Don't Let It Stress You Out!

In his book Spiritual Burnout, MALCOLM SMITH writes of taking a walk one morning in the Catskill Mountains of New York. As he rested near an algae-covered pool, he was treated to an incredible sight. Mosquitoes danced near the surface of the water. Dragonflies darted between the reeds. Then his attention was captured by a frog sunbathing on a partially submerged rock out in the center of the pool. Something was happening to the frog. Before his very eyes, it collapsed – not falling over, but deflating like a balloon with a slow leak. It finally lay in a dreadful crumbled heap of frog skin, its insides completely gone! It was only then that he noticed the killer. A giant water bug had bitten the frog, injecting it with a substance that dissolved its insides. Then he had proceeded to suck out the inside of the frog, leaving the skin like an empty grocery bag on the rock.

• Is that you?
• Is there something draining the life and vitality out of you?
• Are you spiritually drained?
• Have your thoughts become poisoned, negative and cynical?
• Are you bitter, resentful, or unforgiving?
• Does God seem far away?
• Are you stressed out?

If so, I have some godly advice for you: Don’t let people or things or circumstances stress you out. Whatever you are dealing with in your life right now, don’t let it stress you out. An old proverb that says: “The bow that is always bent will soon break.” That’s true. Constant pressure naturally leads to spiritual burnout. However, the pressures of life do not have to overwhelm or undermine your devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.

• You don’t have to be stressed out by your PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
• You don’t have to be stressed out by your PHYSICAL CONDITION.
• You don’t have to be stressed out by your FAMILY PROBLEMS.
• You don’t have to be stressed out by your FINANCIAL SITUATION.
• You don’t have to be stressed out by your WORK ENVIRONMENT.

If God were to add to the Ten Commandments and asked my advice on what that eleventh commandment should be, I would recommend: “THOU SHALT LET IT STRESS YOU OUT.” Philippians 4:4-5 teach three basic Christian attitudes that confront, counter-attack, and conquer the pressures of life.

I. BE JOYFUL

Philippians 3:1 says, “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.” Apparently, Paul really didn’t mind repeating himself, for in Philippians 4:4 he exhorts them again: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Then he adds for emphasis: “again I will say, rejoice” It is as if Paul says, “Just in case you missed it the first time or thought I was kidding or whatever…I’ll say it again: Rejoice!” This call to joy is repeated and emphasized here because God knows that we will inevitably live in frustration, anxiety, and discouragement, unless we develop and maintain the spiritual discipline of Christian joy. Christians do not have to be stressed out by the realities of life. We are people of stubborn joy. And our joy is not hypocrisy. It does not deny the facts. And it is not merely optimism or positive thinking. Christian joy is real and rational. We rejoice in the Lord always.

A. NOTICE THE REALITY OF CHRISTIAN JOY

This verb “rejoice” is in the IMPERATIVE MOOD, which means it’s a command. It is not a suggestion or a recommendation or an encouraging piece of advice. God the Holy Spirit moved Paul to order the church to rejoice. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it. It doesn’t matter what’s happening to you or around you. And it doesn’t matter what you’re going through. God commands you to rejoice. And if we are commanded to rejoice, then to fail to do so is a sin. Of course, there will inevitably be things that get you down. But you must not stay there. You must keep lifting praise to God, even when the circumstances of life get you down.

Also take note of the fact that the verb “rejoice” is in the PRESENT TENSE, which denotes repeated or continuous action. It speaks of that which is done so habitually that it can be rightly characterized as a way of life. The idea is that joy is to be the Christian’s lifestyle. And that’s not just hidden in the grammar. It’s clearly stated in text. Not only does Paul tell us what to do (“rejoice in the Lord…”), he also tells us when to do it (“always…”). The term “always” is all-inclusive. It means that our joy is not limited to good days, special occasion, or fruitful seasons. We are commanded to practice a lifestyle of joy no matter when it is, no matter what we are going through, and no matter where we find ourselves in life. The point is that joy is a choice! It is an intentional attitude. It is not dependent on circumstances. Christian joy is not what the world calls happiness. Happiness is fleeting – it’s an outside job. Joy is perpetual – it’s an inside job. You may have absolutely no control over what is happening to you. But you are not helpless. You are not a victim. You are don’t have to be stressed out by the people and things you are dealing with.

• It’s your choice to rejoice.
• No one can make you miserable without your permission.
• The devil can’t take your joy; you have to give it to him.
• You don’t have to live under the circumstances. You can live above them.
• Regardless of your circumstances, you can choose to be joyful.

Psalm 34:1-2 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, “Though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no heard in the stall, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” And James 1:2-3 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

B. NOTICE THE REASON BEHIND CHRISTIAN JOY

The opening verses of Philippians 4 show us some of the benefits of being in the Lord. Verse 1 says, “Stand firm in the Lord.” That means Jesus is the source and sphere of CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS. In verse 2, Paul calls on two women in the church to agree to “agree in the Lord.” That means Jesus is the source and sphere of CHRISTIAN UNITY. And here in verse 4 we are called to “rejoice in the Lord.” That means Jesus is the source and sphere of CHRISTIAN JOY. The fact that we know, trust, love, serve, and worship Jesus Christ enables us to have stubborn joy. Psalm 144:15b says, “Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! It’s like two lovers. They always enjoy being together, no matter where they are. Followers of Jesus Christ do not have to stop and count their money before they can rejoice. We do no rejoice in our jobs or in our families or in our possessions. You can lose jobs. You can lose families. And you can lose possessions. But the joy that we have, the world didn’t give it, and the world can’t take it away. Nehemiah 8:10 puts it best: “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

• We don’t base our joy on the size of our bank accounts.
• We don’t base our joy on the model car we drive.
• We don’t base our joy on the style of clothes we wear.
• We don’t base our joy on the degree of education we have.
• We don’t base our joy on the type of work we do.

Our joy is not tied to temporal possessions, finite people, or favorable circumstances. We rejoice in the Lord. And because Jesus is the infinite center of our joy, we are able to rejoice no matter what is happening in our lives. No. Things don’t always go our way. Yes. We are subject to face pain, rejection, and disappointment just like everyone else. But even still, we rejoice, because our joy is not is in the things of this world. It’s in the Lord who does not change.

The king of a particular country traveled often, but one day a man living near the palace remarked to a friend, “Well, it looks like the king is home tonight.” “How do you know?” asked the other. The man pointed up toward the castle. “Because when the king is home,” he said, “the palace is all lit up!” That’s the way it is with Christian joy. Joy is the flag the flies over the believer’s heart signify that the King is in residence.

II. BE REASONABLE

Philippians 4:5a says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” The word the ESV translates “reasonableness” is a rather broad term that WILLIAM BARCLAY calls one of the most untranslatable of all Greek words. It generally refers to one who does not insist on the letter of the law, but treats others with an attitude that is gentle, fair-minded, and charitable. It describes someone who is willing to yield his or her rights to show consideration to others. It is a person who is willing to accept less what is due them for the sake of others. Matthew Arnold translates the term “sweet reasonableness.” 1 Timothy 3:3 says that overseers – the men who lead the church – should not be violent but gentle. Titus 3:2 exhorts the entire church to be gentle. James 3:17 teaches that the true wisdom – wisdom from above – is gentle. And Philippians 4:5 commands, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.”

I submit to you that a reasonable attitude toward others will protect you from becoming stressed out about how other people treat you. And take note of the fact that gentleness, like joy, is an intentional attitude. It’s a personal choice. It’s an inside job. The call to be reasonable is a call to treat others with love, fairness, and compassion that is independent of how they treat you in return. Gentleness involves controlling your reaction to people. It means choosing your own response to people rather than simply reacting to them. And when the reasonableness abounds in us…

• Anger is driven out, and kindness replaces it.
• Animosity is driven out, and peace replaces it.
• Impatience is driven out, and patience replaces it.
• Pride is driven out, and humility replaces it.
• Self-centeredness is taken out, and concern for others replaces it.

It’s the radical love Jesus taught in Matthew 5:39-41, where he says, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” I know this sounds crazy to many of us. We wouldn’t dare respond to getting hit by putting ourselves in a position to get hit again. In fact, the motto of many is, “If you hit me once, that’s your fault. But if I let you hit me again, that’s my fault.” Consequently, you walk around like a paranoid cowboy with an itchy trigger finger. You are loaded with a short temper, angry words, hurt feelings, painful memories, and a bunch of folk to blame your problems on. And the people in your way are just one look, one word, or one deed away from being blown to “smithereens.” Some people don’t even wait to actually be attacked. Just the feeling that their territory is being threatened – be it real or imagined – is sufficient cause for them to take matters into their own hands.

