A Project from Work

I locked my keys (car keys, house keys, office keys) in the NCFIC office this evening along with my computer which seriously delayed me in getting home. So, instead of posting something of length, I will post a little photo manipulation project I am working on for an html email.

Made in Photoshop from a combination of 4 photographs and a couple rasterized text blocks... and a few shading layers. I still need to tweak the perspective on the last two rows of text. The perspective, warp, scale, transform, and other like tools are amazing. The smudge tool is a great tool as well when creating varied out of focus. I made the picture for a side project I am doing at work - a new html email template that effectively is like emailing the NCFIC home page. It has pretty much all the links and graphics, the first few lines of the latest blog, and a spot for letters from Scott Brown - hence the picture.

The more I learn about coding, the more I enjoy it. Maybe someday I'll tackle a website...

Hallowed Be Thy Name

The Lord's Day. What a wonderful thing it is! A day - a whole day, not a partial day - to be set apart from the others and in which the work and distractions of this world may be removed and our focus directed to the worshiping our Lord and Maker. It is a day when we can turn away our foot from our general employment and labors, remembering that there is a day coming when we shall cease from our labors as God did from His - and remembering the resurrection of Christ which makes possible that rest. It is a day, not for doing our own pleasure, but the pleasure of the Lord that we may be reminded of the purpose of our being upon this earth. It is a day to set aside our ways, our thoughts, our words, and to focus our energies on delighting in God.

What a blessing it is then that the Lord gives us such a day. We merely curse ourselves when we try to treat it as any other day. It removes from us the spiritual blessing of the lifting of the cares of this world and physical rest in Christ which may now be experienced. It removes the blessing of being close to God for a whole day as we worship with His people and fellowship with them and as we have more time to spend in private and family worship than other days.

So what does the above have to do with the title of this post? A lot. There are four simple words in the second phrase of the model prayer which Christ taught to his disciples when they asked him to teach them to pray. Four words that speak volumes about the Person of God, His transcendence, His holiness, His infinite worth. And God is glorified in it. Our worship of God - our ascribing worth to Him - is captured by Christ in four simple words.

Across America today, millions of people went to church services filled with words supposedly in praise to God. Our big bands drummed out the syllables, our preachers scratched the ears of their congregations with soft and swelling sermons about God. Yet the question must be asked - does God receive more honor and glory through those four words than through all the swelling words of the American "church"? Do all the emotional, music driven "worship services" with all their 7/11 praise songs (seven words sung eleven times) bring less glory to God than these four words?

Christ answers to the affirmative if the heart of God is not in the words spoken by the American church. We think that by our loud music and our many swelling prayers that God is glorified. We think that if we jump and shout and dance and get emotionally worked up that God must hear us and be pleased with what He sees. We think that when we work ourselves into an emotional frenzy singing the same phrase 10 times that God is glorified.   

But Christ offers a different picture: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." Christ rebukes the "much speaking" of the "heathen" and offers a short and simple prayer. There are no swelling words of vanity in it - yet as Ryle says,  "Perhaps no part of Scripture is so full, and so simple at the same time, as this. It is the first prayer we learn to offer up, when we are little children. Here is its simplicity. -- It contains the germ of everything which the most advanced saint can desire. Here is its fulness." (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Vol. 1,  pg. 50)

In the aforementioned phrase, we a petition to God respecting His Name. We understand that by name, we infer all the attributes by which God defines Himself. He calls Himself by the name of Jealous, the Self-Existent One - "I am that I am," the Holy One, the Everlasting God, the Prince of Peace, the Eternal Father. Our petition as that all that God is be set aside as holy and be glorified in the earth. This glory for the Name of God is the end to which all are made. Again I quote Ryle: The glory of God is teh first thing that God's children should desire. It is the object of our Lord's own prayers: 'Father, glorify thy name.' (John xii. 28). It is the purpose for which the world was created. It is the end for which all saints are called and converted. It is the chief thing we should seek, that 'God in all things may be glorified.' (1 Peter iv. 11.)" (Ibid. pg. 51)

