I’ll Pray For You

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We say this a lot, don’t we.

I was attending a pastor’s conference Monday evening and didn’t hear any news reports until early Tuesday morning. Before I heard any of those, I’d checked Facebook and saw many of my ‘friends’ saying things like, ‘Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in Oklahoma’, or ‘Pray for the people of Moore, OK.’ Then, when I checked my news sites and discovered what had happened on Monday I understood…in part.

When tragedies like this strike, I find it amazing how often people will use phrases similar to the above to express their sentiments about the devastation. Yet I’m left wondering: ‘Just what are we supposed to be praying for? How should I pray for these people, families, children?’ And ‘What does it mean to have my thoughts go out to them?’ I realize the solidarity it’s trying to elicit, somehow mystically helping those who have suffered greatly to know they are not alone in this.

But again I’ll ask, ‘What thoughts are we sending their way?’

How about some like this:

‘O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord––how long?’

Or perhaps these thoughts should ‘go out to them’:

‘Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?’

Another thought ‘going their way’:

‘How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?’

One final ‘prayer’ for them:

‘Remove your stroke from me;
I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!’

In other words, ‘God, stop looking down upon me right now! If you don’t, I’ll die!’

Psalms of lament. We have so much to learn about them and from them. We have so much further to go in our whole Christian lives in order to comprehend why these are some of the best thoughts that can ‘go out to those in times of trial.’

So, my prayers and thoughts are going out. I will lament with them. I will cry out with them. I will try to sense some heartache with them. Pray for them with me.

A Little About A Lot of Things

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Phew! What a weekend!

After working on Friday, we had our youngest final high school band concert to attend. The big hitch here was the Concert band would play last and it was Senior night. And Ann & I had a time limit. Jonathan needed to be in Dubuque, Iowa early the next morning, which meant leaving Friday night. Well, we were able to hear the concert band play and then nearly ran to our car. Picked up Jonathan after work at 9 p.m. and hit the road for the 3.5 hour trip to Dubuque. Arrived there just before 1 a.m. Up and at’em by 6.30 a.m. and at Emmaus Bible College by eight o’clock. A full day’s schedule for Jonathan to register for classes and us, as the parents, to hear about the school and how we might possibly pay for this venture (still have no idea there; seriously considering the lottery…no, not really). Then it was ‘hit the road’ to get home, which saw us through the door around 8.30 p.m. Ann and I ate and crashed. Full slate Sunday morning, with fellowship meal and Congregational Meeting following the service. Finally arrived home and just kinda went all wobbly-legged in the chair. Nearly read an entire James Patterson book, watched the awful storm blow over and went to bed early.

Well, it just doesn’t stop there. Jonathan and I are headed to the Twin Cities today to attend a pastor’s conference at Redeemer Bible Church. Paul Miller, author of ‘A Praying Life’ will be the featured speaker. Greatly looking forward to that.

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Josh Blount, writing at The Blazing Center, has an excellent little blog post about the great need for the whole church to serve, not simply ‘Supermen’ and ‘Superwomen’. If I could have added anything to it, I would only have talked about how attempting to be Superman and doing it all is also one of the greatest, yet subtlest forms of pride seen in the church. Those of us who have played this superhero role may not approach it with any sense of hubris, but it is still prideful to either think ‘I can do it all’ or ‘No one else will possibly help me, so I’d better do it all.’ Maybe I’ll work something up on that…

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If this story doesn’t rock your world AND make you thankful for the forgiveness through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross, I’m not sure what will. Please read: Tunnel Vision: The Personal Purgatory of Kevin Tunell. After you read this, immediately thank the Lord that He has forgiven you––completely––through His Son, Jesus Christ. Then, let others that you know, who are brothers and sisters in the Lord––tell them this great news so they will be encouraged and strengthened in their faith. Oh, what a wicked God we would serve, who would say that He forgave us, but every single week, force us to remember our sins so vividly, so pointedly, without any recourse for comfort and relief. Thanks to Cripplegate for posting this.

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And to add a smile to your day: Rogue Pandas on the loose!

HT: Kevin DeYoung

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I’m not sure where Tom has been, but am I ever glad that Tominthebox News is back! Because who else would have picked up on this story and reported? USA Today? Time? The Washington Post? I think not. Only TBNN has this headliner. Reformed Presbyterians unite & rejoice!

K-Love Switches to Exclusive A Cappella Psalmody

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I really hate it when people meddle and start looking inside my heart. And yet it is so amazingly necessary. Thanks Scotty for writing this prayer.

A Prayer for Repenting of Whining and Ingratitude

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Well, that’s enough to keep your mind busy this morning. Have a blessed week.

