July 18 update

July 18, 2006

Dear Family & Friends,

I send greetings from Carol. I have been sharing your email notes and cards with her as we have had time between therapy sessions (about 200 notes). We are so grateful for your prayers and encouragement. You have blessed us immeasurably.

Today was Carol’s best day yet in therapy. She has been working hard to regain balance and to sit and stand without assistance. She has also been working on regaining coordination in her left hand and arm. We have seen considerable improvement in those areas over the past two days.

Until today she was able to take only a few steps with a walker and with heavy assistance from her therapist, but today she walked about 20 feet with her walker and with only moderate assistance. That was a significant breakthrough. Also, her pain level seems to have decreased a little so she isn’t requiring as much pain medication. That’s significant not only because it indicates healing at the surgery site, but also because she is able to participate more fully in her therapy sessions when she isn’t as groggy from pain meds.

Some of you have asked for more specific information about her tumor. It was diagnosed as a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), also called grade 4 astrocytoma, which is the most malignant form of glioma or astrocytoma. If you would like to read more about it, you can do so at http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Brain/Typesofbraintumour/Astrocytoma.

The data is not at all encouraging, so rather than reading it, you may prefer simply to pray that the Lord will show special mercy and grant a healing miracle. As I shared with you in my last update, I know He has the power to do that, but He may choose otherwise for His own purposes, so please also pray that our wills will be perfectly in tune with His, whatever the outcome may be. We don’t have to understand His will, but we do need to be in the center of it with thankful hearts and prayerful spirits. That is our greatest desire.

Having said that, I want you to know that the Lord is sustaining us each day, just as He promised to do. However, despite the special strength and hope He gives us in our weakest moments, the fear and uncertainty can seem overwhelming at times, so please pray that we will remain focused on His grace and love instead of on the circumstances. This is the greatest spiritual test we have ever faced, and we don’t want to fail it or to squeak by with a “C+.” We want high marks, but we know we have no capacity in ourselves to achieve them. Your prayers and the ministry of the Spirit of God will have to accomplish what would otherwise be impossible. Thank you for such a profound ministry on our behalf.

I will update you again soon. In the meantime, I pray that the Lord will bless and encourage you each day.

Dennis

July 14 update

Dear Family & Friends,

Much has happened since my July 6 update. Carol spent three days in ICU and was then transferred to a section of the hospital that specializes in physical and occupational therapy. On July 10 she was transferred from Cottage Hospital to The Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara, which is a wonderful 25-bed hospital that provides specialized rehab. services (www.risb.org).

Things have been a little rough for her at the Institute because they are still trying to find the proper balance of pain control and functionality. She still has considerable pain from the surgery, but the more pain medication she has, the more loopy she becomes, which diminishes her ability to participate in therapy. At the same time, if her pain level is too high, she is unable to concentrate on therapy. It’s a delicate and difficult balance to maintain at this stage of her treatment.

I was encouraged this evening because for the first time she showed signs of having an appetite and was alert enough to feed herself. Perhaps she has reached something of a breakthrough. Time will tell.

Her left hand, arm and leg mobility is improving daily, but her left side vision is still gone. Her therapists are focusing primarily on life skill activities, with the primary goal of increasing left side involvement in each activity. They are anticipating her being at the Institute for two or three more weeks.

Carol’s sister Gloria and our daughter-in-law Kelly were here for a few days and have now returned home. It was wonderful having them here, and we are so thankful for their ministry to us. We have also had visits, calls and emails from many dear friends like you. Your compassion and concern are overwhelming and deeply appreciated.

Our friends Al & CC Doctolero live just a few miles from the Rehab. Institute and have made a room in their home available to me for as long as Carol is in rehab., so I don’t have to make the long trip home each day. May the Lord bless them for their kindness. I have my work with me, so being away from my home office is not a significant problem. Finding time and concentration to do the work is the greater challenge.

I do have some prayer requests to share with you:

That the Lord will be honored in our lives each day as we progress through this trial.
That the people whom Carol has talked to about the Lord will be receptive.
That Carol will continue to improve so she can return home as soon as possible.
That she will get well enough to travel to Virginia to see our beloved grandchildren.
That the Lord will prepare our hearts, and those of our loved ones, for whatever He has in mind for Carol in the future.

There are many more requests, but the hour is late and I must close for now.

With deep appreciation for your prayers,

Dennis

post surgery

My mother had to have emergency surgery on the 4th of July. Here is the update from my father.


Dear Family & Friends,
I'm sorry for the delay in getting a surgery update to you. Things have been a little busy here and I don't have direct access to the Internet. The hospital medical library has kindly let me use their computer for this update.

Carol's surgery went well in that they were able to remove most of the tumor without any noticeable damage to sight or memory functions. Actually, the ICU nurse told me Carol is the most talkative patient on morphine that she has ever had (why am I not surprised?). Her recall of events, names, places, dates, etc. is normal, with the exception of last Tuesday, which is a blank to her because of her weakened condition on that day.

The deficits Carol was experiencing when she went into surgery (weakness in her left arm and leg, and left side vision loss) are still present and may be temporary. They could, however, be long-term. They will be addressed through therapy at the appropriate time.
She is still in ICU but will be transferred to a hospital room later today. If all goes well, she should be released from the hospital on Monday, either to go home or to a temporary therapyfacility, depending on how she progresses between now and then.

As I mentioned, her surgical team was able to remove most of the tumor, but it had some feelers extending into areas that could not be addressed surgically. Pathology confirmed that it is cancerous but unrelated to her breast cancer. From what I understand, it is unusual for a second type of cancer to appear in a person so quickly after the first, but that is what has occurred here.

They will treat what remains of the tumor with radiation therapy and then an oral type of chemotherapy. I don't remember the medical name for this type of cancer, but it is not one for which they have a cure. Typically it will recur within a year, sometimes sooner. At that time a second surgery may be appropriate, depending on the precise location of the recurrence, but given the fact that the remaining feelers are located in such sensitive areas of the brain, a second surgery does not seem to be an option.

My prayer is that the radiation and chemo follow-ups to this surgery will be very effective, or that our Lord will, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, heal her for His own glory. In any event, I praise Him for the unspeakable gift of 38 years together, and will treasure every moment He gives us in the future.