• No wonder you can’t get along with your family and friends!
• No wonder your coworkers and classmates make you want to go postal!
• No wonder you keep telling yourself that all church folk are hypocrites, so that you’ll have a ready excuse for not making a real commitment to godly people who can hold you accountable for your profession of faith!
• No wonder your romantic relationships never seem to work, mature, or last!
• No wonder it’s so easy for people you don’t even to push your buttons!

But there is another way – a better way. Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your reasonableness be know to everyone.” EUGENE PETERSON’S The Message paraphrase puts it this way: “Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them.” Did you get that? The text is not merely calling us to practice gentleness. It is calling us to practice gentleness in such an intentional, consistent, and obvious manner that it becomes evident to every person in our sphere of influence. Get that. Christians should be known for their gentleness. Let me ask you a question? What do you want to be known for?

• Do you want to be known for your good looks?
• Do you want to be known for your quit wit, your wealth, or your connections?
• Do you want to be known for your money, your education, or your family?
• Or perhaps you are more pious and want to be known for you prayer life, or your generous giving, or your Bible knowledge?

Well, I submit to you that all of these things are selfish, worldly, and unacceptable motivations for Christians! God calls us to a higher and nobler calling. And here it is: Be known for your gentleness.

Peter Miller had a neighbor lived near a man who hated him intensely because of his Christian life and testimony. The man violently opposed Miller and sought to do him great harm. But one day this unbeliever was found guilty of treason and was sentenced to death. Upon hearing this, Miller set out on foot to meet with George Washington to intercede on behalf of the man and plead for his life. The general listened to the minister’s earnest pleas but told him he did not believe he should pardon his friend. “My friend? He is not my friend,” answered Miller. “In fact, he’s my worst enemy. “What?” said Washington. “You have walked sixty miles to save the life of your enemy? That, in my judgment, puts the matter in a different light. I will grant your request.” So with pardon in hand, Miller hastened to the place where his adversary was to be executed, arriving just as the condemned prisoner was walking to the scaffold to be hanged. When the traitor saw Miller, he exclaimed with bitter anger, “Old Peter Miller has come to seek his revenge by watching me hang!" But to his astonishment, he watched the minister step out of the crowd and produce the pardon that spared his life.

This is the attitude Christians should be known for. And if this sounds unreasonable to you, remember that this is exactly how the God the Father has treated you through Jesus Christ. You had a death penalty over your head because of sin. But God has pardoned us through the bloody cross and empty tomb of Christ. Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

III. BE FOCUSED

Philippians 4:5 summarizes both the HORIZONTAL DIMENSION and the VERTICAL DYNAMIC of the Christian attitude. The horizontal dimension is summarized in verse 5a: “Let your reasonableness be known to all men.” The vertical dynamic is summarized in verse 5b: “The Lord is at hand.” What a statement! The Lord is at hand. The Lord is near. We can practice sweet reasonableness because we are focused the Lord is at hand. The Greek term translated “at hand” is used spatially and temporarily. It can speak of time to say that Christmas is near. Or it can speak of space to say that the chair is near. Commentators disagree about which meaning is intended here. But both implications are true. Jesus Christ is the ever-present Lord whose personal return may occur any time. Therefore, we don’t have to be stressed out. We can overcome the pressures of life by focusing on the fact that the Lord is at hand.

A. BEING FOCUSED ON CHRIST PRODUCES CONSECRATION.

Let me give some good news to the believers here and a warning to the unbelievers: Jesus Christ is coming again soon. Scripture does not tell us exactly when he is coming. But it does tell us that it is imminent. It can happen at any moment. The Lord could come back for us before I finish preaching this sermon. The Lord is at hand. He is near. The fact that the Lord is coming soon holds us accountable for how we live our lives. James 5:8-9 says, “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold the Judge is standing at the door!” 1 Peter 4:7 says, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” And 1 John 3:2-3 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

During an expedition to the Antarctic, SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON left some of his men on Elephant Island with the intent of returning for them and carrying them back to England. But he was delayed. By the time he could go back for them the sea had frozen and he had no access to the island. Three times he tried to reach them, but was prevented by the ice. Finally, on his fourth try, he broke through and found a narrow channel. Much to his surprise, he found the crewmen waiting for him, supplies packed and ready to board. They were soon on their way beck to England. He asked them how they knew to be ready for him. They told him that they didn’t know when he would return, but they were sure he would. So every morning, the leader rolled up his bag and packed his gear and told the crew to do the same saying, “Get things ready, boys, the boss may come today.” In that same spirit I declare to you today: “YOU BETTER GET THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE IN ORDER. THE LORD MAY COME TODAY!”

B. BEING FOCUSED ON CHRIST PRODUCES CONFIDENCE.

Let me close by saying that not only is Jesus on his way back. But in a real sense, he’s already here. The Lord encompasses us with his presence. His center is everywhere and his circumference is nowhere. And he will never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus is on his way. But he is already here. He is with you no matter what the situation is. He with you right now, whether you feel him or not. And that’s why we are confident. Psalm 119:151 says, “Your are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth.” Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” And Matthew 28:20a says, “And, lo, I am with you, always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus says…

• When you are sick, I am with you.
• When your heart is broken, I am with you.
• When family and friends forsake you, I am with you.
• When you’re broke, I am with you.
• When you don’t know which way to go, I am with you.
• When the enemy of attacks you, I am with you.
• When you feel as if you are all alone, I am with you.

NEVER A BURDEN THAT HE DOES NOT CARRY
NEVER A SORROW THAT HE DOES NOT SHARE
WHETHER YOU DAY MAY BE SUNNY OR DREARY
JESUS IS ALWAYS THERE.

During the filming of the famous movie Ben Hur, It is said that during filming, Charleton Heston had trouble learning to drive a chariot. With much practice he was finally able to control the vehicle, but still had some doubts. He reportedly explained his concerns to the director, Cecil B. DeMille, by saying, “I think I can drive the chariot, but I’m not sure I can win the race.” DeMille responded, “You just stay in the race and I’ll make sure you win.”

I’VE SEEN THE LIGHTNING LASHING AND HEARD THE THUNDER ROLL.
I’VE FELT SIN’S BREAKERS DASHING, WHICH TRIED TO CONQUER MY SOUL.
I’VE HEARD THE VOICE OF MY SAVIOR; HE BID ME STILL FIGHT ON.
HE PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE ME, NEVER TO LEAVE ME ALONE.

Notes from Sunday - 12/13/09

Let me begin with a note from Saturday. On December 12, my wife and I celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary. How time flies! I am unspeakably grateful for the precious gift the Lord has given me in Crystal. She has been a consistent channel of the love and grace of God in my life. And our relationship has been both a God-given means and motivation for sanctification. I married way out of my league. And being married to Crystal inspires me to keep striving to be a better man. I love her. I thank God for our marriage and all of its attending blessings. And I pray the Lord will give us many more blessed years - no, decades - together. Proverbs 18:22!

Early Sunday morning, I checked the weather report for the day (something I rarely ever do). The forecast predicted that it would rain all day long. It rained all day Saturday. So I assumed it was a fair guess that it would do the same Sunday. Wrong! As the day went on, the rain stopped, the clouds passed over, and it ended up being a beautiful, sunny day here in Jacksonville.

Our children's choir participated in our worship service and blessed us with their service, as always.

I thank God for all the guests who were with us in worship.

In our 10 AM service, I led the congregation in singing, "Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee." This is one of my favorite prayer hymns. I enjoyed leading the congregation is singing praise to God.

I preached a message from Philippians 4:4-5 that I entitled, "Don't Let it Stress You Out!"

May the Lord help me in my preaching!

Next Sunday's Message: "God's Answer for Your Anxieties" (Philippians 4:6-7).

Thank God for those who were added to the church today.

Last evening, the worship arts ministries of SMBC were in full concert. Shiloh is blessed to have many gifted and talented people in our music department who love Jesus Christ and are faithful in their service for Christ. Our children's choir, youth choir, young adult choir, men's chorus, praise ensemble, dance teams, and mass choir - along with our wonderful musicians - led us in a time of musical praise in celebration of the birth of Christ the King. I am grateful for the leadership of Roger Sears and very proud of our entire team.

The Dallas Cowboys lost 17-20 at home last night to the San Diego Chargers. I am disappointed. But I am going to cheer our team to victory this weekend over the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Yeah, I said it!

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who have been doing well in recent weeks, lost 10-14 at home to the Miami Dolphins.

Speaking @ Good Shepherd in Petersburg

I am on my way home this morning from Petersburg, VA - near Richmond. I spoke last night night at the closing service of the Fall Family Fellowship for Pastor Jeffrey L. Reaves, Sr. and the Good Shepherd Baptist Church.

