We Remember....

Delay in posting sermon notes

I promised my sermon notes from this morning's message "The Foreknowledge of God" to be up this afternoon. However, I have to use a computer at the church (that is Windows base) to upload to my web site and the internet was down. I will upload them as soon as I can.

Memorial Day thoughts from Chuck Colson

by Chuck Colson

May 28, 2010

Memorial Day is when we honor the men and women of our Armed Services who have made "the supreme sacrifice;" who gave their lives for their country.

Especially these days, when Memorial Day seems nothing more than a time for cookouts and swim parties, we cannot be reminded often enough about how great a debt we owe our war dead.

They gave up their hopes and dreams, families and friends. They submitted themselves to rigorous discipline˜something I understand as a former Marine˜24-hour a day duty, and placed their lives in great peril. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Their sacrifice should inspire in us a profound sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy, bought with a price. And that gratitude should compel us to lives of service as well. Serving Christ, our neighbor, and yes, our nation.

I can't help but recall the brilliant film Saving Private Ryan. James Ryan, now in his seventies, has returned with his family to the military cemetery in Normandy. He visits the grave of Captain John Miller, the man who, a half a century before, led the mission to retrieve˜to save˜Private Ryan. At the end of the mission, Miller was fatally wounded. As he lay dying, his final words to Private Ryan were, "James. Earn this...earn it."

We then see Ryan kneeling at Captain Miller's grave, marked by a cross. Ryan, his voice trembling with emotion, says, "Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best that I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me."

Red-eyed, Ryan turns to his wife and says, "Tell me I've led a good life...tell me I am a good man."

With great dignity, she says, "You are."

With that, James Ryan salutes the grave of Captain Miller.

I tell this story in greater detail in my book The Good Life, which you can purchase at ColsonCenter.org.

You see, Private Ryan, out of gratitude for Captain Miller's sacrifice, did all in his power to live a good life.

And Memorial Day is a great time for each of us to look into the mirror...to examine our own lives. Are we living good lives in gratitude for all those who have sacrificed for us˜including our men and women in the military, our families, our friends, and most of all Christ?

Are we, like Ryan, kneeling before the cross˜Spielberg, a master cinematographer had to realize the power of this imagery. Are we, out of gratitude, doing our duty for Christ, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ministering to those in prison, in whatever harvest field to which the Lord has called us?

Examine your life.

And this Memorial Day, at the very least, thank those who have sacrificed for you and those you know who have served in our nation's armed forces. Maybe you'll do what I do when you see a guy or gal in uniform...at the airport, at the store, wherever...walk up to them and thank them for their service.

And then go and remember Whom it is you serve.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, May 16, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from last Sunday, May 16 from Romans 8:28 "The Precious Promise."

Life of prayer

I am reading "The Hidden Life of Prayer" by D. M. M'Intyre (1859-1938) and he quotes Bro. Lawrence:

"As for my set hours of prayer, they are only a continuation of the same exercise. Sometimes I consider myself there as a stone before a carver, whereof he is to make a statue; presenting myself before God I desire Him to form His perfect image in my soul, and make me entirely like Himself. At other times, when I apply myself to prayer, I feel all my spirit and all my soul lift itself up without any care or effort of mine, and it continues as it were suspended and firmly fixed in God, as in its centre and place of rest."

Mistaken Identity leads to remarkable grace witnessed on NBC

This is one of the most amazing videos you will watch. It is 12 minutes long, but worth it to hear Matt at the end of the program talk about "the grace" that God these two families through. This is a GREAT witness on NBC to our strong and faithful God.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Radical

Here is a short excerpt from David Platt (Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham) preaching in Arkansas a few weeks ago. His new book Radical is out (and yes, I have read it and bought 12 copies for family, friends and staff). God is moving through him to speak to thousands. Listen....

FB_David Platt from Ronnie Floyd on Vimeo.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, May 9, 2010

Here are the notes from yesterday's sermon "Purposeful Parenting."

This is close to my heart

Dr. Al Mohler posted recently about "Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?" This is close to my heart since my oldest sister, Barbara, had down syndrome. Today would have been her birthday. She lived to be 66 having died about seven years ago. Read the entry here.

What Can Be Done to Change Young People Leaving The Faith

In relation to the message today about parenting for the next generation, you might find of interest this blog post from Ron Ethridge on May 6, 2010. These are his recommendations:

What Can Be Done To Change/Prevent Young People Leaving The Faith:

Recognize and admit the situation as it is. As with anything else, this is the first and most important step if anything positive is to be accomplished.

Recognize and admit our contribution to the current situation as it applies to our own children and/or church.