I will get another update to you when I can. I have not had a chance to read all the emails we've received since Carol's surgery, or to respond to them, but eventually I will, and I will read them to her. I deeply appreciate your thoughts, prayers and good wishes.

Many of you have asked how I am doing. Thank you for your concern. Emotionally I'm a mess much of the time, but I have times of great encouragement and strength. We have many dear friends who are making sure I am taken care of and that I'm taking care of myself. You've all gone through trials and griefs of your own, so you understand the blessings of family and friends at a time like this.

Above all, I have the comfort and encouragement of the Lord in my heart. In His wisdom He doesn't always shelter His children from pain, but He always uses the pain to refine character and to produce deeper faith and a greater longing for heaven. Frankly, I don't like what is happening, but I take great comfort in its eternal significance. Maybe the Lord will even use Carol's condition to turn some hearts toward His great love and salvation. We talked about that before she was hospitalized, so I know that's Carol's prayer too.

I know that not all of you share the trust in the Lord that Carol and I have spoken to you about over the years, but I want all of you to know that the Lord is utterly faithful toward His children, and His promises are absolutely true. I know that He has the power to heal my precious wife, but the option is for her to be in His glorious presence. I am thankful that I
do not have to make a choice between the two; that's His choice to make. But in either case, she wins. I will pray for her healing but ultimately I will defer to the Lord's will for her. That's how it should be.

One final thought: Carol is still pretty heavily medicated, so I have not shared with her the precise nature of her medical condition. I will do that at the appropriate time. But for those of you who call or visit, please be guarded in what you say about her condition. I have shared that information with you because you love her and I want you to know for the purpose of prayer.

Thank you.
As always, I write with great affection for you all,
Dennis


Dennis P. McBride
PO Box 1500, Solvang, CA 93464
http://www.communitychurchsyv.org
http://www.yoyomaster.com

Update

July 3, 2006

Dear Family & Friends,

Thank you so much for your gracious responses to our last email. We appreciate your thoughtfulness so much!

We received word today that Carol’s surgery is scheduled for next Monday, July 10 at 1:30 pm. The additional week will give her medications more time to work on the tumor and hopefully to shrink it a bit. It will also give us more time to pray and to address the various issues and implications of the situation. We are thankful for that time.

We will keep you posted on developments.

With sincere thanks,

Dennis & Carol

Prayer request for my mother

July 2, 2006

Dear Family & Friends,

Some of you haven’t heard from us for awhile, but we often think of you and the encouragement and prayer support you gave us during Carol’s cancer treatments. You have a special place in our hearts for having shared that experience with us in such a personal and beneficial way.

Carol has been doing remarkably well since that time, but now we are facing another challenge that we want to make you aware of. She has developed a sizable tumor on the right side of her brain, and her medical team has determined that it is cancerous and will require surgical removal. The surgery date has not been set yet, but it will likely be mid-week (about July 5). We will know more tomorrow when we hear from the surgeon’s office.

This situation arose rather quickly, following a few weeks of minor symptoms (i.e., mild headaches and low grade temperature). She has also had some visual disturbances and occasional disorientation while in familiar surroundings. Her most recent blood and cancer marker tests revealed nothing abnormal, but her symptoms, coupled with her need for an updated contact lens prescription, prompted us to visit our optometrist, who discovered an abnormal visual pattern and encouraged us to see an ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist determined that her problem was neurological and consistent with stroke activity rather than with the eyes themselves. A subsequent MRI revealed a 4cm x 6cm tumor in the area of the brain most closely related to sight and memory.

The tumor is most likely linked to her previous breast cancer episode, although it does not have some of the typical characteristics of metastatic cancer, so it may be a new cancer unrelated to the breast cancer. In any event, it must be removed very soon.

Currently she is on anti-seizure medication as well as a medication to help shrink the tumor. From what we understand, radiation therapy is beneficial in shrinking a tumor in many situations, but in Carol’s case the tumor is too large to qualify for pre-surgical radiation therapy.

The surgery and potential side effects are deeply concerning to us, but the surgical team is optimistic and we know that ultimately Carol is in the hands of her Lord. Even at that, we are experiencing a great deal of fear and grief. Please pray that we will bring honor to the Lord through this situation, and that His grace and peace will govern our hearts, minds and actions. Pray also for the medical team as they do their amazing work. Ask the Lord to bless them not only with great skill, but more importantly with His divine favor and grace upon their souls.

I should add that Carol was hospitalized Friday night and was given a full-body CAT scan that detected no other cancer in her body. That is a great praise. She is now home and feeling well. The strong medications she is on have her a little more loopy than usual (she’ll forgive me for that comment, I’m sure), but otherwise she is doing well.

With deep appreciation for your prayers and concern,

Dennis McBride

July book

God in a box?

Last week, my wife was telling me about a conversation she had. The person she was talking to dismissed her side of the discussion by saying, "You can't put God in a box."

I have always been bothered by this statement. The Stand To Reason blog posted about the same "God in a box" statement here.

So what do you think? "God in a box", is it a valid argument or a last ditch argument for someone who has no Biblical support?

Tony Dungy

My father sent me this link about Tony Dungy, the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. I have read interviews with him in the past where he talked about his Christianity, but this is the best yet.

ME Church

Thought this was kind of funny and sad all at the same time.
Thanks to Thoughts of a Wayfarer where I first saw this.

An Urge for Discernment

We are getting ready to study discernment in our youth ministry. It was not my first choice, but it is what the Lord showed me is the most needed right now. There are so many insidious influences attacking the church right now. I can empathize with Jude when he said in Jude 3, "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."
Jude's entire message in his short letter is to be discerning and defend the faith.

Here are some of the issues we will look at in our study of discernment over the next few weeks.

What is discernment?

Is discernment or discrimination a bad thing? What makes it good or bad?

How can we grow in our discernment.

Where is the church being attacked? How do we respond to those attacks?

I pray for the leaders of the youth, that during this month, as we study through Jude and teach through discernment, that the Lord would give us wisdom and help us to grow in our discernment.

