, "You can't take it with you." I remember my fellow-laborer in Christ Paul Zastoupil say something to the effect of, "Life becomes so much more simple without things." Our houses are cluttered and we have so many things that fight for first place in our hearts. Our schedules are even more cluttered! Let's clear out the junk and put first things first. The trophies you used to cherish will lose their luster in the scope of eternity.

Is Heaven for you?

When it comes to thoughts about heaven, I think we have it all wrong. We have it wrong because our thoughts typically center around us: what will we do, who we will see, where we will live, what our crowns will look like, how big our mansion will be. We bring our selfish earthly perspective right up into the presence of the Almighty God! I believe this occurs because we have a very small view of God in light of His infinitude. Instead of magnifying the character or qualities of God, we tend to magnify the personal impact of those attributes. We are trained to dwell on the fact that God loves us rather than meditating on the truth that God is love. We think about how God's mercy has impacted us rather than realizing that God is merciful. We relish how God's grace has granted man salvation through faith instead of worshiping God for being gracious. Like Romans 1 states, we can worship the creation rather than the Creator.

Is it wrong to thank God for what He has done for us? Not at all. But our primary purpose is to glorify God for who He is. Without doing anything, God is worthy of all praise. Consider the prayers of the saints in heaven revealed in the book of The Revelation. Rev. 15:3-4 says, "They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! [4] Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested." Rev. 7:10-12 describes an innumerable multitude "...crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" [11] All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

I must admit I become rather annoyed when I hear people make their desire for heaven contingent on who might be there or what activities they might enjoy. We have been created to glorify God on earth as well as in heaven. We have been created not for ourselves, but by God for God. The view of heaven we see from the book of The Revelation is not the saints conferring with each other, signing autographs, giving high-fives, or mentioning earthly exploits. We never see crowds of people surrounding Abraham, Moses, and David like reporters around football players after the Super Bowl in the locker room begging for a word. This is a disgusting degradation of God! Do you know what heaven is? It is knowing God and being in His presence. There is an actual place called heaven where those who trust in Christ will dwell eternally. But unlike on earth, God will receive all the attention and glory in heaven.

It is in heaven when a believer can worship God without the hindrances and distractions of our weak flesh. Rev. 4:8-11 paints us a vivid picture of heavenly worship: "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" [9] Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: [11] "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." We read about the living creatures saying "Holy, holy, holy..." continually and we wonder if they ever get bored! God is eternal and infinite, deserving of continual praise and worship. An eternity with an infinite number of worshipers will not do Him justice!

A lot is made of the glorified bodies we will receive, but we don't read of a single believer in heaven thanking God for them. I'm looking forward to a glorified body too, but it will simply remain a gift from God that pales in comparison to the glory of the Giver. Heaven is wonderful because God is there and He is wonderful. Heaven is awesome because God is there and He is awesome. Heaven is lovely because God is there and He is lovely. Amazing that God would make man out of dust, become a man for the purpose of suffering and demonstrating His divine love. God humbled Himself that men might be saved from the curse they brought upon themselves by Christ dying and rising from the dead! Then to prepare a place for us in the heavens that we might ever be with Him is phenomenal! God is worthy to be served even if we were all justly thrown into hell for our sins! Wonder of wonders, that He would satisfy justice by His own sacrifice on the cross, that we might be saved from destruction. And be filled with the Holy Spirit. And be granted perfect peace. And have complete joy! But more than what we receive from our loving Savior, we must glorify Him for Him.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

When words don't suffice, go to the WORD!