Wednesday Wanderings

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mindAh, the joys of blogging and having software not function quite like you’d hoped. Apparently Monday’s entry didn’t make it up until today! Fun, fun, joy, joy. Oh well, kind of like me when asked by my wife if our youngest is up and doing what she’s been told to do: ‘No, but at least she’s up.’

You’ll see it, but just in case: Monday Meanderings In My Mind
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Here’s an interesting piece:

Fro the Desiring God blog comes a link to Tullian Tchvidijian talking about regeneration. I think you’ll enjoy it.
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20130515-075104.jpgI have many thoughts on the Kermit Gosnell trial (and if you don’t know what I’m talking about or who Gosnell is, please click another link; you’ve had your eyes closed for far too long). Just one of the many is: has anyone been praying FOR Gosnell? For conviction of sin? For repentance unto life? For him to turn and come to Jesus Christ? As much as I want to see him brought to justice (and it appears he has with the sentencing handed down yesterday), I cannot let my fleshly desires be the only thing that drives this. He is a sinner in need of salvation.

Albert Mohler, a scary smart man by anyone’s standards, has this to say about Gosnell and the ‘pro-abortion’ movement.
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Have I mentioned how much I’m learning to enjoy and appreciate Carl Trueman? I’m reading his book, ‘Fools Rush In Where Monkeys Fear To Tread.’ It’s a wonderful delight; I highly commend it (just be prepared to snarl, laugh, scream, cry and have your convictions challenged).

Carl’s done it again with this article on ‘Tragic Worship’.

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‘Can you worship without words?’ someone asks Bob Kauflin. Here’s his reply, his really, really good reply.

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And finally, as I wander on out of my mind… wait, did that sound like what I meant? Anyway…

Christ is the head of the Church. Yes, indeed He is. Kevin DeYoung, citing James Bannerman, lays it out clearly for us:

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Only Head of the Church

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By the way, if you see my mind while you’re out today, please ask it to return. I have some other tasks for it to take care of. Thanks.Out_of_my_mind_ID_by_mondspeer

Monday Meanderings In My Mind

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We have several in our congregation at Cornerstone who will often tell me how much they love their church. It seems there’s always something different each week: the people, the sermon, the singing, the children, the funny things that go on during a worship service. It’s all there. This is such a great encouragement to me. I know it is to the others who hear it also.

Not everyone has always been happy with our congregation; it would not be truthful to think otherwise. Thankfully, in some respects, those people have left us. Sadly, most of them have left over the most trivial of matters. Usually, it’s because their feelings got hurt or they weren’t given the spotlight they thought they deserved. Only in one case has it ever been over a doctrinal, theological, biblical issue. I tried, in that case, to see if we could ‘work it out’ over the Word. We couldn’t. It was sad and painful. The others, well, it can’t be said efforts weren’t made in some of the cases. One was a situation we would have asked them to leave if they hadn’t removed themselves first. Another was a very prideful, selfish move to try to manipulate the entire congregation. It failed; they left and I’m not sure we missed them after about two weeks. Others, well, those hurt for a while, but there are just too many others who are a joy and love each other.

There are many things I love about our congregation. One of those is the time spent with children. When I first arrived at Cornerstone, we had a couple of people who attempted to lead a Children’s Church ministry for 2-6 year olds during half of the worship service. After about two years, that sort of faded away. In place of that, I began leading a Children’s sermon time during the service. All the kids would come running to the front for a short message from the Word of God. Sometimes it was a story; other times, an object might be used. Only a handful in over 12 years have fallen flat or been hilarious failures. Most often the adults will tell me they got as much out of that as my regular sermon!

About a year ago, or so, I began involving other men in that teaching time. That has been a sheer joy to me. I believe it’s also been healthier for our kids to see other men who are capable of teaching. I know it has been for the rest of the congregation. They are amazingly creative and yet they stay well-grounded in the Scriptures.

This past Sunday, it was my turn. When I lead these times, I will often try to have something connected to the passage from which I’ll be preaching in a few moments. Yesterday, however, was going to be a challenge. The text: Mark 5.1–20; the account of the demonized man. Well, I bailed and spoke about Ascension Sunday, which was also important for them to learn.

Yet I couldn’t help but think I bailed out because the demoniac is not ‘child friendly.’ But I could still teach it, couldn’t I? Of course I could. And I should have. I had a song I’d written just that Saturday, but wasn’t quite ready to bring it out yet. I’ll work on it and who knows, maybe it’ll still see the light of day. Here are the lyrics (feel free to use them; just don’t take credit for them):

The Demonized Man Song
Mark 5.1–20

Lyrics by Kevin Sorensen
(sung to the tune ‘The Story of Jed Clampett’)

 

Come listen to a story ‘bout a man named Jed,
A demonized man, heard voices in his head,
Along came Jesus off the Sea of Galilee,
Cast’em all out and set the man free.
(Exorcism, that is)

He was near half crazy and he caused lots of fear,
So the townsfolk said, ‘Jed, move away from here!’
He lived near the tombs, and he lived all alone,
He cast off all the chains and he cut himself with stones.

