My 2015 Reading List

For 2015 I have decided to make a list of twelve books (one each month) that I am committing to reading this year.  These are books that I already had on my shelf, but have never read.  I started making my list yesterday and pulled down around twenty-five books that I would be interested in reading this year.  I easily narrowed it down to fourteen or fifteen, and then with a bit of difficulty whittled the list down to twelve.

When I put out on Facebook that I was making such a list, a couple people asked to see the list.  Please do not take this list as an endorsement of the content of these books.  I have not read them.  Most of them I am comfortable recommending based on recommendations I have received from others, but a few of them are a bit more unknown to me.

So here it is, in no particular order, and with a few explanatory comments.  Enjoy.

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

I should have read this book long ago.  I am a little ashamed that it is on this list of books I have not yet read.  I am excited to dig into it this year and set my gaze on the holiness of God.

Preaching and Preachers by Martin Lloyd-Jones

I wanted to make sure that I had a book on preaching on my list.  I had a few smaller books on preaching in my top fourteen or fifteen.  I decided to ditch those and go with this one.  Lloyd-Jones is one of the greatest preachers of recent history.  I am looking forward to learning from him.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

This book is sort of all-encompassing. Because it is difficult to have a book on each spiritual discipline in a list of only twelve books, I chose this one book which covers them all.  I have heard a lot of good things about this book and am anxious to read it.

Evangelism by J. Mack Stiles

I need to be a better witness for Christ.  I knew I needed to include a book on evangelism.  This one comes highly recommended, and I look forward to reading it.  Also on the plus side, it is a short book which provides balance for some of the more lengthy works on this list.  At 114 pages, this is the shortest book on my list.

The Plight of Man and the Power of God by Martin Lloyd-Jones

Lloyd-Jones is the only author who has two books on this list.  I wanted to include his biography by Ian Murray, but the size of it made doing so a bit unrealistic.  There is a documentary coming out this year on Lloyd-Jones that I am excited to see.  Reading some of his writings this year will serve as an excellent complement to that film.

The Gospel at Work by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert

I believe this book will help me be a better preacher and pastor.  The subtitle is "How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to our Jobs."  It addresses real life issues with which all people wrestle.  I look forward to thinking about work in a gospel-centered way.

The Conviction to Lead by Albert Mohler

I wanted to make sure I had a book on leadership on my list.  This happened to be one that I had not yet read.  Al Mohler is a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention and in the broader evangelical world.  I look forward to learning from him in this book.

The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men by Richard D. Phillips

I thought it would be good to include a book on manhood, because, well, I am a man.  I know very little about this book.  It was given to me at a conference.

Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church by Gregg R. Allison

I enjoy ecclesiology.  This is a book that I have heard good things about that I was recently able to purchase at a conference I attended.  I do not want it sitting on my shelf very long before I get a chance to read it.  At 471 pages, it is the longest book on this list.  I will have to be very diligent to make it through this thing.

Gospel Assurances and Warnings by Paul Washer

Too many Christians who should be sure of their salvation aren't.  And too many unbelievers are sure their ticket to heaven has been punched.  I want to be able to provide assurance to precious believers who struggle, while also warning the self-assured unregenerate.  This book will help me think biblically about both sides of that coin.

What He Must Be by Voddie Baucham Jr.

We are expecting a little girl in May.  This daddy couldn't be more excited.  I want to be what I must be so she will know what he must be.  This book will help me think about the father/daughter relationship further before my precious little girl makes her grand entrance.

The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken

The order in which I will be reading the books on this list is yet to be determined, but I will be reading this book first.  I have heard several glowing recommendations in the last couple of months.  I look forward to having my worldview challenged as I consider my persecuted brothers and sisters and the work God is doing around the world.

I will plan to write a review of each of these books on this blog as I read them.  Happy New Year!

A Book Review: Bitesize Biographies Samuel Rutherford

I recently had the opportunity to read Bitesize Biographies Samuel Rutherford and write a review as a part of the Cross-Focused Reviews program.  I had heard of Samuel Rutherford, but knew nothing about him prior to reading the book.  In reading the book, I found myself challenged by this man's life and his commitment to Christ throughout the adversities he faced.

The book is laid out in nine chapters that briefly follow Rutherford's life from birth to legacy.  The book also contains a brief timeline of his life.  Rutherford came from humble means in a small village in Scotland.  He would become one of the greatest preachers and pastors Scotland has ever known.  God's hand of providence is seen quite clearly throughout his life.