The Lord is doing a great work in and through Good Shepherd. Several years ago, Pastor Reaves led the congregation in a relocation process. And they are using their new campus to make a real difference in their community and beyond for Jesus' sake.

It was an honor to have been invited to minister the word to this great congregation. And I praise the Lord for giving me strength to preach... and for who were added to the church and strengthened in their faith through the ministry of the word.

Please remember Pastor Reaves and the Good Shepherd Baptist Church in your prayers.

Embracing God's Mission For Your Life

Psalm 67 is not as well known as some of the other psalms more famous psalms. But prominence and significance do not often walk together hand-in-hand. Such is the case with Psalm 67. Even though it is somewhat obscure, Psalm 67 has an important message that can change your life and change the world. The message is that the Lord God desires to use your life to reach the world for his glory.

Psalm 67 is considered THE MISSIONARY PSALM, because of the emphasis it places on God being known, praised, enjoyed, and feared by all the nations. In fact, this psalm emphasizes the worship of God being spread to all nations more than any other psalm. Yet this missionary psalm has a very personal dimension. As a member of God’s covenant people, the writer begins this psalm by asking for God’s blessings and ends it in anticipation of God’s blessings. And the idea that I want to impress upon you from this psalm is that the writer’s personal desire for blessings and his missionary zeal for the nations are not in conflict. They are harmoniously related and even dependent on each other. Yes, the psalmist wanted to be blessed. But more than that, he wanted to be a channel of God’s blessings, not a terminal – a river of God’s blessings, not a reservoir – a pipeline of God’s blessings to others, not a faucet into his own house. He wanted to be blessed and to be a blessing. And I submit to you that this is how God desires to operate in and through our lives and this church. God desires to use you and me to reach the world for his glory.

I think I know what some of you are asking yourself. I ask myself the same questions as I meditate on the message of this psalm. Is this really true? How can God use someone like me to reach the world? Does God actually want me to be uprooted be planted in some foreign land as a missionary? The answer is yes and no. Yes, God is calling some of you into foreign fields of missionary work. And I encourage you today to heed the call of God on your life. But this is not the case for most of us. Yet the Lord still has a mission for your life. The story is told of a king who was converted to Christ and decided to denounce his throne in order to serve Jesus with his life. But in prayer, the Lord convinced him to stay on the throne and serve him as a king. The point is that the Lord has called every Christian to be a missionary. But only some of us will have to leave the country to obey that call. If that is not you, the Lord is calling you to embrace his mission for your life right where you are. And Psalm 67 reveals three ways in which God wants to use you to reach the world.

I. GOD WANTS TO USE YOU SO THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW HIM.

In Numbers 6:24-26, God commands Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons – the priests – to bless the people with these words: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” This priestly benediction is the prayer of the psalmist. Verse 1 says: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us.” The NKJV uses the word “merciful” in verse 1. But the word “gracious” is the more accurate translation. In fact, this Hebrew word is generally translated “gracious” in the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:25. The distinction is significant. The psalmist is not asking God for mercy, which restrains the divine punishment one deserves. He asks God for grace, which grants the divine blessings one does not deserve.

This is the psalmist’s request: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us.” Notice that the gracious blessings of God are pictured here in physical terms, with God’s face shining on his children. The psalmist did not want to experience the darkness of having God turn away from him. So he asks God to smile on him in such a way that the glory of God’s shining face would light up his life. Simply put, the psalmist asked God to bless his people in a great way. And this request teaches us that there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking God to bless your life. In a real sense, the psalmist was asking God for blessings that were already his. The point of the priestly blessing was to remind Israel that they were God’s blessed people. In Numbers 6:27, God says: “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” And if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord by faith, you have already been blessed. Ephesians 1:3 says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” In Christ, we are God’s blessed people. And through Christ, we have access to the blessings of God in our lives.

Verse 1 records the prayer request for God’s blessings; verse 2 records the intended result of these blessings: “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” The psalmist teaches us here how to pray personally and selflessly at the same time. He prayed for the blessings of God. But he was not just thinking about himself. And he was not just thinking about his family, tribe, or nation. He was thinking about people that he, most likely, would never personally meet. He was thinking about all the nations of the earth. The psalmist prayed personally and selflessly at the same time. And his example confronts us with the fact that we should not seek God’s blessings primarily for our own comfort, benefit, and prosperity. WARREN WIERSBE writes: “A blessing is a gift from God that glorifies his name, helps his people, and through them reaches out to help others who will glorify his name.” Mark it down: God blesses us that we might be a blessing to others. And God will soon stop sending blessings to you if he cannot send blessings through you.

So the psalmist prayed for personal blessings with selfless intentions: “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” The psalmist wanted to be blessed so that others might know God’s way. The implication here is that people will not – cannot know the way of God naturally, inevitably, or automatically. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve at us out of house and home. And our own sin has shut us out of the way to God, the way to truth, the way of righteousness, the way of forgiveness, and the way to heaven. The good news is that there is a way back to God. And God wants to use you and me to show lost people the way home to God. God wants to use us to get the message out that the only way back to God is through the righteous life and atoning death of Jesus Christ. In John 14:5, Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” And in John 14:6, Jesus answered: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We who live on this side of Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter know that God’s way and saving power are only known through the Lord Jesus Christ. So we should live, pray, and serve so that everyone may know who Jesus is.

HOW TO REACH THE MASSES, MEN OF EVERY BIRTH
FOR AN ANSWER JESUS GAVE THE KEY:
“AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH,
WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME.”

II. GOD WANTS TO USE YOU SO THAT THE WORLD MAY WORSHIP HIM.

In the opening verses of this psalm, the writer prays for the blessings of God, so that all the nations might know God’s ways and God’s saving power. But verses 3-5 show us that world evangelization itself must not be our goal. The salvation of the nations is simply a means to an infinitely greater end: the glory of God. We pray that the nations may know God so that the nations may worship God. In Let the Nations be Glad, JOHN PIPER writes: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church, worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.” This is the passion of the psalmist. He is convinced that God is worthy of the highest praise. And it is expressed by his longing that all the nations would join in praising God. In fact, this is the refrain of Psalm 67. It is recorded in verse 3 and repeated in verse 5: “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!”

The author of Psalm 67 is anonymous. But whoever it is, it is clear that he was a true worshiper of the Lord God. But the proof that he was one who worshiped God in spirit and in truth is not found in his personal worship or his corporate worship with the assembly of Israel. The proof of his worship is found in the fact that he longed for the unsaved people of the Gentile nations to repent, believe, and worship the true and living God. He desired to see the exhortation of Psalm 100:1 fulfilled: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!” This is the passionate longing of every true worshiper.

O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING
MY GREAT REDEEMER’S PRAISE
THE GLORIES OF MY GOD AND KING
THE TRIUMPHS OF HIS GRACE

Matthew 28:18-20 records what we call THE GREAT COMMISSION. Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord that reigns over all creation. And he has charged his followers to lead those who do not know him to repent of their sins, trust him for salvation, and follow him in obedience. But note the scope of this mission. Jesus does not call us to make disciples of our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates - even though the unsaved people in our circle of influence desperately need our witness for the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But Jesus calls us to a mission that is far greater than just our family and friends. He calls us to make disciples of all the nations – of all the unreached peoples of the world. This is a mission that is as small as your neighborhood and as big as six billion people. Yet because Christ has authority over all creation, all the nations of the world should love, trust, and serve him. This is the ultimate goal of our evangelism and missions and outreach – that a greater number of worshipers will praise the Lord!

This psalm uses a literary device called Inclusio. Inclusio is when a statement is repeated to give emphasis to what is said between the repeated statements. Psalm 67 is an example of this. In verses 3 and 5, the psalmist expresses his longing that all peoples would be converted to worship God. But verse 4 is the central, pivotal statement the psalmist seeks to emphasis in this psalm: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.”

True worship is a two-sided coin. It is in spirit and in truth. It is rooted in both personal experience and external truth. The WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM may explain it best: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” These are the two sides of worship. The glory of God is to rise far above and beyond us. But the enjoyment of God is to dwell within us. Our text reflects this. Verses 3 and 5 call for the nations to glorify God: “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” But verse 4 calls for the nations to enjoy God: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” Why should the nations of the earth renounce their idol gods turn to the living God in joyful singing? Verse 4 gives two reasons: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the people with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” This statement affirms the holy justice and sovereign authority of God. But it does not point to these divine attributes as reasons to avoid God in the search for joy. Rather, it presents them as reason why unsaved, unbelieving people ought to be converted and sing for joy in God.