Psalm 103:1-22 A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
[2] Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
[3] Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
[4] Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
[5] Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

[6] The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
[7] He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
[8] The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
[9] He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
[10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

[11] For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
[12] As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
[13] As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
[14] For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

[15] As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
[16] For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
[17] But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children's children,
[18] To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

[19] The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

[20] Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
[21] Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
[22] Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

The Power of Effective Preaching

When basic principles in construction are ignored it will always lead to ruin. The building must be constructed in accordance with a set of drawings prepared by a trained architect. The materials used in building must meet or exceed specifications. A slab must be poured level with concrete that is strengthened with steel. The walls erected should be plumb. This seems very logical because we have seen how erosion, bad planning, poor quality of construction, or inferior material can ruin a project. Yet when many preachers take the pulpits on Sundays across America, they can make the mistake of ignoring the basic fundamentals of a good sermon. They build according to their own design; their foundation is anything but flat; their walls anything but plumb. It is as if they build their sermons from cream or froth, depending on their mood. Creativity trumps substance, and opinion has replaced truth.

This is not intended to be a rant on the present-day lack of Biblical preaching, but as I listened to a sermon delivered in 1961 I considered it a great sermon. My next thought was, what are the facets of a good sermon? Sometimes we don't know what we are missing. It's like a man who has ordered oatmeal every day for the last 20 years for breakfast at a restaurant. He decides one morning to give some fresh fruit a try. Whoa! Like Jonathan whose eyes were enlightened as he tasted a little honey, when we find spiritual nourishment it invigorates us. Unless you are one of the blessed people who have a Bible-teaching pastor filled with the Holy Spirit, "near-gospel" is all you will hear. And near-gospel has never been the Gospel, nor will it ever be.

As a pastor, I am constantly inundated by ministries who believe their purpose is to make my ministry "easier." For a price they will send you loads of sermons, illustrations, pretty much everything but the stiff up front who regurgitates it. If ministry ever becomes easy, then you are not doing the work of the ministry! Again, there's nothing wrong with using illustrations, even one from a book of illustrations. But too often the windows of the illustration are bigger than the house. Off the top of my head, here are what I see as the foundations of good Bible teaching by a person filled with the Holy Spirit:

• A sermon ought to glorify God. If a man holds forth the Word of God, he must make God's glory his chief aim. The best of men sometimes miss this mark. Since the end of man is the glory of God, His name ought to be made famous by our speech, conduct, and sermons.
• A sermon ought to be saturated with the Gospel. If a man cannot discern the Gospel in a message, how shall he receive of it? Is this not what Paul preached continually, Christ and Him crucified? This is not to say that every message must be evangelistic, but the necessity for confession, repentance from sin, and trusting in Christ should never be left out.
• A sermon ought to magnify the attributes of the Almighty God. Instead of focusing on what a man can obtain from God, a man grows in praise and thankfulness when he is introduced to the Living God! Knowing the character of God is indispensable. When a child lives in another country as his Father, how he relishes hearing of his Father's exploits! How much more do we grow in appreciation of our God by hearing of His grace!
• A sermon should be God's truth, not man's opinion. If opinion is what you want, turn on the television or read a magazine! The purpose of a sermon is to hold forth the Word of God with His authority. A preacher is a messenger who speaks the Word of God from a pure conscience. If he misses the truth, he makes himself a liar.
• A sermon should be simple yet profound in depth. Jesus was able to teach the children with adults, the harlots with the experienced scribes. It was easy to understand His simple illustrations, yet many times the most learned walked away without a word. They were unable to contradict His wisdom. We need not preach to the angels, but to men about what things men and children can both understand.
• A sermon should challenge the listeners. As God is lifted up and glorified, the minister and congregation alike should see their shortcomings. We should be challenged in our level of commitment, devotion, the potential for bitterness, unforgiveness, and pride. John said that if we say we have no sin we make God a liar. Sermons should not be passive or painful, but compelling. Whom God breaks He desires to heal.
• A sermon should have "knots in the thread." As a seamstress knots a thread to prevent it from passing through the fabric without effect, so a preacher must place well-crafted points, quotes, and illustrations in a sermon to cause the discourse to remain in his hearers, to "stick."  A sermon should have a lasting effect.