The author, Richard Hannula organizes the material in a way that is interesting and engaging.  I found myself captivated by Rutherford's story.  One of my favorite things about the book was the large amount of quotations from Rutherford that Hannula includes.  Many of these quotations come from Rutherford's sermons.

"Hang upon the Word, but with all to look beyond the Word and with the use of the Word, call for the inward grace of the Spirit."

Rutherford even wrote letters to his flock at Anwoth while in exile.

"Hold fast Christ without wavering and contend for the faith because Christ is not easily gotten nor kept."

Reading biographies of old saints from days gone by is an excellent way for the believer to be challenged in his faith in and commitment to Christ.  I found myself challenged and encouraged by this short biography.  I would recommend it to all who are interested in being challenged by the saints of yesteryear.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review as a part of the Cross-Focused Reviews program.

Does God Call Us to Do Hard Things?

The failure of the Supreme Court of the United States to hear the case regarding Virginia's marriage amendment has sent shock waves through nearly every sphere of life across the Commonwealth.

We all became immediately aware of the effect that this non-decision would have on clerks of court across Virginia.  They would be forced to make a decision.  Obey God and lose their job, or obey man and acquiesce to the demands of an out-of-control government.  Some clerks have resigned.  Others have determined that their conscience would allow them to hand out the marriage licenses, but not perform "marriage" ceremonies for homosexual couples.  So they have kept their job as clerk, but have relinquished their status as a celebrant.

The struggle became evident in county that neighbors the one in which I live.  The court's non-decision couldn't have come at a more opportune time for those who love a good political battle.  It was election time.  In a month, voters would go to the polls to elect a clerk of court.

Battle lines were drawn.  Neither candidate could choose not to issue "marriage" licenses to homosexual couples and serve as clerk of court.  One candidate was currently serving as clerk of court, had already issued at least one license to a homosexual couple, and also performed the ceremony for that couple.  The other candidate stated that though he would be required to issue the licenses as a part of his job, he would not perform the ceremonies.  This led many evangelicals to throw their support behind the candidate who was "taking a stand for marriage."

The argument on the other side is that if you don't issue the license and perform the ceremony someone else will.  That, of course, is not the point.  The point is that believers ought not to call good what God has called an abomination.

Long story short, the lady who was happy to issue the licenses and perform the ceremonies won the election.

Then yesterday I became aware of a situation where many who work for the Virginia Department of Social Services will soon be forced to sign off on adoptions to homosexual couples or lose their jobs.  It is easy to look at the situation from the outside and think that the answer is obvious.  How can a Christian sign their name to a paper that says this couple is fit to raise a child when everything we know about life and the natural order of things says otherwise?

On the other hand, one cannot help but think of all the good that a Christian can do for the sake of the kingdom working for DSS.  Ministering to the least of these.  Helping place other children in healthy family situations that give the child the best chance of succeeding in life.  Being salt and light in a dark and saltless world as Jesus has called us to be.

What about the families of these social workers?  Won't their own families suffer from them losing their jobs?

It is for these reasons that I want to be slow to say that someone is being a "bad Christian" when they make a decision that is different from the one I would make regarding these issues.  But I do not speak to this as one looking from the outside in.

I think about my own situation.  I don't think I am being an alarmist when I say that there may come a day in this country when pastors will be imprisoned for daring to say that homosexuality is unnatural and sinful.  I don't really fear for myself.  But I fear for my wife.  I fear for my children.  How will they be affected if daddy is in jail?

All of these thoughts came racing to the forefront of my mind recently when several pastors in Houston had their sermons subpoenaed.  Some Christians were calling for all pastors to send in their sermons.  That sounded like a noble thing to do until I thought about it.  Do I really want the real intolerants on the front steps of my church, which is right outside my home, picketing the "bigots" inside?

I decided that it is one thing to face persecution head on when it comes looking for you, and another thing to go looking for it.

Of course I still feel silly using the word persecution to describe anything I may have experienced in the past or may experience in the future.  I don't have any reason to fear having my head cut off as many of my brothers and sisters overseas.  But Jesus' definition of persecution was not so narrow as only to include having your head cut off.  He said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."

The question comes down to whether Jesus calls us to do hard things.  We can choose to justify stepping down in the face of persecution for the sake of the "greater good."  What about the children?  What about MY children?  Or we can choose to obey God rather than man regardless of the cost.