June Study Book

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Blue Like Jazz

Review of Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller

To the casual observer, this book appears to be the random narratives of a man in his search for Christian spirituality. You find that he draws upon his experiences as he learns who God is and begins to have a relationship with Him. However, careful reading quickly shows that this man, Miller, is not just searching for God, he his searching for a different kind of relationship with God. Miller writes about a new kind of “Christian spirituality” that seeks to show the love of Jesus Christ. He discusses his ideas about reaching out to a lost people, feeding the homeless, and having a relationship with those the church has abandoned. While the initial reaction of the reader may be, “Wow, I want this kind of faith.” one must giver closer examination to Miller’s understanding, assumptions, and propositions.

Miller’s overall point of the book is summed up near the middle of his text when he says, “the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained.” (p. 115). This becomes the basis for Miller’s thoughts on Christian spirituality as he bashes Christianity and the church. So you may be asking what’s wrong with being upset at how the church has treated people, or yes, the church has abandoned people and we should love them. The problem is not in the desire of Miller and others to reach out to a lost and hurting people. The problem is how they go about doing this. Miller believes that we need to live in community with the culture around us and we need to make God’s word relevant to their lives. Miller and his friends do this by participating with and looking like the culture. They believe that for people to see Jesus, they must see how He can be like them. This is backwards thinking. The Bible tells us to be in the world, not of the world (John 15:19; Romans 12:2). We should be in relationship with the world, but for the purpose saving them (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). For example, we are told to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey God’s word (Matthew 28: 19-20). What Miller shows as the love of Jesus Christ, is not an accurate reflection of the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not make disciples by hanging out at tax booths or the lake and talking fish and money (Matthew 4:17-19). No, he called his disciples from those places to follow him (Luke 9:23). Their lives were changed by the Word of God whereas Miller believes that the Word of God should be changed by their lives. While Miller encourages many good works, such as feeding the homeless, he neglects to emphasize the importance of spending time in the Word and bringing our life into accord with it. If we truly want to show the love of Jesus Christ, we will not just give someone physical food, we will give them the living water (John 4:13-14).

The second major issue in Miller’s book is about the mysteriousness of God. True, we will never fully understand God while on this earth, but this can be taken too far to say that we can’t understand God at all. Miller holds that we receive personal revelation of God through our experiences so he cannot be explained because how I have experienced him is different than how you have experienced him. This is simply not true. God has revealed himself through His Word (1 Samuel 3:20-22). It’s not hard to see God in our experiences, but this is not how He defines himself. The nature of God is seen in who He tells us he is (in scripture) and we see him act, as he has already told us, in life’s situations.

Lastly, Miller spends a great deal of his book bashing the church. His anti-establishment/organization attitude is very clear. This is seen in how he responds to any authority over him and his thoughts on the purpose of church. Nowhere in the Bible, does God appear or act chaotic. God is a god of structure. Not to mention, we are clearly commanded to be obedient to authorities over us (Titus 3:1; Col 1:16; Romans 13:1). If we cannot be obedient to someone in the here and now, how are we going to be obedient to a God whom we don’t physically see and calls to us change our entire life?

This review is in no way a comprehensive dissection of Miller’s book. I would encourage you to read it and discern the message being sent. Please talk to me about it if you wish. Most importantly, apply the measure of God’s word to the book and see if it stands up.

Scott

Bloom

Thought I would leave you with something fun for the weekend.

Bloom

Lying? part 4

Other Resources

I know that this has been far from exhaustive. My goal has been to whet your appetite and get you thinking about practical application of scripture. We so often justify or discount sin in our lives. Lying even more so than some other sins. It is acceptable in our society and to a degree has become acceptable, if the "motivation" is right, in the modern church. All our sin grieves God. As we grow to be more like Christ, our view of sin should become more like His.

Here are some great resources about lying.

The Destructive Sin of Lying(Part 1) by John MacArthur
The Destructive Sin of Lying(Part 2) by John MacArthur

Question & Answers with John MacArthur

At what point does deception become sin? For example, Rahab was commended for her faith, but apparently she lied when she was hiding spies. And, more specifically, what would you do if you happened to be hiding Jews in your house, and officials asked you if you were hiding Jews, how would you respond to that?

I just got back from a summer with an organization where we took Bibles and books into Eastern Europe and Romania. And, one such problem I had to deal with personally was, what would happen if I got to the border with a load of books and Bibles and was asked point-blank, which, maybe, I was, and I did not know it. "Do you have any Bibles?" What would be your ethical answer to that?

I would like to know when it is okay for a Christian to tell a lie. For example, like Corrie Ten Boom, an underground church, underground police officer. Just when is it okay?

Speak Truth with Your Neighbor by John Piper

Lying? part 3

Rightous Lying?

When ever the question, “Is it ever alright to lie” comes up, it inevitably leads to Joshua 2 and the story of Rahab. As the reasoning goes, Rahab lied to the king to protect the spies, she did it for the Lord, and the Lord later commended her for it. Lets take a look at each part of that.


Rahab lied to protect the spies and she did it for the Lord

The point to this argument is, Rahab had right motivations when she lied. She lied for the Lord. The problem with this is the Bible never supports an “end justifies the means” philosophy of action. We have already recognized lying as a sin. Our motivation does not take away the sinfulness of the act. The Bible recognizes lying, deceitful actions, and flattery as sins.

What it comes down to is our faith. Do we have faith that God is in control of all situations. When we lie for God, we are in effect say “God, this will go wrong if I don’t help you out.” God desires our help, but He doesn’t need our sinful help. We show a lack of faith in Gods providence when we start sinning to help Him. As James 1 says, we take a righteous trial from God, and due to our fleshly desire, we turn it into sin.

This goes for Corrie ten Boom, the Underground Railroad, and anywhere Christians lie for God. God is never out of control in a situation.


The Lord commended her for it

When people try to justify Rahab’s actions, they look at Hebrews 11:31 and say “See, God said she was faithful.”

By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. Hebrews 11:31

They are correct, God said Rahab was faithful. But what action showed her faith? It was her receiving the spies peacefully, not her lying. God never commends her for sin.


Tomorrow I will try to wrap things up and give you some helpful links.

Lying? part 2

What does the Bible say?

Yesterday we looked at a definition of lying. Today I want to look at what the Bible has to say about lying.


What commands are we given about lying?

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:11-12

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, Colossians 3:9-10

What is God's view of lying?

These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. Proverbs 12:22

What should be our view about lying?