What kind of spiritual food have you been receiving from the sermons you hear? Of what kind are the sermons that you deliver? Though I have by no means mastered preaching, I know the difference between good preaching and bad preaching when I hear it. Take care that you do not go to church to laugh through a sermon, for none man has laughed himself into the Kingdom of Heaven. If it is the personal stories you love, be sure that you have not become dull to the Gospel. We are careful to look at the nutritional content on boxes to make sure we are eating nutrition our bodies can use to remain healthy and strong, but too often we do not discern what we allow into our ears, minds, and hearts. Paul says in 1 Cor. 3:10: "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it." We should take heed of how we build our lives on the foundation of Christ, and this applies to sermons as well.

Enemy awareness!

I was reading a portion of scripture the other morning and was struck by the profundity of a verse: 1 Cor. 16:9 says, "...For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." Whenever God opens a great and effective door for ministry, there will be enemies to contend with. The word "adversaries" here means, "to lie opposite, be contrary, to oppose." As we follow Jesus Christ we must be watchful for all opposition, whether subtle or obvious. It is for this reason we must fervently pray God would grant us discernment of spirits, so we may know what is of God and what is of the enemy who masquerades as an "angel of light."

Satan, the enemy of our souls who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), will always seek to distract, deter, confuse, and oppose the work of God. In proclaiming our allegiance to Christ, we now pose a threat through the Holy Spirit's power to the strongholds of Satan through which he holds men captive in sin and deception. 2 Cor. 10:4-5 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, [5] casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." As Samson was empowered by God to push down the pillars of the idolatrous temple, all born-again believers whom the Holy Spirit has regenerated, filled, and baptised are enabled to walk in the purity, sanctification, holiness, and power that marks the life of Christ.

As I prepare to march forth to Australia, I am heading toward territory long held captive by the devil. When I visited the first time I was told on several occasions, "You know we have never had a revival here in Australia?" There have been spiritual revivals, but some have lost hope in having one.  The spiritual ground is as hard as it is dry in the Great Desert. But hailing from Southern California, isn't it amazing what a little irrigation will do? When our eyes flow with tears in repentance and pleading for the deliverance of the captives, God's Spirit will pour out like a river of Living Water. I believe the signs that followed Christ will follow all who abandon themselves to His service and that this scripture can be fulfilled as spoken by Christ in Matthew 11:5: "The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

As a farmer takes time to prepare the soil, we must pray that God would prepare all hearts involved in this venture of faith: the sent, the senders, and those who I am being sent to. The enemy will try to convince you that praying is pointless, that many have tried to impact Australia for the Gospel without success! This pack of lies remind me how Sanballat and Tobiah tried to withstand the work Nehemiah had been commissioned for by King Artaxerxes and the KING of Kings, God Almighty. Sanballat and Tobiah provide a great study in spiritual warfare because they exhibit all the tactics the devil uses to impede spiritual growth and progress. He sees the open door and the great potential for God to work and will do his best to resist the work, though ultimately he is a defeated enemy.

Here are some of the tactics of our enemy as I briefly scan through the book of Nehemiah:

• The enemy hears of the plans of the righteous and is "exceedingly grieved" that any should seek the welfare of men (Neh. 1:10).
• The enemy laughs us to scorn and despises us, accusing us (Neh. 1:19).
• The enemy observes progress with wrath, is indignant, and mocks us using intimidation (Neh. 3:1-3).
• The enemy becomes furious at the fortification of our defenses and conspires to openly attack us (Neh. 3:7-8).
• The enemy attempts to destroy us through subtle strategy and stealth (Neh. 3:11).
• The enemy will try to make peace with us so the work might cease (Neh. 6:2).
• The enemy will pester us to cause us to lose focus (Neh. 6:4).
• The enemy will lie to us to manipulate and weaken us (Neh. 6:5-9).
• The enemy will use hirelings to put fear in our hearts to flee the work (Neh. 6:10-14)
• The enemy will seek to undermine our faith with fear through false reports (Neh. 6:16-19)
• The enemy will seek to pollute the fellowship with ungodly alliances, idolatry, and make room for himself in the temple like a squatter (Neh. 13:3-9).