I am convinced that the lost world around us does not take us seriously.  Part of the reason for that is because we are bold and loud when we are a powerful majority, but silent and sheepish when we are an impotent minority.  If anyone desires to follow Jesus he must first count the cost.  Could it be that God is now calling us to bear our cross and follow Him?  Could it be that God is now calling us to do hard things?

It is only a God whom we have created in our own image who never calls us to do hard things.

Hozier's "Take Me To Church"

Last night, my wife Ashley and I watched The Voice together.  One of my favorite singers this season, Matt McAndrew, sang a song that I had never heard before (I have never been particularly hip.  Do people still say hip anymore?).  The song is called "Take Me To Church," and was originally done by an artist known as Hozier.

When the song began, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  I couldn't understand everything that was being sung (Yes, I felt old), but what I could hear was deeply troubling.  So I looked up the lyrics.  Needless to say, I found the lyrics to be every bit as disturbing as my initial impression of the song.

The best I can tell by reading the lyrics is that it is about the singer having given up on the church as a religious institution in favor of his lover.  He then refers to his lover throughout the song as his "church" and the one that he worships.  Some explanations of the song that I read indicate that it is about a homosexual relationship.  Regardless, whether heterosexual or homosexual, the whole thing is very dark and disconcerting.  It is idolatrous and demonic, centered on sexual immorality.

Now this is not a blog post to rail on Hozier, Matt McAndrew, NBC, and a culture that applauds such filth.  The performance was a wakeup call for me.  The purpose of this post is to remind us all that we are not in 1950 anymore.

Don't misunderstand me.  I am not really suggesting that 1950 was better, when sexual sin was just more hidden, and certainly was not flaunted on national television as something to be celebrated.

I am also not suggesting that these things are new.  I am currently preaching through 1 Corinthians and we have already dealt with the very same issues mentioned above in the first ten chapters of Paul's letter to the Corinthian Church.  Idolatry, sexual immorality of all kinds, and demonic activity were all prevalent in ancient Corinth.  This is not something Hozier invented.

I am reminded also of the Apostle Paul's words in Romans 1.

Romans 1:18-25
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Sound familiar?

This is not intended to be an apologetic piece that would cause Hozier and others, were they to read it, to recognize the error of their ways, repent, and be reconciled to God through the shed blood of Jesus.  It is, in fact, the kind of "religious" teaching found in Romans 1 that Hozier rails against in the song.

I write for you who are seeking to navigate this perverse world in which we find ourselves.  I write for you who desire to flee from sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18a) and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14).  I write for you who are constantly told that you are boring, closed minded, and bigoted because you know what the Bible says about worship and sex and you actually believe it.

Some of you who will read this are teenagers growing up in a day when you are told that Bible is outdated and useless.  Others are twenty-somethings seeking to navigate adulthood as those who are SUPPOSED to adopt the morality of the culture.  Then still others are parents and grandparents seeking to raise kids to love and honor Jesus in a day when any Jesus other than one made in the image of the culture is shunned.  Of course, Jesus was shunned and then crucified during His own life and ministry.

I read something this morning on Facebook from Voddie Baucham.  He wrote that we simply must get over trying to be nice, sweet, gentle, and compromising enough to satisfy those who hate us and our God.  He was talking about same-sex "marriage," but the idea behind what he said was broader than that.  The reality is that nothing short of absolute surrender on our part will be accepted by the sexual revolutionaries of our day.

As I scrolled my news feed, I found an article posted by John Piper where a public school in Chicago had included material on "safe" anal sex in their sex education curriculum for 5^th and 6^th graders.  The curriculum was complete with drawings and advice on how to maximize pleasure.  John Piper commented briefly, "Teaching safe anal sex to fifth graders.  Is this the culture you are trying not to offend?"

I realized this morning that he and Voddie Baucham both hit the nail on the head.  There is nothing that we can do to make the Bible and its teachings more palatable without compromising its truth and authority.  The gospel is an offense.  We need not add to that offense by being intentionally offensive, but we must not take away from that offense either.

God created everything, and He created it very good.  It didn't take long for man to determine that he knew better than God.  He rebelled against God, thus introducing sin into the human race.  Since that day, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). 

Except one.  His name is Jesus.  Jesus, being God, took on flesh and dwelt among us.  He lived the sinless life we could not live, and died the death we should have died.  He died in our place as our substitute.  Not only did He die, but He rose again three days later, demonstrating His power and authority over death.  Therefore, if we would repent of our sin and place our faith in Jesus, we can be reconciled to God our Creator.