THERE IS JOY IN THE HOLY JUSTICE OF GOD. Verse 4 says of God: “you judge the peoples with equity.” I know it may sound odd to speak of finding joy in the judgment of God. But the psalmist does not call for the nations to be glad about the judgment of God itself. He calls for them to rejoice in the manner of God’s judgment. God judges the peoples with truth, equity, and righteousness. The nations should be glad in God because you can trust God to always do what is right. And do not indict the holy justice of God by the poverty, racism, violence, injustice, and corruption that is so rampant in the world. Blame sin for that; not God. Instead, measure God’s holy justice by the cross of Jesus Christ. It was there God judged the nations by placing the guilt on our sins on his own dear Son. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” On the cross, God treated Jesus as if he had committed all of our sins, so that by faith he might treat us as if we have performed all of the righteousness of Christ.

THERE IS JOY IN THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY OF GOD. Verse 4 says: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the people with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” The nations of the world are in need of guidance. But where should we turn to find it. The psalmist says the nations should rejoice in the fact that God guides the nations. This term “guide” does not refer to the wisdom with which God works in the world; it refers to the authority with which God works. The NKJV renders it better: God will “govern the nations on earth.” God rules over the nations. Psalm 103:19 says: “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” Our God is sovereign. That means he reigns in perfect authority over everything and everyone at all times. God is in charge of everything. God is God all by himself. And we ought not to be turned off by this. We ought to rejoice and be glad to know that our lives and the direction of our world is not the result of chance, accident, or circumstance. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God guides, guards, and governs everything that happens in this world. And the nations should rejoice to know that he has the whole world in his hands.

III. GOD WANTS TO USE YOU SO THAT THE WORLD MAY FEAR HIM.

Psalm 67 ends the same way it begins: with a statement about what it means to be blessed. Verse 6a describes the blessed life in agricultural terms: “The earth has yielded its increase.” The grammar of Psalm 67 is somewhat complex. Consequently, translators disagree as to whether this statement should be rendered in the past tense (“The earth has yielded its increase”), or the future tense (“The earth shall yield its increase”). But either way you read it, it is affirmation of the faithfulness of God. Foundationally, this statement highlights the dilemma of human inability. Think about it. The farmer works the field. But he cannot make the earth yield its increase. God must bring the harvest. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Paul says: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” Paul could not produce a harvest own his own. He needed to partner with the labors of Apollos. But Paul and Apollos couldn’t produce a harvest together either. All of their labors would have been in vain if God did not give the increase and make it grow. So the fact that God causes the earth to yield its increase affirms that we can trust the faithfulness of God to take care of us when we cannot take care of ourselves.

SUMMER AND WINTER, AND SPRING-TIME AND HARVEST
SUN, MOON AND STARS IN THEIR COURSES ABOVE
JOIN WITH ALL NATURE IN MANIFOLD WITNESS
TO THY GREAT FAITHFULNESS, MERCY AND LOVE

Furthermore, the earth yielding its harvest is a picture of the constant, providential, and generally unnoticed manner in which God takes care of his people. The process of crops growing in the field is not a noisy, obvious, and sensational thing. The earth yields its increase quietly. But it is a mighty work that only happens because of the faithfulness of almighty God. In Genesis 3:17-18, God punishes Adam’s sin by declaring: “cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.” Because of sin, all we can produce is thorns and thistles. Only God is able to make the earth yield its increase. And God is faithful to provide. But the faithfulness of God is most often not demonstrated in sensational ways – a new this, I bigger that, a better the other. The faithfulness of God is regularly demonstrated in the ordinary but perpetual ways God takes care of his children. You have life, health, and strength because God is faithful. You have food, clothing, and shelter because God is faithful. You have family, friends, and loved-ones because God is faithful.

And because we can put our confidence in the faithfulness of God, we can be confident about the favor of God. Verses 6-7 read: “The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” In verse 1, the psalmist prays that God would be gracious to him and bless him. Now, in verses 6-7, he announces the future arrival of God’s blessings with confident expectation. But he does not expect the coming favor of God because he has earned it or deserves it. His confidence is in the faithfulness of God, not his own. Because God faithfully causes the earth to yield its increase, the psalmist was confident that God would bless them in the days to come. And I submit to you because God is faithful, you too can live with the expectation of God’s blessings on your life. In Lamentations 3:21-24, Jeremiah says: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion, says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

I repeat: Because God is faithful, you can live with confidence that God knows when – where – how to bless you. He is ready, willing, and able to bless in such a great way that all the nations will fear him. Verse 7 says: “God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” What is the fear of God? The fear of God is the fear of God. That is, if you really know and worship God; there ought to be some things you are afraid to say. There ought to be some things you are afraid to do. There ought to be some places you are afraid to God. This is the goal of God’s blessings in your life: that the ends of the earth should fear God. But the good news of the fear of God is that if you really fear God; you don’t have to fear anything else. Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 46:1-3 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” And Psalm 118:6 says, “The Lord is on my side, I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

WHAT A FELLOWSHIP, WHAT A JOY DIVINE
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS
WHAT A BLESSEDNESS; WHAT A PEACE IS MINE
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS

WHAT HAVE I TO DREAD, WHAT HAVE I TO FEAR
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS
I HAVE PERFECT PEACE WITH MY LORD SO NEAR
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS

Notes from Sunday - 11/29/09

We emphasize world missions and local outreach on fifth Sundays at Shiloh. Praise God for those who set aside a gift to share toward our mission and outreach efforts.

A big “shout out” (see, I can be hip, too) to Henry Meyers for sharing with us today about the work of Mission Harvest America.

Our Sunday morning Bible Study Fellowship groups are studying through The Fundamentals of the Faith workbook (produced by Grace Community Church in Southern California and published by Moody). I am encouraged by the reports I am receiving of how our members are learning and growing. 3 John 4.

Our women’s chorus led us in musical praise today. I am grateful to God for their service.

As always, I am grateful for all of the guests who were in worship with us today. It was good to meet Shiloh member relatives who were in town for the holiday.

Praise God for the family that was baptized in our service this morning.

My little sister, Donetta, sang one of my favorite hymns today: “Only What You Do For Christ Will Last.” (Please pray for her as she makes her way home to Oklahoma City this week).

I decided to preach today on Missions. I preached from Psalm 67, which is called “The Missionary Psalm.”

This psalm has had a tremendous impact on my view of missions. Rather than focusing on the needs of men, it focuses on the glory of God. Our devotion to God should move us to strive to reach the nations.

Random testimony: I love the book of Psalms!

I have been struggling with sinus problems the past couple of days. It made it very difficult to preach both times today. It was hard to just talk, which made it hard to concentrate. Thank God for his help. Please pray for me.

I plan to resume my study of Philippians next week with a message on chapter 4, verses 2-3.

Praise God for those who were added to the church today.

No Cowboys today. They took care of business Thursday by beating down the Raiders The Cowboys now lead their division with an 8-3 record.

Please make note that Shiloh has a new web address: www.smbcjax.com.

Out of the Salt Shaker

THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Matthew 5:13

Sodium Chloride – SALT - gets a lot of bad press. It is blamed for everything from hypertension to obesity to heart disease. The need for salt is questioned. Its use is discouraged. And its presence on many tables is often more decorative than anything else. But this was not the case when Jesus announced to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” In the cultural world of the ancient Near East, salt was an essential and valuable commodity. For example, the Roman government often paid their soldiers’ wages in salt. And a good, faithful man was said to be “worth his salt.” In fact, our English word “salary” comes from the Latin word, salarium, which means to trade or barter with salt. Salt served a wide array of purposes in the ancient world. Interestingly, scholars have just as many interpretations of what Jesus meant by this statement about salt in Matthew 5:13. But of all the possible meanings, there are three primary interpretations that deserve our attention.

First of all, SALT PREVENTS DECAY. In the ancient East, families did not have refrigerators or freezers. To prevent meat from spoiling, they would pack it in salt. The salt would slow down the process of spoiling. That is what it means for Christians to be the salt of the earth. The presence of the saints in the world is a sovereign act of restraining grace. We are the salt of the earth, without which the forces of evil would have little or no resistance in the world. Secondly, SALT PROMOTES THIRST. When you intake a lot of salt; you become thirsty. And that is what it means for Christians to be the salt of the earth. We ought to live in such a way that we cause people to be dissatisfied with the passing pleasures of the world and to become thirsty for the living God. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The most obvious use of salt, in both the ancient and modern world, is that of a flavoring agent. SALT PROVIDES FLAVOR. It seasons. It makes things taste better. One little boy said, “Salt is what makes food taste bad when it’s not on it!” I believe this is the primary point Jesus makes when he says, “You are the salt of the earth.” The latter part of the verse supports this, as Jesus warns about the consequences of salt losing its flavor. Christians are to the earth what salt is to food. As salt makes food taste better, followers of Jesus Christ are to influence this sinful world for the kingdom of God. We are to be kingdom condiments. We are to be sanctified seasoning. We are to add godly flavoring to this insipid world. To be the salt of the earth that Christ calls us to be, we must live our lives for God, not for this world. We are the salt of the earth. But we are salt for God. We live for the pleasure of God in order to make a difference in the world.