Should this put us in fear? No! But we must not be ignorant of Satan's devices and schemes. Praise God that perfect love casts out all fear! Here are two verses of promise set among the dangers of working for the glory of God: Nehemiah 4:9 says, "Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night." I must be watchful at all times, praying without ceasing. I exhort you to do so for yourselves as well as me and my family as we seek the LORD. Nehemiah 4:15 is a great verse of promise: "And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work." As God brought the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness, so the plots of Satan are brought to nothing! Praise the LORD!

Wilderness Experience...

I'm in a mood that is rare for me, waxing philosophical. I'm also fed up with something that I have recently come to realize. In our modern day Christian view, the wilderness experience has been classified as unwise. We are so "production" oriented that many feel that spending a day walking and talking with God is not really "doing" anything. I can hear the conversation: "Honey, what did you do at work today?" "I didn't go to the office this morning." "You didn't go to work?" "Oh, I was working alright...I walked along a trail and talked with God." This poor idiot may lose his good-night kiss over such a stunt (No offense, ladies - these actors are arbitrary).

But seriously, we can perhaps justify a day of talking to God. How about a week strictly dedicated to seeking God? No paycheck, and not on vacation time. How about a whole month? How about 40 days? Or longer? Can you imagine Jesus arguing with the Holy Spirit over the wisdom of being led out to the wilderness - not just to be alone with God, but to be tempted by the devil? "I've got disciples to call into the ministry, I have the message of salvation that will save men from the fire of hell, and you want me to fast and endure temptation for forty days?" Jesus was led by the Spirit and walked in perfect harmony with the will of God. Maybe there were people that questioned what Jesus was thinking, but Jesus didn't question the Holy Spirit. He obeyed. What a display of the wisdom and power of God over temptation from the lips of our Savior, during what some would call a "fool's errand." You can take that up with Jesus.

Elijah was another man who the Bible records as spending 40 days in the wilderness as he traveled to the mountain of God. Moses spent 40 days and nights on two occasions on Mt. Sinai as he met with God. Ah, but that is Moses and Elijah. I have three questions: is the God of Moses and Elijah around today? Yes. And who was with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? Moses and Elijah, not a coincidence. Final question: do you fear the God of Moses and Elijah? God is looking for men like Moses and Elijah that will obey Him no matter the cost. Do men like them exist today? The Spirit of God who empowered Christ empowers every single believer to serve and glorify Him. He has not lost His potency and power: it is the church who bears the weight of guilt that we have not allowed God to make us the men He can.

Instead of saying, "Where is the God of Elijah?" we should rather ask, "Where are men like Elijah?" I freely confess that I am thoroughly dissatisfied with my level of commitment to God. He is so much more worthy than any of my poor offerings. What do I have that He has not provided? The day that I am satisfied with my performance in obedience, devotion, and piety cannot occur until I am freed from this body of flesh. If the day comes when I am ever satisfied with myself as I dwell in this flesh, I pray God free me from it by death!

The wilderness experience is no more outdated than God's love. Gladys Aylward told of a story early in her ministry when she said, "We serve a God of common sense!" She later realized her error. God's sense is uncommon, because His wisdom is not a man's wisdom. When we try to make sense of God's wisdom without eyes of faith, we will stumble at His commands. We will justify and rationalize like a worm trying not to be hooked. We try dodge our purpose our calling because God should think like us! God hasn't changed. It is man who changes. We need to get back to the basics of knowing God, believing, and obeying Him. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." (Heb. 11:8, KJV) Abraham had an earthly inheritance of vast riches in his homeland, but he forsook it in obedience to God to receive a heavenly inheritance of inestimable value.

I close with the word of Paul to the Corinthian church: "But this I say, brethren, that time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; [30] and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; [31] and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away." (1 Cor. 7:29-31, KJV) Paul is not advocating a shirking of earthly duties, like providing for your family. But your family and your business are not your life: the business of a follower of Christ is to deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Jesus. Our lives pass away as a vapor. Let us use what time we have, whether we are in the wilderness or the city, whether in eating or fasting, with your family or alone, use all for the glory of God!