When the demons saw Jesus, they all hit their knee,
They said, ‘Son of God, what have you to do with me?’
Jesus said, ‘Come out, you’ll have to find new digs.’
They all fled the man and possessed’em up some pigs.

The pigs went crazy and they dove into the sea,
The demonized man had at last been set free,
The herders were so angry that they ran into the town
The townfolk all got mad and they gathered all around.
(Mobs, that is; riot squads)

The townsfolk were scared and they all drew near;
They all told Jesus, ‘Hey! Move away from here!’
As Jesus went to leave, the man said, ‘What about me?’
Jesus said, ‘Go home and tell ‘bout Me.’

That’s the end of the story, but the tale’s not done,
Each one of us, who’s been saved by the Son,
We’re to go and tell others ‘bout the Lord’s mercy,
And what He’s done to save us, forgiven you and me.

Wednesday Wanderings

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Belonging.

This evening, at Cornerstone, the elders will be conducting a few membership interviews. People will come, appear before the elders (two of the three of us), share some of their life with us, answer two key questions and seek to be affirmed as members of Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church.

First off, they are not joining. The ‘joining’ happened the moment they received Christ into their lives and believed on His name. When the Holy Spirit used the Word of God to regenerate their hearts, they were joined with thousands and thousands of other believers into the Body of Christ. So, no, they are not joining. People join clubs, organizations, fraternities. God is the One who takes you and ‘joins’ you to Himself through Christ.

Second, membership with a local assembly of Christians really has very little to do with structural organization. Yes, we do have 2–3 congregational meetings throughout the course of a year. Yes, on occasion we ‘take a vote,’ ask for a ‘show of hands,’ or even say ‘aye.’ That’s not membership. It might be a responsibility and a privilege of that belonging, but don’t confuse it with the thing itself.

No, Cornerstone is still one of those more and more rare evangelical churches that believes very firmly in biblical membership: covenanting together with a local assembly of God’s people to serve Him and them together. We are, after all, so glad to be a part of the family of God. For reasons beyond our reckoning, God has chosen human beings––people––to be His representatives on earth. We are the ambassadors of His glory. And we do this best –– and most biblically –– together, when we acknowledge our belonging.

Maybe I’ll elaborate upon this more in future posts. You can go here for some of the best counsel and teaching on this subject that I’ve ever come across. But for now, I want to ask you two simple questions:

1. What is the gospel?
2. Do you see that lived out in the pages of Scripture by people living as individuals or as a gathered people?

(Your answer will probably tell me more about how much of our rarefied American rugged individualism you’ve imbibed in than your knowledge of Scripture. Just sayin’)

Okay, I was slightly wrong…I have a third question that comes in two parts:

3. Are you a member of a local assembly of believers? If no, why not? (Use the comment section or the email to make your biblical, Scripture-filled argument)

Monday Morning Meanderings of My Mind

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Last week I announced that I’ll be taking a break from blogging in the near future. I have a few book commitments and then, probably after the first week of June, I’ll hang up my blogging pen for a while. The out cry against this has been overwhelming… kind of like, to quote Sigh So Low, an ancient Daoist philosopher, ‘the sound of one hand clapping.’ Very encouraging. Very confirming.

Carl Trueman is a genius, a master of wit and wisdom. I am truly thankful for this man, his work and writings. I’ve been reading a collection of his essays, ‘Fools Rush In Where Monkeys Fear to Tread: Taking Aim at Everyone’ by Puritan & Reformed Press. I highly recommend it. My only critique is that the book needs to be indexed. He had some massively clever insights into blogging that I want to re-create here for you, but I’ll have to re-read a few chapters to track it down. So, more coming later in the week.

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These Guys Are Good

Really, these guys are good: Gentle Reformation. Today’s ‘Gospel Gleanings‘ is just a sample of quotes they’ve put together and tossed out there for your perusal. Here are a couple samples:

On addressing the question of which comes first, faith or repentance, Sinclair Ferguson reminds us of John Murray’s answer.  He said that this is “an unnecessary question and the insistence that one is prior to the other is futile. There is no priority.  The faith that is unto salvation is a penitent faith and the repentance that is unto life is a believing repentance…saving faith is permeated with repentance and repentance is permeated with saving faith.” (“Faith and Repentance,” Tabletalk, June 2013

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One problem with justification by works is that it just does not work.

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“We are to preach the Gospel, not to preach about the Gospel….There are men who think they are preaching the Gospel when actually in fact they are simply saying things about the Gospel…We are not to simply say things about it, we are actually to convey it.  We are the channels through which this Word is to pass to the people.” -Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preachers and Preaching

So, go check them out and read some of their other postings.