Here’s the issue. God is holy. This world is sinful. And our holy God cannot tolerate sin. So he has left the church on earth to salt it so that he can tolerate this sinful world. Of course, that does not mean that Christians are perfect. Rather, we are people who have experienced the goodness of God in Christ and who, as a consequence, live to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The presence of citizens of the kingdom of heaven makes this corrupt world palatable to the holiness of God. We are the salt of the earth. This principle is illustrated throughout scripture.

• We see this in Noah and the flood.
• We see this in Joseph and Potipher’s house.
• We see this in Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• We see it in Paul and the pagan sailors who were shipwrecked with him.
• And we ultimately see it in the church of Jesus Christ.

We are the salt of the earth. But are we living and serving and representing the kingdom as Christ has called us to? VANCE HAVNER wrote, “For too long we have been tickling palates with fancy flavors, spicy relishes, and clever recipes borrowed from the world. Too many pulpits serve gourmet theology with menus from Hollywood and are trying to please the jaded appetites of the fed-up humanity. But what we really need is some old-fashioned salt. And if we do not start producing more of it in our churches, we shall be good for nothing.” I agree. And I stand to say let the church be the church! And what is the church? You are the salt of the earth. In the scientific chart of elements, salt is sodium chloride. But in Matthew 5:13, Jesus gives us the place of salt in the kingdom chart of elements.

I. JESUS DESCRIBES HIS FOLLOWERS AS THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

The first two words of Matthew 5:13 are crucial: “You are…” These two words tell us that this statement is a description, not a prescription. It is not a command or an exhortation. Jesus is not challenging his followers to some ideal behavior; he is simply stating the nature of kingdom citizenship. You are the salt of the earth. Jesus does not say, “You should be salt.” He does not promise, “You will be salt.” He does not command you to be salt. He does not exhort us to act like salt. He does not encourage you to strive for saltiness. And he doesn’t exhort us to pray that God will make you salt. He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” In this statement, our function as salt is assumed. But our nature as salt is explicit. In fact, it’s emphatic, “You, and only you, are the salt of the earth.” The fact that Jesus says salt is what you are makes a vital point about maximizing kingdom influence. The Lord considers who you are to be more important that what you do. And the Lord is only pleased with what you do when it flows from who you are.

In many instances, churches emphasize performance and ignore character. We give positions of influence to people based on their talents, longevity, or connections. And we often fail to factor in the things that matter the most – like conversion experience, spiritual vitality, Christian maturity, biblical qualifications, godly wisdom, moral purity, and Christlike humility. But God will not settle for salt substitutes. God is not as concerned with your gifts, talents, and abilities as he is your holiness, godliness, and Christlikeness. With God, character precedes and predetermines performance.

D. MARTIN LLOYD-JONES said, “Christians, by being Christians, influence society almost automatically.” Indeed, you can make a difference in this world by just being who you are. Just be salt. Act like a Christian. Conduct yourself as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. What does that look like in practical terms? Jesus describes the God-blessed, Christ exalting, and kingdom focuses life in Matthew 5:3-12. It is to be poor in spirit. To mourn. To be meek. To hunger and thirst after righteousness. To be merciful. To be pure in heart. To be peacemakers. To rejoice in undeserved persecution. To be the salt of the earth is to live in such a way that your life makes the gospel of Jesus Christ more attractive to this lost world.

There is both good news and bad news here.

I’ll give you the good news first. The good news is that God uses salt. That is, God uses ordinary things. Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t describe those he uses as the gold of the earth? Or the silver of the earth? Or the jewels of the earth? Then most of us would not be fit to represent the kingdom of heaven in this world? But God in his sovereign grace uses ordinary people like you and me. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, nor many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” Thank God he uses salt. That means that God can use you.

• God can use you without great talents.
• God can use you without a seminary degree.
• God can use you without a lot of money.
• God can use you without social prominence.
• God can use you without physical beauty.

Have you struggled to find your spiritual gifts? Be encouraged and know that God’s personnel department has a wise variety of available jobs. Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth. There are some fourteen thousand industrial uses for salt. That’s a lot of possibilities! All God needs of you in order to use you is all of you. And that is the bad news. The good news is that God can use you. God wants to you use. In fact, God will you use. In John 15:8, Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” In other words, it’s God will to use you. Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “Frankly, I think we’re being redundant to ask God to use us. We’re requesting him to do something he already desires to do.” So if God is not using you to influence this world for his glory, it’s not because he doesn’t want to use you. But it may be because you have not made yourself usable. You may not have made yourself useful. You may not have made yourself available.

Suppose you have buy a house or building, and the former owner comes to you with the keys. There are twelve rooms in the house. But he only gives you six keys. You say, “Where are the other keys?” “Oh,” he says, “You can’t have them! There are some rooms I don’t want you to see. There are some things I want you to move.” Of course, you say, “I purchased the whole house. And I want all the keys!” Likewise, God cannot use you if you don’t make yourself totally available to him. So sometimes God will start shaking things up in your life to make you useful. You are the salt of the earth. But God cannot use you to influence the world for the kingdom if you never get out of the saltshaker. So there are times when God has to take you out of your comfort zone, turn your life upside down, and start shaking things up in order to make you useable for his glory.

II. JESUS WARNS HIS FOLLOWERS ABOUT THE FAILURE TO BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

Notice Matthew 5:13 again: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” After describing his followers as the salt of the earth, Jesus raises a dilemma. What if the salt loss its taste, flavor, or savor? What do you do if the salt is no longer salty? At this point, commentators scramble to rescue Jesus. Salt is a stable compound. It never loses its taste. But the commentators, determined to protect Jesus from reproach, explain that the salt made in the granaries near the Dead Sea were actually unstable and could lose its saltiness if adulterated by other substances. When this happened, they say, the salt would be tossed out as useless and trampled under the feet of those who passed along the way.

That sounds interesting. But that kind of cultural reinterpretation of the text gives Jesus protection that he may not want. I think Jesus intentionally turned this word picture on its head to make an essential point about the kingdom influence his followers are to have in this world. Here it is: Salt is different. For salt to influence the taste of food, it must first have intimate contact with it. So much so that the salt dissolves and disappears as it infiltrates the food. But even though the salt becomes so thoroughly entrenched in the food, you know there’s salt in the food because the presence of the salt makes the food taste different. But what use would it serve to put salt on food if it tastes no different than the food you place it on? What good is salt that is not different? If salt becomes tasteless, what do you do, salt it? This ridiculous scenario is meant to be a divine warning about the great contradiction and severe consequences of worldliness in the believer’s life.

Suppose a person accidentally left a steak on the kitchen counter just before leaving on vacation. Upon returning home, he would be welcomed with a horrendous odor. He would stumble to the kitchen, trying to imagine what could cause such a stench. When finding the meat he would not blame the meat for being a rotten slab of beef. He would kick himself for failing to preserve the meat in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, we Christians are often not that logical in our response to this sinful world. We make plenty negative comments and vent great frustrations over this rotten society. But our culture is simply doing what comes naturally. As hard as it is to admit, we should quit leveling blame of decadence on pagans and start asking why the church is not more effectively preventing decay from setting in. And the only way we can make of difference is if our lives demonstrate the difference that Jesus Christ makes. Mark it down.

• It matters how you conduct live each day.
• It matters how you lead your family.
• It matters how you treat your neighbor.
• It matters how you perform your job.
• It matters how you manage your material possessions.
• It matters how you respond to trials and temptations.

Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Notice the severe consequences for losing one’s saltiness. Jesus said you are good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Think bout that. Some things that lose their original purpose can still be used for other things. But you cannot do that with salt. There is no such thing as recycled salt. Unsalty salt is worthless. A rabbi at the end of the first century was asked how one could make saltless salt salty again. He replied that one should salt it with the afterbirth of a mule. The problem with this answer is that mules are sterile. But that was exactly the rabbi’s point. Moreover, that is the warning the Lord Jesus issues to nominal, worldly, and unfruitful disciples. Luke 14:34-35 says, “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be resorted? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” A disciple who does not live like a disciple is worth about as much as tasteless salt or invisible light.

This warning about the peril of unsalty salt should lead us to examine our profession of faith. Salvation comes when you repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It has nothing to do anything that you do. It is all about what God has done for us through the righteous life and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Salvation comes to those who put their in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin. But true assurance of salvation does not come by merely remembering some day in the past when you professed faith in Jesus Christ. And it does not come by tallying up all of the religious things you do. True assurance comes as God conforms you into the image of his Son by the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” More than just remembering the day when you walked down the aisle and gave the preacher your hand, you ought to be looking into the mirror of God’s word to see if there is evidence of real change taking place in your life.