This message is offensive because it begins at the beginning.  It begins with a perfect creation that went horribly wrong because of man's sin.  It acknowledges the reality that we are all sinners in need of God's grace.  It acknowledges that right and wrong do exist.  It acknowledges that what feels good does not determine right, but rather right is represented in the holy character of God and revealed to us in His Word.

The culture around us will never come to grips with these truths.  We must never allow these truths to lose their grip on us.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

                                                      -1 Corinthians 1:18

Persuasive Preaching

I was immediately intrigued when I read the title Persuasive Preaching.  All preachers desire to get better in their preaching.  I want to stir people to action when I preach.  The author, Larry Overstreet, contends that there is a trend away from persuasion in preaching which is a detriment to the church.  While I resonate with the critique to a certain degree, I am not sure it is wholly true.

The book is divided into four major parts: 1) Issues facing persuasive preaching, 2) Biblical support for persuasion, 3) Structuring persuasive preaching, and 4) Pertinent applications in persuasive preaching.  I find section 3 on structuring persuasive messages to be most helpful.

The book is very different from any other preaching book that I have read.  It is very academic in tone and contains a lot of footnotes.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, but at times the book felt more like a research paper than a persuasive argument for persuasive preaching coupled with practical insight on how to preach persuasively.

I appreciate the 20 pages that Overstreet devotes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in preaching.  He is on target when he writes, "The ministry of the Holy Spirit is essential since only He can turn our 'speaking' into true preaching which will have a persuasive spiritual impact.

Overall, I found the book to be well-written, but maybe too thorough at times.  I found myself wanting to skip large sections because I felt like some of the research was a bit exhausting.  I always ask myself to whom would I recommend a book that I am reviewing.  While it is not an indictment against the book itself, but rather the usefulness of the book, I couldn't think of anyone.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program. 

A Book Review: Alby's Amazing Book

As a dad, I am always looking for a good children's book that will help teach my son to treasure Christ and His Word.  So when I had the chance to read and review Alby's Amazing Book, I jumped at the opportunity.  I found the book to be well-written and illustrated.

It is a short little book (a sentence or less per page) written about the main character, Alby, and his love for stories about adventures.  The book recounts Alby's love for a very special book that contains lots of stories about lots of different adventures.  When you come to the end, you find that the book Alby loves so much is the Bible.

The purpose of the book is to develop within children a realization that the Bible contains exciting stories and is written to us by the God of the universe.  This is a good goal and the book seems to accomplish what it sets out to do.

I had no problem with the book in anything that it contains.  There may be a couple of additional things I wish it had emphasized, but it is difficult to quibble over those things when talking about such a short little book.  I would love to see Alby discover that the Bible is not just a collection of short stories, but ultimately one big story.  Maybe that would be an idea for a follow up book.

Overall I think the book is well done.  I would recommend it to parents wanting to introduce a love for the Bible to small children.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the book as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program.

An Album Review: His Kids United Christmas

I recently had the opportunity to listen to and now review a new Christmas album geared toward children called His Kids United: Christmas.  The album is well-down for what it is and geared toward children ages 5-14.  I expected it to include more selections focused on Christ rather than about half the album being made up of secular Christmas songs.

You can find the track listing below.

Here We Come A-Caroling (Wassail Song)

Light Up the World

Jingle Bell Rock

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All I Have to Give

Light of Christmas

Jingle Bells

No Better Holiday

Away in a Manger

Christmas Time is Here

I Hope This Gets to You       

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The album is similar to things like Kidz Bop.  It would likely appeal to younger children, but I must admit that I was unimpressed.

I received the album as a part of the cross focused reviews program.

A Book Review: The Foundation of Communion with God

The Foundation of Communion with God is a compilation of excerpts from the writings of the puritan pastor and theologian John Owen.  The focus of the writings contained in this work is Owen's Trinitarian theology and how it shaped his views on public worship.

The introduction to the book is written by the editor, Ryan McGraw, and contains a biographical sketch of Owen's life which helps the reader understand the context for Owen's theology.  The remainder of the book is devoted to Owen's own writings.  The chapters are short as each chapter is an excerpt from Owen.

Many have noted that John Owen can be difficult to read.  In light of this, I found a quote from McGraw to be particularly interesting: "It was during this period that Owen wrote some of his most beloved treatises, such as Communion with God, The Mortification of Sin, and his work on Temptation.  Those who complain that these last two books are hard to read should note that they consist of sermons preached to teenagers at Oxford."

I found the selection of writings from Owen to be well organized.  This helped me to trace Owen's thought on the issues addressed.  This book is apparently one in a series of books profiling some of the heroes of reformed spirituality.  I look forward to potentially reading some of the other books in this intriguing series.