I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law. Psalm 119:163

A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
Proverbs 13:5

For He said, “Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.” So He became their Savior. Isaiah 63:8

Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalm 40:4

He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Psalm 101:7

Remove from me the way of lying, And grant me Your law graciously. Psalm 119:29

What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar. Proverbs 19:22

What kind of person is characterized by lying?

You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Psalm 52:3

They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Psalm 62:4

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? Acts 5:3

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44

The Bible certainly is not quiet about lying. What are some of the truths we see in the text?

Lying is clearly forbidden.
Lying is not characteristic of a Christian.
Lying is characteristic of an unregenerate soul.
Lying should be dealt with seriously.
We find no statement from God commending lying or allowing lying.

Take the time to look up other references about lying. Here are some links that might be helpful with this.

Topical Index

Keyword Search

Tomorrow we will look at the example of Rahab. Is Rahab an example of "righteous lying"? Read Joshua 2 and Hebrews 11:30-31

Lying? part 1

A Definition

I guess there was a conversation at church yesterday that I missed. It was about lying. Is there ever a good reason to lie? Obviously God commands us not to lie, but as the question always goes, what about Rahab? What if I am a secret squirrel in the CIA? What if I don't want to hurt someone's feelings?

This week, I want to take a look at lying. What does scripture say about it and what are the practical applications.

So let's define lying. Here are some different definitions of lying.

Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary

lie noun
1 a : an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker to be untrue with intent to deceive
b : an untrue or inaccurate statement that may or may not be believed true by the speaker
2 : something that misleads or deceives

lie verb
lied; lying
intransitive verb
1 : to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive
2 : to create a false or misleading impression
transitive
verb
1 : to bring about by telling lies 〈lied his way out of trouble〉

New Bible Dictionary

LIE, LYING (Heb. šeqer, ‘falsehood’, ‘deception’; kāzāb,
‘lie’ or ‘deceptive thing’; Gk. pseudos and cognates). Essentially, a lie is a statement of what is known to be false with intent to deceive

Harper Dictonary

lying, the act of telling falsehoods as truth.

So lying is telling someone something that is not true or telling something with the idea of misleading them.

Tomorrow we will look at what the Bible says about lying.

Miscellaneous Updates & People to Perfect

Well, my parents visit went well. They made it home safely. Pray that their next visit can come sooner than this past one.

I am done with the job at the secure government site.

These two things combined mean updates should happen more frequently.

We also have another person who will be joining our blogging team. He will be posting every other week for now. Keep an eye out.

I have enjoyed reading through Exodus. I am continually struck by the imperfect people God uses to minister to His people. Abraham, Moses, Aaron, the list could go on and on.

It brings me comfort to know God is not looking for perfect people, but people to perfect.

Expository Preaching

Here is an article from Grace Community Church's Pastor's Conference. It is about why expository preaching is so important.

Preach The Word: A case for expository preaching.
By Dan Dumas

Here is an excerpt from the article about what expository preaching is.

Richard L. Mayhue defines expository preaching as preaching that “focuses predominantly on the text(s) under consideration along with its (their) context(s). Exposition normally concentrates on a single text of Scripture, but it is sometimes possible for a thematic/theological message or a historical/biographical discourse to be expository in nature. An exposition may treat any length of passage.”

Preaching that is severed from the Scriptures is not Christian preaching!

“The regular proclamation of Christ through the close exposition of Scripture is more relevant in creating a worshipping and serving community than political causes, moral crusades, and entertaining services.”

Mayhue gives a helpful summary of the essential elements of expository preaching. They are as
follows:

1. The message finds its sole source in Scripture.
2. The message is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis.
3. The message preparation correctly interprets Scripture in its normal sense and its context.
4. The message clearly explains the original God-intended meaning of Scripture.
5. The message applies the Scriptural meaning for today.

Richard L. Mayhue, Preaching: How to Preach Biblically

Small break

My parents are in town so my posts might be sporadic for the next 2 weeks.

May Study

Here is the book for May that I plan to study through.

More reflections on worship

Yes I am still reading about preaching as worship. I came across this post by Steve Camp about 7 perceptions of what biblical worship is not. Here are his seven points.

1. Biblical Worship is not Emotional Exuberance

2. Biblical Worship is not Mystical Experience

3. Biblical Worship is not Musical Performance

4. Biblical Worship is not Religious Ritual

5. Biblical Worship is not Asceticism

6. Biblical Worship is not Self-Indulgence

7. Biblical Worship is not Self-Actualization

His point in 3 is what we talked about two weeks ago. Worship is not just singing. Singing is one form of worship. Preaching is a part of that worship.

Expository Exultation

Last Tuesday in our youth leadership class, I spoke about the idea of preaching as worship. I found this a week later. It is by John Piper. He talks about preaching and it's role as a part of worship.

The Place of Preaching in Worship

Spiritual Watchmen

In his instructions to Timothy about how to be an elder, Paul says "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:16) How can watching our life and doctrine save not only us, but also others?

Our lives are constant examples to others. 1 Timothy 3:2 says an elder must be above reproach. In fact, Paul says in 3:4 that an elder’s family is to be an example. Our lifestyle choices can drive people away from Christ and His church. We need to guard against letting our life be a stumbling block for others. As leaders in our youth group, are you living as an example to our youth and their parents?

How can our doctrine save others? Paul says in 4:13 that the responsibility of an elder is to "devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." Elders are to be watchmen of God's word. We need to be able to teach that word and doctrine to the congregation. Our doctrine has an impact on people’s salvation. As an example, if we teach salvation by works, we lead people to a hollow relationship with the Lord. They are sent down a wide road of destruction. We need to cherish and learn Biblical doctrine. We also need to understand what doctrine is essential. What doctrines are "hills to die on?"

So this week, ask yourself where have I let my guard down? My life or my doctrine? Also, what doctrines do you think are essential? Post here which ones and why.

Mark Dever

The internet can be a blessing and a curse. It is full of a lot of junk. There is also a bunch of beneficial material. I found one of the greatest treasures of the internet.

Some of you know who Mark Dever is. He graciously spoke at the 2005 OBC Pastor's Conference for us. He is the pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. He runs the 9Marks ministry. He is also involved in this whole blog thing along with 3 other pastors.

