Window on the Word

English pastor Robert C. Chapman (1803-1902) penned these true words about the Bible:

This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.  Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.  

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.  It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.  

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character.  

Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.  Christ is its grand object, our good is its design, and the glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.  

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.  It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever.  It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Richard Allen

Once a slave, who paid for his freedom through working off his master's debt, Richard Allen became a fiery preacher and proponent for the free worship of African-Americans.  In 1799 he was officially ordained as the first black deacon of the Methodist Church, and opened the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first fully independent black denomination in America.

As Richard sought God for a way to bring his people out of poverty and shame, God guided him through a process that made a tremendous difference in many lives - not only of the citizens of Philadelphia but also of many black heroes to come.  Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Biddy Mason all attended the AME church.

If we are lazy and idle, 

the enemies of freedom plead it as a cause 

why we ought not to be free, 

and that giving us our liberty would be an injury to us.  

By such conduct we strengthen the bands of oppression, 

and keep many in bondage.  

Will our friends excuse - will God pardon us - 

for the part we act in making strong the hands of the enemies of our color?

Richard Allen

(1760-1831)

Don't let integrity slip away

As I recount the tragic story of Benedict Arnold, I can't help but think of how dangerous and slippery a deceitful heart can become.  A highly decorated American general, Arnold never thought his name would one day be known as "traitor".

It began as a slow fade: stealing supplies from troops at Valley Forge so that he could sell them to make a little bit of cash on the side.  Once he lacerated his mind from his morals, it became easy to meet with General Andre, a British officer, to sell classified documents describing the defense system at West Point Naval Base.

Through a series of "coincidences" his plan was discovered, and his reputation was ruined forever.  What if the young militia men hadn't stopped Andre?  What if Andre hadn't let it slip that he was a British officer?  What if Tallmadge, the only American who suspected Arnold was a traitor, had not been passing through the area?  The British would have attacked, and West Point would have fallen.  The American army would have been divided and conquered.  The Revolutionary War would have been an unsuccessful colonial revolt against the most powerful empire in the world.  The colonial leaders would be hung as traitors.  Arnold would be known around the world as a great British war hero who had single-handedly turned the course of the war!  He could well be living in luxury as a governor of the once-again-peaceful American colonies instead of in an English hovel, despised by both Americans and Englishmen.

Choosing to sacrifice integrity for personal gain never works.

I pray that I can live a life of sincerest integrity, never compromising myself for flashes of worldliness.

MIN 660 - Principles and Practices of Prayer

What a wonderful course this has become!  Grace Theological Seminary has already proven to be a great place to continue my education.  I feel as though I am not just learning spiritual truths, but also developing spiritual disciplines.  It's more than an education, it's becoming an eye-opening life experience.

Reading through Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala, has been such an encouragement.  It has challenged me to not only pray more, but to come before God with the right attitude.

"God is attracted to weakness.  He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit to how desperately they need him.  Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power."


"I was tired of the escapist mentality I had witnessed since childhood - always glorifying what GOd did way back in some revival, or else passionately predicting 'the coming great move of God' just ahead.  The truth is, I knew there were countless churches across the city and the nation that had not baptized a hundred truly converted sinners in a year, and most not in several years."

This quote really got me thinking.  How many students in the youth program have truly come to know Christ this past year?  Am I constantly proclaiming a coming movement of God without taking the steps of faith he has asked of me?

"Anybody who could make any money was trying to get away from our area."


This reminded me of South Bend and the decline in jobs and business opportunities.  I have been doing research on the latest statistics for the 46628 zip code and they are staggering.  I'll make that a separate post in the near future.

"One day I told the Lord I would rather die than merely tread water throughout my career in the ministry... always preaching about the power of the Word and the Spirit, but never seeing it."


"As one pastor told me with a smile, 'I don't steal sheep from other churches, but I do like to leave my gate wide open'."


In South Bend, all we do is swap Christians from one church to the next.  Where are the true converts?