I received this book as a part of the cross focused reviews program.

A Book Review: Songs of a Suffering King

I found Songs of a Suffering King by J.V. Fesko to be a breath of fresh air.  The book covers Psalms 1-8 a chapter at a time.  I used it as a devotional tool while on vacation recently and found it to be a great resource for that purpose.  I read the text of each Psalm and then went to Fesko's book to help me think more deeply about the chapter I had just read.  The layout of the book is extremely conducive to this approach.  I expect that this is the kind of approach that Fesko had in mind when writing the book.

There is nothing particularly revolutionary about the book.  It is not likely to be the next bestseller that everyone is rushing to purchase.  But it deals with the text of Scripture in a way that is faithful to the original context of each Psalm, helping the reader to think rightly about the Word and make good application based on that right thinking.

It is clear that Fesko writes from a wealth of knowledge derived from many years of studying the Psalms.  However, he does so in a way that is very accessible and easy to understand.

The thing that stood out to me the most about the book is the way that Fesko demonstrates how each Psalm points to Christ.  Thankfully though, Fesko does not spiritualize the Psalms, skipping over the original context.  He demonstrates how the original context fits with the Christological focus of each Psalm.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a resource to help them in understanding the Psalms, not in a technical sense, but in a way that evokes worship to God.  I hope that Fesko will consider providing a similar resource for the entire Psalter.  Such a project would be a great blessing to the church.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program.

A Book Review: The Home Team

The Home Team by Clint Archer is well-written, freshly illustrated, challenging, and engaging book on the family.  The subtitle, God's Game Plan for the Family, demonstrates the purpose of the book.  Clint Archer has done an excellent job in writing a book on the family that will be a blessing to families and a useful resource for the church of the Lord Jesus.

When I first picked up the book, my first thought was, "Do we really need another book on the family?"  My answer to that question before reading this book was, "No."  There are a wealth of good gospel-centered resources for the family that have come out recently.  After reading this book though, I am confident that Clint Archer has made an important contribution in this area.

Archer begins the book where the Bible begins.  He goes to Genesis 2-3 to set God's design for the family in the context of creation.  He then points out that the problems and discord that exist in families are a result of the Fall.  The effects of the Fall are widespread and can only be pushed back by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the things that stands out about this book is Archer's use of illustrations.  The book is full of sports illustrations and athletic metaphors, potentially making the book engaging for dads who are not big readers.  These are not illustrations just for the sake of having illustrations.  Each illustration helps drive home the point that is being made.  Also, while the illustrations are from sports, one does not have to be a sports fan to understand the things that are being communicated.

I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to think more deeply about the family from a gospel-centered perspective.  This book should prove to be a valuable resource to the church as we seek to preserve God's plan for the family in a day of shifting cultural priorities.


I received this book as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program.

A Book Review: Can I Really Trust the Bible?

I found Can I Really Trust the Bible? by Barry Cooper to be a helpful little book.  Its purpose is to explore questions concerning the authenticity and reliability of Scripture.

Cooper uses a helpful outline derived from the experiences of the great Bible scholar Whinnie-the-Pooh.

It had HUNNY written on it, but, just to make sure, he took off the paper cover and looked at it, and it looked just like honey.  "But you never can tell," said Pooh.  "I remember my uncle saying once that he had seen cheese just this colour."  So he put his tongue in, and took a large lick.  "Yes," he said, "it is.  No doubt about that."

Cooper then asks three questions: 

1. Does the Bible claim to be God's Word?

2. Does the Bible seem to be God's Word?

3. Does the Bible prove to be God's Word?

This approach takes the reader on a journey to discover first what the Bible says about itself.  The author then seeks to determine what the external evidence says about the Bible.  Finally, the call from Cooper is for the reader to taste and see that the Bible truly is the Word of God.  This tasting and seeing only happens as we commit ourselves to knowing God through His Word.

The work is far from technical, but it is also faithful to deal with the difficult questions related to the subject matter.  Cooper does a good job of maintaining a conversational tone throughout the book that will make this work a good primer for anyone initially interested in considering the authenticity of the Scriptures.  I will like recommend this book to others in the future.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review as a part of the Cross-focused reviews program.

My Heavenly Daddy

I haven't blogged in a while, but a trip to the beach is always good for some blogging inspiration.