If necessary, ask your own children to forgive you for not being the kind of Christian witness you should have been while they lived at home. Note: Your actions must support what you say.

If you have children who are still at home, make sure what they see you do and hear you say are consistent with a Christ follower. The best thing you can do for your children is to be a faithful Christ follower (Mt 6:33).

Pray diligently for the young people you know who are not faithfully following Christ. This includes your own children of course!

Pray diligently for the young people in the church you now attend… that their faith is genuine and strong.

Pray diligently for those who serve in the nursery through 12th Grade youth. This includes the ministers on staff.

Pray diligently for the salvation and awakening of the young people at the church you attend.

Have a curriculum in the church to teach solid doctrine, not just the stories with cartoon pictures. Teach them to handle rightly the Word of Truth. This begins when they’re young and continues through to graduation.

Find ways to be a positive influence to building the faith of the young people at the church you attend.

If all we do is bemoan the condition of our young people, then we have admitted defeat. Therefore it is imperative that we get involved in positive ways to disciple our young people to follow Christ.

Getting Ready for Sunday

Written by Tim Challies:

In his book Expository Listening (read my review) Ken Ramey offers a list of ways you can "Plan Ahead, and Schedule Your Week Around the Ministry of the Word."

"For the majority of people, even church members, church is not the priority of their week. Too often school, work, sports, and other activities take precedence over going to church. They make the mistake of letting their time be ordered by the world, which views the weekends as a time to relax, to play sports, to stay up late and sleep in. For Christians, however, Sunday should be the most important day of the week. You should try to schedule your work, activities, get-togethers, and vacations around church. You should live by the principle that Sunday morning starts Saturday night."

He offers several practical suggestions on how to prioritize the Lord's Day:

• Make it a habit to be home on Saturday night.
• Be careful not to do, watch, or read anything that will cause lingering distractions in your mind the next day.
• Get things ready on Saturday night to alleviate the typical Sunday morning rush (lay out clothes, set the table, write the offering check, stock the diaper bag, etc).
• Get a good night's sleep so you can be sharp and energetic to worship and serve God. It's hard to listen when you're nodding off.
• Eat a simple but adequate breakfast that will hold you until lunch. It's difficult to hear over the grumbling of your stomach.
• Work together with the other members of your family to get ready, and to establish and maintain a godly atmosphere on the way to church. Listen to music, sing, and pray together.
• Arrive at church ten minutes early instead of ten minutes late so you have enough time to find a parking spot, drop the kids off in the nursery or their Sunday school classes, get a cup of coffee, visit with your friends, and find a seat.

"When you fail to plan ahead," he warns, "Sunday morning ends up becoming a chaotic crisis, and by the time you get to church, you are frustrated and frazzled and your heart is in no condition to receive the Word. But when you plan well and are able to arrive in a relaxed, leisurely way, you will be in a much more receptive frame of mind."

There is some valuable food for thought as we all look forward to worshiping the Lord tomorrow.

Ask People How You Can Pray for Them

Donald S. Whitney

Over and over I've seen one simple question open people's hearts to hear the gospel. Until I asked this question, they showed no interest in spiritual matters. But then after six words—only seventeen letters in English—I've seen people suddenly begin to weep and their resistance fall. The question is, "How can I pray for you?"

This may not seem like such a powerful question to you. Perhaps that's because you hear it, or a question like it, quite often. Your Bible study group or your church prayer meeting asks for prayer requests every week. You may even see requests for prayer solicited each Sunday morning in the worship bulletin.

But realize that most people in the world never hear such a question. And while many churchgoers know that a minister is willing to pray for them, in some traditions they're expected to make a special donation to the church for such services. So when you ask, "How can I pray for you?" and it's obvious that you're asking out of love alone, it can touch a person more deeply than you imagine.

This question is similar to one that Jesus Himself sometimes asked: "What do you want me to do for you?" (Matthew 20:32). For what we are really asking is, "What do you want me to ask Jesus to do for you?" And by means of this question, we can show the love of Christ to people and open hearts previously closed to the gospel.

I had tried to talk about the things of God many times to a business-hardened, retired executive who lived next door. He was a pro at hiding his feelings and keeping conversations at a superficial level. But the day we stood between our homes and I asked, "How can I pray for you?" his eyes filled with tears as his façade of self-sufficiency melted. For the first time in seven years he let me speak with him about Jesus.

It's a short, easily remembered question. You can use it with longtime friends or with people you've just met. It doesn't seem too personal or pushy for those who'd rather give you a shallow answer just now, and yet it often leads to a full hearing of the gospel. You can ask it of people nearly every time you speak with them and it doesn't get old. Just simply and sincerely ask, "How can I pray for you?" You'll be surprised at the results.