In his little book, Stop Dating the Church, JOSHUA HARRIS lists ten “must-haves” you should factor in as you search for a church home. The ninth question listed is quite provocative: Is this a church that is willing to kick me out? That may seem to be a harsh factor that would cause you to avoid a church. But, in reality, that’s the kind of church you ought to be looking for. When a person who claims to be a Christian lives in a way that blatantly contradicts all that it means to be a disciple of Christ, a faithful congregation’s responsibility is to begin the process of removing that person from membership and to treat him or her like an unbeliever in the hope that he or she will repent and ultimately be restored.

Now, that may see unloving to you. But I submit to you that what is really unloving is for a person to live in a way that contradict the way of Christ without repentance and be in a church that allows them to think that they are right with God when they are not. I hear people say, “I’m saved and on my way to heaven anyhow?” But that’s not the truth. You don’t go to heaven anyhow. You get to heaven God’s way. So you don’t get assurance of salvation in spite of how you live. You get assurance of salvation by how you live. If you are saved, there will be a difference in how you live.

Let me close with a word to unbelievers and a word to believers.

A WORD TO UNBELIEVERS. Maybe you have refused to accept Christ because of the way you have seen Christians live. “Church people are just hypocrites,” you say. But let me tell you that Jesus Christ is not a hypocrite. And as long as he is who he said he is and as long as he did what he said he did, he is worthy of your trust, love, worship, service, and obedience. In John 14:6 Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Look to Jesus and be saved. Unlike salt, too much of Jesus will not make you sick. To the contrary, he gets sweeter as the days go by!

A WORD TO BELIEVERS. Jesus warns his followers about the consequences of failing to be the salt of the earth. And the severe consequences are that you will not be able to influence others for the kingdom. In fact, just the opposite takes place. You are thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. But notice that it is people who will reject you, not Jesus. If you fail to be what God calls you to be, you rob yourself of the opportunity to be a godly influence in the lives of others. And people may want to have nothing to do with you. But that doesn’t mean that is how God will treat you. God majors in using people who are good for nothing. The emphasis of the text is not the warning. It is the calling: You are the salt of the earth. And the message of the text is that the Lord has placed a calling on your life. The Lord believes in you.

At artist went to visit a dear friend. When he arrived, she was weeping. He asked why. She showed him a handkerchief of exquisite beauty that had a great sentimental value, which had been ruined by a drop of indelible ink. The artist asked her to let him have the handkerchief, which he returned to her by mail several days later. When she opened the package she could hardly believe her eyes. The artist, using the inkblot as a base, had drawn on the handkerchief a design of great with special ink. Now it was more beautiful and more valuable than ever. And sometimes the tragedies that break our hearts can become the basis for a more beautiful design in our lives.

Notes from Sunday - 11/15/09

Praise God for another Lord’s Day in worship at the Shiloh Baptist Church.

I taught my New Members Class for the first time in two weeks. It was good to be back in the saddle again. Thank Deacon Brinkley for filling in.

The choir sung one of my favorite Thompson Community Singers songs this morning – “I Tried Him And I Know Him.” (Does anyone remember all the great "Tommies" songs that Kim McFarland led?). It was very encouraging.

I continued my study of Philippians today with a message on 3:15-19 that I called, “The Importance of Christian Fellowship.”

I actually spent this week studying Philippians 3:15-16. However, Saturday afternoon my plans changed and I decided to preach verses 15-19. I am glad that I did.

I hope to go back to preached the sermon I prepared on verses 15-16 someday. But I really doubt that it will happen.

Next week’s text: Philippians 3:20-4:1.

Random Bible study note: The Bible was not written in verses and paragraphs. It was written in complete thoughts. The verse-chapter divisions were added centuries later. And they are not Inspired.

Thank God for those who were added to the church today.

Congratulations to Pastor George E. Hurtt and the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church on your celebration of one year together as pastor and people. Philippians 1:3.

I cannot believe the USC Trojans were beat down by Stanford yesterday. Stanford? Stanford! Oh well, no Rose Bowl this year.

Last night Manny Pacquiao made history by scoring at twelfth round TKO again Miguel Cotto. Bring on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather!

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers this afternoon.

The Jaguars pulled one out against the New York Jets today. Interesting decision to down the ball at the one yard line. Good thing they made the field goal.

God's Cause

Sovereign God,

Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom
To set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns;
Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honor to thy name is my sole desire.
I adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise thee,
that thou mightest have all the glory from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as midnight.
But thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is thine,
and it is to thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as though wilt,
do with me what thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let thy kingdom come,
let thy blessed interest be advanced in this world!
O do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
Let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labor for thee to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness
It is thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own.

O, answer thou my request!

Finishing the Beatitudes

I am preaching through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) on Wednesday nights. Last night, I complete the introductory section - The Beatitudes of Jesus (Matt. 5:3-12).

The next section of the passage in Matthew 5:13-16, where Jesus describes the influence his disciples should have on the world for the kingdom of heaven. Using to gripping and dynamic word pictures, Jesus declares, "You are the salt of the earth" (5:13) and "You are the light of the world" (5:14-16).

Following this paragraph, I will be venturing into new ground in my exposition. Over the past two months, I have taken a fresh look at the beatitudes. But I have benefited from study notes that I already had on file. But I am now at a place in the text where I must study each text from scratch. I am looking forward to digging into portions of scripture that I have never studied or taught before. But it will require a lot more work. So please remember my study time in your prayers and my sequential exposition of Philippians on Sundays and the Sermon on the Mount on Wednesdays.

I preached last night from the final beatitude recorded in Matthew 5:10-12, in which Jesus blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. I entitled the message, "In the Line of Fire." It was very hard work. But the Lord is faithful. Here is the sermon skeleton from last night's message:

Title: "In the Line of Fire"

Text: Matthew 5:10-12

Series: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

Theme: The blessing of Christian persecution

Point: The Lord blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

Outline:

I. The reality of Christian persecution (5:10-11)

A. You will be reviled (v. 11)

B. You will be persecuted (v. 11)

C. You will be slandered (v. 11)

II. The reason for Christian persecution (5:10-11)

A. You will be persecuted for righteousness' sake (v. 10)

B. You will be persecuted for Christ's sake (v. 11)

III. The response to Christian persecution (5:12)

A. Look up and rejoice: "for your reward is great in heaven"

B. Look back and rejoice: "for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you"

Celebrating 1 Year as Pastor & People

This past week, we celebrated our first year together as pastor and people at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville.

It is hard to believe that a whole year has past since I was installed as the pastor of SMBC. It really does seem like it was just yesterday. It has been a year in which God has proven himself faithful, as always.

I am grateful, humbled, and overwhelmed by the goodness of God in sending me to such a loving people, who appreciate the word of God, and who are willing to follow leadership, and our eager to reach lost people with the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord could have sent me to a place where the ministry of the word is "out of season." It is the Lord's mercy that he has given me a people as the wonderful membership of Shiloh.

Our Sunday morning services were a blessed of the Lord. Particularly, the 10 AM service was very special. There were several surprises added to the order of service in celebration of my first pastoral anniversary. I don't like surprises! But these were so encouraging. My heart was so moved with gratitude for all that God has done for us. The Lord has done great things in our midst. And he is worthy to be praised!

Our music department brought their A-game as this lead us in musical praise. As always, it was good to have Genesis (children's) choir participating in our worship. It was also good to hear Ray sing again. Glad he is feeling better.

I preached on Philippians 3:12-14: "Striving to Be Like Christ." I leaned into a pitch, took one for the team, in order to get on base. The presentation did not reflect my level of preparation. Thank God his grace is sufficient and his strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Next Sunday's text: Philippians 3:15-16.

Praise God for those who received Christ and were added to the church.

Sunday afternoon, our sister church - The Bethel Institutional Baptist Church - joined us in worship. It was a privilege to have Drs. Rudolph McKissick Jr. & Sr. and the good people of the Bethel family to celebrate God's goodness with us. The Bethel praise team and choir lifts our hearts in praise. And my friend and brother, Pastor McKissick Jr., ministered a great word from Mark 2:1-11 - "The Right Kind of Noise."  

Thank you, Shiloh, for your prayers, kindness, and encouragement. Your expressions of love have uplifted me in more ways that I can express.

I love you. And I daily thank the Lord for the wonderful privilege and sacred duty of being your pastor-teacher.

May the Lord grant us many years together to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to advance the kingdom of God on earth in this generation!

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)

hbc2

George Hurtt Speaking @ Shiloh

Last night, my friend and brother, George Hurtt (Sr. Pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles) spoke for our midweek service at Shiloh.