He has posted a Microsoft Word file that lists all the sermons taught at CHBC from November 1993 through December 2005. It also lists who taught it and what was the main scripture passage. Most importantly, each sermon has a link that takes you to a page where you can download the sermon and an article about the sermon. All for FREE!

What a treasure chest of biblical teaching. Here is the link.

CHBC Sermon List

2 more weeks

I am still working in a secure government building. They won't let me bring my laptop into the building. I should be finished in about 2 weeks. Hopefully I will have internet access again and be able to pick up the frequency and quality of posts.

Doing Our Job

I am encouraged as a part of this group of youth leaders that we are doing our job. Paul starts off by warning Timothy about false teachers and encouraging him (in choosing others) to teach doctrine carefully and truthfully in 1 Timothy 1:3-4. Over the past year, both male and female students have assumed teaching positions in the youth group and the leaders have met with these youth to ensure proper instruction. As we focus on developing leaders, much like Paul was doing, we must pay particular attention to how we teach and how our students teach. This is a central and necessary characteristic of an effective leader. As a part of this team, I feel affirmed about our efforts with the youth and a renewed focus on student teaching. I pray these words of Paul will be echoed in the lives of our youth.

Scott

Application of scripture

Tonight at during our leadership class, we were talking about the application of scripture. I mentioned the series Phil Johnson is doing about gambling over at the Pulpit Magazine blog. I think it is a good example of how to apply scripture to an activity in our life that is not expressly forbidden or approved by scripture. Here are the links to the series. I will update this as he adds to it.

Let me know what you think.

Introduction Is Gambling OK? Don't Bet on It
Gambling: Some Definitions and Distinctions

1. Gambling vs. Faithful Stewardship
2. Does 'Mutual Consent' Eliminate the Evil in Gambling?
3. The Sin of Putting God to the Test
4. Gambling: The Moral Antithesis of Charity

April 2006 Book

1 Timothy

I think it will be good to see what instructions Paul (the mentor) gave to Timothy (his mentoree). I think we will find an abundance of application we can use in our ministry to the youth of OBC.

Genesis Review

How has working through Genesis gone this month. I enjoyed looking at the patriarchs of Israel, and learning from their lives. Seeing God's hand in their lives, even when they failed Him. It is encouraging to know God will never abandon us. He has promised to be faithful even though we can't keep up our side of the relationship.

Tell me how it went for you.

I will reveal next months book tomorrow.

(By the way, it was Minute Maid Park and the Houston Astros. My father was the only one to get it right.)

2006 Mission Trip Applications

Kelly and I read through all the applications last night. Here are my initial thoughts.

1. I am disappointed that a few youth did not turn in applications. I do not know their reasons yet, so my disappointment is tempered.

2. On the other hand there are some new youth going that I am very happy about. I hear we may build some muscles on this trip.

3. It was neat to see some affirmation for our ministry from the youth. Especially our time on Tuesdays.

4. Laura is extremely funny.

5. We are losing some great girls this year. I pray that the Lord will use this trip to continue to help them grow.

Any thoughts from you?

Red

Here is a song that I have had on loop on my computer playing over and over for about a week now. I think Kelly is about done listening to it.

Red

The plans I have for you

From Noah and the ark, Abraham the father of a nation, Jacob and his birthright, through Joseph the savior of a nation. Genesis is first and foremost the story of God's sovereignty. Yes it shows the beginning of the world and the start of the nation of Israel, but it so much more than that. God's finger prints are all over each story. Not the thought or even just the worship and obedience of God, but God actively working in peoples lives.

The account of Jacob and Esau is incredible. Before Jacob and Esau had committed any action, God had made a decision about the path of their lives.

10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Romans 9:10-13

WOW. That is powerful. I know for me, right know in my life, this is an amazingly comforting verse. I am waiting to see what God will do with me this year. I know what I desire, I hope it is what God desires. I know that no matter where the Lord has me ministering a year from now, it is HIS plan. Not only will it not catch Him by surprise, He had it planned while I was in the womb.

Thank you Lord.
Amen.

Newb Alert

Newb definition: Truncation of "newbie". A neophyte.

We have a possible newb in our youth council. The elder board after 30 days of prayer and extensive questioning, will be presenting Rolland Watenpaugh this Sunday, as a deacon candidate in the youth ministry for 30 days of congregational prayer.

The Lord is sending reinforcements!

It was a blessing that the Lord set up the circumstances for Rolland to become a part of our council. He was brought forward by the FLOCKS council, but they are not in dire need of help. I had been letting the elder board know that we have needed more leaders, so when it was time to decide where to put Rolland, the elder board thought youth would be a natural fit.

Rolland, as most of you all ready know, has been teaching 11-12 grade Sunday School. He has been dong a great job with that and was invaluable during my preparation for the retreat.

Make sure you keep Rolland and Mary Beth in prayer for the next 30 days.

Towers

How do you define yourself?

I'm still working through Genesis, but I've been thinking about Genesis 11:4-9 for a couple of days. Shortly after repopulating from the flood, the descendents of Noah's sons began making structures out of brick and got the bright idea to build a tower to the heavens and "make a name" for themselves. Well, it's easy to look at this and think, well duh, God's going to be angry for such self glorification.

But, how often do we create "towers" for ourselves. While making a tower isn't a sin, building it to oneself is. We may not build a physical tower, but we build monuments to ourselves quite frequently (expensive cloths, big house, fancy car, important job, degrees, etc.) While owning these is not wrong, defining yourself by them is. As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to make sure we find our identity in Him, not in the human achievements of this world. So let me ask you again . . .

How do you define yourself?

Scott

Lessons From Abraham's Life

I have not got past Genesis 25 yet. I have read 12 through 25 several times now and wanted to share some quick thoughts I have had about Abraham’s life.

I was struck by the love Abraham had for his nephew Lot. It shows in chapter 13. Abraham is content with what God has provided for him, and is willing to sacrifice having the seemingly better land. Here is Abraham giving Lot the choice of land. I think about how I feel when someone takes “MY” land in front of my car when I am driving.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5


Aside from his nasty habit of telling people his wife was his sister and that whole Ishmael thing, Abraham showed remarkable faith throughout his life. When you read his story, you can see him grow from each situation. By the time the Lord asks him to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham had reached a point where he could trust the Lord. I get a feeling that if this had happened earlier, Abraham would have failed. The Lord perfectly waited until Abraham was ready for such a challenge.