Matthew 7:7-11 says…

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

When my son Hudson was born on November 28, 2012, I began to think about my relationship with God as my Father in a deeper way.  As Hudson grows older and my relationship with him develops further, I feel that I am continually growing in my understanding of my heavenly Father.  My trip to the beach last week was no different.

I had a great time playing with Hudson on the beach.  He loved every minute of it.  He ran from the ocean to the dunes and back to the ocean again.  He chased seagulls and dug in the sand, exploring all that there was to see.

As he ran and played though, I was reminded afresh of how much he needs his daddy.  He does not know that he cannot just run into the ocean with reckless abandon.  The boy has no fear!  As the waves crashed against his little legs and the sand shifted under his small feet, he needed his daddy to help him stand and not fall.

I was reminded that I need my heavenly daddy.  As the waves of life crash against me, I must cling to my Father in heaven through the indwelling Holy Spirit and the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible study.

Romans 8:15-17 says…

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

What a privilege it is to not only call the God of the universe my Creator and my God, but to call Him dad.

I am an evil father in the sense that I am a sinner and sometimes (even often) fail at being a godly father.  My heavenly Father never fails.  He loves me perfectly as His son.

My prayer for Hudson is that through the love of his earthly daddy, he would come to know my heavenly daddy as his daddy too.

Some Thoughts on Ferguson

If it turns out that this police officer did wrongly shoot Michael Brown, he may still be able to say with a clear conscience that he was not motivated by racism to do so. And even though he may be able to say that with a clear conscience, he may be wrong. He may have been motivated by racism and not even realize it. This is not an indictment against the officer or an excuse for him either. It is a call for each of us to examine our own hearts. We are often easily blind to the sin in our own hearts. May we examine our hearts, repent, seek the forgiveness of God, and work toward racial reconciliation in all areas of life.

What's the Big Deal?

Non-Christians often wonder why Christians care so much about sexual immorality.  Even professing Christians sometimes wonder why God cares so much about sex.  Maybe you have the same questions.

I must admit that it is strange to me that often the same people who wonder why God cares so much about sex take little time to consider why sex is such a big deal in the culture around us.  You don't have to go very far to see that talk of sex is pervasive in the culture in which we live.

My goal in this post, though, is not to rebuke the culture.  I expect lost people to act like lost people.  I am much more concerned with professing Christians acting like lost people.  I want to answer the question of why sexual immorality is such a big deal to God and why it should be a big deal to us.

Check out this passage of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 6:14-20 

And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

So why is sexual immorality such a big deal?

Believers will be resurrected (1 Corinthians 6:14).

It seems from this verse and 1 Corinthians 15 that part of the Corinthian error was to deny the resurrection of the dead.  Paul offers a lengthy correction of this error in 1 Corinthians 15.  If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, the Christian faith is rendered void and powerless.

But, Christ has been raised.  And believers will be raised as well.  Therefore, what we do with our bodies matters.  Those who are in Christ will live forever with God in physical glorified bodies in a physical new heaven and new earth.

This truth should help us see how the Christian worldview pervades all of life.  What you do with your body matters because of eternity.  The Christian life is not just a bunch of dos and don'ts without any overarching purpose.  Our hope of future resurrection should inform every decision we make regarding what we do with and how we treat our bodies.

Believers are united to Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15-17).

Jesus reminds us in John 15 that He is the vine and we are the branches.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 5 that the marriage relationship between a man and a woman where the two become one is representative of our union with Christ.  1 Corinthians 6:15 tells us that we make up the body of Christ.  Therefore, according to Paul's logic, when you unite with someone sexually, you are in some sense uniting Christ with that person.

Paul continues to explain the seriousness of sexual sin in verse sixteen by pointing out that sexual union creates an enduring bond.  He makes the point by quoting from Genesis 2:24 where God first introduced the concept of a one flesh union between husband and wife.

This point debunks one of the lies of the culture and illustrates the vast chasm that exists between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom.  There is no such thing as casual sex.  The sexual relationship creates an enduring.  John MacArthur recounts that C.S. Lewis in his Screwtape Letters "says that each time a man and a woman enter into a sexual relationship a spiritual bond is established between them which must be eternally (for the rest of their lives) enjoyed or eternally endured."

This is why fornication and adultery are such a big deal.  This is why divorce is such a big deal.  This is why homosexuality is such a big deal.  The sexual union was created by God to be enjoyed between one man and one woman as long as they both shall live.  This is why brokenness and baggage exist when God's ideal is not met.

Believers are indwelt by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-19a).

Paul begins verse 18 with the command to flee sexual immorality.  The verb form carries with it both the force of a command and the idea of continually fleeing, such that it could be translated, "Keep on fleeing!"