George served alongside of me during my ministry at Mt. Sinai. And after my departure, George was selected as my successor. Under his ministry, the church continues to grow and have a strong witness for Christ in Los Angeles.

George is my dear friend, brother in Christ, and fellow Gospel soldier. And it was a great honor to have him minister to the saints at Shiloh.

And my goodness did the Lord use him to preach. His message was taken from Psalm 37:7-11. He preached on Waiting on God. Without a doubt, it was a word in season. I needed the message. And so did many other the saints in attendance.

I am very proud of George and praise God for all that the Lord is doing in and through George life and ministry.

Please remember George Hurtt and the Mt. Sinai Church family in your prayers.

Is Gambling A Good Bet?

Let me begin by putting my cards on the table (pun intended): I BELIEVE THAT GAMBLING IS A BIBLICALLY INDEFENSIBLE ACTIVITY.

• I agree with GEORGE WASHINGTON: “Gambling is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.”
• I agree with MARTIN LUTHER: “Money won by gambling is not won without self-seeking and love of self, and not without sin.”
• I agree with AUGUSTINE: “The devil invented gambling.”
• I agree with MARK TWAIN: “The best throw at dice is to throw them away.”
• And I agree with STANLEY HAUERWAS: “Tell the people who are involved in gambling that as Christians they can’t do it. Otherwise, you’re just caught up in the pluralistic politics that will ultimately destroy the church.”

I know these quotes may seem harsh, strict, and narrow. But I do not think I overstate my case when I say that those who trust God don’t gamble and those who gamble don’t trust God. As stark as it seems, the final analysis is that that we must choose between God and gambling.

Let me preface my argument with two qualifications.

GOD IS NOT AGAINST MONEY, WEALTH, OR PROSPERITY. Spirituality and poverty are not synonyms. One does not assume the other. A rich person can be modest, generous, and Christlike. And a poor person can be selfish, covetous, and materialistic. The difference is the disposition of your heart, not your financial status. 1 Timothy 6:10 says: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Don’t misread that statement. Money itself is not the root of all kinds of evil. Money is morally neutral. But your attitude toward money is either godly or worldly. So do not confuse any statement in this message to mean that God wants all his people to be broke, sick, and miserable. The truth is that every dollar that comes into your possession through legitimate means is gained because of God, not in spite of him. Proverb 10:22 says, “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” And 1 Timothy 6:17 says “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

GOD IS NOT AGAINST TAKING RISKS. All gambling involves risks. But not all risks involve gambling. And it is gambling that God is against, not risk-taking. Life is full of risks. Any entrepreneurial endeavor involves certain risks. Every job, no matter what it is, involves some risks. Your decision to follow Christ involved risk. You decision to get out of bed this morning involved risks. Risk is an inevitable reality of life in a fallen world. In fact, the Parable of the Talents, recorded in Matthew 25:14-30, condemns those who are blessed by the Lord but who are unwilling to take any risks for him. God is not against risk taking. But God is against games that involve gambling.

There is no lost eleventh commandment that says, “THOU SHALT NOT GAMBLE.” I cannot quote book, chapter, and verse that explicitly prohibit gambling. In fact, the words “gamble” or “gambling” are not even used in any of the major translations of the Bible. The only time the concept of gambling as sport is ever mentioned in the Bible is when the soldiers cast lots for the clothes of Jesus as the foot of the cross. So if gambling is not discussed in scripture, how does one come to the conclusion that God is against gambling? There are four biblical concepts that lead to the conviction that gambling is not a good bet.

I. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

A.W. PINK said it well that the sovereignty of God simply means that God is God. And because God is God – the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things, we must abstain from gambling to trust, honor, and submit to the sovereign authority of God. Let me explain. Games that involve gambling are most often based on luck, fate, or chance. But these ideas are all incompatible with the God of the Bible. Atheism, agnosticism, and deism have a view of God that permits fate, luck, and chance. Atheism simply says there is no such being as God. Agnosticism says we do not or cannot know whether God actually exists. Deism says there is a God who created the heavens and the earth. But deism believes that God wound up the world like a clock and then left it to run on its own devices.

If you hold to one of these views, you can easily embrace the ideas of fate, luck, and chance. But Christians are theists. More specifically, we believe that the God who has eternally coexisted as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is alive, awake, alert, aware, almighty, and at-work, accomplishing his own agenda. And this idea of a living, personal, sovereign God is not merely the position of brainwashed fanatics. And it is not merely the conclusion of pedantic theologians who teach outdated doctrines in stuffy academic settings. One of the first songs we teach children to sing says, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Faith in luck and faith in God are mutually exclusive. To believe in the God Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, and the church is to disbelieve in fate, luck, and chance.

Someone may object: “What about the times when people cast lots in scripture? Did God approve of that?” Yes. People did cast lots in the Bible. It was a crude equivalent to rolling dice. It had the same purpose as pulling straws. And, yes, God did approve of it at times. But it was not gambling. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Get that. Nothing just happens. God is in control of everything. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

You may be thinking, “H. B., aren’t you pushing this thing a little too far? Sure, I gamble every now and then. But I am not intentionally practicing idolatry or pagan superstition. It’s just fun. I’m a recreational gambler. I do it for entertainment.” Sure. Okay. All right. God is not anti-fun, anti-recreation, anti-entertainment, anti-happiness, or anti-pleasure. But 2 Timothy 3:4 says that God is definitely against those who are lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. God is against any form of fun, entertainment, or pleasure that is exalted over our love for him. And this applies beyond gambling. We as Christians need to do a much better job at disciplining the media, technology, and activities we engage in. We must not engage in anything that will make our lives empty, our faith weak, or our witness ineffective. In their book Preaching to Strangers, WILLIAM WILLIMON and STANLEY HAUERWAS write: “To be a witness does not consists in engaging in propaganda nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.”

II. THE SPIRITUAL AFFECTS OF YOUR CONDUCT

Gambling is a difficult and complex issue to discuss, because of the different levels, nuances, and perceptions related to it. Consequently, Americans have never been on one accord about whether or not gambling is wrong. Even religious groups waver between support or toleration of it and active opposition to it. But while the intrinsic evil of gambling may be debated, the extrinsic effects of gambling cannot.

• Gambling feeds on human weakness, contributes to the debasement of character, and destroys self-respect.
• Gambling attracts a number social pathologies, including alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution, pornography, and violent crime.
• Gambling increases divorce, poverty, and suicides.
• Gambling, both legal and illegal, leads to bribery, swindling, and tax evasion.
• Gambling produces nothing. The gambler loses. The community loses. Only the game owner or operator really wins. Most of the gamblers do not.
• Gambling doesn’t produce any new wealth. Legalize gambling, take 100 people and let the action begin. When you return, there will be no new products created, no source of new wealth. There will only be a redistribution of money on an unfair basis.

HERE’S THE POINT. Gambling produces only negative results. It is parasitic in nature. It carries detrimental personal and social consequences with it. Let me bottom-line this for you: BAD GAMBLING IS REDUNDANT. GOOD GAMBLING IS AN OXYMORON. Therefore, you must factor the spiritual effects of your conduct into your convictions about gambling.

A. CONSIDER HOW YOUR CONDUCT AFFECTS YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST.

Gambling is habit forming, addictive, and destructive. It is what PASCAL called “a fatal fascination.” In fact, gambling is so potentially habit inducing that we use terms like “obsessive,” “compulsive,” and “pathological” in reference to it. This is another factor so-called recreational gamblers have to deal with. Some Christians argue that gambling is only threatening in its abuse. Therefore, one may participate in some form of social or casual gambling without detrimental effects. They argue that gambling is a matter of Christian liberty and that to speak authoritatively against it is unjustifiable legalism. Perhaps that’s true. A few dollars here or there may not destroy your solvency or your character. But given gambling’s history; the burden of proof is on you. All the evidence points to the fact that gambling is not mere entertainment. Its seductive power can take a person from harmless fun to destructive addiction in no time. So you must always consider how your conduct affects our walk with Christ.

Mark it down. Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen automatically. Christlikeness is the by-product of your commitment to godly habits that facilitate spiritual growth. Therefore, if you are going to grow in your spiritual walk, you must commit yourself to activities that will draw you closer to Christ, not pull you away from him. Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved to anything.’” Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from every form of evil.” And Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the found and perfecter of our faith...”

B. CONSIDER HOW YOUR CONDUCT AFFECTS YOUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

I believe that gambling violates the eighth Commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:15: “You shall not steal.” Yep. I said it. Gambling is a form of stealing.