My brethren,  count it all joy  when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3

Chapter 23 showed the testimony Abraham had. The Hittites called Abraham a mighty prince in verse 6. Abraham lived his life following Godly principles. Those made him stand out from the corrupt society around him. Those people were able to see the Lord through Abraham. Abraham did not sequester himself away from those people. He lived in their land. At the same time, he knew that the Lord had chosen him and separated him and his offspring from the Canaanites.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh,  the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And  the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17.

Slip and Slide

Modern Odysseus'

Odysseus is the man credited with the idea for the Trojan horse. We all know the story about how he used it to sneak a group of men into the city of Troy, allowing the Greeks to conquer the city.
In Acts 20:28-31 Paul warns the Ephesians elders to watch for savage wolves that will come from inside the church. The elders are tasked to guard and protect the flock.
I think the greatest danger to the church today is the trend of the leaders, tasked with protecting the flock, bringing the Trojan horse into the city.
Pragmatism, post-modernism, seeker sensitive, ecumenicalism or what ever current label it has. These thoughts and ideas are being brought into the church by the very men tasked with protecting her. At the root of all these strains of thought is the question “How do we relate to the culture?” Unfortunately, the answer all to often includes an immersion in the culture versus an immersion in the word.

I have included some links to some sites that do a good job of explaining some of the dangers.

Absolutely Not!: A critical look at the emerging church movement by Phil Johnson
A transcript of Phil Johnson's session at the 2006 Shepherd's Conference, Friday March 3, 2006. The blog this is posted at, Emergent No , gives some good critiques of the emerging movement.

Putting God in a Box? by James Spurgeon
Great post about the importance of historical theology.

"A Generous Orthodoxy"--Is It Orthodox? by Albert Mohler
A review of Brian McLaren's book, A Generous Orthodoxy.

Church Growth Gone Mad by Clay Miller
Subtitled, a sobering look at the church growth seeker-sensitive models.

Genesis, dangers to the church and more.

I am still working on reading through Genesis. It seems as if everything is conspiring against me finishing it. I will have it done this week and have something to post before the end of the week.

I also plan to have an answer for the question I asked about dangers to the church. It is interesting. I have read several thing over the past week that have affirmed what I see as a danger for the church. I will post the links to those as well.

I am looking forward to our youth leader training tomorrow night. Make sure you hold your small groups accountable to their daily quiet times. My plan is to give you 45 minutes to an hour with your group. Spend the time going over the study, their progress or lack there of for the past week, and in prayer. Pick a passage that you think is relevant and pray through it. I will continue to provide character studies while we go through this study.

No one from our church has figured out what baseball stadium is in the original Genesis post. I have one correct answer from someone outside our church. And if you think that baseball and Christianity don't go together read this.

Hard Rock Store

I wanted to show you what we are working on. It is not really ready yet, but we are getting there. If you want to order something you can, but some of the stuff is not ready or will be changed. Thanks to Scott for the awesome new logo.

Retreat Video

Thanks for putting this together Scott.

Worth the Wait

As I began reading through Genesis, something jumped out at me. It only took man three chapters to stain what God had created and 926 chapters (OT) to get the point that we aren't good enough to clean it up. Patience has always been a struggle for me. Over the past 5-6 years, God has really worked in my heart and changed my impatient attitude. Sure, I lose it every once in a while, but I demonstrate much more self-control than in the past.

I feel a continued challenge to examine my patience with the youth. As leaders, we must set the example in speech, life, and attitude (sound familiar). How do you respond to the youth? Are you willing to make (many) sacrifices for the youth? I look at it this way; if I am worth enough for God to have patience with me, the youth are worth enough for me to have patience with them.

Scott

In The Big Inning

Ok, so it's the punch line to a bad Bible joke. Where does the Bible talk about baseball? In the beginning (big inning). I figured that would be our book for next month. Genesis. I know it is daunting, but I think we can do it. We won't be able to go as in depth as we did with 1 Thessalonians, but I think it will be exciting. So tomorrow we start Genesis. Get your last thoughts in on 1 Thessalonians today.

Extra credit if you can give me the name of the team and the stadium in the picture.

Corporate Prayer Revisited

I posted about prayer at the beginning of the month. It seemed to strike a chord with the youth on the retreat. I have continued to think about prayer throughout the month. Do I pray enough, and more importantly, do I pray for the right things. Am I in prayer not just to make requests or praises for answered requests, but am I praising God in my prayers. Do I glorify God in my prayers. Last night at our youth group, we spent the entire time in our small groups sharing prayer requests and praying through scripture.

It was great to hear the way praying scripture changed the youths prayer. It caused their prayer to move beyond the typical prayer request prayer, "Lord, help Bobby's dad to make it home safely." Their prayers for the requests went much deeper, and their prayer for themselves and the youth group were much deeper. I was encouraged and blessed by our time in prayer.

I think my application I plan to take away from 1 Thessalonians is to try and make corporate prayer a higher priority in our youth group and to help the youth improve the quality of their prayers.

1 Thessalonians Update

I know this post looks familiar. Nobody responded to it the last time. I want to know what you have been getting from 1 Thessalonians. I am sure everyone has unique applications you can share with us all. I want to hear what the Lord has been saying to you.

Jamie

Lovingly

Paul is clear in 1 Thessalonians 3:12, that he hopes the church abounds and increases in love towards one another. Likewise, I hope we abound in love towards each other and towards our youth as we serve together.
I love each of you dearly and consider it a honor and pure joy to serve with each one of you.

McBride’s, I truly appreciate your love for the youth as you lead them and us as youth workers. Your commitment to the Lord is evident in how you minister to this youth group and the church as a whole. I love both of you and your children and appreciate your friendship greatly.

R. Closs, I can’t imagine this ministry without you. Your time and service to the youth group and its needs are tremendous. I love your dedication and faithfulness to the service of the Lord. You are a true servant.