Let us then remember that it is not the quantity but the quality - the heart - of our words that makes the difference. It does us no good to speak many words when the genuine worship of God is not in our hearts. God would rather hear the poor child on the street who in all genuineness prays, "Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name," then to hear a church of 10,000 saying "This is my Bible: I am what it says I am; I have what it says I have; I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the Word of God. I'll boldly confess. My mind is alert; my heart is receptive; I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living Seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same - never, never, never! I'll never be the same, in Jesus' Name."

Oh Father, unto Thy Name be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end. Amen.

Road Trip - Kick Off in 3 Weeks

The Deification of Man

I am running off to a conference on Child Raising so I only have a moment to put something up. So here is a thought provoker:

This sign was on the outside of a large Catholic church building in New Orleans, LA.

Andrew Jackson

Lightning Storm - Happy Birthday Chicho!

"The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD. For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."

     - Psalm 97

I realize I already posted something this evening, but we just had a strom roll through here and I decided to try my hand at some hand-held - though braced against solid objects - lightning photos. A tripod would have been very nice, but I can't recall where mine is. So, hand-held it shall be and we'll just have to look at the lightning and not at the foreground. :-)

Yahoooooo!

Happy Birthday Chicho! I hope you have had a wonderful week with your (or should I say my? :-) family. I can't wait to see you again on Saturday little Bro.

Final Considerations - Do You Have the Spirit of Christ?

"Let me conclude by asking you this question: do you have the Spirit of God in you? You have some kind of religion, most of you, I daresay. Well, of what kind is it? Is it a homemade article? Did you make yourself the way you are? Then, if so, you are a lost person up to this moment. If, my friend, you have gone no further than you have walked yourself, you are not on the road to heaven yet; your face is turned the wrong way. But if you have received something that neither flesh nor blood could reveal yo you, if you have been led to do the very thing that you once hated, and to love that thing that you once despised, and to despise that on which your heart and your pride were once set, then soul, if this is the Spirit's work, rejoice, for where He has begun the good work He will carry it on (Phil. 1:6).

"And you may know whether it is the Spirits;s work by this: have you been led to Christ, and away from self? Have you been led away from all feelings, all doings, from all willings, from all prayings, as the ground of your trust and your hope, and have you been brought nakedly to rely upon the finished work of Christ?" If so, this is more than human nature ever taught a man; this is a height which human nature never climbed. The Spirit of God has done this, and He will never leave what He has once begun, but you will "go from strength to strength" (Ps. 84:7), and you will stand among the blood-washed throng, at last complete in Christ, and "accepted in the beloved" (Eph. 1:6). But if you do not have the spirit of Christ, you are none of His.

May the Spirit lead you to a quite place where you can weep, repent, and look to Christ. May you now have a divine life implanted, which neither time nor eternity will be able to destroy. God hear this prayer,. and bless us for Jesus' sake. Amen."

C.H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon on the Holy Spirit, pgs. 50-51.