"You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning.
You can tell how popular the pastor or evangelist is by who comes Sunday night.
But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting."


"The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings."


"God's first people were not called Jews or the Children of Israel or Hebrews.  In the very beginning their original name was THOSE WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD."


"The truth is that the devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials.  But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God."


"If our churches don't pray, and if people don't have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services?"


"There is to be no one who shares the stage with the Lord."


"The feature that is supposed to distinguish Christian churches, Christian people, and Christian gatherings is the aroma of prayer."


"Does the Bible ever say anywhere from Genesis to Revelation, 'My house shall be called a house of preaching'?  Does it ever say 'My house shall be called a house of music'?  Of course not.  The Bible does say, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'."

The Armor of God

Jeff Myers came by the church today and asked if I'd be willing to film a couple clips for their current GSM series: The Armor of God.

Here are the clips:

100th Post

Well, it's been a long journey these past few years.  God has brought me through so many challenges; both life altering and life threatening.  There is no doubt that every moment I can see God in fresh new perspectives and increasingly learn to trust in Him.

This past year has been no exception.  I can honestly say that at the beginning of this year I would never have dreamed that God would have brought me to the place He has now.  The year started off great in the Israeli countryside--What an experience!  The Master's program at Bethel College was also a challenge but I am looking forward to learning more about the Scriptures and God.

The opportunities to advance God's kingdom have never been more real than at Calvary Baptist Church.  I have never been a part of such an amazing working of God and the Holy Spirit.  I can honestly see lives changed every week and new believers coming to Christ.  In Michiana the Christian population has been estimated at around 30,000 people.  Too often, I feel, we just shuffle these individuals from church to church and "hey, we've got a new family".  I'm so tired of church-bouncers.  It has been refreshing at Calvary to see people who have never even owned a Bible, much less stepped through the doors of a church or interacted with the body of Christ.

The final exciting news of the year, and one that I was not expecting, was meeting the beautiful and God-fearing Susanna Martino.  She literally takes my breath away every day with her passion for life, family, friends, and most importantly Jesus Christ.  I don't know how she ever chose me, but things could not be better between us.  This September 6th will be six months for us.

Looking forward to serving God today.  I'm praying He allows me to live long so that I may be a continued servant of His.  Praise His name!

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds!
~Psalm 36:5

Christian LASIK surgery

High schoolers often ask me how they can have a victorious Christian life and witness to their friends?  Usually I respond with a quote from John Piper who says that whenever we got down in the dumps with our faith that we should "preach the gospel to ourselves".

I have an analogy that may help clarify this.  About 7 years ago I had LASIK surgery to correct my near-sighted vision.  Before the surgery, my eyesight was so bad that I couldn't see the alarm clock when I woke up in the morning, and was unable to legally drive without the aid of glasses or contacts.

Immediately following the surgery, I was ecstatic at how my life had changed:

1. I was now able to wake up and see everything around me, 
2. I could jump in the lake and open my eyes underwater, 
3. I could get sand in my eyes and wipe it out without ruining my contacts,
4. I didn't have to worry about bringing saline solution on a plane or long trips,
5. I could play sports without my contacts falling out or glasses getting broken,
6. I was free to wear sunglasses and goggles anytime I wanted,
7. I could go skydiving without my contacts flying out of my head,
8. I didn't have to visit the eye doctor every year or pay for prescriptions,
9. I was blind but now I could see!

But since that wonderful life-changing day, I have become so accustomed to all of the benefits that accompany the surgery, that I have forgotten what life was like before December 28, 2003.  

This relates directly to the Christian life.  Many times I forget who I was before Christ entered my life.  I forget all of the benefits of being a Christian which causes me to lose focus and joy in my everyday walk with God:

1. I am redeemed (Romans 3:24)
2. I am reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21
3. I am forgiven! (Romans 3:25)
4. I am delivered (Colossians 1:13)
5. I am accepted (Ephesians 1:6)
6. I am justified (Romans 3:24)
7. I am glorified (Romans 8:30)
8. I am a citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:20)
9. I am a member of a holy and royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5,9)
10. I am a member of the family of God (Ephesians 2:19)

Forgetting that I could be on a path to Hell right now (and I'm not!) also makes me less of a witness to those around me.  You see, if I forget all the benefits of LASIK surgery, when someone who has glasses or contacts comes up to me and mentions how much they hate their eyewear, I will never say anything, and they will never know that there is a surgery that can cure them of their blindness.