M. Davis, Your heart for the youth and their spiritual growth sets an example for others. You have delicately balanced your family and your service, giving all to both. I love your care for our youth, particularly the junior high. Thank you

Rosner’s, You jumped right in (willing or not) and took on the youth as your own. You are a tremendous asset to this youth group. Even in the midst of preparing for your new child, you take on large responsibilities. Thank you for your service and your friendship. I love both of you and your new addition, Tommy (that’s gonna leave a mark).

L. Mingo, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and love your willingness to jump in and get involved. Thank you for your service.

A. Cooper, You bring an unparalleled energy to the youth and the council. I love your enthusiasm for service and your commitment to the youth. Thank you!

J. Wohlrab, I love your commitment to ministry and your leadership in the praise band. Thank you!

Starkston’s, I praise God for your leadership and influence on this youth group. Your love of the Lord led this youth group to new places. I appreciate your friendship and compassion.

There are others who help with youth and contribute to the joy of this ministry. You are not omitted intentionally. Thank you for your time and love for these kids. It’s only the Lord Jesus Christ who works in us to love them.

Lastly (but certainly not least) Heather, almost eight years ago, you and I embarked in a partnership not knowing where it would lead. Praise God, it has led us to OBC and to this youth group. I love you. I love you for many reasons, your commitment to the Lord and His teaching, your compassion for others, your love for me, but most of all, your love and support of this ministry. I could not do what I am doing without you. You are my partner in ministry for life. Whether here or where ever the Lord takes us, I can count on your support and assistance as we minister together. I could not ask for a better wife.

Scott

Danger Danger

I want you to answer two questions.

1. What do you think is the biggest danger to the church? Not necessarily the local church, but Christianity as a whole.

2. What do you think is the biggest danger to the local, and more specifically our youth group?

Before I became the elder over youth, I regularly taught the leadership training class for the church. It was broken up into two modules. One spent 12-14 weeks looking at all the major doctrines. The other module spent 12-14 weeks working through Alexander Strauch's Biblical Eldership. The two questions above are asked in this book. I would teach through book 1-2 times a year. It always helped me stay focused on the responsibilities of an elder. I have not taught through it since I took over the youth. I have been thinking about the lessons from the book lately and how they will apply to the youth.

So what do you think? What are the biggest dangers.
Anybody is welcome to join in this discussion. You don't have to be from OBC.

Jamie

Day Laborers

When I first looked at 1 Thessalonians I was struck with the lessons on team building. In chapter 2 Paul talks about his motivation for ministry not being based on approval from man. Paul also talks about his method. I will probably come back to the method again, but for the past weekend I have been struck by 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

Over the past few weeks I have been able to understand what Paul experienced while he ministered in Thessolonica. Currently, the Lord has placed me in a situation where He supports my ministry financially through work outside the church. These past few weeks, I have literally been working day and night in both "tentmaking" and ministry. It has been tiring, both mentally and physically. There have been a few things that have helped me through that past few weeks.

My motivation. Only by focusing on the Lord am I able to deal with all the demands I face each day. Only my love for the flock and for the Lord keeps me enduring.

The other thing that helps me through is your support and ministry. Like Paul with Silas and Timothy, each one of you that ministers to the youth helps me. I know that I am not alone. Not only do I have God, but I have an entire team that has the same motivations, goals, and desires for the youth at OBC. Like Paul with the Thessalonians, I thank God for each and everyone of you that works alongside of me. I could not do this ministry alone. I am not equipped to do everything. You are my fellow day laborers. You handle any task that comes along. It is amazing to me that over that past few years we have ministered together, you have willingly taken all task without grumbling. Like Paul's team, each of you work day and night to help make this ministry a success.

I encourage all of you to think about those ministering alongside you. Pray for each other and encourage each other.


A special thanks to my wife and children who have had to put up with no husband or father for the past few weeks, love ya.
Jamie

Who Cares?

In the hustle and bustle of our lives, it can be easy to overlook a youth or two. I don’t mean we leave them in another state, but we leave them on their own. In 1 Thessalonians 2:11, Paul reminds us of how we should be looking after and caring for our youth. In verse 10, he says “you (the Thessalonians) witnessed how we behaved ourselves among you who believe”. He goes on to say how they exhorted, comforted, and charged every one of them as a father does his own children. It’s easy to look after our own children, but what about the children we don’t see or talk to everyday?

There are three things youth leaders should be doing for EVERY YOUTH. Notice the emphasis on EVERY YOUTH. EVERY YOUTH is emphasized because it was important enough to be in God’s Word (v.11 – “every one of you”). It is too easy to write off a youth. It could be because they live far away, aren’t that involved, don’t make a strong effort to be in a relationship, or are just plain annoying, but that is not an excuse. Paul sets the example by ministering to everyone.

Are you exhorting our youth? Webster’s defines exhort as give advice, warn, strongly urge or to make urgent appeal. While listening is important, we need to take a more active role in the lives of our youth. We should exhort them as they face trials and difficult situations. It is this type of direction that shows the youth we love them and care about their well-being (spiritually, physically, and emotionally).

We should also comfort our youth. There are two different aspects of comfort. One aspect is that of strengthening and giving hope. We should be walking along side our youth as they face life. Being beside them allows us to push them, put our arms around them, and help them carry on. Also, we need to set the example of hope. We put our hope in Christ and they need to see that so they understand hope is not a Sunday school concept, but a real desire and anticipation. The other aspect of comfort is that of easing grief or trouble. Sometimes, we need to simply be there. Between parental problems, school problems, relationship break-ups and sin issues, we need to be available to console our youth and help them work through those times with a Biblical focus.

Lastly, we should charge our youth. We should be discipling them into new levels of leadership and accountability. This is a long process, often beginning before they reach the youth group. We should push these young men and women to be leaders in their church, youth group, schools, families and friendships. The most difficult part about this is the commitment we must make to the lives of the youth.

Remember, we are doing this with the love of a father and through the love of the Father.

Scott

Retreat Pics part 2

Praise band lead us in worship before our first lesson.

Scott and Mark open the lessons for the weekend with the first skit.

Jamie motivating the youth during a lesson. (That may be the first time in my life I have ever referred to myself in the third person)

Small group application time.

Scott and Heather's small group.

Gina's small group.

Good use of free time......

... bad use of free time. Some one should tell their parents, who is that up there anyways? Oh wait never mind ... note to self, talk to daughter about climbing on roofs.

The group.