Reading the Bible - J.C. Ryle

C.H. Spurgeon on Private Devotions

C.H. Spurgeon - They Shall Be My People

“I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” - 2 Corinthians 6:16

What a sweet title: “My people!” What a cheering revelation: “Their God!” How much of meaning is couched in those two words, “My people!” Here is speciality. The whole world is God’s; the heaven, even the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s, and he reigneth among the children of men; but of those whom he hath chosen, whom he hath purchased to himself, he saith what he saith not of others-”My people.” In this word there is the idea of proprietorship. In a special manner the “Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” All the nations upon earth are his; the whole world is in his power; yet are his people, his chosen, more especially his possession; for he has done more for them than others; he has bought them with his blood; he has brought them nigh to himself; he has set his great heart upon them; he has loved them with an everlasting love, a love which many waters cannot quench, and which the revolutions of time shall never suffice in the least degree to diminish. Dear friends, can you, by faith, see yourselves in that number? Can you look up to heaven and say, “My Lord and my God: mine by that sweet relationship which entitles me to call thee Father; mine by that hallowed fellowship which I delight to hold with thee when thou art pleased to manifest thyself unto me as thou dost not unto the world?” Canst thou read the Book of Inspiration, and find there the indentures of thy salvation? Canst thou read thy title writ in precious blood? Canst thou, by humble faith, lay hold of Jesus’ garments, and say, “My Christ”? If thou canst, then God saith of thee, and of others like thee, “My people;” for, if God be your God, and Christ your Christ, the Lord has a special, peculiar favour to you; you are the object of his choice, accepted in his beloved Son.

Prayer

Prayer is not appointed for the furnishing of God with the knowledge of what we need, but it is designed as a confession to Him of our sense of the need.  In this, as in everything, God's thoughts are not as ours.  God requires that His gifts should be sought for.  He designs to be honoured by our asking, just as He is to be thanked by us after He has bestowed His blessing.

—A. W. Pink

Christ - The Secret to a Happy Home Life

"What are some of the secrets of happy home life? The answer might be given in one word - Christ. Christ at the marriage altar; Christ on the bridal journey; Christ when the new home is set up; Christ when the baby is born; Christ when the child dies; Christ in the pinching times; Christ in the days of plenty; Christ in the nursery, in the kitchen, in the parlor; Christ in the toil and in the resr; Christ along all the years; Christ when the wedded pair walk toward the sunset gates; Christ in the sad hour when farewells are spoken, and one goes before and the other stays, bearing the unspoken grief. Christ is the secret of happy home life."

       –J. R. Miller, Secrets of Happy Home Life

John Brown Finds a Wife

The mid-1680s is remembered as the Killing Time in Scotland. Royal regiments martyred Scottish Presbyterians at will. Despite the danger, Presbyterian John Brown fell in love with Isabell Weir. He proposed to her, but warned that he would one day seal his testimony with blood. Isabell replied, “If it be so, I will be your comfort. The Lord has promised me grace.” They were married in a secret glen by the outlawed minister, Alexander Peden. “These witnesses of your vows,” said Peden, beginning the illegal ceremony, “have come at risk of their lives to hear God’s word and his ordinance of marriage.” The vows were spoken, then Peden drew Isabell aside, saying, “You have got a good husband. Keep linen for a winding-sheet beside you; for in a day when you least expect it, thy master shall be taken.”

The Brown home soon included two children. It was happy, filled with prayer and godly conversation. Fugitive preachers were hidden and cared for there. But on May 1, 1685 John rose at dawn, singing Psalm 27, to find the house surrounded by soldiers. The family filed onto the lawn. The commander, Claverhouse, shouted to John, “Go to your prayers; you shall immediately die.” Kneeling, John prayed earnestly for his wife, pregnant again, and for his children. Then he rose, embraced Isabell, and said, “The day is come of which I told you when I first proposed to you.”

“Indeed, John. If it must be so, I can willingly part with you.”

“This is all I desire,” replied John. “I have no more to do but to die.” He kissed his children, then Claverhouse ordered his men to shoot. The soldiers hesitated. Snatching a pistol, Claverhouse placed it to John’s head and blew out his brains. “What thinkest thou of thy husband now, woman?” he snarled. Isabell, fixing Claverhouse in her gaze, told him she had never been so proud of him. Claverhouse mounted his horse and sped away, troops in tow. Isabell tied John’s head in a napkin and sat on the ground weeping with her children until friends arrived to comfort them.