If, however, I am constantly remembering that once I too was blind, then I will immediately tell them about this life-changing surgery.

As Christians, we have received LASIK surgery of the heart!  We must constantly remember what our lives were like before we met Christ, and share the Good News to a blind world who desperately needs to hear!

"O keep ever before me the life of Christ crucified."

-Thomas a Kempis

Sexual Addiction Screening Test

There is a tendency among Christian men to consider sexual sin as a "bad habit" that needs to be broken, when in fact it is usually an addictive behavior that needs to be addressed immediately.

Here are some questions to help you determine whether or not you have a sexual addiction.  This is what therapists call a Sexual Addiction Screening Test.  If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions it would be beneficial to seek accountability.

1. Do you have a pattern of failing to resist the impulse to act out sexually?   YES   NO
2. When you do act out sexually, do you find that you do so to a greater extent, or for a longer period of time than you had originally intended?   YES   NO
3. Do you have a continual desire to act out sexually or have tried to stop, reduce, or control acting out sexually but been unsuccessful?   YES   NO
4. Have you spent an inordinate amount of time either trying to get sex, be sexual, or recover from some sexual experience?   YES   NO
5. Are you preoccupied with acting out sexually or preparing to act out sexually?   YES   NO
6. Do you find yourself acting out sexually even though you are expected to meet job, school, home, or social commitments?   YES   NO
7. Even if you know you have a social, educational, financial, mental, or physical problem caused by your sexual behavior do you continue to act out in that behavior anyway?   YES   NO
8. Do you find that you need to increase the intensity, frequency, number, or risk of sexual behavior to get the physical effect you want?  Conversely, does the same level of intensity, frequency, number, or risks of sexual behavior produce less of an effect?   YES   NO
9. Do you find yourself quitting or reducing your social, professional, or recreational activities because of your sexual behavior?  YES   NO
10. Do you find yourself upset, distressed, anxious, restless, or even violent if you cannot act out sexually, especially in the ways in which you have developed as a pattern?  YES   NO

If you would like someone to help you with accountability, please contact me (day or night my number is 574.274.9626).

The Pet Economy

Recently I was involved in an online discussion about Americans and their pets. For the discussion I used an article titled "The Pet Economy". Here are some excerpts:

1. Americans now spend $41 Billion (with a capital B) on their pets. This is more than the GDP of all but 64 countries in the world.

2. People are no longer satisfied to reward their pet in "pet terms" but now in "people terms".

3. Their menu reflects every fad in human food—from locally sourced organic meat and vegan snacks to gourmet meals bolstered by, say, glucosamine to ward off stiff joints.

4. About 77% of dogs and 52% of cats have been medicated in the past year, according to APPMA, an increase of about 20 percentage points from 1996.

5. About 63% of U.S. households, or 71 million homes, now own at least one pet (how many households are sponsoring a child overseas?).

6. Americans now spend $9.8 billion a year on vet services. That doesn't include the over-the-counter drugs and other supplies, which add $9.9 billion in costs.

7. New products like Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE ) dog-obesity drug Slentrol, cost $1 to $2 a day (how much does it cost to sponsor a child overseas?).

8. You can read the rest of the article here. When I think about it in comparison to human life, It actually makes me queazy.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045001.htm

These are rough statistics to hear, or maybe they're not for you, I don't know. I'm not saying we need to kick our pets outside to sleep in the snow and let them find food on their own. I like my cat and I wouldn't do that to her. However, the truth is that animals don't have souls (Gen. 2:7) and from the perspective of eternity, don't matter as much as a human life. God sent His Son to die for mankind, not for cats and dogs (1st Timothy 2:3-6).