The Bible repeatedly teaches that it is wrong to exploit people. And the lottery is one of the most exploitative gambling mechanisms in existence today. In order for you to win the lottery, someone else has to lose. Think about that. When two people sit down to work out an honest business deal, they are looking for a “win-win” situation. For instance, if the need is there on one side, and the supply is there on the other side, both parties win. But when the only way I can win is by you losing, I have moved into the realm of exploitation. Just imagine a businessperson saying to a potential partner, “I’ve got a great deal for you. I’ll take all the profits. And you take all the losses.” That is the nature of the lottery. You have to take from one to give to another. You have to make many losers in order to have a handful of winners. And everyday, America makes thousands of losers so a few people can win. That’s exploitation. It’s stealing. And it’s even worse when you consider the lottery is primarily aimed at and financed by poor people. It is a fact that most lottery outlets are located among poor people. That’s not incidental. It’s theft by exploitation.

Now, I can hear someone saying, “Wait a minute here. People play the lottery voluntarily. Besides, it’s legal.” I agree. But that doesn’t make it right. Legality and morality are two different things. So you have to go beyond what is merely legal and judge things by a biblical morality. When you do, you will conclude that gambling is robbery by mutual consent. Someone always loses, and it’s generally those who are least able to afford it. That’s wrong. The lottery tears people down. The Lord is about lifting people up. And if we are on the Lord’s side, we must shun games like the lottery in obedience to the Lord’s command for us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

III. THE SACREDNESS OF THE BIBLICAL WORK ETHIC

I said in the introduction that God is not against the legitimate acquisition of wealth. But what are the legitimate means of acquiring wealth? According to the Bible, there are three legitimate ways to acquire wealth: (1) as a gift, (2) as a fair exchange, or (3) as payment for labor. Gambling does not fit any of these criteria. Gambling revenue is not a gift from God. It is not a fair exchange. And it is not payment for labor, not matter how hard you work to win it.

That brings up another point about the lottery and our commitment to those who are less fortunate. The lottery appeals to the weakness of people and not to their strengths. It feed their thoughts of inability. It makes them willing to let the government come in and hand them their future basically for free. So they wait and pray for a big lottery payday, while they continue in their circumstances. That’s wrong. The government is only responsible to provide a just environment so that you can have equal access and not be discriminated against based on illegitimate criteria – like race, religion, or gender. Government is responsible for removing tyranny from the marketplace. But it is immoral to sanction and promote games that produce undeserving millionaires. As Christ followers, we must condemn gambling because it undermines the biblical work ethic. God’s way out of poverty is through productivity not chance. Christians do not hope to get winning numbers in order to gain prosperity. We work!

Proverbs 6:9-11 says, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” And 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” Those who refuse to be productive should not be given the lottery as an easy way out of the responsibility of work. They should be made to starve.

According to scripture, money is designed to do three basic things: (1) Money is meant to take care of your personal and family needs; (2) to further the work of God; and (3) to provide help for those in need. Here is another way gambling undermines a biblical work ethic. It undermines one’s view of the purpose of work. Simply put, gambling perpetuates selfishness. It blows me away that state governments have won support for state-sponsored lotteries with flimsy arguments about better education, more police, or whatever noble thing they say will do with the lottery income. Come on. Be honest. You don’t play the lottery thinking about how it will help schools. You’re trying to help yourself. D. JAMES KENNEDY is right: “Gambling is institutionalized covetousness.” Gambling is also a violation of the tenth Commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:17. Gambling reveals and inspires covetousness, greed, and materialism. Gambling says, “I want it all. And I want it now.” But you had better heed the words of Proverbs 28:20, that says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”

IV. THE STEWARDSHIP OF YOUR RESOURCES

Everything you posses is a gift from God. But God gives it with an expectation of accountability. You may use your possessions as either tools or toys. Either way, we are responsible to God for their use. By right of creation and redemption, humanity, along with the entire universe, belongs to God in Christ. Our obligation is to use all of our resources responsibly. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” Irresponsible use of God’s provisions, at any level, is a sin. Therefore, we must factor the stewardship of our resources into our convictions about gambling. And the doctrine of Christian stewardship can be summarized in four short statements.

A. WHAT I POSSESS, GOD OWNS.

This principle is the heart of Christian stewardship: God owns it all! Psalm 24:1 is clear: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” Everything we possess belongs to God. So ask yourself a simple question: Do you believe that God has provided you with a certain amount of money for the purpose of wagering it so he can get the glory and you win? As you consider that question, remember that God is not just a passive observer in gambling. Since everything you have belongs to God, he is the one who is bankrolling your gambling. Your money is really his money. And since God owns everything, you have to also believe that it is okay with him for you to gamble with his money. For the record, God is not.

B. WHAT I GIVE, GOD MULTIPLIES.

Luke 6:38 says: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the same measure you use it will be measured back to you.” If you want to prosper, don’t gamble. Give. No, giving is not some spiritual get-rich-quick scheme. But the wonderful and inevitable truth is that God blesses generous people. And let me say a word to those of you who think, “If I win the lottery, the first thing I’m going to do is give God his share.” That attitude is not spiritual or noble. Read 2 Samuel 24:18-24. The godly thing is when you refuse to offer to God that which costs you nothing. If you really want to honor God, give from what you have; don’t make hypothetical promises about stuff you don’t have.

C. WHAT I INVEST, GOD REWARDS.

Here again we find the significance of Jesus’ Parable about the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). God honors those who make wise, strategic, and legitimate investments. Gambling is a violation of this principle of stewardship on two grounds. First of all, Luke 14:28-30 teaches us the importance of counting the costs. Anyone who counts the costs of gambling would determine that it is not a wise investment. Statistically, you are twice as likely to get hit by a bolt of lightning twice than to win the lottery. I was watching CNN’s coverage of a big lottery one day and someone said, “Gambling is a regressive tax levied against those who can’t do math.” Gambling is also a violation of this principle because it does not factor in Matthew 6:19-21, where Jesus commands, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieve do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

D. WHAT I NEED, GOD SUPPLIES.

Gambling is evil because it suggests that God cannot be trusted to meet your needs. So you need to help him by going for a lucky strike. And that’s why having things like raffles and bingo in the church can be sinful. No, there is nothing wrong with those games, in and of themselves. And there is nothing wrong with giving prizes to winners. But something is wrong when a church says by its actions that it doesn’t have confidence that it can move its people to give regularly, sacrificially, and cheerfully. And there is something wrong when we don’t trust God to provide for the ministry needs through his people, and we resort to gambling to meet legitimate needs. I repeat: Those who trust God don’t gamble. And those who gamble don’t trust God. Do you have needs? There’s a way to get your needs met that is better than playing the lottery or going to a casino or betting on sports games. Trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

One day a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old shack. He painfully made his way to the shack. Inside was a little jar of crystal clear water set on the floor next to a pump. But as he reached down to pick up the jar of water, he noticed a sign. The sign said, “Use this water to prime the pump out back. When you are satisfied, refill it and leave it for the next person who will pass this way.” He found himself on the horns of a dilemma. What if he followed the directions and there was no water in the well? He had to make a decision to either serve himself now, or invest and take the chance that deep down there was so much more. Likewise, you have a choice. You can take the little that God has given you and consume it for yourself. Or you can use it to prime something that’s got so much more. It all boils down to whether you believe there’s something underneath the ground.

IF THE WORLD FROM YOU WITHHOLD OF ITS SILVER AND ITS GOLD
AND YOU HAVE TO GET ALONG WITH MEAGER FARE
JUST REMEMBER IN HIS WORD HOW HE FEEDS THE LITTLE BIRD
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

IF YOUR BODY SUFFERS PAIN AND YOUR HEALTH YOU CAN’T REGAIN
AND YOUR SOUL IS ALMOST SINKING IN DESPAIR
JESUS KNOWS THE PAIN YOU FEEL, HE CAN SAVE AND HE CAN HEAL
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

WHEN YOUR ENEMIES ASSAIL AND YOUR HEART BEGINS TO FAIL
DON’T FORGET THAT GOD IN HEAVEN ANSWERS PRAYER
HE WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU AND WILL LEAD YOU SAFELY THROUGH
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

WHEN YOUR YOUTHFUL DAYS ARE GONE AND OLD AGE IS STEALING ON
AND YOUR BODY IS BENDING BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF CARE
HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU THEN; HE’LL GO WITH YOU TO THE END
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

Speaking @ Calvary B.C in Baltimore

I am in Baltimore, Maryland. I am participating in their Simultaneous Revival. I am speaking for Pastor Stephen Russell at the Calvary Baptist Church.

This afternoon, I spoke during the noon mass service. The Lord blessed the meeting. And I was able to see several of my friends from around country.

This evening, I had the opportunity to minister to the Calvary Church. It was also a good meeting.

Please remember this citywide gospel effort in your prayers.