Great sermon by A.W. Tozer

Ever wondered how God can be completely just and yet forgive sinners? Tozer lays it down right and proper with this one: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=823071654412
Click on the green "play" button to listen to the message by this anointed preacher.

Ever seen yourself as a balloon?

We are in the midst of Vacation Bible School at Calvary Chapel El Cajon. Colorful balloons are tied daily to the handrail leading from the upper to lower hallway. In the morning when I come in to work, most of the balloons are laying on the ground, their limp ribbons bowed under the weight. Every day, however, a couple of the helium filled balloons are still in the air. By early afternoon all the balloons are smaller and on the ground. "There's a sermon here Ben," Pastor Dale remarked. So I thought about it awhile.

The only reason the balloon lifts from the ground is because the helium gas that filled it is lighter than air. The balloon in itself is inert and incapable of doing anything. A lot of our activities at VBS involve water balloons. My dad says, "It's amazing the fun you can have with a little water in a balloon." Again, the enjoyment that we find in balloons is due to the virtue of what we fill them with. Sometimes we find enjoyment of the noises we can make when we deflate them, but that is another lesson!

The fact is our souls without Christ can be compared to a balloon: lifeless, inert, and deflated. When a balloon is filled with helium, it has the capacity to lift itself from the ground. When we repent and trust in Christ as Savior, we are freed from the power of sin and death that binds us under eternal judgment in hell and receive the promise of eternal life in heaven. Yet this, like most physical examples of spiritual truth, breaks down at a point. There is only so much air that you can put in a balloon without bursting it. The Bible says that followers of Christ have been given the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34), who issues forth from us as water from a living spring.

It is true however, that we must seek this filling of the Holy Spirit in a moment by moment basis. As helium filled balloons will only float for so long, if we cease to fellowship with God through grieving or resisting the Spirit we will sink down without spiritual strength. This is not to say our salvation is in jeopardy, but we cease to walk in the victory God has given us through Christ. We will begin to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. A root of bitterness can begin to grow unnoticed in our hearts. We lack sensitivity to the leading the Holy Spirit because our sin has separated us from His divine influence. We are overcome by our enemies as Samson was blinded, bound, enslaved, and imprisoned by the Philistines. He gave away his strength and we are no better or stronger in our flesh.

David prayed to God in Psalm 51:10-12: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. [11] Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. [12] Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit." This is the same spiritual renewal that we need and God is willing and able to help us. If we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? When we humble ourselves in the sight of the LORD, it is He who lifts us up.

Just a baseball glove...

Saturday our youth group had one of our favorite events, the "Thrift Store Dinner." We team up and rush off to neighboring thrift stores to find clothes that likely would never be sold unless there was a global time warp to the 1980's. We then wear these clothes to Souplantation, a local buffet-style restaurant. Some of our most memorable experiences together as a youth group have spawned from this event, and this year was no exception.

As we visited the Salvation Army Thriftstore looking for accessories (wigs, jewelry, ties, headgear), a baseball glove buried among helmets and cheap trinkets caught my eye. Could it be? No way! It was a genuine "Heart of the Hide" Rawlings Gold Glove Pro88. This is what I called a "six-finger" glove as a kid and was a symbol of status and skills. I looked at the price tag and my eyes lit up like I was 12 years old: $2.50. It is a glove that sells for $200 online at a fraction of the value. I laughed to myself, just having bought a shirt for $3.99 - clearly the person who priced the glove did not know what they had! Needless to say, I bought the glove and even played a little catch with my dad later!

Where the story becomes more interesting is I brought the glove to church to show a couple of people who I thought would appreciate the find. I showed it to two people who played college baseball: one has long retired from the game and the other is still playing. The first man I showed it was amazed at the condition and recognized the value of the glove. When he played many years ago he was able to buy a glove of this quality for half price and paid $100. It was my turn to be amazed when I showed the current player and asked, "What do you think this glove is worth?" He turned it over in his hands laughing and said, "Ten bucks?" I was incredulous! What? This is a Rawlings Gold Glove series! This is the "Heart of the Hide!" This glove sells for $200! Like the person who priced the glove, he didn't recognize the value of what he was holding. Much of my excitement came from the fact that the glove was very valuable and I received it for next to nothing.