I would challenge you this New Year to sponsor a child. I can tell you that just a dollar a day will radically change their lives.

This is the website that I use and have verified that most of the money you send goes directly to the child.

http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

Israel Journey: Day Nineteen and Twenty

A great trip!  Total travel time home was just over 30 hours.

Israel Journey: Day Eighteen

It was a last day filled with so much!  I decided to go to some of my favorite spots and do some thinking/reading.  I went back to Lina's Restaurant and had the best hummus that I've ever tasted.  Because of their hummus, Lina's has a great reputation throughout the Old City.

Sat by Jaffa Gate and did some people watching.  The picture below is the view over the bridge and shows an excellent example of how the modern city of Jerusalem is delicately interwoven throughout the Old City.

Went to Zedekiah's Cave.  More on this later.

Decided to go back to The Garden Tomb.  I had such an incredible experience.  More on this later.

Finally, went with some friends to a Turkish Bath House.  What a great way to end my trip!

Went to a great Shawarma place in Ramallah.

Israel Journey: Day Seventeen

Hiked up Masada today.  The path can be seen snaking back and forth on the right side of the picture.  If you look closely, you can see a group of people about a third of the way up (for scale).  It was quite a hike!

There is a very unique story behind Masada.  I put together a video describing the location and will be adding it to this blog when I get back to the States and have access to my lovely desktop computer.

This picture below shows an exciting story.  At the top of Masada was a man (a Sofer) copying the Torah, just as it had been done in the Jewish times.  You might find these facts as interesting as I did:
1. The parchment was derived from a Kosher animal, usually a goat, and prepared by the Sofer.
2. First the skin soaked in lime water for nine days to remove hairs.
3. Then the skin is stretched over a wooden frame to dry.
4. The Sofer scrapes the skin while it is stretched over the wooden frame to remove more hair and smoothes the surface of the skin in preparation for writing on it with the use of a sanding machine.
5. When the skin is dry, the Sofer cuts it into a rectangle.
6. While at work, the Sofer is a vehicle for God's holy words and thus intense concentration and cognizance of the sanctity of the work are critically important.
7. The Sofer carefully and patiently carves a point in the end of the kosher feather and uses many quills in the course of writing one Torah.  A special quill is used only for the names of God.
8. The Sofer is not allowed to write from memory.  He must look into the Tikkun for each next letter, concentrating himself on the holiness and significance of each letter
9. The scroll may contain no errors whatsoever. While some mistakes may be corrected by scraping off the ink of a letter made in error with a knife or pumice stone; if a mistake is made in writing any of the names of God, no correction may be made because God's name may not be erased.  The entire sheet parchment must be buried or placed in a geniza (storage area for damaged holy texts), and the Sofer must begin that section again.

"Masada shall not fall again."

Israel Journey: Day Sixteen

Spent the day relaxing with the group.  We woke up and had a wonderful Arab breakfast and then went into the old city to peruse the shops.

I left the group and was walking through town looking for something.  I couldn't find it, so I knocked on someone's door and a young high-school-aged girl answered.  I told her what I was looking for and she said, "I'm not sure, but my mom knows.  Come inside while I call her."  As she was getting directions from her mom on the phone, she brought me some hot tea and cookies.  Middle Eastern culture is so inviting!

Israel Journey: Day Fifteen

 "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 

As Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven being torn open 

and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven: 

"You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

~Mark 1:9-11

Today I had the amazing privilege to baptize a friend in The Jordan River.  This was something Josh had been wanting to do for some time and it was such a powerful example to follow in the footsteps of Christ.

We drove from Tiberius, all the way to Haifa, where we found the place Josh's mom grew up.  I have to say that Haifa has the most confusing and complicated road system that I have ever driven.  We were lost for quite some time, but the views of the Mediterranean Sea from high above the cliffs proved worth the trip.

