Tim Challies continues to deal with comments on his review of The Shack. In a post today he writes a very helpful critic of the pragmatism used in the arguments people make against his reveiw.  It is broadly helpful in dealing with our culture, not just those who love or hate The Shack.

The first is pure pragmatism, implying that the book should be judged not on theological arguments, not on the basis of comparing it to Scripture, but on the basis of how people have reacted to it. Because so many people are responding positively to this book in opposition to “stodgy old religion,” we must believe that it is good. “William Young wrote a novel - a story that inspired me and thousands of others to want to have a closer, more intimate relationship with God. All your theological arguments can’t erase that.” The danger of such an argument is that it effectively places us over the Bible and over God. No longer do we judge right and wrong by what God says, but we judge right and wrong by how we feel. If the book inspires people to be intimate with God, we must judge it to be good. If it stirs emotions we like, we judge it to be good.

There are profound implications here. Pragmatism necessarily causes us to lose our focus on the absolute standard God has given us in His Word to determine right from wrong. When we lose that focus the church is placed on the slippery slope to becoming like the world. When we discard God’s standards we must depend on our own deeply flawed standards. We begin to trust in ourselves and lose our trust in God. We lose our reliance on His Word as the tool for discernment.

John MacArthur has some wonderful thoughts on Luther and compromise and its application for today’s church.

It is interesting to speculate what the church would be like today if Martin Luther had been prone to compromise. The pressure was heavy on him to tone down his teaching, soften his message, stop poking his finger in the eye of the papacy. Even many of his friends and supporters urged Luther to come to terms with Rome for the sake of harmony in the church. Luther himself prayed earnestly that the effect of his teaching would not be divisive.
When he nailed his 95 Theses to the door, the last thing he wanted to do was split the church.

Yet sometimes division is fitting, even healthy, for the church. Especially in times like Luther’s—and like ours—when the visible church seems full of counterfeit Christians, it is right for the true people of God to declare themselves. Compromise is sometimes a worse evil than division. Second Corinthians 6:14-17 isn’t speaking only of marriage when it says,

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.

Sometimes we lose sight of the cost of not being faithful in all areas and with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  It is easy to think that we are saved and we are okay, the details are not that important.  Maybe we see others who claim to be Christians and are tempted to think they are so much happier and better off because they are not so concerned with being abandoned to God.  Imagine what the condition of the church could be like if Luther had shared such logic.  We are to live for the Kingdom of God, not ourselves.  This means that we should not be content with compromise because even if it has no realized effect upon us it may cost those around us or generations to come.

Soli Deo Gloria!

There is a right and wrong way to use words.  The New Testament spends many verses discussing this principle.  Sinclair Ferguson is preaching at Desiring God’s National Conference this year on this subject.  This brief video, giving a taste of what is to come, is very challenging in itself. If you have never heard of Sinclair Ferguson, get to know him, listen to him, read him. There are many men that impact my life and ministry. Outside of my father there are three men alive today that stand out clearly, Eric Alexander, Peter Jeffery, and Sinclair Ferguson. I could list others that shape my pastoral ministry, but these men shape my theological and teaching ministry. There is a depth, soberness, and sincerity about their preaching that I long for in my own.

It is Saturday again.  It will be Sunday again tomorrow, and this means many will make their familiar way, to a familiar church building, to hear a familiar preacher preach the familiar Word of God.  This is a good thing, a great thing even.  However, we must be certain it does not become a too familiar thing so that we become “bored with good preaching“.  Here is an article from Pastor Paul Martin on the subject.   Let us head the warning and use it to help in preparation.

A family came to GFC a few months ago and could not stop talking about how glad they were to “hear the Word again.” I warned them, as I warn others in their situation, that they must guard their hearts from an over-zealous enthusiasm. Although it is great that they are being fed, even bland food feels like a feast to a malnutritioned man. What will they do when they have regained spiritual sustenance and find that the preaching is Biblical, yet quite average? If they train their senses to feel something is “good” only when they receive some kind of spiritual high, they could very well end up running from place to place looking for that high, not the Word.

There are still others that are so used to being well fed that when summer comes, or relatives visit or some other fancy strikes, they feel quite free to skip church to play.

Both these folks would do good to heed the careful wisdom of John Newton:

A Famine of the Word
Gladness was spread through Israel’s host
When first they Manna viewed;
They labored who should gather most,
And thought it pleasant food.
But when they had it long enjoyed
From day to day, the same;
Their hearts were by the plenty cloyed,
Although from heav’n it came.

Thus gospel bread at first is prized,
And makes a people glad;
But afterwards too much despised,
When easy to be had.
But should the Lord, displeased, withhold
The bread his mercy sends;
To have our houses filled with gold
Would make but poor amends.

How tedious would the week appear,
How dull the Sabbath prove?
Could we no longer meet to bear
The precious truths we love!
How would believing parents bear
To leave their heedless youth,
Exposed to every fatal snare,
Without the light of truth?