We must flee from sexual immorality.  "How far is too far?" is the wrong question.  Do not play around with sexual sin.  It will bite you like a venomous snake.  Jesus says, "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off."  Throw your computer or cell phone out the window.  Smash your TV with a sledge hammer.  Shred the smutty romance novels.  Dump your boyfriend or girlfriend.  For "it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

Paul continues to point out that believers are indwelt by the Spirit.  The biblical truth that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit should change the way we think about what we do with our bodies.

Believers were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20).

The lie of the culture is that it is your body.  This is the lie of the abortion rights activists, sexual revolutionists, proponents of gender reassignment surgery, and others.  Paul refutes this belief with one short statement, "You are not your own."  You are not your own because God created and sustains your body.  And ultimately, you are not your own because God has redeemed your body with the precious blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

I love this passage because it deals with sexual immorality in the context of God's story rather than just a list of dos and don'ts.

You see, God created us in His image, male and female, for His glory.  Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with God.  They walked with God in the cool of the day.  Unfortunately, it didn't take long for sin to enter the picture.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God creating enmity between them and their Creator.  Not only did it create enmity between them and their Creator, it created enmity between all of humanity and God.

The truth is that we are all sexual sinners.  Jesus says that while what you do with your body matters, your heart also matters.  Paul tells in his letter to the Romans that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Thankfully the story doesn't end there.  A passage like 1 Corinthians 6 has the ability to leave us feeling dirty and hopeless because of our sin.  We can go away feeling beat up on.  But I want to make very clear that it doesn't matter where you have been or what you have done.  There is grace and forgiveness for you in the person of Jesus Christ if you would repent of your sin and place your faith in Jesus.

After experiencing that grace and forgiveness, the call upon each of our lives is to glorify God with our bodies.  God has not saved us that we might continue in sin.  The grace and forgiveness that we have received in Christ should propel us to glorify God with our bodies.

This is the passage I preached yesterday.  You can hear the entire sermon by clicking here.

President Obama, Iraq, and the Christian Response

My heart is heavy this morning as I consider the current situation in Iraq.  It is a mess no matter which way you slice it.  It really doesn't matter whether you supported President George W. Bush's initial action to invade Iraq.  It really doesn't matter if you supported President Obama's decision to withdraw troops from Iraq.  This is a mess, and the United States is right to act.

I often find myself torn in situations like this.  I do not like that America has often taken the role of world police in various situations around the globe.  I do not like that we continue to borrow from China in order to send money to countries that hate us.  It seems that whenever there is conflict in the world, you can bet the Unites States will pick a side and fund it.

I voted for Ron Paul in the 2012 Republican primary.  I would like to be casting my ballot for Rand Paul in the 2016 Presidential Election.  That is, if he doesn't stick his foot in his mouth regarding this current crisis in Iraq.  If he does, I will be forced to question his ability to govern this country, and likely will not support his candidacy.

I typically despise America's interventionist tactics.  In this case, however, someone has to do something.  When two countries or two groups within a country are fighting, we should keep our nose out of it.  When people are being systematically run out of their homes and murdered with no means of defending themselves (i.e. the Holocaust), justice demands we act.

History has not looked kindly upon those who did nothing as Hitler systematically evicted people from their homes and placed them in concentration camps.  Many Jews and others were tortured and killed, and as any honest person would have to admit, not enough was done to stop the terror.

It is easy to look back on the Holocaust and wonder, "Why wasn't something done to stop these atrocities?"  It's easy to become slightly self-righteous in thinking we would have done something had we had the ability to do so.

Well, here is our chance.  Christians are being run out of their homes.  Men, women, and children are being beaten, tortured, and killed in Iraq by the terrorist group ISIS, which stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  While we as individuals cannot hop on a plane and put a stop to this genocide, our government has the ability to defend the helpless.

I am reminded of a well-known quote often attributed to Edmund Burke:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

I applaud the actions of President Obama thus far.  President Obama has authorized air strikes to stop these Islamic militants.  The U.S. has also been dropping humanitarian aid to those trapped on a mountaintop in Iraq.  You can read more about these efforts here.

President Obama said in a speech Thursday night, "Today, America is coming to help."  Thank you, Mr. President.  We are all tired of the constant conflict in the Middle East.  I know that you were hesitant to get involved in more conflict in Iraq.  I have those same feelings.  However, we cannot run from a situation where we have a moral imperative to act just because we are tired of conflict.