Israel Journey: Day Fourteen

Went south to visit the area of Qumran, the location where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered.  In early 1947, a Bedouin shepherd boy searching for a stray goat came upon the scrolls which were stored inside earthenware jars in a high cliffside cave.  The scrolls are now on display at the Shrine of the Book, which is part of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  This event has been described as the most important discovery in the the history of the Jewish people.

Went further south to the Chalk Caves.  These were amazing!  The entire cave system was made of chalk and could be pulled off by layers.

Finally, we visited The Dead Sea and went for a floating swim!  Known in Hebrew as Yam HaMelah (Sea of Salt), the Dead Sea is the world's lowest point lying some 400m below sea level.  Compared to regular sea water, the water of the Dead Sea contains 20 times as much bromine, 15 times as much magnesium, and 10 times as much iodine - it is, in effect, 33% solid substance.

Israel Journey: Day Thirteen

Went to the Citadel of David.  More on this later.

Went back to Bethlehem so I could get inside the basement of the Church of the Nativity, which I wasn't able to see on Christmas Eve.  The picture below shows the location where Jesus is said to have been born.  Nearby is another shrine that is said to be the place Mary first laid Him in the manger.

SAHLEB!  What a delicious treat from Bethlehem Square.

This picture shows how the children of the West Bank and Israel are constantly living under military influence.  This photo was taken as a few Palestinian boys were playing cops and robbers in an abandoned courtyard.

Made food for tomorrow's trip to the Dead Sea.  We stuffed peppers, zucchini, and grape leaves.

Israel Journey: Day Twelve

The Israeli Museum was the primary stop today.  It was unbelievable!  I saw so many artifacts, to include the oldest copies of biblical text known to us today (they predate the Dead Sea Scrolls by 400 years!).  There was also a crucified heel bone with nail still in place; this was one of the few archeological evidences for crucifixion.  To culminate my time at the museum, I visited The Shrine of the Book, which is an exhibit that displays portions of the Isaiah scroll, as found in 1947 near the Dead Sea.  I got chills as I realized that I was looking at something that I had talked about for years as being strong evidence for why I believe the Bible is historically accurate.

Tonight was very special.  We spent new years eve with an alliance of churches from all around Jerusalem.  As I said yesterday, the Jerusalem church has amazed me in many ways.  The nation of Israel is only 2.5% Christian and is still being persecuted today.  There are hardly any christian institutions to speak of, and the government directly frustrates their desire to grow.  Because of this, many Christians have fled the country in the past ten years, which has left an even greater void.  

The church operates differently in Israel than it does in the United States.  They cling to each other and whenever they encounter another believer they are warmly greeted.  These people are sold out for Christ and have put their family relationships, their jobs, sometimes their very lives on the line in order to spread the Gospel.  In the United States, if the church doesn't have the right type of music or the right program, a person will go and find another church... and then another... until they are comfortable.  It makes me sad to think about the lukewarm church in America.

We spent the night playing games, eating great food, and praising God through song and listening of the Word.  The first song we sang at midnight?  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!

Israel Journey: Day Eleven

Went to the Temple Mount and walked around the Al Aqsa Mosque.  There were many activities happening within the walls of the Temple Mount.  Numerous games such as soccer and volleyball, as well as students studying at the religious school.

Walked down into The Kidron Valley.  More on this later.

The city was alive with activity today.  There were numerous sports events happening, and I watched an older Jewish man school some young guys in soccer.  There were also many bar mitzvahs, which were individual celebratory concerts in their own respect.

There are so many cats in Israel!
They're almost as numerous as squirrels in the United States.

I was on the city bus and looked out the window just in time to see a sign for Calvary Baptist Church!  I quickly pushed the button to get off, and walked around the area in search of the church.  Since it was a church that operated out of a home, it was very difficult to find.  After talking with a couple of old ladies, I found it, became connected with the pastor, and went to services later that night.  There are so many stories associated with these few hours; to summarize, I have been amazed by the church in Jerusalem.  I'll blog more about this topic tomorrow.