True Joy

Where do you find your joy? Since returning from the youth retreat, I’ve been challenged by 1 Thessalonians 2:8 to answer that question. If you look around at different youth programs, it is easy to see highly structured ministries offering many opportunities for youth to receive teaching and fellowship and perform service activities. Youth programs need more than those opportunities. They need time and lives. Paul comments in verse 8, that they were delighted to share their lives with the Thessalonians.

Are you delighted to share your life with our youth?

Are you investing your life in a youth?

This, known as discipleship, is essential to have an effective ministry. We must be willing to spend our lives on the lives of our youth. Beyond that, we should be encouraging our youth in leadership to do the same.

So what can we do to share our lives with youth?

Use your comments to give suggestions on how we can invest in our youth.

Retreat pics part 1

This is from Sunday, right before we got in the cars to head home.


Lesson time.

Not Ashamed

I was able to get back into 1 Thessalonians today. Began reading through chapter 2 in detail. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 stuck out. Paul said he did not try to please men, did not use flattery, and didn't seek praise from men. Many of today's most famous and successful preachers seem to be doing the exact opposite of Paul's example. They water down the gospel and the message the Bible brings to avoid driving people away.

A few of the youth were echoing the same sentiment as some of today's popular preachers. They said, "I can't tell my friend, who is hurting emotionally, about Christ, because it would drive them off." I spoke to them about the fact that Christ and His message would be offensive to unsaved people. Christ promises as much in Matthew 10. We shouldn't be offensive in our speech or behavior. We should only offend when it comes to the word of God.

I don't think it is a widespread attitude in the youth group, but I know it is very hard for the youth to take the chance of alienating themselves. We will cover this in our Becoming an Eagle study on Tuesdays. I am looking forward to the time we will get to spend building leadership skills with the youth.

Jamie

First thoughts on the retreat

Wow, what an amazing time. I think the retreat is one of my favorite events of the year. I am always amazed at the youths willingness to sit through 2 and 3 hour lessons. I am also continually amazed at what the retreat does to me. I always am emotionally and physically drained after the retreat, but it always charges my desire for full-time ministry. The opportunity the Lord gives us to have an impact on the lives of these youth is invaluable. I think back to the first retreat. The last lesson I taught of that retreat was about passions. What are we passionate about? What ministries excite us and do we yearn to participate in. For me, the retreat reminds me why I love youth ministry. It is not the actual retreat that does this. During the retreat I actually get very focused on the material and try to spend a lot of time in prayer when I am not teaching. It is the 6-8 weeks leading up to the retreat. During that time when I am preparing the material. I spend a lot of time thinking about the youth and how the lesson will apply to each of them individually. It is truly an incredible time.

I was encouraged by the junior highers this week. I think Mark has done a good job with them and that fruit is starting to show. They are willing to jump in and interact with the group, both during free time and during the lessons. I think they will slide right in and fill vacancies left by those graduating. I think the Lord is going to establish some leaders from among them, and I saw some of the foreshadows of that for the first time this weekend.

I enjoyed taking the opportunity to listen in on your small groups. It sounded like you all got good interaction from most of the people in your groups. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts from that group time.

It seemed like the idea of praying through prayer struck a chord with all the youth. Maybe this is something we should pursue with the leader training on Tuesdays. Speaking of Tuesdays, I plan to start with the group as a whole. I want to see who will be participating, and how they respond to the teaching. After a week or two, I will look at maybe doing some small group time also. I will need to know who from the leadership team will be attending and how much you can be involved.

As soon as I get pictures, I will get them posted here.

Jamie

Return from the retreat

Well, we all made it home safely and without any major mishaps. I am still in recovery mode today. I will post my complete recap later.

What are your initial thoughts?

Jamie

Hard Times

Every morning, the news seems to highlight or introduce some new conflict in the world or nation. For Christians, it becomes increasingly more difficult to watch as the culture finds new ways to capitalize on sinful things. Whether it is an award winning movie about homosexuality, the “right” people claim to abortion, the abolishment of Christmas, the condoning of gay marriage or targeting the freedom we have in Christ as compared to other religions, Christians are being more and more persecuted for taking a stand for Christ. The questions become, “How do I deal with this and what do I do?”

In 1 Thessalonians 2:2, Paul gives encouragement to Christians who experience persecution. In this verse, Paul comments about his (and Silas’) treatment when in Philippi (Acts 16:11-38). After removing a demon from a girl, he and Silas are unjustly thrown into Jail (despite being Roman) and shackled in stocks. Does this weaken their worship? Absolutely not! They sing and praise God and are ultimately released. Even more, their witness leads a Jailer and his family to the Lord.

There are two things to be learned here:

Like Paul, Christians are going to be persecuted by the world because they are not of the world (John 15:19-21). No human knows persecution better than Paul. Likewise, we need to be prepared to be persecuted. Never, does Paul say, “Oops, I didn’t see that one coming”. We too should not be surprised when people speak out against us and our convictions. We should find joy in times of trials and difficulties (James 1:2). This should affect our mind set and attitude towards the issues we face today. Be encouraged, not discouraged when the world comes against you.

What do we do after we are persecuted? Well, you keep on keeping on. Paul said in verse 2, “But even after we had suffered(a) . . . we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict(c).” We should not relinquish from our mission to live out and share the gospel. So, how do we do this?
First, we “root” ourselves in the word. Jesus said in Matthew 13:20-22 that, a person who receives the word with joy, but has no root, quickly falls when persecution arises and becomes unfruitful. If Christians are going to overcome obstacles presented by the culture, they MUST be rooted in the word. This requires daily bible study, meditation on scripture, and application of the Word.

Second, we must be confident in the power we have from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The Greek word in Acts for power is Dunamis, which means an inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth. We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and as new creation we are freed from the bondage of sin and find our power in obedience to Christ.

Lastly, we must continually pray to God that His will be done. Too often we ask God to give us the strength to deal with a situation. The fact is, He already has! We need to ask God to reveal His will to us and use us for His purpose. Comfort in the midst of persecution comes from knowing that God is Sovereign and will overcome the world.

God has given us all we need to remain vigilant in our pursuit of Holiness; His sufficient word, His sufficient Son, His sufficient Spirit, and His sufficient Promise. Glory to God!

Scott