The gospel, and a praying few
Our bulwark long have proved;
But Olney sure the day will rue
When these shall be removed.
Then sin, in this once favored town,
Will triumph unrestrained;
And wrath and vengeance hasten down,
No more by prayer detained.

Preserve us from this judgment, Lord
For JESUS’ sake we plead;
A famine of the gospel word
Would be a stroke indeed!

Hymn 49 in Olney Hymns
John Newton

Here is a helpful post on Desiring God’s Blog dealing with common sins we like to blame others for rather than confessing them and turning from them. 

1) Anger:I wouldn’t lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.

2) Impatience: I would be a very patient person if it weren’t for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn’t have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren’t so slow, I would never become impatient!

3) Lust :  I would have a pure mind if there weren’t so many sensual images in our culture.

4) Anxiety :  I wouldn’t worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure—if I had more money, and no health problems.

5) Spiritual Apathy :  My spiritual life would be so much more vibrant and I would struggle with sin less if my small group were more encouraging, or if Sunday school were more engaging, or if the music in the worship service were more lively, or if the sermons were better.

6) Insubordination :  If my parents/bosses/elders were godly leaders, then I would joyfully follow them.

7) A Critical Spirit :  It’s not my fault that the people around me are ignorant and inexperienced.

8 ) Bitterness :  If you knew what that person did to me, you would understand my bitterness. How could I forgive something like that?

9) Gluttony :  My wife/husband/roommate/friend is a wonderful cook! The things they make are impossible to resist.

10) Gossip :  It’s the people around me who start the conversations. There’s no way to avoid hearing what others happen to say. And when others ask me questions, I can’t avoid sharing what I know.

11) Self-Pity :  I’ll never be happy, because my marriage/family/job/ministry is so difficult.

12) Selfishness :  I would be more generous if we had more money.

Vince, a friend of a friend in Michigan, recently posted a very simple, yet profound account of taking his boys camping:

It finally happened. I was finally able to take my two older boys camping. I have said before that I need to show my boys what they need to enjoy.

I am not sure if there is a deeper post on this concept, but in a day and age of letting our children be who they are and nurturing their strengths it was a good reminder to me as a father.  My task with my children is to parent them or to teach them and bring them up.  I need to show them what they need to like and love.  It also reminded me how thankful I am to my father for showing me what I need to enjoy.

• Basketball
• The Behind the Back Dribble 
• IU
• Cornfields
• Yardwork (particularly mowing)
• Golf
• Dark Chocolate
• Energetic brunette girls
• Motorcycles
• Neil Diamond
• A Sovereign God
• A Merciful Savior
• The Local Church
• The doctrines of Grace
• Church History
• Serving others
• Men like Sinclair Ferguson, RC Sproul, Tom Nettles, Eric Liddell, Jim Elliot, JC Ryle, CH Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd Jones

This was from my reading this morning.  I was encouraged that no Christian should ever be afraid of doing what they know to be right.  We have a strong God who is angels to defend us so that we can trample over lions and snakes!  Sounds a bit like Indiana Jones!  But this is no Hollywood story, this is a real God who comes the the defense of real people who dwell in His mighty shadow. 

Psalm 91

My Refuge and My Fortress

 1He who dwells in^(A) the shelter of the Most High
   will abide in^(B) the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say^[a] to the LORD, “My^(C) refuge and my^(D) fortress,
   my God, in whom I^(E) trust.” 3For he will deliver you from^(F) the snare of the fowler
   and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will^(G) cover you with his pinions,
   and under his^(H) wings you will^(I) find refuge;
   his^(J) faithfulness is^(K) a shield and buckler.
5^(L) You will not fear^(M) the terror of the night,
   nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
   nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

 7A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you.
8You will only look with your eyes
   and^(N) see the recompense of the wicked.

 9Because you have made the LORD your^(O) dwelling place—
   the Most High, who is my^(P) refuge^[b]—
10^(Q) no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
   ^(R) no plague come near your tent.

 11^(S) For he will command his^(T) angels concerning you
   to^(U) guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
   lest you^(V) strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on^(W) the lion and the^(X) adder;
   the young lion and^(Y) the serpent you will^(Z) trample underfoot.

 14“Because he^(AA) holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
   I will protect him, because he^(AB) knows my name.
15When he^(AC) calls to me, I will answer him;
   I will be with him in trouble;
   I will rescue him and^(AD) honor him.
16With^(AE) long life I will satisfy him
   and^(AF) show him my salvation.”

This was passed on to me by a friend yesterday. The section about seeing our sin and its cost to our savior had a great impact on me.

O Holy Spirit,
Move, I beg You, upon my disordered heart.
Take away my unruly desires and hateful lusts.
Lift the mists and darkness of unbelief. Brighten
my soul with the pure light of truth. Make it . . .
fragrant as the garden of paradise,
rich with every goodly fruit,
beautiful with heavenly grace,
radiant with rays of divine light.
Be my . . .
comforter,
light,
guide,
sanctifier.