_______________________
From Donald S. Whitney, Simplify Your Spiritual Life (Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 2003).

Devotions Aren't Magic

(Author: Jon Bloom)

We know that—for the most part. But still, we can be tempted to think that if we just figure out the secret formula—the right mixture of Bible meditation and prayer—we will experience euphoric moments of rapturous communion with the Lord. And if that doesn't happen, our formula must be wrong.

The danger of this misconception is that it can produce chronic disappointment and discouragement. Cynicism sets in and we give up because devotions don't seem to work for us.

The longing for intimate communion with God is God-given. He will satisfy it fully some day. And the Spirit gives us occasional tastes. But God has other purposes for us in our daily Bible meditation and prayer. Here are a few:

1. Soul Exercise (1 Corinthians 9:24, Romans 15:4): We exercise our bodies to increase strength, endurance, promote general health, and keep unnecessary weight off. Devotions are like exercise for our souls. They force our attention off of self-indulgent distractions and pursuits and on to God's purposes and promises. If we neglect this exercise we will go to pot.
   
   
2. Soul Shaping (Romans 12:2): The body will generally take the shape of how we exercise it. Running shapes one way, weight training shapes another way. The same is true for the soul. It will conform to how we exercise (or don't exercise) it.
   
   
3. Bible Copiousness (Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:97, Proverbs 23:12): A thorough, repeated, soaking in the Bible over the course of years increases our body of biblical knowledge, providing fuel for the fire of worship and increasing our ability to draw from all parts of the Bible in applying God's wisdom to life.
   
   
4. Fight Training (Ephesians 6:10-17): Marines undergo rigorous training in order to so ingrain their weapons knowledge that when suddenly faced with the chaos of combat they instinctively know what to do. Similarly, devotions make us more skilled warriors.
   
   
5. Delight Cultivation (Psalm 37:3-4, James 4:8, Psalm 130:5): When a couple falls in love there are hormonal fireworks. But in marriage they must cultivate delight in one another. It is the consistent, persistent, faithful, intentional, affectionate pursuit of one another during better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and healthy times that cultivates a capacity for delight in each other far deeper and richer than the fireworks phase. Similarly, devotions are one of the ways we cultivate delight in God. Many days it may seem mundane. But we will be surprised at the cumulative power they have to deepen our love for and awareness of Him.

Update from Reagan McBride

All the long time readers of this blog will remember Reagan McBride and the many struggles she went through in the last four years. Here is an update from her mom. It is amazing how well she is doing. Read this post:

Wow!! Time flies when your having fun! We are so very blessed!! Reagan is doing great and we give God all the glory!!! Each day is such a blessing and I told her just the other day that she brings such joy to our lives. She really says something just so funny everyday that you can't help but be happy around her!!!

She if feeling great. Praise the Lord!

We are still in the process of trying to go to school. Things just haven't lined up yet! We can't just send Reagan. We have to send her vent, oxygen, nurse, Dr. orders, etc...Hopefully she will still be able to go a few times before school gets out. She is really looking forward to it. Last Tuesday, one of the days she was supposed to have started, she asks first thing if she was going to school today?. I told her soon! I have already talked to her preschool class and they can't wait to have Reagan in their room!! Thanks for your continued prayers.

The McBride's

It's Getting Dangerous Out There

by Albert Mohler

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We have seen this coming for some time now. The public space has been closing, especially when it comes to Christian speech — and especially when that speech is about homosexuality.

Now, a Christian preacher has been arrested in Britain for the crime of saying in public that homosexuality is a sin. This arrest is more than a news event — it is a signal of things to come and an announcement of a new public reality. Even if all charges are dropped against this preacher, the signal is sent and the message is clear. The act of Christian preaching is now a potential criminal offense.

Street preaching has a long and well-recognized history in Great Britain. Indeed, preachers of every sort are hardly alone in continuing Britain’s tradition of public rhetoric, seen quintessentially at “Speakers’ Corner” in London’s famed Hyde Park. Dale McAlpine of Wokington in Cumbria has been preaching on the streets for years. The 42-year-old preacher, a Baptist, was arrested after telling a passerby that homosexuality is a sin.

According to The Telegraph [London], McAlpine had been preaching from atop a stepladder. He also passed out tracts explaining the Ten Commandments. Later, he was involved in a discussion with a woman who wanted to “engage him in a debate about his faith.”