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Timmy Brister provides some great fodder for meditation and worship today. Set aside nearly 20 minutes to watch the video, but please watch it. And rejoice. And worship. And serve our Savior.

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Kevin DeYoung is a fine young pastor. He’ll be one of the keynote speakers at this summer’s EFCAOne National Conference. I’ll miss seeing him there…largely because I can’t make it to New Orleans this summer. Sigh.

Anyway, as a pastor, I’m thinking he has down time on Monday, so instead of weighty, heavy blog posts, he does this:

Monday Morning Humor

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sp059And finally, thanks to the boys who are Pyromaniacs (if you’ve never been to their blog, please read the ‘About Us’ file; that will answer ‘Why that name? Isn’t it inflammatory?’––sorry about that). Every week, they post a kind of ‘Best of Spurgeon’, just a glimpse into the holy genius that was Charles Haddon Spurgeon through an excerpt of one of his sermons. Today’s is a wonderful grounding in reality for all of us. Check it out.

Your weekly dose of Spurgeon:

The PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from the lifetime of works from the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  The following excerpt is from The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, volume 16, sermon number 941, “The tender pity of the Lord.”

“If you cannot bear with your imperfect brother, take it for certain that you are very imperfect yourself.”

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Until I take my ‘blogging sabbatical’, I’ll be posting Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so see you on Wednesday!

Contentment, Prosperity and God’s Glory by Jeremiah Burroughs

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contentmentMy Review – This is a marvelous book. Reformation Heritage Books is doing a great service by reprinting these Puritan classics, in a short from, with some modifications made to make them more readable by a modern audience. I commend them for this and hope that they’ll continue the practice.

Burroughs has long been one of my favorite Puritans. He is eminently readable, speaks straight to the heart and doesn’t get lost in some of the Puritan’s tendencies to lambast the papacy or crown. He was, and still is, very good for the church. This is why his books are still in print and should be read more and more.

‘Contentment, Prosperity and God’s Glory’ is much needed today, in our American consumer-driven culture. It is much needed in the church throughout American evangelical churches, who have been breathing that cultural air for far too long. We are prosperous (nothing inherently wrong or sinful about that). However, we are not content. Therefore, we are not glorifying God as we ought. Even though this book was written and published nearly 350 years ago, it is as pertinent to us as if Burroughs were pastoring a church in the United States right now.

Each major section deals with the struggle a Christian fights for to be content, no matter what his condition: having little or having much. Burroughs earlier work, ‘The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment’ deals more with how to be content with very little, even during times of suffering (and Burroughs knew firsthand what this meant). This current work takes the flip side of the coin, prosperity, and seeks to show how much more difficult it is to glorify God through contentment when we have much. Section One addresses what it means to be full in a godly fashion. Eleven principles are laid out with such clarity no one could miss the point. Section Two moves into the difficulties of learning such contentment as this. Burroughs’ analogies are a true delight; I’d read this book just to get to them. The next two portions deal with the necessity and the excellency of learning this state of God-glorifying fullness. Perhaps one of the reasons this ‘secret’ is so hard to discover for far too many is that there is a mystery to it. Burroughs deals with this in Chapter Six. Burroughs takes the final three chapters to deal with the practical matters of contentment, helping the reader learn how to practice contentment in the midst of great fullness of blessing, avoiding the guilt of sinfully living to excess in the midst of God’s great providence and advice on how to improve prosperous conditions (warning: this is not the ‘Get Rich Quick’ chapter!). I think everyone who reads this will hear Burroughs’ pastoral voice, urging them, pleading with them, exhorting, and yes, at times reproving them in order to see God get all the glory.

Again, thank you to RHB for publishing this. Thank you to Philip Simpson for his work in editing this short work. I highly commend this book to you.

burroughsAbout the Book –

Why is it difficult to be content when you have so much?

On the surface, it seems unnecessary to instruct someone to be content in times of prosperity. However, times of prosperity and abundance provide some of the strongest temptations to pull our hearts away from God. Jeremiah Burroughs was keenly aware that the riches of this world compete for our affections and challenge our contentment in Christ. Originally prepared as an appendix to The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, this book provides an important conclusion to Burroughs’s sermon series on Philippians 4:11–12: “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

jeremiah-burroughs-small-fileAbout the Author –

Jeremiah Burroughs (1599–1646) was a member of the Westminster Assembly and a prominent preacher among Congregationalists. Several of his works have been reprinted by Soli Deo Gloria Publications.

You can learn much more about Burroughs at ‘his’ website: jeremiahburroughs.blogspot.com

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Contentment, Prosperity and God’s Glory may be purchased at:

Amazon.com (an eBook version is also available)

Christianbook.com

Reformation Heritage Books

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Cross-focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”