Take of the things of Christ and show them to my
soul. Through You may I daily learn more of His . . .
love,
grace,
compassion,
faithfulness,
beauty.
Lead me to the cross and show me . . .
His wounds,
the hateful nature of evil,
the power of Satan.

May I there see my sins as . . .
the nails which transfixed Him,
the cords which bound Him,
the thorns which tore Him,
the sword which pierced Him.

Help me to find in His death–the
reality and immensity of His love.

Open for me the wondrous volumes of truth in His
death. Increase my faith in the clear knowledge of . . .
atonement achieved,
redemption completed,
guilt done away,
my debt paid,
my sins forgiven,
my soul saved,
hell vanquished,
heaven opened,
eternity made mine.

O Holy Spirit, deepen in me these saving lessons.
Write them upon my heart, that my walk be . . .
sin-loathing,
sin-fleeing,
Christ-loving.

Proverbs 24:25-26:

24Whoever^(C) says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
^(D) will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.

My car is the vehicle we have chosen to not put any more money into than needed (it is 10 years old). If something is simply cosmetic then I just live with it. It boils down to priorities, how we want to use our money. Our mechanic has been telling me I need to replace the tires now for about a year (I tend to try and get as much out of the tread as possible). I have finally figured out an ingenious way to stop my mechanic from reminding me, I have quit taking it in to get the oil changed! Perfect, he has not said anything to me about my tires for months now. Before the comments fill up with advice on how bad that is for the car and my safety, I am taking it in tomorrow. And in case the obvious is not clear, the problem here is in no way my mechanic.

It has occurred to me that many of us are tempted to deal with sin in a similar manner. We know there is a lacking or a need of change, but we are not willing to pay the price or use the resources necessary. Therefore, we figure out “ingenious ways” to stop anyone of reminding us: some stop attending church or change churches, others avoid the pastors, maybe we simply stop asking for advice about anything lest the costly issue arises, teens will start clamming up around parents, we become more “selective” about who we seek advice from, still others will avoid certain church settings like Sunday School, after service discussions, etc.. We all know the routines. Now for those of you who thought my idea to stop getting the oil changed so the mechanic couldn’t tell me I need new tires was foolish, how much more foolish is it for us to do this with our souls? If there is a sin problem in your life, a know sin that requires change, it is time for an “oil” change.

Dr. Russ Moore has a well written article on why we need more depth than simply Veggie Tales (By the way, I do enjoy watching some of them) and what it means to preach Christ. Preaching Christ is not minimalistic, but whole-istic when it comes to the truths of Scripture.

Have you ever seen the episode of Veggie Tales in which the main characters are martyred by anti-Christian terrorists? You know, the one in which Bell Z. Bulb, the giant garlic demon, and Nero Caesar Salad, the tyrannical vegetable dictator, take on the heroes for their faith in Christ. Remember how it ends? Remember the cold dead eyes of Larry the cucumber behind glass, pickled for the sake of the Gospel? Remember Bob the tomato, all that remained was ketchup and seeds?

No, of course you don’t remember this episode…

There’s plenty of Veggie Tales preaching out there, and it’s not all for children. As a matter of fact, the way we teach children the Bible grows from what we believe the Bible is about–what’s really important in the Christian life. There’s also such a thing as Veggie Tales discipleship, Veggie Tales evangelism, even erudite and complicated Veggie Tales theology and biblical scholarship. Whenever we approach the Bible without focusing in on what the Bible is about–Christ Jesus and His Gospel–we are going to wind up with a kind of golden-rule Christianity that doesn’t last a generation, indeed rarely lasts an hour after it is delivered.

Preaching Christ doesn’t simply mean giving a gospel invitation at the end of a sermon–although it certainly does entail that. It means seeing all of reality as being summed up in Christ, and showing believers how to find themselves in the story of Jesus, a story that is Alpha and Omega, from the spoken Word that calls the universe together to the Last Man who governs the universe as its heir and King….
Every text of Scripture–Old or New Testaments–is thus about Jesus, precisely because, at the end of the day, everything in reality is about Jesus. Why is there something instead of nothing? Why are human beings religious? Why do people want food and water and sex and community? Why are there galaxies and quasars and blue whales and local churches? God is creating all that is for His heir, for the glory of Jesus Christ. When you see through Jesus, you see the interpretive grid through which all of reality makes sense.

With this in mind, the Scripture tells us that all of Scripture tells us the story of Jesus. The Gospel writers show us how Jesus fulfills the Scripture, but, interestingly enough, He doesn’t simply fulfill direct and obvious messianic prophecies. He also relives the story of Israel itself–exiled in Egypt, crossing the Jordan, being tempted with food and power in the wilderness during a forty-day sojourn there. Jesus applies to Himself language previously applied to Israel and its story–He is the vine of God, the temple, the tabernacle, the Spirit-anointed kingship, the wisdom of God Himself.