As I mused upon the different responses, the glove is a great example of how people value or don't value Christ. One man, even through he plays baseball, did not recognize the true value of the glove. I believe many Christians do not comprehend the value of the relationship we can have with Christ through faith. I am not surprised that the person who marked the glove did not know how valuable a glove it was because he or she likely does not play baseball. The world looks at Christianity as a common thing without value. The brand of Christianity they are often exposed to has no more impact than any other religious faith or philosophy. This is a sad commentary.

What if the people in the church really knew the value of the relationship they possess with the Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe? Like I gladly showed my new glove to several people with joy, we would never be ashamed to carry Christ with us. We would expose people to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. We would treasure our salvation with thankfulness and freely share the Good News of the Gospel with others. I am broken by the fact that we can be more happy about earthly things like sports and find them easier to talk about than the vital relationship we have with God.

Do you value Christ? Do you recognize the value of your own salvation? It is likely that our estimation is closer to ten bucks rather than the priceless commodity salvation through faith in Jesus really is. John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." God has made a way to eternal life only through faith in Jesus Christ. What would a man give to simply prolong his life on earth? What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Let us not value God because of what we receive from Him, but praise Him for being worthy in Himself to receive all honor, glory, and praise.

Finished Brainerd's Life and Diary today...

One of the things that stood out for me in Brainerd's diary is that salvation never seemed to come easily. People would sit under preaching unaffected for some time and then the Spirit would quicken them to great concern for their souls. For months and even years they would labor under the weight of their sin before surrender to Christ. After this season of wrestling, there is hardly a single instance of backsliding mentioned. A.W. Tozer once said that he loves a man to be stubborn in coming to Christ: if he can be easily be persuaded to follow Christ he will likely be easily disuaded to abandon Him. Jesus entreats a man to count the cost of following Him: it will cost you your life.

Here is a quote from the diary that I am compelled to agree with, and amazing that it was written in 1745! "Could not but think, as I have often remarked to others, that much more of true religion consists in deep humility, brokenness of heart, and as abasing sense of barrenness and want of grace and holiness than most who are called Christians imagine; especially those who have been esteemed the converts of the late day. Many seem to know of no other religion but elevated joys and affections, arising only from some flights of imagination, or some suggestion made to their mind, of Christ being theirs, God loving them, and the like."

In our day, the doctrine of repentance is more a byword than a watchword. We see little humiliation or brokenness for sin. It was Leonard Ravenhill who said of young men who desired to follow in his footsteps mourning (and I paraphrase): "They want my mantle, but they refuse my sackcloth and ashes!" How precious in the sight of God is a man who mourns over his sin, denying superficial comfort! God's wrath was arrested when He saw the Ninevites repent and fast. He withheld evil from Ahab, one of the most wicked kings of Israel, because he humbled himself when confronted with his sin!

It must be noted that repentance is an inner work, not an outer show. During the times of the minor prophets leading up to captivity, the children of Israel continued their sacrifices and fasts. However, they refused to give up their abominable idolatries. God said, "Is this the fast I have chosen, the putting on of sackcloth? Why don't you do righteously instead?" So often we would rather sacrifice than obey; we would rather fast from food than fast from our sin. In Luke 24 Jesus says that repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached in His name. Without repentance there is no forgiveness.

Following Jesus is more than "elevated joys and affections." There are deep valleys of sorrow and tribulation, but Jesus is with us continually. Jesus says that in this world we will have tribulation but be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. If we humble ourselves in the sight of the LORD He will lift us up. A man in his strength can elevate himself a few feet above the ground: if we will humble ourselves and repent before our Holy Creator in faith, He will usher us into the heavens and eternal glory! Praise be to God, who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our LORD.