Armies may surround me, but I won’t be afraid;
War may break out, but I will trust you.
I ask only one thing, Lord:
Let me live in your house every day of my life
To see how wonderful you are
And to pray in your temple.
— Psalm 27:3,4

Morgan, Robert J.: On This Day : 265 Amazing and Inspiring Stories About Saints, Martyrs & Heroes. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, c1997, S. May 1

Lord, Lord - Paul Washer

Dangers Facing the Young and Reformed - Paul Washer

Spurgeon on Verse by Verse, Expositional Preaching

"I don't believe God the Holy Spirit ever intended men to publish three months before hand lists of sermons that they were going to preach because there always will arise changes in providence, and different states of mind both in the preacher and the hearer, and he will be a very wise man who has got an Old Moore's Almanack correct enough to let him know what would be the best sort of sermon to preach three months ahead. He had better leave it to his God to give him the same hour what he will speak, and look for his sermons as the Israelites looked for the manna, day by day." - C.H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon on the Holy Spirit, pg. 12

I must admit that I tend more towards this view than most of my co-patriots in the cause in which I work, though I understand and respect their views. I do not believe that it is a sin to preach through a book of the Bible verse by verse - necessarily. (It can be sin if by it the preacher neglects the obvious needs of the congregation - God says feed my sheep. This is a command not an option.) In fact, it can be very helpful in giving a sound overview of the Word of God to a congregation. But I would contend that it is mostly that - a sound overview - unless you creep through the book and do topical messages on each topic discussed. I have yet to see an in depth study of a doctrine which did not come down to a topical message. In order to flush the whole counsel of God out on an issue, the preacher needs to use all that God has said on this subject. Consider also that the day to day needs of a congregation do not always line up with the next passage of Scripture. Paul looked at the Galatians and said, you need to understand the law. You are using it wrongfully. But what if he had been an expositional, verse by verse only preacher who was preaching through the book of Esther at the time? How shall he deal with his churches misunderstanding of the law without doing just what he did? A topical message meeting the people's need.

I have heard it said that topical preaching is dangerous because the preacher can jump on hobby horses then. True, but since when are we to throw out what is nearly the exclusive style of preaching in the New Testament because of the abuse of man? There have been abuses of the office of the elder, but we are not to throw out church leadership. There have been abuses by money hungry preachers, but to chose not to pay the preacher is still stealing. And there are abuses of expository preaching as well when men fail to do what Christ says - feed my sheep. Expository preaching does not guarantee the whole counsel of God is preached, it does not guarantee that the preacher is being led by the Holy Spirit about what to preach (the next six verses - who needs to pray about that?), it does not guarantee that the people will have in depth knowledge and understanding of the great doctrines of God which are interwoven throughout the pages of Scripture. I would more contend that Spurgeon is right - but that it only works if the preachers are being led by the Holy Spirit. If they are not, they will end up on hobby horses. But conversely, if they are not led by the spirit, though they preach expositionally verse by verse, they will not be feeding their congregation as they should.

Another danger with verse by verse preaching - which I have personally witnessed - is forcing the text to deal with something that it doesn't. You say, how could that be? In verse by verse preaching, doesn't it get dictated by whatever is being talked about? It should, but that is not always the case. I have seen cases where a certain topic was needing to be dealt with so a book of the Bible which touched on that topic was chosen to be preached through. But because they wanted to deal with that topic in every message, the book was misinterpreted and forced to say what the preachers wanted to say in every message on the book. It was verse by verse, but because the author did not actually deal with the topic as it was needing to be dealt with at the time, the book was forced to say things it didn't say and badly misinterpreted.

So how should I conclude? The issue is the Spirit of God. Without the Holy Spirit leading and guiding the preaching of the church, neither topical expositional preaching nor expositional, verse by verse preaching through whole books of the Bible will solve the church's problem by default. We tend to focus so much on the method we forget the only One that can make the Word effectual - The Spirit of God. The fact is, Paul preached topically. Peter preached topically. Christ preached topically. To throw out topical preaching is to throw out the New Testament. Let us not become better than Paul in our own eyes, but let us be led by the Spirit that we may "Feed Christ's sheep."