From The Telegraph:

During the exchange, he says he quietly listed homosexuality among a number of sins referred to in 1 Corinthians, including blasphemy, fornication, adultery and drunkenness. After the woman walked away, she was approached by a PCSO [Police Community Support Officer] who spoke with her briefly and then walked over to Mr. McAlpine and told him a complaint had been made, and that he could be arrested for using racist or homophobic language. The street preacher said he told the PCSO: “I am not homophobic but sometimes I do say that the Bible says homosexuality is a crime against the Creator”.

The police officer, identified in the news report as a homosexual and as the “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender liaison officer” for the local police department, then identified himself to Dale McAlpine. The preacher responded, “It’s still a sin.”

He then preached a sermon on a range of issues that did not include homosexuality. The paper reports, “Three regular uniformed police officers arrived during the address, arrested Mr. McAlpine and put him in the back of a police van.”

He was arrested under Britain’s “Public Order Act,” which, the paper reports, “has been used to arrest religious people in a number of similar cases.” The law allows the arrest and prosecution of anyone who, with intent to harass or cause harm, uses “threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.”

In this case, the simple act of stating in public that homosexuality is a sin was enough to get this preacher arrested. He is not the first. The Telegraph also reported that Harry Hammond, a lay preacher, was convicted in 2002 for holding a sign that read “Stop Homosexuality. Stop Lesbianism. Jesus is Lord” as he preached in Bournemouth, near Southampton.

The arrest of Dale McAlpine is attracting some degree of international media attention, but the case represents far more than a media spectacle. This arrest is a clear sign that the logic of “hate speech” laws and similar rules and campus codes runs into direct collision with religious liberty and the freedom of religious speech.

The Telegraph’s report includes the ironic and chilling explanation that Dale McAlpine was arrested for saying that homosexuality is a sin and for doing so “in a voice loud enough to be heard by others.” Is not the purpose of any speaker to be heard by others? Are we to assume that the British police would suggest that Dale McAlpine hold fast to his beliefs, but mutter them only under his breath?

He is being defended in court by the Christian Institute, a group that monitors such cases and offers legal counsel. Sam Webster, a solicitor-advocate with the Institute, said, “Yes, the police have a duty to maintain public order but they also have a duty to defend the lawful free speech of citizens. It’s not for police to decide whether Mr. McAlpine’s views are right or wrong.” He continued: “Case law has ruled that the orthodox Christian belief that homosexual conduct is sinful is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society.”

That may not be true for long, and it may not help Dale McAlpine now. Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democratic Party have pushed for repeal of language offering some protection for religious speech. The Conservative Party has generally opposed such measures. Will British Christians have this in mind when they vote Thursday in the nation’s general election?

We are witnessing the constriction of Christian speech and the criminalizing of Christian ministry. The Bible clearly condemns homosexual behaviors, and the Christian church has been clear about this teaching for twenty centuries. But now, the statement that homosexuality is a sin can land a preacher in jail.

We will soon learn which nations truly believe in religious liberty and freedom of speech. Cases like this are inevitable when the logic of hate speech and special rights for “sexual minorities” prevails.

Do not think for a moment that this troubling development is of consequence only for street preachers in Britain. The signal sent by this kind of arrest reaches right into every church in every nation where a similar logic takes hold.

Yes, we will soon learn which nations honor religious liberty — but we will also soon learn which preachers are determined to honor God’s truth, whatever the cost. Paul’s command to preachers to preach the Word, “in season and out of season” is about more than when preaching is more and less popular. It may well mean preaching the Word, in jail or out of jail.

Just ask Dale McAlpine.

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I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/AlbertMohler.

Heidi Blake, “Christian Preacher Arrested for Saying Homosexuality is a Sin,” The Telegraph [London], Sunday, May 2, 2010.

“Cops Arrest Preacher over Christian Beliefs,” The Christian Institute, Sunday, May 2, 2010.

Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Office of Public Sector Information, Kingdom of Great Britain.

150 Years From Now...What will they say about us?

We look back on slave-owning churchgoers of 150 years ago and ask, “How could they have treated their fellow human beings that way?” I wonder if followers of Christ 150 years from now will look back at Christians in America today and ask, “How could they live in such big houses? How could they drive such nice cars and wear such nice clothes? How could they live in such affluence while thousands of children were dying because they didn’t have food and water? How could they go on with their lives as though the billions of poor didn’t even exist?"

Quote from David Platt, Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham

Proof of the Resurrection

This video is from Matt Chandler. I have written about him and his battle from cancer. You can discover more about him here. This is an incredible video about proof of the Resurrection and that Jesus came to life in a new body.