I am praying for the President and his advisers.  I am praying for those trapped on this mountaintop in Iraq and others who may still be fleeing.  I am even praying for these Islamic militants as they are not yet beyond the reach of God's saving hand.  I ask you to join me.  May we not be guilty of forgetting about this tragedy just because we find ourselves physically on the other side of the world.

Government: Not a Terror to Good Conduct

If you haven't heard, Christians in Iraq are being forced to flee their homes in fear for their lives.

You can find a news articles about this tragedy here and here.

What can you do?

Pray

One of the ways that we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Iraq is to pray for them.  We also know the only one who is able to change the hearts of men.  May we cry out to God on behalf of the persecuted in Iraq.  May God give them strength and boldness in their faith.  And may He protect them from harm.

 Ask our government to protect these people.

Romans 13 tells us that God gives us civil government for our good.  It is part of His common grace given to believer and unbeliever alike.

Romans 13:3-4 

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

Many have asked often why the Holocaust was allowed to continue without more of an effort to intervene and protect the Jewish people.  It is easy to look back into history with moral indignation and wonder why something was not done to end the atrocities committed by Hitler and the Nazis.  It is much more difficult to stand up to the injustice of our day with moral fortitude and call for action.

God's image bearers are being systematically murdered in Iraq.  Our government has the ability to act on behalf of the men, women, and children who are being victimized.  May we not turn a blind eye to suffering just because it is happening on the other side of the world.

While I do not have the White House on speed dial, the Obama administration has created a way for you to make your voice heard regarding the issues that are important to you.  Using the platform for creating petitions established by the President and his staff, a petition has been created regarding this issue.  If 100,000 signatures are collected within the 30 day window, the White House will respond.

You can find the petition here.  Educate yourself on the situation.  Pray.  Then go to the petition and sign it.  Signing this petition is one small way you can stand against injustice the injustice happening right now in Iraq.  Let President Obama know that this issue is important to you.

Note: At this time, the petition has received 24,253 of the necessary 100,000 signatures that it must have by August 20, 2014.

Update: It looks like President Obama is taking action in Iraq.  I was unaware of this fact at the time I wrote this post.  You can find more information in this article.  You can also listen to Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speak to the situation from the Christian worldview by clicking here.

Ebola, Donald Trump, and the Gospel of Christ

Over the weekend, Donald Trump sent out a series of tweets weighing in on the current Ebola crisis.

The U.S. cannot allow EBOLA infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great-but must suffer the consequences!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2014

"@BigBoie7531: To all the liberal do gooders, this is the Plague you idiots! No cure! @ You may have confidence in the CDC, but I don't!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2014

Suffer the consequences?  Liberal do gooders?  This is morally outrageous.  Mr. Trump would do well to educate himself on the facts concerning Ebola before opening his mouth or striking his keyboard again.  Facts aside, the very idea that there should be "consequences" for doing what we all know in our hearts to be right is extremely disturbing.

While Trump's tweets sadden me, my concern here is not ultimately with this morally bankrupt man.  I just prayed while typing this that he would experience the heart transformation that only comes through the gospel of Christ.

My concern is more for Christians who may be led astray by this kind of thinking.  This is the kind of Darwinian evolutionary thinking that is completely foreign to the gospel of Christ.  This is the kind of thinking that says, "I must focus first and foremost on myself.  If I don't watch out for myself, no one else will."

The gospel of Christ says…

Matthew 25:40 

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

John 15:13 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Philippians 2:3-4 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You see, the gospel of Christ is not just something you believe in once and then move on with your life.  No, the gospel of Christ IS the way of life.  It is one of laying down our lives.  It is one of counting others more significant than ourselves.

It is one of following the example of Jesus.

Philippians 2:8 

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The Christian life is difficult.  Jesus never promised that it would be easy.

While our flesh calls us to watch out for ourselves, may we walk by the Spirit, and not according to the flesh.  And when we fail, may we lean upon the grace and forgiveness available to us in Christ Jesus.

Update: Since this post went up, Glenn Beck has weighed in on his radio program.  He referred to God's image bearer as a "200-pound bag of Ebola."  You can find the article with a short video clip here.  Once again, morally reprehensible!

Update 2: Though it was posted before my blog went up, you may be interested to read a poem by John Piper concerning the Ebola crisis and comments made by Donald Trump.  Read the poem here.

More Links: Ann Coulter weighs in with despicable comments here.  Russell Moore speaks to the Christian response here.  Alan Cross presents a gospel centered perspective here.